Chapter 118: Such a Bizarre Appearance
“When these beasts pass by, everyone must remain still. If they notice us and try to knock us off the trees, only then should you draw your bows and shoot. Understood?”
Even while perched in the trees, Yu Zhengqing did not forget to remind the men and women who held bows in their hands.
As soon as he finished speaking, trembling voices responded from the surrounding trees, giving him a slight sense of reassurance.
Meanwhile, Yu Yingying, who had been causing a scene earlier, had finally fallen silent in terror upon hearing the approaching sounds of the wild beasts.
At this moment, she no longer cared about whether she had shoes on or not.
She nervously glanced in Yu Luo’s direction, more terrified of the ever-nearing rumbling sound than of Yu Luo herself. However, a realization struck her—Yu Luo, whom she always considered a bringer of bad luck, had somehow predicted all of this.
Remembering how she had mocked Yu Luo earlier, Yu Yingying felt her cheeks burn with shame.
Now that she thought about it, it was lucky no one had listened to her. If they had, everyone would still be sleeping in their tents right now, waiting to be devoured by the incoming beasts.
And if she were the only survivor, wouldn’t all those who lived end up hating her for her foolishness?
No, wait…
Wasn’t Yu Luo supposed to be a disaster star? When did she gain such an incredible ability?
At this moment, it wasn’t just Yu Yingying wondering about this—every legitimate-born member of the Yu family was thinking the same thing.
Yu Zhengqing himself had only taken precautions because he thought, better safe than sorry. Even if there were no wild beasts, it was always better to be prepared than to be ambushed.
Yet now, seeing the reality of the situation unfold before him, he realized he had completely underestimated Yu Luo’s insight.
Indeed, his younger brother’s entire family was extraordinary.
Just how blind had their father and mother been to overlook such brilliance?
The roars of the beasts grew louder.
More than a hundred people clung tightly to the poplar trees, holding their breath as they peered in the direction of the approaching sound.
A rare full moon illuminated the vast wilderness that night. It was only then that someone realized—it was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival.
No wonder the moon was so round.
Yet on this festive night, instead of celebrating with lanterns and sweet dumplings, they found themselves fighting for their lives, bracing against both the freezing cold and the oncoming horde of unseen beasts.
Fear of the unknown was gnawing away at their resolve.
One by one, the people began losing their mental strength.
They started resigning themselves to their fate.
Most of them had already made peace with the thought: If we can’t escape this, then so be it. At least we tried.
But just as they were preparing for the worst, the creatures finally came into view.
A massive, pitch-black horde surged forward from the southwest, accompanied by an ear-splitting cacophony of growls and thunderous footsteps.
“T-Those are… beasts… so many of them!”
Under the moonlight, the snowy ground reflected just enough illumination for the people in the trees to see the terrifying sight.
The sheer number of beasts and their immense speed sent shivers down their spines. Their limbs went numb with fear.
“Father… what kind of creatures are those? I’ve never seen anything like them before!”
Perched in a tree with Yu Zhengqing, Yu Xiaoxuan, who possessed some martial training and enhanced vision, was the first to make out the details of the creatures.
The moment he saw them—thick-skinned, muscular, and with a single horn growing from their foreheads—his legs started shaking. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth.
“The wilderness is full of unknown creatures, many that don’t exist in our empire or the neighboring nations. But these beasts… they’re exactly as Luo described in her dream. They all have a single horn!”
Hearing his father’s grave tone, Yu Xiaoxuan’s fear deepened.
“Father, you should’ve let my brother stay! With him here, we would’ve had another skilled fighter. If these beasts start ramming into the trees, we won’t be able to hold out!”
Yu Zhengqing sighed inwardly.
Every child was dear to him, but how could he treat them all equally in times like these?
If he had a choice, he would have sent Yu Xiaoxuan away as well. But compared to his eldest son, Yu Xiaoxuan lacked composure in critical moments. He was impulsive and did not think strategically.
If things went south, the one person in their family who absolutely had to survive was Yu Xiaoran.
But how could he say that out loud? That would only break Yu Xiaoxuan’s heart.
“Enough talking. Just remember—if the beasts pass by peacefully, stay still. If they start attacking the trees, shoot them down!”
As he spoke, the horde of beasts had closed the distance, now less than a thousand meters away from the grove.
The children hiding in the trees started silently weeping. Their parents and elders held them close, covering their mouths to keep them from crying out and drawing attention.
But the real crisis was yet to come.
In the chaos, Yu Jujiao, from the second branch of the Yu family, had been placed alone on a tree branch after being lifted up by Yu Zhengqing.
Now heavily pregnant and in the later stages of labor, she suddenly felt something warm and wet between her legs.
Was she about to give birth? Or had she simply lost control of her bladder in sheer terror?
Her family was too far away, and she didn’t dare make a sound. She could only hug the tree trunk tightly, biting her lips as tears streamed down her face.
Meanwhile, Yu Luo’s family had already drawn their bows and crossbows.
During this time, Yu Luo’s system had provided the three of them with a quick analysis of the creatures’ weaknesses.
These beasts were incredibly tough, each weighing around three to four hundred jin (approximately 150-200 kg). They were strong as oxen, and their most lethal feature was the hardened single horn on their heads.
To kill them effectively, one needed to aim for their throats or the center of their brows—weak points that required multiple arrows to penetrate.
“Can’t we just shoot their eyes?” Yu Luo had asked, hoping for an easier target.
But as the creatures came into view, she realized they weren’t rhinos as she had originally guessed.
Besides their sturdy horns, their faces had long, pointed snouts, making them look even more bizarre.
“What kind of strange creatures are these?” she muttered.
[This is nothing,] her system responded. [Once you reach your exile destination, you’ll encounter even more grotesque beasts.]
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, the system’s voice echoed in her head.
Yu Luo shuddered.
If these creatures were only the beginning, then what horrors awaited them in the true wilderness ahead?
