Chapter Eighty-Four: The Situation Completely Reverses

By the time Gu Xiaoyao had won the third round, the people of Great Valley Village already looked thoroughly discomfited. Tang Zhong could no longer sit still on the bench; he beckoned the men who were to compete over and whispered to them in low tones.

“Remember, when you get up there, don’t go easy just because she's a woman—fight as hard as you can.”

“If we lose this time, we’ll have to give up our land. When the other villages hear we lost to a weakling village like Lotus Village, they’ll laugh themselves sick.”

The thought of his own village becoming the subject of ridicule filled Tang Zhong’s face with gloom. His eyes flickered as he stared at Gu Xiaoyao on the platform.

Meanwhile, after their cheers, the people of Lotus Village hurriedly urged Gu Xiaoyao to come down from the platform to rest. They brought out stools and fetched her water, their faces beaming with irrepressible joy—a stark contrast to the grim faces of the Great Valley villagers.

“Chengjin’s wife, come over here and sit down! Goodness, we really didn’t expect you to be so formidable!”

“We’ve misjudged you all along, never realizing you were so strong! Looks like we have a real chance of winning now.”

The men gathered around Gu Xiaoyao, gesticulating in excitement and babbling in their elation. Village chief Old Chu had never imagined Gu Xiaoyao could be so formidable; even the burly men from Great Valley Village were no match for her.

“Chengjin’s wife, we really owe you this time. Otherwise, we’d have had to swallow our loss in silence, even if it cost us dearly.”

Gu Xiaoyao saw the happiness shining in their eyes and her own expression softened a little. In truth, she had lived through situations like this time and again—where the weak were always oppressed by the strong. There was always a food chain, whether among people or among villages.

“I’m a member of Lotus Village too; there’s no need to be so polite,” she said.

Of course, what mattered even more to Gu Xiaoyao was winning the land. If she wanted good land here, she would have to buy it herself, or else win it within the rules. But this place was remote, with little land at the foot of the mountain—money alone wasn’t enough to secure it. That was also why the area was growing poorer: too many people, too little land, and crushing taxes every year. It was no wonder poverty was the rule.

“Chengjin’s wife, don’t worry—if you win, you’ll get all the land we promised, and we’ll even help you clear the wasteland,” Old Chu said with a wide, wrinkled smile, visibly relieved.

Seeing Lotus Village so elated, the people of Great Valley Village pressed their lips together in anger, their eyes smoldering with resentment.

“Get up there and win—failure is not an option,” they urged.

Tang Zhong’s gaze was fierce as he looked at the next competitor. One more loss and they would have to hand over their land.

For the fourth and decisive bout, Gu Xiaoyao stepped onto the platform. Her opponent charged at her, fists swinging with ferocious intent—evidently aiming to cripple her.

Gu Xiaoyao saw the murderous glint in his eyes. She raised her arm to block his, then drove her elbow hard into his stomach.

He reeled backward, nearly vomiting, and glanced at Tang Zhong’s thunderous expression before gritting his teeth and coming at her again. This time, he had somehow slipped a sharp knife into his hand and lunged at her with it.

The people of Lotus Village cried out in alarm when they saw the blade flash on the platform.

Gu Xiaoyao caught the viciousness in his charge, her eyes flashing with anger. In an instant, she unleashed her psychic power, aiming it directly at the man's mind.