Outside, the five men trailing Yi Yi were momentarily stunned. They hadn't expected her to come out so calmly—but they quickly recovered and followed.
After she walked about ten steps away from the exchange point, the two leading male alphas moved in, cutting off her path.
"Hey, pretty girl," one of them said, flashing a grin full of yellowed teeth. "All alone? Want us to walk you home?"
The others gathered behind him, their expressions eager and shameless.
Yi Yi smiled faintly, completely at ease. "Sure. Let's find somewhere quiet."
The men blinked, then broke into crude laughter.
"Bold, aren't you?" the yellow-toothed man chuckled. "Alright then—there's a little grove behind the building. Nice and quiet. You'll love it."
As he spoke, he reached out, trying to grab her.
Yi Yi shifted lightly, avoiding his hand without effort. "What's the rush? Aren't we heading there anyway?"
"Heh, true enough," he said, laughing. "Come on, boys. Looks like we've got ourselves a treat."
"This one's not bad," another man with a scar by his eye said, sizing her up. "Too bad she's not an Omega. They're softer."
The yellow-toothed man kicked him lightly. "Don't be picky. You'll get your turn—last."
"Hey, we can negotiate that," the scarred man grumbled.
Yi Yi listened, a faint sneer flickering across her lips.
She had chosen the grove for a reason.
Less trouble.
And no need to hold back.
She quickened her pace.
"Whoa, in a hurry?" the yellow-toothed man laughed. "What's the rush?"
"Hah, she's eager," the scarred man added.
Yi Yi didn't respond.
Within five minutes, they reached the small wooded area.
The yellow-toothed man stepped forward, grinning. "Alright, I'll go first. The rest of you—line up."
Yi Yi's smile vanished.
She slipped the medicine box into her pocket and walked straight toward him.
He froze for a split second, surprised.
In all their usual encounters, their targets either cried or ran.
No one had ever approached them like this.
He opened his mouth to speak—
Pain exploded across his face.
Before he could even react, his vision spun. A sickening crack echoed through his body. By the time he registered what was happening, his back slammed into a tree hard enough to splinter it.
A hot surge rose in his chest. Blood filled his throat.
He hit the ground.
Within seconds, everything went dark.
The remaining four men stood frozen, shock and fear creeping in.
"Damn it—get her!" the scarred man shouted, forcing bravado into his voice. "She just got lucky! All of us, together!"
"Yeah—get her!"
They rushed forward.
Yi Yi didn't even blink.
Good.
Faster this way.
She moved before they could reach her.
Two strikes.
Two bodies were sent flying, smashing into trees with bone-cracking force. The trunks split under the impact.
They didn't get back up.
The last two froze, terror finally overtaking them.
"Run!" the scarred man shouted, turning to flee. "Split up or—"
He didn't finish.
A sharp crack cut him off mid-sentence.
His body went limp.
The last man barely made it two steps before a force struck his back, sending him hurtling into a tree. It snapped on impact.
Silence returned to the grove.
Yi Yi glanced at the bodies, unimpressed.
"Pathetic," she muttered.
Even ten times their number wouldn't have made a difference.
Did they really think they could bully her with this?
She dusted off her hands, retrieved the medicine box, and walked back at an unhurried pace.
Along the way, a few people watched her—some openly, others pretending not to. Some followed from a distance, trying to figure out where she was staying.
Yi Yi ignored them all.
Ten minutes later, she returned to Tent 982.
Chen Wan immediately looked up. "How was it? Any trouble?"
Yi Yi smiled and handed her the medicine. "A little. It's taken care of."
Chen Wan nodded, not pressing further. She trusted Yi Yi's abilities.
Turning to Jiang Yanxin, she said, "The medicine's here. Let Wanning take it before she sleeps. Allergies aren't something to ignore."
"Okay," Jiang Yanxin replied, gently brushing her sister's cheek. "Wanning… wake up for a moment. It's me. Take your medicine first, alright?"
Jiang Wanning stirred faintly.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and when she saw Jiang Yanxin, she froze.
"Sister…?" she murmured, dazed. "You're still here? This dream… it's so long…"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"But it's nice. I can see you again… it's been so long…"
"This isn't a dream," Jiang Yanxin said softly. "You'll understand once your fever goes down. Come on—Yi Yi brought medicine for you. Take it first."
Jiang Wanning shook her head weakly.
"I can't… If the hives disappear… they'll come for me again…" Her voice trembled. "I'd rather die like this than fall into their hands…"
Jiang Yanxin's eyes reddened, but she forced herself to stay calm.
"Didn't you say this is a dream?" she coaxed gently. "In a dream, it's fine to take medicine. I want to see you healthy again."
Jiang Wanning hesitated, her thoughts muddled by fever.
Then, as if convinced, she reached out.
She took the pills and swallowed them with water.
The bitterness made her frown slightly.
Even in a dream… it tasted real.
Her strength gave out quickly. Exhaustion and illness dragged her back into sleep.
Chen Wan let out a quiet breath of relief.
She picked up Yang Yang, who had been quietly watching everything, small hands clutching her clothes.
Chen Wan kissed her cheek gently. "Once we find grandma, grandpa, and aunt, we'll leave this place, okay?"
"Okay, Mammy," Yang Yang said softly, nestling against her. "I don't like it here. I like the car."
Chen Wan smiled faintly. "Me neither. Just a little longer, alright?"
Yang Yang nodded obediently.
Chen Wan absentmindedly played with the child's soft little hand, squeezing it lightly like a stress ball.
Yang Yang thought she was being comforted and smiled sweetly in return.
The elderly woman nearby had woken up.
Seeing the child, she smiled kindly. "How old is this little one?"
Chen Wan nudged Yang Yang. "Grandma's asking—how old are you?"
Yang Yang raised three fingers on one hand and bent another halfway. "Three and a half!"
"So sweet…" the old woman sighed, though worry flickered in her eyes.
In a world like this…
Could a child like her grow up safely?
Before the moment could linger, a commotion rose outside the tent—voices growing louder as they approached.
"Brother Kai, they're inside," someone said eagerly. "They're Jiang Wanning's sisters—four women and a kid. All of them are beauties. Not worse than her."
"Yang Feng, you've finally done something right," another voice replied with a chuckle. "If you're telling the truth, you can stick with me from now on."
They reached the entrance.
The man called Brother Kai wrinkled his nose in disgust. "What the hell is that smell? It's unbearable. Fan it out—how am I supposed to step into this pigsty?"
"Right away, right away!" Yang Feng said quickly, scrambling to comply.
He waved his hands uselessly, but the stench didn't change.
In truth, Brother Kai had been here before. This was nothing more than a display—an act to enjoy being obeyed.
After a moment, he clicked his tongue, feigning annoyance, and stepped into Tent 982 anyway.