Fortune Across the World

Chapter 9: Into the Deep Forest, Saving the Fair Maiden (Part 2)

Ding Qiyu was captivated by the beauty of the woman who emerged from the carriage. Clad in a light purple gauze dress, her figure was delicate and graceful. Her long black hair, elegantly pinned with a flowing cloud hairpin, cascaded down her back. Her fair and flawless face, lightly adorned with makeup, highlighted her exquisite features. Her eyes shone brightly, her skin was as smooth as jade, and her lips were full and rosy. She was truly a stunning beauty.

Momentarily lost in her thoughts, Ding Qiyu marveled at how the kind of enchanting beauty described in books indeed existed. It made her wonder if somewhere in this new world, a similarly beautiful maiden might be dreaming of meeting her. This thought brought a smile to her face.

The bandit, startled by the woman's sudden appearance, stepped back in surprise. Once he regained his composure, he leered at her, resting his knife on his shoulder and rubbing his chin. "Well, well, hiding a beauty, no wonder you wouldn't let us on the carriage! Looks like today’s our lucky day!" His sleazy remark snapped Ding Qiyu out of her reverie. She couldn't bear to see such a beautiful lady in danger and decided she had to help.

The woman in purple frowned deeply, her eyes showing disgust. Just as she was about to speak, a maidservant rushed out from the carriage, placing herself protectively in front of the lady and glaring at the bandits. "What do you want? If you value your lives, you should back off! Do you know who our lady is?" Though her words and demeanor were brave, the cold sweat on her forehead betrayed her nerves.

Assessing the situation, Ding Qiyu realized the odds were in her favor. The bandits were unaware of her presence, and she had confidence in her ability to help. She carefully swapped the pellets in her mini crossbow for the more powerful short arrows. With three arrows loaded, she estimated the distance to the bandits standing with their backs to her.

"Another beauty, even the maid is pretty! I don’t care who your lady is, but why not tell me while we're having fun?" the bandit sneered, prompting laughter from his companions. They were notorious thugs from Liu Village, known for their petty crimes and robberies. Desperate for money, they decided to try their luck on the forest road, stumbling upon a profitable target. Not only were their victims wealthy, but they had also never encountered such beautiful women before. Tempted by lust and greed, they didn’t care who their victims were, as this score would allow them to escape their miserable lives.

"You scoundrel, touch my sister, and you'll regret it!" the young master, clutching his stomach, struggled to stand and protect them. "I am the son of a general. Take another step, and I promise you won't leave here alive!"

From her hiding place, Ding Qiyu aimed her crossbow at one of the two bandits standing close together. Confident she could take them down unnoticed, she steadied her grip, suppressing her nerves.

"Shut up! Everyone knows the general’s son is a real tough guy, and you’re as weak as a woman. Don’t pretend to be Young General Lu!" the bandit scoffed, determined to get to the beauty, and moved to push the young master aside.

The young master was indeed frail and stumbled under the shove but immediately clung to the bandit, determined to protect his sister. "You dare underestimate me! Today—"

Before he could finish, the bandit raised his knife handle to strike the young master’s head. At that moment, simultaneous cries of alarm echoed as the young master was knocked out, and one of the bandits suddenly collapsed.

Ding Qiyu had fired her arrow, striking the back of one bandit’s knee. As he went down, she quickly adjusted her aim and fired again. The second arrow, less precise, hit the side of the other bandit’s rear as he turned, causing him to scream in pain.

In the blink of an eye, the two rear bandits were incapacitated, their weapons discarded. One clutched his leg, howling, while the other sobbed in agony, holding his backside.