In the tent, Cang Xu continued: “However, Zong Ge is undoubtable strong, he also has not chosen the solitary path——Tripleblade is following him. Tripleblade was a mercenary.”
“The oppressive rumor that the half beastman eats humans and that he is a suspect in the captain’s murder, caused opposition between the mercenaries and sailors to form.”
“Because the mysterious attacks continued, with someone dying almost every night, the camp was on high alert. Should they leave the camp to avoid the attacks? All of them must have had such thoughts.
“As their fear and the external dangers increased, the stronger their desire to attach themselves to the strong. Despite all kinds of rumors aimed at Zong Ge, Zong Ge was stronger than Xi Suo, thus Xi Suo’s influence continued to fall.”
“Under such circumstances, if Xi Suo did not take advantage of his influence to start a new path, the sailors would attach themselves to the half beastman Zong Ge.”
“Despite the people looking down on half beastmen, such preferences are considered secondary when concerning their life and death.”
“If that was the tentative plan, Xi Suo establishing a second exploration team and secretly instigating the departure of his people is not strange.”
Bai Ya gazed at the old scholar before him, blinking again and again as he was left speechless for a moment.
It was as if a door to a new world had opened. Now Bai Ya’s heart was thrilled and fearful, yet it was also delighted. The complex mood that irritated the youngster was hard to put into words.
“I understand!” Bai Ya suddenly shouted.
“I understand why Zong Ge did not go to verify the wound. Is it just arrogance? No! It is because he also knows that such verification is meaningless! Xi Suo would still try to prove he was the murderer. If the Zong Ge’s spears matched the wound, it would be definitive proof for Xi Suo. If it does not match, then Xi Suo could say the wound deformed due to seawater.”
“So, even if Zong Ge verified things, it would not prove his innocence. It is possible that he would have sunk into Xi Suo’s trap and be framed.”
Cang Xu nodded and gratefully said: “Youngster, you finally learned how to use your brain. Maintain this good habit and it will provide you with endless benefits.”
Bai Ya pursed his brows again: “However, Zong Ge is stronger since Xi Suo is only at the bronze level. Him daring to frame Zong Ge is very brazen. Zong Ge understands Xi Suo is plotting against him, why is Xi Suo not worried that Zong Ge will just kill him?”
Cang Xu explained: “Zong Ge is a strange half beastman, if he were a pure blooded human, it would be different. Xi Suo saw an opportunity because of that fact. More importantly, it is human nature to be greedy and selfish. Aren’t there a few people with avarice in their heart who would take a risk out of desperation for their own benefit?”
“However.” Cang Xu’s appeared solemn as he deeply gazed into Bai Ya’s eyes, “You must understand that what we have talked about is mere speculation, there is no evidence, if this got out, it would make you the camp’s biggest fool!”
Bai Ya could not help but feel depressed.
He believed that this was the truth of the situation, but he couldn’t speak of it!
“Everyone is confused. Some are actually confused, and some are only pretending to be confused.”
“Once I was truly confused, but now I have to pretend that I am confused?”
Bai Ya’s mood became even more complex.
Cang Xu reiterated: “Unity is the most important thing currently. You have to understand that!”
“At the same time, our discussion really is just speculation. Like what Lord Zhen Jin said, the truth is not clear, and the facts have not been proven. Don’t believe others easily and don’t be overly convinced by your own judgement. Our hearts need to be open; they need to have the courage to accept and be prepared to accept any possibility.”
“So, Lord Zhen Jin actually saw that something was fishy. Before this I was still dim-witted, ah……he really deserves to be called Lord.” Bai Ya lamented with adoration.
Cang Xu smiled: “Did you know what the Bai Zhen Clan motto is——it is
you should not overestimate people and you should not underestimate people
. Lord Zhen Jin is a true templar knight and he has noble virtues, however at the same time, he is also a qualified noble. In this power game, he is handling a butcher’s cleaver with ease.”
“But Lord Zhen Jin is extremely tolerant, he even gave Zong Ge a healing potion!” Bai Ya gasped.
“Ha ha, that shows his Lordship’s brilliance!”
“Don’t tell me it was a fake potion?” Bai Ya’s eyes opened wide.
“That is unlikely. Lord Zhen Jin is not that kind of person.” Cang Xu replied.
“Then if by chance, what do we do if Zong Ge is healed? Wouldn’t it be disadvantageous to his Lordship? Bai Ya was worried.
Cang Xu’s smile became profound: “Lord Zhen Jin really gave a potion and Zong Ge also accepted it. The question is whether Zong Ge……dares to use it?”
When Zong Ge returned to his camp, he was still sizing up the potion in his hand.
The potion was in a small glass bottle, it appeared to be a liquid, and it seemed to have a faint blue color.
But Zong Ge did not plan to use the potion.
Because he did not have the means to tell if this potion was harmless.
This was the first meeting between him and Zhen Jin. Others told stories of Zhen Jin’s nobility and knightly spirit, however Zong Ge believed his judgement more.
“Perhaps Zhen Jin is unlikely to use such a base scheme, but what about that small girl Zi Di?”
“This potion was made by Zi Di, I can’t say for sure if Zhen Jin hid something in it.”
Zong Ge could not use battle qi, if he had battle qi, even if the potion was poisonous, he had the ability to resist it.
“I cannot use battle qi, but my bodily essence is greater than Zhen Jin’s. Zhen Jin also cannot use battle qi, but a divine spell……I cannot say for sure.”
The memory of the boat craftsman rescue and subsequent confrontation appeared in Zong Ge’s brain.
Zhen Jin had displayed a tough attitude and really was on the brink of attacking. To add onto that, he took the initiative to invite Zong Ge and his companions at dinner when he gave him a healing potion in front of everyone.
“All of this shows that Zhen Jin knows he has backing!”
“So, it is very possible that when he prays, he receives a divine spell.
Zong Ge’s gaze deepened as he sat contemplating.
It was quiet inside the tent, but outside of it, the faint discussion and conversation of Tripleblade and the mercenaries could be heard.
Zong Ge’s ears slightly trembled, his lion man bloodline gave him keen hearing.
“Should we use these potions? Are there any issues with them?”
Not only did Zhen Jin publicly give Zong Ge a potion, he also gave Tripleblade and his people one afterwards.
“Bah, what is there to be afraid of. Would Lord Zhen Jin really scheme against us nobodies? Don’t look at yourselves too highly.”
“Be at ease, I used it and it made me feel better than the potion I applied onto my body.”
“Alas, I spent a lot of money on this magic potion, yet it had no effect here!”
“Help me apply it, I can’t reach my back.”
“Wow, how refreshing, the pain was immediately alleviated, it really is effective……”
“Hold on, your buttocks are injured. I will apply some on it!”
“What……I will do it myself.”
“Can you see it? Obediently lie on your stomach. Oh, are you embarrassed? That’s not something I usually see.”
“Get lost! If you want to apply it, do it without delay and speak less nonsense.:
Pop, pop, pop!
“Sssssss……I only let you apply it; you're slapping my wound!”
“With this force, the medicine will seep into your body. Don’t you understand?”
“Give me that you old man!!”
“Ha ha ha……”
After that outburst, all of the wounded smeared the potion onto themselves.
The subject of conversation naturally changed to Zhen Jin.
“Did you guys hear what they said in camp? Lord Zhen Jin’s fiancé is always standing by him. He has saved the small and weak many times. When there was a food shortage, he gave his own food to an old man and gave his water to a dying and unconscious person.”
“Aren’t those things being spread deliberately?”
“I also heard something similar. Untrue rumors are unspecific, but in this matter is very definite with even the smallest details being talked about.
“Other than that, seeing Lord Zhen Jin invite us to this camp is proof that he is different from other nobles!”
“He is indeed a templar knight!”
“What I really loathe is that Xi Suo and that gang of people don’t want us to sleep in their camp. We saved them today.”
“The camp is too small, and they are afraid we will harm them.”
“That gang of sailors have no regard for others, they are unworthy of our trust. If it was Lord Zhen Jin, how would there be such a disgusting first mate?”
“I heard that Lord Zhen Jin was onboard to travel to the Wilderness Continent and compete for the position of White Sands City’s master. It's a pity that because of the shipwreck, he has missed that opportunity.”
When that was said, other different conversations ceased.
When the talking resumed, Zhen Jin seemed to be thrown to the back of their minds and no one took the initiative to mention him again.
In the tent, Zong Ge was plastered with agony.
He understood what these mercenaries were thinking about.
They had received discrimination, they could not live how they pleased, and they longed to be recruited.
“My Lord, are you sleeping?” Tripleblade’s voice could be heard.
He was absolutely quiet when he walked, even Zong Ge could not sense his footsteps. As he spoke, Zong Ge sensed Tripleblade’s position.
“Come in.” Zong Ge replied.
Tripleblade lifted the tent flap and arrived in front of Zong Ge.
He knelt to the ground, saluted Zong Ge, and looked at the ground under Zong Ge’s feet: “My Lord, tomorrow morning, allow me to challenge Zhen Jin to verify how things stand with him!”
“Eh? Why do you want to do that?” Zong Ge’s eyes flashed.
Tripleblade lifted his head, still kneeling: “Lord Zong Ge, although I have only followed you for a short time, I can feel your heart and ambition. You are wearing elite equipment and you left embarked alone to the Wilderness Continent, surely you want to accomplish something.”
“If you want accomplishments, although being unaccompanied means you are unconstrained, building up a group will make your Lordship’s worth increase.”
“Although the boat craftsman was saved by your Lordship, he only paid a formal visit to Zhen Jin.”
“Our statuses restrict us. Compared to Zhen Jin, your Lordship’s greatest advantage lies in your strong battle strength, as long as everyone realizes that your Lordship is the strongest in the camp, Zhen Jin’s status advantage will be greatly reduced.”
“Zhen Jin cannot compare to your Lordship’s body! The only worry is that he has a divine spell.”
“Allow me to find a path for your Lordship, tomorrow morning, I will understand the ins and outs of Zhen Jin!”
Notes
Come to the uh...light side(?) we have healing potions. Tripleblade is severely underestimating ya boi Zhen Jin after hearing all of the stories. Then again, poor Zhen Jin’s problem isn’t winning, it's hiding the fact that he’s a shapeshifting monstrosity that drinks the blood of his enemies. I wonder if Lan Zao got over his silent phase since Cang Xu is busy with his dissection and Zi Di is probably busy mixing some concoction. Also, did they carry raw lizard meat all the way back from the desert, or was it dried but uncooked lizard meat? Details man, they are important.