Chapter 16 — Encounter with Xiong Kun
In the end, the group hastily forced the best-performance healing potions down Shen Xueji’s throat.
It wasn’t until midnight that his temperature finally dropped.
“Chi Rui said Shen Yan’s men have already begun searching this area. Finding us is only a matter of time.” Chu Fufeng glanced at the message on his AI wrist display.
Hua Mian didn’t have much strength left, and her feet still hurt. She quietly listened while wrapped in Yu Jin’s coat.
Yu Jin said, “We can’t clash with them here.”
They all knew that Sophia, as a pacifier, had special privileges. If they confronted her directly, she could order her beast husband to kill them, and she wouldn’t even bear legal responsibility for their deaths.
Yan An asked, “Then what do we do?”
Yu Jin was silent for a few seconds, then looked toward Hua Mian.
Hua Mian instantly understood what he was thinking. She pulled the coat over her face—clearly refusing to cooperate.
“Madam…” Yu Jin called carefully.
“I’m deaf.” Hua Mian said lazily, ignoring them.
Yu Jin could only shut his mouth.
“We kill our way out. Worst case, we drag Shen Yan down with us—save ourselves from being disgusted by him again.” Chu Fufeng said coldly, murderous intent obvious.
Yu Jin replied, “If we truly can’t avoid it… you, Chi Rui, and Yan An take Madam and escape. Forget the five million Shen Yan wants—the matter of that sum, Xueji and I will handle.”
His voice was calm, but the word “handle” carried a chilling edge.
Hua Mian fell asleep in a daze before she could hear the rest.
“Madam, wake up. Wake up!”
Hua Mian opened her eyes and was met with a pair of glowing green eyes staring right into hers, almost scaring the breath out of her.
“You’re awake?”
“Yes. Thanks to you.” Shen Xueji’s eyes were bright, and Hua Mian could even see the faint upward curl of his lips.
“Shen Yan’s men plan to ambush us in the forest. We need to move quickly. At the very least, we can’t let ourselves be killed without anyone knowing what happened.” As he spoke, he gestured for Hua Mian to climb onto his back.
“They plan to kill us?” Hua Mian was shocked.
“They will.” Shen Xueji carried her on his back.
“So long as they don’t harm you, even if they kill us, they can escape responsibility by relying on Sophia’s status as a beast husband.” Yu Jin added.
Hua Mian’s heart tightened. She glanced around.
“And you’re sure they won’t kill me?”
“I don’t know. But right now, as far as everyone else is concerned, you, Chi Rui, Yan An, and Fufeng are all safely at home.” Yu Jin said.
Hua Mian’s blood ran cold.
So even if she died here, others would simply assume she vanished at home?
Judging from Shen Yan’s actions, he didn’t seem like a smart man.
As the saying went: One does not fear the schemes of the wise, but the sudden inspiration of a fool.
If he really killed her, she wouldn’t even have anyone to appeal to.
Unbelievable!
Yu Jin saw Hua Mian’s expression of utter despair clearly. He lifted a hand and covered his mouth, hiding the smile that nearly escaped.
Madam’s expressions were, as always, extremely vivid.
Under Yu Jin’s lead, they moved through the forest. Chu Fufeng checked the location reports Chi Rui had sent, occasionally whispering directions that were clear of enemies.
Hua Mian, weak and drowsy, lay slumped on Shen Xueji’s back.
Afraid she might fall, she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Don’t be afraid, Madam. I’ll protect you,” Shen Xueji comforted gently, assuming she was scared.
When dawn approached, everyone finally let out a breath—traveling at night truly wasn’t easy.
“Any more word from Chi Rui?” Yu Jin asked suddenly.
Chu Fufeng shook his head.
“Nothing for the last two hours.”
Even Yan An realized Chi Rui had likely fallen into danger. No one spoke.
“The Fire-Lin Flower was eaten by me. Everything started because of me. Let me end it.” Shen Xueji said.
Yu Jin shook his head. “It hasn’t come to that yet. Don’t jump ahead.”
“You take Madam and get out of here. I’ll go save Chi Rui.” Shen Xueji insisted.
Hua Mian frowned.
“Chi Rui’s already been captured—how are we supposed to leave? They’ll never just let us walk away. Without Chi Rui to forge our false identities, we can’t leave the barren star.”
She wanted to flee, yes—but reality wouldn’t allow it.
“Let’s save Chi Rui first,” Hua Mian said simply.
After avoiding six mercenary squads, they finally reached the camp where Shen Yan’s people were based.
“Hey, think that snake beastman and deer beastman will come save that dog beastman?”
“Tch, who knows? But Shen Yan certainly lives up to being from a big family. His wallet is real thick!”
Two beastmen patrolled as they chatted.
Hua Mian and the others hid nearby, hearing every word clearly.
So Chi Rui had already been caught—and probably injured too. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be calling it a “rescue.”
Hua Mian looked at Yu Jin, silently asking: What do we do?
Yu Jin answered: Don’t rush. We wait.
Once the two guards walked away, Yu Jin whispered,
“Chi Rui is definitely in their hands. We have to locate him first.”
“That big guy over there—is that Xiong Kun?” Hua Mian narrowed her eyes, pointing at a broad-shouldered beastman.
“That’s him.” Chu Fufeng confirmed.
Yu Jin and Shen Xueji looked confused, so Chu Fufeng quickly explained what had happened that day.
Shen Xueji frowned. “Don’t take Madam into danger again.”
Hua Mian was stunned.
So THAT was his takeaway?
Yu Jin nodded seriously. “I agree.”
Hua Mian sighed.
“So… am I supposed to go ask him?”
Shen Xueji immediately objected. “I disagree.”
“Objection overruled.” Hua Mian patted his shoulder, signaling him to set her down.
When her life was on the line, nobody was more motivated than she was.
Soon, the three mud-smeared figures walked out—only to be stopped by two patrolling beastmen.
“Names?”
“Hey, big bro—this is a female!”
Hua Mian waved a hand excitedly at Xiong Kun.
“Big Brother Xiong Kun!”
Xiong Kun turned and recognized the three mud-covered figures. He strode forward.
“What happened to you all?”
“It’s… a long story.” Hua Mian lowered her voice, eyes reddening.
Xiong Kun assumed they must have run into trouble with the Fire-Lin Flowers without noticing and suffered for it.
To a mother worried for her young, he couldn’t speak harshly. Instead, he turned and scolded Chu Fufeng,
“You call that protecting a female?”
Chu Fufeng lowered his head, silent as always.
“Chen Wen, I know these people,” Xiong Kun said to the stronger of the two guards.
“Oh. Alright.”
The guard, seeing the other two weren’t the snake and deer beastmen they were after, lost interest.
Although curious how the three ended up this filthy, he wisely didn’t ask.
“I’ll take you to clean up first.” Xiong Kun said kindly.
“Thank you. There really are good people in the world,” Hua Mian said with heartfelt emotion—and proceeded to lay the praise on thick.
Yu Jin and Shen Xueji, hearing her words from the distance, exchanged a glance as they followed from the shadows.
Shen Xueji’s expression darkened. His gaze toward Xiong Kun was not friendly.
“Madam has changed a lot,” Yu Jin murmured.
Shen Xueji silently agreed.
The naive little princess had grown up quietly, in ways no one had noticed.
Xiong Kun led Hua Mian’s group to the lodging area where his team stayed, right in the central zone.
These “inns” were portable housing units—mobile panel rooms brought by beastmen. They could be disassembled and packed away, but were extremely expensive. Only those who earned money running lodging bought them.
As soon as they entered, Hua Mian locked eyes with a female wearing a pink puffy dress, golden curls, fair skin, and striking blue eyes.
As the woman walked past, Hua Mian instinctively stepped back, afraid her muddy clothes might stain the beautiful dress.
“Disgusting.”
Hua Mian froze.
Was that directed at her?
She wasn’t smelly—she even carried the fresh scent of trees.
The woman looked at them all with visible disdain, waving a hand in front of her nose, as if they were insects.
“Tom, I don’t like them. Throw them all out. Filthy and lowborn things.”
Ah. Now Hua Mian was certain—this woman who looked like a soft, sweet strawberry cake was indeed talking about them.
Hua Mian was about to speak, but Xiong Kun stepped in front of her.
“My apologies for disturbing Lady Sophia. I’ll take them out immediately.”
So that’s Sophia?
Hua Mian fell deep into thought.
“Miss Yun,” Xiong Kun said as he led them out, scratching his head awkwardly, “that was Lady Sophia. She’s a very straightforward person. But she means no harm.”
Yan An raised an eyebrow.
“That counts as ‘no harm’? She calls people disgusting and lowborn—so if she DID mean harm, what would she say?”
Xiong Kun looked at Yan An and realized the man wasn’t complaining—just honestly curious. He couldn’t help rolling his eyes.
What kind of group was this?
