After washing the dishes, Hu Jiao Jiao entered the room and saw Long Zhong rushing out with his head down.

She reached out and pressed down on his head. “Who are you planning to kill now? Stay home. I’ll take care of avenging Ling’er.”

Long Zhong had been walking for a while but realized he was still in the same place. He held his head and stepped back, glaring at Hu Jiao Jiao in frustration.

“And how do you plan to avenge Ling’er?”

She was so weak that going to Lu Li’s house would likely result in her getting beaten up instantly.

Seeing the doubt written all over Long Zhong’s face, Hu Jiao Jiao pouted, flicked his forehead, and pretended to be angry. “This is an adult’s business. You little ones don’t need to worry. Stay home and wait for your mother.”

Afterward, she instructed the other children to stay home and take care of Long Ling’er before heading to the Tribe Leader’s house alone.

Long Zhong rubbed his forehead, his face turning red, and waved his fists at Hu Jiao Jiao’s retreating figure. “How dare you flick my forehead…”

Sickly Long Ling’er saw this scene and couldn’t help but smile.

Seeing Long Ling’er smile, the other children finally felt relieved.

Last night, when Hu Jiao Jiao returned carrying an unconscious Long Ling’er, several beastmen had seen it despite the darkness and began speculating about what had happened.

Early the next morning, the tribe leader overheard beastmen gossiping about the incident.

“Did you hear? Lu Li tied up Long Ling’er in a cave above the Snake Pit, and she got bitten by venomous snakes!”

“She was really bitten by snakes? She’s as good as dead.”

“Yeah, a child that young bitten by venomous snakes? No way she survives. Anyway, Hu Jiao Jiao never liked her children much, so she probably doesn’t care.”

“Don’t say that. Didn’t you see her threaten to bury Lu Li last night? She swore to make Lu Li pay with his life. Things are about to get interesting…”

In the eyes of the beastmen, Lu Li’s family was just as despicable as Hu Jiao Jiao, often taking advantage of others. They were eager to see Lu Li’s family meet their downfall.

“What are you talking about? What happened to Hu Jiao Jiao’s child?”

Hearing the conversation, the tribe leader approached with a grim expression.

The gossiping beastmen lowered their heads and explained everything to him in detail.

The more the tribe leader listened, the darker his expression grew.

“This Lu Li has gone too far!” Furious, the tribe leader stormed off, abandoning his breakfast to find Hu Jiao Jiao.

Halfway there, he ran into Hu Jiao Jiao.

“Chief…”

“Hu Jiao Jiao, I know everything about what happened to your child and Lu Li. Don’t worry, I’ll ensure justice is served.”

Before Hu Jiao Jiao could respond, the tribe leader spoke with an air of authority, reassuring her.

Hu Jiao Jiao blinked, a hint of confusion flashing in her beautiful phoenix eyes. Why did it seem like the tribe leader was even angrier than she was?

The tribe leader was indeed angry. He relied on Hu Jiao Jiao to grow earth fruit to improve the tribe’s food situation. If she refused to help out of anger, the tribe would face food shortages in the winter.

Fuming, the tribe leader led Hu Jiao Jiao to Lu Li’s home.

Hu Jiao Jiao felt somewhat flattered. If she didn’t know from the novel that all five children were Long Mo’s, she might have suspected some secret affair between the original owner and the tribe leader.

At Lu Li’s house, Lu Li had been afraid earlier but, after waiting all night without Hu Jiao Jiao showing up, assumed she was all talk. He grew cocky and started boasting about his “great deeds” to a group of young children.

“Hu Jiao Jiao is just a pushover. I’m not scared of her. As for that useless Long Ling’er, she deserved what happened. Who told her mother to go after my brother-in-law? Serves her right!”

“She even had the nerve to threaten me. I’ll beat up her other brats later and see how arrogant she is then.”

Surrounded by adoring children, Lu Li reveled in their admiration, feeling extremely pleased with himself.

Just as Hu Jiao Jiao arrived, she overheard Lu Li’s boastful words. Enraged, she stormed forward, grabbed his arm, and yanked him out of the group of children.

“What did you just say? Who are you planning to beat up?”

“I’m warning you, Lu Li. If you ever dare lay a finger on my children again, I’ll throw you into the Snake Pit and let you experience what it’s like to be bitten by venomous snakes.”

Her icy tone made it clear she wasn’t joking.

“Let me go! Let me go!” Lu Li, terrified, struggled to escape.

But Hu Jiao Jiao held him tightly, her fierce gaze making him break out in a cold sweat.

How can this woman be so terrifying?

Hearing the commotion, Lu Li’s parents rushed out and screamed in panic when they saw Hu Jiao Jiao holding onto their son.

“Hu Jiao Jiao, let go of Lu Li right now! If you harm him, I’ll chop your hands off!”

The two charged at her, but Hu Jiao Jiao coolly released Lu Li, who, still struggling, crashed into his parents, knocking them to the ground.

Though both parents groaned in pain, they still fretted over Lu Li. “Lu Li, are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

“Hu Jiao Jiao, do you have no shame? You’re always causing trouble. What exactly do you want?”

Lu Li’s mother, hands on her hips, scolded Hu Jiao Jiao like a street shrew.

“Oh, what do I want?” Hu Jiao Jiao’s lips curled into a cold smile, a trace of cruelty flashing across her delicate face. “Lu Li caused Ling’er to be bitten by venomous snakes, and now he’s threatening to cripple my children. I should be asking you—what do you want?”

“It was just a snakebite. A useless child like her, it’s no big deal if she dies. It’s not like she’s worth as much as our Lu Li.”

Completely unrepentant, Lu Li’s mother didn’t see anything wrong with what her son had done.

“Enough!” The tribe leader, who had been quietly observing, finally stepped forward, his face dark with anger. He had intended to hear out their side of the story, but their blatant arrogance left him fuming.

“You are all unbelievable. Today, if we don’t punish Lu Li, you’ll never learn. Arrest him!” he commanded.

The beastmen, long fed up with Lu Li’s family, immediately moved to seize him upon the tribe leader’s order.

“Chief, you can’t do this! Lu Li did nothing wrong!” Lu Li’s mother tried to save her son, but she was no match for the strong males, who easily pushed her aside, blocking her path.

Ignoring her protests, the tribe leader turned to Hu Jiao Jiao, his stern face softening with a hint of apology. “Hu Jiao Jiao, how do you want to handle Lu Li? It’s up to you.”

Hu Jiao Jiao nodded, understanding that the tribe leader’s sudden support likely stemmed from her claim of having the Beast God’s guidance in solving the tribe’s food problem.

Without hesitation, she declared, “I won’t make things difficult for you. Lu Li can either go to the cave above the Snake Pit and get bitten by a snake or take one hundred lashes. His choice.”

“What!” Lu Li’s mother shrieked, her voice sharp. “No way! What if he gets poisoned? Hu Jiao Jiao, are you trying to kill him?”

“You wicked woman!” Lu Li’s mother cursed loudly.

Terrified, Lu Li screamed, “I’m not going! I’m not going!”

If he got bitten by a venomous snake, he’d be dead for sure.

Hu Jiao Jiao sneered, her lips curling like a deadly flower. “Don’t want to go to the Snake Pit? Then it’s one hundred lashes.”