Lu Heng continued, "So Elder Gru, why did you appear only after the first counterattack on Black Stone City?
"The reason is quite simple. For that half a year, he was but a minion under the skirt of the Bloodline Demoness Salein.
"After Dakville Leader led the first counterattack on Black Stone City, the Bloodline Demon discovered that the strength of the Black Iron Tribe was still formidable.
"So, half a year later, Salein sent Elder Gru back here to monitor the actions of the Black Iron Tribe!"
His statement was delivered with finality, every detail matching exactly what had transpired among the Black Iron Tribe.
This made Dakville III's look towards Elder Gru grow increasingly complex.
Elder Gru bellowed angrily, "Nonsense, Leader! Are you really going to listen to an outsider? He is slandering the elders of the Black Iron Tribe! Do you think my decades of service for the tribe count for less than a few questions from an outsider?"
The Dwarves present looked at each other, doubt evident in their eyes.
After listening to Lu Heng's analysis, they indeed found Elder Gru very suspicious, but the mere fact of his disappearance for half a year seemed insufficient evidence to label him a traitor.
Elder Gru, pointing at Lu Heng's nose, shouted loudly, "This outsider is all guesswork; he has no evidence! If such accusations can malign an elder, what future does our tribe have?"
Although Lu Heng's deductions fit perfectly with what the Black Iron Tribe had experienced, there remained a key issue—evidence.
So far, there was no evidence to prove Elder Gru was a traitor.
As the Dwarves present buzzed with discussion,
Su Muyu walked into the hall, leaned in, and whispered something to Lu Heng.
Lu Heng gave her a thumbs-up, then turned to Dakville III and said, "Elder Gru was captivated by the Bloodline Demoness Salein, so he must have kept her belongings on him to continually smell her scent."
At that, all the Dwarves looked toward Elder Gru.
Elder Gru, even more furious, tore at his robe and roared, "Search, then! See if there are any of Salein's belongings on me. Search me!"
Seeing his reaction, the Dwarves began to believe his words again.
Out of caution, Dakville III still asked the trusted aides to search Elder Gru.
No items related to Salein were found.
Dakville III looked at Lu Heng, demanding, "You said Elder Gru had Salein's belongings on him, and now we have searched him. What do you have to say?"
Lu Heng, composed as ever, replied, "I wasn't finished speaking. Elder Gru certainly knew that he was coming today to investigate the cause of the former leader's death. Of course, he wouldn't dare keep Salein's items on his person.
"Therefore, he hid Salein's belongings in his dwelling. We only need to send someone there to find them."
Upon hearing this, Elder Gru immediately retorted, "That's absurd!"
Lu Heng smirked and said, "Elder Gru, not only do I know you have kept Salein's belongings, but I also know what they are—it's a tuft of Salein's... mane!"
Su Muyu, who had observed this bladeless battle from outside the hall, was not idle.
While Lu Heng suspected Elder Gru, she immediately released the Chongming Bird to hunt for crucial evidence on Wizard Mountain.
What she had whispered to Lu Heng was this very information.