Chapter 111: Hand Them Over!
She accepted the influx without emotion, simply feeding it back into her reserves.
Meanwhile, the scavengers battled lesser monsters on the way back. A few second-tier wolves leapt from the brush, their eyes glowing with hunger. Ling Yu dispatched them with clean, efficient movements, her blade sinking into skulls without pause. She let the others hack and slash clumsily at stragglers, her focus always half on protecting Xian Yu.
Shen Ming moved at her side more often than before. Whenever danger appeared, he tried to shield her or offer food and water. But Ling Yu neither accepted nor rejected him outright; she simply let his efforts slide off her like water over stone.
It drove him mad.
His smile never faltered, but his eyes grew tighter, darker. Every time Ling Yu played with Fluffy, stroking the little fox’s soft fur, laughing faintly when it nuzzled her cheek, Shen Ming’s hands clenched imperceptibly at his sides.
The scavengers saw the interaction between them, too, and their envy grew sharper.
"Why does she get the leader’s favor? She barely talks to him..." one muttered.
"She has rare items, did you see? Potions, talismans, even that strange beast. How could she be so lucky?!"
Ling Yu ignored all of it.
By the time the tall, reinforced walls of Shen Ming’s base came into view against the horizon, the sun had already tilted toward dusk. The sight made most of the scavengers sigh in relief; they were returning alive, food and rations in hand.
But Ling Yu’s gaze slid past the walls. She was looking for one thing only.
And she found it.
At the small, abandoned factory building that had become her group’s meeting point, a familiar figure stood, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, his posture radiating both arrogance and confidence. Song’s sharp eyes swept across the returning teams, and when they landed on Ling Yu, his brow eased almost imperceptibly.
Behind him, several other faces Ling Yu had personally vetted and chosen were also present. They had already returned earlier, safe, as she had instructed them to.
Xian Yu lifted his head weakly from her shoulder and made a faint noise with his nose when he saw her looking in the direction where Song was standing and staring back at them. Song’s eyes also flickered across Xian Yu’s delicate features, and Ling Yu’s hand tightened protectively around him.
The gates of the base opened, and the scavengers filed in with tired laughter and chatter. Shen Ming led at the front, greeted with cheers and nods of respect from his faction. His men came forward to help distribute rations and record contributions.
Ling Yu, however, walked straight past the clamoring crowd, her steps steady, her crimson eyes focused only on her destination: Song and the others waiting at the factory.
Fluffy perked its ears as if it felt relieved to return to the familiar place.
Ling Yu reached up to stroke its soft head as she crossed the courtyard. Her heart, so cold and calculating moments before, softened slightly.
Ding!
[Host’s faction stability increased.
Strategic suggestion: begin planning exit from Shen Ming’s base immediately.
Probability of conflict: 82% if remaining longer than 48 hours.]
Ling Yu’s lips curled faintly. She didn’t need the system to tell her that. She could feel the malice simmering behind her as clearly as the warmth waiting ahead.
She would leave soon. And when she did, Shen Ming and his wolves would realize too late that she had never been the prey at all.
The factory-turned-shelter was dimly lit, but to Ling Yu, it glowed warmer than any place she had seen since arriving in Shen Ming’s territory.
"Master."
Song stepped forward immediately, his sharp eyes flicking from her blood-splattered clothing to the faint traces of exhaustion around her gaze. He didn’t ask any unnecessary questions. Instead, he reached to take Xian Yu from her arms.
"You carried him all the way here," he said flatly. "Hand him over before you strain yourself."
Ling Yu raised a brow but relinquished the boy. Xian Yu, though half-conscious, stirred slightly and clutched her sleeve like a frightened child. His trembling eased only when she rested a reassuring hand briefly against his cheek.
"Rest. You’ve done enough," she murmured, before stepping back.
Their eyes lit up upon seeing her. Relief, admiration, and even awe radiated from them. They had heard whispers of her feats during the scavenger mission, tales spreading like wildfire among Shen Ming’s people. But to them, she wasn’t just a strong outsider, she was their leader.
For a brief moment, Ling Yu’s frozen heart thawed.
But the peace shattered almost instantly.
Shen Ming approached, his gentle mask fixed firmly in place though the corner of his lips trembled. "Lady Ling, we’ve returned safely... I was worried. So..."
She cut him off without hesitation.
"We’ll be leaving."
The words dropped like stones into water, the ripples spreading fast.
Shen Ming froze. "...Leaving?"
"I’m taking my people to the next base," Ling Yu said calmly, her tone neither harsh nor soft. "We’ve accomplished what we needed here. It’s time to move on."
Song’s brows twitched slightly, but he didn’t interrupt. He knew her decisions were never made lightly.
The scavengers, however, exploded.
"What did you say?"
"You’re leaving? After everything our leader did for you?"
"She’s taking all those items with her, no way. Hand them over before you go!"
One particularly brazen man stepped forward, eyes gleaming with greed. "You think we didn’t notice, lady? Those potions you poured into that boy? The storage bag with that little beast? You’re hoarding treasures! If you want to leave, then leave empty-handed. Or better yet..." His lips twisted into a leer. "Why don’t you stay and share those things with us?"
"Did any of you made any contributions to get those items? On what ground do you think I should share them with you?" Ling Yu gave off a cold sneer as she swept her eyes over them, which made them frightened like hell.