"Gu Erniu, stop hiding! I've already spotted you—be a man and stand out!"
Li Yan's taunting voice rang out from behind, abruptly snapping Gu Erniu out of his thoughts. He shrank back tightly, hiding behind a tree. They were all skilled hunters, and no one would be foolish enough to be tricked out by mere words.
He held his breath, striving not to make the slightest sound.
About a hundred meters away.
Several figures were advancing, crouched and cautious, with Li Yan leading a group of four hunters.
They all knew Gu Erniu's left leg was injured, making escape impossible today. Fearing a desperate counterattack, everyone stayed vigilant.
Li Yan's left hand was wrapped in a cloth strip, swollen and powerless—it had been hit by an arrow from Gu Erniu, rendering him temporarily unable to wield a bow. His right hand, however, gripped a short blade.
His brow brimmed with fury and murderous intent, the scarred eye twitching uncontrollably.
What had seemed like a guaranteed success had unexpectedly turned on its head, with that damned Gu Erniu reflexively firing an arrow at him.
He wished nothing more than to immediately behead Gu Erniu.
But he wasn't reckless.
Knowing Gu Erniu hated him even more, he hung back, letting the other three hunters take the lead. If Gu Erniu truly retaliated fiercely, he wouldn't suffer the injury himself.
Li Yan's gaze swept constantly, attempting to find a flaw in Gu Erniu's position.
"Gu Erniu, if you ask me, you're nothing but a complete coward!"
"Li Lian followed you? What a blind choice. But don't worry—after I kill you this time, I'll bring Li Lian back to the Li family's stronghold and take 'good care' of her!"
He heavily emphasized the words "good care."
"Oh, right—and I heard you have a son named Gu Wan? Why don't I take him in too? I'm short a son myself. How does Li Wan sound for a name?"
Li Yan laughed wildly, taunting Gu Erniu endlessly, pushing him to the brink.
Gu Erniu burned with rage upon hearing Li Yan coveting his wife and child. Fury surged in his eyes, and he wanted nothing but to shoot an arrow right through Li Yan's skull!
But he had to endure.
He knew he only had one chance to fire his arrow. If he couldn't kill Li Yan, what awaited him next would be death and the destruction of his family, while his enemies continued to live free.
Li Yan, seeing Gu Erniu remain unmoving, darkened his tone and continued to mock:
"Everyone says Gu Erniu loves his wife like his life, but I think you're just a spineless coward! Not even daring to step out and fight—Li Lian made the wrong choice loving you!"
As the distance closed.
Li Yan's eyes suddenly lit up; on the bushes, faint traces of blood had been left behind. Gu Erniu, injured in the left leg, had hurried during his escape, leaving no time to deal with such traces.
Following the blood trail, Li Yan grew ecstatic inside.
He discreetly signaled to the three hunters, pointing toward a sturdy, distant tree. The three understood instantly, spreading out toward the area.
Gu Erniu, hearing increasingly distinct movements headed straight for him, felt his heart tremble.
It was then that he realized the blood from his injured leg had already seeped through the cloth binding, staining everywhere.
"No good—I've been exposed!"
Grinding his teeth in hatred, he wished he could devour Li Yan alive for his cunning and caution, leaving Gu Erniu no opening.
But he would never sit and wait for death.
The rustling movement behind him grew sharper, while Li Yan no longer taunted aloud to avoid revealing his position.
Gu Erniu's heartbeat pounded like war drums, blood coursing frantically through his body as his eyes turned bloodshot. Leaning against a large tree, he slowly stood up, an arrow already drawn against his bowstring, pulling it back gradually.
He would fight to the death!
Gu Erniu had already resolved to die. Li Yan and his men, whether armed with longbows or short blades, all wore fierce, predatory expressions, staring at the tree Gu Erniu rested against like wolves.
A life-and-death crisis, as if hanging off a cliff—disaster was within reach.
Swish!!
A sharp sound split the air, particularly distinct in the silent forest where only the chirping of insects had been heard.
Gu Erniu instinctively flinched, his arm trembling as he almost sprang out to risk it all.
But he forced himself to hold back, for that arrow hadn't been aimed at him.
The target—it was directed at Li Yan's men!
The arrow flew like lightning, racing forward. Gu Erniu seized the opportunity to roll away, catching a fleeting glimpse in which his gaze was stunned.
A hunter's throat—pierced clean through. The arrowhead had entered the front of his neck, emerging out the back, gleaming with a bloody sheen, cold and eerie.
"Guh... guh..."
The hunter named Shunzi stared in terror and shock, clutching at his throat desperately with bloodied hands, but nothing could stop the escape of his life force.
With a thud, the corpse collapsed to the ground.
One arrow to the throat—merciless and deadly!
...
Moments earlier, time turned back slightly.
Gu Sheng steadily carried his haul of prey forward, alert to the sounds around him.
Suddenly.
Faintly, an arrow slicing through the air reached his ears, freezing his steps. As an experienced hunter, his sensitivity to such sounds was unparalleled.
He had intended to skirt away, avoiding any trouble, but a voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Gu Erniu, stop hiding! I've already spotted you!"
Gu Erniu's name and Li Yan's familiar voice instantly clarified the identities of those involved for Gu Sheng.
His expression darkened.
It was obvious.
Gu Erniu was the one being pursued.
"Brother Erniu is alone—he'll be no match for them. This is bad!"
Gu Sheng's eyes grew cold and sharp.
"I had planned to deal with you once I was certain, but since you're courting death, consider your execution preponed!"
Earlier, Gu Sheng had refrained from doubling back to attack, fearing an ambush from Li Yan and his men.
But now.
With most of Li Yan's focus on chasing Gu Erniu, Gu Sheng could strike from the shadows and collaborate with Gu Erniu. Together, they stood a strong chance of taking them all down.
If that were the case, then kill!
Besides, Gu Erniu was one of the few people in this world who sincerely cared for him. Gu Sheng couldn't just walk away.
Careful as always, Gu Sheng weighed his values—some matters mattered far more deeply.
Without hesitation, he tossed aside the deer carcass but kept the silver fox, which wasn't as heavy.
He crouched low, moving stealthily.
Li Yan's profane taunts grew clearer as Gu Sheng approached within a hundred meters, where he stopped to assess the situation.
Looking from afar.
Gu Erniu seemed injured, Li Yan's left arm bound in cloth, while the other three hunters appeared unscathed, forming a web as they steadily closed in on the tree shielding Gu Erniu.
Gu Sheng's gaze hardened.
He looked at Li Yan as if staring at a corpse. Although his hatred for Li Yan ran deepest, Gu Sheng's first target wasn't Li Yan.
The reason was simple.
Li Yan's injured arm left him unable to draw his bow, making him temporarily no threat to Gu Sheng from afar. Thus, the priority was eliminating the other three hunters.
As the three edged closer to Gu Erniu.
Gu Sheng squinted and drew his bow.
His predatory eyes were sharp; he could discern the facial expressions of the young hunter nearest to Gu Erniu with crystal clarity.
In the shadows, shooting from less than a hundred meters away—with his near-perfect mastery of archery—there was no room for error.
Gu Sheng learned from experience.
This arrow was aimed at the throat!
Swish!
The arrow sliced the air, as swift as a falling meteor, piercing the hunter's throat in an instant, killing him on the spot!
This sudden strike left both sides of the conflict astonished and alarmed.
The other two hunters up front froze in horror at their comrade's demise, dread coursing from the soles of their feet to the crown of their heads—they were overwhelmed with terror!
They abandoned their pursuit of Gu Erniu without hesitation.
Spinning around desperately, terrified, they looked toward the direction from which the arrow had flown, glimpsing only a fleeting shadow disappearing into the distance.
Li Yan, likewise, was stunned by the unexpected development, his hair standing on end as his pupils shrank violently, also staring in fear toward the direction the arrow had come from.
From the arrow's speed and precision, he vaguely recognized the identity of the attacker.
Gu Erniu felt his heart jolt.
He didn't have time to think—though he wasn't sure who had intervened, he wouldn't let this golden opportunity escape.
While the opposing group was caught in chaotic panic.
Gu Erniu, gritting his teeth through the pain, stood and leaned forward, aiming the arrow already set to his bowstring toward Li Yan, his gaze radiating an almost tangible killing intent!
"Li Yan, your life is mine!"
Gu Erniu roared internally, letting his arrow fly swiftly toward Li Yan!