"Today is a bumper harvest. The little hooves are growing quite well and will definitely fetch a good price."
"What a pity, they're just little chicks that are good to look at but not to eat, otherwise..."
A pathetic laugh echoed down the secluded path.
It took Yunling a lot of effort to calm her dizziness and open her eyes with difficulty.
What she saw was a square board and several little girls lying around her. She was so frightened that she sat up abruptly. It was then that she noticed someone staring at her from the upper right.
It was a little boy, about ten years old, dressed in hemp clothing. He had a foxtail grass in his mouth, and he sat leaning against the side with a mocking expression.
Yunling instinctively felt that this person was dangerous, so she clenched her fists with all her might, ready for a life-or-death struggle at any moment.
Upon seeing this, the man, whether amused by her actions or not, chuckled and raised his hands in surrender.
Yunling breathed a sigh of relief, looking down to see her tiny fists, each the size of a 'clay pot,' and her small body.
She...she time-traveled?
Is he still a little kid?
In an instant, the original owner's memories flooded her mind.
It turns out that the original owner of this body shared the same name and surname as her. She was a little girl from the Yun family in Dongtou Village, who had just turned six years old this year. She had gone to the city with her parents to enjoy the lanterns during the Lantern Festival, but she was drugged with a handkerchief by human traffickers and ended up in the carriage.
Just as Yunling emerged from her reverie, the man sat down beside her and whispered, "Want to cooperate?"
She cautiously moved to the other side, increasing the distance between them.
Thirty years into the apocalypse, the environment upon which humanity depends for survival has been completely destroyed; animals and plants are decaying and heading towards extinction.
Those who survived entered into an even more brutal competition, and various superpowers emerged one after another to protect themselves, but Yunling alone did not have any superpowers.
When she was in danger, someone stepped forward and offered to take her to safety. She believed him and ended up being tricked into going to the Strange Forest, where she became prey for those people with superpowers.
She remembered constantly dodging, and finally being lifted high into the air. As she fell, her body was pierced by dry branches, and a bright light appeared all around her.
"If we don't cooperate, we'll both die."
Yunling still didn't agree to his request. She lifted the curtains on both sides, but there was no one around. She didn't know the way, and besides, with her physical condition, she was no match for the three adult men outside.
And the person in front of me...
Yunling grabbed his collar with one hand. People who have been drugged and unconscious leave marks near their nasal cavity. She leaned closer and indeed smelled a faint medicinal scent.
How can we cooperate?
Lu Yinghuai only snapped out of his daze upon hearing the voice, "Bring the person in, and I'll make my move."
After saying that, he took off his hemp clothes, twisted them into a rope, and looked very imposing.
Yunling nodded, then burst into tears.
The carriage stopped, and one man, cursing, climbed into it. Lu Yinghuai quickly grabbed him by the neck, and the commotion inside the carriage soon drew in a second man.
The man had a long scar on his face, which looked extremely frightening.
"You've all rebelled! I'll beat you to a pulp!"
Yunling raised her fist to punch him, but it was nothing more than a tickle to him. Yunling was easily grabbed and dragged out of the car.
"You stubborn little hussy, aren't you? I'll teach you a lesson today!"
Yunling struggled with all her might to break free, but to no avail.
Seeing this, Lu Yinghuai rushed forward, but as soon as he let go, the other man gained the upper hand and was beaten down.
"Let her go, and come at me if you have a problem."
"You piece of trash, trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress? Don't you even know your place?" Scarface grinned, his scar on his face resembling a moving centipede, making people uncomfortable. "I'll teach her a lesson right in front of you."
His hand reached for Yunling's collar, and Yunling, without thinking twice, grabbed at his collar with a sharp force.
Everyone was shocked!!
Scarface roared in pain and angrily kicked Yunling toward the board.
But the pain she had imagined did not come. Yunling felt as if she had fallen into a soft pillow, and her lower abdomen felt warm, as if a surge of energy had gathered there.
Wood-type abilities
She activated her wood-type superpower!
Yunling was overjoyed. She easily removed a board, lifted it up, and smashed it down on the scarred man, knocking him unconscious. The coachman was not spared either.
While Lu Yinghuai was still in surprise, he regained the upper hand and knocked the man unconscious. He then took out a small handkerchief and handed it to Yun Ling.
Here you go, take this.
"What's this?"
"This is..." Lu Yinghuai originally wanted to extort twenty strings of cash from Yun Ling by playing the hero, but when he saw her explosive power and amazing grappling skills, he felt a chill and changed his words: "I owe you twenty strings of cash, this is an IOU."
Yunling didn't hear what he said; she only felt dizzy and fainted.
**
Yunling woke up again three days later.
The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the two people next to the bed. According to the original owner's memories, these were her mother, Zhang, and her elder sister, Yun Chu.
Their eyes were red and swollen from crying, but when they saw her wake up, the sorrow in their eyes turned into joy, and words of concern poured out like snail shells.
"Ling-jie, do you still feel unwell anywhere? Is your head still dizzy? Does your hand hurt?"
"Are you thirsty? Would you like some water?"
"Or perhaps you're hungry. I made some fresh mushroom congee, just for you. Would you like to try some?"
"..."
A warm feeling rose in Yunling's heart. She could feel their pure kindness. She felt like a flower bud bathed in sunlight, and couldn't help but call out.
"Mother, elder sister."
But as soon as she said it, she became hesitant and hurriedly tried to cover it up, saying, "How...how did I get back?"
Zhang wiped away the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes. "It was the constables from the yamen. They caught up with the traffickers' carriage and rescued everyone, but two girls were too heavily poisoned and couldn't be saved."
Zhang choked up, grasped Yunling's hand, and gently tightened her grip. She was afraid that Yunling would disappear, but she was also afraid of hurting her.
Yunling's heart skipped a beat. She realized that the original owner must have suffered the same fate. She didn't know how to respond to Zhang Shi, and only wanted to live well for the original owner and fulfill her filial duties.
"Now that Lingniang has returned safely, Mother, don't worry too much. I'll go and bring the mushroom porridge."
Following Yun Chu's departing figure, Yun Ling took a good look around the room.
The room was small, with mottled walls and no expensive or fancy decorations. There were only some old cabinets and tables and chairs, but they were clean and comfortable. There was a small sunny window on the left, with a few scattered flowers by the window, making it look vibrant.
As Yun Chu entered, the aroma of shiitake mushrooms instantly filled the room.
Yunling took it and eagerly scooped up a spoonful. The mushroom flavor was rich and the porridge base was smooth and creamy. This was the best food she had ever eaten.
Just as Yunling was about to take another bite, she smelled a rotten, sour stench approaching from not far away. A moment later, an old woman of medium build, wearing a padded jacket, walked in.
She wasn't bad-looking, but Yunling didn't like her.
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