Chapter 78: A Slap
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”
Arrows rained down from three directions, swarming toward Yu Luo and her group like a storm.
With so many people—old and young—the speed of retreat varied greatly. Out of more than a hundred people, fewer than ten knew martial arts. Even if they wanted to help fend off the arrows, it was nearly impossible.
In no time, over a dozen people among the fugitives were hit by arrows. Luckily, before the bandits could close in, everyone managed to retreat down the slope.
Yu Luo had given Yu Haojie a crossbow beforehand. As soon as the family of three lay flat on the slope, they coordinated seamlessly, firing their crossbows in unison toward the bandits from all three directions!
Fortunately, the crossbows had an unlimited supply of arrows. Within moments, more than half of the 200 bandits were down before they even got close.
“How can this be? Their arrows seem even more lethal than ours! Boss, what do we do? We can’t even get close without being shot dead!”
Hearing the third leader’s words, the bandit chief hid behind a large tree, his expression grim. Watching his men fall one by one, he clenched his fists in frustration.
“Retreat!”
At the command, the bandits quickly fled back into the forest.
Of the original 200 bandits, more than half were dead or wounded without even touching the fugitives. The sight left both the bandit leader and Yu Zhengqing in shock.
As the sound of retreating footsteps faded, Yu Zhengqing turned his gaze toward Yu Luo’s family, who were lying several dozen meters away. In the dim light, his eyes glinted with a hint of greed as they focused on the crossbows in their hands.
He had never seen anything so powerful—an endless supply of arrows, greater range, and stronger impact than any bow. No wonder they were so confident.
“Ouch, ouch! Damn those bandits! Why do they keep targeting this old woman? Zhengqing, Zhengqing, come look! Your mother’s in so much pain!”
Just as everyone was breathing a sigh of relief, Old Madam Chen’s wailing broke the silence.
She looked around at her family members—only she and Old Man Yu were hit by arrows, while everyone else was unharmed. Old Madam Chen felt even more aggrieved. She couldn’t understand why all the arrows seemed to find her.
“Mother, get up first. The arrows didn’t hit any vital spots. We’ll treat and bandage you in a bit. You’ll be fine.”
Yu Zhengqing, hearing his mother’s cries, snapped out of his thoughts and was about to approach when Chang Huilan and Yu Yingying quickly helped Old Madam Chen up.
But the moment Chang Huilan spoke, Old Madam Chen’s face darkened further. She raised her uninjured hand and slapped Chang Huilan across the face!
“Slap!”
The sound echoed clearly, leaving Chang Huilan and Yu Yingying stunned.
“Grandmother! Why did you hit my mother? She was just trying to help you!”
“Shut up! I see right through you! You all just think I’m a burden! Saying I’m fine—of course you’d say that when it’s not you who got shot!”
Chang Huilan clutched her stinging cheek, her eyes gradually growing cold. Raised in luxury, she had been the apple of her parents’ eyes before marrying into the Yu family as the lady of the house. Everywhere she went, she was shown respect.
If not for her husband, who would tolerate such a mother-in-law? She was done playing the dutiful daughter-in-law.
“Mother, what are you doing?” Yu Zhengqing stared in disbelief at his wife, slapped by his mother. He was stunned. He knew Chang Huilan’s temperament well—she was not the kind to disrespect her elders without cause.
“Zhengqing, your wife is no good! Can’t you see how many arrows are in me? She doesn’t even care and has the nerve to say I’ll be fine!”
“What’s she supposed to say? That you’re doomed for sure?!”
Not far away, Yu Xiaoran watched the drama unfold. He had initially planned to stay by his grandfather’s side in case the bandits returned. But seeing his unreasonable grandmother slap his mother, he couldn’t hold back.
“Mind your tone! Is that how you speak to your grandmother?” Yu Zhengqing frowned, his expression darkening.
“Father, I’m just telling the truth. I checked Grandmother’s wounds—they’re not in vital spots. Mother was right. They just need to be treated and bandaged. Besides, you’re the leader here. Shouldn’t Grandmother stop causing a scene and let you manage the situation?”
“Mother, Xiaoran is right. Your injuries aren’t fatal. Please bear with it a little longer. We need to leave quickly before the bandits return.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Chen dared not argue further. She let go of Yu Zhengqing’s arm reluctantly, biting her lip.
Yu Zhengqing glanced at the bodies of the bandits lying in the woods—some had been dragged away, while others remained motionless on the ground. Whether they were dead or alive was unclear.
“These bandits are a menace. We can’t leave any alive. Finish them off! If anyone wants to scavenge for supplies, do it fast! We don’t have much time!”
Yu Luo’s family wasn’t interested in the loot, so they stayed put. Yu Haojie didn’t join the finishing-off task either.
Those who were injured treated their wounds swiftly, while others either rested or eagerly rummaged through the bandits’ belongings—clothes, coins, anything of value.
Another half an hour passed in the chaos. The wounded were bandaged, the dead were stripped, and Yu Zhengqing, leading the group, signaled for everyone to move out.
By now, they had no choice. They were deep in Jiuchong Mountain. Even if they wanted to turn back, they’d risk getting ambushed again. Better to stay together with those who could fight than to be picked off one by one.
