Chapter 7 (1/2)
Chapter 7
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
In the middle of their conversation, a piercing scream was heard outside, followed by a high-pitched voice that roared, ”Good job you pathetic slaves. How dare you steal? Don't you want to live?”
Lin Xi frowned and took a step towards the door. Zhi Xiang pulled her back and whispered, ”Leave from the back door, quick! No one can see you here. The fourth young master will kill you.”
”I…”
”Leave, quick!”
No one could believe that such a dilapidated hut would have a back door to it. When Lin Xi pushed open the door, Zhi Xiang held her arm and said very seriously, ”No matter what happens, don't come back.” After which she rushed out of the door.
Cries of pain and the cracks of the whip sounded simultaneously. A woman with a fat belly swung her arms and roared viciously, ”Weren't these the daughters of the wealthy Jing family back in the day? Who could have imagined they would stoop down to this state today. Your sisters are whores on Shi Hua Lane, and here you are being thieves. What a family of despicable scum.”
”Lady Song, we know that we were wrong. We won't dare do it again.” Zhi Xiang put herself between the woman and children, suffering lashes to her face and covering it with wounds and blood. She kneeled and pulled at the edge of the woman's skirt, crying for forgiveness. ”We won't dare do it again.”
”Finally realized your mistake? You guys seem to have a better memory after being whipped.”
The lashes of the whip landed mercilessly on the bodies of the children. Xiao Qi, whose hair was tied into two ponytails, had already been injured and could no longer stand the pain. After a few lashes, her eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out. The other children instantly started to wail, but the woman was enjoying herself, striking harder with each hit. With a cry, she raised her whip once again.
There was a swoosh, but no cries were heard. Lady Song looked down to see a little girl with tattered clothes in front of her. Though she was skinny, her gaze was cold and stern. Her blackened hands were tightly grabbing onto the other end of the whip. She said with a deadly tone, ”Enough.”
Lady Song raged and howled, ”Hey girl, are you looking for trouble?”
”Yue Er, Yue Er, release your hand!” Zhi Xiang crawled over and tugged at Chu Qiao's clothes. She cried and said, ”Quickly, beg Lady Song for forgiveness!”
Chu Qiao did not waver and continued glowering at the woman. With a chilly tone, she said, ”Try hitting them one more time.”
Lady Song raised her eyebrows and roared, ”I won't hit them, I'll hit you!” After finishing her sentence, she raised her whip and swung it with all her might. Chu Qiao laughed mockingly, grabbed the woman's belt, and tripped her, causing her fat body to land heavily on the ground.
Cries of cheer erupted from the children as Chu Qiao sauntered over to the woman. She bent down and smirked, ”Not coming back to complain?”
Lady Song sprung to her feet and shouted, ”Just you wait!” Then, she sprinted out of the yard.
Zhi Xiang ran forward worriedly, her anxiousness causing tears to pool in her eyes. She said, ”Yue Er, you've caused a big problem. What do we do now?”
”Look after them,” she instructed and ran out after the woman.
She had already memorized the route when she was being brought to the hut. After turning two corners, she saw the woman hurriedly running across the stone bridge. Due to her immense size, she started to pant after just a short distance.
Chu Qiao crouched down in the bushes. She surveyed her surroundings carefully, checking that the coast was clear. She picked up a stone and squinted, aiming the stone right at the woman before throwing it with all her might.
With a thud, the stone landed forcefully onto Lady Song's ankle. With a surprised cry, she slipped and fell off the bridge.
It was already the middle of winter, and the surface of the lake was covered with a thick layer of ice. Her fall did not shatter it, causing her to lay spread eagle on top of it, where she moaned in agony.
Chu Qiao emerged from the bushes and walked leisurely towards the bridge, looking down to where the woman was lying. She yelled, ”Hey, do you need me to get help?”
The woman turned and her tone instantly changed. In a friendly tone, she said, ”Good girl. Would you quickly get help for me? This hurts so badly.”
Chu Qiao laughed. With a bright smile, she bent down and picked up a massive rock, lifting it over her head with all her might.
Seeing that, the woman's face paled. She stuttered, ”You… what are you doing?”
Not allowing the woman to cry for help, she released her hands and the massive rock smashed the layer of ice, cracking it instantly. With a cry of shock, the woman was engulfed in the icy water, sinking to the bottom of the lake and leaving merely a few bubbles on the surface.
Chu Qiao stood on the bridge, looking calm and composed with an unchanging expression.
This was a savage world. To survive, a person had to eliminate their predators in one fell swoop.