The Xia Nu was terrified; she never imagined that simply visiting a boot shop would bring such calamity upon herself.

The reason was simply because she was a Fox Woman.

In recent years, Fox Women had become hot commodities, rarely seen in the streets. So whenever Xia Nu went out, she was always scrutinized from head to toe—but this was the first time someone actually dared to lay hands on her.

Her companion Lin Xin’Er wasn’t spared either. With her looks and figure, she didn’t need words; she was considered top-tier goods in the brokerage before. So when Lin Xin’Er tried to help Xia Nu, her veil was deliberately or inadvertently pulled off, and she was the first to have someone cover her mouth and drag her away.

Xia Nu would have suffered the same fate as Lin Xin’Er, but unlike her, Xia Nu carried a dagger given by her master for protection. Xia Nu wasn’t skilled in fighting, but in a moment of desperation, she pressed the dagger against her neck, determined not to let them take her—even if it meant death. That deadlock lasted until Hu Tian and Xiaoma arrived.

When Hu Tian and Xiaoma showed up, they barely got out three sentences before being beaten. The thugs didn’t care at all about Hu Tian’s cries of "We belong to Shen Zongqi’s household." They laughed as if hearing a joke. They even took advantage of Xia Nu’s distraction while she tried to help Hu Tian, snatching the dagger from her and marching off triumphantly with Xia Nu, as if celebrating a successful hunt.

This scene brought back memories for Xia Nu of when she was abducted from her tribe by a slave caravan.

But Xia Nu didn’t cry. She knew that tears would only please her captors. She stared coldly at their laughing faces, memorizing every one of them. When her master arrived, these men would pay the price.

Xia Nu had faith in her master.

From the boot shop to being dragged away, the kidnappers didn’t bother hiding or leaving the city; they brazenly went right into an inn. Xia Nu recognized the place—it was Li City’s best, called Fushun Inn.

What were these people planning? Why abduct them and not flee?

When Xia Nu was thrown into the guest room, she saw Lin Xin’Er.

Lin Xin’Er’s pretty face was flushed; she lay twisting on the bed, as if discomforted or itching—her behavior unusually strange.

She overheard a villain saying, "The drug works well, just wait a bit and she’ll be ready. Guarantee a fierce woman will turn songstress." And, "Lucky day, went out and got two virgins."

Xia Nu wasn’t some clueless fool; she’d learned plenty about men and women at the brokerage, and she knew what her and Lin Xin’Er’s abductors planned, making her even more anxious.

Because now Xia Nu belonged to her master; if someone else touched her, the brokerage would call it "tainted." Tainted goods would be thrown away!

"Little Fox Girl, don’t be afraid, I’ll make you feel real good. I’ll take care of the ripe one on the bed first, then you, and then all three of us together—guaranteed you’ll never forget it. Heh heh."

"My master is the Black Banner Camp Commander—you lay a finger on me, you’re dead!" Xia Nu was nothing like her usual gentle self—she was a wild cat bristling, baring her teeth.

But this fierce act didn’t scare her captor at all.

"Oh? The Flag Officer is so impressive? I’m not stealing you, just borrowing you for a bit. When I’m done, I’ll return you—isn’t it simple? Just a slave; will your master really get uppity with me? What a joke!"

Having said that, he couldn’t hold back anymore and began stripping off his clothes.

Xia Nu tried to jump out the window, but the villain did something to her; with a slap, her strength disappeared, leaving her limp on the floor, forced to watch as he walked towards Lin Xin’Er on the bed.

Master! Please, come save me!

Xia Nu screamed in her mind.

"Bang bang bang!"

The sudden knocking broke the eerie atmosphere in the guest room, giving Xia Nu’s near hopeless heart a flicker of hope.

But it also made the young man about to enjoy his "feast" rage with fury.

"Are you looking for death?!"

"Young Master Wen, the inn is surrounded. Lots of Black Banner Battalion men—they’re driving out all guests. They must be here for us."

"Black Banner Battalion? What’s there to fear? Show them our family crest, stall them for an hour. Wait until the young master is satisfied, then deal with it."

"Yes."

The person outside left, but the ruckus outside couldn’t be suppressed. Xia Nu could clearly hear the previous man talking to someone, repeatedly mentioning "White Deer Mountain Wen Family," saying Young Master Wen was resting inside and not to disturb him.

But it seemed the Wen Family name wasn’t working tonight. The uproar never stopped—instead, it quickly turned into shouts and curses, then muffled banging, finally ending with screams.

"Bang!"

Less than ten breaths after the previous messenger left, before Young Master Wen could even pull down his pants, the door was struck open by a crashing figure. Splintered wood scattered everywhere. A man in a blue Warrior Robe lay twitching on the floor, a dozen feathered arrows sticking out of him.

"Breaking Arrows?!"

Young Master Wen clearly knew his stuff; he recognized the arrows in the guard at a glance, rage burning but too scared to move. He looked up and saw eight crossbows, cocked and aimed at him outside the broken door.

Young Master Wen wasn’t afraid of one or two Breaking Arrows, but eight aimed at him in this cramped room meant he’d almost certainly be hit. If he was shot multiple times by Breaking Arrows, he’d be finished. Like the guard twitching on the ground—even if rescued, his cultivation would likely collapse.

"Do you know who I am? Daring to aim crossbows at me?!"

Thwip!

The answer: a feathered arrow zipped past Young Master Wen’s furious face and thudded into the wall behind him.

"Get down on the floor! Hands and feet spread, pressed tight against the ground! Any funny moves and we’ll turn you into a pincushion!"

Young Master Wen had no idea this particular command from the Black Banner Battalion warriors was borrowed by Shen Hao from another world, designed to intimidate targets suppressed by Breaking Arrows. Of course, there were exceptions—if the target knew the Earth Escape Skill, for example, there’d be no choice but to shoot them or let them escape.

Even the Breaking Arrows were only equipped after Shen Hao broke open the series of missing cases and specifically requested approval from Jiang Cheng and Chen Yiyun, and a special order was issued by the Thousand Households Station, so Tang Qingyuan dared send them to the Black Banner Battalion.

Young Master Wen’s face turned ashen. He never expected they’d threaten him with arrows, especially after his guard had pointed out his identity. Were these people insane? How dare they?!

But with arrows aimed right at him, would they really turn him into a pincushion if he refused?

He grit his teeth and complied, but inside he swore he would make them pay. Dare to offend the Wen Family? You know how to spell ’death’?

As soon as Young Master Wen lay down, two Xuanqing Guards rushed in, using Spirit Suppressing Talismans and board locks to bind him up securely. Only then did Shen Hao, grim-faced and clutching his blade’s hilt, walk in from outside.