Chapter 5: Subtly Acting Tough Is The Most Effective
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
With the removal of the bandages, Xu Que’s body revealed to be smooth with only a layer of sticky ointment left on the surface of his skin.
"The condition of your injury is still severe and the physician advised that medication should not be stopped within a month. Why did you remove your medicinal bandages?"
Xiao Rou reprimanded from outside, but was afraid to come in.
Xu Que quickly grabbed hold of his patch-filled blanket from his bed and wrapped it around himself. He then coughed and said, "Xiao Rou, I’m fine, it’s only a superficial injury. Could you get me a set of clothes?’
Amidst the gloomy scene, Xiao Rou replied , "Hold on!"
Xiao Rou left and the sound of footsteps could be heard.
Xu Que grinned and sat back in his bed while waiting for his clothes. The pungent smell of the ointment on his body caused him to pucker his eyebrows in disgust.
He waited and waited. Ten minutes passed and Xiao Rou still wasn’t back.
Xu Que couldn’t wait anymore. Maybe Xiao Rou has called for men to catch me? Damn it, this could be a big misunderstanding.
He quickly wrapped his blanket tightly around himself and jumped off the bed, ran to the door and quietly pulled his door ajar.
Peering outside the house, he was indeed in a poor and small village. On the opposite end, he could see a few similarly broken down old houses. The streets were unpaved and filled with yellow, muddy sand, making the area dusty.
However, this environment offered another outlook on life. Although outdated and rural, one could live closer to nature. One could also carefreely live their remaining days in this peaceful place.
At the same time, the town was unexpectedly quiet and the streets were filled with no one.
Xu Que couldn’t care less about the beauty of the village. He hid behind the door and looked around for villagers but there was nobody.
"This is weird. I could hear movements outside a while ago. How did the village became deserted so shortly after Xiao Rou left?"
He started to frown, puzzling over the situation while getting ready to open the door to check things out.
Not too far off, the sound of concentrated footsteps could be heard. Clouds of sand dust could also be seen.
Several able-bodied villagers, armed with farming tools, were rushing towards the house Xu Que was in.
Xu Que opened his eyes wide in disbelief. Damn, she really called for the men to beat me up?
"Quick, we can’t let an animal hurt our village," a dark and strong man shouted out.
Xu Que was speechless. Fuckers calling me an animal? Are they looking for a fight?
"Bang!"
He kicked the door open, exposing his smooth and silky body covered partially with a torn blanket. What an improper situation.
He started cursing at them. The men then froze with astonished looks on their faces staring at Xu Que.
"Eh, little doll, why are you out of bed?"
"Yes, didn’t the physician say that your injuries were severe? Go lie down and leave matters to us, the few of us will definitely get that scoundrel out of the village."
"Yes, yes, yes. Quickly go rest and don’t catch a cold."
…
Xu Que was stumped and blankly reentered the house.
"Are you kidding? You guys are not here to beat me up? Damn it, I thought you all were rushing to beat me up."
Since they weren’t here to scold me, who was the "animal" they were talking about? And Xiao Rou still isn’t back. I’m in a difficult position right now.
At this moment, Xu Que asked shockingly , "Hold on, what happened. Where is Xiao Rou?"
The few men replied blanky, "What? Little doll, don’t you know what happened?"
"A ferocious beast came down from the mountains to hunt us villagers and got spotted by Xiao Rou who got everybody to help. The few of us were doing work and didn’t know until the Wang family servant came and told us. As a matter of fact, we were rushing to help out."
"Yes, yes, we have to go. Little doll, please hide in the house for the time being and let us handle that animal. Let’s all whip us a beastly feast tonight and have meat together."
The men finished then carried their hoes with high spirits before rushing out to the village entrance.
"Wild beast?"
Xu Que was stunned and stood still. He came into realization, scanned the house left and right and rushed towards a wooden wardrobe.
Amongst the mess of clothes, he pulled out a small, red cloth and wrapped the private area between his legs. He then donned on his blanket and scurried off to the village entrance.
He had decided to help without the knowledge of what kind of wild beast it is. Needing this many men’s help, it must be unnatural.
Furthermore, since Xiao Rou was there too, it is a must to go. He could also "act tough", if the situation allowed to earn some acting tough points.
Xu Que was so quick that the blanket he donned fluttered with the wind. The red cloth he wrapped around his lower body made him look like a beggar version of a superhero of some sort.
Swoosh!
In a split second, Xu Que overtook those villagers, flashing past them and giving them a scare.
"What the, how is this little doll running so quickly? He doesn’t even look like he is injured!"
"Could it be possible that he is that High Disciple from Martial Sect?
…
"Ding! Congratulations to host ‘Xu Que’ for successfully acting tough discreetly. The reward is five acting tough points."
The system beep sounded in his mind in his tracks, startling him momentarily.
The fuck? When did I act tough?
Xu Que was stunned for a moment then regained his composure. Discreetly acting tough? It turned out that I subconsciously acted tough in front of the few villagers! And the reward was so high. 5 acting tough points in a shot?
Looks like the old saying was right Discreet acting tough is the most effective.
...
Very quickly, past the small road, there was a crowd not too far off. Each and everyone gathered at the village entrance. Coming from them were sounds of anger mixed with roars.
The sounds of anger were from the people and the roars were seemingly from the wild beast.
Xu Que’s vision switched away from the crowd and in sight was a few able-bodied men and a wild beast.
The wild beast’s frame was gigantic, akin to the size of a black ox, looking very strong and ferocious. However, it had a tiger’s head. Its roar was accompanied by sharp fangs and it was utterly terrifying and overwhelming.
Despite it, the few men did not retreat holding the hoes while standing at the front of the crowd, confronting with the wild beast.
Xu Que witnessed all these and shouted, "Let go of that beast!"
Swish!
In a moment, everybody’s attention was on him.
Busy adjusting his blanket, Xu Que added, "Let me handle this!"
"Ah! Why are you here?", a shocked voice traveled from the crowd. It was Xiao Rou.
The rest of the villagers knew Xu Que too. With a change in tone, they exclaimed, "Kid, hurry back. If you move any closer, you will get hurt by the wild beast again."
"Right! You are injured. Hurry back!"
…
Before Xu Que’s acting tough was completed, everybody gathered and blocked his way. Xu Que urgently responded, "Fellow villagers and elders, I do not have time to explain. Please let me handle this wild beast."
However, the villagers did not understand and were determined to block his path, insistently disallowing him to walk into his own death.
An elderly, leaning against his walking stick then walked out from the crowd. He sincerely advised, "Little doll! We all know that you have a kind heart but with your tiny frame and your injury, how could you stand a chance against the wild beast? Be good and don’t force yourself. Look! The men are all already hurt by the wild beast."
Xu Que widened his eyes and proclaimed, "Everybody, I may look skinny! But I have fought and challenged hundreds of wild beasts before, ask Xiao Rou if you don’t believe."
"Ah?"
Xiao Rou was confused, didn’t you say dozens of wild beasts?
"Bang!"
Suddenly, sounds of agony could be heard.
Sand and dust filled the air at the village entrance. The countless gathered men flew and within the dust, hints of blood could be seen under the light.
The villagers in the midst of persuading Xu Que were shocked by the sound. Their face changed when they turned around.
Within the gradually subsiding sand dust, an enormous pitch-black figure emerged abruptly, roaring and dashing towards them!
"Roar!"
The roar sent an intimidating and terrifying atmosphere and everything seemed to momentarily come to a standstill.
Xiao Rou who was standing at the front of the crowd, turned white. Within her pupils, a pair of talons was increasingly becoming bigger...
A strong gust of wind swept the sand dust away, similar to a severe and harsh winter winds revealing the icy cold floor, about to rip Xiao Rou’s weak figure to shreds.
"Not good."
"Xiao Rou, escape!"
"Its over!"
The surrounding villagers cried out in alarm one after another as if they had already witnessed her impending bloody doom.
During this event of life and death, a body akin to lightning swiftly emerged from the crowd. He was wearing the "Red Underwear" and a wind-flowing "Cape", valiantly dashing in Xiao Rou’s direction.