However, they must not agree to Kasan’s condition too readily. Otherwise, if they appear too obvious, given Yeli’s suspicious nature, he might grow suspicious again.
Thinking this, she immediately shook her head. “Your demands are too excessive. To exchange two people for the price of saving just one—you’re severely underestimating our bargaining power!”
Seemingly caught off guard by her interruption, the man who had been ready to walk away suddenly looked up with a mocking smile. “What? Don’t you want to save Saina?”
“If I didn’t want to save anyone, why would I even bother negotiating with you?” Knowing her desire to save Saina couldn’t be hidden, Sha Yi made no further attempt to conceal it. “Your goal is the same as ours. If you didn’t want to save Yelai, why would you seek us out to negotiate? Since we both have something to gain, why scheme against each other at the critical moment? If you’re going to calculate every little detail like this, why even bother engaging with us? From the very first negotiation, you’ve been twisting and turning—honestly, it’s exhausting!”
“Negotiations are all about twists and turns. When bargaining, of course, you fight for the best deal. Don’t tell me you don’t understand that!” Yeli seemed amused by her words. “I never restricted you from making demands. Just like the first time, how much you gain depends on your own skill!”
“If that’s how you see it, then I don’t think there’s any point in further negotiations. If Saina dies because of this, we’ll consider it fate.” Turning a cold gaze on Yeli, Sha Yi spoke deliberately. “And as for Yelai—you’d better prepare to bury him too.”
Before the words even settled, the smile vanished from Yeli’s face, replaced by a dark scowl. “After all this negotiation, you want to back out now?”
Yeli’s words were infuriating, and just hearing them reignited her anger. But before she could react, Xi Yi beside her stepped in. “That’s because you’ve shown no sincerity, trying to gain the most while giving the least.”
As he spoke, he gently pressed her shoulder in reassurance.
The gesture warmed her heart, and she instinctively reached out to squeeze his hand in return, signaling that she was fine.
Yeli, however, remained unfazed. “I’ve already said—negotiation is about securing the best deal for yourself. How much you get depends on your ability. But let me make this clear: this trade is happening whether you like it or not. There’s no backing out.”
“Do you really think you’re that important?” With a cold laugh, Jialuo, standing on the other side, flashed a strange grin. “Yeli, your words hold no weight. Even if I killed Yelai and Kapa right now, what could you do?”
Frowning at Jialuo, Yeli seethed. “You think this trench gives you security?”
“Want to test that theory?” Jialuo spread his hands, looking eager. “Killing and seizing territory is right up my alley. If you’re itching for a fight, I’m more than happy to oblige!”
From his tone, Jialuo genuinely seemed excited by the idea.
Sha Yi couldn’t help but glance back at him, suspecting his old habits were resurfacing—always itching for a direct confrontation to truly replace Yeli’s position.
Jialuo was ambitious, but unlike Yeli, despite his rough nature, he still had a sense of loyalty. He treated his own people well, much like Saina.
While Jialuo’s provocation was useful, she couldn’t fully predict Yeli’s reaction. She worried that if Jialuo pushed too far, things might spiral out of control.
But the situation had already escalated beyond her intervention.
Growing anxious, Sha Yi had no choice but to turn her gaze toward Kasan, who had fallen silent after Yeli’s outburst.
Understanding her silent plea, Kasan quickly interjected, “If you keep delaying with nonsense, I can’t guarantee how much longer your people will hold on!”
It was a veiled threat, redirecting the focus. Jialuo wasn’t foolish—he caught the implication and, before speaking further, shot her a glance.
Sha Yi immediately understood and raised a hand to signal him to stop.
Jialuo fell silent, though his expression remained disgruntled.
Observing their silent exchange, Xi Yi also grasped the situation. After a brief pause, he spoke up. “Since we’ve reached this point, let’s each take a step back. You must provide us with enough of the antidote herb—that’s our final concession. Otherwise, the exchange for two people can wait.”
Xi Yi’s words were a strategic compromise, pushing for the bare minimum while maintaining sincerity. Even Yeli would likely see it as a fair deal, free of tricks or hidden alliances with Kasan.
“Fine, let’s do it!” Without waiting for Yeli’s approval, Kapa immediately agreed. “The antidote herb will be split into two portions, both sufficient. But it’s one person at a time—Kapa first!”
At first, it seemed acceptable, but Kasan’s last sentence enraged Yeli. He grabbed Kasan by the neck, his voice icy. “Kasan, since when do you make decisions for me? I’ve given you freedom in negotiations, but now you dare to prioritize Kapa over Yelai? Have you lost your mind?”
“Save your threats.” Kasan coldly pushed Yeli’s hand away. “I hold the leverage here, so I call the shots. Besides, I’m not refusing to exchange Yelai—I just don’t want Kapa to suffer. If you keep acting recklessly, I’ll have no choice but to do the same.”
Stunned by Kasan’s words, Yeli could only grit his teeth in fury, his dark gray eyes burning with malice.
“Don’t glare at me—your anger won’t decide my fate.” Unfazed, Kasan gestured to the small bundle of herbs in his hand. “Two portions of the antidote, no tricks. Yelai’s life is in your hands.”
The weight of his words carried deep implications. Even though spoken softly, they heard it clearly.
Had they not known about the “shared fate” arrangement, Kasan’s warning would have been cryptic. But now, it was a stark reminder to Yeli of the stakes.
Yeli said nothing more, only motioning for his men to prepare the antidote herbs while glaring coldly at them.
Ignoring Yeli’s hostile gaze, Sha Yi calmly stated, “Prioritizing Kapa is fine, but we have one condition—we’ll verify the first portion of the antidote.”
“That’s acceptable.” Stepping past the fuming Yeli, Kasan nodded. “Once you bring the person out, both portions will be placed where you can see them. You can choose which one to take first.”
Sha Yi was satisfied with the terms, and even Jialuo smirked in approval. Xi Yi, too, looked at her with a gentle smile.
Bathed in the morning light, his expression made her reluctant to leave. But Saina’s injury couldn’t wait.
Besides, an opportunity like this—where both sides held leverage and allies intervened—was rare. They had to seize it.
Without further delay, she turned and hurried toward the brick house she shared with Xi Yi.
Tuge was still guarding Saina, who had fallen asleep—whether from pain or blood loss, she wasn’t sure.
But seeing that the bandages around his chest showed little bleeding, and Tuge assuring her that the tightly bound wound was stable, she relaxed and headed for the earthen kiln where Masa, Kapa, and Yelai were kept.
Kapa, anxious, bombarded her with questions the moment she entered. She quickly pulled him aside, reiterating their plan before returning to the kiln and signaling Masa to bring Yelai out.
Before heading to the trench, Kapa had force-fed Yelai several of Saina’s black berries. Now, Yelai seemed lethargic.
To be safe, Sha Yi removed the hide gagging him.
She intended to question him, but Yelai seemed desperate to speak—yet no sound came out, no matter how hard he tried.
Relieved, Sha Yi was satisfied.
But Yelai was horrified. Stunned for a long moment, his face twisted in realization, his expression turning ugly.
In that instant, his gaze burned with hatred, and he thrashed violently against his restraints.
Sha Yi shuddered under his glare, startled by his sudden frenzy.
Now convinced they had ruined his voice, Yelai was consumed by rage. She knew if he ever broke free, he’d kill her without hesitation. Not taking any chances, she ordered Kapa to fetch more thick vines from the kiln to bind him tighter.
She had no intention of explaining or showing mercy. After all, he had never been kind to her—this was just payback.
And compared to saving Saina, Yelai was insignificant.
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