Secretly Married for 4 Years, He Regrets to Tears After the Divorce-Chapter 200: An Expedient Measure, Just to Survive

Chapter 200: Chapter 200: An Expedient Measure, Just to Survive

Heavy raindrops splattered onto the dry earth, kicking up the scent of dust and washing away the bloodstains on the altar.

The people of the Sarankal Tribe had worshipped the River God for generations, but they had never witnessed such a direct miracle with their own eyes.

Now, amidst the downpour, Nia’s claim that Adrian Lancaster was the one chosen by the River God found its most powerful proof.

Chief Barton stood in the center of the altar, his face livid.

He watched helplessly as the people he had ruled for years completely turned to his daughter and the outsider in a matter of minutes.

Rain slid down his stern face but could not wash away the anger and disbelief welling in his eyes.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, as he tried to quell the restless crowd with the authority he once commanded.

"Quiet! All of you, be quiet! This is just a coincidental rain, not a decree from the River God."

However, no one listened to his command any longer.

The evidence of the River God’s divine intervention was so conclusive that the tribespeople began to question Barton’s authority. Someone even shouted, "Let Tarn be our new chief!"

Barton’s chest heaved violently.

He looked around at the people who once obeyed his every word, now staring with eager, hopeful eyes at the outsider tied to the sacrificial post.

Barton’s gaze finally settled on his daughter, Nia. He had doted on his only child since she was small, but now she stood against him, her eyes shining with a light he found unfamiliar.

"You ungrateful wretches."

Barton’s voice was pained and hoarse.

"I led the Sarankal Tribe through drought and famine and defended it from invaders, and now you’re abandoning me over a single downpour?"

His accusation echoed in the rain but failed to rekindle his people’s loyalty.

Nia took a step forward, rainwater soaking her long hair and plastering it to her pale cheeks.

"Father, this isn’t betrayal. It’s following the divine will. The River God has made his choice. Are you really going to defy him?"

Her voice was pleading, hopeful that her father could understand and accept this change.

Barton recoiled, as if his daughter’s words had pierced his heart.

He scanned his surroundings, seeing faces that once held him in reverence now filled with doubt.

In that instant, his power and his daughter’s affection both crumbled. A lump formed in his throat, and a hot, coppery taste filled his mouth.

As everyone watched in astonishment, he spat out a mouthful of blood, which bloomed a startling red as it mixed with the rain.

"Fine, just fine..." Barton wiped the blood from his mouth, his furious gaze turning to one of utter, chilling disappointment.

"To think I, Barton, a hero my whole life, would end up betrayed by my own daughter and my entire tribe."

He stared at Nia, enunciating each word. "From this day forward, you are no longer my daughter. Our bond is severed."

Nia’s pupils constricted. Tears instantly welled in her eyes, mixing with the rain.

"Father, don’t."

She rushed forward to grab Barton as he turned to leave, but he shoved her away, sending her stumbling into the mud.

Without a backward glance, Barton strode away, his retreating figure looking utterly resolute and solitary in the rain.

Nia watched her father go, her heart twisting in anguish as rain and tears blurred her vision.

The Priest, Maka, watched all of this in silence, the conflict in his heart threatening to tear him apart.

As the tribe’s spiritual leader, he understood the significance of that rain better than anyone. It was no ordinary natural phenomenon. It was a blessing of rain that had suddenly arrived in the middle of the dry season, its timing so perfect it could only be a divine revelation.

Maka had to admit Nia’s prophecy had come true; the River God had indeed expressed his will in this miraculous way.

He made his way heavily to the altar and, before the eyes of the entire tribe, personally untied the ropes binding Adrian Lancaster.

"The River God has made his choice. From this day forward, Tarn is the new chief of the Sarankal Tribe."

A cheer erupted from the crowd—not for Adrian Lancaster, but for the River God who had chosen him, and for the wise Maka.

Maka’s voice was deep and solemn, but it couldn’t conceal a hint of resignation and loss.

He knew all too well that his own authority had been shaken. He had failed to foresee the River God’s will; instead, Nia had become the messenger of that divine will.

After making the announcement, Maka departed dejectedly, not sparing Adrian Lancaster another glance.

His retreating figure looked stooped and ancient in the rain, as if he had suddenly lost his spiritual foundation.

...

The rain soaked Adrian Lancaster to the bone, and his wounds throbbed with pain.

He looked up at the fervent crowd, but his heart was like ice.

’This rain is just a coincidence, and being "The Chosen One" is my only chance to survive. I’m not stupid enough to deny it on the spot.’

’As long as I get to live, I’ll be their chief. It’s better than being killed as a sacrifice.’

’Only by staying alive is there any hope of getting back to Aston.’

Nia pushed herself up from the mud, wiped away her tears, looked away from her father’s departure, and turned to walk resolutely toward the altar. She helped Adrian Lancaster to his feet.

"Tarn, the River God chose you. The Sarankal need a leader like you. Stay. This is your destiny."

Adrian Lancaster lowered his gaze, clenching his jaw to hide the calculating look in his eyes.

’I need to survive. I need time for my wounds to heal. And most of all, I need an opportunity to escape.’

Adrian Lancaster allowed Nia to support him. He remained silent, making no promises. Instead, he chose to faint.

This was the first step of his plan: to use his supposed unconsciousness from his injuries as an excuse to delay making any promises.

"Tarn, what’s wrong? Wake up!" Nia cried out in concern.

Soon, with the help of a few tribespeople, Adrian Lancaster was laid on a bed covered with animal hides.

"Nia, the new chief... is he...?"

"Don’t worry, everyone. I’m sure I can heal him," Nia said, full of confidence.

"Call us if you need any help."

"Okay."

The people gradually departed.

Nia let out a heavy sigh and quickly returned to the bedside to carefully examine Adrian Lancaster’s wounds.

The wounds that had split open during his earlier struggles were no longer bleeding, but the surrounding skin was red and badly swollen, requiring immediate attention.

"Tarn, don’t be afraid. I’ll save you."

Nia fetched a prized medicinal salve. It was made from herbs unique to the tribe mixed with honey and worked wonders on healing wounds.

She gently applied the salve to Adrian Lancaster, her movements practiced and focused. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Adrian Lancaster felt her touch, his heart a tangle of mixed emotions.

As Nia applied the medicine, she spoke in a low voice about the tribe’s future and about her marriage to Tarn...

"Tarn, once you’ve recovered, we’ll get married. Then you’ll be the rightful chief of the Sarankal Tribe."

"As for my father, don’t you worry. I’ll find a way to persuade him so you won’t be caught in a difficult position between us."

"My father’s bark is worse than his bite. The reason he said those cruel things about disowning me wasn’t because he stopped loving me. It’s the opposite. He loves me so much that his anger got the best of him, and he just blurted it out."

"After I’m done changing your dressing, I’ll go apologize to him. You and my father are equally important to me. You’re both my family now."

"Tarn, I love you, and I love my father, too. I hope when you wake up, you won’t hold a grudge against him. He didn’t try to sacrifice you to the River God out of malice. He just loves the Sarankal Tribe so much. I hope you can forgive him."

Adrian Lancaster kept his eyes closed, remaining silent.

Late in the quiet of the night, Nia left.

Hearing the door close, Adrian Lancaster cautiously opened his eyes.