Chapter Eighteen: The Trap

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Watching the retreating figure disappear into the distance, the younger brother quickened his pace to follow. As dusk gradually fell, this group of bandits not only failed to catch a glimpse of Jiang Yu but also suffered heavy losses among their own ranks.

Jiang Yu concealed herself in the shadows, carefully observing their movements. Whenever an opportunity arose, she would step forward to take out a portion of their men.

“You bunch of useless fools! You can’t even catch one person. What good are you to me?” The bandit leader vented his frustration on his underlings in a fit of rage.

“Boss, it’s not entirely our fault! That guy is just too good at hiding. He’s like a ticking time bomb; no one knows who he'll strike next. The brothers are just anxious to capture him.”

So many of their comrades had already died—they were scared too!

“Should I blame you or myself then?”

“D-don’t dare.”

The bandit leader cursed under his breath in anger, then suddenly a spark of inspiration flashed through his mind.

“You all, bring everyone we’ve captured here. I don’t believe the other side would risk their safety by hiding forever.”

If they dared to come, they were either not official personnel or some kind of would-be hero. Threatening those people’s lives would surely force the one hiding in the shadows to reveal themselves.

Then...

“Wise choice, boss. I’ll take the men now to bring those captives over.”

Hearing this from the shadows, Jiang Yu was itching to rush out and slaughter them all immediately. But she knew she couldn’t act rashly just yet.

The enemy still numbered more than twenty, and the remaining men all seemed quite capable fighters. Even their leader was likely a formidable opponent.

When she saw a squad heading out, Jiang Yu immediately followed. She had already decided to deal with them halfway there.

Silently tailing them, as they neared the place where the captives were held, she finally struck.

“Brothers, be careful! Someone’s approaching!”

Jiang Yu hadn’t expected to be discovered before even revealing herself, so she abandoned any attempt at concealment.

“A woman?”

They had assumed the attacker was one of the awakened men they had brought back earlier, never imagining it would be a woman.

Just thinking about their comrades dying at her hands stirred up a mix of anger and frustration.

“Attack! Kill her to avenge our brothers!”

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Seeing the enemy move against her, Jiang Yu naturally wouldn’t stand idly by. Her months of training against those mutants hadn’t been for nothing. Facing a dozen attackers, she wielded her dagger with ease, swiftly dispatching one.

The leader of the group observed Jiang Yu and doubted she was truly awakened, yet she still dominated the fight. Could she really be that formidable?

He refused to believe it. They had three awakened men here; surely they could handle one ordinary person.

“Wang Hui, Xu Qiang, you two with me. We must capture her!”

Though facing three awakened opponents, Jiang Yu felt a slight strain but no real threat. Moving like a ghost, she dodged their attacks and in the blink of an eye stood before one, slicing lightly across his neck with her dagger.

The wounded man felt a hot rush before he could withdraw his hand, collapsing dead with his eyes wide open.

His comrades hesitated, but they weren’t fools. They knew escape was impossible; the enemy wouldn’t let them go. So one charged at Jiang Yu, seemingly ready to die with her.

Jiang Yu had anticipated this and neutralized him in advance. Only one bandit remained now.

“You think you’ve won? We’ve been prepared for you all along.”

Jiang Yu sensed danger and instinctively tried to slip past him.

“Too late now,”

The bandit blocked her path, his eyes filled with arrogance and satisfaction.

Jiang Yu’s mood darkened further. Seeing the obstacle, she lost control.

“If you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish.”

Without a blink, she plunged her dagger into his neck and pulled it out. Warm blood splattered across her face, but she paid no heed, her gaze coldly watching him fall.

With no one left to block her, Jiang Yu swiftly reached her intended destination.

The bandit leader was momentarily surprised to see her but quickly masked it.

“You finally arrived. Didn’t expect it, did you? I lured you away.”

“What are you planning?”

The captives looked at Jiang Yu with mixed expressions—surprise, joy—but none had imagined she could rescue them.

“You should be asking me that. You killed so many of my brothers. What do you want? Trying to save them?” The leader dragged one captive forward, pressing a gun to his head.

“Well, I won’t let you have your way.”

Bang!

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Without hesitation, the bandit leader pulled the trigger. Then someone dragged the corpse aside.

“You...”

“Hey, don’t move. I’m afraid my gun will misfire, and next time it might hit someone.”

He aimed the gun at Jiang Yu, then back at the hostage.

“Tell me, what must I do to let them go?”

“Only if you die will I consider releasing them.”

Hearing that, Jiang Yu knew there was no room for negotiation.

Unexpectedly, she threw her dagger at the bandit leader, piercing his wrist with precision.

At the same time, a bandit who noticed Jiang Yu’s move fired into the group of captives.

Clang!

Screams of pain mixed with terrified cries filled the air.

Jiang Yu quickly grabbed the attacker’s hand and pulled her weapon free from his bones.

“Damn it! I swear I’ll make you suffer worse than death! Men, seize her!”

The bandit leader clutched his wounded hand, glaring at Jiang Yu with murderous rage as if he wanted to tear her apart alive.

Among the captives were awakened individuals. Seeing the chaos, they first protected the panicked and scattered people, leading them away from the battlefield.

Jiang Yu soon became entangled with the remaining bandits. Her dagger left afterimages as weaker foes fell one by one in pools of blood. Only the stronger ones remained, and while they couldn’t kill her, she couldn’t finish them off either.

Frustrated at his men’s failure, the bandit leader cursed under his breath and personally joined the fight.

With the leader’s involvement, Jiang Yu gradually found herself overwhelmed.

Splat!