Chapter 58: Come out in full force. See you again if you are destined to. Please come find me in the Iron Forest...
Competitions took place daily in the arena, and Baihu was extremely careful to avoid injury. However, in the morning's match, her opponent was formidable, with a magic power level comparable to hers. Baihu fought tooth and nail, ultimately winning the match with great difficulty, even at the cost of a broken leg.
The tension hanging over her head finally reached its worst point. Baihu knew she was injured and that the next match might be her death. With her death, her baby would be doomed too.
The little one in Baihu's arms popped her head out, licked her mother's leg, and when she turned her head, she was shocked to find that many people were looking at her, so she immediately arched her body into her mother's arms.
The little white tiger was probably born not long ago, and its entire body was not even as big as its mother's head. Shen Jiang's heart softened when he saw this.
Beatrice was about to help translate when the witch waved her hand and said directly to the white tiger mother, "Let me take a look at your leg injury first."
This human with black hair and black eyes was different from the humans Baihu had seen outside. Although the concern on her face made Baihu feel friendly, he did not let down his guard.
Perhaps there really are kind and good people in this world, but they will never appear in this arena where evil breeds. Inside the arena, humans hold absolute power, and their cruelty and ruthlessness have been fully demonstrated in the past.
Shen Jiang reached out and touched Baihu's injured leg. She needed to confirm the severity of the injury by feeling the bones.
The white tiger bared its teeth and let out a low growl from its throat. She opened her mouth wide, revealing her sharp white teeth, and slowly approached the slender white hand.
Unexpectedly, the human did not stop because of her threat, but instead touched her injured leg directly.
Beatrice was terrified by this scene.
Baihu slightly widened her round eyes: "..."
It didn't hurt much when the human touched her. The touch was gentle and comfortable, just like the licking of her mother in her memory.
Even when she licked her injured leg, she couldn't help but gasp in pain.
Shen Jiang felt it and knew for sure: a comminuted fracture with displacement. This white tiger must have been injured recently, and the bones haven't grown back yet. Now is the best time for treatment, and there's no need to suffer a second blow. If the bones in her leg had already grown back, they would have to be broken and reattached, which would be troublesome.
"I will help you put your bones back in place first, and then apply internal and external medicines, and then apply the herbal medicine. Believe me, you will get better." Shen Jiang said as he touched the little white tiger's head.
Baihu listened to the human's words, half understanding and half doubting them. She had heard that humans were proficient in healing magic, but the human in front of her had no magical power at all. She couldn't imagine how the human could heal her crippled leg. This was definitely a comfort to her.
"You just need to take this little guy out. Don't worry about me, I will only be a burden to you." There was a gloom in Baihu's eyes.
Shen Jiang frowned and looked at the little white tiger. "Give it a try. You still have a chance of survival. Otherwise, you can only wait for death. Are you really willing to pin your hopes on others?"
Baihu didn't say anything.
If there was no other way, why would she give up hope of survival? Well, let this human try. Anyway, the situation couldn't get any worse than it is now.
*
"Want to leave here? Do you want to join our escape plan..."
Beatrice continued her work while the witch treated the white tiger, and now her work was almost finished. All the beasts had been informed of their plan and were out of their cages.
The cages in this room were much larger than those in the other rooms, so there were fewer of them. After hearing about their plan, most of the beasts were eager to get out of this terrible place.
They had already waited too long; a little longer wouldn't hurt.
At this time, the movements of humans and the white tiger mother attracted everyone's attention. The bone-setting process was very painful. Even though Shen Jiang had given the white tiger a vaccination in advance, the white tiger still couldn't bear the severe pain. The roar sounded like the howling of ghosts and wolves, which made the beasts in the room tremble.
Priest came over just now, and Shen Jiang asked him to help press the white tiger. Otherwise, he might have been slapped away by the out-of-control white tiger's claw during the bone-setting process.
Priest originally wanted to laugh at the black witch for overestimating her abilities, but when he saw that the hind legs, which were originally in an abnormal 180-degree S shape, were straightened into a normal state by the black witch's ordinary technique, the process was very fast and short. If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that this was something a human could do without relying on healing magic.
He couldn't help but be secretly surprised and looked at the calm-looking human in front of him again.
At this time, the staff in the handover room also heard the beast's roar from deep inside. One of the staff in red asked, "Nothing happened in there, right?"
The animal trainer who had just come out didn't care: "You know, those lowly beasts are always disobedient. I guess one of the beasts wanted to rebel and was punished."
Thinking of those wild and unruly animals, the staff in red clothes showed a look of understanding.
A shadow wolf, led by its trainer, lay on the ground. The tiger's roar and wailing had a strong deterrent effect on it. At this moment, it lowered its head and whimpered.
Beatrice pushed her way through the crowd of onlookers and came to the side of the witch. She was surprised to find that the white tiger's face did not show the pain it had just howled. On the contrary, the white tiger's face was peaceful, and her legs had returned to a healthy shape.
After seeing this scene, the beasts looked at the black-haired and black-eyed human with a different kind of respect in their eyes.
For them, destruction is the simplest thing in the world, but repair is a long and arduous process. In the past, the end of their injuries was death. This human, though devoid of magic and aggression, seemed like an angel sent from heaven, using her uncanny wisdom and power to repair the damage caused by violence.
The process of humans treating the white tiger made them feel an indescribable power they had never experienced before. It was a feeling of spring rain nourishing the earth. Although silent, it represented vitality and vigor.
"Don't move," Shen Jiang stopped Baihu from moving, "My treatment isn't over yet."
"I feel like I'm getting much better."
The white tiger was extremely docile at this moment and had no intention of resisting at all. After the severe pain, although her hind legs were powerless, the piercing pain had disappeared.
The medicinal herbs stored in the golden dragon scales were all picked from the Godwin Dragon Mountain. At this moment, she could only use local materials and take out the usable herbs from it. Fortunately, there were quite a few usable herbs, including Panax notoginseng, angelica, drynaria and comfrey.
Shen Jiang's only regret was that she didn't have any Dipsacus root. As its name suggests, Dipsacus root is very effective in strengthening tendons and bones. But Comfrey also promotes bone regeneration, and Drynaria root has even more comprehensive benefits, fundamentally nourishing the liver and kidneys, strengthening the kidneys and bones, and, with more frequent use, tonifying the kidneys and relieving pain. With these, Baihu's injury was essentially non-critical.
Hearing that the witch was going to boil water to make medicine, Priest's first reaction was to see fire, so he immediately hid far away. Although he was of no use, Shen Jianglu's move surprised the other beasts in the room, and they quickly found the stove and pot that humans needed.
Beatrice watched intently as the witch used fire to burn away the hairs on the herb's surface. Her quick and decisive technique left her speechless. Curious, Beatrice couldn't help but ask, "What kind of herb is this?"
"Drynbu, its effect is just as its name suggests: broken bones can be repaired. With this, Baihu's bone repair ability will be much faster, and the repair will be less likely to leave sequelae. Once her bones have grown back, she will be able to move freely as before."
Baihu was even more moved by what the human said. If the unremarkable root in front of her really had such magical effects, she wouldn't have to wait here to die.
Beatrice couldn't help but praise it sincerely, "I didn't expect it to be so useful despite its ugly appearance."
Shen Jiang was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help laughing. She suppressed her laughter and said, "Actually, this herb is very special to me."
Beatrice looked at her in confusion.
"Actually, my name, Shen Jiang, is another name for Drynaria fortunei. It brings me great luck, and my grandmother's nickname for me comes from this herb. I'm so happy to hear you praise it." Shen Jiang paid no attention to Beatrice's unintentional first half of the sentence. After all, growing up, many of her classmates had used the homophonic "shengjiang" (ginger) to tease her name. She wasn't so petty as to get angry over such a trivial matter.
Beatrice opened her mouth. She had just teased the herb about its ugliness. Oh my god, look at her mouth. "Mistress Witch, please don't mind my offense." Beatrice knew that nothing she said now could make up for her previous offense, and she couldn't help but feel annoyed.
Then, her eyes lit up and she blurted out, "Broken bones can be mended. Doesn't your name mean: rebirth? What a wonderful name."
Shen Jiang smiled. "That's the warmest thing I've ever heard. Thank you, Beatrice."
*
Shen Jiang boiled the herbs in water and let Baihu drink it. She then applied the hot residue to her legs and wrapped them with the scraps of cloth torn from Priest.
As the potion flowed through her meridians and bones, Baihu could clearly feel the wounds on her body itching, the sensation of bone buds growing. Strangely, the potion she drank contained no magical elements, yet its effects were comparable to those of top-tier magic. She could clearly feel the comfort of flesh and blood growing within her.
Shen Jiang reminded her: "Try not to use this leg when you go out later. It takes some time for the bones to grow."
Baihu carefully stretched her legs and stood up. Although her current state was not as strong as her peak combat power, without the encumbrance of her injured leg, she could definitely take her daughter away.
"If we can all escape, please come find me in the Iron Forest. I will definitely repay your kindness." Baihu sincerely wanted to thank the human girl in front of her. Everything she had was taken away by humans. If she had the chance to return to her home in the Iron Forest, she would definitely thank the girl in front of her.
Baihu has already remembered her name firmly.
Shen Jiang, a beautiful word that represents the meaning of new life.
Shen Jiang encouraged her: "Then you must escape."
While Shen Jiang was boiling the medicine, the others were not idle either. Led by Ellis and several other orcs, they changed into the staff's green work clothes. The green hats covered their animal ears very well, and there was no sign of anything unusual.
The animal trainer would come in every once in a while. Following the witch's instructions, Ellis and his men would wait at the first must-pass corner of the corridor. As soon as the person came in, they would knock him out in a flash and find the metal plate that could open the handover room from his body.
The shadow wolf, led by the trainer, was covered in wounds. It had just lost to the cheetah and had only managed to survive by playing dead. It couldn't believe what it had just witnessed.
What happened that caused humans to start killing each other?
In response, it was the crisp sound of the shackles around the neck being unlocked.
"Congratulations, you will soon be free."
Everything was ready, and the most exciting moment had finally arrived. None of the orcs and beasts who had been imprisoned for several days made a sound, and the dark corridor was filled with bright eyes of various colors and shapes.
According to the trainer's usual speed, he would put the beasts that had finished the competition into their corresponding cages, and then lead the new beasts to the handover room to prepare for the competition. This would take no more than ten minutes at most.
The beasts in room a had already walked to the front of the corridor and were ready to attack. Behind them, the orcs from room b stood in order of their fighting strength. Then the corridor was divided into two forks, each filled with orcs and elves from rooms c and d.
Priest folded his arms, listening to the noise outside, and reminded his bondmaster, "Ellis and the others are already well. I suggest you stay until the end. Don't try to show off at a time like this."
Shen Jiang shook his head slightly: "No, I have other tasks, and the sun is about to set."
Priest didn't understand. What did this have to do with the setting sun? Besides, there was no sun today.
After Shen Jiang finished speaking, she walked forward, and the beastmen and the herd took the initiative to make way for her.
Shen Jiang's plan was simple. If he wanted everyone to have a chance to escape, he had to disrupt the arena. Once the situation became chaotic, with nearly 10,000 spectators in the arena, the arena would be severely short of manpower to protect the spectators and would have no time to catch the escaped beasts and orcs.
At that time, the audience gentlemen near the exit can even enjoy the face-to-face close service of the beasts they pursue, and the security personnel of the arena and their guards have no way to kill the beasts in order not to accidentally hurt the distinguished audience gentlemen.
Of course, this method wasn't foolproof, and some people would inevitably die in the process of escaping. But for the poor little people here, even if they didn't fight hard this time, death would still be waiting for them.
Instead of fighting with our own kind to satisfy human's bad curiosity, it is better to fight for freedom.
*
"The break is over! Next, let me introduce the upcoming star player—the Giant Wolf! As we all know, the Giant Wolf is a massive and ferocious monster. The Shadow Wolf from earlier is nothing to it. I wonder what kind of fierce battle will ensue when the Giant Wolf meets the Cheetah on the field!"
As soon as the host finished speaking, a wave of enthusiastic cheers erupted in the venue. All the audience members stared intently at the entrance, anticipating the next contestant's dazzling appearance.
By the time the audience had almost started to get impatient and the host had stiffly warmed up the atmosphere several times, a figure finally appeared at the entrance which had been silent.
To everyone's surprise, it was not a giant wolf that walked out of the huge entrance.
But it was a very thin human girl.
A human girl with black hair, black eyes and exotic appearance.
There was a moment of silence, then shouts for ticket refunds began. All sorts of unbridled abuse echoed with the pelts of fruit and melon peels thrown at the crowd. The already high-energy atmosphere in the arena suddenly became even more lively. Even Catherine, who was anxiously waiting in the square outside, could hear the high-pitched roars.
Shen Jiang, with her dark hair and dark eyes, looked curiously toward the audience. Was this the normal perspective of these beasts and orcs forced into a life-or-death battle? The towering fence, like a city wall, gave the audience a stunning bird's-eye view. But for her, the feeling of being scrutinized from all angles was deeply humiliating.
Shen Jiang frowned as he watched the objects falling from the sky at his feet. Throwing objects from a height was a serious offense.
The cheetah was ready to strike, but when it saw that the room behind Shen Jiang was filled with densely packed wild beasts and orcs, it was stunned.
Shen Jiang made a soothing gesture, because the ground below was very far away from the audience seats, and no one would hear her even if she spoke very loudly.
Shen Jiang said, "You are free now. Leave here with them."
The host didn't know what the staff had done. Such an exciting game turned into such a boring stalemate. He showed his utmost professionalism and tried hard to maintain the atmosphere in the venue.
In front of everyone, a glittering golden gate rose out of thin air in the center of the arena. The gate was much more exquisite than any magical item these nobles had seen in their daily lives. There were many magicians among these people, and the magicians could not help but stare at the golden gate, trying to decipher the magical mystery within it.
Just as everyone was fascinated by it, no one noticed that a door connecting the interior of the arena to the exit was quietly opened.
After the audience watched the glittering golden gate swallow up the black-haired, black-eyed human girl, they thought it was a special performance arranged by the arena today and shouted: "Encore! Encore!"
They wanted to see that wonderful magic show again.
Not all the beasts moved according to Shen Jiang's wishes. For some beasts that had been subjected to inhuman torture for a long time, they were originally the kings of the forest, but suffered humiliation here. Freedom is precious, but revenge is equally important.
They never forget the bad faces of those watching the game. It is their nightmare day and night, tormenting their nerves and destroying their beliefs.
There's never been a better opportunity than now.
The entire Colosseum was like a perfect cage, trapping them as well as the nobles of the First Empire who were celebrating in the audience.
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