Lu Yao had frequently carried out missions in the wilderness in her previous life, so tracking was one of her specialties.
And in a place where the clues were this obvious, finding someone was child’s play.
The only thing she worried about was whether Song Ziyang and Song Ziyu had already been harmed.
The guilt and regret in her heart were no less than Song Zixuan’s.
She should have kept the two younger children by her side.
Song Zixuan’s small figure stubbornly followed behind her.
Whenever he failed to keep up and tripped over a tree root, he simply got back up and continued running.
Song Hongsheng stayed close behind him, repeatedly telling him to slow down.
But Song Zixuan refused to listen.
Stubbornly, he kept chasing after Lu Yao’s retreating figure.
Following the fresh tracks on the ground, Lu Yao quickly traced the route taken by Song Qing’an and his brothers.
Meanwhile, the patrol teams began checking every family to see whether anyone was missing.
Madam Li of the Song clan sat waiting for her sons to return with food.
After being gone for so long without coming back, she grumbled to herself:
“A bunch of idiots.”
“They’ve been gone half the day.”
“Are they trying to starve their old mother to death?”
“When they get back, I’ll teach them a lesson.”
At that moment, the patrol team happened to reach her family during their inspection.
Seeing that none of her sons were present and only the old woman remained, Song Qingsong stepped forward with a torch.
“Auntie, where did Brother Qing’an and the others go?”
Madam Li didn’t know what had happened.
But because she felt guilty—after all, she knew her sons had gone out looking for food through less-than-honorable means—her eyes darted about uneasily.
She couldn’t even meet Song Qingsong’s gaze.
To him, that reaction looked exactly like a guilty conscience.
“Auntie,” he pressed,
“don’t tell me Brother Qing’an and the others have gone out causing trouble again?”
Although guilty, Madam Li had never lost an argument in her life.
She felt disadvantaged sitting on the ground and looking up at him.
Quickly jumping to her feet, she pointed at him and shouted:
“You little brat!”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“I’m your elder!”
“What kind of tone is that?”
“If you don’t apologize right now, I’ll take this to the village chief!”
The surrounding villagers could no longer stand it.
One of them spoke up:
“Qingsong, don’t waste your breath on that widow.”
“We saw her sons heading toward the rear earlier.”
“They didn’t look like they were planning anything good.”
After thanking the villager, Song Qingsong immediately followed the lead.
He completely ignored Madam Li’s shouting.
Furious, she redirected her anger toward the villager who had provided the information.
Listening to the escalating argument behind him, Song Qingsong didn’t even look back.
Eventually, near the edge of Songyang Village’s encampment, he received another useful clue.
A villager said,
“You mean those troublemakers?”
“We saw them around here about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Then they sneaked off in that direction.”
The villager pointed out a specific path.
Once Song Qingsong had a clear direction, he immediately sprinted away.
At the same time, the Song family’s “Gang of Four” had found what they considered a safe location.
They placed the two children on the ground.
The eldest brother ordered the second and fourth brothers to gather firewood.
Song Qing’an and Song Qinghai stayed behind to watch the children.
Song Ziyang remained unconscious.
Meanwhile, Song Ziyu had been frightened so badly by Song Qinghai that she only dared sob quietly.
She looked pitiful.
Small.
Helpless.
But none of it moved the hearts of these beasts.
Song Qinghai asked,
“Big Brother, which one should we eat first?”
Without hesitation, Song Qing’an answered:
“The little one.”
“Her meat will be more tender and cook faster.”
“Once we’re full, we’ll turn the older one into jerky.”
“We can bring it back for Mother.”
“That’ll solve our food problem too.”
Although Song Ziyu was only a year and a half old, she was exceptionally intelligent.
She could already understand simple conversations.
At this point, the fear she had been suppressing completely broke free.
She burst into loud, terrified sobs.
Song Qinghai started toward her, intending to teach her a lesson.
But Song Qing’an stopped him.
“Leave her alone.”
“We’re far enough away from everyone.”
“She can scream her lungs out and nobody will come.”
“Let her cry.”
“Consider it her farewell to herself.”
Song Qinghai nodded.
His elder brother’s logic sounded reasonable.
The two stood chatting while waiting for the others.
Not long afterward, the other brothers returned with firewood.
Song Qinghai was so hungry he felt dizzy.
“Hurry up and start the fire.”
Then he strode toward Song Ziyu.
With one hand, he lifted the little girl into the air.
From his waist, he drew a long saber they had taken from the barbarians.
He raised it toward her neck.
Just as the blade touched the delicate skin of Song Ziyu’s throat—
A flash of cold steel suddenly sliced through the darkness.
A terrible scream echoed through the forest.
Startled birds exploded from the treetops.
Before the other three brothers understood what had happened, Song Ziyu had already fallen safely onto the thick carpet of leaves below.
Meanwhile, Song Qinghai was rolling on the ground clutching his right arm.
“Big Brother!”
“My hand is broken!”
“It hurts!”
Sweat poured down his face as he writhed in agony.
Song Qing’an threw himself beside him.
“Third Brother! What’s wrong?”
Before anyone could react further, a dark figure shot out of the shadows.
Lu Yao.
She immediately scooped Song Ziyu into her arms.
Without even checking the little girl first, she rushed to Song Ziyang.
The boy lay motionless nearby.
Kneeling beside him, Lu Yao checked his pulse.
When she confirmed that he had merely fainted and was not seriously injured, her pounding heart finally eased.
Only then did she check Song Ziyu.
The child had simply been frightened.
Clutching the little girl tightly against her chest, Lu Yao slowly lifted her head.
Her gaze settled upon the four brothers.
The firelight reflected in her eyes like blazing flames.
Yet the chill radiating from her was colder than the winter night itself.
Song Qing’an shielded his injured brother and retreated repeatedly.
His voice trembled.
“Y-You…”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m warning you…”
“Don’t do anything reckless…”
Holding Song Ziyu in one arm and a surgical scalpel in the other, Lu Yao moved.
Song Qing’an didn’t even see how she attacked.
Suddenly, a freezing sensation swept through his lower body.
Then came a pain so intense it nearly shattered his mind.
The smell of blood followed.
Clutching himself, Song Qing’an screamed even louder than Song Qinghai.
Lu Yao didn’t stop.
She moved swiftly through the firelit clearing.
More screams erupted.
By the glow of the flames, it became apparent that one brother had lost his left ear while another had lost his right.
Lu Yao casually placed the severed ears over the fire.
Her voice remained calm.
Neither angry nor pleased.
That made it even more terrifying.
“Don’t you enjoy eating human flesh?”
“Today, you can try your own.”
“Unfortunately, my cooking isn’t very good.”
“If these don’t roast properly…”
She paused.
Her eyes slowly swept across the four men.
Every one of them felt as though countless needles were stabbing through their bodies.
For the first time in their lives, they understood the phrase a gaze like blades against your back.
Then she continued:
“If you can’t finish eating them…”
“I suppose I’ll have to cut off your tongues next.”
She raised the scalpel.
The blade reflected the firelight with chilling brilliance.
Song Qing’an fainted on the spot.
The remaining three huddled together in terror.
To them, Lu Yao no longer looked human.
She looked like a demon crawling up from the depths of hell.
Meanwhile, Song Ziyu’s tiny arms wrapped tightly around Lu Yao’s neck.
She refused to let go.
Her little body continued trembling.
The sight made Lu Yao want to kill the four men outright.
At that moment, Song Zixuan and Song Hongsheng finally caught up.
The scene before them left both momentarily stunned.
Lu Yao looked at Song Zixuan.
“Zixuan.”
“Carry your brother.”
“We’re leaving.”
The smell of blood was everywhere.
There was no telling what predators might be attracted.
The sooner they left, the better.
Before Song Zixuan could move, Song Hongsheng stepped forward.
He picked up the unconscious Song Ziyang himself.
Glancing once at the four brothers lying on the ground, he said nothing.
Then he followed Lu Yao into the darkness.
Not long after they departed, several pairs of glowing green eyes appeared among the trees.