Chapter 297: The Tigerfolk (part 3)

Nina pretended to fall asleep, while Wu Qingsong remained seated by the campfire, facing the direction where the tigerfolk was hiding. Meanwhile, Nina silently crept toward the tigerfolk under the cover of darkness.

Wu Qingsong wasn’t worried. The tigerfolk might have decent combat skills, but as the renowned Daughter of the Moon, Nina was a formidable warrior even without being fully awakened—more than capable of handling most foes.

He casually added wood to the fire, patiently waiting for Nina to subdue the tigerfolk and bring him back.

Wu Qingsong couldn’t understand the tigerfolk’s behavior, but he was eager to uncover the reason behind it.

A sudden crackle from the fire broke the silence—a spark from the damp wood. Bored, Wu Qingsong let his thoughts drift back to the images the Flame Demon Lord had transmitted about awakening the potential of the beetlefolk warriors.

Once again, he failed to grasp their meaning.

Although they had safely reached the surface, making the Flame Demon Lord’s shared knowledge seem more reliable, Wu Qingsong was frustrated by his inability to decode the images. The physiological and cultural differences between the insectoids, beastfolk, and himself, a visitor from another world, made most of the visuals incomprehensible. A few images seemed vaguely decipherable, but the majority resembled abstract or surrealist artwork to his eyes.

This was the extent of his understanding for now.

The Flame Demon Lord wouldn’t have taught him directly, and even if it had, Wu Qingsong wouldn’t dare take the risk.

Perhaps, he thought, it might be worth learning to draw after returning home. By reproducing these images, he could seek help from others to interpret their meaning.

Just as he was lost in thought, a roar shattered the night. Two figures darted through the darkness, and Wu Qingsong immediately stood.

Nina had failed?

A burst of golden light erupted, followed by Nina’s sharp cry. It sounded like she had taken a hit. Dropping everything, Wu Qingsong dashed toward the commotion.

The short distance meant the clash unfolded within seconds. Nina’s shoulder was drenched in blood, and one of her arms hung limp at her side. Alarmed and furious, Wu Qingsong unleashed a barrage of soul fragments toward the golden light and rushed to awaken Nina’s potential.

The golden light surrounding the tigerfolk resembled Nina’s Silvermoon Light. The soul fragments struck but had no effect, failing to even slow the tigerman. As Wu Qingsong placed his hand on Nina’s chest to awaken her potential, a gust of wind roared toward him—a lethal strike aimed at his neck.

Silvermoon Light flared, colliding with the golden aura in a dazzling explosion. The resulting shockwave threw Wu Qingsong to the side.

Though unarmed, Nina had honed her Silvermoon Light techniques in her many battles against insectoids. Using her hand like a blade, she slashed out a crescent of light that forced the tigerfolk back. Without hesitation, she pressed a healing orb against her injured shoulder, quickly mending the damage.

But the tigerfolk attacked again, relentless.

His golden aura didn’t have the versatility of Nina’s Silvermoon Light—it lacked its healing, offensive, and purifying capabilities. However, its singular focus made it explosively powerful. The spear in his hand glowed brilliantly. Every strike surged forward with overwhelming ferocity.

Nina skillfully evaded his attacks. The tigerfolk’s thrusts, slashes, and sweeps flowed seamlessly, but none managed to land. Instead, she gradually widened the distance between them.

The golden aura surrounding the tigerfolk began to flicker. Seizing the moment, he suddenly turned and lunged at Wu Qingsong, striking him with the spear’s shaft and knocking him to the ground. As Nina instinctively rushed forward, the tigerfolk stomped on Wu Qingsong’s chest and pointed his spear at his throat.

“Stop, or I’ll kill him!” he growled.

Nina froze, while Wu Qingsong sighed lightly.

“Nina, using energy projection without a weapon is too draining—it’s not worth it,” he said calmly. “This guy isn’t as fast as you and looks like he’s running out of stamina. Just wear him down.”

“I’m worried the town guards might show up,” Nina replied.

“In this pitch black? I doubt they’ll risk it,” Wu Qingsong said.

“Shut up!” the tigerman roared, slamming his foot down on Wu Qingsong again.

The pain wasn’t as intense as expected. It seemed the tigerfolk wasn’t aiming to kill but to inflict enough pain to demoralize Nina or bait her into fighting. However, the lack of killing intent meant the blow barely fazed Wu Qingsong, who was long accustomed to pain.

“This guy’s almost done for,” Wu Qingsong muttered.

The tigerfolk’s breathing grew heavier. He glared at Nina, who was looking for an opening, and then at Wu Qingsong, whose expression was unsettlingly calm, even amused. Enraged, the tigerfolk abruptly drove his spear downward.

“Oh, come on!” Wu Qingsong yelped as the spear forced his neck back, slamming his head into the ground with enough force to leave a dent. 

At that moment, Nina lunged, tackling the tigerman and knocking him off Wu Qingsong.

The spear flew from his hands as the golden and silver auras clashed. The tigerfolk roared, his claws gripping Nina as he lunged to bite her neck. But she kneed him hard in the groin, eliciting a muffled groan, then grabbed him and slammed him into the ground.

Wu Qingsong winced as he heard something crack. A strange sense of satisfaction washed over him.

Nina didn’t relent, following up with a crushing elbow to the tigerfolk’s back. His golden aura flickered one last time before vanishing completely.

“Is he dead?” Wu Qingsong asked.

Nina turned the tigerfolk over. “No, just unconscious.”

“Good.” Wu Qingsong sighed. “Let’s get out of here.”

A few miles away, they found a cave and evicted its occupant—a large bear.

The animal had barely begun to growl before Nina punched it, leaving it dazed and fleeing without hesitation.

“Smart choice,” Wu Qingsong muttered, though he regretted losing a potential meal and a valuable pelt.

The cave reeked, but for two people who had spent months in insectoid tunnels, it hardly mattered. Wu Qingsong checked the tigerfolk, finding him barely alive.

“This guy’s injuries aren’t all new,” he said, noting numerous older wounds, many near vital areas. 

Even without Nina’s attack, this tigerfolk likely wouldn’t have lived much longer.

Nina pressed a healing orb of Silvermoon Light into his body, and the tigerfolk jolted awake moments later.

“Argh—!” he roared, his face twisting in fury as he saw Nina and Wu Qingsong. His body tensed, ready to fight again.

“Calm down,” Wu Qingsong said, stepping back and letting Nina take the lead. “If we wanted you dead, we wouldn’t have brought you here and healed you.”

“Who are you?” the tigerman growled.

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Wu Qingsong shook his head. “Sertans, who exactly are you, and why were you following us?”