ITF Chapter79

Before the boat even reached the shore, Bai Heting developed a high fever mid-journey and fell into a continuous coma for three days. Jiang Han went to Luo Congye’s residence every day to examine Bai Heting and brought along decoctions he had personally formulated.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, he was set to deliver the day’s second dose of medicine as usual, but Lin Qian insisted on coming along with him. By the time the two arrived at their destination, the spacious outer hall used for receiving guests was already packed with people. Among them were a few individuals Jiang Han had seen at Lin Qian’s house, and he also recognized one of the elders leading the group—Lin Qian’s father, Lin Zaichang.

The bedroom door was tightly shut, and Luo Congye stood directly blocking it. “That is all I have to say.” Seeing Jiang Han arrive carrying the medicine, he assumed a posture of seeing guests out and said succinctly, “From this day forward, he will live on the island with us.”

No one inside the room was holding a weapon, yet a cold, solemn atmosphere of mutual hostility arose out of nowhere. Seeing that no one responded, Jiang Han prepared to hand the medicine over to him, but Lin Qian pulled at his arm.

Lin Zaichang said, “You cannot keep a person who threatens everyone’s safety on this island.”

This Alpha, who was over fifty years old, was not a native-born Urdan. In his youth, he had been a commander in the supply units of the infantry legion. Like many civilian soldiers who had participated in the war of founding the nation, he retired the year Damasen was established and later made a home in Urdan.

“What do you mean by a threat?” Luo Congye’s tone dropped, his gaze sweeping over the several people behind the older man before finally stopping on the pale-faced Beta. “Who did he threaten during those few days when he was on the island? He only wanted to leave the island, yet someone wanted his life.”

Chen Qiao remained silent, but an Alpha beside him spoke up for him, “He had a dagger on him, and he was the one who struck first. Back then, if we had been even a fraction of a second slower in reacting, Chen Qiao would already be dead.” This was not a lie; Bai Heting had indeed moved before them. It was just that whether he moved or not would not have changed the subsequent development of events anyway.

“Impossible.” Luo Congye shook his head with a laugh.

How fast Bai Heting’s blade was was something he had already witnessed when he was six years old. Even if Bai Heting carried no weapon, these four people who had never received formal military training would have been no match for him.

“You have never seen him kill,” he said candidly. “Once Bai Heting harbors the intent to kill, he will not leave you any chance of survival.”

After saying this, even he himself froze first.

Chen Qiao sneered coldly, “So, you are still standing on his side.” Once his gentle facade was stripped away, there was nothing left in the Beta’s eyes but naked contempt. “Everyone here knows that the only reason you decided to join us was because you wanted to fight your way back to the capital to find him. Now that the person has been found, we no longer hold any value to you, right?”

“Chen Qiao.” Bei Yang, who had been standing in the corner all this time, finally spoke up, “Stop talking.”

Jiang Han cast a backward glance at him and brushed off Lin Qian’s hand.

“Bai Heting will not kill anyone here.” He walked through the crowd, placed the warm decoction on the table under everyone’s watchful eyes, and said in a measured tone, “If he killed your people, you would only end up charging that account to the person who brought him onto the island.”

Hearing these words, several people could not help but let out a laugh.

“What a joke. Why would he care about that? He wants nothing more than to cut Luo Congye into thousands of pieces.” The Alpha beside Chen Qiao laughed and let out a sigh. “And he actually did it too. We’ve all seen Luo Congye looking half-dead.”

He wiped the smile from his face and turned his gaze toward Luo Congye, who was blocking the bedroom door.

“You can balance pros and cons thoroughly in any other matter, but whenever things involve this person, you always lose your head. You abducted him back here, but can he stay here peacefully and mind his own business?” He clenched his teeth and remained silent for a few seconds, spitting resentfully onto the ground. “If an Alpha under your father’s command had done such a disgraceful thing to an Omega, they would have been executed already. If the Marshal knew in the springs below that his own son had forcibly marked—”

Lin Zaichang interrupted, “Do not bring that matter up again.”

Jiang Han finally understood what they were talking about. To his surprise, Luo Congye had never cleared up the truth about the permanent mark with the Urdan people. He looked over at Luo Congye, who was still dazed, for a moment unsure of how to say, “You…”

“So noisy.”

Everyone’s gaze instantly focused behind Luo Congye. The tightly closed bedroom door was pulled halfway open, and Bai Heting placed a hand on Luo Congye’s shoulder, pushing him aside.

“He did not force me,” he said with a weary expression and a flat tone. “I lied in court.”

Everyone fell into a stunned silence, and only then did Luo Congye snap out of it before turning his head around in shock. He looked at Bai Heting in disbelief, hesitating to speak for a moment, before finally uttering just one sentence, “You’re awake.”

“Even if the Damasen army is nothing but a bunch of useless trash now,” Bai Heting ignored him, walking past him to Jiang Han’s side. He lifted the medicine and drank it in one gulp, then set the bowl back on the table. Turning to face the others, he said, “But to act one way in front of your commander and another behind his back…” Though his face was haggard, the sharp, oppressive weight of his gaze made everyone’s spine turn cold. “At this rate, do you really think you can accomplish anything?”

Everyone’s expressions instantly changed, and someone called out loudly, “What did you say?”

The atmosphere grew heavier and more suffocating by the moment. Bai Heting glanced over the furnishings in the room and slowly walked a few steps across the hall. “I don’t work with people I can’t trust.” Passing by the enraged Alpha, he continued toward the wall and said flatly, “I’m giving you all one chance.”

The first to react was Luo Congye. But he had only taken two steps before Bai Heting had already unsheathed the short sword hanging on the wall and tossed it onto the floor.

“Whoever doesn’t believe me, pick up this sword and kill me. I promise you, I will absolutely not strike back.” His gaze swept across everyone present one by one, lingering on Chen Qiao for a few seconds as a warning before shifting to the Alpha standing beside him. “However, if you do not kill me now, then from this day forward, no one is allowed to harbor this thought ever again. In the future, we shall mind our own business and not interfere with each other. Whoever has a change of heart will be deemed a traitor.”

His attitude bordered on provocation. That Alpha stared with a pair of bloodshot eyes and asked in a low voice, “Why on earth should we listen to you?”

Bai Heting kicked the sword to his feet and scoffed, “Based on the fact that I haven’t cut out your tongue yet.”

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