The Wolves' Domain

Inside the tent, the firelight danced, casting flickering shadows across faces contorted with savagery or fear. The air was thick with the stench of stale wine, sweat, and cheap perfume, a nauseating cocktail. Bao Yuxing, the tribe's chieftain, a man built like a grizzly bear, slowly rose to his feet, his tigerish eyes gleaming with bloodlust. With long strides, he approached the young woman cowering in the corner. His arm, thick enough to crush stone, shot out with the speed of a hunting eagle. Before the girl could even gasp, the veil, as thin as a cicada's wing, was ripped from her face.The veil fluttered down, twirling gently, like a white butterfly struggling in vain, tracing a poignant arc in the air before landing silently on the filthy ground. In that instant, the tent's clamor ceased abruptly, as if time itself had frozen. All eyes, as if drawn by a magnet, snapped to the face suddenly exposed to the air.Her skin was almost translucent in its whiteness, finer than the finest mutton-fat jade, shimmering with a soft, alluring glow in the flickering firelight, like the reflection of first snow under the moonlight. Her slender eyebrows, like distant mountains veiled in mist, arched gently, a hint of melancholy lingering between them. Most striking were her eyes, clear as autumn waters, with a dark, almond shape. As her gaze shifted, it seemed as if countless stars twinkled within their depths, at times hazy, at times chillingly sharp, captivating and unnerving in equal measure. Her small, delicate nose was straight and elegant, like a carefully sculpted work of art. Her cherry-red lips, naturally crimson, like the first bloom of a cherry blossom in the morning dew, were full and tempting, the corners curving into a subtle, enigmatic smile that hinted at both mystery and allure. She stood there silently, her slender form swaying slightly in the firelight, like a lady from an ancient painting, possessing a delicate beauty tinged with an indescribable allure, a noble air touched with both sorrow and stubbornness, making her both desirable and untouchable.A deathly silence fell over the tent, broken only by the crackling of the flames and the heavy breathing of the onlookers. Everyone present, from the ferocious-looking Hun soldiers to the richly dressed Second Prince, was struck dumb by her sudden beauty, as if their souls had been snatched away. Even the black-robed figure, always shrouded in his hood, revealed a fleeting flicker of astonishment in his deep-set eyes, which quickly vanished, returning to their usual cold, impassive state."Ahem," the Second Prince cleared his throat, shattering the suffocating silence. Bao Yuxing, however, was like a starving beast that had just spotted its prey. A broad grin spread across his face, his eyes fixed greedily on the young woman, his lustful gaze raking over her body as if he wanted to devour her whole, unwilling to look away for even a second. Seeing her beauty, Bao Yukun felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over him, instantly consumed by regret. He cursed inwardly, "Such a beauty! If only I had been the first to enjoy her… what a pleasure it would have been! Damn it all, what a waste on that brute of an elder brother!" Jealousy, like a venomous serpent, gnawed at his heart."What a beauty!" Bao Yuxing grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth, and reached out with a greasy hand to caress the girl's delicate cheek."Snap!" A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the silent tent, Bao Yuxing's hand recoiling from the force of the girl's swift strike. At the same moment, her voice, melodious yet laced with chilling coldness, like shards of ice in the dead of winter, rang out, clear and resolute: "Take your filthy hand off me!"Stung by the public slap, the smile on Bao Yuxing's face instantly froze, replaced by a dark, simmering rage. However, instead of lashing out, he erupted into a boisterous laugh. "Hahaha, not bad, not bad at all! Spirited! I like it! Only a fiercely independent woman from the Central Plains is worth the effort to conquer! The wilder the horse, the more thrilling the ride!" He licked his chapped lips, a dangerous glint in his eyes.Disgust washed over the girl's face, as if she were staring at a repulsive toad. Without flinching, she retorted coldly, "Men who think only with their lower bodies are not worthy of being called men. They are nothing more than beasts! No, even worse than beasts! Even beasts have some sense of shame, but you are utterly devoid of it!"At these words, the expressions of those around them drastically changed. The earlier leers and lascivious grins vanished without a trace, replaced by anger and ferocity. They roared their support for their leader, eager to tear the insolent girl to pieces.Bao Yuxing raised a thick arm, silencing his men. He knew his subordinates' true motives. Their cries of defending his honor were just a pretense to grope the girl themselves, or even worse… He knew them well. A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes. He fixed his cold gaze on the girl, the smile completely gone, replaced by a dark, menacing look. His voice dropped to a low, gravelly growl, like a wild animal's warning: "Little girl, you seem to think you're still in the Central Plains. Let me tell you, this is the steppe, where the law of the jungle prevails! A beauty like you can only survive, only have a good life, by submitting to a powerful steppe warrior!"Hearing this, a fleeting shadow of sorrow crossed the girl's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by defiance and contempt. She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "Bah! You call yourself a warrior? You have long lost the basic decency of a human being, leaving only the desires of a beast! You are nothing but animals in human skin! And I warn you, you'd better not lay a finger on me, or your entire tribe will face utter annihilation! I'll be frank with you. We are not far from the Qin border. Before long, the Qin army will be upon you, and you will not escape!"As the girl's words hung in the air, a moment of stunned silence descended upon the tent, followed by an eruption of raucous laughter, filled with mockery and disbelief, as if she had just told the most absurd joke imaginable."Hahaha!" Bao Yuxing himself roared with laughter, the sound shaking the tent. When he finally regained control, his face hardened, his eyes narrowing with scorn and contempt. He looked at the girl, speaking slowly and deliberately, "The Qin army? Hahaha, I might as well tell you. By next spring, I doubt Fancheng will even exist. The remnants of the Qin army on the border will be crushed beneath the hooves of my Hun warriors! You think they can save you? You're living in a fool's paradise!"The black-robed figure, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, flinched slightly as Bao Yuxing so carelessly revealed their crucial military plans to a woman of unknown origin. A flicker of displeasure and anger crossed his deep-set eyes, but he said nothing, maintaining his detached silence as if none of this concerned him.After delivering his pronouncement, Bao Yuxing's gaze returned to the girl, his eyes now sweeping over her body with even greater abandon, his lustful stare practically stripping her naked. He waved a heavy hand, shouting loudly, "Now that this beauty has presented herself, let her entertain us with a naked dance! Hahaha!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"Long live the Chieftain!"

"Hear, hear!"

A chorus of wolf-whistles and cheers erupted around the tent, lascivious eyes like countless dirty hands groping over the girl's form, as if they could not wait to tear her clothes off. Clearly, this was not the first time they had done such a thing; it was a common occurrence.Bao Yuxing grinned savagely, eagerly reaching out to tear at the girl's garments. Hearing the bestial howls around her and feeling Bao Yuxing's approaching grasp, a wave of despair washed over the girl, and her body began to tremble slightly. She regretted leaving her master's side and venturing into this chaotic border region of Qin. If only her master were here, she would not be in this predicament. But now it was too late. She was alone and helpless, at their mercy.

"Rumble… rumble… rumble…"

At this critical moment, a deep, rumbling sound echoed from afar, like distant thunder, causing the ground to tremble slightly. The sound grew louder and closer, as if thousands of horses were galloping towards them, the air growing heavy with a sense of impending violence.Bao Yuxing's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, the lecherous grin on his face instantly replaced by deep suspicion. He spun around, his eyes widening as he stared towards the tent flap, the muscles in his rough face twitching slightly. Could it be… could the Qin army really have arrived?"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" His mind churned, a torrent of thoughts crashing against each other.Just as his thoughts were in turmoil, the tent flap was violently thrown open once more, a gust of cold wind, thick with the metallic tang of blood, rushing into the tent. This time, it was a Hun guard who stumbled in, his face contorted with terror, ashen white as a sheet. His body was smeared with blood, and a feathered arrow protruded from his left arm, dripping steadily onto the ground. He staggered into the tent, collapsing to his knees with a thud, his voice hoarse as he gasped out his report: "Chieftain… bad news… terrible news! Just a few miles from our encampment… we've discovered… discovered a large detachment of Qin cavalry! Judging… judging by their numbers… there must be… no fewer than ten thousand!" He was breathless, his words fragmented, clearly in a state of extreme shock."Ten thousand cavalry?!" Upon hearing this, Bao Yuxing's face turned a shade of iron gray, veins bulging on his forehead. He roared in disbelief, "Where… where could the Qin possibly muster ten thousand cavalry?!" His mind raced, desperately trying to recall recent intelligence. Since he had killed Liu Yong of Fancheng, the garrison there had been halved, their strength severely depleted. As for reinforcements from other cities, they were too far away to arrive so quickly. Could it be… could Qin have been concealing its true strength? The thought flashed through his mind, sending a chill of unease through him.Despite the gnawing doubts, now that the enemy was at his doorstep, Bao Yuxing had no choice but to act. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain some semblance of composure. He bowed slightly towards the Second Prince, whose face mirrored his own unease, and to the ever-silent black-robed figure, offering a brief apology. "My esteemed guests, please excuse me for a moment. I must attend to matters outside." With a grim expression, he led a group of his officers out of the tent, leaving only a few anxious-looking guards behind. The atmosphere within the tent instantly became even more oppressive and tense.In an instant, the once-raucous tent fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint crackling of the dying fire and the muffled sobs of the captured women. Their faces were pale, their eyes wide with fear and despair, like lambs awaiting slaughter, uncertain of what fate awaited them. A suffocating sense of dread hung in the air, like the stillness before a violent storm.Not long after the departure of Bao Yuxing, the chieftain of the Tianlang tribe, several short, muffled sounds echoed from outside the tent, like the death throes of a wild beast. Soon, silence returned, as if nothing had happened. These brief disturbances, however, were starkly clear in the quiet night, and everyone inside the tent, including the Second Prince, the black-robed figure, and the ever-smirking young man, heard them distinctly. They were the sounds of clashing metal and the desperate cries of men meeting their end, sending shivers down their spines. A faint, metallic scent of blood drifted into the tent, further intensifying the already strained atmosphere.Then, to the astonishment and confusion of the Second Prince, the black-robed figure, and the young man, the tent flap was once again drawn back. This time, a young man with handsome features and a resolute expression entered. He had sharp, hawk-like eyes and an air of undeniable heroism and ruthlessness, like a drawn sword, its edge gleaming. He held a long sword in his hand, its blade still stained with fresh blood, clearly a weapon of exceptional quality. Being forced in front of him, at sword point, was one of the guards who had accompanied Bao Yuxing outside. Now, his clothes were torn and bloodied, his face a mask of terror and despair. All traces of his previous arrogance were gone. He trembled like a frightened quail, utterly devoid of his earlier swagger, replaced by a deep, paralyzing fear.