Black Tiger’s gaze fell upon Xiao Man, who was not far away. He licked his lips and asked, "Is she one of yours?"
"Regardless of whose she is, she is one of us from White Wolf Village. You won't bully her."
Black Tiger let out a wicked grin and charged forward again, engaging Huo Lei in close combat. "I've suddenly lost interest in killing you. I want you alive, to watch me bully your woman."
"Despicable and shameless!" Huo Lei gritted his teeth, his attacks becoming fiercer. His movements were even becoming erratic, and he was at a disadvantage. In a short time, he had been cut several times by Black Tiger, his body covered in blood.
Xiao Man snatched a bow and arrow from one of the attackers. She drew the bowstring, but her arrow lacked the force of the others and was easily intercepted.
"A mere girl is just a mere girl. You look like you haven't eaten enough. Your arrows have no power," the men from Yanhu Village surrounded Xiao Man, laughing heartily. "Little girl, if you fall into our Brother Black Tiger's hands, with your frail body, can you withstand his torment?"
Xiao Man abandoned her bow and arrow and drew her dagger. She preferred Tian Wen for close combat.
"Haha, such a small knife, what can it do? It can't even kill a chicken."
The men from Yanhu Village laughed even harder when Xiao Man produced a dagger. The women of the wasteland were not defenseless, but Xiao Man was too weak before them. Her knife swings lacked power, her arrows had no force. Besides her good looks, she was useless.
Xiao Man did not get angry. Her attacks were weak, but her footwork was swift. As long as she found a vital spot, killing the opponent was not an issue. At this moment, the loudest laughter would lead to the worst luck!
When Xiao Man's dagger pierced the throat of one of them, the ear-splitting laughter abruptly stopped. Xiao Man then swiftly attacked another, not using the wastelanders' qi did not mean she couldn't kill them!
"Damn slut, you dare to sneak attack!" A man struck Xiao Man hard. She was sent flying and landed on the ground in a sorry state. However, she quickly sprang up like a carp, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, clenched her dagger, and charged forward again.
Seeing Xiao Man surrounded, Huo Lei grew anxious. However, Black Tiger had brought many men, and Black Tiger himself was a formidable fighter. In the entire White Wolf Village, only he could contend with Black Tiger. But he was injured, and as time passed, he would inevitably be no match for Black Tiger. White Wolf Village was in danger.
Xiao Man was also forced to retreat, moving closer to Huo Lei. They stood back-to-back. "Huo Lei, how are you?"
"I'm fine, and you?"
Xiao Man handed Huo Lei a pill. "I'm fine too. Eat this, it's for healing."
Huo Lei immediately put the medicine in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed. His wounds began to heal at a visible rate. Huo Lei was slightly surprised, then said, "My tribesmen are injured. How much medicine do you have left?"
"Enough for them."
"You go deliver the medicine, and I'll deal with Black Tiger." As he spoke, he scooped Xiao Man up with one hand and tossed her out of the encirclement. Xiao Man used this momentum to distance herself from the battlefield and, under the cover of the chaos, delivered medicine to the injured White Wolf Village warriors.
The warriors who had been at a disadvantage, after taking the medicine delivered by Xiao Man, once again erupted with fierce fighting spirit. Conversely, Black Tiger's men began to falter. Even Black Tiger was wounded by Huo Lei, whose fighting spirit had been reignited.
"White Wolf Village, Huo Lei, I'll remember you!" Seeing many of his men fall, Black Tiger decided to retreat. "Withdraw."
"Pursue!"
"Don't pursue." Xiao Man quickly stepped in front of everyone.
"We can't let them escape. We killed people from Yanhu Village. Once Black Tiger returns, he will surely bring experts from Yanhu Village to annihilate us..." Huo Lei explained urgently. However, before he could finish, Black Tiger and his men, who were fleeing at full speed, stopped in their tracks.
A moment later, everyone collapsed on the ground. The onlookers were bewildered. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that in the darkness, thin, sharp threads stretched between the trees. Black Tiger and his fleeing men had not noticed these threads and had their heads severed by the sharp filaments.
Huo Lei reached out to touch one, but Xiao Man grabbed his wrist. "Don't touch it, it's poisonous."
Huo Lei retracted his hand. "Did you set this up?"
Xiao Man nodded and retracted the threads. When she realized she was outmatched, she had begun to set them up. The purpose was to prevent Black Tiger and his men from escaping. After all, before she came, Taotie had warned her that people of the wasteland were different from those outside. Once one person was killed, their entire clan would pursue them. Since she had chosen to act, she would not let Black Tiger and his men leave alive.
"What are you all standing around for? Dispose of the bodies quickly. Leave no trace," the Shaman commanded decisively. "Be quick."
"Let me handle the bodies," Xiao Man said. Seeing the village warriors preparing to bury the corpses, she couldn't help but sigh. Even if buried, traces would remain. The best method was to make the bodies disappear.
"Xiao Man, there are so many bodies, how can you possibly handle them?" Huo Lei asked, puzzled.
"With medicine." Xiao Man took out a large bottle of potion and poured some onto each corpse. In just a moment, the bodies dissolved into a pool of blood, absorbed by the soil, leaving no trace behind.
The warriors of White Wolf Village looked at Xiao Man with shock, a mixture of awe and fear. Xiao Man cursed herself for being foolish. As a newcomer, she had used corpse-dissolving liquid in front of these people. They must think of her as a monster.
The Shaman stepped forward, looking at the medicine bottle in Xiao Man's hand. After a moment, he asked, "Are you a medicine master?"
Xiao Man nodded. "I am an alchemist."
The Shaman breathed a sigh of relief. "It's fine. Let's return to the village."
Huo Lei patted Xiao Man's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "I think I've gotten you into trouble."
"Yanhu Village has always bullied several surrounding villages, stealing their food, resources, and women," Huo Lei lowered his gaze. "Frankly, it was our weakness and fear of Yanhu Village's tyranny that prevented us from resisting. If you hadn't intervened today, we might have continued to be bullied by Yanhu Village forever."
"Doesn't Yanhu Village incur the wrath of heaven and earth?" Xiao Man stopped and asked.
"Several surrounding villages are deeply dissatisfied with Yanhu Village, but Yanhu Village is too strong for us to fight."
"If the surrounding villages joined forces, could they defeat Yanhu Village?"
Huo Lei thought carefully. "They could put up a good fight. Although Yanhu Village is strong, they are only stronger than any single village. If they united, Yanhu Village would be no match for them."