Jiang Jiang didn’t listen to him at all. She raised her hand and tore open the undergarment below, revealing the wound.
It was deep—likely caused by a weapon like a hidden dart.
“You…” Zhang Xiujun stared at her, already powerless to stop her. He could only lie flat and accept it, though he couldn’t help but mutter, “You’re a woman—how can you be so casual about this!”
Jiang Jiang looked at him impatiently. “Then what do you want me to do? Blindfold myself? I’m short on time. Saving you is already more than enough.”
“Stop with the nonsense, alright? Besides, this isn’t even up to the thigh root—what’s there to see!”
In her past life, before the apocalypse had descended, she spent every day scrolling through short videos online, watching all kinds of male deities flaunt their muscles.
Six-pack abs, biceps, thigh muscles—she’d seen it all and grown bored of it.
After the apocalypse came, she and her squad depended on each other to survive.
Sometimes, when the whole team was injured, she—being the Space Ability User—didn’t have to go to the battlefield and escaped harm. She’d end up applying medicine to four or five men at once.
Never once had anyone been as fussy as him!
Jiang Jiang bandaged the wound cleanly and swiftly. “Done. Whether you can hold on from here is up to you.”
Zhang Xiujun looked at her face, his mind sinking into memory.
In his past life, he had nearly died on this very mountain. By the time his men found him, it was already too late—one of his legs was crippled, and he could only rely on a wheelchair for the rest of his days, enduring humiliation and scorn.
Later, he was framed and died a miserable death. He never expected that when he opened his eyes, he’d been reborn—only to land at this critical moment.
He’d thought he was doomed to be crippled again, but then he encountered a variable—someone who hadn’t existed in his past life: a woman who looked frail to the extreme.
He didn’t want to become a cripple, which was why he’d called out for help. But he had no idea whether this leg could still be saved.
Jiang Jiang pulled the jade pendant off Zhang Xiujun’s body and turned away without ceremony. “I’m leaving. You’re on your own.”
Zhang Xiujun watched her slender silhouette, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
This was the first variable he’d encountered since his rebirth.
Could it be that even the trajectory of his life from here on would change because of this?
Why hadn’t this woman appeared in his past life?
Too many questions filled his mind.
Though he knew his men would find this place tomorrow, Zhang Xiujun still couldn’t help but speak up. “You can’t leave. I asked you to save me—not just to apply medicine.”
“If you walk away now, I’ll still die here. I need you to take me out of this place and bring me somewhere safe.”
Jiang Jiang hesitated. That did seem to make sense…
Seeing her attitude soften slightly, Zhang Xiujun pressed his advantage. “If you agree to get me out of here, I’ll reward you with a thousand gold in the future!”
Jiang Jiang glanced at his fine silks and brocades, along with the top-grade jade on his hand—this really didn’t seem like an ordinary man.
As a woman, no matter where she settled in the future, there could be danger.
Especially in a society ruled by imperial power—anyone with influence and authority could easily take her life.
But if she had a powerful backer, that would be different.
With that thought, Jiang Jiang finally agreed. “Fine, I’ll take you out.”
She thought for a moment, walked outside the house, found a few branches, and bound them with rope from her spatial dimension to make a simple crutch.
“Use this for support. Don’t put any weight on the injured leg. And don’t expect me to carry you—I don’t have that kind of strength.”
She had no strength, yet she could infiltrate the bandits' stronghold as if entering an unguarded place, showing not a trace of fear.
Zhang Xiujun immediately came to a decision—this was definitely no ordinary woman!
Jiang Jiang's impatient voice came through. "Can you hurry up?!"
Zhang Xiujun withdrew his gaze and looked at the strange branch before him. He carefully leaned on it, and to his surprise, it worked remarkably well—his injured leg barely needed any strength, and it could support him as he walked. "Are you a female physician?"
"No." Jiang Jiang suddenly asked, "Do you know where the victims are being held?"
Victims?
Those must be the common folk who were taken hostage.
"I know. They're all locked in the last house at the back." Zhang Xiujun looked at Jiang Jiang's overly thin profile. "Are you going to rescue them?"
"It's just something easy to do along the way." Jiang Jiang quickened her pace. "Wait here. I'll go and come back."
Zhang Xiujun stared at her frail silhouette and lowered his gaze slightly.
Who on earth was this woman?
She knew medicine, yet she wasn't a physician.
She'd come up with something perfectly suited for someone with a leg injury—could it be that someone in her family was lame, and she'd become skilled through long experience?
Or… was she here specifically for him?
The only ones who could know about his leg injury were likely the mastermind behind this ambush!
But this woman hadn't taken his life; instead, she'd come to help. Perhaps she had other motives.
Why not… follow the vine to find the melon, cast the line and hook the fish!
If she truly had only saved him with no other identity, Zhang Xiujun wouldn't mind granting her a life of wealth and honor.
But if this woman truly harbored ill intentions, he certainly wouldn't show any mercy!
Since heaven had given him the chance to be reborn, he absolutely could not die so easily again!
He had to find the true culprit who had killed him in his past life!
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!
On the other side, Jiang Jiang had already reached the very end of the village.
Sure enough, she found a house, and faint rustling sounds came from within.
Jiang Jiang stepped forward and unlatched the door bolt outside.
As the door swung open, the sounds inside abruptly ceased.
A group of women huddled tightly together stared at the door in panic.
Could it be that tonight was their turn?
At that thought, someone could no longer hold back and began to sob quietly, a wave of despair spreading through the room.
None of the women taken before had ever returned—perhaps they were already…
Just then, a voice came through. "The bandits are unconscious. If you want to run, now's the time!"
With that, Jiang Jiang turned and left.
She hadn't taken more than a few steps when suddenly—
She whipped her head around!
A man was raising an axe, staring at her with a pained expression.
A spear had pierced straight through his chest.
Thud.
The man collapsed to the ground, eyes wide open, dying with lingering resentment.
And behind him stood Zhang Xiujun, leaning on his crutch. Standing tall, he carried an air of noble elegance.
Even in his disheveled state, one could sense the aristocratic bearing radiating from him.
Jiang Jiang hadn't expected there to be a straggler—likely the one specifically tasked with guarding this place. She'd been careless for a moment and nearly gotten hurt. "Thanks."
Zhang Xiujun looked at the open door behind her, surprised that she truly had come to rescue people. "We should go."
Jiang Jiang nodded. "Let's go."
She'd already shown great kindness by opening that door; there was no way she'd help those people escape.
Doing good deeds without leaving a name is also a form of self-protection.
Zhang Xiujun leaned on his underarm crutch, walking very slowly.
Jiang Jiang had no intention of waiting for him, heading straight to the kitchen.
The kitchen maids hadn't eaten and were still awake at this hour.
Seeing someone approach, they immediately cowered in fear under the table.
Jiang Jiang casually picked up a cleaver and tossed it to the ground with a clatter. "Those bandits are unconscious and can't fight back."
As for what to do next, she left that to them.
The kitchen maids stared blankly at the cleaver on the floor.
After who knows how long, someone finally snapped out of it.
She grabbed the cleaver, walked out of the kitchen, and looked at the unconscious bandits outside. Gritting her teeth against the trembling in her hands, she raised the cleaver high and brought it down hard!
Blood splattered!
The kitchen maid gasped for breath, thinking of her husband who had been brutally murdered, tears streaming down her face. "Go to hell, you beasts!"