Chapter 149 Seeds of Doubt
Thinking that Hera had succumbed to his threat, he smirked triumphantly as he attempted to rise. But Hera’s next words stopped him in his tracks. "Earlier, as I approached the finish line, he attempted to attack my horse with a whip rigged with needles," she explained with a hint of sadness, her shoulders slumping. It became evident that her earlier bravado had been a facade, now shattered by the reality of his threat, which had instilled genuine fear in her.
The onlookers couldn’t miss the evident fear etched on Hera’s face as she recounted the ordeal she had witnessed and her desperate efforts to navigate it without risking being thrown from her horse, a terrifying prospect possibly repeating the incident a year prior when the two-year champion inexplicably tumbled from their horse mid-race. However, beneath Hera’s apparent distress lay a subtle strategy: she was subtly reminding the crowd of the previous accident, quietly sowing seeds of doubt regarding its true nature.
Her aim was to sow seeds of doubt among the crowd regarding the accident’s authenticity, gradually nudging them towards the belief that it was no mere mishap but rather an intentional act of harm, much like the peril she narrowly escaped. Employing her ’white lotus’ tactic, she initially projected strength, only to strategically feign weakness, teetering on the brink of collapse after her earlier display of ’fake strength’.
As she recounted what she had witnessed and felt during that harrowing moment, her entire body trembled with emotion, culminating in a sudden burst of overwhelming feelings that caused her knees to buckle. Fortunately, Xavier reacted swiftly, catching her before she could collapse to the ground.
She was okay hitting her knees on the ground since it was only soiled her pants because it was not asphalt or concrete so she was confident that she wouldn’t get hurt but she was still thankful for Xavier’s timely assistance.
"I hadn’t intended to bring this up, as I lack concrete evidence and wish to avoid causing trouble," Hera admitted, her voice trembling with emotion. "But to be openly threatened after all this..." Her sorrowful tone elicited sympathy from the crowd, who could sense her noble intentions and worries, especially in light of her close call with malicious acts. However, the perpetrator showed no appreciation for her compassion, going so far as to threaten her without regard for the onlooking audience.
The crowd erupted into condemnation directed at the bald man, some even taking the initiative to call out to the event organizers to lodge complaints and relay what had transpired. With numerous cameras capturing the commotion, the scene was broadcast to the masses, catching the attention of gossipmongers and theorists alike. They began to align with Hera’s narrative, delving into the suppressed incident from last year’s National competition, where the reigning champion’s fall from his horse led to him being confined to a wheelchair and the subsequent victory of the bald man.
For those with discerning eyes, it was evident that foul play had occurred, particularly considering the suppression of news surrounding the incident, alongside Hera’s detailed account of the race. Adding to the bald man’s woes, Gerald, tasked by Hera to gather evidence, strategically leaked fragments of evidence through various methods and platforms, gradually unraveling the truth for all to see.
He incorporated accounts detailing the bald man’s assistant purchasing a banned horse drug known to induce berserk behavior upon ingestion. Additionally, he presented witness testimonies revealing the bald man’s stable boy clandestinely adding the substance to a pail of water before administering it to Diamond, ensuring the horse consumed the drugged water before disposing of the remainder.
This likely explained Diamond’s sudden change in behavior, becoming selective about its food and distrusting strangers, only accepting nourishment from Bry’s father and uncle. It seemed Diamond had lost trust in others, fearing it might inadvertently cause harm, not just to itself, but potentially to its rider again. In essence, Diamond appeared to be experiencing a form of depression, possibly even feeling culpable for the accident involving Bry’s uncle. Despite being just a horse, it manifested its emotions through its peculiar actions.
As the murmurs of the onlookers intensified and the suppressed accident from a year ago resurfaced before his eyes, the bald man experienced a whirlwind of emotions—shock, anger, frustration, and hatred all flooding his senses. Despite his best efforts, including pleading and crying for his uncle’s assistance, he had hoped to keep the incident buried in the past, only to have it thrust back into the spotlight.