Chapter 20

The phrase "Go to hell" consists of only five characters. On the surface, it is a simple and straightforward command to die. Logically, when an ordinary person hears these five characters, they would likely think, "If you tell me to die, I'll die? Do you think you're someone special?"

However, the moment Huaihe heard these five characters, his expression changed dramatically, like a slideshow of various emotions. When all these expressions converged in a single instant, the most immediate feeling one got was—complexity! Although the phrase was simple and direct, even sounding a bit mindless, Huaihe could sense a full load of malice from it!

This malice was akin to searching for Wi-Fi on a phone, where a series of names quickly appear, but each Wi-Fi name is either "Search your dad!" or "Password? No way!"

After the malice, Huaihe could also sense a clear threat! This bastard was directly using his own mother to threaten him! In reality, this guy might not be unable to safely descend the mountain, and Huaihe might not be able to timely rescue his mother from Beijiao Village. In other words, this threat was not just empty words, but a real bite on Huaihe's weakest point.

Moreover, the calm and precise reasoning Xu Dong had shown earlier had already planted the thought in Huaihe's mind that "He might really do it."

After this rapid contemplation, Huaihe gave Xu Dong a deep look. The latter's expression was as calm as a rock in a storm, despite the hostile position they were in, a situation where it was either you or me. Yet, Huaihe could still sense a sense of "sincerity" from him.

His lips twitched, and he suddenly shouted loudly, "I can die, but you must save my mother!"

At this moment, the three were in a state of heightened tension, especially the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger, which had almost lost all patience. Its gaze towards Xu Dong was already filled with naked greed and savagery, as if a single leaf could ignite the situation like a bomb.

However, at this moment, Huaihe suddenly let out a loud roar, a roar that came from the peak of his complex emotions, almost to the point of being hoarse. This naturally ignited the situation! The yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger, sensing the malice, turned its head in the next second, and its four sturdy and flexible legs pushed off the ground simultaneously, lunging at Huaihe with terrifying agility.

Xu Dong only felt a gust of foul wind "whoosh" past him, followed by a blur of yellow and black, and a low, deadly roar in his ear. In the next moment, the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger had already pounced on Huaihe.

Huaihe, who had dealt with wild beasts many times, rolled on the ground as expected, rolling into a mess of grass and leaves. However, his quick reaction allowed him to narrowly avoid the tiger's pounce. Otherwise, this beast would have naturally bitten down on its target, and the saber teeth weren't just for show. Even two Huaihes stacked together could have their throats torn open.

After rolling away in a mess, Huaihe scrambled to his feet and fled into the forest to the left, in the opposite direction of Xu Dong. This showed how devoted Huaihe was to his mother, willing to risk his life!

The moment Huaihe shouted, Xu Dong had already rushed forward, grabbing the two divine power fruits and tucking them into his arms. With the treasure in hand, he immediately activated his "Small Quick Steps" skill, which had just cooled down, and fled north like a streak of smoke. Xu Dong was so decisive that he didn't waste a single second looking back, but ran with his head down.

It must be said that this miraculous默契 (mòqì,默契 means "understanding" or "rapport") between the two disrupted the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger's plan. The beast hesitated for a moment, then roared angrily and pursued Huaihe. Emotionally, Huaihe was a long-time enemy, and the accumulated grudges were about to explode. Logically, Huaihe was slower, and it wouldn't take much time to catch and kill him, after which it could still turn to chase Xu Dong.

Driven by this instinct, the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger pursued Huaihe relentlessly!

On the other side, Xu Dong was using all his strength, his legs moving like mechanical turbines, wishing he had an extra pair. During the battle with the strange dog, he had fled in defeat, hoping the trees were thicker. Now, he wished he could cut them down to avoid obstacles.

Ten seconds passed in a flash. After running about 150 meters, Xu Dong felt his legs weaken, and his speed slowed. He was annoyed and muttered a curse. He quickly took off his backpack, emptied a bamboo water container, and placed the two divine power fruits inside, fearing they might be damaged during his mad dash.

It must be admitted that these two fruits were like a deep vortex, easily drawing one's gaze and making it hard to look away. The divine power fruits, embodying the essence of heaven and earth, were so colorful and fragrant that they instantly triggered human instinct!

Xu Dong naturally felt a bit of impulse—why not take one now? He was confident he could eat it in two or three seconds. As he thought this, his heart raced, and he felt a sense of fear.

"If taking the divine power fruit were simple, Huaihe wouldn't be in this situation! It's likely that taking the divine power fruit is like swallowing a pill in a martial arts novel that can increase one's internal strength by sixty years, requiring careful and slow absorption of the power!"

With this thought, the impulse to take it immediately was quickly suppressed. Xu Dong continued his frantic run towards Huaihe. After running about 200 meters, a deafening roar came from a distance. Birds flew in all directions, and Xu Dong's face changed.

"Did Huaihe just die?" Xu Dong was drenched in cold sweat. "That guy is bold and meticulous, with extensive experience in the mountains. To be killed in just twenty to thirty seconds? This yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger must be faster than I thought!"

After the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger killed Huaihe in one pounce, it was unharmed. It immediately turned and followed the scent in the air, chasing after Xu Dong. With its large paws, it landed silently and could exert more force. Living in the mountains, its fur color and body structure were perfectly adapted, making it incredibly fast.

Each step of the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger covered nearly two to three meters. As it leaped, its powerful muscles, designed for hunting, moved fluidly, and every bone and tendon worked to their fullest. If Xu Dong had seen the king of the forest in action, he would have been in awe!

About three minutes later, Xu Dong could see the trace of a clear river flowing. This river, the Huaihe River, flowed from the main peak of Huaihe Mountain to the farmlands of Beijiao Village. The river was winding but had a gentle slope, making it safe to float downstream even for someone who couldn't swim.

Because of the river's advantages, it became Xu Dong's only hope for survival. However, just as he was about to reach it, a black and yellow-striped figure darted in front of him, blocking his path. The beast, having run intensely, was drenched in sweat, its fur sticking to its skin. It panted heavily, exuding a strong, foul smell, but it remained undaunted, like a boxer fully warmed up before a match, exuding a fierce and powerful aura.

Xu Dong's reaction was quick. As the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger appeared, he kicked a thick branch, sending it flying.

The yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger swatted the branch away with a paw, sending it flying into a tree, where it snapped with a crisp sound, revealing dry, yellow fibers inside.

Xu Dong knew he couldn't outrun this fierce beast. After so many battles, his resolve had become exceptionally strong. Since he couldn't escape, he decided to fight, knowing that in a narrow encounter, the brave would win!

As the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger swatted the branch away, Xu Dong charged forward in a football player's stance. The elbow, one of the hardest parts of the human body, is often used in combat techniques like Muay Thai. Xu Dong roared, using the momentum of his run to ram into the tiger's chest and strike its neck with his elbow.

The combined force was enough to shatter a five-centimeter-thick wooden board!

The collision was sudden, almost unexpected. A dull sound echoed from the point of contact. The tiger's massive body staggered due to the impact. However, Xu Dong also felt the beast's incredibly solid muscles, even in the usually soft and vulnerable neck area.

Xu Dong's elbow strike was met with a powerful counterforce!

He cursed inwardly, his face turning pale.

Sure enough, the counterforce pushed Xu Dong back, his upper body leaning backward, his hands instinctively spreading to maintain balance, leaving him wide open. The tiger's claws, if they slashed down, would likely result in a fatal wound.

At that moment, the yellow-striped saber-toothed tiger let out an agonizing roar and collapsed, rolling on the ground. Its long tail, stiff from pain, repeatedly hit the surrounding trees, making a slapping sound.

Xu Dong, who had fallen, quickly rolled to his feet and saw the tiger rolling on the ground. He noticed a bright red stain gradually spreading on the white fur of its lower abdomen. Upon closer inspection, Xu Dong realized what had happened and was shocked.

The tiger's lower body was a gruesome mess, with no sign of its reproductive organs, as if they had been viciously bitten and torn off!

No wonder the mighty king of the forest was in such agony. Even Xu Dong, just seeing the horrific wound, instinctively clamped his legs, feeling a sympathetic pain.

As the saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot." Xu Dong was about to finish the beast off when he noticed its yellow eyes and felt a chill.

"Fine, even if I don't kill you, you won't survive long." Xu Dong thought and ran towards the Huaihe River. He didn't want to stay in the mountains any longer and, on the other hand, knew that despite the tiger's severe injury, it wasn't out of danger. Choosing to leave by water was the best option.

Just as he was about to leave, the missing Fadao suddenly appeared, something bloody in its mouth. It dropped a bloody chunk of meat in front of Xu Dong, wagging its tail as if seeking praise.

Xu Dong looked down and was both amused and exasperated: "Damn, isn't this the tiger's vital part? So it was you, little guy, who did this!"

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**End of Chapter**