The Villain Recognizes the Female Lead as His Master [Transmigration] - Chapter 4

At the foot of the mountain, the night market was ablaze with lights and bustling with noise. Yet behind the riot of colorful lanterns, within the dense forest, a fierce chase was still underway.

At the front of the procession, two mice one plump, the other lean, each carried a gaudy Qiankun bag on their backs. Ordinary Qiankun bags were usually fashioned like coin pouches, often embroidered with various patterns for women. But the ones these two bore were stitched with a gray cat’s head, crossed out by a bold red X their unspoken wish couldn’t be clearer.

Bringing up the rear was a pack of yellowish-brown weasels, dragging their bushy tails, intermittently emitting shrill cries. Along with the indescribably pungent odor they left in their wake, their frantic sprint kicked up clouds of dust from the ground.

In the middle of the procession were two women one in white, the other in red. The former was tall and slender, while the latter was petite and delicate. Arm in arm, they were sandwiched between the two groups ahead and behind them. As they ran, their sleeves fluttered lightly in the wind, occasionally tangling together.

The girl in white stayed consistently behind the one in red, not because she was slower, but seemingly because she wasn’t in a hurry. Every now and then, she glanced back to gauge the progress of the pursuers if caught, she would be the first to be seized, not the girl in red.

The earlier misrecited incantation had left Yuan Shao slightly puzzled, but there was no time to dwell on it now.

Beside her, Chi Jinnian remained wholly focused on running. With each stride, the pouch at her waist bumped rhythmically against her thigh, like a drumbeat urging her onward.

But Chi Jinnian felt anything but motivated. She had always failed physical fitness tests in school, and the annual 800-meter run had been her limit. Ever since arriving in this world, she’d been tested mentally, forced to act on the fly, pushed a handcart for a while, and now found herself in an endless sprint.

What kind of grudge was this? Others who transmigrated into books got to flirt and cultivate immortality, basking in adoration. She, on the other hand, had to exhaust her brain, act her heart out, and now endure physical torment!

The relentless “drumbeat” against her leg only fueled her irritation. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she yanked off the dark red pouch in frustration.

Just as she was about to toss it aside, the pouch suddenly glowed from within. Opening it, she found three talismans inside.

Yellow paper inscribed with cryptic patterns in cinnabar they looked impressively powerful.

At that moment, the weasels behind them let out another ear-piercing shriek.

Without a second thought, Chi Jinnian grabbed one of the talismans and flung it backward, the wind carried it straight onto Huang Er’s face.

In an instant, a deafening explosion erupted behind them. First came a sharp “whoosh “, followed by a series of crackling pops, then bursts of flames. Fireworks even shot into the sky, briefly illuminating the dark night.

The night market crowd, mistaking it for some celebratory mountain ritual, erupted in gasps and cheers. Men and women huddled together, some marveling at the dazzling display, while others, who had been whispering under the dim lantern light, were suddenly exposed in the bright flare.

Little did they know that behind those brilliant fireworks Huang Er had been launched into the sky along with them!

“Boss!” The group of weasels behind froze in shock, staring in disbelief at the scene before them. “The boss got blown away!”

After a brief moment, Huang Er plummeted from the sky, crashing into the ground and leaving a half-foot-deep pit that matched his short stature. As he landed, the dust swirled into a yellow haze, taking quite some time to dissipate.

When the weasels fished Huang Er out of the pit, their leader’s fur was singed, and a small flame still flickered between his beady little eyes. Just as he was about to speak, before any sound could escape, he coughed out a puff of black smoke.

So, the talisman was an “Explosion” charm! Chi Jinnian suddenly felt the pouch in her hand was no longer a burden, it was her buff in this deadly game!

“Cough, cough… Damn you, Chi Jinnian! Playing dirty, huh!” Huang Er extinguished the small flames on his forehead and tail, his gaze turning vicious as he flicked his charred tail behind him. “Today, I swear I’ll break your bones and use them as seasoning for my chicken soup!”

No sooner had he spoken than the weasels resumed their chase.

Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, the pouch of talismans in Chi Jinnian’s hand glowed faintly again, as if urging her: Look here, look here!

Of course, Chi Jinnian did just that. She quickly pulled out another talisman and flung it backward.

“Don’t !” Before Yuan Shao could stop her, Chi Jinnian had already released the talisman. The yellow paper fluttered on the evening breeze, landing squarely on Huang Er’s face once more.

This time, there was no explosion, no deafening blast, only an increasingly foul stench mixed with the acrid smell of burning.

When Chi Jinnian glanced back, Huang Er, for some inexplicable reason, had suddenly gained a burst of speed, closing the distance between them in an instant!

“Why did you give him a Speed Talisman?” Yuan Shao tightened her grip on Chi Jinnian’s hand slightly, her delicate peach-blossom eyes narrowing as her brows furrowed. Yet, even now, she didn’t utter a single harsh word just a quiet question, devoid of any reproach.

“I… I didn’t know it was… I thought it was…” Chi Jinnian stammered in reply. She truly hadn’t known, she’d assumed it was another Explosion Talisman like before.

“You don’t even recognize this talisman?” Yuan Shao’s tone carried a hint of urgency, yet she still refrained from scolding.

“Sorry, Master.” Chi Jinnian didn’t have time to put on an act of remorse, with the enemy hot on their heels, there was no opportunity to “lower her eyes pitifully.”

Empowered by the Speed Talisman, Huang Er surged forward as if divinely aided, leaving his underlings far behind. His tail, which had been dragging on the ground, now stood bolt upright, looking from a distance like a charred stick tied to his back. But he paid no mind to anything else, single-mindedly charging straight toward his prey.

Chi Jinnian was clearly struggling with her stamina. Yuan Shao tightened her grip and quickened her pace, lending Chi Jinnian some of her strength. As she was pulled along, Chi Jinnian couldn’t help but marvel: The protagonist’s aura is truly unbeatable, her stamina is just incredible!

With the pursuers speeding up, the most panicked were the fat and thin mice at the front. Especially the plump one his size was already a disadvantage, compounded by his age and the heavy burden he carried.

He kept glancing back at Yuan Shao and Chi Jinnian from time to time. Initially, he thought the one in red was struggling, her steps seemed labored, her breathing more rapid, assuming she was running out of stamina. But who would have thought that after just a short while, the two of them actually sped up!

In front of his junior, he couldn’t very well admit defeat or give up. As an elder, he had to maintain his dignity otherwise, where would his pride be once he returned to his cave? Gritting his teeth, he had no choice but to keep running.

Meanwhile, Chi Jinnian didn’t dare to casually use the last talisman. Afraid of accidentally unlocking some new ability for Huang Er behind them, she decided to show it to Yuan Shao first.

“Master, take a look at this”

Before Chi Jinnian could finish, Huang Er was already closing in. Her attention, however, was fixed on her hand. Seizing the opportunity, Huang Er reached out with his claws toward the figure in red.

Closer and closer.

Just as Huang Er was about to grab Chi Jinnian’s shoulder, a flash of snowy white intercepted him.

Yuan Shao had actually extended an arm to shield Chi Jinnian from behind.

Easy pickings! Huang Er was overjoyed.

Originally, he had come for Yuan Shao, but Chi Jinnian had nearly driven him mad with rage. Now that Yuan Shao had lost all her magic, as long as he could capture her, tonight’s raw rice would surely become cooked.

Only then did Chi Jinnian realize how close Huang Er had gotten,he was practically upon them. Panicked, her grip on the talisman loosened. But at this critical moment, an inexplicable gust of cold wind blew past, perfectly snatching the talisman from her fingertips before Yuan Shao could even examine it…

Chi Jinnian reached out to grab it, but before she could, Yuan Shao pulled her away.

The talisman, carried by the wind, seemed to have eyes of its own as it fluttered directly onto Huang Er’s forehead. The moment it stuck to the center of his brow, he leaped forward, pushing off the ground and soaring through the air straight toward Chi Jinnian.

“Oh no!” Chi Jinnian cried out in alarm. It looked like she had just unlocked some special ability for Huang Er again!

Distracted, she stumbled and fell to the ground. As Huang Er’s hand drew nearer, she instinctively shut her eyes.