Chapter 28 Chapter 28 The Third Wish
Ku Duoduo arranged a room for System 05 and the others and also prepared food, but the black bread here looked very hard. System 05 declined Ku Duoduo's kindness to avoid wasting food.
After Kuduoduo left, Federer asked him, "Which side do you think is telling the truth?"
"Perhaps they're all true." System 05 lay on the bed, which, no matter how many layers of cushions were applied, was so hard it made his bones ache. "The stories we hear may be distorted by our perspectives, but the facts are the facts. There's not much difference between the facts presented by both sides."
Federer: "What do you want to do?"
System 05: "I want to know the truth—the village chief's death exacerbated the conflict. The question is, how did the village chief die in the first place?"
According to both sides, the village chief went to Kuman Village and was killed in the conflict. This was the origin of the complete falling out between the two sides.
The two of them slept in Kuman Village for one night. The next day, System 05 woke up very early. When he went out, he saw Ku Gugu leading a group of underage Kuman people pushing a cart to transport ore.
Seeing System 05, Kugugu opened his eyes wide and scratched his head awkwardly, but he still didn't trust System 05 and was very wary.
"What are you doing?" asked System 05.
Ku Gugu: "Mining. We dug it last night and transported it to the square today."
The adult Kumans had to participate in the battle, so the mining work was left to these children. System 05 saw that he was still bandaged and asked, "How are your injuries?"
"That's it, you won't die." Ku Gugu rolled his eyes and walked around them.
System 05 and Federer went to find Ku Duoduo, who was calling others to a meeting. System 05 overheard from the side. Ku Duoduo planned to attack the Minotaur village again today. This attack would be more powerful than before, and it would be best to completely eliminate the Minotaur people.
After the meeting, he asked the other Kumans to prepare. System 05 walked in and asked, "Since Kugugu has been rescued, why did you attack the Minotaur Village?"
"They control the water source," Ku Dudu said. "Investigator, we need water to survive."
“If we could share water before, why can’t we do that now?”
"That's something you'll have to ask the Minotaur." Kududu glanced at him, thought for a moment, and said, "Sir, you don't want us to make peace, do you?"
System 05 said calmly, "Since you were able to get along before, perhaps you can talk. This kind of fighting is not good for either side."
Ku Dudu couldn't help but sneer. He found the investigator's arrogance laughable, but then he controlled his expression. "Sir... are you asking us to give in? The injustice between the two villages has been going on for a long time, and we've already made concessions for twenty years. If we continue to make concessions, the Kuman people will only face destruction. Survival depends on struggle, not compromise."
"You're right," System 05 said. "I'm going to ask the Minotaur people. So, can we call a truce today, at least until I return from the Minotaur village?"
Ku Dudu refused: "No, I have already made a plan and it cannot be changed. My lord, we will definitely attack this afternoon. To avoid being implicated, please stay away."
His words were quite rude. It seemed that he already believed that the investigator was actually from the Minotaur side. He did not directly attack System 05 only because he took the investigator's identity into consideration.
On the way back to Minotaur Village, the air was filled with yellow sand and the wind was stronger than before. The storm of yellow sand covered the sky and even the vision became dimmer.
System 05 covered the lower half of his face with a cloth, and Federer held up a shield to block the wind and sand, and the two walked with difficulty.
Federer narrowed his eyes and said, "The closer they are, the more likely resentment is to grow. They've had a long-standing grudge, and I'm afraid it can't be resolved by just talking."
"Whether it's relationships between people or between villages, they're all based on interests. How well one maintains relationships with neighbors depends primarily on one's own strength and actions... Changes in their relationships are essentially shifts in power and interests."
System 05 paused, then continued, "I don't expect them to reconcile with just a few words. Whether it's peace or war, it's all about striving for self-interest, and there's no guarantee one option is better than the other... Why is the wind and sand so strong? Pah, pah... It's just that I still find the village chief's death very strange, and this is the most ambiguous part of their story."
Federer took a slight step forward to block the wind and sand. The two of them arrived at the Minotaur Village. Kane's identity as an investigator was very useful. He still opened the door for them. However, after entering, Kane's expression was not very friendly. "Sir, I don't think I have done anything wrong to you. Why did you attack our people and let that Kuman go?!"
"I just came back from there, Kane, to enter the Kuman Village. I have news for you: this afternoon the Kuman will send fifty men to attack the Minotaur Village."
Kane was slightly stunned: "How do you know this news?"
"I was right there with them while they were discussing it."
"Then they also know that you will pass on the news."
"Yes, so the specifics of what to do are up to you. I'm just bringing you this news." System 05 took off her veil and said, "I heard a completely different story from the Kumans, Kane, so I have some questions for you."
Kane shook his head. "You know what they'll say without even thinking about it. The Kumans always put themselves in a weak position, but in reality, they're the ones attacking."
"The land my uncle promised us was limited to that hilly area, but the Kumans have been expanding, squeezing our living space. Especially the water source. Ever since the Kumans arrived, the water level in that well has been dropping... I've discussed the water issue with them before, but that Kugugu, relying on his youth, repeatedly came to steal water, so we had to catch him."
"Two years ago, when things weren't so bad, my uncle wanted to talk to the Kumans again. But they brutally murdered my uncle..."
System 05 asked: "What exactly happened?"
Kane turned sideways, was silent for a moment, and said, "Uncle Allen was there at the time. Let him tell you."
He called over an elderly Minotaur and addressed him as Uncle Allen. Allen was hunched over, his hair graying, and his face deeply wrinkled. Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke of the previous village chief. "Back then, the Kumans had already occupied the entire hilly area and tore up the treaty we had made. Seeing the well water dwindling, the village chief went to confront them."
He narrowed his eyes and recalled the past, "We went to Kuman Village. It wasn't just the village chief and I, but also a companion. They didn't welcome us from the beginning. The village chief and Ku Duoduo discussed the water problem, but unexpectedly, they got angry first. Seeing that the talks were failing, the village chief and I were about to go back. Suddenly, someone threw an iron mine in our direction. It was already dark, and we didn't know who threw it, but it was too much to bully the village chief in front of us. So, we started fighting with the Kuman people. The village chief and my other companion were poisoned, and only I escaped..."
"Was it already dark?" asked System 05.
"Yes, it was pitch black, and the sandstorm was particularly strong that day. It was impossible to see anything clearly, and there were shadows everywhere... The village chief died because of us, and we will definitely avenge him!"
"Don't you have a rule here that prohibits going out after dark?"
The older Minotaur said, "Yes, we normally never go out after dark, but it was too late that day, and we couldn't possibly rest with the Kumans."
It's very dangerous after dark.
System 05 was thinking, when Federer turned around and whispered in his ear, "Are you doubting the Avengers?"
System 05 nodded. The Avengers would induce all the negative emotions in people's hearts, just like the village chief's son. However, if this was true, the awakening of the Avengers would have to be traced back to two years ago.
Based on past experience, the Avengers would begin invading the Holy City after waking up, usually within no more than two months. However, this time it lasted for two years, which was obviously more disturbing news.
In the afternoon, the Kumans attacked as planned, but what they saw were the Minotaur who were on high alert. After the two sides fought cautiously for a while, System 05 asked Federer to stop the fight.
"For the sake of the investigator, let's stop fighting for at least one day." System 05 brought Kane and Ku Dudu to the well, looked down, and saw that the water level inside was indeed very low. Kane and Ku Dudu's eyes were full of determination to win this well.
System 05 said, "It was the Kumans who started the fight that day."
"No!" Ku Dudu knew which day he was talking about. The Kuman people also remembered that day. "We don't have such things as iron mines. They are weapons made by the Minotaur."
Kane said angrily, "You clearly bought the iron mines and used them to blow up the mines. Are you trying to deny it now?"
Ku Duoduo said disdainfully: "You also know that it is used to blow up the mine. An iron bomb is so expensive. Why would we use it to hit that old thief? Using a stone is more appropriate!"
Kane: "My uncle made a mistake taking you in. You hollowed out this mountain and used so much water! And yet you're ungrateful!"
Ku Duoduo's horns were about to turn red. "Bullshit! You said we hollowed out the mountain, but where did the ore go? It's not your home! You're selling a ton of iron ore for only two gold coins. You're simply sucking the blood of the Kuman people!"
Kane was even more furious. "If you don't sell it to us, who else can you sell it to? I'm afraid you can't even transport this hill! If your uncle hadn't taken you in, you would have died on the road! The water here..."
"You still dare to fetch water?! Aren't you the ones who monopolize the water source, forcing us to drink dirty water, and causing my father to become sick and die?"
"The water has become less because of you guys coming!"
"Bullshit, it's because you've turned on too many stoves!"
“This water originally belonged to us!”
"You didn't dig this well! You Minotaur people also occupied this well by stepping on the corpses of others. Don't you think I don't know?"
System 05 narrowed his eyes, and Federer beside him chuckled. System 05 looked over and saw the slightly sarcastic corner of his mouth.
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