"Master, we are here to save you—"
Zhang Lei's voice stopped halfway.
They froze.
All of them.
Their eyes moved from me—
To the tiger.
Then to Yan Mo.
Then back to me.
The tension in their bodies did not disappear immediately, but confusion replaced it.
I slowly opened my eyes a little more and looked at them.
"…Save me?" I repeated.
My voice was calm.
Lazy.
Almost bored.
I shifted slightly on the rock.
"You came all this way," I continued, my tone flat but carrying a faint edge of sarcasm, "just to watch him do all the work?"
Zhang Lei blinked.
Chen Guo's mouth opened slightly, then closed.
Wang Bao scratched his head awkwardly.
Li Shan said nothing, but his grip on his weapon loosened.
I let out a quiet breath.
"If you are done making an entrance," I added, "then come and carry something useful."
My gaze moved toward the tiger.
"There is enough meat," I said. "Unless you plan to leave it here and go back empty-handed."
That snapped them out of it.
