Huang Wenjun’s pupils dilated—he had already braced himself for the aftermath, thinking Qi Yuan was dead for sure.
Was he seeing things?
Was it really this young lady who had just killed a wolf?!
With that kind of skill, why did she even hire any guards?
Yet, the death of a single wolf didn’t stop the pack’s assault. If anything, the wolves became even more frenzied after losing a companion.
More and more guards were getting injured, and some couldn’t hold out any longer and collapsed.
Huang Wenjun, swinging his blade until it was nearly dulled, shouted breathlessly toward Qi Yuan, “Miss, this won’t do! Looks like all the wolves nearby have gathered! We can’t kill them all at this rate!”
Wolves were notoriously tricky. Unlike other animals, they were smart, emotional, moved in packs, and even cared for the old and weak among them.
Not only that, they were also deeply vengeful.
Now that Qi Yuan had killed one of their own, it was likely the wolves would keep stalking them the rest of the journey.
While he was speaking, Qi Yuan had already rushed forward to a previously lit bonfire. Without a word, she picked up a stick and scattered the flames.
Sparks flared into the air. The raging wolves finally showed some hesitation, stopping short of those flickering embers.
Their attack was momentarily stalled—but they showed no signs of retreating.
Night had only just begun, and there was still a long way till dawn. This was the wilderness—no one else would be passing through.
Humans needed food and sleep to sustain themselves.
But the wolves just lay in wait, biding their time.
If they so much as let their guard down a little, their group of over thirty people might not live to see sunrise.
Having temporarily forced the wolves back, Qi Yuan suddenly raised her hand to her mouth and let out a sharp whistle.
Huang Wenjun’s expression darkened.
Someone like him, who’d worked on the road for years, instantly recognized the signal—it was a form of communication.
This young lady was turning out to be more mysterious and complicated by the minute. With skills like hers, why had she even bothered hiring so many escorts?
And then there was that dead black dog, hidden under the carriage floorboards…
Now that he thought about it—how could that have been an accident?
Clearly it was a setup—deliberately targeting her.
Starving winter wolves, drawn in by blood—who could resist the scent of fresh meat?
But who was this lady really, and who had she offended so badly to have such deadly enemies?
Huang Wenjun tried to shake the thoughts away and couldn’t help but warn her: “Miss, this won’t work. Wolves are cunning—they won’t go far. They’ll just watch us. The moment we slip up, they’ll pounce.”
Qi Yuan gave a quiet “Mm,” and said calmly, “Don’t be afraid. Bring out everything we can burn. Light more fires. Everyone, stay close. No wandering off.”
…
Huang Wenjun was increasingly uneasy.
Something felt… off.
Why was Qi Yuan still so calm and composed, even issuing commands?
Did she even understand how dangerous the situation was?
But Qi Yuan didn’t have time to worry about him. She glanced at him and curved her lips in a faint smile. “You’d best hurry. Because very soon, it won’t just be the wolves.”
Huang Wenjun’s hair stood on end.
Even the five thousand silver notes in his chest now felt scorching hot.
If he had known, he never would’ve taken on this cursed job.
What good was money if you couldn’t live to spend it? Who was this woman?!
But Qi Yuan didn’t care what they thought. She simply called Lihua into the tent and solemnly instructed her, “When things start, I won’t be able to watch over you. Stay here in the tent. Don’t go out.”
Lihua, pale and terrified, clutched Qi Yuan’s arm tightly. “Miss, don’t leave me… I’ll be good, I promise. I don’t eat much…”
At home, her father had always scolded her for eating too much, calling her a rice-waster.
So she never dared to eat her fill anymore, afraid she’d be abandoned again.
The words were so naïve they almost sounded absurd—but Qi Yuan didn’t laugh.
She stroked Lihua’s hair and gently reassured her, “Don’t be afraid. Stay here quietly. Don’t move around. Don’t draw attention. When this is over, I’ll take you with me. Eat however much you want—I can afford to feed you.”
Lihua hadn’t expected those words. Her mouth quivered, eyes brimming with tears.
She barely managed to hold back the sobs and nodded earnestly. “I’ll do what you say, Miss. I’ll take care of myself. I won’t be a burden.”
“You’re not a burden,” Qi Yuan said softly.
She didn’t think Lihua was a burden at all—she just didn’t want a girl who hadn’t even seen the beauty in this world to die here.
So she smiled and nodded. “Good. It’s a promise.”
The wolf pack remained in a standoff with Huang Wenjun’s group until the second half of the night.
The first half passed in uneasy calm.
But maybe the wolves sensed that dawn was approaching, that they were running out of time. As soon as the second half of the night hit, they grew restless and aggressive.
Their howls echoed through the hills, bone-chilling and constant.
The calls came from every direction. That could only mean one thing: the wolves that had retreated had returned with reinforcements.
They were doomed.
Huang Wenjun, filled with despair and disbelief, muttered, “Miss, your life is precious—why must you drag us low-borns into this? These wolves were clearly sent by someone…”
So, she knew she had enemies and still hired them to escort her on a suicide run?
Who would agree to that?
Qi Yuan glanced at him, about to speak—when a sharp, piercing whistle cut through the wolf howls.
In that chaos of sound, it wasn’t even particularly loud.
But Qi Yuan immediately stiffened, her back going straight, and then laughed, eyes narrowing. “Finally.”
She turned to Huang Wenjun and said flatly, “I heard your kind has a rule—if the client pays, then even at the cost of your life, you finish the job. Since that’s the case, stop whining.”
When he asked for five thousand taels, there hadn’t been a moment of hesitation.
She sneered slightly and added, “Wild beasts are nothing. Compared to them, human malice is far more terrifying.”
Just then, a scout came running from the perimeter with a report: a group was approaching from the distance.
He sounded excited. “We can ask for help! If there are more people, maybe the wolves will retreat!”
Huang Wenjun turned stiffly to look at Qi Yuan.
She was calmly wiping the wolf’s blood off her soft sword.
“They’re here,” she said with a smile, sheathing the blade and rising to her feet.
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