Chapter Thirty: Saving Wang Yiyi

Gu Xi felt the flames of fury beginning to ignite within her. The flame totem on her arm was prickling, a sensation of stinging pain radiating across her skin.

She had left Wang Ming behind to keep watch over the guard unit. On one hand, she feared that if she left, the guards might immediately stage an uprising. On the other, she had yet to pay Wang Ming for his services.

Before long, Gu Xi arrived at the front door of Fang Daqiang’s home. Given her current strength, there was no need for her to sneak in like a thief. A crowd of onlookers had instantly gathered at the entrance to watch the spectacle.

"Who exactly is this new 'Master Xi'? Where did she come from? Her combat prowess is terrifying," the group at the door whispered, discussing Gu Xi frantically.

"I don't know, and I wouldn't dare ask. You have to wonder, someone with such delicate, feminine features—how does she get others to call her 'Master'?"

"Exactly. Even I, a grown man, have never made anyone call me that."

"Do you think if she stays here, our lives will become even more miserable?"

"Unlikely, I don't see that she has many troops."

"That’s true. Even the guards don't seem to respect her; she only managed to tame one troublemaker."

"Alright, alright, don't speak so loudly. If she hears you, be careful you don't end up like the Fang family."

...

Gu Xi cocked her gun, chambering a round, and kicked the door to the Fang residence wide open. A man, not particularly imposing in stature, was huddled by the entrance, clutching his head and trembling violently. Moreover, a puddle of liquid had formed beneath where he was crouched.

It turned out that Fang Daqiang's brother had never left; he had been listening to the gossip of the neighbors and had already pieced together what was happening.

"Hero, please, spare me!" he pleaded, his voice trembling. His eyes darted toward Gu Xi. A wave of intense pressure surged toward him. Terrified by the murderous intent radiating from this woman, he let out even more fluid beneath him.

"Is this it? To be this cowardly—how dare you? Hmm?" Gu Xi pressed the chambered gun directly against his forehead.

Before he could offer any explanation, *bang, bang*—two shots rang out. The puddle on the floor and the blood merged instantly.

Gu Xi had originally assumed that whoever was capable of abducting Wang Yiyi must be someone formidable. Now, it seemed, they were nothing special. She had overestimated this world. Players who let power go to their heads the moment they gained the slightest ability—what was the difference between them and filth?

She had expected that she would only be able to find information on other players after reaching Taolin Town. To her surprise, not only had she dealt with one so easily, but the person on the other end of the phone call might also be flushed out, following the trail she had left behind.

After finishing off the Fang family, Gu Xi stepped deeper into the house. As she entered, a foul stench of rotting corpses assaulted her senses. The room was dimly lit.

The stench was so overpowering that Gu Xi could barely keep her eyes open. "Wang Yiyi, are you still alive?" Gu Xi asked.

There was no response. Her night vision was poor, so she knelt down and began to grope along the floor. She touched a sticky, cold corpse. It had been dead for a long time. She felt the arms and shoulders of the body to determine its build. It was quite robust—not the petite frame of Wang Yiyi.

She continued her search. Not far from the corner of the room, she touched a body that still held a trace of warmth. She traced her hands up to the head—a shaved scalp. It was Wang Yiyi. But there was no response. Was she dead?

Ignoring whether she had any wounds, Gu Xi quickly snapped the ropes and hoisted her onto her back.

The entrance was crowded with onlookers, but no one dared to make a sound. Gu Xi, carrying Wang Yiyi, had flames surging across her entire arm. The moment she stepped outside, she pointed her arm toward the Fang residence. Within seconds, the house was engulfed in roaring flames.

She had no desire to be a "bandit"; she simply found these people detestable.

As the onlookers saw Wang Yiyi, who was lying on the ground, gasping for air, and noticed she shared the same hairstyle as Gu Xi, they finally understood. She hadn't come to take over the place; she had come to save someone.

"Everyone, disperse. Someone strong, come help me carry her to the lord’s quarters."

"Wait," a voice in the crowd stopped her.

Everyone turned around, murmuring about who had the nerve to interrupt her. Gu Xi looked up fiercely. It was a woman with a kind face, dressed in tattered rags.

"If she has internal injuries, you cannot move her carelessly. It could cause her liver or gallbladder to rupture," the woman said. Despite her ragged clothes, there wasn't a single wrinkle on her face.

"It's just that widow. What does she know? Don't get us into trouble at a time like this!"

"Exactly, she's just pretending to be smart! Does she think she's a miracle doctor?"

...

The crowd spat at the woman. But Gu Xi, looking at Wang Yiyi, noted that there were indeed no visible wounds on her skin. This woman was impressive; she had correctly identified internal injuries.

Before Gu Xi could ask or the crowd could question further, the woman continued: "Don't worry, I'm not from this village. My father was a doctor in Taolin Town. I was taken in by my husband here long ago. I know a little medicine."

A doctor. Useful. She was worth keeping.

"Good. Come with me. And you lot, bring a few more men—ensure that when you lift her, her body isn't jostled!"

Gu Xi organized the task swiftly. The residents, who had just been whispering about the woman, fell silent instantly.

...

Before long, Wang Yiyi was brought inside.

"You know medicine. Help me check—is she unconscious, or has she stopped breathing?" Gu Xi asked. This was the most important point for her.

The woman stepped forward and performed a preliminary diagnosis. She pressed her ear against Wang Yiyi’s chest. There was a weak heartbeat. Furthermore, there was a faint breath from her nose. Her feet, however, were ice cold. It was likely that due to the extreme cold and days of torment, her body's energy was exhausted.

"I need some hot water."

"Quickly, hot water!" Gu Xi ordered.

"I also need some saline solution."

Gu Xi didn't have any saline. "Will plain salt work?" she asked, recalling that there was only ordinary salt in the warehouse.

"Yes, that will do." The woman remained remarkably calm.

Soon, the supplies were gathered. The woman began the rescue treatment for Wang Yiyi. As she worked, Wang Yiyi's body gradually began to warm up.

"Alright, let her rest for the night. Tomorrow morning, we'll feed her some sugar water, and she should be able to wake up," the woman said, standing up.

Gu Xi looked at her with appreciation. She hadn't expected that in a place as rotten to the core as this, such a doctor could exist. It was a miracle.

"What is your name? How did you survive in a place like this?" Gu Xi asked, curious.

"It was all thanks to Grandpa Ding. If he hadn't risked his life to secretly grow some vegetables and share them with me, I would have died long ago. Heh, you can just call me Yun'er," the woman replied humbly.