Chapter 119: Karma Strikes
The system’s reminder sent a chill down Yu Luo’s spine.
Sensing her unease, the system spoke again.
[Don’t worry. Keep completing missions, and I will make sure you have plenty of opportunities to earn system points. If you improve your skills, you can even allocate growth points to beast-taming techniques. When that time comes, these creatures that terrify you now will become your strongest weapons.]
“We can do that?” Yu Luo’s eyes widened in surprise.
[Of course. Some people in this world already possess this skill. Work hard, and with me here, you and your family will have unlimited potential in the wilderness.]
“Unlimited potential?” A flicker of hope lit up Yu Luo’s eyes. “Does that mean I can return to my past life?”
Ever since she arrived in this ancient world, Yu Luo had never lived a single peaceful day. In her past life, she was just a carefree university student. She had never suffered like this before.
Hearing the system’s grand promises, she couldn’t help but ask the question she had long buried in her heart.
[If you are meant to have something, it will come to you. If not, don’t force it.]
Yu Luo: …
If fate had already been decided, then all she could do was fight to survive. Whether she could return to her past life or not, all that mattered was pushing forward.
At this moment, she focused all her energy on one thing—killing the beasts circling beneath the poplar trees. She had to protect everyone and earn system points.
It was strange. Yu Luo had assumed these creatures would charge blindly like the wild boars from Jiuzhong Mountain, rushing forward in an unstoppable frenzy.
But that wasn’t the case at all.
These beasts seemed to have a purpose.
A massive, dark horde had reached the base of the poplar trees. But instead of passing through, they stopped and began pacing back and forth, sniffing the air as if searching for something.
The people in the trees held their breath, watching in horror.
Even the Yu family, Bai family, and Liu family, who had been mentally preparing for this moment, found themselves frozen with fear. Yu Zhengqing himself, despite his inner strength, felt the pressure of the terrifying sight below. He instinctively controlled his breathing, making sure not to make a single sound.
The standoff continued.
The beasts wandered beneath the trees, their heavy footsteps crunching the snow.
Then, suddenly—
A droplet of liquid fell onto one of the beasts.
What had seemed like brainless creatures suddenly acted as if they had been struck by lightning. One of them let out a piercing cry, and in unison, the rest of the horde lifted their heads, staring up into the trees.
Yu Zhengqing and Yu Xiaoxuan immediately tightened their grip on their bows.
None of them knew that the “water droplets” that had fallen weren’t water at all—it was Huang Xiaoju’s amniotic fluid.
She was going into labor.
Her soaked trousers had been leaking fluid, and a few drops had dripped down onto the beasts below, triggering their strange reaction.
“ROAAARRR!!”
Even though everyone remained completely still, the beasts, now aware of their presence, erupted in excitement.
The chilling howls sent waves of terror through everyone hiding in the trees.
It sounded like a mix of a lion’s roar and a tiger’s snarl, but far more sinister. Compared to the distant cries they had heard earlier, the close-range sound was gut-wrenching.
And the worst part?
The beasts—who had seemed so clumsy at first—suddenly displayed an eerie intelligence.
They jumped up, using their sharp snouts to peck at the tree trunks like woodpeckers!
Though their beaks weren’t strong enough to bring down an entire poplar tree in one strike, the repeated attacks made the trees sway violently.
People clinging to the branches felt the tremors and feared they would be shaken off.
Then, the worst happened.
Several beasts surrounded one of the trees—Yu Yingying’s tree.
Their combined attacks caused the trunk to shake wildly.
And then—
CRACK!
The branch she was sitting on snapped.
A bloodcurdling scream rang out.
Yu Luo, who had been preparing her crossbow, flinched at the sudden noise.
She hadn’t expected Yu Yingying’s karma to arrive so quickly!
The entire group turned toward the sound.
Yu Yingying plummeted from the tree, her terrified scream piercing the night.
Before anyone could react, Yu Zhengqing sprang into action.
That was his daughter! No matter what, he couldn’t just watch her fall to her death.
With lightning speed, he leaped off his tree, sword drawn, and dove toward Yu Yingying’s rapidly descending figure.
The beasts hadn’t anticipated prey falling from the sky.
One of them was hit directly, letting out a pained screech as Yu Yingying landed on its back.
The impact sent the other beasts scattering for a brief moment.
But before Yu Yingying could even comprehend what was happening, the rest of the beasts quickly regrouped and surrounded her.
“AAAAAAAHHHH!!!”
Her screams of agony echoed through the forest.
Yu Zhengqing slashed down two beasts in an instant, scaring the others away. But when he turned to check on his daughter—
His heart clenched.
Yu Yingying was in a state too gruesome to describe.
She had already lost consciousness.
Without hesitation, he grabbed her and leaped back into the trees, placing her safely on a branch before turning back toward the horde below.
The blood from the slain beasts had begun to seep into the snow, filling the air with the scent of iron.
The other beasts, enraged, roared in unison.
The forest trembled with the force of their cries.
There was no longer a choice.
This wasn’t about avenging Yu Yingying or earning system points anymore.
If Yu Luo and the others didn’t act, they would all be dragged from the trees and devoured.
“Shoot them all!” Yu Luo commanded.
She pulled both triggers of her crossbows, launching a flurry of bolts toward the horde below.
As soon as she started, the others followed.
Yu Haojie, Ye Jiamei, Yu Zhengqing, Yu Xiaoxuan, Yu Qiang, Yu Yongcai—
Every person who had a bow or crossbow fired simultaneously.
Arrows rained down on the beasts like a deadly storm.
Yu Luo was especially grateful that she had armed Yu Qiao’er, Wang Ying, and Wu Hongping with their own crossbows.
Now, as the battle truly began, every arrow counted.
