Thanks for Exalted, Gallerhad and Michael Thunder for becoming as Supporters!
===BREAK===
"Just hearing the name Jebrael, I actually thought it was that traitor who had returned."
"Traitor? Samail, I know about your feud with Jebrael. So, who actually betrayed whom?"
"Hahaha, who else could it be? That grain of 'betraying sand'—he abandoned the dream of Thutmose, took the key to uncover Ahmar's secrets, and without a doubt betrayed us. He betrayed all the sands!"
Samail's cold laughter carried no shame. He spoke brazenly, showing no guilt for killing the wife of the one who once saved him. He even claimed magnanimously, "But the past is the past. The current Thutmose still has a place for Jebrael. As long as he wishes, everything can continue as before."
Victor Wang shook his head. "He won't come back."
"Ha! So that's why you're here… Let me guess, you're here to avenge him?"
"I have no intention of getting involved in your disputes."
"Then this is interesting… Could it be that you're also interested in the 'Golden Slumber'? If so, you'd first have to fight the Fatui. They were the ones who first struck a deal with us."
"I also have no intention of claiming Ahmar's inheritance."
Before Samail could make more guesses, Victor Wang repeated word for word the same story he had used to trick Jebrael.
The six who once explored the Wadi Al-Majuj were all elite followers of the Scarlet King. Their relationships may not have been close, but coming from the same tribe, they certainly knew one another.
Yet, who could truly know every friend of a friend? Especially when it came to revealing those hidden events from years ago. Even if Samail doubted some details, he couldn't completely deny them.
Victor Wang continued: "I seek revenge. I need someone to help prove Babel's crimes. You and Jebrael are the strongest candidates. But Jebrael refuses to enter the desert—so that leaves only you."
Samail asked, suspicious: "You want me to help you?"
"You've got it backwards. I'm helping you. You want revenge too, but you lack the strength, don't you?"
"Haha. Once I find the Golden Slumber promised by Ahmar, I will have all the power I need. I don't need you."
"You don't have a choice. If you refuse to cooperate, I'll have to make you come along—unpleasantly."
"Then let's see just how much power you have."
"You've lived in the desert too long; it seems the rumors are true—you can't even recognize 'Fox Mask'…"
Thinking of how Samail didn't even know the more famous 'Blond Traveler,' Victor Wang was unbothered. After a moment, he proposed: "Let's make a bet. I'll stand right here, unmoving. Use any technique you want—if you can break through my defense, I'll leave immediately. If not, you'll help me."
Samail sneered and answered with action. He hefted his heavy poleaxe and surged forward, each strike sharp and precise, showing the maturity and ruthlessness of a desert top-tier fighter.
Unfortunately, the jade shield—thick as half a brick—even Kuiyuan couldn't have broken it at the time. Samail certainly could not.
"You can call for help. Why not have all your onlookers attack together?"
"Hmph."
Samail withdrew his weapon, acknowledging Victor Wang's power.
Seeing this, Victor Wang spread his arms and cast the jade shield over everyone in sight: "This is my power. I can give you ultimate defense, a defense no one can break… At least enough to handle intertribal fights."
"With this power, if you truly wanted revenge, the whole Tanit tribe wouldn't stand a chance. Why come to me?"
"I don't just want revenge on Babel. I want to expose her accomplices within the Tanit tribe… Such despicable acts aren't the work of one person alone. But I don't want to kill innocents. So, I assume you, who have long resented her, can help me distinguish who's truly guilty, right?"
"You're in luck… The ones who tried to secretly harm me back then—I investigated everything thoroughly."
The Tanit tribe's situation is complicated.
It is a matriarchal clan primarily devoted to the Flower God. The tribe is governed by one Matron and eight other elders, nine in total. Babel was the Matron at the time.
Her ambition was immense. To consolidate power, she eliminated most of the tribe's Scarlet King followers, then guided the remaining Flower God devotees to pursue the 'Eternal Oasis.' As Matron, she gradually positioned herself as the sole prophet of the Flower God through their devotion.
This process was long and fraught with resistance. To secure the 'Eternal Oasis,' she colluded with the Fatui, using them to investigate. Once she had enough intelligence, she cast them aside.
After Jeht arrived, Babel exploited Jeht's martial skill, her orphaned status, and the fact she wasn't born into the Tanit tribe. Pretending to be her mother, she manipulated Jeht to assassinate those opposed to her rule.
When Jeht proved difficult to control, Babel planned to eliminate her as a traitor… But it wasn't so easy. Her enforcers weren't enough to defeat Jeht. The result: the Tanit tribe was decimated by Jeht.
By then, almost all of the Tanit tribe were villains. Innocents could be counted on one hand.
However, this occurred after Jebrael had left the desert and Jeht had joined Tanit. The current tribe still had good people—like Elder Breda, who truly saw Jeht as a daughter, and others like Tadra, who were naïve.
Victor Wang needed someone capable of distinguishing good from evil.
Of course, he also had a shortlist of potential innocents and villains, and some judgment skill. If Samail lied, Victor Wang could detect it.
Under the circumstances, and given his own desire for revenge, Samail agreed to Victor Wang's plan.
Upon arriving at the Tanit tribe, flanked by Thutmose's elite and Victor Wang, Samail shouted through the camp: "Babel… Babel! Hand over that wretched Babel!!"
"Samail? Speaking disrespectfully to the Matron at the Tanit camp's gate. Wandering outside clearly hasn't civilized you. I told you I shouldn't have let you go."
"Civilized? You pitiful dogs, probably still wag your tails if the Mistress sold you off, haha! You don't deserve to speak to me. Call that dog Babel out, or its weapons and blood!"
The Tanit gatekeeper, seemingly acquainted with Samail, noticed the approaching strangers and activated the tribe's warning system without a word from Samail.
Soon, the elders and Matron Babel herself arrived at the scene.
===BREAK===
Like the story and want more chapters?
Join and support me by joining my Patreon!
[email protected]/SiRoasa