Chapter 43 A near miss
While he was lost in thought, a strong aroma of meat wafted over. It turned out that the women had built a bonfire and started cooking the meat.
Lin Xiyan has always been alert. She seemed to have a hint of danger quietly entering her ears during her sleep, and she suddenly opened her eyes.
The moment we checked in, a creepy beast roar pierced the night sky, followed by chaotic footsteps and terrified shouts coming from the Yangjiang Jue camp next door.
Lin Xiyan's heart sank, realizing that something was wrong, and she rushed out of the tent.
At the same time, Jiang Shouyi, Lin Wuyu, Jiang Moyu and others also appeared with knives and swords in their hands, their faces solemn.
"It must be a herd of beasts attacking!"
Lin Wuyu said in a deep voice, unsheathing the long sword in his hand, with a cold light.
Before he finished speaking, a dark mass of animal shadows rushed out from the mountains and forests like a surging tide. In the moonlight, one could see their fangs flashing, their claws digging the ground, and their pairs of dark green eyes like will-o'-the-wisp, revealing their bloodthirsty greed.
Leading the way was a giant black panther, with a nimble body and taut muscles. It leaped towards the nearest tent and ripped the tarpaulin in an instant with a wave of its sharp claws.
The Yangjiang Jue camp was the first to be hit, and screams were heard everywhere.
Yang Zhilan woke up from her sleep, her face pale, and subconsciously hid behind her mother, trembling.
Yang Jiang was frightened but remained calm. He picked up a thick wooden stick and held it in front of his family, shouting loudly for everyone in the camp to hold their ground:
"Everyone, don't panic! Grab your weapons, form a circle, and protect the women and children!"
Although his posture was no longer as tall and straight as it was in the court, he now exuded the fortitude that erupted from desperation, and the upright spirit of the Imperial Censor was rekindled in times of danger.
Seeing this, Lin Xiyan was extremely anxious. She quickly scanned the surroundings and saw several large bundles of dry firewood and kerosene piled not far away. She shouted loudly:
"Quick, pile the dry wood into a fence, pour kerosene on it and light it. Wild beasts are afraid of fire!"
After saying that, he rushed forward first, picked up a bundle of firewood and started to build it up with all his strength.
Everyone woke up as if from a dream and followed suit. Jiang Moyu's body was as fast as lightning, and he moved several bundles of firewood in a few jumps. Jiang Shouyi directed everyone's layout in an orderly manner to ensure that the fence was tight and seamless.
The flames lit up and instantly turned into a raging wall of fire. The heat waves rolled, forcing the beasts to slow down their attack.
The black panther paced and roared in front of the fire, as if unwilling to give up. Lin Xiyan took advantage of the situation and pulled out a packet of medicine powder from her bosom and shouted to Jiang Shouyi:
"Brother Jiang, this is the knockout powder I made myself. If I spread it with the help of the fire, it can stun some wild animals!"
Jiang Shouyi understood, took the powder, and threw it with all his strength, and the powder was wrapped in fireworks and spread out.
Several wild wolves inhaled the powder, their bodies swayed, their steps staggered, and they whimpered a few times before collapsing to the ground.
But the number of beasts was too large, and new beasts kept coming. The wall of fire was crumbling under the impact and was about to be broken through.
Yang Haoyu's blood boiled and he yelled:
"It's no use passively taking a beating like this. I'm going to lure away some of the beasts!"
After saying this, he rushed out with a spear in hand, poking and stabbing with the tip of the spear, forcing back several ferocious beasts, and ran towards the side of the mountain forest, attracting a group of wild wolves to chase after them, howling.
Lin Xiyan's eyes flashed, and she quickly formed seals with her hands, muttering something as she unleashed a secret technique. Instantly, the ground around the camp loosened, and thick vines burst forth from the earth like nimble snakes, wrapping around the beasts' limbs and tripping them up.
"Sisters, use rocks and arrows to attack their vital points!"
Lin Xiyan turned around and shouted to the female relatives.
Yang Zhilan suppressed her fear, picked up a stone, aimed at the beast's eyes and threw it with all her strength. Although her hands were shaking, she hit a wild boar accurately. The wild boar felt pain and roared and ran around wildly.
Lin Wuyu and Yang Jiangju fought side by side, wielding their long swords and wooden sticks with great vigor. Every blow was filled with determination, and several ferocious beasts fell as blood splattered.
Jiang Shouyi shuttled through the battlefield like a ghost, his long sword flashing with cold light, and he specifically attacked the leaders of the beasts. The black panther was targeted by him, and after several battles, he had several sword wounds on his body and his momentum gradually declined.
The fierce battle was in full swing, and the sky was turning pale. The beasts seemed to realize that the game was over. After most of them were killed or injured, the remaining forces whimpered a few times and retreated back to the mountains.
Everyone collapsed to the ground, their clothes ragged, covered in blood and dust, but they burst into cheers of survival.
With tears in her eyes, Yang Zhilan ran to Lin Xiyan and hugged her tightly:
"Sister Lin, thank you so much! If it weren't for your quick thinking, we would have all died in the beast's mouth."
Lin Xiyan stroked her back and soothed her softly:
"Don't cry, sister. We all worked together to get through this. We have to be more cautious in the future."
Yang Jiangjue stepped forward, bowed his hands and thanked everyone, his eyes full of admiration:
"Miss Lin is exceptionally intelligent, Master Jiang is brave and skilled in battle, and Lord Lin commands with unwavering confidence. You are all the saviors of my Yangjiang Ju family. I will always remember this kindness."
Jiang Shouyi frowned, looking at the messy camp and the dead and injured livestock, and said in a deep voice:
"This beast tide is strange. Although wild beasts often appear in the Southern Wilds, such a large-scale attack on the camp is likely to be a conspiracy and deliberately drive away the beasts."
The next morning, the morning sun struggled to penetrate the clouds, casting a few rays of light, as if reviewing the thrilling and tragic battlefield of last night.
Everyone in the camp endured the pain all over their bodies, dragged their tired bodies, slowly stood up, and began to clean up the mess.
Lin Xiyan took the lead. Holding a dagger, she walked towards a fallen wolf, squatted down, and skillfully skinned and deboned it.
Although his face still looked a bit haggard from staying up late to fight, his eyes were firm and revealed a tenacity that refused to admit defeat.
Seeing this, Yang Zhilan hesitated for a moment, then plucked up the courage, picked up a small knife, and followed Lin Xiyan's example, carefully helping to deal with the prey.
She was clumsy in technique and nearly cut her hands several times, but she bit her lip and persevered, beads of sweat oozing from her forehead.
Seeing this, Lin Xiyan gave gentle instructions:
"Sister Zhilan, don't panic. Keep your hands steady and cut along the grain, like this."
After saying this, he demonstrated a few times. Yang Zhilan nodded seriously and her movements gradually became smoother.
The men were busy repairing tents and reinforcing fences.
Jiang Moyu carried the thick log and called a few young men to help him, and re-propped up the tent frame that had been torn apart by the claws of the beasts last night. His clothes were soaked with sweat, his muscles were tense, and he exerted all his strength in every movement.
Although Yang Jiang Ju was old and weak, he was not willing to be outdone. He took the hemp rope and shuttled between them, tying them up and fixing them, muttering:
"We have to tie it up tightly. We can't let those beasts take advantage of it."
Lin Wuyu directed everyone to carry stones, fill trenches, wipe away the blood splattered last night, and restore the camp's defenses. His eyes were sharp and he did not miss any flaws.
Jiang Shouyi frowned and paced around the camp to check, his eyes occasionally glancing towards the mountains and forests, wondering in his heart what other tricks the mastermind behind this incident had.
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