Chapter 205
Tiffany was the last to step off the bus with the flat tires. She yawned lazily, seemingly unfazed by the commotion that had just occurred.
Zoe immediately approached her and said, “Tiffany, if you’re not feeling well, why not sleep a bit longer? Don’t worry. Ged and I will keep watch over you.”
During lunch at the farmhouse, Zoe had noticed that Tiffany seemed off. She was unusually sleepy and struggled to wake up. After some insistence, they borrowed a thermometer from the host family, and it turned out that Tiffany had a slight fever.
Just as they were about to head back, the bus had a flat tire. When the small vehicles arrived to pick them up, everyone rushed to get on, shoving each other aside as if they were competing for something, leaving no seats available. It was pretty frustrating.
Tiffany shook her head and said, “I’m fine.” As she walked to the front of the bus, her eyes flickered upon seeing several triangular spikes. It was not an accident; someone had done this on purpose.
It was unclear who the target was-either Tiffany or Kenneth. As Tiffany got up and looked through the bus’s windshield, she inadvertently spotted a group of over a dozen shadowy figures moving silently in the grass near the stone bridge.
At that very moment, an arrow shot through the air, aimed directly at her back.
Tiffany stumbled backward in time, and the arrow embedded itself with a loud clang into the bus’s metal, showcasing its terrifying penetrating power. The sudden turn of events startled everyone.
Before anyone could react, over a dozen figures suddenly sprang from the bushes, armed with weapons-some wielding daggers, others with bows and arrows. They quickly surrounded the group, leaving the four students terrified, their faces pale and trembling in fear.
Melody was equally frightened, but she had Kenneth standing in front of her. Similarly, Zoe and Ged quickly positioned themselves before Tiffany, ready to shield her from the imminent danger.
The scorching sun felt distant, as the mountain breeze swept through, overshadowed by a chilling sense of dread. The group of assailants stood expressionless, brandishing their cold, sharp daggers, their gaze scanning the girls present. One of them spoke up, “Who is Tiffany Kelley?”
It was clear that they were after her. Among the nine people present, only Tiffany, Melody, Zoe, and a girl named Arielle Solis were in the spotlight. The three boys exchanged fearful glances, their eyes wide with terror, yet none dared to step forward.
Kenneth frowned. Initially, he thought these people were after him, but to his surprise, they weren’t.
However, even so, he stepped forward. “Who are you? How dare you come here and cause trouble? Let me warn you, if you don’t want to cross the Harper family, you’d better leave now.”
He maintained a stern expression, exuding an aura of authority. It was the innate arrogance of the Harper family, a confidence that came from being born into privilege and power.
Zoe glanced at him in surprise. Despite being a bit of a jerk, he didn’t exhibit the cowardice of a petty person. In a moment like this, having the courage and boldness to stand up was far better than the other boys, who only shrank back in fear.
Ged shared the same sentiment. At least he had the guts to stand up. However, these assailants wouldn’t have come without a plan, meaning they were ready for whatever might unfold.
Upon hearing the threat, they sneered and scoffed, “Oh really? Then why doesn’t Mr. Harper call for help?”
All signals for help had been jammed. It turned out this was their doing as well. Kenneth’s expression darkened even further.
The group of assailants advanced step by step, their intentions clear. “Not going to speak up, huh? Fine, there are only four girls here. It is better to kill the wrong ones than to let any escape Go!” They surged forward without hesitation.
The first target was the nearest one, Zoe, With a resigned sigh, she said, “So you’ve figured it out? Fine, I am the one you’re looking for.” She openly admitted it, hoping to protect Tiffany in the process.
Tiffany’s expression shifted as she saw one of the assailants step forward, raising his dagger without hesitation to plunge it
into Zoe.
Protected behind her, Tiffany swiftly yanked Zoe back while delivering a powerful kick that sent the assailant flying, causing the dagger to clatter.
Tiffany’s expression was cold. Ignoring Zoc’s anxious tugging from behind, Tiffany casually stepped forward and said lazily, “I’m right here. How do you all want to meet your end?”
The assailants paused, their gazes lingering on her as they sized her up. Some even exchanged interesting remarks-“This girl’s the most beautiful. She must be the one, right?”
“Yeah, I’d say there’s a good chance it’s her.”
Hearing that their method of identifying people was simply based on looks, Tiffany couldn’t help but twitch her mouth. She thought, Were these people too confident in their abilities?’
In the blink of an eye, they made their move. Two of them rushed at her, launching a coordinated attack. They did have the skills to back up their arrogance.
As Tiffany engaged with her opponents, she felt an overwhelming pressure unlike anything before. They were undeniably skilled, but rather than intimidate her, it stirred her interest. She enjoyed facing opponents who were stronger than her.
Seeing Tiffany in danger, Ged picked up a large stone and rushed forward. However, Tiffa command, “Stand back! Everyone, leave!”
stopped him with a sharp
If the fight turned against her, she could always scatter the poison powder hidden on her, unleashing an indiscriminate attack. Ged charging in recklessly would only slow her down. But her two opponents quickly seized the opening in that brief moment of distraction.
One of their daggers swiftly sliced across her arm, leaving a deep cut. Blood began to flow freely.
Ged was worried, pacing anxiously and wishing he could slap himself twice for his inability to help. Not only was he useless, but he had also inadvertently caused Tiffany to get hurt. He felt like the biggest failure.
Ged’s eyes welled up with self-reproach. However, if the two-on-one situation continued without assistance, Tiffany wo
undoubtedly be disadvantaged.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
As he found himself in a bind, Kenneth casually said, “Get the others out of here; I’ll help.” With that, he jumped into the fray. However, he seemed to have forgotten just how uneven the odds were.
With Kenneth’s arrival, Tiffany felt some relief from the pressure, but seven or eight more assailants had yet to make their move. They aimed their bows and arrows at Zoe and the others, a sinister threat hanging in the air.
“Better back off, or these people will die right in front of you!” With this connection, they had turned into a vulnerability.
Tiffany would never allow her people to get hurt. Meanwhile, Kenneth, concerned for Melody’s safety, hesitated and ultimately decided to hold back. Both of them chose to surrender.
Seeing this, a few of the assailants were pleased. They approached Tiffany with their knives and asked again, “You are Tiffany Kelley, right?”
“Yes,” she replied without a-lunt of hesitation, confidently acknowledging her identity.
“That’s good.” The man in charge seemed to appreciate Tiffany’s straightforward nature. He added, “I’ll make it quick for you. Don’t worry; I’ll let these people go after you die.”
In such a situation, one would expect someone to plead for mercy or at least show fear and tremble in terror. But Tiffany looked up and laughed.
Then, without a hint of panic, she replied, “Sure.” Her bright eyes and radiant smile made her exquisitely beautiful. Those eyes seemed to hold a galaxy within them.
Clear as a spring and dazzlingly vast, no matter how beautiful the scenery was before her, it paled in comparison.
The assailant sighed with a hint of regret, saying, “What a pity.” Then he raised his hand, firmly gripping the dagger.