Upon learning this news, I understood that Yu Fenghua's resentment towards me was not merely due to my strictness.
I had killed her husband!
And caused her to fall from a position of being second only to one, holding immense power.
How could she not hate me?
When she first clung to my leg, begging me to take her in, she had not revealed this matter.
I suspect she harbored malicious intent from the very beginning.
I must admit, Gu Linina, raised and trained by her family from a young age, truly possessed some capability. I wonder how she managed to uncover this secret.
I am now extremely attentive to Yu Fenghua's every move.
I have weathered great storms; it would be too foolish to capsize in this small ditch.
Of course, I have considered striking first. However, firstly, Yu Fenghua has not yet taken any excessive actions. If I were to deal with her rashly, the other individuals would lose trust in me and depart.
Secondly, I still need this monkey to serve as a warning to others at a crucial moment!
We continued our journey like this. After Zhuoya and Gu Linina left, I was the only one remaining in the group with fighting capability. Therefore, I had to constantly remain vigilant for any signs of trouble around me.
The speed of our travel was greatly reduced.
After three consecutive days of travel, we finally crossed this mountain. We were still a considerable distance from our settlement.
I silently calculated that by noon tomorrow, we should be able to return to Shangguan Yao's location.
Concurrently, my attention to Yu Fenghua's movements grew increasingly focused. Once we returned to the settlement, it would be difficult for her to find an opportunity to act. If she truly intended to harm me, this final day of travel would be her best chance.
When I announced this news to everyone, they were all extremely excited.
Only Yu Fenghua forced a smile, feigning celebration with the others.
Heh, come on then.
If you don't make your move soon, you'll have no chance at all!
I watched Yu Fenghua without revealing my thoughts, sneering inwardly.
In the afternoon, we temporarily rested at the foot of the mountain, preparing to start a fire and cook.
Yu Fenghua excused herself to use the restroom and quickly ran into the woods.
Not long after, she returned in a hurry, holding something in her hand. Upon seeing me, she presented it like a treasure, excitedly saying, "Brother Ye, look what I found!"
I took it and saw it was a fruit with a spiky, earthy yellow shell, quite unremarkable in appearance.
Yu Fenghua told me happily, "Brother Ye, this fruit is called Qili Guo. Don't be fooled by its ordinary appearance; the flesh inside is incredibly delicious and juicy. I ate it when I was younger, living in the countryside. I saw it growing in the bushes nearby when I went to the restroom. I specifically brought it back for you!"
Qili Guo?
More like Meng Han Guo!
I toyed with the fruit, smiling playfully at Yu Fenghua.
As I expected, Yu Fenghua had indeed made her move against me!
I actually recognized the thing she gave me; it had a rather famous name.
Datura!
Back then, when I was training with Zhuoya daily, Zhuoya specifically picked a few datura fruits and gravely warned me about their potency. The Kasa tribe used datura juice to anoint their arrowheads to paralyze prey.
And in ancient times, datura was one of the ingredients used to make Meng Han Yao (a type of anesthetic).
Even a small dose could cause dizziness and paralysis, and in severe cases, could lead to cardiac arrest and death!
Yu Fenghua showed some cunning. Knowing she stood no chance against me in a direct confrontation, she fabricated a story to trick me into eating the datura, thereby effortlessly killing me and avenging the man with glasses.
It's even possible that she could have returned to our settlement, delivered the news of my death, gained Shangguan Yao and the others' trust, and become the new leader.
I did not react immediately but continued to scrutinize Yu Fenghua with my gaze.
Yu Fenghua grew uneasy under my stare but still forced herself to maintain a cheerful facade.
Seeing her guilty reaction, I felt a cat-and-mouse thrill.
Unhurriedly, I peeled the shell off one of the datura fruits, revealing the white flesh inside, and handed it to Yu Fenghua.
With a slight smile, I said, "Why should I enjoy such a good thing all to myself? You've worked hard for everyone during this time. Consider this one a reward for you. Eat it!"