CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 51: EVERY ARROW HITS ITS MARK (FOURTH UPDATE)

An arrow from the enemy soared through the air, tracing a parabola with a chilling presence, breaking through the silence!

The arrow pierced through the window of the main hall, embedding itself inside.

If someone had been inside, it would have been unthinkable.

The courtyard was exceedingly quiet; no screams shattered the air as one might have expected from the arrow’s intrusion.

Two bandits exchanged a glance on horseback, dismounted swiftly, and charged toward the main gate.

At that moment, Qin Yao leveled her bow, and as the taut bowstring twanged, two arrows flew simultaneously, splitting in the air to meet the bandits in motion.

Their screams echoed almost simultaneously, followed by a dull thud. One bandit fell with a deadly arrow embedded in the center of his forehead.

The other was luckier; a gust of cold wind from the canyon above deflected the arrow slightly, hitting the bandit in the left shoulder instead.

Seeing his companion fall and himself injured, he hesitated not, turning to flee downhill, swiftly mounting, seizing his companion’s horse, and galloping away!

"Run? It’s too late."

Another arrow shot from Qin Yao’s bow as the bandit flattened himself on his horse, trying to dodge.

Yet the arrow seemed guided, striking with a "thud" as flesh tore audibly. The man fell from his galloping horse, rolling several times down the slope, landing heavily among the dry rubble. After a few shudders, he was lifeless.

Three arrows for two kills—a heartbreaking loss for Qin Yao.

Good bows are hard to find, and fine arrows even more so.

Liu Ji, hearing no sound outside, laid his knife by the door, then dashed into the main hall to retrieve the arrow inside, handing it to Qin Yao on the stairs.

"Why give it to me?" Qin Yao asked with a frown.

Liu Ji nudged the arrow toward her, "Shoot it again." It could at least replenish the arrow tube.

With a resigned sigh, Qin Yao glanced at the now tangled fletching before tossing it back, "It’s no good anymore."

"Go to the gate and retrieve the three arrows I just shot." Qin Yao assigned a new task.

Liu Ji was taken aback, suspecting a mistake, "Now?"

Qin Yao shot him a sidelong look—otherwise, when?

Liu Ji retreated a step, thinking stepping outside was courting death.

Qin Yao, seeing his cowardly demeanor, coldly remarked, "There are no more bandits outside, no sign of others coming. Besides, I’m covering you. What’s there to fear!"

Seeing her growing impatience, Liu Ji reluctantly agreed, "Alright."

He moved the wood from behind the door, glanced at Qin Yao who nodded assuringly before swiftly opening a crack and darting outside.

Barely outside, he almost slipped on the snow, sliding to the bandits’ side. Seeing those unseeing eyes, he groaned quietly, covered one eye, reached for the arrows, pulled them out, and threw them quickly into the courtyard.

Then he ran to the riverbank, hesitant to look again, gathering the arrows from the bandits’ corpses and dashed back home, slamming the door shut and collapsing behind it, gasping for breath.

Catching his breath, feeling he’d accomplished something significant, he looked up at Qin Yao, already off the wall, hoping for praise.

Unexpectedly, the arrows he returned with were in worse shape than the ones the bandits had shot. The arrowheads were smeared with flesh, the shafts cracked, only the fletchings intact.

Qin Yao sought only the feathers and arrowheads, breaking the four arrows to salvage four arrowheads and three intact fletchings to later bring to Yang Da for crafting more arrows.

Liu Ji, not comprehending but deeply impressed, thought to himself—is that even possible?

Yet, recalling the human flesh on the arrowheads, he felt a wave of nausea.

Qin Yao glanced at him with a mischievous look, "Can’t stand it? Look at the blood on your hands." Even more nauseating.

Liu Ji: "..." Qin Yao, thank you very much!

She approached, patting his shoulder, "You’ll get used to it."

Compared to rotting zombies, this was nothing.

Hearing increasing noise from the village, Qin Yao climbed the ladder again, unexpectedly seeing more reckless visitors approaching her house.

Two unaccompanied horses were taken, and the bodies of the two fallen bandits were left unclaimed, as four or five people charged up the mountain.

Seeing this, Qin Yao released several arrows, each finding its mark, felling all five.

The bandits behind, startled by the sharpshooter in this small village, retreated rapidly, returning to the village.

Bandits value speed and efficiency. Seeing Qin Yao’s readiness, they decisively abandoned her house, focusing on attacking other villagers.

Liu Ji suddenly remembered, "My father! Oh no! What if something happens to him?"

Hearing no reply from Qin Yao, he peered up at her, calling weakly, "Miss?"

Qin Yao, watching the smoke rising from the burning village, and the relentless summoning bell’s chime amidst the Clan Leader’s urgent calls, pursed her lips, leaping down from the wall.

"Miss!" Liu Ji looked at her expectantly.

Qin Yao took the knife from behind the door, her sharp eyes locking onto him, "If someone climbs over the wall, take the children up the back mountain, don’t think you can handle them."

"Yes, yes, I understand, hurry," Liu Ji urged.

Qin Yao raised the knife, swinging it displeasedly in front of him; the blade’s gust wavered before his eyes, startling him into shrinking back.

"You are generous with others’ lives!" she sneered.

Liu Ji, suppressing his trembling legs, forced a smile, "Miss, be careful, we and the children await your safe return."

"You probably wish for me to die under a bandit’s knife, wouldn’t that suit you well?" Qin Yao snorted coldly, knowing his little ploy full well.

She reminded him to secure the door, then, with bow and heavy knife in hand, swiftly made her way to the village.

Liu Ji secured the door, climbed the ladder to the wall, watching her agile form like a leopard crossing the bridge into the village before disappearing, sighing helplessly:

"This time, you wronged me."

He had seen her kill, but today, she would save.

Qin Yao advanced smoothly into the village, her eyes immediately catching the black smoke billowing from Liu Dafu’s estate roof.

His family wealth made them prime targets for bandits.

Conversely, the other villagers faced lessened pressure.

Qin Yao, unconcerned with others, headed straight for the Liu Family’s old house.

Encountering two bands of bandits emerging with loot, she swung her blade mercilessly.

The knife, which required both of Liu Ji’s hands to wield, she spun single-handedly with dizzying speed.

The bandits, unable to react, fell to her weapon.

The villagers inside, terrified, thought another fiend had come, but upon seeing it was Qin Yao from Liu Ji’s family, they were both shocked and delighted.

Qin Yao threw the loot back into the courtyard, nodding to the villagers before marching on.