Chapter 154: The Definite Conditions

The result of a group of men rushing out to snatch the snake’s eyes was that the two massive, fanged eagles, which had been preparing to eat the snake, were so startled that their legs went weak. They could only watch helplessly as those bandit-like men, armed with bone knives, carved away a portion of their meal.

Sha Yi had absolutely no interest in judging such behavior.

However, Tuge truly embarrassed himself when he vomited upon being presented with the snake eyes by the men. This shocked everyone and even made Jialuo turn back to glance at her several times.

Sha Yi felt that this couldn’t really be considered her earlier words coming true, but it was a lucky coincidence. Tuge hated snakes just as much as she did, and like her, he had witnessed a snake swallowing a person. So, on a full stomach, facing something so disgusting and bloody, vomiting was entirely reasonable.

But in the eyes of Jialuo and the others, it was completely different. They would only see this as the effect of her prophetic foresight. Her position had become slightly more advantageous.

However, when it came to Jialuo’s so-called “eye for an eye” treatment, she had no idea how to explain it. In the end, under his piercing glare, she could only mutter, “You misunderstood. It’s salt crystals that treat the eyes, not eyes treating eyes.”

She hadn’t intended to explain it clearly to him, but he seemed particularly eager to overthink it, even muttering to himself repeatedly about the phrase she had emphasized. Sha Yi was convinced he had gone mad—why else would he spend the entire night chasing her around, asking, “What kind of eyes can actually cure Tuge’s eyes?”

Sha Yi ignored him, deciding to get a good night’s rest so that the next day, when they negotiated terms, she could be smoothly exchanged back.

The cave where Jialuo and his group were temporarily staying was small and narrow, shaped like a long, straight tunnel with limited width but seemingly endless depth. As a captive, she was placed near the innermost part. Due to her high value, she was also separated from the two other captured women.

Yet, she had still left a stain on Jialuo’s impression of her. Not only did he think she was cunning, but he also considered her bad-tempered and ill-mannered. Even when lying down to sleep, he deliberately kept a great distance from her, as did the rest of the men—including Manlun, who no longer acted as domineering as before but instead seemed afraid of being “infected” by her.

The contradiction was that they were also worried she might escape. After several adjustments, she was finally placed between two women in Jialuo’s group, which suited her just fine.

Unfortunately, she still slept restlessly that night, barely able to drift off. Lying on the ground, she not only felt the unusually high temperature of the earth but also kept hearing muffled rumbles from deep underground. These sounds were irregular in timing and intensity, sometimes mixed with what seemed like water, yet not purely water—just chaotic noise that grated on her nerves.

On top of that, perhaps because she had slept too much earlier, she didn’t feel drowsy at all. In the middle of the night, she even thought she heard faint voices outside the cave—someone calling her name. But she didn’t dare respond. Partly because two half-asleep men were on watch inside the cave, and partly because she had no idea where they were or how safe it was.

…

Just like the previous night, Sha Yi had no memory of when she finally fell asleep. When she woke up, the sky was already bright. The men had long since risen, but since the fire from the night before had gone out, they were now scrambling to relight it.

Though the light outside was bright, it wasn’t the usual blazing sun or stormy weather. Instead, the sky was shrouded in eerie, pale clouds, accompanied by faint, intermittent sounds of water—everything felt off.

Sha Yi had a feeling that heavy rain was imminent. The weather over the past two days had been bizarrely scorching, nearly drying up all the standing water. Though she hadn’t seen the daytime conditions the previous day, judging by the clear night, it had at least been sunny. But now, things were different.

Based on earlier patterns, she guessed that the stormy weather here might be preceded by extreme heat—like how in modern times, each autumn rain brought colder weather. Here, it seemed that a day of blazing sun was followed by days of torrential rain, each cycle intensifying the next.

But if it rained heavily today, she wouldn’t mind. Jialuo was already intimidated, and a little thunder and lightning during the exchange would only work in her favor.

Looking around, she didn’t see Jialuo. Aside from him and two other men who usually followed him, everyone else was present. Without that most annoying presence looming over her, Sha Yi suddenly found it easier to breathe. Even Manlun, the burly man who had ordered her to be carried like a chicken the night before, had deliberately seated himself as far from her as possible.

Sha Yi was stunned. A sense of pride swelled in her—she had to admit, it was a ridiculous kind of pride—but in the next instant, she thought of escaping.

However, a glance at the cave entrance dashed her hopes—two men were still stationed there. The thought of fleeing vanished as quickly as it had come.

Fine. Whatever happens, happens. Given the circumstances, escape was impossible. Rather than waste energy on futile attempts, she might as well hold firm to the conditions she had secured the night before to avoid further complications.

The group of men sitting near her, including Manlun, were struggling to start a fire by rubbing sticks together. Sha Yi watched patiently for a while but saw no hint of smoke.

She guessed there’d be no roasted meat for breakfast. Given their fire-starting skills, it was hopeless. And since she had been captured in her sleep, she hadn’t brought her lighter—not that she would have shared it with these bandits anyway!

Her stomach growled. Bored, she turned her attention back to the unnervingly pale sky outside.

Just then, she spotted a black shape rapidly approaching from the distance. As it drew closer, she recognized it—a fanged eagle, with the wild man Jialuo riding on its back.

Sha Yi swore she had never imagined riding a bird. Even after Xi Yi’s words, she hadn’t dared picture it. Seeing it now, her shock was undeniable.

As she marveled, she suddenly noticed Jialuo’s face contorting mid-flight. After a few seconds of confusion, she remembered Xi Yi’s warning about the eagles’ unstable landings—and the bald bird butt she’d seen the night before. Unable to help herself, she smirked.

Sure enough, the moment her lips curved, a loud crash echoed outside the cave. The impact sent dust and grass raining from the ceiling, and the massive eagle tumbled head over heels into the distance.

Before Sha Yi could even stand to get a better look, another “large object” plummeted from above the cave entrance. She barely had time to hear a curse—”Stupid bird!”—before Jialuo landed flat on his back outside, comically rigid.

While she doubled over laughing, the others rushed out in a panic, hauling the dazed and bruised man back inside.

Apparently having hurt his lower back, Jialuo winced as he rubbed the sore spot, still muttering curses at the eagle responsible: “Damn stupid bird, always looking down its nose—does it even have eyes?!”

This time, Sha Yi couldn’t hold back—she burst out laughing.

Jialuo’s head snapped toward her, furious. “You find my fall funny?!”

“Shouldn’t I?” she shot back.

Stung, the tall man scowled. “Just wait. I’ll make sure you take a tumble too!”

“Don’t bother. After today, we won’t see each other again.” Pointing at herself, Sha Yi grinned. “You’ll definitely trade me for food today.”

Annoyed at being read so easily, Jialuo retorted, “I’ll trade you tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow will be thunderstorms and torrential rain. If you want to get struck by lightning, go ahead!” Shrugging, she added, “Either way, you’ll have to feed me well until then. I don’t mind.”

“Shameless!” Jialuo jabbed a finger at her, his face twitching in pain. “If not for your—”

“If not for my value, you’d have killed me long ago.” Cutting him off, Sha Yi stuck to her intimidation tactics. “Enough, I get it. Now go start the fire. Your dear companions have been at it forever with no success. I’m starving—hurry up.”

Fuming, Jialuo seemed ready to explode but suddenly laughed instead. “You get nothing today. Since you’re being traded back soon, you won’t starve!” With that, he turned away, striding over to old man Tuge.

Only then did Sha Yi notice the half-dead rabbit hanging at his side. So he’d gone hunting early. With every step, the rabbit twitched pathetically—a painful sight.

Ignoring it, Jialuo stopped before Tuge and held up the rabbit. “Rabbit. Want some?”

Tuge peered closely, only to get kicked in the face by the feeble creature. After a pause, he nodded. “Yes.”

“Drink the blood first. Took effort to catch.” Pulling out a bone knife, Jialuo slit the rabbit’s throat and shoved it toward Tuge’s mouth, ignoring its dying kicks. “Drink.”

This time, Tuge didn’t refuse. He obediently opened his mouth.

But after a few gulps—he vomited again.

Jialuo froze, then grabbed Tuge’s shoulders and shook him violently. “It’s rabbit blood, not snake blood! Why are you still throwing up? Are you trying to kill me?!”

Between vomiting and being shaken, Tuge broke into a coughing fit, unable to respond.

Sha Yi couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted to stop Jialuo’s madness but hesitated to involve herself further. Only when Tuge’s coughing grew uncontrollable did she speak up. “Jialuo, stop shaking him!”

He ignored her.

“If you keep going, you’ll kill him! He’s already old!”

But the enraged man wasn’t listening. The others just stood by, paralyzed.

Finally, Sha Yi snapped. “Why did you crash into walls, fall flat, and hunt rabbits? Why negotiate extra terms? Wasn’t it to heal his eyes so he could teach you about medicinal plants? Are you really going to give up on him now?”

Her outburst made Jialuo freeze. He turned slowly, eyes wide. “You’re interfering in my affairs?”

“Don’t twist it.” Pointing at the coughing old man, Sha Yi said bluntly, “If you’re giving up on Tuge, just send him to our side. Forget the eye treatment—take all the food instead.”

She was bluffing, of course. While her main goal was to stop Jialuo’s abuse, she also wanted to prevent him from making outrageous demands. As for Tuge—though he seemed knowledgeable, he was old. Salt crystals might restore his vision, but she couldn’t guarantee how long he’d live. Besides, the eye treatment had just been a ploy to pressure Jialuo—she hadn’t expected him to bite so quickly.

Truthfully, taking Tuge back to their cave would be nearly impossible. Xi Yi’s group didn’t ride eagles regularly—only out of curiosity—and lacked the means. Jialuo’s people, however, lived alongside the eagles and could command them, escaping floods easily.

Still, she doubted Jialuo would abandon Tuge. After all his effort, and especially after her words, he’d be too stubborn to concede.

Now, his gaze was unreadable. After a long silence, he spat, “Wishful thinking!” Though he reined in his anger, tossing the rabbit to another man, he left Tuge alone and took over fire-starting duties.

Sha Yi sat back, watching Jialuo’s aggressive drilling for a moment before looking away.

His frustration was palpable—in his motions, his expression. Though silent, he made no effort to hide his mood.

Beyond anger, he was probably wrestling with conflicting emotions, maybe even a hint of self-pity. After all his struggles, nothing had worked for Tuge. Now, her terms were his only hope—no wonder he was so torn.

Meanwhile, Tuge’s coughing subsided. After drinking water from a woman, he regained some composure. When his gaze met Sha Yi’s, he squinted several times before nodding slightly—gratitude.

Sha Yi didn’t know how to respond. There had been manipulation involved, and she couldn’t bring herself to accept his thanks. She quickly averted her eyes.

A moment later, something bumped her leg. Looking down, she found a small green fruit at her feet. Then another rolled toward her. Startled, she glanced up—Tuge was pinching the arm of a man beside him, who held two more fruits, ready to toss them her way.

Sha Yi was stunned, then deeply moved. Tuge was thanking her discreetly, aware of her precarious position and Jialuo’s presence. He must have heard Jialuo deny her food.

She quietly pocketed the fruits.

Jialuo, at least, was better at fire-starting than the others. Soon, flames flickered to life.

The man tasked with preparing the rabbit returned with the meat. The two missing men trailed behind—one carrying the skinned, blood-drained snake from the night before, the other with a leaf bundle of fruit.

As Jialuo motioned for them to set things down, the fruit-bearer urgently whispered in his ear. Sha Yi saw Jialuo’s expression darken instantly. After signaling for the cave entrance to be blocked, he turned to her, eyes glinting with menace.

Her heart pounded—but then he smiled cryptically, saying nothing as he sat beside Tuge, his gaze locked on her.

It was a strange, chilling look. Sha Yi didn’t understand what had happened, but to maintain her bargaining power, she steeled herself and met his stare head-on.