The hunt was a one-sided affair, effortless and devoid of suspense. Not only did Cheng Ruyi manage to upgrade her wood-type ability to Level 2, but she also bagged a mountain of prey: wild boars, black bears, tigers, pythons, wolves, roe deer, and stags.
She had practically wiped out every species in that stretch of the mountain range.
The massive “mountain of meat” was a visceral shock to everyone who saw it. What was most striking was that, aside from a few pheasants and hares, the carcasses were almost entirely intact; only the blood at the corners of their mouths indicated they were dead.
Local hunters and guards at the edge of the mountains stood frozen in shock, while the playboys following behind to watch the fun were utterly terrified by the display.
“Good heavens… the prey is so perfectly preserved. Could she have used knockout drugs?” someone muttered suspiciously, unable to believe a single person could take down so much game alone.
“Heh, drugs? Do you smell any drugs on these beasts? I saw it with my own eyes—the young miss from the Marquis’s estate just flicked a pebble and knocked a ferocious tiger unconscious!” A hunter, sensitive to the smell of drugs, scoffed. He had initially doubted her too, but reality had slapped him in the face.
“A God of Slaughter… I’m looking at a God of Slaughter. This is terrifying!” One playboy clutched his racing heart, his face pale as he retreated in fear.
“So cool! Miss Cheng is amazing! I want to apprentice under her!” another playboy exclaimed, his eyes shining like a dog looking at a bone, nearly rushing forward to hug her leg and beg for lessons.
“A woman who puts men to shame,” murmured a young man skilled in medicine and close to Prince Pingnan. His gaze toward Cheng Ruyi was intensely burning. “If she were on the battlefield, the Great Zhou would have another female God of War.”
“Sister, you’re the best! We have so much meat now! Today we eat rabbit, tomorrow pheasant, the day after roe deer…” Cheng Yu’s face was flushed with excitement as he counted on his fingers, planning the daily menu.
The guards remained silent, speechless.
Cheng Ruyi patted her brother’s head and looked at the pile of prey with satisfaction. “We’ll eat whatever you want. Now, let’s have men haul these back.” Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping . com.
Half an hour later, the massive procession set off. Cheng Yu sat proudly on a cart carrying the largest striped tiger, leaning against its formidable carcass with a wide grin, basking in the envious stares of the crowd.
The entire capital was in an uproar. Everyone gained a terrifying new understanding of Cheng Ruyi’s “monstrous strength.” Those who didn’t know better would have thought a whole battalion of soldiers had gone hunting.
Even the Emperor, deep within the palace, heard of how Cheng Ruyi killed tigers and bears as easily as drinking water. He sighed, “She puts men to shame. A pity she is a daughter, otherwise…”
In Cheng Ruyi’s mind, these beasts were nothing compared to the mutated animals of the early apocalypse. She only hunted them herself to save money and stockpile meat. However, she was careful to be sustainable—she never touched mothers with cubs or rare species. This haul alone was enough to see them through the two-year disaster she foresaw.
As they entered the city, the commoners looked at Cheng Ruyi with newfound awe and respect. To them, the rumors of her being a cruel schemer suddenly seemed like nonsense. If she were really that violent, one slap would have killed those delicate noble ladies instantly; she wouldn’t have let them run their mouths to ruin her reputation.
“Mother Gou, didn’t they say the Marquis’s daughter was arrogant and cruel? We’ve seen her many times, and she’s never raised a hand against us common folks,” a young woman whispered.
“Now that you mention it, I once saw an old man accidentally bump into her. She just scolded him and left. She’s much better than those officials who don’t treat us like humans.”
“Exactly! It’s normal for a high-born lady to be a bit arrogant, but her reputation is so bad… yet she’s never actually done anything wicked.”
Someone sneered, “What’s there to wonder about? Her bad reputation always comes out after those fancy banquets. It’s just the usual backstabbing among rich girls. This Miss Cheng is actually quite pitiful!”
“A woman without talent is virtuous,” an elderly auntie concluded. “I think this Miss Cheng is a person of virtue—she doesn’t have all those ‘wicked’ schemes the ‘talented’ ladies have!”
The crowd nodded in agreement. Riding her horse, Cheng Ruyi had no idea the commoners were “whitewashing” her reputation with such bizarre logic. The hidden playboys in the crowd nearly died laughing—to think that being uneducated would be labeled as “virtuous” while talent was “wicked.”
Among the crowd, the Marquis of Changle watched the carts pass. Seeing the tiger skins, bear hides, and python scales, his eyes sparkled with the symbol of silver coins.
“My daughter is amazing!” he thought. He felt both proud and a little tearful—his own “creative” ways of supporting the family were nothing compared to his daughter’s single trip to the mountains.
Seeing his son sitting smugly next to a tiger, the Marquis felt a pang of jealousy. He, the father, had never sat on a cart with a tiger! He rushed out, blocking the path.
Cheng Ruyi pulled her reins. “Dad!”
“Daughter, let your old man go home with you,” the Marquis said shamelessly, his eyes darting toward the cart with the other tiger.
Cheng Ruyi blinked, realizing her father wanted a ride. “Sure, Dad. Pick a cart.”
“Good girl!” The Marquis beamed and immediately hopped onto a cart carrying a 600-pound tiger. He began stroking the beast’s fur frantically, grinning like a man touching a priceless treasure.
Passersby watched with dark lines on their foreheads. As expected of the most eccentric Marquis in the city. On the balconies of tea houses, some officials cursed him for being “undignified,” though many secretly envied him.
Cheng Yu pouted as his father stole the spotlight. “Sister, Dad is bullying me!”
The Marquis glared back. “You brat, when did I bully you?”
“You just are!” Cheng Yu acted like a spoiled child.
Cheng Ruyi watched the bickering father and son with a sigh and ordered the procession to continue. Among the onlookers was the disguised Rong Mo. Standing on a second-story balcony in white robes, his dark eyes never left the stunning girl in red riding through the streets. A faint smile touched his lips.
He never imagined his cousin had such a side to her. It was truly… a wonderful surprise.
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