Chapter 197 : Anger

“This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍body is quite nice.”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍little girl licked the still-dripping bamboo basket, while her other claw shot straight toward Lilia’s throat without the slightest courtesy.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍movement was fast.

If ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it had been Lilia from ten minutes ago, she would’ve already pushed her Shadow Step to the limit, sparks flying, and rolled away as far as possible while carrying Bulara.

After ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all, in Lilia’s life philosophy, the words “face it head-on” had never existed. Lying low was the kingly path—only by staying alive could she deal damage.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍now, it was different.

Completely different.

Lilia stood there, unmoving.

As she watched that claw getting closer and closer, what flashed through her mind wasn’t how to dodge, but all the ridiculous crap she had gone through along the way.

First, she had been force-fed some strange seed by that black-hearted boss Hera, turning her into a tireless perpetual motion machine with not even an excuse to slack off.

Then she had been kicked out of a warm bed and sent on a business trip to this godforsaken, freezing northern wasteland, even having to pay her own travel expenses.

Finally, she got a coworker—only for it to be a two-faced doll that was only enthusiastic about eating and played dead whenever something happened.

Even the donkeys in a production team wouldn’t be driven this hard!

All that pent-up frustration was already swelling in her chest, on the verge of exploding.

She had originally wanted to find a place to rest, but even a broken carriage had to make things difficult for her, and now this creepy brat jumped out, opening her mouth to talk about eating flesh and closing it to talk about skinning people.

Eat eat eat!

All you know is eating!

Am I some sacred monk’s flesh that everyone wants a bite of?!

Taking me for a soft persimmon to squeeze over and over, huh?!

Lilia swung her arm in a full arc and threw a punch!

“Shut up for me…!!!”

Bang!!!

The arrogant, ferocious expression on the little girl’s face instantly froze, then under an irresistible force, her features began to twist and shift.

Her proud claw didn’t even get the chance to touch Lilia’s collar.

Her entire body shot backward like a baseball hit by a home run, whooshing away.

So fast it left an afterimage.

Amid the howling wind, there even seemed to be a half-formed “Huh?” that never got spoken.

Boom!

Over ten meters away.

A massive dead Corpse-Faced Locust tree, requiring three people to encircle it, suffered a blow it could not bear in its lifetime.

Wood chips flew, black sap splattered everywhere.

The entire tree shook violently, and several skulls hanging from its branches clattered down to the ground.

And that little Red Riding Hood who had been so arrogant just now was now embedded perfectly into the trunk in a spread-eagle position.

The blood-dripping bamboo basket fell to the ground, rolled twice, and spilled chunks of viscera everywhere.

Deathly silence.

Even the two skeletal horses nearby, which had been gnawing on bones, stopped chewing. The ghostly flames in their eye sockets flickered twice, and they quietly shuffled a couple of steps away, seemingly trying to reduce their presence.

Lilia maintained her punching posture, faint wisps of white smoke rising from her right fist.

Refreshing!

So refreshing!

Throwing that punch felt more satisfying than chugging an ice-cold soda on a scorching day. The suffocating frustration in her chest dissipated by more than half in an instant.

As expected, the best way to eliminate fear and anger was physical purification.

“Phew…”

Lilia withdrew her fist and shook her wrist.

She hadn’t held back just now—her knuckles felt a bit numb.

She turned her head to glance at Bulara, who had been tossed onto the ground.

The doll still maintained that shameless, dead-pig-not-afraid-of-boiling-water expression, lying flat on her back without even lifting her eyelids.

Irritated, Lilia kicked her once, then stepped forward. Her leather boots crunched against the rotting leaves as she walked toward the big tree.

On the trunk—

Little Red Riding Hood was completely stunned.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What just happened?

She only remembered that before she could even taste that woman, a fist the size of a sandbag suddenly filled her vision, and then the world started spinning. Her head buzzed like hundreds of flies were throwing a party inside it.

Her face burned with pain. Her nose bridge felt broken, and two streams of nosebleed were flowing down, smearing her once fair and adorable face into a mess like a palette.

This script isn’t right!

In the past, every human who wandered in here would be scared out of their wits by her, then obediently become her meal.

Why wasn’t this woman following the script?

And that strength… it was like an ancient tyrannosaur wearing human skin!

Footsteps stopped beneath the tree.

Little Red Riding Hood struggled to open one eye, swollen like a bun.

That silver-haired woman stood below, arms crossed, looking down at her from above.

The blood moon behind her cast a strange crimson glow over her, and in those scarlet eyes, there wasn’t a trace of warmth—only a cold indifference, as if looking at trash.

“Um…”

Little Red Riding Hood’s lips trembled. She realized one of her proud little fangs had been knocked out, making her speech leak air, “Th-this big sis…”

“Who’s your big sister?”

Lilia sneered and raised her hand, grabbing one of Little Red Riding Hood’s legs.

Just like pulling out a radish—

“Get down here!”

Crack.

Along with the sound of bark tearing, Little Red Riding Hood was forcibly yanked out of the trunk and then thrown onto the ground like a broken sack.

“Cough cough cough…”

Clutching her chest, Little Red Riding Hood coughed violently. That fall had left her completely disoriented.

Before she could recover, a foot clad in a black boot stepped onto her chest.

The force wasn’t heavy, but the humiliation was immense.

“Weren’t you pretty arrogant just now?”

Lilia bent down, resting her elbow on her knee. That breathtakingly beautiful face now looked more terrifying than an Abyss Demon God in Little Red Riding Hood’s eyes.

“Still want to eat hard bones?”

Lilia reached out and patted the swollen, pig-like face. “Come on, open your mouth. Let me see just how good your teeth are—can you chew through my shoe sole?”

“Wuuuu…”

Little Red Riding Hood finally broke down.

That evil villain aura vanished completely, replaced by the fear of a naughty child who had just been brutally disciplined.

She clutched her head with both hands, curling into a ball, tears mixing with nosebleed and smearing her face into a mess.