Chapter 28: Deadly Potion

The village chief stared at Alina for a long time. His eyes narrowed as if trying to pierce through the lies behind her words.

The villagers, who had been ready to drive her out, now hesitated. They exchanged glances, waiting for their leader's decision.

Meanwhile, the old shaman—the figure they had respected for years—looked paler than ever. His breathing was shallow, and the sharp gaze that once commanded authority was now replaced by something more human: fear.

The muscular man standing beside him was sweating. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. But it was too late. The villagers had surrounded him, their expressions filled with suspicion.

Finally, the village chief spoke. "Doctor… You accuse our shaman of poisoning one of our people. But I want to hear it from his own mouth."

Silence fell. All eyes turned to the old shaman.

He scoffed lightly, trying to maintain his dignity. "I have served this village longer than you have been alive, Chief." His voice trembled, but he forced himself to sound firm. "And now you choose to trust an outsider over the one who has guided you since childhood?"

A voice from the crowd responded, "But what they say makes sense. Why was only one person affected?"

"And why were you so quick to accuse the doctor?" someone else added.

The old shaman gritted his teeth. "You're all fools! They're just twisting words to deceive you!"

But before he could continue—

"Enough!"

The muscular man beside him suddenly shouted. His breath was heavy, his eyes filled with anger and fear. "I don't want to die because of you, Old Man!"

Gasps echoed through the crowd. Even the shaman was stunned.

The man now glared at his mentor with hatred. "You said this would go smoothly! You said they'd be gone before anyone got suspicious! But look at this! Now everyone's questioning us!"

Leo narrowed his eyes. "So, you admit that you tried to set us up?"

The muscular man swallowed hard, realizing his mistake. But it was too late. The villagers now stared at them with growing fury.

The old shaman clenched his jaw, his gaze turning cold with hatred. "Idiot."

Then—

WOOSH!

Suddenly, he pulled something from his robe—a small pouch filled with thick black powder. In an instant, he blew the powder into the air. A dense smoke spread rapidly, making the villagers cough and retreat, covering their faces.

"Catch him!" the village chief shouted.

But the old shaman had already turned, his feet moving swiftly toward the forest. Leo and Alina immediately ran after him.

Through the suffocating black haze, they followed his tracks. But then—gone. The shaman had disappeared into the darkness of the woods. They searched until midnight but found nothing.

---

Meanwhile…

A dimly lit room reeked of cigar smoke. A chandelier swayed gently, casting shifting shadows on the walls.

A man in a black suit stood stiffly, his face tense as he reported to the figure seated in a grand chair before him.

"Boss, the doctor has been dumped into our territory."

The man in the chair—wearing an expensive suit, a gold ring on his finger, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's—did not respond immediately. He tapped his mahogany desk with his fingers.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

But before he could say anything—

BANG!

The door burst open.

Another underling rushed in, panting, his face pale. "Boss! We have a problem! They're stirring up trouble in our area… and—" He swallowed hard. "The old shaman escaped from our base!"

Silence filled the room. The boss's eyes narrowed. Then—

CRACK!

His massive fist slammed onto the desk. The wood splintered, a wine glass toppled, shattering on the floor. Everyone held their breath.

The boss inhaled deeply, trying to control his rage. But when he finally spoke, his voice was so cold that the air seemed to freeze.

"Find him." His tone was low, almost a whisper, yet it carried a bone-chilling threat. "And make sure that city doctor doesn't take a single step without our knowledge."

His men wasted no time. They moved swiftly, hunting their prey in the darkness of the forest. And at last, they found him.

The old shaman was dragged, his hands bound. He was thrown onto the floor of a secret hideout deep in the woods.

"Boss, we caught him."

A soldier reported as he shoved the frail man onto the ground. The grand chair in the room slowly turned. The man in the black suit stood up, stepping forward. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at the trembling shaman.

"How did you escape from those city rats?" His voice was deep and dangerous. "You've lived in the village for so long. Our partnership has worked well… And now, you're trying to run?"

His words echoed through the room.

The old shaman hunched over, his back trembling. "F-Forgive me, Boss… That doctor is too clever." His voice shook. "I couldn't outwit them."

The boss's eyes burned with fury. "Are they smart, or are you just too incompetent?!"

BANG!

His hand crashed against the desk. The tension in the room thickened. No one dared to move.

They knew—when their boss was angry, the stakes were life and death.

"What about our business?!" He took a step closer, his gaze icy. "Can you guarantee everything remains safe while they're still running around?"

The shaman stammered, unable to answer.

The boss exhaled sharply, then sneered. "You should've thought before you acted."

Silence. But the weight of the moment grew heavier, suffocating.

Then, in a voice void of mercy, the boss continued, "As punishment for your failure… throw him into my beast's cage."

The old shaman gasped. His face turned deathly pale. "N-No… Boss, please! I can fix this!"

The boss only stared at him coldly. "Let's see how it feels to be torn apart by a wild animal."

"P-Please! I swear I won't fail you again!"

He thrashed violently, but it was pointless. Two guards gripped him tightly, dragging him toward the door at the far end of the room.

The boss didn't care. In his world, betrayal—or even mere incompetence—was an unforgivable sin. No mercy. No negotiations. Punishment was absolute, whether the accused admitted fault or not.

---

Back in the Village…

Leo and Alina continued their work as healers.

Moving from one patient to another in the straw-roofed wooden houses, they treated wounds and illnesses.

Alina sat on a simple wooden stool, skillfully wrapping the injured arm of an old man. "Try not to move too much, sir. If you keep it clean, it'll start healing by tomorrow."

Since their arrival, they had felt eyes watching them. Not from the villagers, but from something… darker.

As Alina put away the remaining bandages, her gaze accidentally drifted toward the open window. The evening breeze lifted the thin curtain, making it sway. But that wasn't what caught her attention.

In the distance, beyond the shadows of the trees, a figure stood still. Dressed simply, like the villagers. But something about their gaze was different—too sharp, too calculating. As if they weren't truly part of the village.

Alina swallowed hard. She nudged Leo lightly, subtly motioning toward the figure outside.

Leo turned and immediately narrowed his eyes. He saw it too.

At that exact moment, the figure turned and disappeared into the forest.

Leo carefully set down a bowl of herbal medicine and stood. "I'll go check outside," he murmured.