Chapter 123: The Cruel Battle

Twilight draped low, the stars and moon curved like hooks.

On a towering mountain lies a flat resting spot, surrounded by forest; from outside it looks like a sea of thorns, no one would come here, yet it is the most hidden place of the Wolf Tribe.

Dozens of tribesmen lie on the ground resting; in summer the mosquitoes are numerous, buzzing around Nan Qinghuan, who can only wave a lotus leaf to shoo them while squatting by the stone pot to simmer Herbal Medicine.

Wolf Girl A Lei squats beside her, reverently watching her and mimicking every motion of her brewing.

Seeing Nan Qinghuan brew so skillfully, she finally understood why Ying would rather argue with his father than abandon Nan Qinghuan; this female truly is capable.

She can brew medicine and also help Ying repel enemies; who wouldn't like such a formidable female? "Nan Qinghuan, thank you for helping us; without you we couldn't have escaped."

A Lei felt sad; the tribesmen were already suffering from a strange illness, and then the Rongdi invasion struck. If Nan Qinghuan and Ying hadn't helped them today, they would have been doomed.

Hearing A Lei's words, Nan Qinghuan hurriedly stopped swatting the mosquitoes and ceased stirring the stone pot; the Herbal Medicine inside was what she had just fetched nearby—wild thorn seed, antelope horn, cinnamon twig. Though these cannot halt the plague, they can at least alleviate the symptoms.

Now the Rongdi are searching for them everywhere; the lives of these tribesmen lie in their hands, and she feels great pressure but is helpless.

She originally came here to look for corn Seed, never expecting so much trouble.

"Qinghuan…"

A Lei, seeing Nan Qinghuan silent, gently called her again; only then did Nan Qinghuan regain composure and look up at the cautious woman before her.

"You don't need to thank me; if you must thank someone, thank Ying. If he hadn't devised using the Pangolin to dig a tunnel to rescue us, we wouldn't be able to brew medicine here."

She despises the Rongdi; they even intend to seize territory while the tribe is plagued—this man's ambition has never changed.

A Lei, seeing her humility, asked, "Qinghuan, can this medicine cure the tribesmen's illness?"

Nan Qinghuan was about to say she'll try, when from not far away A Qi's ecstatic voice rang out, "Great, Ou Mu has awakened; Nan Qinghuan's medicine is truly effective."

Hearing that Ying's stepmother had awakened, Nan Qinghuan tried to get up to see, but suddenly felt the world spin, and her body nearly collapsed.

"Qinghuan, what's wrong?"

Ying suddenly reached out, pulling her into his arms; Nan Qinghuan shook her head, and seeing his anxious expression, forced a faint smile, "I'm fine; I got up too quickly and feel a bit anemic."

"Anemic?"

Ying didn't understand what anemia was, but knew it was a bad condition; he looked at her with concern, unwilling to let her keep working.

He shielded Nan Qinghuan behind him, gave A Lei a cold glance, and asked, "Did you learn everything Qinghuan just taught you?"

A Lei, frightened by his question, hung her head and cautiously nodded, "Learned it."

"Then distribute those medicines to the tribesmen; once they drink, they'll be fine."

A Lei, terrified of Ying, nodded while going to work; Nan Qinghuan, seeing his harshness toward A Lei, gently grasped his arm, "Ying, don't be so harsh with her; she's a good girl."

That girl was originally the one Ying's father favored to become Ying's wife, but when she arrived she stole him away; yet unlike A Yue, she doesn't envy her, instead she respects her, which Nan Qinghuan finds rare—women of the Wildman Tribe are usually narrow‑minded, but A Lei seems an exception.

"Qinghuan, are you speaking for her?"

Ying didn't understand—shouldn't she dislike A Lei? Since she knows A Lei is the female his father wanted for him, why isn't she angry? Nan Qinghuan sensed he was about to overthink, and just as she was to speak, A Qi hurried up, "Ying, Qinghuan, Yao and Ou Mu are looking for you."

Ying, however, no longer wanted to be involved with the Wolf Tribe's affairs; he one‑handedly seized Nan Qinghuan's waist, shielding her, and said, "Tell Yao I've done all I can; the rest depends on his luck. If the Wolf Tribe is breached by the Rongdi, that will only show that your fate is exhausted."

"Fate?"

Nan Qinghuan was startled that Ying could utter such a phrase about fate; it fit perfectly, yet the tribe she sees lacks any written culture—how did he say it? "Ying, who taught you that?"

Ying, seeing her interest, chose not to answer, "Nothing, Qinghuan, we should go."

He didn't want Nan Qinghuan involved here; the Wolf Tribe's future has nothing to do with them.

Nan Qinghuan refused to leave; her purpose hadn't been fulfilled, and she hadn't obtained the corn Seed, so she couldn't go. "No, these Herbal Medicines can't save them; we need another prescription, and I still have to find a treasure, so we can't leave yet."

"Treasure? What treasure?"

Ying didn't understand what treasure the Wolf Tribe might have that Qinghuan wanted. Just as Nan Qinghuan was about to speak, a weak woman's voice came from behind, "Ying, Nan Qinghuan."

Ying glanced at A Guo, who was being helped by Yao, and felt displeased; he recalled his A Mu, who was so pitifully abandoned because of this Wolf Tribe female.

"Speak quickly if you have something to say."

Yao, seeing Ying's disrespect toward his A Mu, was somewhat displeased, "Ying, you can't treat A Mu like that."

"A Mu? I only have one A Mu, and she isn't called A Guo."

Ying's eyes were full of contempt for A Guo; he despised that female, for she harmed his A Mu and left him without a father in his youth.

Yao, hearing that, felt even more hurt, "Ying, how could you…"

"Enough, Ying, I know you resent me, but I truly thank you all, thank you for helping my son and these tribesmen; please don't leave, help the tribe get through this crisis."

"A Mu, don't do that; I can protect the tribesmen."

Yao's eyes were filled with determination; although the tribesmen were plagued, he believed he could repel the enemy. The tribe here is few, but more of his elite have already arrived; once they come, the Wolf Tribe's crisis can be resolved.

"Asu hasn't returned yet; Yao, don't try to show off, the Rongdi may already be here."

A Guo now was very weak, completely different from the haughty woman of the morning; earlier she had tried to drive Ying and Nan Qinghuan away, but now she begged them to stay and help her son.

The Rongdi can fly; although the Wolf Tribe's teeth are sharp, they are helpless against the Flying People.

"Ha ha, you female are right; I have already arrived."

When those words were spoken, everyone stared up in terror; upon seeing the Flying People in the sky, the tribesmen scrambled up, brandishing Iron Spears in defense.

Suddenly, the Flying Person lunged fiercely toward Nan Qinghuan.

"Careful."

Ying shoved Nan Qinghuan aside with one hand, twisting his body to evade the attack.

"Ying."