“Garo and Masa are staying in that earthen kiln over there. Don’t worry about them for now. We’ll deal with it once Saina wakes up.” Staring at the dense crowd across the trench, Sha Yi felt a faint unease. “By the way, you mentioned earlier that Saina and his people’s weapons aren’t very effective at night, right? What about Yeli?”
“Yeli lost track of us. Saina’s group led them around in circles. It was the middle of the night, and they didn’t know the terrain. I bet they got stuck in some pit or another, which is why they didn’t catch up with us.” Scratching his messy hair, Kapa nodded. “Those weapons—when it’s too dark to see and you’re aiming at moving targets, the hit rate is low. Plus, after each shot, you have to reload quickly. For close-range combat, they’re not very practical. And with our hiding spots destroyed, there was no solution. That’s why things turned out this way.”
After a brief pause, Kapa couldn’t suppress his anger again, gritting his teeth and muttering curses about settling the score with Garo. Sha Yi didn’t know how to comfort him, but her own unease deepened.
Yeli probably wouldn’t follow Saina’s trail anymore. Instead, he’d likely double back and regroup with Kasan’s side.
Truthfully, she was fairly confident about facing the crowd across the trench in terms of numbers and equipment.
First, the numerical disparity wasn’t so extreme as to be uncontrollable. Second, their weapons were far superior to Yeli’s.
But there were still some disadvantages—like their position.
Behind them was a water marsh, but the forest was too far away. Even with many domesticated animals, it wouldn’t sustain them in a prolonged war of attrition. If Yeli had the patience, they’d be ground down eventually. On the other hand, Yeli’s side was closer to the forest and had inland lakes. Though farther, they had no shortage of food or supplies. Their only real weakness was weapons. But if they chose to attack at night or fill the trench with boulders, it would be disastrous for Sha Yi’s group.
To minimize losses, they needed a quick, decisive victory—won through strategy. That was their best chance.
Beyond that, there was another problem: though they’d reached some agreements with Kasan and Kapa, uncertainties remained. They didn’t know how many people truly sided with Kasan, nor how many were innocent bystanders.
The thought made her restless. She grabbed Kapa’s arm urgently. “How many people are in your faction? And how many supporters do you have? Among those who followed your mother to the trench, how many are on our side?”
“Our faction is small—originally about the same size as Saina’s. But you know how Yeli is. He’d never tolerate my mother having too many followers. So over time, our numbers dwindled. I’d say about half support us, but they usually stay quiet. Only when things get really bad do they secretly consult with us.”
“Even though your mother is in a leadership position, those women don’t listen to her?” Sha Yi gestured toward the crowd across the trench, speaking softly. “Or are there people down there she can’t control—people not on your side?”
“Some aren’t on our side, and some are beyond her control.” Following her gaze, Kapa also looked toward the trench. “See those closest to my mother? They’re all Yeli’s people. Ever since this plan started, he’s not only separated us but also had my mother watched closely. That short, stocky man near her—Manlun—was originally captured but later ingratiated himself by offering bad advice. Because of him, our people have suffered a lot!”
If not for Kasan sitting at the highest point, draped in grayish-white fur, Sha Yi might not have recognized her. Her eyesight was worse than these ancient people’s, and she couldn’t make out the figures around Kasan clearly.
But it didn’t matter. She knew Manlun. Though they’d only met once, she remembered him.
Manlun wasn’t a major threat, but his betrayal of Garo had been devastating. They could’ve been one group, but before Garo could even attempt a rescue, Manlun switched sides. Even if their relationship hadn’t been great, no one expected this. Anyone would feel resentment.
Narrowing her eyes, Sha Yi turned back to study the trench again.
She couldn’t distinguish individuals well, but the differences between men and women were obvious. From a distance, she could roughly make out a cluster of men in the middle of the crowd.
This puzzled her.
Logically, men should be positioned in front of women. Even if ancient women were strong, they still fell short compared to men. Yeli’s group was already female-dominated, putting them at a slight disadvantage. Yet the men were placed at the back.
Were there too few men to risk? Or were these men…?
Sha Yi didn’t dwell on it. She tugged Kapa’s hand. “Kapa, can you explain why the women are in front and the men at the back in this situation?”
“That’s exactly how it should be!” Kapa let out a cold laugh, his expression darkening. “Those men are all Yeli’s people. Of course he’d protect his own. What are we to him? And if it weren’t for their brutality, we’d never have merged with Yeli’s group in the first place!”
“So those men are all from their side?”
“Other groups had some too, but whenever conflicts arose, our men suffered. Now there are hardly any left—just a few who don’t dare resist. Some went with us to Saina’s side yesterday. Who knows if they’ll make it back alive.” Kapa sighed, his tone bleak.
“Then… have you never considered rebelling?”
“Yeli’s too cunning. No one can outmaneuver him. Besides, many groups quietly accepted his rule. Without men on our side, most people endured it. What’s the point of a few resisting? It’s just suicide!”
“What about your mother…?”
“Yeli still fears my mother. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have survived this long. But I’m sure he’s never stopped plotting to eliminate her. She’s the one who’s challenged him repeatedly. He couldn’t do anything about it. This time, he even forced her to predict whether he’d win this battle!”
Sha Yi had been listening intently, but Kapa’s last remark piqued her curiosity. “What did your mother say?”
“She said, ‘Shared fate decides everything.’ Nothing more. Yeli didn’t press further.” Repeating Kasan’s words, Kapa sounded puzzled. “I don’t really understand what it means either.”
At this, Sha Yi felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She relaxed slightly.
Kasan had refused to give Yeli a clear answer. Those words had bound Yeli from the start—and likely still did. Sha Yi even wondered if Yeli regretted not accepting her terms to exchange for Yelai earlier.
Now, with Yelai still in their hands, they weren’t at Yeli’s mercy. And with both sides having torn off all pretenses, there was no room for negotiation.
That spear throw of Yeli’s had probably been meant to kill two birds with one stone. But he’d failed—and lost his leverage. No wonder he was so frustrated. If not for that, the crowd across the trench might’ve already replaced Kasan.
No wonder they hadn’t attacked yet. She’d thought Kasan was restraining them, but it was Yeli’s side holding back.
Kasan must’ve known all along. That’s why she’d remained calm, letting Yeli scheme.
But to maintain this balance, they’d need a solution—and they had to keep Yelai securely under watch. Because the “shared fate” line was just a lie, a tactic. She couldn’t let Yeli verify that crucial point. At least not until they had the upper hand.
Still, Sha Yi suspected Yeli would try to negotiate.
Maybe they could use that to bring Kasan’s faction over.
With that thought, she relaxed completely. Turning to the woman slightly taller than her, she explained, “Your mother left the ‘shared fate’ question to us. You should know—it’s a lie. As you wish, we won’t let Yeli find out until we’ve secured an advantage.”
Kapa stared at her, stunned. It took a while before she stammered, “H-how… how did you know?”
“Is it that hard? Just a guess. There’s no such thing as ‘shared fate’ in this world. I’ve certainly never seen it—unless Yeli and Yelai are literally connected.” Sha Yi smiled slightly but didn’t elaborate. “Now I know they won’t attack recklessly, so I’m relieved. Didn’t you want to find Garo? I’ll take you.”
Feeling lighter, Sha Yi turned and pointed to the earthen kiln in front of a stone cave not far away. “There. Yelai’s there too. Let’s go see.”
Kapa exhaled, her earlier heaviness fading. As she followed, her steps grew noticeably lighter. But she couldn’t help marveling, “No wonder my mother said you stood out the first time she saw you—like you weren’t from the same world as us.”
Like you weren’t from the same world as us?
Kasan’s words… were truly strange.
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