Bullying Me, Prepare for Retaliation!

"Wuwu~"

The burly man's vitality was strong. He struggled fiercely, trying to pry Li Sanlang's hands away from covering his mouth and nose, all while kicking and thrashing.

Seeing this, Li Wuya, expressionless, thrust the blade into his body again.

Instantly, the burly man's struggles weakened.

Li Sanlang, still holding the burly man's mouth and nose shut, watched as the burly man's hands dropped weakly and his body went still.

Only then did he loosen his grip slightly, checking the burly man's neck pulse to confirm his death before breathing heavily and slumping off him.

"Sanlang!"

Li Wuya hurriedly approached and supported Li Sanlang. Seeing the arrow embedded in his slender shoulder, her face grew cold.

Li Sanlang forced a smile. "Wuya, don't worry, I'm fine." With that, he gritted his teeth and yanked the arrow out.

Witnessing this, Li Wuya was taken aback, and quickly used her hand to cover the wound. Activating her healing ability, countless invisible light spots of pale green swiftly merged into the wound.

In a matter of moments, the blood that had been seeping between his fingers gradually ceased.

Li Sanlang felt a slight itching sensation around the wound, and the pain had lessened. However, due to the current danger, he couldn't pay close attention to the sensations.

Having temporarily stopped the bleeding, Li Wuya withdrew her hand.

Now wasn't the time for healing. Having killed a burly man, it wouldn't be long before his companions came searching. They needed to retreat to the secret passage quickly.

"Sanlang, there's a secret passage behind the unused stove. Let's hide downstairs quickly. Qilang is waiting for us down there."

Hearing this, Li Sanlang's face brightened immediately.

Why had he rushed into the relay station after those burly men? It was precisely because he was worried about the safety of his younger siblings. Now that he saw them safe and sound, he felt a huge weight lifted off his chest.

With Li Wuya's assistance, Li Sanlang swiftly got up.

The unused stove was just a few meters away. As the siblings were about to reach it, suddenly, sounds of clashing swords and arrows were heard from outside.

Following that, a burly man burst into the kitchen.

At this moment, Li Wuya and Li Sanlang had just stood in front of the unused stove.

How could this happen?!

Li Wuya stared blankly at the sudden appearance of the burly man.

How did he arrive so quickly?! Her mental perception had been focused outward, and when she helped Li Sanlang to his feet, those burly men had still been in the main hall.

Merely a few seconds had passed between them being in the hall and reaching the kitchen, yet this man had gone from the hall to the kitchen.

Hu YanHe's expression was devoid of emotion as he gazed at the corpse on the ground. Then his cold gaze turned toward Li Wuya and Li Sanlang.

Li Sanlang swallowed nervously and hurriedly stepped in front of Li Wuya.

In this critical moment, Li Wuya's heart raced. As Hu YanHe prepared to approach them, she quickly spoke, "We didn't kill that man. Please don't kill us."

Hu YanHe remained unmoved, taking just a few steps to arrive in front of the siblings. He slapped Li Sanlang aside with a single palm and then grabbed Li Wuya's neck, effortlessly lifting her up.

"Who killed my man?"

He didn't believe that these two children could have killed a sixth-grade warrior, but he had to find out who the assailant was.

Had Zhuang Yutang's people infiltrated here?

Or was there an expert hidden within the relay station who could silently kill a sixth-grade warrior?

Choking on her lack of breath, Li Wuya's face turned red and her neck grew thick within Hu YanHe's grip.

Li Sanlang attempted to get up and rescue his sister, but Hu YanHe's forceful strike against him sent him crashing into the wall, and he then fell heavily to the ground. He struggled to get up several times but failed each time.

Li Wuya pounded on Hu YanHe's hand with all her strength. "It... was an uncle."

Seeing Li Wuya stammer, Hu YanHe furrowed his brows. Loosening his grip slightly, Li Wuya dropped from his grasp and landed on the ground heavily.

"Hu~"

"Hu~"

"Hu~"

Li Wuya panted heavily, realizing that this man was too powerful. She couldn't confront him head-on; she needed to divert his attention and find an opportunity to escape.

"It's an old man with a full beard."

"He came to the kitchen to steal food. I hid in the firewood and saw it."

"At first, he was going to leave after stealing, but suddenly there was a commotion outside. He then hid on the roof." As she spoke, she pointed to the burly man on the ground.

"After he came in, he saw the old man on the roof. The old man jumped down, stabbed him twice, and killed him. Then, the old man disappeared."

"And then you came."

Hu Yanhe narrowed his eyes, silently scrutinizing Li Wuya.

Li Wuya cowered, looking thoroughly frightened.

"Why were you in the kitchen?"

Li Wuya's expression turned slightly unnatural, and she lowered her head while speaking softly, "I was also stealing food." She added, raising her head to explain, "I only took half a piece of dry bread, not much."

Hu Yanhe toyed with the hilt of his knife. As proud as he was, he didn't believe a five-year-old child would dare to lie to him under his sharp gaze.

Even if she dared to lie to him, there wouldn't be a single flaw in her performance.

Hu Yanhe believed Li Wuya's words. "If you see that person again, would you be able to recognize him?"

With Zhuang Yutang outside and an unknown expert within, he couldn't help but worry.

However, remembering that the confidential letter had already been sent away by Hu Yanji, he eased slightly.

Still, if possible, it would be best to identify that person.

Li Wuya nodded quickly. "Yes!"

At this moment, Hu Yanhe suppressed his murderous intent, scanning the kitchen. "Where's the food?"

Li Wuya pointed to the cupboard, then hurriedly opened it without waiting for further instruction. Suddenly, two baskets filled with dry bread were revealed.

Seeing this, Hu Yanhe's expression relaxed a bit.

By now, Li Sanlang had managed to stagger to his feet and reached Li Wuya's side.

Having found food, Hu Yanhe unhooked the water pouch from his waist and moved towards the water basin to fetch water.

To his surprise, the water in the basin had already run dry.

Seeing this, Hu Yanhe's expression darkened. He turned to Li Wuya and Li Sanlang. "Bring the bread and follow me to the main hall."

Li Wuya noticed that Hu Yanhe's lips were chapped, and her eyes glinted. She asked in a low voice, "Do you want pickles?"

Hu Yanhe raised an eyebrow, observing Li Wuya closely. He thought This little girl seems quite astute. It's a shame to kill her. If I could extricate her from Zhuang Yutang's grasp and train her from a young age, she might become an excellent spy.

"Why don't you go get some."

Li Wuya went over to the pickled vegetables jar, which was over a meter tall and placed in a corner of the kitchen. She brought back two small bowls and filled them with pickles. As she closed the jar's lid, she quickly pressed a mouse poison pellet into her palm.

Carrying the dry bread and pickles, Li Sanlang and Li Wuya were led out of the kitchen.

"Whoosh!"

An arrow shot forward, landing directly in front of the siblings.

"Zhuang Yutang, why don't you kill them already? They're just two kids. Killing them would be nothing."

Hu Yanhe's mocking voice sounded, then he turned his gaze to Li Sanlang and Li Wuya and spoke coldly, "Keep walking. Otherwise, even if you're not shot by arrows, I'll beat you to death."

Li Sanlang and Li Wuya didn't dare to linger, hurrying towards the main hall.

During their walk, no more arrows were shot from outside.

As the siblings stepped over the threshold of the main hall, a gust of wind blew from behind. Soon after, they saw Hu Yanhe dart into the hall.

So fast!

This must be light footwork!

In Li Wuya's lowered eyes, a fiery light sparkled.

"The food's here, come and get it!"

Hu Yanhe called out, and the burly men in the main hall immediately crowded around. In a few moments, they emptied the baskets of dry bread and began eating heartily, complementing the bread with mouthfuls of pickled vegetables.

The dry bread was hard, and the pickled vegetables were salty and spicy. Soon enough, some of the men started looking for water to drink.

Having been chased for days and nights, their water pouches had long been emptied.

After a few mouthfuls of dry bread, even Hu Yanhe felt thirsty.

"Boss, should I take these two kids to the kitchen to fetch some water?" one of the burly men asked Hu Yanhe for permission.

Hu Yanhe shook his head. "There's no water in the kitchen."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the men changed.

"What should we do then?"

"Even if we can endure it now, we still need to refill the water pouch."

Hu Yanhe looked around at the people in the main hall.

There was no water left in the kitchen, but there was still water in the well.

However, the well was located in the front yard.

As soon as they stepped out of the room, Zhuang Yutang might order them to be shot, so if they wanted to fetch water, they would need someone else from the inn to do it.

But he was concerned about letting others go. He believed that once they were out of their control, these people might just flee immediately.

Hu Yanhe turned his gaze towards Li Sanlang and Li Wuya.

These two kids were siblings. As long as one of them was in their hands, they wouldn't have to worry about the other not returning.

"Go outside and fetch a bucket of water!" Hu Yanhe pointed at Li Sanlang.

Li Sanlang didn't dare to refuse. He glanced at Li Wuya, then was shoved out of the main hall.

As he stepped out, the mounted archers outside the inn immediately raised their bows and arrows.

Hu Yanhe sneered upon seeing this. "If Zhuang Yutang really dares to order their execution, I might even admire him. As a commander, his excessive compassion is nothing short of foolishness. Yet, it's precisely this flaw that has given us a chance to escape."

Li Wuya stood at the doorway of the main hall, nervously watching Li Sanlang.

Li Sanlang had injured his left shoulder, and after considerable effort, he managed to fill a bucket of water. He carried it unsteadily towards the main hall.

As Li Sanlang stepped inside, Li Wuya quickly rushed over to help, using her body to block any line of sight and swiftly sprinkled the rat poison she had concealed in her hand into the bucket.

Li Sanlang noticed and his eyes flickered momentarily. He lowered his head quickly, concealing all his emotions.

Once the bucket of water was inside the main hall, several burly men couldn't wait and crowded around, reaching into the bucket.

Li Wuya swiftly scooped a bowl of water and walked towards Hu Yanhe. She placed the bowl down without saying a word, only offering a pleasing smile. Then, she retreated carefully to Li Sanlang's side, lowered her head, and tried her best to ignore the sharp gaze directed at her.

This man was exceptionally perceptive, and she couldn't let him sense anything unusual.

Hu Yanhe looked at Li Wuya with great interest, once again marvelling at how well she handled herself.

Being constantly on the move, he wasn't overly particular about hygiene. His subordinates putting their hands in the water bucket wasn't the cleanest thing, but he could tolerate it.

However, having clean water to drink was definitely better.

Hu Yanhe lifted the bowl, took a few gulps, and finished the water quickly.

Soon, the entire bucket of water was emptied by the soldiers from Beiyuan.

Li Wuya's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile upon seeing this, quickly fading away.

"Go, fetch another bucket."

One of the burly men tossed the bucket to Li Sanlang. Li Wuya, however, swiftly picked up the bucket ahead of him and passed it to Li Sanlang. In a barely audible tone, she said, "Don't come back inside after you go out."

Saying this, she stepped away from him.

Li Sanlang tightened his grip on the bucket's handle, showing no signs of suspicion, and quickly left the main hall.

As he left, Li Wuya busied herself by tidying up the baskets and bowls, discreetly retreating to a corner.

Given that these men were now poisoned, she couldn't be sure whether they retained any combat capability. It was better to stay cautious.

After a while, Hu Yanhe's expression suddenly changed, but he quickly regained his composure.

Soon after, Li Wuya saw Hu Yanhe stand up.

"Watch over the people in the main hall."

With that instruction, Hu Yanhe headed straight for the innkeeper's room.

Others might not have noticed, but at this moment, Hu Yanhe's steps seemed somewhat erratic and feeble.

"Ah~"

Hu Yanhe had just pushed open the innkeeper's room door when he heard his subordinates' screams. His face darkened abruptly, and he swiftly entered the room, heading straight for the entrance of the secret passage.

Damn it, they set up an ambush!

In the main hall, seeing the fallen, convulsing, and foaming-at-the-mouth men, the captives were slow to react.

Li Wuya noticed a few burly men who had consumed less water and were only mildly poisoned, but still able to stand. She shouted, "What are you waiting for? Hurry and restrain them!"

Having yelled this, she paid no attention to how these people responded and quickly chased into the innkeeper's room.

Inside the secret passage, Hu Yanhe ran while using his inner strength to try to counteract the poison.

Unfortunately, the effects weren't substantial.

The rat poison concocted by the inn was primarily arsenic, a poison that wasn't easy to counteract.

After running a few hundred meters, Hu Yanhe felt dizzy, nauseous, and about to vomit. Worst of all, he couldn't muster his inner strength anymore.

Poisoned, his heightened senses were dulled, and he didn't even notice when Li Wuya caught up with him.

Li Wuya didn't underestimate Hu Yanhe. She followed at a distance until she saw him stumbling and weaving. Only then did she start hurling stones at him?

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Without his inner strength protecting him, the stones pelted him, and soon Hu Yanhe was bleeding from head wounds.

"Letting you hit my brother and choke me! I won't let you off!"

"Bullying me, I'll kill you all!"

Before long, Hu Yanhe was knocked to the ground.

At this point, he had little strength to resist. When he heard the voice of a young girl echoing from the secret passage, he opened his eyes wide, as if they were about to pop out of his head.

"It's you. You're the one who poisoned me!"

Until that moment, he had always believed that Zhuang Yutang's people had infiltrated the inn and poisoned them. It had never crossed his mind that the one who poisoned them would be that little girl!

She was just five years old. How could she possess such cunning?

She managed to hide her tracks so well!

Hu Yanhe bitterly laughed. He, an eighth-ranked master of Beiyuan, had fallen into the hands of a five-year-old girl. If news of this spread, the ancestors of the Hu Yan clan would surely rise from their graves to reprimand him.

"Useless! You're even worse than that person earlier. At least he managed to evade many of my attacks."

Li Wuya didn't dare to get too close to Hu Yanhe. Who knew if he still had any last-ditch tricks up his sleeve? She stood about six or seven meters away, scolding him while throwing stones.

Originally, Hu Yanhe had closed his eyes in resignation. But upon hearing her words, he abruptly opened his eyes, summoned the last of his strength, and asked in a stern voice, "What do you mean, that person earlier?"

Li Wuya kindly explained, "The one you sent to deliver the secret message."

"Spurt~"

A mouthful of blood spewed from Hu Yanhe's mouth. "What... what happened to him?"

Li Wuya was matter-of-fact. "He's dead. Go join him. Let's not chat anymore. There's nothing left to talk about. Throwing stones is exhausting."

Hu Yanhe couldn't catch his breath, and he stared at the pitch-black ceiling of the secret passage, the light fading from his eyes.

He had thought that even if they all died, as long as the military defence map of Da Chu made it to the Northern Yan camp, they would have died for a purpose.

But why had even that wish been shattered?!