Chapter 196: Exposing the Conspiracy

The slap failed to sober the man up. Furious, Garo stood up and stomped on his back with such force that the skinny man coughed uncontrollably.

Yet, she found herself speechless.

The skinny man truly deserved the beating. Running into Garo on a bad day was just his misfortune, but he was no saint either—simply asking for trouble.

However, within minutes, Sha Yi couldn’t sit still any longer.

Garo had no sense of restraint. In that short span, the skinny man had been beaten again and was now barely breathing, on the verge of passing out.

Worried things might escalate, Sha Yi quickly intervened, only to find Garo growing even angrier. Bracing herself, she explained, “If you kill him, it’ll only deepen the hatred between our groups. Why not take him back and question him properly?”

“Take him back for questioning?” Though her anger had subsided, Garo wore a strange smile. “Do you know what I overheard from Saina and his people?”

“What?”

“They know more about that large group of women migrating here than we do. I don’t know how, but they were aware of this man’s presence. If not for their gossip, why would I have risked my life to escape?”

“What did they say?”

“This man didn’t just arrive today. His bird-riding speed isn’t much slower than ours. According to Saina’s followers, they spotted him earlier, but his target wasn’t them. I suspect Manlun has betrayed us—he wants to eliminate both you and me!”

“You think Manlun has turned against us?”

“It’s obvious, but that’s not the point.” Garo sneered, pointing in the direction Saina had left. “His followers knew about this troublemaker. How could he not? Hasn’t he screwed you over enough? And you still trust him?”

“I don’t fully trust him. Like you said, after what happened before, caution is necessary. But today, I have no reason to doubt him. Even if his followers knew about this man, it doesn’t mean Saina did!”

“Are you sure?”

“Didn’t you see his injuries?”

Garo laughed mockingly. “Just because he lost a fight doesn’t mean he’s innocent!”

“Those injuries weren’t from fighting this man. He was already severely wounded before. This time, he tore his wounds trying to save me.” Realizing Garo hadn’t been around from the start, Sha Yi abandoned her urge to argue and patiently explained, “Before this man appeared, I ran into Saina. He was warning me about the new group, not deliberately stalling or hiding anything.”

Garo fell silent, glaring at her in displeasure.

Sha Yi chuckled. “He was badly injured. He swore he’d never crossed the shallows until today. I believe him. And as for his followers knowing about this man’s ambush in the woods—you couldn’t have shown up just in time to save us without prior knowledge. So, I choose to trust him.”

“You say you trust him, yet you also claim to trust me. Those are contradictory!” Garo snapped. “If you believe both, what explanation do you have?”

“Just answer me—how were you caught yesterday?”

“Why are you so fixated on that?” Garo’s face darkened. “Why should I tell you? Would you merge with us if I did?”

“Yesterday, the eavesdropper wasn’t Saina. I know you’re upset about your fight with Xiyi, but don’t blame Saina. It was this man!”

“How do you know I suspected Saina? How do you know this wasn’t his scheme?”

“You know how fast he flees. Last night, you chased but couldn’t catch him. Instead, you followed his misleading trail, crossed the shallows, and ran into Saina—that’s how you fell into the pit and got caught!” Sha Yi pointed at the skinny man on the ground. “I think he dug that pit. Besides, Saina’s injuries made it impossible for him to outrun you. Think about it—if even you couldn’t catch him, how could Saina, covered in blood, move so swiftly?”

“Your reasoning makes sense, but it still doesn’t explain why his followers knew about this man!”

“When did they start gossiping about him being here? And were those people always around you?”

“Well…” Garo paused, then shook her head. “The three or four who talked about it only returned in the afternoon. They weren’t there last night when Saina caught me. I was so angry I fell into the pit. They seemed surprised but didn’t react much.”

“Exactly. When you were caught, they must’ve been out scouting. By the time they returned and gossiped, Saina wasn’t around. So, they never shared the intel with him. That proves Saina didn’t lie or scheme against us.” Sha Yi met Garo’s gaze and slowed her speech. “I ran into him this afternoon—I can vouch for that.”

“So, I was tricked by this damn man?” Garo looked stunned. “But if he wanted to kill you, why target me?”

“Didn’t you already suspect Manlun’s betrayal?” Sha Yi raised a brow. “Do I need to spell out the connection between him and you?”

“You mean…” Garo hesitated before reluctantly admitting, “Manlun wants both of us dead?”

“Otherwise, why the eavesdropping last night? Why lure you to Saina’s side?” Sha Yi nodded. “This confirms what you heard—this man arrived early, possibly before Saina’s scouts.”

“So, he studied our situation, then, with Manlun’s help, planned to use Saina to kill me, while he’d kill you?” Garo gasped. “But Saina was with you. After eliminating us, they’d pin everything on him, creating a three-way conflict while they reaped the benefits?”

Sha Yi lowered her eyes, silently agreeing. “It was a ruthless, airtight plan. But the ground collapsing in the woods accidentally saved us. Without it, I’d be dead, you might never have found us, and Saina, too injured, would’ve been at this man’s mercy. Thankfully…”

Cursing, Garo kicked the prone man again, still seething. As she bent to deliver another blow, distant shouts interrupted them.

They froze, then realized it was their people searching for them—Xiyi, Xigu, and Tuge among them.

Though only an afternoon had passed, it felt like an eternity of danger and twists. Hearing Xiyi and Xigu’s frantic calls, Sha Yi suddenly felt a surge of grievance. She sprinted toward the voices.

In that instant, she heard Garo’s angry curse behind her.

But now, it only made her want to laugh. The warmth in her heart was undeniable.

True, they’d once schemed against each other. But now, after surviving hardship together, even with differing views, they’d become steadfast allies when it mattered.

Perhaps soon, their groups would truly merge into one.

Tribal unity required strong leadership—crucial for survival, despite its flaws. They’d need to work hard to forge this new order.

Garo’s group, riddled with internal and external strife, desperately needed restructuring.

Garo didn’t walk back with her. By the time Sha Yi spotted Xiyi and Xigu and turned around, Garo had vanished, taking the half-dead man with her.

She’d likely taken another path to avoid unnecessary conflict with Xiyi.

At this moment, stirring more discord among allies was unwise. For once, Garo had acted rationally, and Sha Yi wouldn’t undermine that.

So, when Tuge questioned her, she simply nodded, sparing the details.

Tuge wasn’t foolish—he understood and stayed silent.

Xiyi and Xigu, however, were frantic with worry.

Sha Yi let Xiyi lead her back. His concern was palpable—he must’ve seen the towering flames in the woods. Though she hadn’t meant to worry him, the day’s events were too critical to hide. For safety, she recounted everything.

The result? He refused to let her walk, insisting on carrying her despite the others’ knowing looks. Eventually, he broke into a jog, leaving the group behind.