Chapter 235: Unfavorable Matters

“‘Live and die together’—of course, that means sharing the same injuries.” Garlo didn’t answer her question directly, merely raising his eyelids slightly. “Even if we’ve gained the upper hand, do you really think Yeli could walk away unscathed?”

“So… this was all carefully planned?” Sha Yi glanced back at Yelai, who remained silent, his face bruised and swollen, then frowned. “Are you sure?”

Nodding, Garlo simply plopped down. “I’m not just sure—I’m certain. Yeli couldn’t possibly come out unharmed.”

“However…” He paused before continuing slowly, “The way it manifests might differ, but that’s not our concern. When the time comes, someone will naturally provide the most reasonable explanation.”

Sha Yi’s mind blanked for a few seconds before she grasped his meaning.

From this perspective, Garlo was still a master of manipulation. With this move, he had effectively dragged Kasan into the fray. Not only was he guarding against both sides, but he was also retaliating for Kasan’s earlier attempt to shift the problem onto them. This time, however, the problem was weighty, and Kasan would find it difficult to handle.

If Kasan couldn’t manage it, he’d likely be forced to expose his own lies. If he could, their side wouldn’t lose out either—after all, it was still a cooperative relationship.

Moreover, Garlo probably wanted to renege on his promise to Kapa. By using Yeli to suppress Kasan’s side, he was also paving the way for his own refusal to cooperate and his tendency to burn bridges.

Kapa, meanwhile, clearly had no idea what Garlo was up to and was just staring at her dumbfounded.

With a quiet sigh, Sha Yi couldn’t help but reflect.

Compared to the seasoned Garlo, Kapa was far too naive.

But she couldn’t judge the situation too harshly. After all, this approach was indeed effective. And if Kasan could come up with a plausible excuse, they stood to gain significantly.

Though it was unfair to Kapa, Kasan had also turned a blind eye at times, so it balanced out in the end.

As for Garlo and Kapa’s relationship, she had no intention of meddling. Whatever happened between them was their own business.

When she looked back at Yelai, Sha Yi couldn’t help but marvel at Garlo’s skill in beating someone up. The injuries looked severe, but they were mostly superficial. Otherwise, given Garlo’s brute strength, how could Yelai—completely defenseless—still have clear, lucid eyes despite his battered appearance?

Suddenly, another thought struck her: discussing all this so openly in front of Yelai would be disastrous if they ever let him go.

But before she could voice her concern, Garlo bent down, grabbed Yelai’s head, and plucked two plug-like objects from the tangled hair near his ears.

Sha Yi was puzzled, but Garlo turned to her with a smug grin. “We’re done talking. No need to keep his ears blocked anymore.”

Sha Yi was genuinely surprised.

It had been a long time since Garlo had been this decisive and clever. He was like two extremes—when he was overly accommodating, he rarely bothered to think things through, but when he was aggressive and domineering, he became exceptionally shrewd and calculating.

A true contradiction of dual personalities!

Fortunately, he still knew how to keep his actions in check. Otherwise, considering how he’d set fire to Saina’s side, he’d have no value left!

With that thought, she relaxed and instructed the two to keep a close watch on Yelai before preparing to leave the earthen kiln. But Kapa refused to go.

Sha Yi knew that despite Kapa’s constant cursing and even attempts to hit Garlo, her affection for him was genuine.

So she didn’t bother stopping her, letting Kapa have her way.

By now, the sky outside the kiln had brightened, and the situation in the distant trenches was becoming clearer.

Sha Yi noticed that Kasan was no longer seated on the high ground, and several men from the opposing side had dispersed. This likely meant Yeli had arrived.

On their side, everyone remained on high alert, including Xiyi, who was still stationed at the shallow end of the trench, showing no signs of relaxation.

Instead, it was Tuge who came rushing to find her.

Spotting Tuge’s slender figure from afar, Sha Yi felt a twinge of unease. As she quickened her pace, someone grabbed her arm. Annoyed, she turned to see Garlo.

His expression was far darker than it had been inside the kiln. Sha Yi was momentarily confused, but after a long stare, she realized Kapa had somehow latched onto his other arm like a stubborn burr.

Now, Garlo was gripping her arm while glaring at her, his face screaming, “If I can’t shake Kapa off, I won’t let you go either.”

Sha Yi was speechless. After a tense standoff, her anger flared, and she kicked him square in the knee.

Caught off guard, Garlo yelped in pain but still managed to curse between groans.

Sha Yi ignored him and turned to leave, but the man behind her suddenly threw a tantrum. “Why are you clinging to me? I don’t want you as a partner! I like Sha Yi! I want to be with Sha Yi! If you keep pestering me, I’ll throw you out—ow!”

Sha Yi’s scalp prickled.

Here we go again—this was a recipe for disaster.

Before she could intervene, Kapa cut in sharply: “Sha Yi already has a man! She doesn’t like you! I’ve seen it—what’s the point of you liking her?”

In an instant, both Sha Yi and Garlo’s faces darkened.

After a pause, Garlo replied coolly, “Whether Sha Yi has a man or not is none of your business. Whether she likes me or not is none of your business. And what’s the point of me liking her? That’s none of your business either!”

Furious, Kapa shot back, “Well, I like you! What are you going to do about it?”

Silence fell.

Both parties froze, and Sha Yi broke into a cold sweat. But with Saina’s injuries and the inevitable complications ahead, she had no patience left for these two.

Seizing the moment, Sha Yi slipped away unnoticed.

The distance wasn’t far, so Tuge spotted her immediately and called out, “Sha Yi, come here.”

His face was etched with urgency. After beckoning her, he headed straight for her and Xiyi’s brick hut without another word.

Knowing Tuge’s temperament, this was the first time she’d seen him so agitated. Saina’s condition must be serious.

The thought made her uneasy, her steps growing unsteady.

She couldn’t bear to imagine what would happen if Saina really died.

Back at the waterfall, she’d once thought his death would be for the best. But now, everything had changed—circumstances, people, relationships. The issues between them had long since dissipated. If he died before her now, she wouldn’t be able to accept it.

Perhaps she’d already come to see him as an ally, just like when they’d moved from the old settlement together. They’d shared hardships, and despite past conflicts, he was no longer the man she’d once despised.

Time had passed, and in this unfamiliar place, he’d done nothing to harm her. On the contrary, he’d risked his life to save her. No matter what, she couldn’t—and wouldn’t—stand by and watch him die.

Stepping back into the room, the metallic tang of blood still hung in the air. Even with just half her body inside, her stomach churned violently.

Yet the man on the bed turned his head to look at her. After a long moment, he whispered weakly, “Sha Yi…”

Apart from the cloth covering his waist and abdomen, his animal hides had been removed. His once-strong body, honed during the rainy season, was now marred by overlapping scars—old and new, gruesome and terrifying.

The longer she looked, the worse she felt.

Noticing her pallor, the man on the bed spoke again, his voice frail. “Don’t look at me like that… I don’t want…”

Saina truly didn’t want her to see him at his weakest.

This man was proud, stubborn, and recklessly willful. Once he set his mind on something, he’d fight tooth and nail for it—scheming, manipulating, even betraying or being betrayed by everyone.

Yet in the end, he seemed to have silently accepted her perspective.

When she’d told him she didn’t like him, he’d been shocked, but ultimately, he’d chosen to respect her.

That was perhaps the hardest-won victory.

Just like now—he definitely didn’t want her seeing him like this, whether out of concern for her or his own pride.

With that thought, she averted her gaze, sparing them both the discomfort.

But as she turned, her eyes landed on a wooden basin by the bed. The water inside was a deep, ominous red, mirroring the bloodstains on the man’s body.

Sha Yi couldn’t help but look back.

No matter how nauseated she felt, she couldn’t suppress the urge to see him.

In that instant, Saina smiled, his chest heaving violently and aggravating his wounds—especially the spear gash on his torso, which was bleeding profusely.

Yet he didn’t stop. Instead, he turned fully to face her. “Seems I can’t stop you after all. You’re still the same… still the one I love.”

“What do you want to say?” Her heart ached, but she couldn’t bring herself to soften her tone.

With another weak chuckle, he coughed. “You’re… pregnant. You should leave. Don’t stay here.”