The deeper they went into the mountains, the sturdier the trees became. Towering ancient trees had branches layered and tangled. Due to drought, most leaves had turned yellow and fallen, covering the ground with a thick layer of dry leaves that crunched beneath their feet.
“Help… please save me…”
The cries for help grew clearer.
Shen Qingyue quickened her pace, passing through a small patch of bushes, and finally found the source of the cries.
Hunter Chen looked pale and was hiding in a tree. His pant leg was soaked with blood—a clear sign of injury.
Below the tree, a large wild boar furiously butted the tree trunk with its snout. Each hit made the tree shake violently, as if the boar would not stop until it knocked Hunter Chen down.
Hunter Chen was terrified, sweat pouring down his forehead. When he spotted two figures behind the bushes, a flicker of hope appeared in his eyes.
Ignoring everything else, he pleaded urgently:
“Help! Please save me! I have a sixty-year-old mother and three children. I can’t die yet!”
Before Shen Qingyue could answer, Shen Dabiao grabbed her arm to stop her.
“Adult wild boars are fierce. We can’t fight it. Besides, Hunter Chen’s leg is injured, and the blood smell will quickly attract more beasts!”
“If that happens, both of us will die here!”
Hunter Chen recognized their faces, and his newly sparked hope faded again. The Shen father and son were not well-liked—known as bullies in the village, especially Shen Qingyue, notorious in nearby areas.
If a child fell in front of them, they wouldn’t help but scold the kid for being careless.
Such bullies wouldn’t suddenly show kindness and save someone.
Chen had lost hope and only wished they could help deliver a few last words for him:
“Since we’re from the same village, could you please tell my wife… under the bedboards, I hid twelve copper coins. I planned to survive this famine and buy her a box of rouge… Tell her, I’ll marry her again in the next life.”
“And also tell my parents that their son was unfilial, unable to care for them in old age, forcing them to endure the pain of burying their child…”
Shen Qingyue interrupted his last words immediately:
“You have so much to say—better tell them yourself.”
She then slapped the Strength Talisman onto herself.
Instantly, a surge of power filled her body, her limbs buzzing with unending strength.
Without wasting time, Shen Qingyue swung her fist fiercely at the boar’s head.
The boar howled and collapsed motionless.
The two men were stunned!
“Qingyue! When did you get this strong? One punch killed a wild boar? Am I dreaming?” Shen Dabiao stood dumbfounded, disbelief all over his face.
“The boar’s dead! Does this mean… I’m saved?” Hunter Chen was so shocked he forgot about his wound.
Shen Qingyue stared at her fist, eyes sparkling. The Strength Talisman was truly amazing! Too bad it only lasted an hour. If only she could take a Strength Pill—then the power would be permanent!
She had to work hard to earn star coins and improve her strength!
“Goudan, I didn’t expect you’d save me. Thank you!” Hunter Chen gratefully thanked Shen Qingyue.
“Troublesome,” Shen Dabiao muttered but still helped Hunter Chen down from the tree.
The blood from Chen’s wound had soaked most of his pants, dripping steadily.
Shen Dabiao glanced nervously into the endless forest and urged Shen Qingyue:
“Chen is badly hurt. We must leave immediately or the blood smell will attract more beasts!”
As if summoned, faint sounds began to echo from the surroundings. Gray-black fur flickered behind bushes, pairs of eyes glowing fiercely.
The months-long drought had severely reduced food in the forest.
Beasts would come running at the smell of blood.
“Watch out, wolves!” Hunter Chen’s lips trembled with fear. “Wolves usually come in packs—from five or six to over a dozen. Today might be the day I get eaten by wolves!”
Shen Dabiao’s legs went weak, and he froze in place.
It was over!
He was going to die…
Suppressing his fear, Shen Dabiao gripped his bow tightly, aiming at the wolves’ direction.
“Goudan, I’ll try to hold them off. You run as fast as you can!”
In his panic, he used Shen Qingyue’s childhood nickname without thinking.
Shen Qingyue scanned their surroundings warily. Seeing the Strength Talisman still had 55 minutes left, she relaxed.
“Free food—don’t want it, don’t take it.”
She counted quickly on her fingers:
“The wolf’s pelt is the most valuable. Wolf meat sells for about the same as pork. One wolf, pelt and meat, can fetch about twenty silver taels. Not bad, not bad.”
Shen Dabiao was frantic.
“Goudan, now’s not the time to be counting! Run!”
At that moment, a wolf bared its sharp white fangs and dashed out of the bushes like a shadow, kicking up a stench as it lunged at Shen Qingyue.
Quick as a flash, she punched the wolf’s head. The gray wolf collapsed.
Almost simultaneously, six more gray shadows burst from the bushes. Four charged at Shen Qingyue.
The other two attacked Shen Dabiao and Hunter Chen.
Shen Qingyue wasted no time—three quick punches knocked down the attacking wolves, then a swift sidekick kicked the two wolves attempting to sneak up on Shen Dabiao and Chen.
Howls filled the air.
Shen Dabiao and Hunter Chen dodged and collapsed on the ground, terrified.
Seven wolves lay sprawled on the ground.
The heavy scent of blood hung thick in the air.
Soon after, a hungry black bear approached slowly, its mouth slightly open with foul saliva dripping. Its small dark eyes locked firmly on the three.
Shen Dabiao and Chen were pale with fear.
“Bear, a black bear!” They had experience and quickly hid behind Shen Qingyue.
Shen Dabiao peeked out, voice trembling, “Qingyue, bears are way stronger than wolves. Can you handle it?”
Hunter Chen’s legs shook uncontrollably. “Look at that bear’s belly—it’s sunken in. It must have been starving for days. Hungry beasts attack the fiercest!”
Unfazed, Shen Qingyue said calmly:
“You two just watch from the side.”
In moments, the bear lunged close.
Shen Qingyue reacted swiftly, landing a few punches.
The feared black bear fell to the ground with ease.
Shen Dabiao and Chen stared open-mouthed.
Shen Qingyue ignored them, crouched, and curiously petted the bear’s fur.
“Bear pelts are worth more than wolf pelts. This is a big gain!”
Just then, she caught sight of an orange and black figure behind the bushes and her eyes lit up.
“A big tiger?” Shen Qingyue’s voice was excited. “That’s valuable too!”
She took two steps toward the tiger.
The tiger, seeing her approach, roared and fled like a raging beast.
Shen Qingyue quickened her pace, chasing after it.
“Brother Tiger, don’t run!”
The tiger didn’t look back and vanished in a flash.