Chapter 125: The Conflict Arises
Chapter 125: The Conflict Arises
September 25, 2017
Many thanks to 'Li Hua Chun Feng Dai Yu', 'Yin Mo Ai Yi', 'Gourmet?', 'Qing Yi Yong Heng', 'Gou Dan Xiong Xin', and 'justforlhq' for their generous support!
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When Hu Yinwen learned of the Elder Chief's death, his first instinct was to suspect Hu Yinqi.
He had just found out from Lu Haikong that Hu Yinqi had colluded with a mysterious Han man and possessed formidable strength. Moreover, the most likely suspect for injuring the Elder Chief was also Hu Yinqi.
If it was indeed Hu Yinqi, then the situation would be unfavorable for Hu Yinwen. If Hu Yinqi chose to make his move now, it would undoubtedly prove that he had made all the necessary preparations and was ready to reveal his hand, eliminating them and taking over the position of Chief.
Hu Yinwen was tense, and his instinct was to seek Lu Haikong's help, as he was the only one he could turn to at this moment.
Before Hu Yinwen could take any action, a sudden realization flashed through his mind:
"Wait, Hu Yinqi has been making moves, but they weren't frequent. He even arranged a horse race with one of the tribe's warriors for tomorrow afternoon. It seems he isn't fully prepared yet. Given Hu Yinqi's character, if he had absolute control, he wouldn't have been so low-key recently. Perhaps the Elder Chief wasn't killed by him after all!"
At that moment, Hu Yinwen suddenly thought of Lu Haikong. Could it be that Lu Haikong had killed the Elder Chief? This speculation flashed through Hu Yinwen's mind.
The more Hu Yinwen thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Although he had only met Lu Haikong once, he had a deep understanding of his domineering and powerful personality. In Hu Yinwen's eyes, Lu Haikong seemed to possess absolute power, exuding confidence, and even a hint of arrogance.
More importantly, Li Xiong hadn't initially told him that the Black Wind Fort had already changed chiefs. It was only after Lu Haikong's arrival that he abruptly informed him of the change in leadership. This situation naturally sowed a seed of distrust in Hu Yinwen's mind towards Lu Haikong and Li Xiong.
"It seems the likelihood of Lu Haikong killing the Elder Chief is no less than that of Hu Yinqi. If it was indeed Lu Haikong, then he's either insane or an incredibly powerful individual! Forget about it for now; it's better to go and take a look first."
Hu Yinwen had always been proud of his intelligence, but the recent tribal affairs had left him overwhelmed. It wasn't that his intellect was insufficient, but rather his information and strength were inadequate. Therefore, in the face of this sudden change, he could only take a passive approach.
It wasn't just Hu Yinwen who was in a state of chaos; all those with the right to inherit the leadership were equally flustered. The Elder Chief's death came as a shock, and they were all unprepared. However, they had no choice but to act quickly. Upon learning of the Elder Chief's demise, they expressed anger, surprise, or complaints, but immediately gathered at the Elder Chief's tent.
Their father (brother) had been murdered, and not showing up at this moment would be like inviting others to pour a chamber pot over their heads. Thus, all the tribal heirs, except for Hu Yinwen, headed towards the tent.
Hu Yinwen had initially planned to go, but just before leaving, he changed his mind and turned towards Li Xiong's tent instead of the Elder Chief's.
The situation was complex, and Hu Yinwen wouldn't be surprised if someone suddenly eliminated all the other competitors. At this point, he had no choice but to form an alliance with Lu Haikong, even though there was a possibility that Lu Haikong was the murderer. From the very beginning, Lu Haikong had been saying:
He had come to this tribe with the sole intention of conducting business and finding a suitable partner. He had no ambitions for the chieftain's position, nor did he have any ulterior motives beyond pure business interests. In this situation, Lu HaiKong was the most suitable ally for Hu YinWen.
...
Inside the old chief's tent, the first to arrive was his eldest son, Hu Yili.
Hu Yili was around thirty years old, in the prime of his life. Being the eldest and possessing considerable strength, he held the highest prestige among the three brothers in the tribe and was widely acknowledged as the most likely successor to the chieftain position.
He was no fool, and when he arrived, he was accompanied by his personal bodyguards, a group of several dozen. Although the number wasn't overwhelming, each of them was fierce and formidable. In Hu Yili's opinion, having these men to intimidate others wasn't a difficult task. However, this confidence vanished as he entered the old chief's tent, replaced by a hint of unease. He quickly signaled for his trusted aide to go back and gather more people.
Lu HaiKong had left quite casually, showing no intention of cleaning up the crime scene. Therefore, the first thing Hu Yili saw upon entering the tent was over a dozen pitiful corpses.
While Hu Yili had indeed seen more gruesome sights, the issue was that he personally knew several of the deceased and was aware of their strengths. They were warriors almost on par with him, yet they now lay in such a pitiful state.
Hu Yili's scalp went numb, but by the time he considered leaving, it was already too late. His younger brother, Hu Yinyan, had arrived with his own entourage, and soon after, their uncle, Hu Yinyuan, also appeared with his men.
At this point, all five potential heirs, except for Hu YinQi and Hu YinWen, were present. Moreover, these three explicitly expressed their potential to inherit the chieftain position.
In the past, their encounters might not have been pleasant, but a certain level of restraint was maintained. Now, with the old chief gone, the stone that once kept them in check had been removed, and the air between them was thick with tension.
In a 169-page book, one glance was enough to see the truth!
Furthermore, each of them had previously regarded the others as rivals. In this situation, they openly accused each other of killing the old chief.
This conflict was irreconcilable, but fortunately, they retained a shreds of rationality. Without seeing Hu YinQi and Hu YinWen, they managed to restrain themselves, despite the palpable tension, and refrained from fighting.
However, this restraint seemed to be crumbling with Hu YinQi's arrival.
Hu YinQi, the fourth to arrive, also brought a group of men, but it was evident that their quality was inferior to the others.
They appeared mismatched and haphazard, clearly gathered by Hu YinQi to boost numbers. This wasn't an issue, but upon his arrival, Hu YinQi immediately and openly sided with his grandnephew, Hu Yili, indicating his intention to forfeit the chieftain position and align with Hu Yili. This tipped the balance, and the three-way tension quickly escalated into a four-way conflict as Hu Yinyuan and Hu Yinyan instinctively joined forces against Hu Yili...
(End of Chapter)
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