Chapter 112
Su Yi watched Luoxi calmly. Right now, he didn’t need to say much, the curious crowd would ask the questions for him.
"A wandering orc? How could a wandering orc protect you?" A young female suddenly shouted. Su Yi recognized him, he was the young female who had been spending time with Dino lately.
Ferosa immediately stepped forward, pointing at Ian. "This was supposed to be Ian’s trial! Why are you all fixating on Luoxi instead?"
"Because there’s a misunderstanding between Ian and Luoxi. How can everyone understand why Ian hit him unless we clarify things?" Su Yi replied with a composed smile. The crowd was clearly more interested in Luoxi’s past now, ignoring Ferosa’s protests.
What puzzled them was: How had Luoxi been captured twice and rescued both times?
According to Luoxi, the first time he was saved by a wandering orc, and the second time, another wandering orc helped him escape.
Everyone knew what wandering orcs were like. One lucky encounter with a "kind" wandering orc might be believable, but two? How could there be so many "kind" wandering orcs by coincidence?
As murmurs spread through the crowd, Luoxi opened his mouth to speak, but Su Yi cut in first. "Let’s not talk about what happened years ago. Let’s focus on the recent incident."
Su Yi walked toward Luoxi, whose face remained deathly pale. Luoxi had already realized, Su Yi was determined to destroy him today.
"Not long ago, when we drove out the wandering orcs, many of us witnessed Luoxi being led out of their hideout by a wandering orc. I was there, and so was Jill." Su Yi glanced at Jill, who stood nearby with a dark expression.
Jill hadn’t expected Su Yi to drag him into this. He glared at Su Yi but reluctantly nodded in confirmation.
With Jill's acknowledgment, Su Yi continued, "Back then, Luoxi never explained his relationship with that wandering orc. Later, that wandering orc died suddenly, leaving no one to clarify things. A wandering orc wouldn’t help a female for no reason. As for what their relationship was, only Luoxi can answer."
The crowd erupted. Speculations flew, making Jill’s face grow increasingly grim. Ferosa, meanwhile, glared at Su Yi with such fury that Su Yi was certain she’d attack him if she could.
"You’re lying! Luoxi is the kindest person in our tribe! How dare you slander him?" Ferosa shouted, her face flushed with anger.
Su Yi didn’t argue. Instead, he said, "I think this person can clear things up for everyone."
As soon as he spoke, a heavily injured figure emerged from behind Hunter’s group. The man staggered unsteadily, looking like he might collapse at any moment. The moment Luoxi saw him, his legs gave out, and he crumpled to the ground.
Jill, recognizing the man, opened his mouth to speak but froze when he saw Luoxi’s reaction. Luoxi’s terror was as good as a confession.
Those who had joined the mission to expel the wandering orcs immediately recognized the man.
"Isn’t that the wandering orc who saved Luoxi?"
"Wait, didn’t he die?"
The wandering orc limped toward Luoxi. With each step, Luoxi trembled violently.
Ferosa rushed to shield Luoxi, yelling, "Who is this filthy man? Someone drive him away!"
No one responded. Instead, they all stared at Luoxi with complicated expressions.
"Luoxi, surprised I’m not dead?" The wandering orc grinned savagely, making Ferosa recoil in fear.
"I betrayed everyone to save you. You promised that if I helped you escape, you would—"
"Shut up! Shut up!" Luoxi suddenly screamed, cutting him off. This deranged version of Luoxi was something no one had ever seen before. The "kind" Luoxi they knew had vanished, replaced by this venomous stranger.
Luoxi clutched his ears, his eyes wide with panic. Then his gaze locked onto Su Yi, filled with bone-chilling hatred.
Su Yi felt a chill run down his spine.
"It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, no one would know... Why did you have to show up? Because of you, two people who should’ve died are still alive! Are you some kind of demon?!" Luoxi hissed, stepping closer.
Su Yi frowned. Luoxi had completely shed his facade, revealing his true, vicious nature. Ian grabbed Su Yi’s hand protectively, glaring at Luoxi. When Luoxi’s eyes met Ian’s, his lips twisted into a mocking smile.
"Ian, you’re the stupidest orc I’ve ever met. You can’t even transform, yet you dared to hope for a female? A worthless unknown orc like you, what could you offer me? Your body, already used and discarded by other orcs?"
Ian’s hand trembled violently, his face draining of color. A look of humiliation and pain flashed across his features.
Ferosa stood frozen, staring at Luoxi as if seeing him for the first time. This venomous creature, was this really the Luoxi he’d called his best friend?
"Shut your mouth!" Jero roared.
Luoxi laughed wildly, pointing at Jero and then at the crowd. "Su Yi, you forced this! If you’re going to ruin me, I’ll ruin him too!" His malicious gaze returned to Ian.
"Ruin him? You?" Hunter’s voice was icy as he stepped beside Ian, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Do you think I don’t know? All of you, what disgusting thoughts do you harbor just because Ian is beautiful? If I expose you, none of you will be able to stay here!" Luoxi threatened.
Jill, who had been silently watching, finally snapped. "Enough! Luoxi, that’s enough!"
At Jill’s outburst, Luoxi’s expression faltered. Tears welled in his eyes, and his face twisted into a pitiful mask, a stark contrast to the hatred from moments ago.
"Jill, I didn’t mean it... I was captured, and I had to rely on others to survive. But I’ve always loved you. You know that, don’t you?"
Jill’s anger wavered, but before he could respond, Luoxi’s expression shifted again, this time into cruel mockery. "Oh, did you want me to say that? Too bad. I never loved you. I prefer stronger orcs, but all the orcs in our tribe are weak."
The whiplash of Luoxi’s mood swings left Jill stunned.
"This Luoxi... What a disgusting person!" an orc muttered. Others quickly echoed the sentiment, and soon, the air was thick with curses.
Luoxi, now the target of everyone’s scorn, turned livid. He stormed up to Ian and sneered, "Compared to him, I’m a saint! You don’t even know what he—"
Slap!
Luoxi’s words were cut short by a sharp blow.
Su Yi retracted his hand impassively. "Gag him and tie him up," he ordered coolly.
Jero, who had been seething with anger, immediately seized Luoxi.
Ferosa, finally snapping out of his daze, rushed forward. Everyone expected him to defend Luoxi again, but instead, he slapped Luoxi across the face.
"I never knew you were this kind of person," Ferosa spat. Then he leaned in and whispered something in Luoxi’s ear.
Luoxi’s face twisted with despair and resentment. He glared at Ferosa as if trying to bore holes into him with his eyes.
Su Yi addressed the crowd. "I know everyone is curious about what happened between Ian and Luoxi in the past. But what matters is that Ian was manipulated and nearly died because of him. The old Ian was unfortunate, but the current Ian is blessed. He has a family, loyal friends, and kind tribesmen. Let this be a lesson, never try to survive by trampling on others’ wounds. That’s the lowest, most despicable act."
The crowd erupted. "Judge Luoxi! Judge Luoxi!"
Facing their wrath, Luoxi was ultimately exiled from the tribe. Four orcs were tasked with escorting him out. To many, this punishment was as good as a death sentence, females rarely survived alone in the wild.
After Luoxi’s banishment, Jells secretly took Ian out of the valley. Su Yi had suggested that Ian needed to confront his nightmares himself.
Whether Ian ultimately killed Luoxi or not, Su Yi didn’t ask.
In the days that followed, the tribe prepared for the cold season. With the threat of beast hordes looming, they dug tunnels for shelter and set traps around the valley for defense.
Su Yi taught them how to craft weapons and set simple traps. Even if no beasts came, these defenses would serve as protection.
The wandering orc who had exposed Luoxi was allowed to settle nearby. After observing him, Su Yi concluded that while he was rough around the edges, he wasn’t truly evil.
Occasionally, females and children were permitted to leave the valley, but only within a safe perimeter. Even a spacious home could feel stifling after a while.
Once, a female accidentally wandered into a trapped area and was nearly injured, but the wandering orc rescued him. Grateful, his family often brought him meals afterward.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’s belly had stopped growing so rapidly, but his appetite had only increased. Su Yi frequently brought him fresh fruits and vegetables, which Jells pretended not to notice.
In the final half-month of the snow season, the first beast horde attacked.
Tang Yu, fast asleep, was carried to Su Yi’s house by Jells. Since the horde wasn’t large, they didn’t need to retreat to the tunnels.
Su Yi, feeling lazy, didn’t join the fight. Instead, he settled Tang Yu in Eli’s room and busied himself in the kitchen with Sinoer, making snacks.
Craving meatballs, Su Yi picked out tender meat for Sinoer to mince. While they cooked, Tang Yu continued sleeping, and the children, woken by the noise outside, built a snowman, until the aroma of frying meatballs lured them into the kitchen.
Eli gazed at Su Yi with teary, sparkling eyes. Su Yi popped a meatball into his mouth. They had made several varieties, pure meat, shrimp, and mixed vegetables. Eli’s face lit up with delight.
Su Yi set out a small stool for Eli and Dino to enjoy their treats. "Be careful, they’re hot," he warned as he fished more meatballs from the oil.
"Ah! Spicy!" Eli suddenly yelped, hopping around. Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh.
Some meatballs had been spiced specially for Sinoer. Su Yi had set those aside, but Eli, ever curious, had ignored his own bowl to sneak one.
Watching his son with red-rimmed eyes and flushed lips, Su Yi wavered between scolding him and coddling him.
At dawn, Su Yi let Sinoer go outside to check on the battle. "Be careful," he said, handing him a bamboo tube of meatballs for later.
Sinoer kissed Su Yi’s forehead and left with his crossbow.
Tang Yu woke to the rich scent of broth under his nose. He gulped it down before realizing he wasn’t at home. "Why am I at your place?" he mumbled, rubbing his belly.
Su Yi handed him a fruit, which Tang Yu cradled but didn’t eat.
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