Both sides were full of fighting spirit, tense as a drawn sword and loaded crossbow.

Everyone held their breath, watching the scene unfold before them.

They had expected to witness an intense and thrilling battle, but to their shock, it ended in just one round.

The Wolf King leaped into the air, lunging straight for Qiao Xin’s throat.

But before it could reach her, she swiftly grabbed its left foreleg, and with a fluid motion, she swung her dagger upward.

A streak of blood flashed through the air.

With another forceful movement, her left hand spun in a full arc, sending the wolf king flying in a perfect parabola before slamming into a stone wall several meters away with a resounding “bang.”

It never moved again.

The wind howled, and snowflakes danced in the air.

Everyone was frozen in place.

They rubbed their eyes, making sure they weren’t seeing things.

Had that two-hundred-pound wolf king really just flown over their heads like that?

Since when did these creatures become as fragile as chicks?

“Village chief, she… she’s incredibly strong…” Wang Dakui stammered, clutching his injured arm as he spoke his thoughts.

Li Zhong glanced at the bulky woman with disdain. “No kidding. You think I’m blind?”

He was actually quite envious of such strength. If all the hunters in the village had power like hers, they could dominate the mountains with ease!

His mind momentarily froze before he suddenly jumped up, shouting excitedly, “Quick, quick! Help clean up the mess! We don’t have to move out anymore—our heroine just bought a house here! The heavens haven’t abandoned us yet!”

Wang Dakui was dumbfounded by the news.

Once he processed it, he forgot all about his injuries.

Energy surged through his body, and his machete danced through the air as he worked.

Qiao Xin, standing like a queen surveying her battlefield, gripped her bloodstained dagger and slowly walked toward the remaining wolves.

With their leader dead and their enemy overwhelmingly powerful, the wolf pack was on the verge of collapse.

The surviving wolves exchanged glances, then turned and fled into the dense forest.

But Qiao Xin wasn’t about to give them a chance to return.

If you don’t cut the weeds at the root, they’ll grow back with the spring breeze.

She grabbed Li Zhong’s iron shovel, dashed forward, and swung it at the scattering wolves.

Every strike created a deep pit in the ground, leaving behind a lifeless wolf.

It was as if she were playing a game of whack-a-mole, mercilessly crushing the remaining enemies.

Li Zhong stared at the iron shovel Qiao Xin handed back to him, unsure whether he should take it.

Was this really the same farming tool that struggled to cut through weeds?

Qiao Xin glanced at the now shorter shovel handle, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I’ll get you a new one in a few days.”

Li Zhong snapped back to reality and quickly waved his hands. “No, no need.”

“No, I insist. I know farming tools are valuable, but I really couldn’t help it at the time.”

“I know, I know! It’s not your fault!”

After the battle, Qiao Xin felt a bit exhausted.

She ordered, “Hurry and tend to the injured. Clean this place up, or the smell of blood will attract more trouble.”

Li Zhong, an experienced hunter, understood the urgency and executed her orders without hesitation, not even questioning her authority.

Behind a wall, Fang Ya cautiously poked his head out.

His eyes widened at the sight of the wolf carcasses strewn across the ground.

He rubbed his hands together in excitement.

Good heavens, Old Hu Town might just come back to life!

With someone as formidable as Qiao Xin staying here, the sense of security would skyrocket!

That meant the dozens of abandoned houses in the area could finally be sold.

Each one could go for twenty to thirty taels of silver.

If that happened… he was going to make a fortune!

This trip had definitely been worth it!

Since the town had many abandoned houses, the villagers chose an open courtyard to gather all the hunted prey.

They assigned two lightly injured villagers to keep watch.

When Heng Wen and Fan Jihuai arrived with their men, Li Zhong was discussing with Qiao Xin how to handle the spoils.

Qiao Xin asked, “How do you usually deal with the prey?”

Li Zhong answered bluntly, “Normally, we take our game to the city. We give a portion to the landlord as rent, and the rest is exchanged for basic necessities.”

Qiao Xin frowned. “Didn’t the government establish a hunting unit to purchase game from hunters?”

Li Zhong gave a bitter smile. “That’s not for poor folks like us. The big families take most of the profits. Besides, the government’s prices are so low that we can’t even feed our families on what they offer. It’s better for us to sell directly to trusted buyers.”

Qiao Xin understood immediately.

It was like those so-called ‘affordable housing projects’—by the time they reached the people who really needed them, only a fraction remained.

Fang Ya chimed in, “Lady Qiao, why don’t you ask the Fan family? They have a reputable fur trade, and they’ve organized their own hunting teams. They must have reliable selling channels.”

“I don’t know them well,” Qiao Xin replied.

Not well?

Then why did the Fan family’s steward personally escort her here to buy a house, repeatedly warning Fang Ya to take good care of her?

Fang Ya didn’t believe her for a second, but he chose not to press the issue.

Just then, the second master of the Fan family arrived with a group of men, kicking open the village chief’s door like a gang of bandits.

They glared fiercely at the people inside the courtyard.

Qiao Xin raised an eyebrow, glancing at the battered door with displeasure.

Where did they learn this habit of busting down doors?

“Oh, it’s you guys. What’s with the dramatic entrance—practicing to be bandits?”

Heng Wen’s expression brightened at the familiar voice.

He pushed through the crowd and strode toward Qiao Xin, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

Seeing that she was unharmed, he finally asked, “Are you all right, Mother?”

“Of course, I’m fine. What could happen to me? But why are you two together?”

Fan Jihuai, relieved to see Qiao Xin standing safe and sound, greeted her respectfully before explaining everything that had happened after she left.

Qiao Xin had always been independent, coming and going as she pleased without informing anyone.

She hadn’t realized this habit had caused such a commotion.

Feeling a bit guilty, she admitted, “That was my mistake. I didn’t consider the consequences and made you all worry. Steward Fang meant well, so tell your elder brother not to blame him. I’ll have my eldest host a banquet to make up for it.”

The people present hadn’t expected Qiao Xin to take responsibility so directly, without making excuses or shifting blame.

Her integrity and broad-mindedness left a deep impression.

The Fan family’s guards finally understood why their masters valued this village woman so highly.

Seeing her acknowledge her mistake so openly and even offer to host a banquet, their earlier frustrations vanished.