TSWPF -Chapter 457 Fight to the Death

After turning off the light, Li Qingling was afraid of frightening the little one. She suppressed her anxiety, smiled gently, and kissed the child’s forehead, telling her that Mother had to go take care of something and would come home after finishing.

Although the little girl was reluctant to part with her, she obediently nodded and said “Okay.”

She took the initiative to kiss Li Qingling on the cheek, slid down from her arms, and waved goodbye.

Li Qingling gave her a thumbs-up, praised her, then turned and hurried away.

Only after they were some distance from the room did she lower her face and ask Ling Yi what was going on.

Why would starving wolves come down the mountain in broad daylight?

“We don’t know what stimulated them. Maybe they were too hungry and couldn’t help coming down during the day to look for food,” Ling Yi replied quickly, his expression grim. “There were too many of them. Before we knew it, some villagers were injured.”

It was because of this that he rushed back to report to the lord. When he learned that the lord was resting, he hurried to inform Madam instead.

“Are the villagers badly hurt?” Li Qingling asked.

“We rescued them in time. It’s not too serious. They’ve already been carried back for treatment.”

Li Qingling said “Good,” told Ling Yi to go and support the front line, and said she would wake the lord.

Ling Yi answered and leapt away.

Li Qingling rushed back to the courtyard, pushed open the door, and woke Liu Zhiming.

“What happened?”

“The starving wolves have come down the mountain.” She quickly explained the situation while helping him get dressed. “What should we do now? Should we withdraw our people?”

Liu Zhiming shook his head solemnly. “No. If we retreat, the wolves will attack the villagers’ homes.”

Starving wolves could do anything.

She had been foolish.

Li Qingling pinched herself to calm down and stop panicking before the wolves even arrived.

They hurried out. Liu Zhiming called for Liu Shi and instructed him to notify the villagers to hurry home, lock their doors and windows, and not come out. All remaining guards were to go support Ling Yi and the others.

“My lord, won’t we leave anyone in the residence?” Liu Shi asked. “There are only unarmed elderly and children here.”

Liu Zhiming thought for a moment. “Leave three people to guard the back gate. The rest go kill the wolves.”

The wolves had chosen to descend in daylight to catch them off guard.

And indeed, they had succeeded.

Now they had to hold the line and not let the wolves break through.

Liu Shi acknowledged and disappeared.

Liu Zhiming turned to Li Qingling and told her to stay in the residence.

“You’re in more danger than I am,” Li Qingling said, gripping his hand. “Let me help. If it gets bad, I’ll come back, okay? My skills aren’t bad—I can help.”

Seeing her firm attitude, Liu Zhiming sighed and nodded, repeatedly telling her to retreat immediately if anything went wrong.

She promised she wouldn’t joke with her life.

Taking a deep breath, he held her hand and led her toward the back.

At the back gate, they saw Ah Bai sitting guard.

Li Qingling patted its head gratefully. “Thank you for your hard work, Ah Bai.”

Ah Bai rubbed against her palm, saying it wasn’t hard.

Protecting its master was its duty.

She patted its head again and told it to be careful.

Then she carefully opened the back gate, and the two went out.

Battling wind and snow, they struggled to reach the beacon tower. When the villagers saw them, their spirits lifted, and they shouted, “My lord! Madam!”

Liu Zhiming raised his hand and asked if anyone was hurt.

“No,” they replied. “The guards protected us well.”

He sighed in relief and told them to stay put and only shoot cold arrows, not fight the wolves head-on.

The wolves were too fierce.

The villagers agreed—they had no martial skills and didn’t want to distract the guards.

After repeated reminders, Liu Zhiming climbed the beacon tower. Seeing the guards and family soldiers fighting desperately, he narrowed his eyes.

There were more wolves than expected, and they were extremely savage. The battle was very difficult.

Li Qingling frowned. She saw Ah Huang and Diandian. Diandian was surrounded by several wolves.

Gritting her teeth, she picked up her bow, aimed at a wolf about to bite Diandian’s hind leg, drew fully, and shot.

With a howl, the wolf fell.

Diandian was startled, looked back, saw Li Qingling watching anxiously, grinned, then turned back to fight.

This was its first time in such a brutal battle, and its blood was boiling.

Li Qingling kept watching, shooting from time to time to ease its pressure.

Suddenly, her heart trembled. She looked around and met a pair of cold, sharp eyes.

Her body chilled.

A gray wolf stood behind the pack.

That was… the Wolf King.

“Husband, look,” she tugged Liu Zhiming’s sleeve. “That’s the Wolf King giving orders. It’s seen us.”

This was bad.

Just then, the Wolf King raised its head and howled. Instantly, the wolves became even more ferocious.

Li Qingling was stunned that she could understand it.

Kill. Kill. Kill. Fight to the death.

That was its message.

“It says ‘fight to the death,’” she said worriedly. “This won’t work. We’ll suffer heavy losses.”

There were too many wolves, and they were fighting desperately.

Liu Zhiming clenched his teeth and went down the tower.

“Do you have kerosene at home?” he asked the villagers.

“Yes.”

“Good. Bring all of it, and some firewood too. We’ll use fire.”

The villagers ran through the snow.

At this time, Liu Shi threw the blood-covered Ling Yi over. “Bandage him.”

“I… I can still fight,” Ling Yi tried to stand, but fell back down.

“Damn it!”

“Fight what? You’ll just feed the wolves,” Liu Zhiming scolded.

“Liu Shi, the Wolf King is in the rear. Kill it first!”

Liu Shi agreed and leapt toward it.

Liu Zhiming checked Ling Yi’s wounds—his calf was badly bitten.

He poured medicine generously and bandaged it.

“Go back and rest.”

“No,” Ling Yi refused. “My hands are fine. I can still shoot.”

Unable to persuade him, Liu Zhiming let him be.

Back on the tower, the battle grew worse.

Li Qingling shot arrow after arrow without pause.

Liu Zhiming didn’t dare shoot—his aim wasn’t good enough.

After this, he vowed to practice daily.

“Is Liu Shi going to kill the Wolf King?” Li Qingling asked.

“Yes.”

“Good. Catch the leader first,” she said. “Ah Huang, go help him!”

Ah Huang roared and rushed over.

Liu Shi jumped onto its back. One ran, one guarded—perfect teamwork.

The Wolf King sensed danger and howled again.

All the wolves rushed back to protect it.

The situation changed again.

“No, there are too many wolves!” Li Qingling panicked.

Just then, the villagers returned with kerosene and firewood.

“Put the wood in front of the traps. Pour the oil on it,” Liu Zhiming ordered.

“Ready!”

“Prepare the torches. Light them on my command!”

“Guards, retreat!”

“Ah Huang, Liu Shi, come back!” Li Qingling shouted.

Ah Huang stopped and turned back.

Liu Shi sighed but followed orders.

“Brothers, retreat while fighting!”

The wolves chased them fiercely.

“Quickly!” the villagers cried.

When the last guard crossed over, the torches were thrown—

Boom!

The fire blazed up.