Chapter Nine: True Affection in Times of Adversity

The giant fish stared at Qin Feiyang and the Wolf King, motionless.

Qin Feiyang dared not move either, afraid of startling the fish.

Man and fish faced off, eyes locked, the atmosphere thick with tension.

After what seemed like a hundred heartbeats, seeing the fish still unmoving, Qin Feiyang carefully supported the Wolf King and began to swim slowly toward the shore.

But as soon as he moved, the fish moved too.

With a mighty splash, the fish opened its enormous mouth, sucking in the river water with a furious current, drawing it all into its maw.

“Why is my luck so wretched today?”

With a furious shout, Qin Feiyang and the Wolf King disappeared into the gaping mouth of the fish.

With a dull thud, the fish churned up massive waves, plunged to the riverbed, and vanished from sight.

The river's torrent, like a waterfall, swept Qin Feiyang and the Wolf King straight toward the fish’s stomach.

Qin Feiyang was frantic. If they truly entered the fish's stomach, not even their bones would remain.

Moreover, the inside of the fish stank, reeking and nauseating.

He held his breath, his hand turning into a talon, and pressed down with all his strength.

With a squelch, his five fingers, like steel pins, pierced into the flesh.

Qin Feiyang gripped the flesh tightly to secure himself, while with his other hand he clutched the Wolf King’s tail, preventing the wolf from being swept away by the current.

Meanwhile, the fish, hunting along the riverbed, thrashed in agony from the pain.

Inside the fish, Qin Feiyang was spun about, his body tossed violently.

“If only I still had that dagger,” Qin Feiyang fumed.

He had lost the dagger when falling into the river—it had sunk straight to the bottom, and he hadn’t paid it any heed at the time.

Who could have guessed that upon surfacing, he’d encounter a giant fish? Truly, disaster never comes alone.

He hadn’t returned for so long—he wondered if Yuan Bo had come looking for him.

A wolf’s howl snapped him out of his thoughts.

“White-eyed Wolf, you’re finally awake! We’re inside a fish! Think of a way out!” Qin Feiyang exclaimed with joy, as if seeing a long-lost friend.

Never had he imagined he would one day share life and death with a wolf. Truly, as the saying goes, the world is full of surprises.

The Wolf King scanned the surroundings, its pupils contracting to slits.

Suddenly, a savage light flashed in its eyes!

It bared its fangs and, with a powerful chomp, tore off a huge chunk of fish flesh, chewing with relish.

“You can still think of eating at a time like this?” Qin Feiyang’s face darkened and veins bulged. This creature was hopelessly unreliable.

Ignoring him, the Wolf King tore at the flesh with wild abandon.

The searing pain surged through the fish’s nerves like a flood, driving it into a greater frenzy.

It leaped from the water, dove to the riverbed, crashed against the bank—over and over, until its massive body was soon covered in wounds, blood pouring freely.

It was impossible to say how much time passed; to Qin Feiyang, it felt like centuries.

At last, the fish quieted, listlessly floating on the surface, its blood dyeing the river red.

“What happened?” Qin Feiyang wondered, suspicious.

Not only had the fish stopped thrashing, but the torrent flowing down from its esophagus had also lessened.

Was the fish asleep?

The Wolf King howled, motioning for Qin Feiyang to climb up the esophagus.

Though puzzled, Qin Feiyang released the Wolf King’s tail and laboriously climbed upward.

The Wolf King followed at his side.

Before long, they emerged from the esophagus, entering the fish’s enormous mouth.

Its jaws were slightly open, and sunlight and the blood-red river outside were clearly visible.

Elated, Qin Feiyang hurriedly limped over, bent down, crawled out, and fell into the river.

The stench of blood assaulted his senses, but he paid it no mind, swimming swiftly to the shore.

The Wolf King was no slower—he reached the bank first, sprawling on a rock, gasping for breath.

Qin Feiyang dragged himself ashore, slumped beside the Wolf King, gazing at the massive fish in the river’s center, overwhelmed with lingering fear.

Suddenly, his eyes widened in astonishment.

Why was the fish’s head bloodied, its huge body battered and torn, its flesh in tatters?

The Wolf King howled, a gleam of pride in its eyes.

Qin Feiyang thought it over and suddenly understood.

The Wolf King hadn’t been eating for hunger’s sake. Its true intent was to inflict pain, driving the fish into a frenzy until it battered itself against the riverbank, suffering these wounds.

Qin Feiyang gave a thumbs up and laughed. “White-eyed Wolf, I never thought you were so clever. How about being friends?”

The Wolf King snorted in disdain, rose from the rock, and left without a backward glance.

Qin Feiyang laughed helplessly and waved. “White-eyed Wolf, until we meet again.”

With that, a wave of pain seized him.

He’d been too tense to notice earlier, but now that he had relaxed, agony flared in his right shoulder and left leg, beads of cold sweat breaking out on his brow.

His right shoulder bore a finger-thick hole, blood oozing freely.

Three arrows were still lodged between the bones of his left leg, and when he’d fallen into the river, his thigh had been fractured, flesh torn and split.

“Lin Guo, Lin Gu, one day I’ll repay every new and old grudge…”

Qin Feiyang’s eyes flashed coldly as he gritted his teeth and pulled out the three arrows.

The pain distorted his face, nearly making him faint.

He tore a strip from his tattered clothing; as he did, ten Body Tempering Pills and ten gold coins tumbled to the ground.

After hastily bandaging his wounds, he picked up the pills and coins, murmuring, “Luckily, they didn’t fall into the river, or all this would have been for nothing.”

Each pill had been specially treated and wouldn’t dissolve unless submerged for a long time.

“There are countless beasts in this jungle. In my current state, even a grown beast would be a serious threat. I need to find a hidden place to recover first.”

He glanced around, tore another piece of cloth from his trousers, wrapped the pills and coins, grabbed the three arrows as makeshift crutches, and limped toward the forest.

…

Iron Ox Town, the Lin Family.

Council Hall.

“How dare he kill a member of the Lin Family? That Qin Feiyang must have a death wish!” The Lin Family Patriarch’s hair bristled with fury, his whole presence radiating murderous intent.

Lin Gu and Lin Guo stood respectfully to one side.

On the ground lay two corpses—Lin Feng and Lin Shi.

“Father, there must be some misunderstanding,” Lin Yiyi said anxiously, hurrying into the hall.

“Foolish child! Still defending Qin Feiyang? Steward, take her away and keep her under strict watch. No one is to let her out without my permission!” the patriarch roared.

The steward at the door immediately came forward to persuade Lin Yiyi, and two servants barred her way.

“Father…” Lin Yiyi pleaded.

“Take her away!” the patriarch barked.

“Yes, sir!” The steward bowed. “Miss, this is the patriarch’s order. I dare not disobey. Please forgive me.”

He waved his hand, and the two servants seized Lin Yiyi, escorting her from the hall.

“Ungrateful wretch!” the patriarch cursed, turning to Lin Gu and Lin Guo. “Where is Qin Feiyang?”

“He has already fallen from the cliff,” Lin Guo replied.

“That brat got off too easily. But we can’t let Qin Yuan go either,” the patriarch said coldly.

“To tell the truth, Patriarch, we were thinking the same,” Lin Guo said.

“Just say the word, and I’ll kill that old man right now!” Lin Gu added.

“No, there’s no need to dirty our hands with such things,” the patriarch said, waving dismissively. “Someone else will take care of it.”

“Who?” the two asked, surprised.

“Ma Hongmei,” he replied with a cold smile. “Go find Ma Hongmei and tell her that Qin Feiyang and Qin Yuan are still alive.”

The two exchanged a glance and bowed. “Patriarch, you are wise.”

“One more thing—tell everyone not to mention Qin Feiyang’s death to Yiyi for now,” the patriarch instructed.

“Understood.” They nodded, picked up the two corpses, and left.

“Qin Feiyang, you’re finally dead. With your death, Lin Shi and Lin Feng’s deaths are avenged,” the patriarch said, sitting down, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

…

Near the riverbank.

Qin Feiyang found a cave, hid inside, and tended to his wounds, preparing to sleep.

He was utterly exhausted.

But just then, a wolf’s howl sounded outside the cave.

“White-eyed Wolf?” Qin Feiyang was startled. Using the three arrows as crutches, he made his way to the entrance—and his face changed dramatically.

It was indeed the Wolf King. But behind it stood more than a dozen white wolves!

They stopped ten meters away, watching him with hostile eyes.

“White-eyed Wolf, what’s the meaning of this?” Qin Feiyang shouted, deeply regretting his previous trust. How could one trust a wolf? He should have dealt with it sooner.

The Wolf King gazed at him coldly, then spat out a metal box.

Qin Feiyang blinked in surprise.

The box was about the size of a palm, mottled with rust, clearly old.

The Wolf King growled a few times, then turned and led the pack away.

“What does this mean?” Qin Feiyang muttered, and after the wolves had left, he went to pick up the box.

Opening it, he was immediately enveloped in a rich medicinal fragrance.

Inside were five pills: two Bone-Mending Pills and three Healing Pills.

Qin Feiyang stood in a daze for a moment, then looked in the direction the Wolf King had vanished, his face full of guilt. “I’m sorry, I misjudged you. Still, why make such a spectacle just to deliver medicine? Anyone would misunderstand!”

He gave a rueful laugh and returned to the cave, his heart brimming with gratitude.

Who says wolves are heartless? Who says they are cruel? In truth, no matter how fierce the beast, sincere intent can win their trust.

“White-eyed Wolf, thank you,” he murmured, swallowing the pills and reclining against the stone wall, quickly drifting into sleep.

He didn’t know that the Wolf King had not left. It remained, leading the pack of white wolves, hidden in the forest outside the cave, quietly protecting him.