Chapter 11: Care Leads to Chaos

The cave wasn't large, and it was filled with dry vines and branches. They were trying to burn them alive!

Even if, by some chance, the dry branches didn't catch fire, the torches hitting the damp ground would still produce thick smoke. In that case, with the thin air inside the cave, it would be difficult to endure.

"How about we hand over the things? After all, it's just one day. We can endure it and get out later," He Fei suggested in a panic, frightened by the thrown torches. He was hindered by a foot injury, making movement difficult.

"Do they look like they're here just for the meat?" Yu Hao replied.

As soon as he finished speaking, more than ten torches came down from above.

"This is simply insane!" Cong Wenhu cursed.

"Let's think of a solution first," Ying Ran said anxiously as she looked at the burning grass nearby.

Ying Huanhuan added, "Sister, I'm scared."

Ying Ran turned to look at her sister. When a torch flew straight towards Ying Huanhuan, Ying Ran took a step forward to shield her.

However, as she had been holding Ying Huanhuan for a long time, she hadn't felt any pain. Curious, she turned around.

She saw Lu Xiaojiu standing behind her with open arms. His back had a black mark from a torch, and the hair scattered behind him emitted a burnt smell.

Ying Ran felt grateful and looked at Lu Xiaojiu with softer eyes.

Lu Xiaojiu just grinned, his happiness evident on his face.

Dong Lier looked at the sky speechlessly. This guy, couldn't he pick a better time to act like a fool?

"Let's retreat to the passage. There, the ventilation is better, and we won't be hit," Dong Lier said helplessly.

Hearing this, everyone quickly retreated along the edge of the cave wall. In a short while, they all withdrew into the passage.

At this point, several fires had ignited in the cave. Occasionally, when the wind blew through the passage, it carried the choking smell of smoke.

"We can't continue like this. We have to get out," Dong Lier decided decisively.

"Ah Long, Cong Wenhu, come with me. Lao He, you're responsible for protecting them!"

"Okay."

"Dong Lier, let me borrow your sleeve arrows."

"Ah Hao, give your bow and arrows to Ah Long." Dong Lier didn't ask whether Ah Long could use them and just issued the order to Yu Hao.

After the two had exchanged their weapons, Dong Lier turned around and added, "Follow closely behind us, but stay near the cave entrance. Wait for the right moment to run. If fate permits, we'll see you outside the forest when the rooster crows."

After giving everyone a smile, she turned and walked away.

...

"Sister Qi, it seems there's no movement below. Could they have escaped from somewhere else?" The man with the gloomy gaze turned to the charming girl and asked.

Thinking for a moment, the girl addressed as Sister Qi replied, "Go to the entrance at the foot of the mountain."

"Yes."

...

"Get ready!" Dong Lier raised her hand and said to the two behind her.

"Charge!"

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh."

Dong Lier and the two others rushed out of the cave one after another. As soon as they appeared, a volley of arrows came flying at them.

Unlike before, Dong Lier didn't leave any room for evasion this time. She leaped left and right with lightning speed, each jump accompanied by the release of a sleeve arrow. Where the arrows landed, people fell one after another.

The remaining people saw this and immediately adjusted the direction of their arrows to target Ah Long and Cong Wenhu.

Ah Long was also quick-witted, intercepting the arrows with his own arrows.

Feeling something amiss, the attackers quickly directed some arrows toward Ah Long and Cong Wenhu's position.

Cong Wenhu wasn't one to be trifled with either. Sensing the danger, he turned around, crouched, and parried the arrows with his sword.

The three of them cooperated seamlessly, and in no time, they had taken care of the hidden attackers in the bushes. Meanwhile, Lu Xiaojiu and the others took the opportunity to rush out of the cave, heading towards the forest.

"Ah!"

"Cong Wenhu!"

Suddenly, an urgent arrow shot out from somewhere, hitting Cong Wenhu's shoulder. If he hadn't moved quickly, it might have hit him in the chest.

Dong Lier, upon hearing the sound, swiftly approached Cong Wenhu. The three of them stood back to back, guarding against the surroundings.

By now, the sky was turning fish-belly white. A slender figure descended slowly from the hill, holding a bow but not fitting an arrow.

"Who are you?" Dong Lier asked.

"Oh, just someone who wants your life!" Qi Qi Mei answered with a smile.

...

Qi Qi had participated in this life-and-death training more than once; to be precise, this was her second time. The first time, she was about the same age as the girl in front of her. She was mysteriously captured by the black-clothed people and thrown into this life-and-death training. Luckily, with her innate divine strength, she passed all three challenges.

Afterward, she was recruited into the Death Warrior Training Camp by the leader of the sect. Every year, the sect selected the top three from the Death Camp, who then served as attendants to the sect leader.

She had seen the man revered as the sect leader, and with just one glance, she willingly wanted to become his Death Warrior. At that time, she didn't know about infatuation; all she knew was that the cold loneliness emanating from him made her heart flutter.

She wanted to stay by his side, protect him, and accompany him. Even if her purpose in living was merely to die for him, she accepted it willingly.

After that, Qi Qi worked hard in her training. She excelled in everything she did, and a year later, she fulfilled her wish to be by the sect leader's side.

However, just when she thought her happy life was about to begin, fate dealt her a heavy blow. She heard that the sect leader liked maple trees, so she made an accessory with maple leaves and wore it on her head, thinking that the sect leader would like it.

But she didn't receive the warm reception she expected.

"Who allowed you to dress like this?" the sect leader questioned.

"Qi Qi just thought it looked good, not knowing that the sect leader wouldn't like it," Qi Qi explained while kneeling.

The sect leader looked deeply at her, a mixture of form without substance, imitating someone's appearance!

"Not even fit to be my subordinate, only called by name. Guards, take Qi Qi to reflect in the dungeon. Next year, let her start anew with a new batch," the sect leader declared before leaving.

Qi Qi felt wronged, but she didn't give up. Even if she had to start again, she was determined to return to his side.

Thinking so, she was led away.

...

But now, Qi Qi felt threatened by the woman in front of her. She couldn't allow another female Death Warrior by the sect leader's side. If a woman was to die for him, it had to be her!

With this thought, Qi Qi's eyes held even more of the icy coldness she had when dealing with the dead.

Dong Lier felt this woman was utterly nonsensical. She hadn't provoked her, and they were fighting for survival against others. Why was this woman so obsessed?

"Seems like there's no room for negotiation?" Dong Lier asked.

"Don't bother with useless words!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Qi Qi placed three arrows on her bow simultaneously and shot them swiftly toward Dong Lier and her companions.

Qi Qi's arrows were fast and accurate. It was unclear how such a slender figure could shoot arrows with such a forceful and swift wind.

Dong Lier, realizing she couldn't evade in time, leaped forward, using her legs to kick the arrows aimed at Ah Long and Cong Wenhu off course. Simultaneously, she held a dagger in her hand and slashed the arrow in front of her.

Even so, when Dong Lier landed, she staggered several steps. Looking at the arrow she had severed, it was still leaning into the ground, showing the incredible force behind the arrows.

Dong Lier, Ah Long, and Cong Wenhu exchanged glances, all filled with shock.

Dong Lier twisted her wrist and ankle, then turned to Ah Long and Cong Wenhu, saying, "Ah Long, take Cong Wenhu and leave. I'll catch up with you later."

"I want to stay with you!" Ah Long immediately retorted, then glanced at Cong Wenhu and continued, "You go first, take care!"

With an arrow still embedded in his body, and the wound still faintly bleeding, Cong Wenhu staying here wouldn't be of much help. Perhaps leaving now could save his life.

"How could I leave you behind? It goes against the principles of a gentleman," Cong Wenhu said, unyielding.

Dong Lier looked up at the sky in silence. "Fine, stay. But don't interfere. From now on, it's between me and her."

Saying so, she gave the two a warning look, and they could only comply.

Qi Qi, after hearing Dong Lier's words, couldn't help but laugh. Her laughter contained a mocking tone, and then she said, "Just as I intended."

Settling the matter with her opponent personally—this was the truly satisfying way!

Dong Lier didn't waste time talking. She flipped her hand, gripped the dagger, and charged toward Qi Qi's vital points.

Dong Lier was genuinely angry now. The three arrows Qi Qi shot earlier didn't leave any room for survival. Since that was the case, there was no need for Dong Lier to show any mercy either. As for the rest, she would think about it later.

Dong Lier thought fast and acted swiftly, and in an instant, she was in front of Qi Qi. The dagger followed the trajectory to Qi Qi's neck.

Qi Qi, not useless by any means, couldn't match Dong Lier's speed, who had lunged at her. However, instead of trying to resist directly, she bent backward, avoiding Dong Lier's lightning-quick attack, then swiftly turned her body, crouching low and giving Dong Lier a sweeping leg kick while her hands were not idle.

Qi Qi attacked both high and low, throwing the bow and arrows forward with a thunderous force, trying to loop the bowstring around Dong Lier's neck.

Dong Lier couldn't avoid the onslaught easily. If she resisted this, she might lose the chance to attack. Now she realized she had underestimated this girl; while Ah Long was physically agile, Dong Lier had to admit that this girl's light work was truly remarkable.

Currently, it was impossible for Qi Qi to launch a counterattack after

such a rapid and fierce offensive. Dong Lier needed to change her tactics.

Dong Lier used all her skills, pushing her light work to the extreme. If Ah Long's agility was like a fish in water, Dong Lier at this moment was no less nimble.

Dong Lier and Qi Qi engaged in a fierce exchange, using lethal moves. However, despite their deadly intent, neither side managed to gain the upper hand. The leaves around them were almost shaken off, and they were evenly matched.

Qi Qi thought that she had underestimated this girl before. Although she had been trained by the old man for many years, with almost no rivals among her peers, defeating this person might require a different approach.

Dong Lier, too, believed she had underestimated her opponent. If she easily lost to this girl, the old man at home would probably kick her out of the house.

So, Dong Lier unleashed all her tricks, utilizing her light work to the fullest. If Ah Long was like a fish in water, Dong Lier was like a fish in the sea.

Dong Lier and Qi Qi continued their intense battle, both using deadly techniques. However, despite the lethal nature of their moves, neither side could gain the upper hand. The leaves around them were almost all shaken off, and they remained evenly matched.

Qi Qi realized that she had underestimated this girl. Even though she had trained with the old man for many years, rarely encountering a peer of her skill, defeating this opponent might require a different strategy.

Dong Lier also thought she had underestimated her opponent. If she easily lost to this girl, the old man at home would probably kick her out of the house.

Now, Dong Lier was determined to settle this fight personally, regardless of the outcome.

Then Dong Lier had a clever idea and said with a smile, "Weren't you trying to take my life? Well, it seems you can't do that either." After saying this, she shook her head with a disappointed expression, full of sarcastic implications.

Qi Qi was originally strong, one of the best in the new Death Warrior camp. After putting in so much effort, she couldn't defeat Dong Lier. Unable to withstand such provocation, she didn't say a word and continued to charge at Dong Lier, intensifying the ruthlessness in her attacks.

Dong Lier, having achieved her goal, focused even more on countering Qi Qi's attacks. However, this time, Dong Lier chose to defend without attacking. Leveraging her advantages, she skillfully evaded Qi Qi's moves.

Seeing this situation, Cong Wenhu became even more worried and was about to step forward to help.

Ah Long immediately pulled Cong Wenhu back and said, "Don't go. She wants to handle it herself."

Cong Wenhu protested, "But she can only defend now. If we don't help, she might be in real danger."

Ah Long stared at Dong Lier's movements, shook his head at Cong Wenhu, and whispered, "She's doing it on purpose. After multiple exchanges, they are evenly matched. Now, it's a test of endurance, and in this aspect, Dong Lier appears to be at a disadvantage, but she's actually in a favorable position."

Cong Wenhu, after hearing Ah Long's explanation, observed silently for a while and then smiled. Indeed, carelessness leads to chaos.

Meanwhile, Dong Lier, unable to catch up, discarded the hefty bow and arrows in her hands. Her eyes were already bloodshot, and Dong Lier knew the time had come.

The more critical the moment, the more cautious Dong Lier became. At this point, she could only go all-in and hope for the best. So, she pretended to be exhausted and stumbled forward.

Qi Qi, thinking this was her opportunity, smirked and thought that the threat was finally going to disappear permanently. She gathered her energy, transformed her palm into a knife, and thrust it directly towards Dong Lier's face.

"You...!"

"Warriors are not tired of deceit, sorry about that," Dong Lier said with a sincere smile.

Qi Qi, with furious eyes, seemed unwilling to believe that the dagger in her chest was real. But the cold sensation... She couldn't deny it.

As Dong Lier used her hand to push forward, pulling out the dagger at the same time, Qi Qi fell straight back.

Ah Long and Cong Wenhu, seeing this, were overjoyed. They immediately rushed forward.

"Lier, are you okay?" Ah Long held Dong Lier's sleeve, asking with concern.

Dong Lier smiled and shook her head but then frowned again.

Cong Wenhu, aware of why Dong Lier was frowning, spoke up, "The others from the opposite side sneaked away while you were fighting. Ah Long and I will keep our mouths shut."

Ah Long nodded while still gripping Dong Lier's sleeve.

Dong Lier smiled gratefully. Without further explanation, she didn't want to reveal too much, especially after deliberately hiding her true abilities before. "Let's go. We should be able to leave before the rooster crows."

"Okay," they both responded.

As Dong Lier took a step forward, she felt something pulling her back. She lowered her head to look.

Ah Long also realized and immediately let go of Dong Lier's sleeve, lowering his head.

"Are you afraid?" Dong Lier asked, not giving Ah Long a chance to refute. She directly took Ah Long's hand and walked away.

Dong Lier thought that, after all, she was younger than herself. She hadn't experienced life and death like Dong Lier had, and fear might be a natural reaction. So, she patted Ah Long's head to comfort him.

Ah Long followed Dong Lier's steps, dazed, step by step, with his mind in a blank state.

It wasn't until they saw the edge of the forest that Ah Long regained his senses. He really wished someone would keep holding his hand like this forever. Would it be possible? Would Lier stay with him forever? He didn't dare to continue thinking.

"Lier! Over here!" It was Yu Hao; their group had been waiting at the forest edge.

When the three approached, Yiran and the others surrounded them.

"Are you...are you all okay?" Yiran asked with a somewhat concerned but hesitant expression, trying not to show too much.

"Cong Wenhu is injured. Can you help check on him?" Dong Lier didn't expose the truth and just smiled as she spoke.

Hearing this, Yiran finally noticed that while she had been staring at Dong Lier, she had neglected to see that one of the other two had an arrow wound.

Yiran didn't think much and went straight to help Cong Wenhu sit down, examining his injuries.

"The wound is not deep, but we need to pull out the arrow quickly. However, we should do it only when we have something to stop the bleeding immediately," Yiran said.

"I have some dragon sprout grass here," Hefei said, holding a small bundle of dragon sprout grass tied with vines.

Yiran: "This needs to be crushed to be effective. While there's not much bleeding, it will work, but once the arrow is pulled out, we need something that can stop the bleeding immediately."

"What herbs do you need? I can go pick them," Dong Lier crouched down and asked.

"Golden Dog Hair. It's common, easy to find, and has a significant hemostatic effect."

"…?"

"…?"

"…?"

Everyone wore puzzled expressions, thinking that Yiran was joking.