Chapter 974: Chapter 974
The Beautiful Woman did not leave with the Masked Woman but stood right there, her gaze sweeping across everything around her. Her nose twitched repeatedly, as though sniffing for some scent.
After searching for a while, she finally walked to the spot where Ye Qing had parked earlier and stood there, looking around before murmuring to herself, "After killing someone, these people actually dared to venture deeper into the Miao Borderlands? It's been ages since I've seen Han people with guts . Interesting."
A faint cold smirk crept across the Beautiful Woman's lips. She reached out and gently patted the strange creature entwined in her hair. The creature, as if understanding her intentions, immediately crawled down her body, scuttled around the ground a few times, and twitched its nose incessantly.
"Remember this scent. Who knows, we might run into them again in the future!" The Beautiful Woman sneered coldly. "I'm curious to see what kind of Han people are so daring as to seek death by heading deeper into the Miao Borderlands!"
The creature sniffed around for a moment, as though it had memorized Ye Qing and his party's scent, then climbed back onto the Beautiful Woman's body, wrapping itself around her hair again. Initially, the Beautiful Woman had intended to search for more clues at the site, but just then, the odd noise from earlier sounded again, this time with a hint of urgency.
At the sound, the Beautiful Woman did not dare linger any longer. She gritted her teeth in frustration, glanced in the direction where Ye Qing and his group had driven off, then turned around and left the vicinity of the boulders.
About six or seven miles ahead, the Beautiful Woman arrived outside a small grove. Within the grove, a bonfire was burning, with seven or eight people standing around it. Leading the group was a man who appeared to be in his fifties. His body was adorned with various silver ornaments, and atop his head sat a bright red feather—the unmistakable symbol of the Huoyu Dong people of the Seventy-Two Dong.
Among the Miao Borderlands, the Huoyu Dong was one of the more combative clans. The Huoyu Dong people harbored a particular hostility toward the Han, making them one of the more dangerous clans in the region.
The Masked Woman stood timidly before the man, while the others around him cast mocking, derisive, and disdainful glances at her. When the Beautiful Woman approached, everyone immediately bowed in unison, greeting in chorus, "Elder Sister."
The Beautiful Woman nodded arrogantly, then approached the man, bowed slightly, and addressed him, "Father."
"Why are you so slow?" the man asked impatiently.
The Beautiful Woman replied, "Back at the boulder site, I found a few corpses. Apparently, some Han people killed someone there again!"
The man said, "That kind of thing happens all the time. Nothing surprising about it."
"This time, it's a bit different…" the Beautiful Woman said. "Instead of leaving the Miao Borderlands after committing murder, these Han people ventured deeper into the region."
"Oh?" The man turned to look at the Beautiful Woman, frowning deeply. "They dared to go deeper into the Miao Borderlands? Did you see who they were?"
"I didn't see them…" The Beautiful Woman hesitated for a moment, then cast a glance at the Masked Woman and said in a low voice, "But the Fire Sang girl should've seen them. When I arrived, she was eating food they'd given her and was even wearing clothes they'd gifted."
"What!" The man's expression changed instantly as he snapped his head toward the Masked Woman.
The Masked Woman visibly trembled in fright and subconsciously took a step back. However, not paying attention to the terrain behind her, she tripped and fell clumsily to the ground.
Seeing her in this state, the others around her burst into laughter. Even the corners of the Beautiful Woman's lips curled into a mocking smile. None of them displayed any pity or sympathy for the Masked Woman; instead, they took pleasure in ridiculing her. Even with her humiliating fall, no one stepped forward to help her up—they only looked on, amused at her misfortune.
"What's so funny?" the man bellowed, and everyone immediately silenced themselves.
The man shot a cold glare at the Masked Woman sprawled on the ground and said sternly, "Sang girl, did you eat the food given by the Han people? And wear the clothes they gave you?"
The Masked Woman, Fire Sang girl, hung her head, too petrified to respond—too terrified even to deny it.
Her silence was all the confirmation the man needed. His fury intensified as he roared, "Wretched girl! How dare you associate with the Han? Let's see how I'll teach you a lesson!"
With that, he signaled with an outstretched hand, commanding, "Bring me the whip!"
Without the slightest hesitation, someone immediately handed over a whip. Their actions were as swift and practiced as could be.
This whip was unlike ordinary ones—it was covered with barbs. Striking someone with it would surely tear away chunks of flesh, making it immensely horrifying to behold.
Upon seeing the whip, terror painted Fire Sang girl's face. Desperate and frightened, she tried to retreat, but where could she possibly run to? With a wave of the man's hand, the long whip lashed directly onto her body.
"Ah!" Fire Sang girl let out a bloodcurdling scream, but that was only the beginning. As the man jerked the whip back, it ripped off a large chunk of flesh along with it.
In mere moments, Fire Sang girl's clothes were soaked in blood, a sight both horrifying and tragic. Yet the man showed no trace of compassion, raising the whip for another strike. With another lash, more flesh was torn from her body. After five or six consecutive strikes, Fire Sang girl's body was left a horrendous, mangled mess. Not a single patch of unbroken skin remained. She lay on the ground, barely alive, without even the strength to cry out in pain.
"Han people are the most vicious and deceitful creatures in this world. No matter what happens, Miao people must never have any association with them!" the man declared coldly, staring at Fire Sang girl with steely eyes. "Remember this—next time you dare involve yourself with the Han, I'll beat you to death. Do you understand?"
Lying on the ground, Fire Sang girl struggled to squeeze out a faint "Yes," though she was utterly spent.
Seeing her condition, the man paid her no further attention. He turned around and barked, "Rest for half an hour, then we set off. We must reach Zhenmu Dong before the Ten Thousand Gu Festival, or we'll be too late!"
"Understood!" the group responded in unison, setting off to pack their belongings.
Meanwhile, Fire Sang girl lay on the ground for a long time before slowly struggling to her feet. She was soaked in blood, but strangely, her wounds had stopped bleeding. Normally, such severe injuries would require medicine to stem the bleeding.
"You're still alive, huh!" the Beautiful Woman remarked as she noticed her condition, curling her lips in disdain. "You've got quite the life—you just won't die no matter how much you're beaten. Seems like we'll have to find a different method next time. I'm curious to see how much more you can endure!"
Hearing this, Fire Sang girl trembled in fear and hastily pleaded, "S-Sister… please… don't beat me anymore. I… I'll do whatever you say from now on…"
"Oh, listen to that," the Beautiful Woman sneered. "It's as if you haven't already been doing what I say. What is it—are you planning to resist me now?"
"No… no, I… I wouldn't dare…" Fire Sang girl stammered in a voice quivering with fear.
"Good!" the Beautiful Woman sneered. "Then stop trying to bargain with me. Let me tell you this: someone like you would find the greatest relief in death. I'm doing you a favor. Isn't your elder sister so kind to you?"
Fire Sang girl lowered her head and didn't respond. Seeing this, the Beautiful Woman flared up. She glared and snapped, "Why aren't you answering? Do you think I'm not good enough to you?"
Terrified, Fire Sang girl trembled and frantically shook her head while waving her hands. "No, no, Sister… Sister is very kind to me…"
"Good that you know!" the Beautiful Woman said coldly. "I'm so good to you, yet you still won't hurry to pack my stuff? What's the matter—do I have to do it myself?"
The Beautiful Woman's malice was evident. Even though Fire Sang girl could barely stand from her injuries, she was forced to hobble over and gather the Beautiful Woman's belongings. Meanwhile, the Beautiful Woman leisurely stood by, watching her work. At the slightest mistake, she'd lash out with a kick, adding insults to injury, utterly indifferent to Fire Sang girl's gruesome state.
With tears welling in her eyes, Fire Sang girl bit her lip stubbornly, refusing to let her tears fall. This brutal life was nothing new to her. From the moment she was born, the only kindness she had ever experienced was from Ye Qing and Huangfu Ziyu earlier, when they gave her food and clothing. As she packed the Beautiful Woman's belongings, her thoughts fixated on them. To her, they were the kindest people she'd ever met, and the only ones who had shown her even a sliver of warmth. She wondered—would she ever see them again?
Ye Qing and Huangfu Ziyu, unfamiliar with the terrain, continued driving aimlessly until nightfall when they finally emerged from the forest. Yet the pathless expanse of the Miao Borderlands still left them unsure of their direction.
Fortunately, before entering, Ye Qing had inquired about the general direction of Zhenmu Dong. As long as they followed that direction, they thought they might eventually find their way.
In a grove at the foot of the mountains, Ye Qing found a spot to set up a tent from the car, creating a temporary resting space. He then ventured into the forest, caught two wild rabbits, and roasted them over a campfire, seasoning them with salt and spices. He shared the meal with Huangfu Ziyu.
During his military service, Ye Qing often camped in the wild and had to fend for himself, so he had gotten into the habit of carrying these supplies. Before heading into the Miao Borderlands, he had picked up some provisions, and they had proven fortuitously useful here. Though simply prepared, the wild rabbits were roasted to a savory, aromatic perfection, eliciting enthusiastic praise and delight from Huangfu Ziyu.