Surviving In Another World With My Three Cups!-Chapter 175 -

Hours passed as the women spread through the forest, bows and arrows in hand. Birds scattered at the sound of footsteps, and fallen leaves rustled beneath light boots.

Chu Ming, however, was not having a good time.

"Ouch! Again?!" she yelled as she tripped over a tree root and fell forward, landing face-first in the dirt.

A nearby maid pretended not to laugh.

Chu Ming jumped up, furious. "This forest is cursed! Who puts a tree root there?!"

She took one step forward and tripped again.

Yan Mei almost choked on her own laughter from behind a tree. "Is she... serious?"

Lin Xu shook her head. "Just ignore her. Focus."

Meanwhile, San Na moved silently through the trees like a trained hunter. Her bow rose and fell smoothly.

Thunk.

Arrow shot.

Rabbit down.

Moments later—

Thunk.

Another rabbit.

By the time the sun shifted higher, San Na carried six rabbits tied neatly to a rope at her waist.

Yan Mei whistled. "Wow. Remind me never to annoy her."

San Na didn’t even look back. "Then don’t."

Lin Xu smiled faintly and continued forward. Her steps were light, steady, confident. When she spotted movement in the bushes, she paused.

Her hand lifted.

She breathed out slowly—

Thunk.

Rabbit.

Then later, she came across a small wild goat grazing quietly in a clearing. Lin Xu narrowed her eyes, adjusted her bow, and released.

The goat fell instantly.

Yan Mei blinked. "You... you really caught a goat."

Lin Xu shrugged lightly. "Meat is meat."

Far behind them...

THUD—!!

Chu Ming fell again, face-down.

"WHO PUT THIS ROCK HERE?!"

No one answered. The forest only echoed her outrage.

Her dress was muddy. Her hair was messy. And she had not caught a single thing.

"Fine!" she shouted. "Just wait. You’ll all see. I’ll still win somehow!"

But even the birds flew away from her voice.

Back on the main trail, Lin Xu and Yan Mei continued walking side-by-side, relaxed and calm, bows resting at their sides. San Na walked ahead of them silently, efficient and collected.

Three women.

Three very different moods.

And somewhere in the shadows...

Chu Ming’s anger kept growing.

And so did her plans.

---

The sky was turning dark when a loud horn echoed through the forest.

Boooo—ooo—ooo—

Yan Mei looked up. "That’s the signal. The hunt is over. We should head back."

Chu Ming let out a relieved sigh. "Finally. I thought I would die here."

Lin Xu smiled a little. "Let’s go."

But just as they turned to leave, San Na stopped walking. Her sharp eyes caught movement in the bushes ahead.

"...a small goat," she murmured.

Without another word, she lifted her bow, stepped away from them, and followed the sound deeper into the trees.

Yan Mei didn’t notice at first as she and Lin Xu began heading back. They walked a while before Chu Ming waved lazily and disappeared toward the path leading to camp.

Then Lin Xu slowed down.

"...Wait."

Yan Mei blinked. "What’s wrong?"

Lin Xu looked around carefully. "Where’s San Na?"

Yan Mei froze. "She was behind us... wasn’t she?"

Silence.

Only the wind moved through the leaves.

Yan Mei’s voice started shaking. "Lin Xu... she’s gone. I don’t see her."

Lin Xu’s expression tightened. "She must have gone deeper into the forest."

Yan Mei grabbed her sleeve. "But it’s getting dark! What if something happens?!"

Lin Xu took a breath, steadying herself. "Calm down. Listen to me."

Yan Mei swallowed hard. "Okay..."

"You go back first," Lin Xu said firmly. "If San Na and I don’t return soon, tell the guards. Ask for help."

Yan Mei hesitated. "But—what about you?"

"I’ll find her." Lin Xu’s eyes were steady. "San Na may be strong, but the forest isn’t safe at night."

Yan Mei bit her lip, clearly torn. "...Alright. But promise me you’ll be careful."

"I will," Lin Xu nodded.

Yan Mei turned and ran toward the path.

Lin Xu watched until she disappeared...

—then she turned toward the darkening trees.

"...San Na," she whispered.

And stepped into the shadows alone.

"San Na!" Lin Xu called as she walked through the trees.

"San Na, where are you?"

Only the wind answered.

Then she heard it a soft, shaky whimper.

"...ah..."

Lin Xu froze.

"That sound..."

She followed it carefully.

Behind a bush, she finally saw her.

"San Na!"

San Na was on the ground, holding her leg. Her face was pale with pain.

Lin Xu ran to her.

"What happened?! Are you hurt?"

"Don’t touch me," San Na snapped, pushing Lin Xu’s hands away.

"I don’t need your help."

Lin Xu frowned.

"Stop being stubborn. Your leg is bleeding."

"I said I don’t need you!" San Na shouted again, breath shaking.

Lin Xu sighed, annoyed.

"Fine, be angry later. Right now we stop the bleeding."

Just then—

THUD

Something struck Lin Xu hard on the back.

"Hiss—!" she gasped, pain shooting through her.

She turned sharply.

Chu Ming stood there with several maids behind her.

San Na stared.

"Chu Ming?!"

Lin Xu frowned.

"...Why did you hit me?"

Chu Ming smiled softly. Too softly.

"Oh? Did it hurt?" she said sweetly.

"I was only testing something."

Lin Xu’s eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here?"

Chu Ming tilted her head.

"Isn’t it obvious? I came to see the view."

San Na glared.

"Why are your maids holding weapons?"

The maids smirked.

Chu Ming clasped her hands together like an innocent girl.

"You both should be careful. Wild beasts... accidents... so common in the forest."

Lin Xu’s voice turned cold.

"So you followed us."

"Yes," Chu Ming said calmly.

"And?"

San Na tried to sit up.

"Did you... do something to my leg?"

Chu Ming gave a light laugh.

"You stepped where you shouldn’t have stepped. That’s all."

Lin Xu slowly moved in front of San Na.

"So," she said quietly,

"what do you want?"

Chu Ming smiled wider.

"Nothing much."

She raised her hand.

"Just... for the two of you not to return tonight."

The maids stepped forward.

San Na whispered,

"...Lin Xu."

Lin Xu’s jaw tightened.

"Stay behind me."

Her eyes never left Chu Ming.

And the forest grew darker.

Lin Xu glared at Chu Ming.

"What is the meaning of this?" she said coldly.

"Why did you hurt San Na?"

Chu Ming laughed.

"Hurt her? Oh, Lady Lin... she did that herself. I only helped a little."

San Na clenched her teeth.

"So it was you."

Chu Ming’s eyes turned sharp.

"I hate you both," she said softly.

"You San Na always acting so perfect. And you Lin Xu stealing everything that should have been mine."

Lin Xu frowned.

"I stole nothing from you."

Chu Ming scoffed.

"You stole Mo Ying’s attention. You stole respect. And now even the Crown Prince favors you."

Her smile twisted.

"Women like you... disgust me."

San Na narrowed her eyes.

"You’re insane."

Chu Ming chuckled.

"Maybe."

Lin Xu stepped forward slightly.

"What do you plan to do?"

Chu Ming turned to her maids.

"Take them," she said calmly.

"Throw them into the snake pit."

San Na stiffened.

"Snake... what?"

Chu Ming smiled sweetly.

"One thing Yan Mountain is famous for..."

Her voice was light.

"...is its poisonous snakes."

The maids moved closer.

Lin Xu’s eyes darkened.

"You won’t get away with this."

Chu Ming tilted her head.

"Who will know?" she whispered.

"Two women lost in the forest.

A simple... tragic accident."

San Na gritted her teeth.

"You coward."

Chu Ming only smiled wider.

"Goodbye, Lady Lin."

Back at the camp, the sky was already dark.

Yan Mei kept looking toward the forest.

"...They still haven’t come out," she whispered.

Then the horns sounded the signal that the hunt was over.

The men rode back in groups.

Mo Ying jumped down from his horse, dust on his armor.

Yan Mei rushed toward him, panicked.

"General Mo!"

He turned quickly.

"What is it?"

Yan Mei struggled to breathe.

"Lin Xu... she— she hasn’t come back yet. And San Na too. I waited. They didn’t return..."

Mo Ying’s expression changed at once.

"What?" his voice dropped, sharp.

Fuhan walked over.

"What’s wrong?"

Mo Ying looked straight at Yan Mei.

"When did you last see her?"

"Before sunset," Yan Mei said quickly.

"She went to look for San Na. San Na disappeared, so Lin Xu went after her. I... I waited. I thought they would return but—"

Her voice shook.

"They didn’t."

Mo Ying’s hands clenched.

"Why didn’t anyone report this earlier?" he snapped.

Yan Mei bit her lip.

"She said... if they still weren’t back after dark... then I should tell someone. It’s dark now."

Fuhan frowned.

"That means they have been inside for hours."

Mo Ying didn’t wait.

"Call the Crown Prince," he said coldly.

"And bring torches."

Yan Mei swallowed.

"General... nothing will happen to her... right?"

Mo Ying’s jaw tightened.

"...She will be fine."

But his eyes were filled with fear.

Immediately he rode his horses, together with the crown prince and fuhan accompanied by other men, they all matched towards the forest to rescue them both.

"Hang on Lin Xu, hang on.."