The Real Heiress Just Wants to Be a Lazy Fish - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Seeking Help

“Heavens! President Jiang, are you alright?!” The general manager of the subsidiary turned pale, nearly performing a cardiac arrest on the spot.

The others were also terrified, mainly fearing that if something happened to Jiang Zitan, her impression of this place would sour, and the investment deal would fall through.

A crowd of people scrambled to help Jiang Zitan up. Seeing such a long gash on her palm, they hurriedly asked if anyone had brought a first-aid kit. Unfortunately, the locals hadn’t prepared one. Luckily, the versatile Secretary Fang pulled out iodine and a small roll of gauze from her bag and performed basic first aid on Jiang Zitan’s wound.

Strangely, the wound on Jiang Zitan’s hand wasn’t deep, but the amount of blood on the ground was terrifying.

At that moment, no one noticed a flash of blood-red light in the eyes of the damaged statue beside them. Subsequently, cracks split across both of the statue’s eyes.

In that very instant, the previously cloudless sky suddenly turned gloomy. A fierce wind rose, blowing people off balance.

“Ha…”

Jiang Zitan suddenly thought she heard a mocking laugh mixed in the wind sharp, piercing, and hair-raising.

“Fang Qin, did you just hear any sound?” Jiang Zitan asked softly while the others’ attention was turned to the weather.

“What sound do you mean?” Fang Qin looked puzzled.

“Nothing, I might have misheard.” Jiang Zitan shook her head. The laughter had been so abrupt that if Fang Qin had heard it, she couldn’t have failed to react.

She didn’t ask her secretary if she had seen who pushed her, because Fang Qin had been walking just behind her to the right. Her secretary was not only excellent at her job but also quite capable physically; if someone had truly tried to move against her from behind, they wouldn’t have gotten past Fang Qin.

“President Jiang… has your pressure been a bit high lately?” Secretary Fang had long seen that Jiang Zitan’s state had been off recently. The previous visit to the psychologist hadn’t seemed very effective; should she contact a more authoritative and professional doctor?

“Perhaps…” Otherwise, Jiang Zitan couldn’t explain the recurring anomalies. There were so many people with her, yet only she noticed these things; the problem had to be her.

“Do you need me to contact a doctor in the capital for you?”

“Please do.”

When the others turned their attention back, they didn’t discuss the previous topic further. It was vital not to let outsiders know that Jiang Zitan had physical or mental issues; otherwise, those who hadn’t been able to act during the “real vs. fake daughter” incident wouldn’t let it go now. The Jiang Group would surely fall into chaos.

The dark clouds and wind had come so abruptly that experienced locals immediately urged everyone to head down the mountain, guessing a rainstorm was imminent!

They were currently between the mountainside and the summit. Even heading down would take some time. Before anyone could move, a torrential downpour instantly baptized this corner of the world.

The raindrops were as dense as gauze, turning the mountain forest into a white expanse.

“No, the rain is too heavy! The path down is too long. We should head to the temple above to take shelter first, it’s closer!” someone shouted through the wind and rain.

“President Jiang, let’s take shelter in the temple first. The rain is too heavy, and the path down will be dangerous,” the subsidiary manager said.

Jiang Zitan nodded. “Then let’s go to the temple to avoid the rain.”

Tao Yitong felt both physical and mental exhaustion. Ever since the blood-red light filled the sky, Taotie had been acting like a crazed husky, biting desperately at the depths of her soul. Taotie had a record of consuming its host; Tao Yitong had no doubt that if it continued to rage, it would tear her soul apart first.

She had always known Taotie was a ticking time bomb, she just hadn’t expected it to go off now.

The “Fetus” didn’t open its mouth, but a sharp laugh emitted from its body. It loved seeing Tao Yitong in such a pathetic state. A human body, after all, wasn’t as durable as a ghost’s; even with reinforcement, there was a limit.

The wounds Tao Yitong had sustained earlier on the inner ancient battlefield burst open again. She left bloodstains on the ground where she stepped. Her injuries made her movements less agile than before, and she looked as if she could hardly hold on.

I don’t know how you got out of there so quickly, but it looks like you paid a heavy price. The “Fetus” floated in mid-air, looking at Tao Yitong, who needed to lean against a tree trunk to stand steady. Its mouth split open, revealing a maw full of fangs.

If the monster were to rank the humans or things it hated most, Tao Yitong would undeniably be at the top. The second would be the person who transferred her to Hai City. Its century of planning to become a True God had been forced down to a Pseudo-God the difference was heaven and earth!

It was all because of this meddling human. If it had known, it would have been better to let Lu Asheng live; though that human was troublesome, he was easier to deal with than this one!

[Have you ever had your fortune told?] the monster suddenly asked.

Tao Yitong didn’t need to answer for the monster to know she hadn’t. That thing was indeed motionless could it be because it was beaten into submission a year ago? It didn’t dare move now?

“Truly motionless?” Tomorrow was the deadline. If the “goods” weren’t delivered by tomorrow night, it would be his own life on the line.

“Once we send the goods back, if she wants to find her sister, she’ll probably only find a skeleton, right? Hahaha…” His laughter held no trace of humanity, as if the person they were about to sell wasn’t a human, but livestock.

There were fresh bloodstains on his face, looking like cat scratches. He laughed so hard that he accidentally pulled on the wound, making him gasp in pain.

That little beast was quite protective; it had suddenly lunged out and scratched him. He didn’t know if that knife had killed it, but it should have been left on the road to be run over!

His lackeys chimed in, praising the boss until he was floating on air.

“I don’t know why this little cripple is worth ten million. Once the job is done, I’ll give each of you a 300,000 ‘hard work’ bonus for you to enjoy yourselves.”

“Thank you, Boss!”

“But… Boss, I heard the villas in this area are incredibly expensive, worth tens of millions. That woman treasures her sister so much, wouldn’t we make more by asking for a higher ransom?” a “clever” one in the car said.

“You think I don’t know that? Only you’re smart! But do you know who bought this little cripple? If we dare break the contract, they’ll make sure we never see tomorrow’s sun!” The driver cursed the lackey in the back, lighting a cigarette.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Once this deal is done, leave this city immediately. Don’t have any further connection with the employer, or… Fuck!” The driver slammed on the brakes. Everyone in the car was nearly thrown out.

“Wha what happened?!”

“Who is it! Don’t you look where you’re walking? If you want to die, I’ll send you to reincarnate right now!” The driver punched the steering wheel.

“Boss, wha what are you saying? There’s no one in front,” the lackey in the passenger seat said tremblingly.

“No one? Impossible! I clearly saw a woman just now…” The boss’s words trailed off because the space in front of their car was empty. There was indeed no one there.

“In broad daylight… could it be a ghost?” They had done many guilty deeds and feared vengeful spirits most.

“Maybe it was my hallucination, I’ve been too tired lately.” The boss restarted the car with a dark expression, only to find it wouldn’t move.

The closer to the critical moment, the easier things went wrong. The boss got out to check, cursing, and found that all four tires were blown!

 How unlucky must one be for four tires to blow at once?

But they were doing shady business; the victim’s family could find them at any moment. Every second wasted was a risk of exposure. What to do? Abandon the car?

The boss finished checking the last tire and stood up with a heavy face. Glancing at the rearview mirror, he suddenly discovered a person standing behind him!

The boss was no simple character. Upon discovering the figure, he decisively reached for the bulge at his waist. However, the other party was even less simple; before his hand could touch the weapon, a palm slapped him!

The moment his face met that slap, the boss felt as if he’d been hit by a bear. His head was slapped sideways, and then his whole body spun and flew out.

The change was too sudden for the lackeys in the car to react. Then, the woman outside opened the door, dragged one out, and knocked him unconscious with another slap.

With two of their side in “peaceful sleep,” the remaining ones finally reacted. Without a word, they pulled out knives and slashed at Tao Yitong.

But these people’s strength was mediocre. Tao Yitong didn’t even need a second move; in less than a minute, they were all lying on the ground.

She climbed into the van and, as expected, found a tied-up little girl in the back row. The child looked only five or six years old, her mouth taped shut, only able to emit small whimpers.

Tao Yitong quickly carried the child out and tore off the tape. The child immediately burst into tears, stammering about “Kitty.”

When Jiang Zitan arrived with the injured cat and the neighbor, she saw Tao Yitong carefully holding the wailing child as if holding a bomb. Noticing them, Tongtong’s helpless eyes immediately sent out a signal for help.

“Really! Right… roughly when can you arrive?” Hai City wasn’t close. Even if Captain Tao rushed over immediately upon receiving the news, it would take about an hour. Thinking about their city bureau’s strength having to hold out for an hour here, his hand holding the phone shook.

“I’ll be there in about ten minutes. Don’t panic. Xiangliu’s main body is dead; it’s impossible for an S-class monster to appear there. Even if it’s a soul remnant, its strength will be at most A-class.”

“Send me another photo.” Raising her eyes slightly, she could see Jiang Zitan’s rosy lips. Tao Yitong immediately recalled the soft, warm touch from last night, and the heat on her face rose instantly.

Almost uncontrollably, she tensed her body. Tao Yitong thought of Song Ying’s words there was never any so-called external influence; all her thoughts came from her own heart.

I’m sorry, she was guilty. Her sister fed her, gave her pocket money, and took care of her meticulously, yet she was actually lusting after her body!

…Once the mission was over, she would voluntarily go to the isolation room for a week of reflection!

“Sis—Sister…” Tao Yitong’s voice trembled slightly. She found a chance to quietly keep some distance from Jiang Zitan. This distance was to allow her brain to think better and suppress the restless thoughts in her heart.

“Ahem… do you think this phone belongs to that team? Should we go ask?”

Your message has been received. We are very sorry for the trouble. That Deviant Demon performed well during her sentence, which is why we permitted her release. We didn’t expect her to cause trouble immediately. We will send the incantation to restrict her to you via special communication. Please watch for it.

If you need assistance, we can send personnel at any time.

Tao Yitong paused before replying: “Alright… I understand. I can handle it alone, no need to trouble you.”

For a Deviant Demon with at most A-class strength, she wouldn’t even need a restriction incantation if the creature wasn’t as slippery as a loach when running.

Understood.

After hanging up, Tao Yitong activated the communication hidden in her earring. Soon, a special ciphertext was transmitted over. As a Deviant Demon who had once harmed humans, even after release, she would be restricted for a long time. Causing trouble immediately meant even harsher punishment.

Tao Yitong memorized the incantation. After crouching in the living room for a while, she rubbed her burning face. She couldn’t daze out; there were things to do. She pulled a bag of golden “fine sand” from her tools, found some white paper, and used her blood mixed with the sand to write each character of the incantation on separate sheets.

Once finished, she released several avian beast souls. Drawing a circle centered on the village and the mountain, she had the birds wrap the mountain and village with these incantations. If the Deviant Demon was within the circle, she would sense it the moment she activated the spell.

She didn’t know what that Deviant Demon had done to her and Jiang Zitan. Oh right! She had wanted to check if Jiang Zitan was seriously affected, but she had run out and hadn’t done her job!

Tao Yitong scolded herself. She had studied the Deviant Demon’s ability once affected by her power, human emotional fluctuations would become intense, even leading to loss of control. If she was affected, how about Jiang Zitan?

That’s why she entered Jiang Zitan’s room. The other’s situation was indeed not quite right. Concern eventually overrode everything. With trembling hands, Tao Yitong pushed the door open. Previously, Zitan’s forehead had been hot; this time Tao Yitong felt it and found it had returned to normal.

Good, it was fine. Tao Yitong tucked Jiang Zitan in and sneaked out again.

But having bitten her while sleeping yesterday, and having such thoughts again today, she didn’t know how to face Jiang Zitan tomorrow. Tao Yitong covered her face, wishing the sun would never rise.

But time wouldn’t listen. The sun would rise when it was supposed to. Tao Yitong used the time to build her psychological defenses, practicing her expressions in the mirror for a long time to ensure she didn’t look guilty.

As time passed, the time Jiang Zitan usually woke up came and went by half an hour. Tao Yitong began to worry if something was wrong. After another ten minutes, just as she was about to go check, the door opened. They locked eyes and both immediately looked away, so neither noticed the other’s oddity.

Tao Yitong needed to build her psychological defenses, but so did Jiang Zitan, who remembered everything from last night’s dream. Waking up this morning, she had stared at the ceiling for a long time. After twenty-plus years of being indifferent to desire, she never thought she’d have such a dream and with her sister.

The tightness in her chest from last night was gone, replaced by an unspeakable sensation. Jiang Zitan wasn’t one to escape. After these consecutive occurrences, she had to admit one thing: she had developed possessive, even romantic, feelings for her sister.

But Tongtong was her sister… Yet what did that matter? They shared no blood, and weren’t in the same household register; there were no moral constraints.

Jiang Zitan was startled by this thought, but it actually made sense. It was just that Tongtong seemed to only see her as a sister. She thought she was truly beyond help, thinking so much. How would she face her when she went out?

But she couldn’t hide in this room forever. Jiang Zitan thought she could be expressionless in front of Tao Yitong, but the moment she opened the door and saw her, everything from the dream surfaced clearly. Her mask cracked for an instant, but fortunately, Tongtong didn’t notice. Little by little, she would wait for her emotions to settle. Soon she would be expressionless, but…

Jiang Zitan watched Tao Yitong mingling with the village youths. Their admiration and infatuation were undisguised, while she could only carefully restrain herself. Was she truly willing to be just a bystander? She lowered her gaze, her heart already having shouted the answer.

She was unwilling. Even if it was a little monster, it could only be her little monster. Thinking this, Jiang Zitan was slightly surprised. She had always been restrained and lukewarm regarding emotions; today’s reaction seemed unlike herself.

“Sister, why are you dazing? Still not feeling well?” Tao Yitong finally broke free from her childhood friends’ enthusiasm and noticed Jiang Zitan standing alone and distracted. In the moment Jiang Zitan looked up, Tao Yitong felt as if she had done something unforgivable to abandon her.

“Not unwell, just couldn’t quite join in your conversation…” Her eyes held a tiny, almost invisible trace of loneliness. This perfectly placed touch made Tao Yitong’s heart soften instantly.

Tao Yitong realized they were speaking the local dialect; Jiang Zitan probably felt like she was listening to a foreign language. Standing there must have been awkward. It was her fault. So Tao Yitong decisively abandoned her former playmates, ignoring their attempts to keep her. In that instant, she saw Jiang Zitan’s expression brighten, as if dotted with starlight, mixed with tenderness and emotions she couldn’t decipher.

Tao Yitong nearly clutched her heart. What was with Jiang Zitan’s gaze today? If she did that a few more times, she’d have a heart attack. Her heartbeat hadn’t been normal since morning. Or was it always like this, and she was just having “sequelae” from last night’s thoughts?

“I remember now, it’s you.” Tao Yitong waved her hand, and Song Ying’s bonds loosened.

“Master did tell me about you. Considering you’ve technically ‘made amends,’ I won’t hold it against you this time. I’ll tell the Special Affairs Bureau, provided there are no lingering effects on her.”

Song Ying breathed a sigh of relief. An Zhiyue had a conscience, remembering to tell the student.

“If any discomfort is found on her…”

“There definitely won’t be! I’ll go clear any residual energy later. If you hadn’t stopped me last night, I would have handled it already.” Song Ying muttered. Actually, even if she did nothing, the human’s emotions would stabilize automatically in a couple of days.

“I’ll believe you once. Also, the monster you killed—do you know what it was? And the location and process of the ritual… if the intel is valuable enough, the Bureau will give you a reward.”

At the word “reward,” the previously listless Song Ying perked up. “I’ve never seen that thing. It wasn’t human, demon, or ghost, nor a simple Deviant Demon. It looked a bit like a zombie I saw before, but not quite. I’ve never seen such a thing.”

Song Ying was several times Tao Yitong’s age but had spent most of it in prison; her knowledge wasn’t as broad. However, the description reminded Tao Yitong of the cannibal’s line of monsters. They were essentially a new species. Was it a faction of the cannibal? If so, their goal likely wasn’t just to confirm her identity. Song Ying killing it might bring unknown consequences. Forget it, it’s dead. Better think about the next step.

“I remember where it held the ritual. It was on that steep cliff. Many people died there; the resentment is very strong.”

It was Tiger Burial Cliff. Tao Yitong sent a mental command, and all the beast souls searching for the person rushed in that direction. The unlucky streamer likely really encountered something dirty.

Buzz…

Both Tao Yitong and Song Ying heard a faint phone ring. It was a recent pop song sung by An Yu. Tao Yitong’s first thought was that Xiao Yu sang beautifully; her second was that she remembered Jiang Zitan’s ringtone wasn’t this song…

It was the phone she had found! She had left it outside!!

Tao Yitong’s sixth sense screamed. She dropped the whip and pushed the door open. Sure enough, she saw Jiang Zitan drawn to the phone by the ringing. A streamer who likely met a monster plus Jiang Zitan—if that phone belonged to the streamer, the chances of it being something “good” were zero.

“Sis—”

Before she could stop her, the phone untouched by anyone unlocked itself.

“Save me! SAVE ME!!!”

A video call opened automatically. A face pressed against the screen. It was midday, but the background behind the blood-covered streamer was pitch black. His bulging eyes looked as if they’d fall out any second. Looking like that, no one would doubt he was a ghost. He seemed to be running for his life, but something had grabbed his leg, and he could only crawl forward helplessly, letting out a blood-curdling scream.

Tao Yitong was certain he was still alive at that moment, but there was a blurry shadow behind him. Because of the sudden horror-movie-like video, Jiang Zitan stumbled back a step.

Tao Yitong reacted instantly, rushing in front of Jiang Zitan and punching the phone as if she were terrified. She held back her strength so the phone didn’t break; she needed to attack the connection between the phone and the vengeful soul, not the hardware.

“So scary! What kind of ghost was that?!” Tao Yitong turned the tables, diving into Jiang Zitan’s arms and “whining.”

Jiang Zitan knew Tao Yitong was acting and certainly wasn’t scared, and the sudden video call was definitely a problem. But she still held her sister and soothed her softly: “Maybe the phone has a bug after the fall? It played a video the owner recorded before.”

Song Ying stood not far away, watching the ordinary human soothing the ferocious beast, telling her not to be afraid. She felt like her eyes were going blind. She wanted to shake the human awake and ask if she knew she was holding a human more monstrous than a monster. And was that video really a “bug”? Watching a ferocious beast act spoiled made Song Ying’s skin crawl.

Jiang Zitan was so good, she didn’t even have to find her own excuse. Tao Yitong was touched, but then realized she was being held. Jiang Zitan’s warm, soft voice was right by her ear; she could even hear the other’s heartbeat.

“Okay, let’s go ask.” She nodded. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed “someone” else was in the room. Jiang Zitan had thought Song Ying had left; she was still here?

“Huh? Residual… oh, okay, I’ll take a photo for you right away.” Someone immediately sent a photo over.

The shadow looming in the mountain was the same; from the shape, it looked right, but why did it feel a bit… lifeless? Tao Yitong patted Jiang Zitan’s hand, which was stiff from tension. “Don’t be afraid, the owner of this thing is long dead.”

“Was the wound on your waist left by this thing back then?” Jiang Zitan lightly touched Tao Yitong’s side. She still remembered how horrifying the wound had been.

“It was. I had just broken through to S-class then; my strength was unstable and I was out of control, so I was ambushed and bitten. But this one definitely isn’t the real deal.” Tao Yitong tapped the screen. “Looks a bit fake. I’ll know exactly what it is once I get there.”

About ten minutes later, the Special Affairs Bureau members waiting by the mountain heard the sound of a helicopter. Captain Tao from the provincial bureau had truly arrived! The B-class esper leading the team only then realized his legs were weak. Having forced himself to set an example for his team, the moment that tension broke, his hands and feet went limp.

The helicopter flew directly over the giant mountain monster. If it were truly a “living thing,” this would be dangerous. Tao Yitong allowed them to fly over because she had discovered the nature of this “Xiangliu.”

The forest fire was still burning, making the area bright as day. Those standing in the distance vaguely saw a figure jump from the helicopter, followed immediately by an earth-shattering boom from the mountain. Those who weren’t standing steady fell on their butts.

They stared at the scene; the once arrogant monster fell to the ground with a mournful cry. The scorching forest fire “moved,” the flames being sucked toward one spot. Before long, the fire that had reddened the sky completely vanished.

“Is Captain Tao a fire-type esper? She just… punched Xiangliu to death?” My goodness, just how powerful is this Captain Tao?

Tao Yitong didn’t know the people outside were practically calling her a god. She couldn’t punch a Xiangliu to death; the differences between S-classes were vast. Xiangliu was at least much stronger than the two she had handled at sea and would be a bit tricky.

The surroundings were charred, the air still rolling with heat. Tao Yitong told the others not to come over yet, to avoid being burned. She poked through the ashes and finally pulled out half a thick snake tail. It was as thick as an adult tiger’s waist; no telling how many years it had been a spirit. It carried the aura of Xiangliu; the mastermind likely used this as a medium to create the illusion.

The illusion had no offensive power but was top-tier for intimidation. It simulated about half of Xiangliu’s true might, which was why the small team outside hadn’t dared to move. But to Tao Yitong, who had actually faced the real Xiangliu body, it was like a toy.

The tail was a freshly severed “ingredient,” and the fire hadn’t affected it much, so Tao Yitong could easily tell its freshness. At the break in the tail, there was a trace of residual power. Tao Yitong took a fine sniff… it was An Yu’s power!

It really was the two of them who were in trouble!

Tao Yitong hurriedly continued searching and finally found the burnt-out small shack. Though the building was ashes, there were obvious signs of battle on the ground. The difference in strength between the two sides was significant; Xiao Yu’s power clearly had the upper hand, but it would stop abruptly in several places. This meant she was wary of something and had forcibly retracted her power.

Tao Yitong’s face was dark. It was the worst-case scenario: someone had specifically designed a trap for An Yu. Or perhaps not just for An Yu, but for her as well. There was the smell of blood; Xiao Yu was injured and, based on the volume, not lightly. Then she hadn’t stayed to fight, but took Xiao Ran and left in that direction.

It was somewhat good news Xiao Ran was alive, otherwise An Yu would have fought to the death. Tao Yitong picked up some blood-stained soil and tossed it to several of her beast souls, letting them memorize the scent to give chase.

An Yu likely didn’t know Xiao Ran had disappeared initially; otherwise, with her personality, she would have contacted Tao Yitong first and wouldn’t be out of touch. She guessed Xiao Yu tracked Yang Fu here; just as she moved, Yang Fu pushed the hostage out. He used the hostage to severely wound An Yu. After a fierce battle, An Yu rescued Xiao Ran, but her communication equipment was damaged, leaving her unable to contact Tao Yitong.

I’ve calculated for you. Unfortunately, your time of death is right after you leave the inner ancient battlefield. If I were you, I’d linger inside longer, at least to live a bit longer. The monster laughed sinisterly. This wasn’t a curse or a petty threat; it had truly calculated it.

Tao Yitong was a significant obstacle. It wished this human would die without a burial or a soul! If it could strike at the weakest point of her fate, it would be working with destiny killing her then would mean fate itself was helping.

“Time of death?” Tao Yitong left a shallow mark on the tree trunk. She was expressionless, her emotions seemingly unruffled, which sparked a nameless fire in the monster who wanted to see her panicked or afraid.

Yes, time of death. You will die by my hand.

Are you still waiting for outside backup? The monster suddenly “understood” why she was so calm, assuming she pinned her hopes on reinforcements. If China deployed enough elites to eliminate it, it would indeed have trouble before full incubation. So, the monster had already prepared a backup plan.

“Before I came in, elites from neighboring provinces were already rushing here… ahem… you won’t escape this time.” Tao Yitong coughed up blood, her aura looking even weaker.

As the power of the beast’s soul explosion gradually settled, Tao Yitong held the beast’s head for the final consumption. Once the snake head completely vanished, she opened her palm. A miniature phantom of the beast appeared, but its eyes held no sentience; it was a mere tool.

Once the beast’s consciousness vanished, the “snakes” emerging from the statues began to flee. The Rong City Bureau was desperately handling them, but there were too few of them and too many “snakes,” so some went unhandled. The “snakes” tunneled into the ground, seeking the beast’s rotting remains. A “thin camel is bigger than a horse”; the beast was previously S-class, and its remains still held significant energy.

The accumulation of that energy was enough to trigger a landslide!

“Ahem…” Tao Yitong leaned against a tree. The negative energy absorbed by Taotie was taking effect. She was dizzy and nauseous; her forehead was burning. She had a fever. Her old wounds had burst, and the result of a full-out fight was many new wounds added.

At this moment, Taotie began to act up, its favorite time to try and control her consciousness being when she was weak.

“Don’t waste your effort,” Tao Yitong sneered. “Use that effort to digest what you just ate.”

No rush, no rush… Taotie repeated, to her and itself. No matter how tough this girl was, she was just human. Sooner or later, she would become its food.

Boom!

Just as Tao Yitong was wondering what Taotie was up to, the mountain collapsed! This wasn’t a normal landslide, but an eruption of power from within. The Bureau staff were caught off guard and could only set up scattered defenses. The ancient temple seemed targeted. The Bureau staff stationed there were spread thin and missed some accidents.

Half the temple was destroyed by a boulder from the peak. People inside screamed. By some coincidence, the rock grazed the Buddha statue as it flew out, without harming it at all. But the boulder was just the start. Wind, rain, and landslide followed. Since half the roof was gone, things were precarious. A loosened roof beam fell.

The noise inside and outside the hall was deafening, so no one heard the beam give way. Standing directly beneath it was Jiang Zitan. She was oblivious as it fell.

A figure suddenly lunged over, pushing her out. But the savior, due to poor mental state, failed to clear the falling beam’s range in time.

Bang! Tao Yitong took the hit. To her, the force wasn’t heavy, far less than the snake tail, but her various reactions made her legs weak. After the hit, she fell to the ground.

“Miss Tao!” Secretary Fang cried out.

Jiang Zitan couldn’t believe her ears. She desperately hoped she was hallucinating again. Tongtong should be in the hotel, eating the meal she ordered, not trapped in this wilderness. But looking at the person on the ground, the last of her hope vanished. She hadn’t been this scared even when she was trapped. Holding Tao Yitong’s burning body, fear nearly overrode her logic.

“Tongtong…”

She felt her hands were wet. It was raining, so wet clothes were normal, but soon she smelled the scent of blood mixed with the honey-peach fragrance. Jiang Zitan raised her hand and saw the scarlet on her palm. Her vision dimmed.

“Quick, call 120…” She stopped as she saw Secretary Fang’s hesitant look. There was no signal; calls wouldn’t go through. And even if they did, an ambulance couldn’t get up here.

Their paths were blocked. Others cast gazes of pity. Jiang Zitan held the person in her arms, helpless and desperate. She caught sight of the unscathed Buddha statue, its compassionate gaze fixed on them. Jiang Zitan didn’t believe in gods, but now she prayed in her heart repeatedly, begging that Tao Yitong be unharmed.

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