Chapter 24

"Why must I flee? I've planned for so long; how could I abandon it all?" Kenny's eyes gleamed with malice. "What kind of backing does Anna have, that even the gods pardon her?"

Gabriel scoffed. "The gods themselves are in internal turmoil. I suspect even High Priest Osha is compromised. But regardless, we must sever ties now and never cross paths again."

"Are you in such a rush to disassociate yourself? It's not that simple," Kenny sneered at Gabriel's enraged expression, speaking with nonchalance. "I advise you to cooperate with me. Remember our agreement? I only desired gold. After my disappearance, have the High Priest endorse your son as the leader. Now you wish to backtrack?" Kenny chuckled sardonically. "You need to wake up. Do you think Anna and her patron are unaware of our connection? You're being naïve."

Gabriel coughed twice. He knew he was deeply involved. He now realized that both Kenny and Anna were untrustworthy. Unable to directly contact the Newcast God, he was in a predicament. Initially, as an elder, Gabriel had believed Kenny's promise. Kenny used the promise of the Lord's hereditary position as a lure, ensnaring him and his family in this series of events. 

He had manipulated events behind the scenes, including Kenny's faked death and resurrection. Among the elders, Gabriel had vehemently tried to absolve Kenny and collaborated with the tribe to secretly transport the treasury's wealth. This series of crimes was probably already documented in secret. If he couldn't help these people achieve their desires, he and his family would surely meet their demise.

Gabriel quickly grasped the situation and softened his tone. "Is the Lord still in the temple? Haven't the gods taken him back to the God Realm or sent him to the Far North?"

"Hmph, even more bizarre, not only did no one come to investigate who he is, but Anna actually took the Lord back," Kenny shook his head. This situation was becoming increasingly perplexing to him. Using the Newcast God, who had lost his sanity, as a lure, allowing the refugees to worship and be controlled by them, it was all a facade. The real involvement of the bigwigs was solely for their selfish interests, which revolved around power, wealth, and the eternal illusion.

"So, are you still scheming to inherit the leadership position?" Kenny looked at Gabriel, thinking he was rather obtuse. The tribe's leader had always been elected, even if he, as the son of the former leader Dade, had indeed gained some honor because of his father. 

However, he had also earned the people's favor through the High Priest's endorsement and by participating in numerous battles, eventually being elected as the leader. Where did the notion of hereditary leadership come from? Even the gods would not agree to consolidate the tribe's power within one family.

It could only be said that Gabriel had been dazzled by Kenny's casual promise. He was too eager to see his son become the leader and to pass down the leadership for generations. What a tempting bait it was.

"I mean, if we can align the Lord with our cause, and if your son is credited for this accomplishment, it should be natural for him to be elected as the leader in the future, shouldn't it?" Kenny continued to dangle his bait. Gabriel's eyes shifted, showing hesitation. "Do you have a plan? Not just brute force, right? Last time, I suffered a huge loss believing in your words and attempting to ambush the gold halfway."

Seeing Gabriel's attitude change, Kenny pretended to smile casually. "We just need to keep an eye on Anna. Next..." His voice trailed off.

In the evening, Heidi and Alec knocked on the door of Mireya's small clinic, a quaint cabin in the woods. The ground floor served as the clinic's reception area, pharmacy, dining room, and kitchen, while the second floor had three bedrooms. The backyard grew some herbs and scattered wildflowers. The four of them sat under a large tree in the backyard, around a wooden table, drinking tea.

After the moon rose, they moved back into the dining room, had a simple dinner, and then began their formal planning. Heidi was responsible for continuing to organize the information and local investigation clues retrieved by Liam's dispatched attendants from the river domain, to be handed over to them for sorting and pushing forward. 

This was the greatest trust and commission Liam had given them. Mireya and Ethan discussed the relationship between Anna and the new alliance organization OLVE, and whether there had been any activity in the river domain in the past. Strangely, Anna seemed to appear out of thin air. In Ethan's memory, none of the locals in the river domain knew her. Alec focused on the side, polishing everyone's weapons, sharpening blades and shoulders. On this seemingly calm and beautiful night, it foreshadowed an impending storm.

Ladle by ladle, thick pink sweet soup was scooped out of the stew pot, filling the room with a sweet fragrance. Anna personally carried a delicate small golden bowl filled with sweet soup to the bedside of the paralyzed old man. She gently sat by the old man's bed, spooning the sweet soup and feeding it to the old man, who leaned against the head of the bed. The old man's innocent face lit up with a carefree smile, his eyes twinkling with affection.

Anna stared intently as the old man finished the sweet soup, then picked up an exquisitely embroidered handkerchief to wipe the corners of the old man's mouth. She then spoke softly, "My Lord, rest well. I'm going out for a bit." She paused and added, "Do you remember my subordinate Morrison? He'll be responsible for taking you back to the temple later for further treatment."

The old man nodded, quietly closing his eyes. Anna pulled up the blanket to cover the old man's chest. She stood up and walked towards the door, her footsteps somewhat slow and hesitant. She paused, turned back to glance at the old man. In that glance, tears welled up in her eyes, her expression looked desolate. She saw the old man, as usual, gazing at her calmly and somewhat foolishly. 

This old man, whom she called the Lord and had cared for for several years, perhaps no one understood him better than she did. She had listened to his ramblings about the past. The old man, who had lost his mind and memory, was like a child, innocent and often regaining his nature in a daze. In those brief moments, he still maintained dignity and the light of true character. He spoke of a generous and loving god, not the evil spirit expelled as the legend goes. Unknowingly, Anna found that he seemed to really be a father figure, but now, she could no longer take care of him, or cook his favorite sweet soup for him by hand.

"Annie," the old man's sudden awakening startled Anna, who stared at him, searching his face for some unexpected revelation. His voice grew clear as he spoke slowly, "Annie, my dear, you've toiled so hard. Go, do what you must, and when you're done, remember the way back home." With a faint smile, his inscrutable eyes closed again, as if drifting back to sleep in peace.

Tears welled up in Annie's eyes. She stifled a sob with her hand, turning away without looking back, and hurried out. Outside the villa, a dozen guards stood with horses, waiting for her. She mounted one, and with the guards, galloped towards the northern grasslands at the forest's edge.

As the horsemen disappeared into the distance, Kenny, who had been lurking outside the villa, reappeared. It seemed he had been waiting for this moment. Swiftly, he climbed over the wall into the garden and made his way to the villa. Unbeknownst to him, Ethan, who had been following him, also slipped in behind him, his gaze cold and unwavering.

Inside the villa, the room was eerily quiet as the old man lay on the bed, seemingly asleep. A soft knock on the door broke the silence, and a subordinate-like figure entered, respectfully saying, "My Lord, it's time to leave for the temple for treatment." The old man remained unresponsive. Anticipating this, the subordinate reached out to help the old man up. The old man's hands hung limp, as if devoid of sensation. 

The subordinate shook him, but with no response, he turned and left the room. He fetched a bowl of sweet soup from the kitchen and returned to feed the old man. The aroma of the soup stirred the old man, and he struggled to open his eyes.

 He sipped the soup, but suddenly choked, unable to swallow. His breathing quickened, his eyes fixed, emitting a low, moaning sound. The subordinate, alarmed, shook him more urgently. The old man struggled, eventually rolling onto the floor.

The subordinate lifted the old man back onto the bed, but the old man's condition worsened. Kenny, who had quietly followed, saw this and, despite the risk, rushed into the room. He pushed the subordinate aside, trying to help the old man.