Chapter 122: Saving the Wolf Tribe

Outside the Cave, the Na Shan Tribe people led by Ana and Ji Nü have already surrounded the Cave Entrance, waiting at all times to capture the wolf tribesmen being smoked out from inside.

Tribe members keep adding firewood, and the smoke continuously pours into the Cave.

"Enough, no need to keep burning; they're all people about to die in there, why waste firewood?"

Ana glanced at the person lighting the fire, then stood beside Ji Nü and said, "Ji Nü, this time we can take revenge together."

Ji Nü, following Rongdi's orders, brought the Na Shan Clan to block Yao and his group, and indeed she seized the opportunity; now the wolf tribe is like meat in their mouths, easily allowing them to claim this territory.

Ji Nü didn't understand Ana's words, lifted her head and gave her a glance, "Revenge, what revenge?"

Ana, smugly, pointed toward the inside of the Cave, "Do you know there's not only the wolf tribe's leader Yao inside, but also who else?"

Ji Nü, puzzled, "Who else?"

"Nan Qinghuan."

"Nan Qinghuan?"

Hearing Nan Qinghuan's name, Ji Nü was somewhat startled; she didn't understand how Nan Qinghuan could be inside the Cave—shouldn't she be with Ying? "Surprised? She wants to save these cursed wolves, and now she's taken them all in one go. When the leader arrives, don't let anything slip; make him know Nan Qinghuan is in the cavern—he will surely be reluctant to let her die."

Ana wants to take revenge on Nan Qinghuan for exposing her as a fake Heaven's Daughter in the Otherworld; since that incident, Nan Qinghuan has been unable to hold her head up in the Na Shan Tribe, and the tribespeople have all come to despise her. She has gone from being the universally revered Heavenly Maiden in the tribe to the lowest slave, how could she swallow this vile resentment? This time, with a hard‑won chance to earn merit, she will definitely seize it, and she had already conspired with the wolf matriarch, who would help lure that woman into the Cave.

Once she enters the Cave, she cannot escape.

Hearing Ana's words, Ji Nü's face was full of astonishment, her round eyes fixed on the smoke‑blackened Cave; Nan Qinghuan inside? "Ana, you didn't lie to me?"

Ana smiled smugly, flashing a set of white teeth, "Of course not; you'll see soon enough, but you must keep it secret and not let the Leader hear. If he finds out, then…"

"What words must I not hear?"

As soon as those words were spoken, Ana's reply got stuck in her throat; she and Ji Nü exchanged a pale glance, turned their heads, and actually saw… Rongdi marching toward them with his tribesmen, surrounding the wolf tribe, looking in high spirits, even his stride seemed wind‑blown.

"Salutations, Leader."

Ji Nü quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, feigning nonchalance, "Leader, Yao and those sick people are trapped inside the Cave; the wolf tribe is ours now."

Rongdi seemed to have known all along that Yao couldn't escape today; his sharp gaze scanned the Cave once, and he smiled smugly, "Indeed, Heaven is about to destroy the wolf tribe. Men, go bring Yao out; I want to ask him whether he surrenders."

Rongdi was in a great mood today; he hadn't expected to seize the Tribe so easily—next time it will be Ying's!

A burly man immediately stepped forward and saluted, "Leader, the people inside have contracted a strange disease; we cannot let them out, we must burn them all to death."

Rongdi sneered, "That's not a strange disease; it's a punishment from the Heavenly God. Go fetch Yao and let him see how his people and territory have become mine."

After Ji Xuan of the wolf tribe entered the Cave, someone hurried behind him toward Rongdi, "Leader, we haven't found Ying."

Hearing that Ying hadn't been found, Rongdi was puzzled; he had clearly seen him bring Nan Qinghuan into the wolf tribe—how could she be missing? "Where is the wolf matriarch?"

"The wolf matriarch was killed."

"Killed?"

Rongdi's eyes darkened; after a moment of silence he stroked the spiked beard at his mouth corner, "Today's goal is to seize the Wolf Tribe. It seems this Ying only looks out for his own escape; he won't aid his half‑brother. Let him go; one day Ying Tribe will be in my hands."

A glint of plunder flashed in his eyes; he not only wanted everything of the Ying Tribe, but Nan Qinghuan would also belong to him, Rongdi.

The subordinate, aware of the leader's thoughts, couldn't help adding, "But Nan Qinghuan—"

Rongdi's smile at the corner of his mouth gradually hardened, "What's wrong with Nan Qinghuan?"

The subordinate hurriedly, fearfully glanced inside the Cave, "Nan Qinghuan and Yao are in the Cave."

"What?"

Rongdi's eyes blazed; he suddenly glanced into the Cave, then reached out and seized the man's neck, his face twisted ferociously, his sharp gaze like a keen blade that sent chills down one's spine.

"She's inside the Cave?"

How could that be? Rongdi felt his head explode with a booming sound; he immediately ordered the fire‑starter, "Extinguish the fire."

After speaking, he strode toward the Cave; indeed, he was going to rescue Nan Qinghuan, to save that female who refused to follow her.

"Leader, you cannot go; Nan Qinghuan is not inside."

Ji Nü, seeing him about to charge in, immediately clutched Rongdi's thigh, "You cannot go in; everyone inside must die."

"Get out of the way."

Rongdi, eager to brandish a stone axe and slay Ji Nü, his eyes blazing, kicked her aside, "You knew Nan Qinghuan was inside all along? You deliberately concealed it from me?"

"No, Ji Nü didn't…"

"Out."

Rongdi kicked her aside, then covered his mouth and nose and sprinted toward the Cave, shouting as he ran, "Nan Qinghuan, where are you?"

His voice was frantic, tinged with unbearable urgency, as if he had lost the most important thing.

Ji Nü, kicked to the ground, clutched her aching belly, looked in pain at Rongdi sprinting into the Cave, and tears instantly welled up, "Rongdi."

She had done everything for him in vain; why does he still not give her a glance? Why? "Ji Nü, what's wrong with you?"

After seeing Rongdi dash into the Cave like a madman, Ana finally stepped forward to support Ji Nü, noticing blood at the corner of her mouth, "You're bleeding."

Ji Nü, however, didn't care about her injury at all; the tribe's females go out daily to pick fruit and hunt—are her wounds any less? She cried uglily, her gaze turning to the Cave, "You're right, he can't bear that female."

Ana took a deep breath, placed a hand on her shoulder, "Stop crying; even if he goes now, he can only see Nan Qinghuan's corpse."

"Corpse?"

Inside the Cave, white mist swirled, the choking smoke made breathing difficult; where Rongdi looked, he saw many people lying on the ground, but he couldn't tell which were corpses as he searched.

"Nan Qinghuan, Nan Qinghuan."

Inside the Cave, Ji Xuan heard the leader's voice; he hurriedly rushed out and actually saw… their exceedingly noble leader rummaging through the corpses on the ground. Beneath the white mist, it was hard to see clearly; he could only watch the leader grab a corpse, identify it, then toss it aside, and repeat the search.

He repeated this endlessly.

Ji Xuan quickly approached him, "Leader, why have you come? What are you looking for?"

Rongdi, like a madman, seized Ji Xuan's arm, his eyes a blood‑red blaze, "Nan Qinghuan, where is she?"

"Leader, everyone here is dead; we were deceived, they fled."

"Fled?"

Rongdi, hearing that the people inside had escaped, finally pushed Ji Xuan aside, and recalling the ridiculous behavior moments ago, he let out a low laugh, tears streaming from his eyes.

Heh, I should've figured it out long ago—how could Yao and the others be burned to death with her there?

His laugh was mournful and unending; Ji Xuan had never seen such a strange leader. "Leader, I discovered they escaped by tunneling through a Pangolin; I've already sent people after them."

Upon hearing that the Pangolin had made a hole, Rongdi instantly perked up. "It must be Ying who helped them—quick, catch up, we can't let anyone get away."