Chapter 6: The Crucial Moment

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The man who had been enjoying his verbal sparring naturally noticed the change in Hong Xiaoduo’s expression, but he believed he had finally found the key to strike down this young lady. “I bet you’re as stubborn as ever,” he sneered, “Let me prove I’m right, haha.”

“You probably get your meals from the latrine,” Hong Xiaoduo retorted, then casually grabbed an object nearby and hurled it.

Fan Wu saw the object flying toward his companion. Although it didn’t look like a throwing knife or dart, and didn’t seem thrown with great force, something felt off. He swiftly drew the whip from his waist and snapped it toward the incoming projectile.

No matter how disagreeable the companion was, being careless wasn’t an option. However, a man who was usually skilled with his whip suddenly found himself missing the mark.

In the next moment, the companion who had been laughing heartily suddenly fell silent, nearly toppling backward from his horse.

“Fu Gang, are you alright?” Fan Wu asked worriedly, watching his companion wobble but manage to stay mounted.

Fu Gang’s cheeks puffed out, with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Frowning, he struggled to dislodge something from his mouth. When it finally came out, Fu Gang’s face darkened.

It was a bone, still fresh enough to smell faintly of meat.

Some fragments seemed lodged near his throat, preventing him from answering his companion’s questions as he feared they might slip into his windpipe.

Suppressing his anger, he gently spit out the fragments—more bone, resembling teeth.

“A careless ambush, nothing serious,” Fu Gang replied, though he felt uneasy about how he’d let something slip in his words. How could something insignificant be so difficult to explain?

“Your teeth?” Fan Wu approached sympathetically, pointing at his companion’s mouth.

Losing several front teeth hardly counted as “nothing serious.”

Having confirmed his companion was unharmed, Fan Wu’s curiosity was piqued. What exactly had Hong Xiaoduo thrown with such accuracy and force?

Seeing the bone in Fu Gang’s hand, Fan Wu’s expression became difficult to read.

Here was a proud bodyguard, having his front teeth knocked out by a young woman wielding a recently gnawed bone. No man with even a shred of pride could remain calm in such a situation.

Moreover, Fu Gang, this brainless buffoon, had managed to botch a simple matter.

Yet, was their master really so patient today? Weren’t they in a hurry to reach their destination? Fan Wu glanced toward the carriage with confusion.

Although the distance between them and Hong Xiaoduo and the children wasn’t great, none of the eighteen—one adult and seven children—knew the extent of the injuries inflicted, or even if any had been hurt at all.

The adult was uncertain about the strength of his blows and what damage he had caused. While a strike meant to kill pheasants or rabbits was effective, when it came to people, he held back, after all, even if the opponent was detestable, they did not deserve death.

Besides, Hong Xiaoduo had no intention of killing anyone. Even if this whole scenario was an illusion, not reality, she couldn’t bring herself to unleash indiscriminate slaughter.

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Even now, the fate of that villain from yesterday remained uncertain—dead or alive?

Even if they encountered others on the road, they dared not inquire.

To be honest, she felt conflicted and torn inside.

Part of her hoped the man had died by her hand, so she wouldn’t have to worry about him returning for revenge against her and the children.

Yet, in any era or realm, murder was a crime, wasn’t it?

If that villain had truly been killed by her, wouldn’t someone have reported it to the authorities? Would the officials not be investigating, questioning witnesses, and sketching her likeness?

Just imagining wanted posters plastered everywhere with her face made Hong Xiaoduo shudder at the thought of such difficult days ahead.

Therefore, no matter how unpleasant Fu Gang’s words were, despite her anger, she did not entertain thoughts of killing him.

“Ah… damned little vixen, I’ll send you to the afterlife myself!” Snapping back to reality, Fu Gang’s eyes reddened as he realized his front teeth were gone. Drawing his knife and urging his horse forward, he charged straight at Hong Xiaoduo.

Rarely given the chance to travel with their master, he wanted to make a good impression, but this young lady had trampled on his dignity like a flower embroidered shoe. Even if killing her would bring ridicule and contempt, he couldn’t suppress the urge to do so.

“Fu Gang, no!” Fan Wu quickly intervened, glancing again at the carriage before preparing to chase after and stop him.

Seeing Fu Gang raise his knife and charge on horseback, Hong Xiaoduo signaled the eldest boy to lead the other children away.

The children were frightened but wanted to help Hong Xiaoduo; knowing their limitations, they retreated anxiously but cautiously.

Hong Xiaoduo rose from the rock, hand resting on her sword’s hilt. Truthfully, she was quite terrified inside—who isn’t afraid of death?

That knife, that trajectory—if wielded with enough force, it could cleave her in two. It would be over in an instant; she likely wouldn’t even feel the pain.

Her current identity didn’t even guarantee she was a highly skilled swordswoman!

Ah, if death came, so be it. Maybe then this strange, otherworldly journey would finally end.

She believed he would kill her, but probably wouldn’t harm the seven children. Even if he was a scoundrel, that Fan Wu seemed more reasonable and would likely intervene.

How to draw the sword with more of a heroic flair? A swordswoman should at least have some style!

As Fu Gang galloped closer, knife raised in fury, Hong Xiaoduo told herself to stay calm and began to draw her sword.

Whether pulling the sword would help, she wasn’t sure, but she couldn’t just stand still and wait for death. She had to try to resist.

At that moment, she heard a faint unusual sound. Before she could identify it, Fu Gang screamed in pain, and the knife dropped to the ground.

Without his weapon, Fu Gang immediately pulled on the reins, the horse neighing as it halted.

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Hong Xiaoduo’s sword was still half-sheathed. She looked puzzled toward Fan Wu, who had caught up—was he the one who intervened to help her?

Fu Gang glared at Fan Wu with murderous eyes, sparks almost flying from them.

Fan Wu quickly shook his head at both, signaling it wasn’t him—don’t misunderstand!

At that moment, an annoyed voice came from the carriage: “Useless fools, get back here!”

Upon hearing this, Fu Gang’s expression instantly changed. He realized who had ambushed him, and his anger turned to panic.

Fan Wu raised his eyebrows at Hong Xiaoduo, silently saying, “See? It wasn’t me.”

“Yes, master,” Fu Gang responded loudly. He dismounted, picked up his fallen knife, mounted again, and turned to leave, casting a resentful glare at Hong Xiaoduo before departing.

Fan Wu glanced at Hong Xiaoduo’s waist, then turned his horse toward the carriage.

Feeling narrowly escaped from disaster, Hong Xiaoduo slid her partly drawn sword back into its sheath and breathed a soft sigh. Damn it, in less than two days, each incident had become more intense than the last!

“Mother, you scared us to death!” the children rushed over, tears in their eyes.

Hong Xiaoduo didn’t know how to comfort them, uncertain of her own strength and unwilling to boast of her martial prowess.

She couldn’t just say, “It’s nothing, don’t worry,” empty reassurances.

Sitting back on the rock, a mountain breeze swept over, chilling her to the bone. Only then did she realize how tense she had been, breaking out in a cold sweat.

She didn’t tell the children to pack up and leave quickly; today’s matter was far from over.

She had noticed Fu Gang retrieve his knife with his left hand; his right hung limp and hidden, indicating serious injury. Unable to even pick up his blade—it must be grave.

Their master was indeed ruthless.

Watching the two bodyguards return to the carriage, Fu Gang dismounted and knelt beside it. Fan Wu rode over toward Hong Xiaoduo.

Though the seven children were young, they could read people a little. Seeing Fan Wu’s approach, though unsure of his intent, they were less panicked than before.

Fan Wu drew near but did not dismount, instead looking at Hong Xiaoduo.

He was waiting for her to speak, but after a moment, realizing she had no questions, he finally broke the silence.

“You bold little lady, aren’t you curious why I came over?” Fan Wu said at last...