One side of the second elder's face immediately swelled and burned.
He covered his face and looked at the first elder in disbelief. "W-Why did you hit me?"
"You still have the cheek to ask? I asked you to go to Rock City to get Lin Huanhuan, but what did you do in the end? You actually betrayed me and joined her?!" The first elder's face was filled with anger, and his eyes were almost spitting fire.
The person he sent out turned against him on the spot.
And everyone knew about it.
Where would he put his ego?!
The second elder hurriedly explained, "I didn't betray you. I've always been loyal to you. Lin Huanhuan is deliberately trying to drive a wedge between us!"
"Then explain to me why you were appointed high priest of Sun City. Isn't that how she values your performance?"
Faced with the first elder's question, the second elder felt wronged. "I'm really being wronged here! I never wanted to become the high priest of the Sun God Temple. She forced it on me. I couldn't resist!"
"Why couldn't you resist? First, she didn't tie you up, and second, she didn't hit you. Why couldn't you resist?"
"Because I…" 'I've been parasitized by a puppet worm!'
The second elder could only say the first three words, but he could not say the rest.
He could only open his mouth to look at the first elder in horror.
The puppet worm was preventing him from telling the truth.
Seeing that he was hemming and hawing, the first elder became even angrier. "Why aren't you saying anything? You can't make up a suitable reason, right? I knew it. You've already sided with Lin Huanhuan. You're her man now, you traitor!"
The second elder couldn't defend himself. "No, I didn't!"
The first elder threw a bone knife in front of him. "I'll give you two choices now. The first is that you kill yourself with this knife as an apology."
The second elder's face turned pale. "W-What about the second choice?"
"Go and steal the divine artifact on Lin Huanhuan."
"What divine artifact?"
"The divine artifact left to her by the prophet that signifies her qualification to inherit the position of prophet."
The second elder stammered, "Lin Huanhuan doesn't trust me. She won't give me a chance to get close to her…"
The first elder frowned at him and said impatiently, "Didn't I give you a pill previously? There's a puppet worm in that pill. As long as Lin Huanhuan eats it, she'll be under my control."
"But I didn't give her that pill."
The first elder's expression changed. "She didn't eat it? But the mother worm I'm raising told me that the child worm has already found a host. Isn't the person it parasitized Lin Huanhuan?!"
The second elder wanted to say, 'It's me!'
But he couldn't say or move.
The first elder pointed at his nose and scolded angrily, "You incompetent fool. You can't even do such a small thing. What use do I have for you? Someone, drag him away and execute him at the stake!"
Instead of leaving such a useless traitor alive, it was better to get rid of him directly. It would save him the trouble.
The second elder was angry and hateful. He hurriedly shouted, "Don't kill me. I can help you steal the divine artifact!"
The first elder was skeptical. "Lin Huanhuan wasn't parasitized by the puppet worm. It's impossible for you to approach her. How can you steal the divine artifact?"
"Doesn't everyone think that I've already surrendered to Lin Huanhuan? Then I'll go with the flow and pretend that I've really surrendered to her. When she gradually lowers her guard, I'll think of a way to steal the divine artifact for you."
The first elder walked around twice. "This method sounds feasible, but…"
The second elder couldn't help but look happy when he heard the first half. When he heard the twist, he couldn't help but ask, "But what?"
"But how can I trust you?"
The second elder quickly raised his right hand. "I swear to be loyal to you forever. I'll never betray you!"
"No, no. You have a record. I can't trust you with all my heart anymore." The first elder took out a black pill. "As long as you take this pill, I can trust you again."
As soon as he saw the pill, the second elder's face turned pale.
That pill was exactly the same as the one the first elder had given him previously. It contained the egg of a puppet worm.
As long as he took the pill, he would immediately be parasitized by the puppet worm and become a puppet under anyone's control.
The second elder involuntarily retreated. "No, I can't eat it."
The first elder was very dissatisfied. "Didn't you say that you'll always be loyal to me? Now, I'm just asking you to take a pill. Aren't you willing?"
"T-These are two different things!"
"It seems your loyalty needs to be tested, but I'm still willing to give you another chance."
The second elder thought that he was going to let him go, and his heart relaxed a little. Then, he was firmly grabbed by two guards.
The first elder ordered the guards to open his mouth and force the pill into his mouth. The second elder had no choice but to swallow it.
By the time the guards let go, the pill had already melted in the second elder's stomach.
He covered his abdomen and knelt on the ground. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood. He said in pain, "Y-You…"
The first elder looked down at him. "Don't worry, this medicine won't kill you. After you survive this period, you'll return to your original state. At that time, I'll give you my full trust again."
…
The next morning, Huanhuan got out of bed. After getting dressed, she washed up.
She had just sat down at the table and was about to have breakfast with her family when she heard a knock on the door.
"There must be something wrong with Shuang Jing!" Huanhuan stood up angrily and prepared to open the door for him.
Sang Ye asked her to sit down. "I'll open the door."
He returned not long after he left.
"Huanhuan, the person outside isn't Shuang Jing but Second Elder."
Huanhuan was a little surprised. "Why is he here early in the morning instead of at home for breakfast? Is he here for breakfast too?"
She quickly got everyone to put away their breakfast.
"We can't let outsiders take all our food!"
After breakfast was put into the space, Huanhuan asked Sang Ye to let the second elder in.
As soon as the second elder entered, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Huanhuan. He cried and shouted, "Lady Huanhuan, please save my life!"
Huanhuan was shocked by his appearance.
She quickly stood up. "Get up first."
The second elder looked up at her. "If you don't agree to save me, I won't get up!"
When he looked up, Huanhuan was shocked again.
His face was as pale as paper. There was a small bruise on his forehead from knocking his head on the floor. His eyes were deeply sunken, and he was trembling. He looked like he was about to die at any moment.
Huanhuan took out a meat bun and took two bites to calm herself down.
It was too much to see such a terrifying sight so early in the morning!