Chapter 218: Right and Wrong are Reversed

Su Jiu was too lazy to bother with him. She packed the dynamite and threw it over her shoulders before walking off.

After taking a few steps, Su Jiu suddenly paused and remembered another problem.

Where had “Min Cheng” gone?

Yan Shu seemed to have guessed Su Jiu’s thoughts. She stepped forward and said, “The person who was ahead of us must have exited via a secret passage. Why don’t we search around? If we return using our original route, it might be a little troublesome.”

At that moment, they were all battered and exhausted. This was especially so for Su Jiu—she was only wearing an inner robe and had a bundle of dynamite on her back. If the miners caught sight of her on her way out, they would certainly arrest her as a spy.

Su Jiu shook her head. It was impossible for there to be a secret passage that led directly to the mining site. If there was indeed such a secret passage, then he would not have needed to put in so much effort to disguise himself among the miners and enter through the mine shaft.

“The secret passage is here,” Wu Yi suddenly spoke.

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Su Jiu and Yan Shu turned their head when they heard his voice. They hurried over, only to see a small hollow in the center of a gigantic rock. This hollow appeared to lead underground.

Su Jiu looked suspiciously at the hollow in the stone. She felt that her deductions were correct, but if that was so, where did this passage lead to?

Since Min Cheng was able to get out, they would naturally be able to do so as well. They temporarily chose not to care about anything else and proceeded to crawl into the tunnel.

The architecture of the hollow was undulated up and down. Once they jumped in, there was a fault below them that obstructed any light filtering in from above. Underground, it was so dark that not a single finger could be seen on an outstretched hand.

Yan Shu lit up a torch and discovered a small crevice on their left, big enough to admit the passage of one person. Su Jiu was carrying a bundle of dynamite behind her, but fortunately, her frame was thin, and she was able to squeeze through which much difficulty.

They followed the curvature of the tunnel and walked on for approximately half an hour. Yan Shu’s torch had already gone out and they could only rely on touch to move forward.

Su Jiu walked at the very front, Yan Shu was in the middle, and Wu Yi was at the back.

Apart from the sound of their clothes rubbing against the wall, the atmosphere was completely silent.

In the darkness, a glint flashed past Yan Shu’s eyes. After contemplating, she put away the thought of making a move.

Su Jiu was exceptionally vigilant, and her own martial arts were not as competent as Wu Yi’s. She would be easily discovered, and even if she gained the upper hand, they would not be able to proceed with anything in this crevice.

Hence, Yan Shu put away the idea of sneaking an attack on Su Jiu and continued to follow behind her.

Suddenly, Su Jiu stepped into a void and dropped down abruptly. She had only tipped over slightly, but her reaction was immediate, and she swiftly grabbed both sides of the stone wall with her hands. Following which, she heard a gust of wind beside her ear. Yan Shu had fallen down after her.

She must have been daydreaming as she walked and didn’t have enough time to react. She fell straight down and ended up sprawled on the stone floor below, crying out in agony.

Wu Yi was frozen in place. He bent over and slid down the stone wall.

Su Jiu jumped down behind him from a height of around nine meters.

Once Su Jiu fell onto the fault below, she finally understood why the assassin didn’t take this route to enter the mines. Since the architecture of the crevice consisted of sharp drops without any climbing support, it would be very difficult to ascend.

When they reached the bottom, they could still hear Yan Shu groaning in pain amidst the darkness.

Su Jiu walked over and asked, “Which part of yourself did you injure?”

“My leg really hurts!” Yan Shu hugged her legs as she groaned.

Su Jiu knelt in front of her on one knee and stroked her leg. Her entire hand became warm and sticky, and it appeared as though she was bleeding quite a bit, but the bone was probably not broken.

It was good as long as the bone wasn’t fractured!

The surroundings were pitch-black and Su Jiu could only discern the location Wu Yi was at by listening out for his breathing. “Yan Shu’s leg has been sliced by the rock and she’s bleeding quite heavily. Do you have any medication to stop bleeding?”

“Mm!” Wu Yi responded and tipped a porcelain bottle over to Su Jiu.

As Su Jiu was receiving the medication bottle, she accidentally touched the tip of his fingers. She immediately felt the man shrink back.

Su Jiu suspected that the Buyi tribe was a matriarchal society and that men who were touched by a woman would be forced to marry her.

Su Jiu shifted the dynamite that had been bundled by her outer robe onto her other arm. She felt in the dark and rolled up the clothes covering Yan Shu’s leg before scattering the medicine over the injured portion. As she bandaged her, she said, “It’s not too bad, the bone wasn’t broken. It’ll be fine as long as the bleeding stops!”

In the darkness, the girl’s movements were practiced. Her arms were steady, and Yan Shu could not help but be even more amazed at Su Jiu.

This girl was highly skilled at martial arts and was not flustered even in the face of danger. She was definitely not an ordinary woman and it appeared that she needed to run even more thorough background checks on her.

Yan Shu gradually calmed down. After a pause, she opened her mouth and said, “Thank you.”

“No need! But you really brought this on yourself,” Su Jiu said flatly.

“I’m sorry, I have made things cumbersome for you,” Yan Shu said apologetically.

In the darkness, Wu Yi harrumphed coldly.

“It wasn’t that cumbersome. No matter what, I still need to thank Deity Wu for his pee!” Su Jiu gave him a side-glance.

Wu Yi’s expression was as black as the surroundings. He enunciated each word distinctly through clenched teeth, “Do not call me Deity Wu! Also, don’t ever mention the peeing incident!”

He felt that after he met this woman, all the patience that he had accumulated over a dozen years had been completely used up!

He was itching to strip her of her muscles and bones right there and then!

He was very doubtful about Ji Yuxian’s taste in women.

Su Jiu only replied perfunctorily in a nasal voice, “Mm!”

Deity Wu really wanted to stomp his feet in anger, but he forcefully held himself back. After all, he could not truly become a “hopping deity”(1).

“Let me help you up and see if you can walk. If you can’t, ask your master to carry you!” Su Jiu helped Yan Shu up.

Yan Shu giggled. Her master retreated at the sight of any woman; how would it be possible for him to carry her?

“It’s fine! I can still manage. Let’s continue to walk.” Yan Shu stated.

Su Jiu said, “Don’t follow so closely behind me. If there is anything wrong, I’ll be able to alert the both of you!”

Yan Shu nodded her head. She suddenly remembered that her surroundings were too dark and Su Jiu would not be able to see well. She hastily added, “Alright!”

Su Jiu felt out the area around her and they passed through a crevice, continuing onward.

The further they went, the wider the passage became. They could hear the faint sound of flowing water, and there seemed to be an underground river right next to them.

Su Jiu followed in the direction of the sound and scooped up some water to drink. She immediately felt renewed and refreshed, and her entire being was refilled with vitality.

Once they crossed the underground river, the terrain became an upward ascent once again, and the deeper they went, the narrower the path was. In the end, it could barely allow one person to squeeze through. After walking for an unknown period of time, they suddenly felt some wind blow from above.

The breeze was not strong, but Su Jiu was still delighted. The presence of wind indicated that the area was ventilated, and there was an opening out of the mountain.

Su Jiu got the two people behind her to stop. She climbed up the stone wall until her head hit the ceiling of the cave. She felt it with her hands – There was a crevice.

“This probably leads out, will the both of you be able to come up?” Su Jiu asked.

“No problem!” Yan Shu replied.

If she had no problem, then Wu Yi would naturally have no problem as well. The two of them scaled up the wall one after the other.

They climbed all the way up and very soon, a faint ray of light filtered in ahead.

Su Jiu became emotional and she increased her pace while listening for any movements outside at the same time.

It was very quiet outside, and she could already hear the vague sound of the wind.

After walking all the way to the end, Su Jiu pushed aside the wooden plank outside the crevice and leaped out. Her eyes were instantly met with bright light and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Following closely behind her, Yan Shu and Wu Yi had also squeezed out of the rock crevice.

Being greeted by light after emerging from the darkness was like having a new lease of life.

Su Jiu took a deep breath and exhaled all the stale air in her lungs. Then, she started to scrutinize her surroundings. She realized that this was an abandoned mine shaft, and it had already been a long time since people used it. The area was covered in cobwebs and dust, and piles of broken mine carts, shovels, and other junk littered all over.

When Wu Yi emerged from the hole, his body was naturally covered in a significant amount of dust. His expression was extremely ugly, and he seemed to be trying his hardest to endure everything.

The three of them exited the mine shaft and noticed that this mine shaft was still within the confines of the walled-up boundary, although it quite a distance away from the mining site.

“Min Cheng” had probably fled by now.

“Does Young Mistress want to chase after that assassin?” Yan Shu asked.

Su Jiu was still carrying the dynamite on her back. Her eyes turned and she smiled. “There’s no need to chase, he will return again. Let’s find somewhere to detonate the dynamite!”

Min Chang had fled, but he would not have gone very far. He was most likely waiting for the sound of the dynamite exploding.

It had not exploded after such a long time, so he was probably coiled up alone somewhere in bewilderment!

Su Jiu needed to find a safe place to detonate the dynamite and draw out the assassins.

“The both of you should head back first,” Su Jiu stated, before lifting the dynamite and scaling the mountain.

After walking a few steps, she realized that Wu Yi and Yan Shu were still behind her.

“What are you all up to?” Su Jiu turned back and asked with a frown.

Yan Shu exchanged a glance with Wu Yi and smiled, saying, “Nothing much, we just felt that following Young Mistress was interesting, so we followed along to revel in the excitement.”

Su Jiu turned over to look at Wu Yi. “Shouldn’t you be returning to take a look at my husband?”

Wu Yi was probably still mad at Su Jiu because his gaze swept past Su Jiu in annoyance. “I have my own plans, there is no need for Young Mistress to point anything out!”

Su Jiu shrugged her shoulders. Was this person sick? If he hated her so much, what was he still following her?

Not caring about the two people any longer, Su Jiu concealed herself within the foliage and bounded up the mountain at a high speed.

Su Jiu ascended the mountain and moved to the area furthest from the mining site. There, she placed the dynamite into a tree hollow.

Once she ignited the fuse, the three of them retreated behind a large rock and watched as the fuse burned swiftly.

The remainder of the fuse was originally quite short. After crackling for a few seconds, they heard a bang.

The sound resonated far and wide. The tree, whose trunk was thick enough for two people to hug, was instantly split apart by the explosion. The sound reverberated and shook the heavens and the earth, a deafening sound that caused ears to buzz. The enormous tree exploded directly in the blast, clouding the air with dust, dirt, and sawdust. This cloud of debris swirled madly in the wind before settling down gradually.

Su Jiu was covering her ears as she crouched behind the large boulder. She felt the soil beneath her quake, and after a moment, her ears continued to buzz due to the aftermath of the explosion.

After a long time, Su Jiu sat up and saw Wu Yi get up at the same time. His entire body was covered in fine dust, and his hair was matted with twigs and bits of leaves. His face, which was still wearing that piece of human skin, was completely black.

Su Jiu could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.

Wu Yi was seated cross-legged on the ground. His eyes swept over her and his expression was so ugly, it was as though he was itching to kill someone.

Yan Shu also laughed so hard that she clutched her stomach and collapsed to one side. Ever since she got to know Wu Yi, he had always been a lofty person who placed himself above the common populace. Usually, if anyone bumped into him, he would have to have an immediate bath and change his clothes.

What happened that day was enough for her to laugh for over a few days.

Wu Yi raised his hand, which had distinctive phalanges, and brushed off the blades of grass and dust on his head, before getting up to descend the mountain.

At that moment, the mining site at the base of the mountain was in a huge mess. The explosion had scared the miners working in the mines, causing their souls to scatter. They pushed and pulled, squeezing past each other to rush out, many of them frightened to the point of peeing in their pants. The ghastly sound of wailing and howling was heard as people fled for their lives while screaming for their mothers and fathers.

A few managers did not know what was going on and ran out blindly. They realized that there were no issues with the mining shafts and the explosion had probably occurred on top of the mountain.

The miners were in disarray as they scampered off in all directions. The managers conducted an emergency response and deployed a few men to investigate the cause of the explosion while sending out other workers to maintain order and calm the miners down so as to prevent a stampede.

In the rest area within the estate, Yun Zhu was currently waiting anxiously. When she heard the explosion, she stood up and her face immediately betrayed her excitement and joy.

The dynamite had been denoted!

Half of the matter had already proceeded successfully!

When the kitchen ladies in the courtyard saw the guards swarming towards the mining shift, they knew that something must have happened. They were in a state of panic as they rushed over to figure out the situation at the mining site, only to be blocked by the guards and brought back.

…

The three of them, including Su Jiu, took advantage of the chaos to leave the mining site. She had to rush back to the tribe to contact Jin Feng, Shangguan and the tribal chief, and inform them that there were assassins on the island. They needed to make the necessary preparations to counter them.

They sped the entire way back, but halfway there, they saw a huge crowd swarming in their direction.

Su Jiu slowed her steps and realized that those people were all villagers from the tribe. They were being led by the three patriarchs, and in their hands were clubs, shovels, and other weapons. They were approaching her aggressively.

When Yun Ao saw Su Jiu, a hint of shock flashed past his eyes. Following which, he exclaimed in anger, “It’s her! She blasted our mines and tried to destroy our isle!”

Tribal Chief Mu was truly shocked when he saw Su Jiu. “How could it be Young Mistress?”

Su Jiu was still wearing the miner’s garb, although there was only one sleeve left. But the three of them appeared to have been smoked and frizzled by fire, and it certainly looked as though they had been through an explosion.

“Tribal Chief, this is the demoness that seduced the outsiders and brought harm to my tribesmen. Now that the mine shafts have been blasted, we’re still not sure how many fatalities there are. The tribal chief must immediately issue an order for her to be beaten up in order to vindicate our tribesmen!” Yun Ao said vehemently.

“No, she’s the wife of the Island Master, how can she be a traitor? There must have been a mistake!” Mu Ya came forward to say.

Yun Ao continued to argue, “Tribal Chief, do you see that? Even Mu Ya has been bewitched by her! During the bonfire feast that day, this demoness appeared out of thin air and seduced the Island Master, and then claimed that she was the Island Master’s wife. Who can bear witness as to whether this is true or not? From what I see, she is a vixen sent by enemy forces to harm our tribe!”

“No, that’s not the case!” Mu Ya urgently explained.

Su Jiu stepped forward with a sneer, “I finally understand what it means by a thief crying thief! If Ji Yuxian personally admitting that I’m his wife doesn’t count, then who actually decides what is true?”

She had remained in the cave for half a day, and she was wearing a miner’s outfit. Her entire body was covered in a layer of fine dust and she was even missing a sleeve, making her look battered and exhausted. However, the girl’s eyes continued to shine radiantly, her posture was clear, and her voice powerful and full of feeling as she spoke with charisma.

“Who knows whether you bewitched the Island Master or not?” Yun Ao sniggered and continued, “But the explosion at the mine is evidence!”

“Then, who told you it was me that wanted to blast the mines?” Su Jiu asked indifferently.

“If you aren’t the culprit, then why would you be wearing miner’s clothes, and why have you come from the mining site?” Yun Ao asked with utmost certainty and confidence.

“I was just waiting for you to ask this!” Su Jiu sneered. “Yun Ao, you hold a grudge against Ji Yuxian because I punished Yun Zhu, which is why you intentionally wanted to frame me! But before you came here with the tribal chief and the tribespeople, you did not expect to bump in me at all. The people you want to harm are Ji Manor and the people of the tribe!”

“Preposterous! Why would I want to harm Ji Manor and the tribespeople?” Yun Ao seemed to find the notion completely ridiculous.

“Because I personally heard you discuss this with a few assassins in the stone forest hut near Peacock Beach. You and Yun Zhu agreed to help the assassins blast the mines and push the blame to Ji Manor in order to force them out of Wushan Isle. And those assassins promised you that once the matter was complete, they would kill the tribal chief and instate you as the new chief of the tribe.”

The moment she spoke the last word of her sentence, all the members of the tribe turned to look at Yun Ao in shock.

“So, it turns out the real traitor is you!” Mu Ya said hatefully.

Yun Ao’s expression changed and he secretly narrowed his eyes at Mu Zhen. His voice quivered in his panic, “You’re talking nonsense! You have bewitched the Island Master; don’t you dare to beguile the tribal chief and the tribespeople as well. Our tribe has existed peacefully for so many years without a problem. Even if you want to sow discord among us, it will be useless!”

Su Jiu continued, “I even heard you make a deal with those assassins. In the future, you were planning to split the profits from the mine in a three to six ratio. I heard everything clearly, you can forget about trying to defend yourself!”

Yun Ao blurted, “Nonsense, I never said that to him!”

“Oh?” Su Jiu’s lips curved into a smile. “I’m sure everyone heard that clearly! Yun Ao said that he ‘never said that to him’. That means he was definitely in contact with the assassins!”

Yan Shu flashed a dry smile. “The fox’s tail has finally been exposed!”

Yun Ao’s complexion paled. He turned to look at Mu Zhen abruptly, “No, what I meant was… I…I never said anything! ”

Mu Ya was enraged as he scoffed, “Patriarch Yun, you actually colluded with outsiders and schemed against the tribe. This is an unforgivable crime!”

Mu Zhen’s expression also became icy-cold. “Yun Ao, I will give you another chance to be honest. Tell me, is the Island Master’s wife speaking the truth?”

“No! I swear in the name of the Ocean Deity, I truly did not betray the tribe! If there is any form of betrayal, let me die without a complete corpse!”

Su Jiu sneered. “You sent Yun Zhu into the mining site as an excuse to transfer that assassin into the shaft, so that he could detonate the dynamite they had buried a long time ago. I overheard your scheme and followed him in order to remove the dynamite.”

“You are lying! The explosives have clearly already been detonated!” Yun Ao exclaimed in a loud voice.

“Without an explosion, how would I be able to draw out all the traitors?” Su Jiu’s eyes were frosty, and she was surrounded by a baleful aura. Yun Ao could not help but take a step back.

“Father, there is no need to listen to Yun Ao’s explanation. We can just head over to the mining site. Once we’re there, everything will become clear!” Mu Ya said.

Suddenly, someone among the tribespeople shouted, “There’s no need to go, they’re all here!”

Su Jiu turned her head have a look. A few hundred miners were all running over with spades in their hands. Yun Zhu was leading them at the front.

Su Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Wu Yi grinned indifferently and said, “It looks like we’re going to be treated to a good show!”

Yun Zhu brought the people nearer and encircled Su Jiu. She spoke to Yun Ao and Mu Zhen, “Father, Tribal Chief, this was the woman who killed our tribespeople. She disguised herself amongst the miners in order to blow up the mining site and destroy Wushan Isle!”

After she said this, Yun Zhu immediately got two miners to bring a dead body forward.

The dead body had a broken neck, the skin on its face was peeled off, leaving behind a mess of blood and flesh. And next to it were the clothes that Su Jiu had previously changed out of.

“Ah!”

Everyone in the tribe was so shocked that color was drained out of their faces. Some of the more cowardly ones hastily shut their eyes.

“Cheng!” One man stumbled over and leaned over the corpse as he wailed, “This is my family’s Cheng’er! ”

Yun Zhu looked at Su Jiu in disgust. “Do you still have anything to say?”

At this point, the people in the tribe had completely forgotten about their suspicions towards Yun Ao. They glared at Su Jiu with hatred and resentment. They clutched the spades in their hands and appeared to be preparing to charge over.

“Young Mistress, this time, it would be hard to dispute even with a hundred words!” Wu Yi laughed in a low voice, as though rejoicing in her misfortune.

Su Jiu threw him a glance before speaking to Mu Zhen, “Tribal Chief, you seemed to have forgotten the assassin who was brought into the mining site by Yun Ao and Yun Zhu. He was the one who killed him. He peeled off his face in order to blend into the crowd and gain access into the mining site.”

“Don’t you dare deceive the people in our tribe!” Yun Zhu’s eyes were bloodshot. She gritted her teeth and pointed at Su Jiu, as though she wanted to swallow her up. “The person who sent my father and me into the mining site was someone from our tribe. There was no assassin at all, the only traitor is the person standing next to you. What assassin? It was all a plot contrived by you!”

Su Jiu only looked at Mu Zhen. “I have an object that can prove whether this person was killed by me or not!”

Mu Zhen was completely confused by the continuous twist in events. He asked, “What object!”

“In order to chase down that assassin, I did indeed knock a miner unconscious and change into his clothes. The person that was murdered by the assassin is called Min Cheng, but the person who I knocked unconscious was called Mu Ren. This is his worker’s badge!” Su Jiu fished out a worker’s badge and tipped it to the tribal chief. Mu Ren’s number and name were really engraved on it.

Yun Zhu’s expression changed slightly as she said hastily, “This does not mean that Min Cheng wasn’t slaughtered by you! The three of you likely killed three miners, and Mu Ren was one of them!”

Su Jiu turned around, her eyes observing her indifferently. “You mentioned that the person who sent you in was a member of the tribe. Now that almost all of the men in the tribe are present, can you point that person out?”

Yun Zhu’s pupils constricted in alarm as she turned to look at Yun Ao guiltily.

The tribal chief gripped the worker’s badge tightly in his hands. He said coldly, “Yun Zhu, if you are able to tell us who the person is, we will believe you. Otherwise, I will arrest you and Yun Ao, and present the both of you to the Island Master for further investigation!”

Yun Zhu knitted her brows. She pretended to search the men in the tribe, and when her eyes landed on Mu Liang, and her eyes instantly sparkled. She immediately said, “The person who brought me in was Mu Liang!”

Mu Liang originally had his head bowed down. When he suddenly heard Yun Zhu called out his name, he was immediately stunned. He lifted his head to look at Yun Zhu.

Yun Zhu looked straight at him and her eyes had a profound look to them. She said slowly, “At this point, there is no point hiding this anymore. I like Mu Liang, and this time, I returned to the tribe in order to meet him secretly. He was the one who delivered me and my father into the mining site. So, there really wasn’t an assassin.”

Mu Liang was in a daze as he stared at her.

There was an uproar amongst the people of the tribe. Everyone knew that Mu Liang and Yun Guo were betrothed.

In the tribe, snatching away someone’s husband was the most shameful and despicable thing. Yun Zhu had dared to confess this despite the humiliation, so there was eighty to ninety percent certainty that she was speaking the truth.

“Mu Liang, you… How could you do this?” Yun Guo’s father questioned furiously.

Mu Liang’s face was flushed red, and in his hesitation, he did not dare say a word.

“Good. Since you like Yun Zhu, then you will no longer have any associations with my family’s Guo Mei anymore!” Yun Guo’s father spat out each word coldly.

Mu Zhen asked, “Mu Liang, was it really you who sent Yun Zhu over?”

Mu Liang lifted his head. His complexion was slightly pale as he subconsciously turned to look at Yun Zhu. He saw her nod her head subtly.

For the sake of the person he liked, Mu Liang spoke against his conscience. “Yes… I followed the Yun Family Patriarch to send Yun Zhu into the mining site.”

Yun Ao hastily continued after him, “It was truly Mu Liang who followed me!”

“You sent them?” Su Jiu sneered. She said to Mu Liang, “Alright, then let me ask you. When you entered the gate, there was a guard who blocked you and called the manager out. Will you be able to tell us the manager’s surname, as well as the color of the clothes he was wearing at that time?”

Mu Liang was instantly at a loss for words.

Mu Zhen looked at him with suspicion.

Yun Zhu hastily explained, “Mu Liang has always been inarticulate in his speech. He doesn’t like to talk when he meets people, why would he pay special attention to the attire of a single manager? You don’t have to drag for time! There is evidence and witnesses present. You colluded with these two foreigners who had come to the island, blew up the mines, harbored intentions to occupy Wushan Isle, and killed my tribespeople. This is simply unforgivable!”

Yun Ao echoed her words loudly, “Yun Zhu is right, kill her! Take revenge on behalf of our tribespeople!”

“Kill her to vindicate my son!” The mother of the man who was murdered glared hatefully at Su Jiu.

“Kill! Kill!” the miners who were bewitched by Yun Zhu all cried out in unison.

When they recalled the sound of the explosion just now, the people harbored their lingering fear. They lifted their shovels and marched forward together with a vicious glint in their eyes.

Su Jiu’s expression did not change. She asked those miners, “Where is your manager?”

One of the miners shouted, “The mining site was about to be blasted but those managers did not care about our lives at all and wanted us to continue working. So, we killed them!”

Su Jiu noticed that the few miners behind Yun Zhu were the ones that shouted the loudest.

When she heard that the managers were killed, Su Jiu’s eyes suddenly narrowed. “Yun Zhu, Yun Ao. Are the both of you certain that you want to revolt?”

“There is no need to talk like an alarmist here. Ever since you came to our island, our tribespeople have died. You are all traitors!” Yun Ao exclaimed, before speaking to the tribespeople behind him, “Kill her and take revenge for Min Cheng!”

The tribespeople were incited to anger. They swarmed towards Su Jiu with resentment.

“No, I don’t believe the Island Master’s wife is a traitor!” Mu Ya shielded Su Jiu anxiously. “Father, let’s go and meet the Island Master. He will definitely investigate the truth!”

“Mu Ya, stop getting bewitched by this demoness. After she arrived, our Island Master fell ill. This is the doing of her and her associates!” Yun Zhu said in righteous anger.

Mu Zhen also chided him solemnly, “Mu Ya, come back here!”

“No, she’s being wrongly accused!” Mu Ya said resolutely.

Yun Zhu furrowed her brows. She turned to the miner behind her and said, “Hurry up and kill her!”

A few miners charged forward first. They raised the shovels in their hands and waved them at Su Jiu.

Mu Ya widened his eyes in shock, and suddenly, someone pushed his arm away forcefully. Su Jiu’s figure flashed forward, her movements swift and violent as the stocky figure was instantly sent flying with a kick. He collided onto a tree at the side and fainted away before he could make any noise.

After all, she was still an outsider, and no matter how she tried to explain herself, and no matter how suspicious the circumstances were, those people would still choose to believe the father and daughter.

She had no choice but to use her martial skills to resolve this!

The miners and tribespeople all gaped in shock when they saw the aftermath of Su Jiu’s kick. They tightened their grip on the shovels and no longer dared to go forward.

Wu Yi’s peach blossom eyes squinted at Su Jiu and his lips hooked into a smile. Sure enough, this girl’s martial art skills were not bad!

“Don’t kill the Island Master’s wife! She has been wrongly accused!”

In the middle of this stalemate, the urgent shout of a girl was heard from the back of the crowd, accompanied by the anxious pattering of footsteps.

The crowd turned their heads and saw Guo Mei running over, she was panting, and her entire face was covered in sweat. She squeezed through the crowd and ran up towards Su Jiu. Her breathing was ragged as she said to Mu Zhen, “Mu Liang is lying. He never sent Yun Zhu in, when Yun Zhu was leaving, I saw him sitting in front of his family’s gate drying the fishnets. He has been seduced by Yun Zhu, which was why he decided to help her cover this up.”

Yun Zhu’s expression changed, and she said coldly, “Guo Mei, I know you are jealous and resentful of the fact that Mu Liang and I get along well. But you don’t have to do this to frame me and help a traitor who murdered our tribespeople!”

“You are clearly the one framing the Island Master’s wife!” Guo Mei glared at her without an ounce of fear. “You don’t even like Mu Liang, you are just taking advantage of him!”

Yun Zhu harrumphed coldly and turned to look at Mu Liang. “Mu Liang, tell us. Between me and Guo Mei, who is lying?”

Mu Liang’s complexion was as white as a sheet. His eyes flickered endlessly as he raised his quaking hand and pointed towards Guo Mei. “It’s… It’s Guo Mei who is lying!”

Yun Zhu grinned with satisfaction. “Tribal Chief, take a look at this. This Island Master’s wife did not stop at bewitching men. Even Guo Mei is taken in by her spell!”

“That’s not true, it’s Yun Zhu who is deceiving everyone!” Guo Mei was so flustered that she was on the verge of tears. She tried to defend Su Jiu again.

But not a single soul listened to her.

Yun Ao ordered, “Yun Dan, quickly take Guo Mei away. Otherwise, don’t blame me for treating her as one of the traitors and arresting her!”

Guo Mei’s father immediately went forward to tug at Guo Mei. “Guo Mei, stop making a fuss. Hurry and leave with me! ”

“Father, I’m not leaving. The Island Master’s wife was wrongfully accused! You can’t take advantage of the Island Master’s illness and bully her like this,” Guo Mei sobbed loudly.

“She was the one who harmed the Island Master and murdered our tribespeople!” Yun Zhu extended a hand to point at Su Jiu. “Everyone, charge together and kill this demoness!”

Yun Ao also ordered the tribespeople behind him, “Kill her and take revenge for Min Cheng!”

The crowd charged at Su Jiu once again, countless shovels raised as they slashed wildly at Su Jiu.

“Don’t kill the Young Mistress! You have all been deceived!” As Guo Mei was being dragged away forcefully by her father, she continued to struggle and scream.

Su Jiu no longer tried to defend herself. She raised her leg and sent the nearest miner flying with a mighty kick. She evaded a shovel aimed at her from behind and gave it a wave. The momentum brought about a harsh gust of wind that instantly clashed against the onslaught of people.

However, the miners and tribespeople were all certain that Su Jiu was a traitor who wanted to hurt the Island Master and occupy Wushan Isle. Their eyes were glowing red as they charged at her without being concerned about their lives.

Wu Yi grabbed Yan Shu, his shadow flashed past and he flew into a tree, like a gust of wind, while holding her. He had no plans to aid Su Jiu in evading her enemies. Instead, he sat at a height and watched as Su Jiu was attacked by a few hundred people.

Yan Shu asked with a smile, “Why aren’t we helping her? We can’t let her die now.”

“With so many people fighting, what if some blood gets on my clothes? The blood of these people is filthy!” Wu Yi leaned against the tree trunk. His peach blossom eyes curved into crescents as he spoke languidly.

(1) A dance ritual passed down in folklore.

Chapter 218: Right and Wrong are Reversed

Su Jiu was too lazy to bother with him. She packed the dynamite and threw it over her shoulders before walking off.

After taking a few steps, Su Jiu suddenly paused and remembered another problem.

Where had “Min Cheng” gone?

Yan Shu seemed to have guessed Su Jiu’s thoughts. She stepped forward and said, “The person who was ahead of us must have exited via a secret passage. Why don’t we search around? If we return using our original route, it might be a little troublesome.”

At that moment, they were all battered and exhausted. This was especially so for Su Jiu—she was only wearing an inner robe and had a bundle of dynamite on her back. If the miners caught sight of her on her way out, they would certainly arrest her as a spy.

Su Jiu shook her head. It was impossible for there to be a secret passage that led directly to the mining site. If there was indeed such a secret passage, then he would not have needed to put in so much effort to disguise himself among the miners and enter through the mine shaft.

“The secret passage is here,” Wu Yi suddenly spoke.

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Su Jiu and Yan Shu turned their head when they heard his voice. They hurried over, only to see a small hollow in the center of a gigantic rock. This hollow appeared to lead underground.

Su Jiu looked suspiciously at the hollow in the stone. She felt that her deductions were correct, but if that was so, where did this passage lead to?

Since Min Cheng was able to get out, they would naturally be able to do so as well. They temporarily chose not to care about anything else and proceeded to crawl into the tunnel.

The architecture of the hollow was undulated up and down. Once they jumped in, there was a fault below them that obstructed any light filtering in from above. Underground, it was so dark that not a single finger could be seen on an outstretched hand.

Yan Shu lit up a torch and discovered a small crevice on their left, big enough to admit the passage of one person. Su Jiu was carrying a bundle of dynamite behind her, but fortunately, her frame was thin, and she was able to squeeze through which much difficulty.

They followed the curvature of the tunnel and walked on for approximately half an hour. Yan Shu’s torch had already gone out and they could only rely on touch to move forward.

Su Jiu walked at the very front, Yan Shu was in the middle, and Wu Yi was at the back.

Apart from the sound of their clothes rubbing against the wall, the atmosphere was completely silent.

In the darkness, a glint flashed past Yan Shu’s eyes. After contemplating, she put away the thought of making a move.

Su Jiu was exceptionally vigilant, and her own martial arts were not as competent as Wu Yi’s. She would be easily discovered, and even if she gained the upper hand, they would not be able to proceed with anything in this crevice.

Hence, Yan Shu put away the idea of sneaking an attack on Su Jiu and continued to follow behind her.

Suddenly, Su Jiu stepped into a void and dropped down abruptly. She had only tipped over slightly, but her reaction was immediate, and she swiftly grabbed both sides of the stone wall with her hands. Following which, she heard a gust of wind beside her ear. Yan Shu had fallen down after her.

She must have been daydreaming as she walked and didn’t have enough time to react. She fell straight down and ended up sprawled on the stone floor below, crying out in agony.

Wu Yi was frozen in place. He bent over and slid down the stone wall.

Su Jiu jumped down behind him from a height of around nine meters.

Once Su Jiu fell onto the fault below, she finally understood why the assassin didn’t take this route to enter the mines. Since the architecture of the crevice consisted of sharp drops without any climbing support, it would be very difficult to ascend.

When they reached the bottom, they could still hear Yan Shu groaning in pain amidst the darkness.

Su Jiu walked over and asked, “Which part of yourself did you injure?”

“My leg really hurts!” Yan Shu hugged her legs as she groaned.

Su Jiu knelt in front of her on one knee and stroked her leg. Her entire hand became warm and sticky, and it appeared as though she was bleeding quite a bit, but the bone was probably not broken.

It was good as long as the bone wasn’t fractured!

The surroundings were pitch-black and Su Jiu could only discern the location Wu Yi was at by listening out for his breathing. “Yan Shu’s leg has been sliced by the rock and she’s bleeding quite heavily. Do you have any medication to stop bleeding?”

“Mm!” Wu Yi responded and tipped a porcelain bottle over to Su Jiu.

As Su Jiu was receiving the medication bottle, she accidentally touched the tip of his fingers. She immediately felt the man shrink back.

Su Jiu suspected that the Buyi tribe was a matriarchal society and that men who were touched by a woman would be forced to marry her.

Su Jiu shifted the dynamite that had been bundled by her outer robe onto her other arm. She felt in the dark and rolled up the clothes covering Yan Shu’s leg before scattering the medicine over the injured portion. As she bandaged her, she said, “It’s not too bad, the bone wasn’t broken. It’ll be fine as long as the bleeding stops!”

In the darkness, the girl’s movements were practiced. Her arms were steady, and Yan Shu could not help but be even more amazed at Su Jiu.

This girl was highly skilled at martial arts and was not flustered even in the face of danger. She was definitely not an ordinary woman and it appeared that she needed to run even more thorough background checks on her.

Yan Shu gradually calmed down. After a pause, she opened her mouth and said, “Thank you.”

“No need! But you really brought this on yourself,” Su Jiu said flatly.

“I’m sorry, I have made things cumbersome for you,” Yan Shu said apologetically.

In the darkness, Wu Yi harrumphed coldly.

“It wasn’t that cumbersome. No matter what, I still need to thank Deity Wu for his pee!” Su Jiu gave him a side-glance.

Wu Yi’s expression was as black as the surroundings. He enunciated each word distinctly through clenched teeth, “Do not call me Deity Wu! Also, don’t ever mention the peeing incident!”

He felt that after he met this woman, all the patience that he had accumulated over a dozen years had been completely used up!

He was itching to strip her of her muscles and bones right there and then!

He was very doubtful about Ji Yuxian’s taste in women.

Su Jiu only replied perfunctorily in a nasal voice, “Mm!”

Deity Wu really wanted to stomp his feet in anger, but he forcefully held himself back. After all, he could not truly become a “hopping deity”(1).

“Let me help you up and see if you can walk. If you can’t, ask your master to carry you!” Su Jiu helped Yan Shu up.

Yan Shu giggled. Her master retreated at the sight of any woman; how would it be possible for him to carry her?

“It’s fine! I can still manage. Let’s continue to walk.” Yan Shu stated.

Su Jiu said, “Don’t follow so closely behind me. If there is anything wrong, I’ll be able to alert the both of you!”

Yan Shu nodded her head. She suddenly remembered that her surroundings were too dark and Su Jiu would not be able to see well. She hastily added, “Alright!”

Su Jiu felt out the area around her and they passed through a crevice, continuing onward.

The further they went, the wider the passage became. They could hear the faint sound of flowing water, and there seemed to be an underground river right next to them.

Su Jiu followed in the direction of the sound and scooped up some water to drink. She immediately felt renewed and refreshed, and her entire being was refilled with vitality.

Once they crossed the underground river, the terrain became an upward ascent once again, and the deeper they went, the narrower the path was. In the end, it could barely allow one person to squeeze through. After walking for an unknown period of time, they suddenly felt some wind blow from above.

The breeze was not strong, but Su Jiu was still delighted. The presence of wind indicated that the area was ventilated, and there was an opening out of the mountain.

Su Jiu got the two people behind her to stop. She climbed up the stone wall until her head hit the ceiling of the cave. She felt it with her hands – There was a crevice.

“This probably leads out, will the both of you be able to come up?” Su Jiu asked.

“No problem!” Yan Shu replied.

If she had no problem, then Wu Yi would naturally have no problem as well. The two of them scaled up the wall one after the other.

They climbed all the way up and very soon, a faint ray of light filtered in ahead.

Su Jiu became emotional and she increased her pace while listening for any movements outside at the same time.

It was very quiet outside, and she could already hear the vague sound of the wind.

After walking all the way to the end, Su Jiu pushed aside the wooden plank outside the crevice and leaped out. Her eyes were instantly met with bright light and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Following closely behind her, Yan Shu and Wu Yi had also squeezed out of the rock crevice.

Being greeted by light after emerging from the darkness was like having a new lease of life.

Su Jiu took a deep breath and exhaled all the stale air in her lungs. Then, she started to scrutinize her surroundings. She realized that this was an abandoned mine shaft, and it had already been a long time since people used it. The area was covered in cobwebs and dust, and piles of broken mine carts, shovels, and other junk littered all over.

When Wu Yi emerged from the hole, his body was naturally covered in a significant amount of dust. His expression was extremely ugly, and he seemed to be trying his hardest to endure everything.

The three of them exited the mine shaft and noticed that this mine shaft was still within the confines of the walled-up boundary, although it quite a distance away from the mining site.

“Min Cheng” had probably fled by now.

“Does Young Mistress want to chase after that assassin?” Yan Shu asked.

Su Jiu was still carrying the dynamite on her back. Her eyes turned and she smiled. “There’s no need to chase, he will return again. Let’s find somewhere to detonate the dynamite!”

Min Chang had fled, but he would not have gone very far. He was most likely waiting for the sound of the dynamite exploding.

It had not exploded after such a long time, so he was probably coiled up alone somewhere in bewilderment!

Su Jiu needed to find a safe place to detonate the dynamite and draw out the assassins.

“The both of you should head back first,” Su Jiu stated, before lifting the dynamite and scaling the mountain.

After walking a few steps, she realized that Wu Yi and Yan Shu were still behind her.

“What are you all up to?” Su Jiu turned back and asked with a frown.

Yan Shu exchanged a glance with Wu Yi and smiled, saying, “Nothing much, we just felt that following Young Mistress was interesting, so we followed along to revel in the excitement.”

Su Jiu turned over to look at Wu Yi. “Shouldn’t you be returning to take a look at my husband?”

Wu Yi was probably still mad at Su Jiu because his gaze swept past Su Jiu in annoyance. “I have my own plans, there is no need for Young Mistress to point anything out!”

Su Jiu shrugged her shoulders. Was this person sick? If he hated her so much, what was he still following her?

Not caring about the two people any longer, Su Jiu concealed herself within the foliage and bounded up the mountain at a high speed.

Su Jiu ascended the mountain and moved to the area furthest from the mining site. There, she placed the dynamite into a tree hollow.

Once she ignited the fuse, the three of them retreated behind a large rock and watched as the fuse burned swiftly.

The remainder of the fuse was originally quite short. After crackling for a few seconds, they heard a bang.

The sound resonated far and wide. The tree, whose trunk was thick enough for two people to hug, was instantly split apart by the explosion. The sound reverberated and shook the heavens and the earth, a deafening sound that caused ears to buzz. The enormous tree exploded directly in the blast, clouding the air with dust, dirt, and sawdust. This cloud of debris swirled madly in the wind before settling down gradually.

Su Jiu was covering her ears as she crouched behind the large boulder. She felt the soil beneath her quake, and after a moment, her ears continued to buzz due to the aftermath of the explosion.

After a long time, Su Jiu sat up and saw Wu Yi get up at the same time. His entire body was covered in fine dust, and his hair was matted with twigs and bits of leaves. His face, which was still wearing that piece of human skin, was completely black.

Su Jiu could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.

Wu Yi was seated cross-legged on the ground. His eyes swept over her and his expression was so ugly, it was as though he was itching to kill someone.

Yan Shu also laughed so hard that she clutched her stomach and collapsed to one side. Ever since she got to know Wu Yi, he had always been a lofty person who placed himself above the common populace. Usually, if anyone bumped into him, he would have to have an immediate bath and change his clothes.

What happened that day was enough for her to laugh for over a few days.

Wu Yi raised his hand, which had distinctive phalanges, and brushed off the blades of grass and dust on his head, before getting up to descend the mountain.

At that moment, the mining site at the base of the mountain was in a huge mess. The explosion had scared the miners working in the mines, causing their souls to scatter. They pushed and pulled, squeezing past each other to rush out, many of them frightened to the point of peeing in their pants. The ghastly sound of wailing and howling was heard as people fled for their lives while screaming for their mothers and fathers.

A few managers did not know what was going on and ran out blindly. They realized that there were no issues with the mining shafts and the explosion had probably occurred on top of the mountain.

The miners were in disarray as they scampered off in all directions. The managers conducted an emergency response and deployed a few men to investigate the cause of the explosion while sending out other workers to maintain order and calm the miners down so as to prevent a stampede.

In the rest area within the estate, Yun Zhu was currently waiting anxiously. When she heard the explosion, she stood up and her face immediately betrayed her excitement and joy.

The dynamite had been denoted!

Half of the matter had already proceeded successfully!

When the kitchen ladies in the courtyard saw the guards swarming towards the mining shift, they knew that something must have happened. They were in a state of panic as they rushed over to figure out the situation at the mining site, only to be blocked by the guards and brought back.

…

The three of them, including Su Jiu, took advantage of the chaos to leave the mining site. She had to rush back to the tribe to contact Jin Feng, Shangguan and the tribal chief, and inform them that there were assassins on the island. They needed to make the necessary preparations to counter them.

They sped the entire way back, but halfway there, they saw a huge crowd swarming in their direction.

Su Jiu slowed her steps and realized that those people were all villagers from the tribe. They were being led by the three patriarchs, and in their hands were clubs, shovels, and other weapons. They were approaching her aggressively.

When Yun Ao saw Su Jiu, a hint of shock flashed past his eyes. Following which, he exclaimed in anger, “It’s her! She blasted our mines and tried to destroy our isle!”

Tribal Chief Mu was truly shocked when he saw Su Jiu. “How could it be Young Mistress?”

Su Jiu was still wearing the miner’s garb, although there was only one sleeve left. But the three of them appeared to have been smoked and frizzled by fire, and it certainly looked as though they had been through an explosion.

“Tribal Chief, this is the demoness that seduced the outsiders and brought harm to my tribesmen. Now that the mine shafts have been blasted, we’re still not sure how many fatalities there are. The tribal chief must immediately issue an order for her to be beaten up in order to vindicate our tribesmen!” Yun Ao said vehemently.

“No, she’s the wife of the Island Master, how can she be a traitor? There must have been a mistake!” Mu Ya came forward to say.

Yun Ao continued to argue, “Tribal Chief, do you see that? Even Mu Ya has been bewitched by her! During the bonfire feast that day, this demoness appeared out of thin air and seduced the Island Master, and then claimed that she was the Island Master’s wife. Who can bear witness as to whether this is true or not? From what I see, she is a vixen sent by enemy forces to harm our tribe!”

“No, that’s not the case!” Mu Ya urgently explained.

Su Jiu stepped forward with a sneer, “I finally understand what it means by a thief crying thief! If Ji Yuxian personally admitting that I’m his wife doesn’t count, then who actually decides what is true?”

She had remained in the cave for half a day, and she was wearing a miner’s outfit. Her entire body was covered in a layer of fine dust and she was even missing a sleeve, making her look battered and exhausted. However, the girl’s eyes continued to shine radiantly, her posture was clear, and her voice powerful and full of feeling as she spoke with charisma.

“Who knows whether you bewitched the Island Master or not?” Yun Ao sniggered and continued, “But the explosion at the mine is evidence!”

“Then, who told you it was me that wanted to blast the mines?” Su Jiu asked indifferently.

“If you aren’t the culprit, then why would you be wearing miner’s clothes, and why have you come from the mining site?” Yun Ao asked with utmost certainty and confidence.

“I was just waiting for you to ask this!” Su Jiu sneered. “Yun Ao, you hold a grudge against Ji Yuxian because I punished Yun Zhu, which is why you intentionally wanted to frame me! But before you came here with the tribal chief and the tribespeople, you did not expect to bump in me at all. The people you want to harm are Ji Manor and the people of the tribe!”

“Preposterous! Why would I want to harm Ji Manor and the tribespeople?” Yun Ao seemed to find the notion completely ridiculous.

“Because I personally heard you discuss this with a few assassins in the stone forest hut near Peacock Beach. You and Yun Zhu agreed to help the assassins blast the mines and push the blame to Ji Manor in order to force them out of Wushan Isle. And those assassins promised you that once the matter was complete, they would kill the tribal chief and instate you as the new chief of the tribe.”

The moment she spoke the last word of her sentence, all the members of the tribe turned to look at Yun Ao in shock.

“So, it turns out the real traitor is you!” Mu Ya said hatefully.

Yun Ao’s expression changed and he secretly narrowed his eyes at Mu Zhen. His voice quivered in his panic, “You’re talking nonsense! You have bewitched the Island Master; don’t you dare to beguile the tribal chief and the tribespeople as well. Our tribe has existed peacefully for so many years without a problem. Even if you want to sow discord among us, it will be useless!”

Su Jiu continued, “I even heard you make a deal with those assassins. In the future, you were planning to split the profits from the mine in a three to six ratio. I heard everything clearly, you can forget about trying to defend yourself!”

Yun Ao blurted, “Nonsense, I never said that to him!”

“Oh?” Su Jiu’s lips curved into a smile. “I’m sure everyone heard that clearly! Yun Ao said that he ‘never said that to him’. That means he was definitely in contact with the assassins!”

Yan Shu flashed a dry smile. “The fox’s tail has finally been exposed!”

Yun Ao’s complexion paled. He turned to look at Mu Zhen abruptly, “No, what I meant was… I…I never said anything! ”

Mu Ya was enraged as he scoffed, “Patriarch Yun, you actually colluded with outsiders and schemed against the tribe. This is an unforgivable crime!”

Mu Zhen’s expression also became icy-cold. “Yun Ao, I will give you another chance to be honest. Tell me, is the Island Master’s wife speaking the truth?”

“No! I swear in the name of the Ocean Deity, I truly did not betray the tribe! If there is any form of betrayal, let me die without a complete corpse!”

Su Jiu sneered. “You sent Yun Zhu into the mining site as an excuse to transfer that assassin into the shaft, so that he could detonate the dynamite they had buried a long time ago. I overheard your scheme and followed him in order to remove the dynamite.”

“You are lying! The explosives have clearly already been detonated!” Yun Ao exclaimed in a loud voice.

“Without an explosion, how would I be able to draw out all the traitors?” Su Jiu’s eyes were frosty, and she was surrounded by a baleful aura. Yun Ao could not help but take a step back.

“Father, there is no need to listen to Yun Ao’s explanation. We can just head over to the mining site. Once we’re there, everything will become clear!” Mu Ya said.

Suddenly, someone among the tribespeople shouted, “There’s no need to go, they’re all here!”

Su Jiu turned her head have a look. A few hundred miners were all running over with spades in their hands. Yun Zhu was leading them at the front.

Su Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Wu Yi grinned indifferently and said, “It looks like we’re going to be treated to a good show!”

Yun Zhu brought the people nearer and encircled Su Jiu. She spoke to Yun Ao and Mu Zhen, “Father, Tribal Chief, this was the woman who killed our tribespeople. She disguised herself amongst the miners in order to blow up the mining site and destroy Wushan Isle!”

After she said this, Yun Zhu immediately got two miners to bring a dead body forward.

The dead body had a broken neck, the skin on its face was peeled off, leaving behind a mess of blood and flesh. And next to it were the clothes that Su Jiu had previously changed out of.

“Ah!”

Everyone in the tribe was so shocked that color was drained out of their faces. Some of the more cowardly ones hastily shut their eyes.

“Cheng!” One man stumbled over and leaned over the corpse as he wailed, “This is my family’s Cheng’er! ”

Yun Zhu looked at Su Jiu in disgust. “Do you still have anything to say?”

At this point, the people in the tribe had completely forgotten about their suspicions towards Yun Ao. They glared at Su Jiu with hatred and resentment. They clutched the spades in their hands and appeared to be preparing to charge over.

“Young Mistress, this time, it would be hard to dispute even with a hundred words!” Wu Yi laughed in a low voice, as though rejoicing in her misfortune.

Su Jiu threw him a glance before speaking to Mu Zhen, “Tribal Chief, you seemed to have forgotten the assassin who was brought into the mining site by Yun Ao and Yun Zhu. He was the one who killed him. He peeled off his face in order to blend into the crowd and gain access into the mining site.”

“Don’t you dare deceive the people in our tribe!” Yun Zhu’s eyes were bloodshot. She gritted her teeth and pointed at Su Jiu, as though she wanted to swallow her up. “The person who sent my father and me into the mining site was someone from our tribe. There was no assassin at all, the only traitor is the person standing next to you. What assassin? It was all a plot contrived by you!”

Su Jiu only looked at Mu Zhen. “I have an object that can prove whether this person was killed by me or not!”

Mu Zhen was completely confused by the continuous twist in events. He asked, “What object!”

“In order to chase down that assassin, I did indeed knock a miner unconscious and change into his clothes. The person that was murdered by the assassin is called Min Cheng, but the person who I knocked unconscious was called Mu Ren. This is his worker’s badge!” Su Jiu fished out a worker’s badge and tipped it to the tribal chief. Mu Ren’s number and name were really engraved on it.

Yun Zhu’s expression changed slightly as she said hastily, “This does not mean that Min Cheng wasn’t slaughtered by you! The three of you likely killed three miners, and Mu Ren was one of them!”

Su Jiu turned around, her eyes observing her indifferently. “You mentioned that the person who sent you in was a member of the tribe. Now that almost all of the men in the tribe are present, can you point that person out?”

Yun Zhu’s pupils constricted in alarm as she turned to look at Yun Ao guiltily.

The tribal chief gripped the worker’s badge tightly in his hands. He said coldly, “Yun Zhu, if you are able to tell us who the person is, we will believe you. Otherwise, I will arrest you and Yun Ao, and present the both of you to the Island Master for further investigation!”

Yun Zhu knitted her brows. She pretended to search the men in the tribe, and when her eyes landed on Mu Liang, and her eyes instantly sparkled. She immediately said, “The person who brought me in was Mu Liang!”

Mu Liang originally had his head bowed down. When he suddenly heard Yun Zhu called out his name, he was immediately stunned. He lifted his head to look at Yun Zhu.

Yun Zhu looked straight at him and her eyes had a profound look to them. She said slowly, “At this point, there is no point hiding this anymore. I like Mu Liang, and this time, I returned to the tribe in order to meet him secretly. He was the one who delivered me and my father into the mining site. So, there really wasn’t an assassin.”

Mu Liang was in a daze as he stared at her.

There was an uproar amongst the people of the tribe. Everyone knew that Mu Liang and Yun Guo were betrothed.

In the tribe, snatching away someone’s husband was the most shameful and despicable thing. Yun Zhu had dared to confess this despite the humiliation, so there was eighty to ninety percent certainty that she was speaking the truth.

“Mu Liang, you… How could you do this?” Yun Guo’s father questioned furiously.

Mu Liang’s face was flushed red, and in his hesitation, he did not dare say a word.

“Good. Since you like Yun Zhu, then you will no longer have any associations with my family’s Guo Mei anymore!” Yun Guo’s father spat out each word coldly.

Mu Zhen asked, “Mu Liang, was it really you who sent Yun Zhu over?”

Mu Liang lifted his head. His complexion was slightly pale as he subconsciously turned to look at Yun Zhu. He saw her nod her head subtly.

For the sake of the person he liked, Mu Liang spoke against his conscience. “Yes… I followed the Yun Family Patriarch to send Yun Zhu into the mining site.”

Yun Ao hastily continued after him, “It was truly Mu Liang who followed me!”

“You sent them?” Su Jiu sneered. She said to Mu Liang, “Alright, then let me ask you. When you entered the gate, there was a guard who blocked you and called the manager out. Will you be able to tell us the manager’s surname, as well as the color of the clothes he was wearing at that time?”

Mu Liang was instantly at a loss for words.

Mu Zhen looked at him with suspicion.

Yun Zhu hastily explained, “Mu Liang has always been inarticulate in his speech. He doesn’t like to talk when he meets people, why would he pay special attention to the attire of a single manager? You don’t have to drag for time! There is evidence and witnesses present. You colluded with these two foreigners who had come to the island, blew up the mines, harbored intentions to occupy Wushan Isle, and killed my tribespeople. This is simply unforgivable!”

Yun Ao echoed her words loudly, “Yun Zhu is right, kill her! Take revenge on behalf of our tribespeople!”

“Kill her to vindicate my son!” The mother of the man who was murdered glared hatefully at Su Jiu.

“Kill! Kill!” the miners who were bewitched by Yun Zhu all cried out in unison.

When they recalled the sound of the explosion just now, the people harbored their lingering fear. They lifted their shovels and marched forward together with a vicious glint in their eyes.

Su Jiu’s expression did not change. She asked those miners, “Where is your manager?”

One of the miners shouted, “The mining site was about to be blasted but those managers did not care about our lives at all and wanted us to continue working. So, we killed them!”

Su Jiu noticed that the few miners behind Yun Zhu were the ones that shouted the loudest.

When she heard that the managers were killed, Su Jiu’s eyes suddenly narrowed. “Yun Zhu, Yun Ao. Are the both of you certain that you want to revolt?”

“There is no need to talk like an alarmist here. Ever since you came to our island, our tribespeople have died. You are all traitors!” Yun Ao exclaimed, before speaking to the tribespeople behind him, “Kill her and take revenge for Min Cheng!”

The tribespeople were incited to anger. They swarmed towards Su Jiu with resentment.

“No, I don’t believe the Island Master’s wife is a traitor!” Mu Ya shielded Su Jiu anxiously. “Father, let’s go and meet the Island Master. He will definitely investigate the truth!”

“Mu Ya, stop getting bewitched by this demoness. After she arrived, our Island Master fell ill. This is the doing of her and her associates!” Yun Zhu said in righteous anger.

Mu Zhen also chided him solemnly, “Mu Ya, come back here!”

“No, she’s being wrongly accused!” Mu Ya said resolutely.

Yun Zhu furrowed her brows. She turned to the miner behind her and said, “Hurry up and kill her!”

A few miners charged forward first. They raised the shovels in their hands and waved them at Su Jiu.

Mu Ya widened his eyes in shock, and suddenly, someone pushed his arm away forcefully. Su Jiu’s figure flashed forward, her movements swift and violent as the stocky figure was instantly sent flying with a kick. He collided onto a tree at the side and fainted away before he could make any noise.

After all, she was still an outsider, and no matter how she tried to explain herself, and no matter how suspicious the circumstances were, those people would still choose to believe the father and daughter.

She had no choice but to use her martial skills to resolve this!

The miners and tribespeople all gaped in shock when they saw the aftermath of Su Jiu’s kick. They tightened their grip on the shovels and no longer dared to go forward.

Wu Yi’s peach blossom eyes squinted at Su Jiu and his lips hooked into a smile. Sure enough, this girl’s martial art skills were not bad!

“Don’t kill the Island Master’s wife! She has been wrongly accused!”

In the middle of this stalemate, the urgent shout of a girl was heard from the back of the crowd, accompanied by the anxious pattering of footsteps.

The crowd turned their heads and saw Guo Mei running over, she was panting, and her entire face was covered in sweat. She squeezed through the crowd and ran up towards Su Jiu. Her breathing was ragged as she said to Mu Zhen, “Mu Liang is lying. He never sent Yun Zhu in, when Yun Zhu was leaving, I saw him sitting in front of his family’s gate drying the fishnets. He has been seduced by Yun Zhu, which was why he decided to help her cover this up.”

Yun Zhu’s expression changed, and she said coldly, “Guo Mei, I know you are jealous and resentful of the fact that Mu Liang and I get along well. But you don’t have to do this to frame me and help a traitor who murdered our tribespeople!”

“You are clearly the one framing the Island Master’s wife!” Guo Mei glared at her without an ounce of fear. “You don’t even like Mu Liang, you are just taking advantage of him!”

Yun Zhu harrumphed coldly and turned to look at Mu Liang. “Mu Liang, tell us. Between me and Guo Mei, who is lying?”

Mu Liang’s complexion was as white as a sheet. His eyes flickered endlessly as he raised his quaking hand and pointed towards Guo Mei. “It’s… It’s Guo Mei who is lying!”

Yun Zhu grinned with satisfaction. “Tribal Chief, take a look at this. This Island Master’s wife did not stop at bewitching men. Even Guo Mei is taken in by her spell!”

“That’s not true, it’s Yun Zhu who is deceiving everyone!” Guo Mei was so flustered that she was on the verge of tears. She tried to defend Su Jiu again.

But not a single soul listened to her.

Yun Ao ordered, “Yun Dan, quickly take Guo Mei away. Otherwise, don’t blame me for treating her as one of the traitors and arresting her!”

Guo Mei’s father immediately went forward to tug at Guo Mei. “Guo Mei, stop making a fuss. Hurry and leave with me! ”

“Father, I’m not leaving. The Island Master’s wife was wrongfully accused! You can’t take advantage of the Island Master’s illness and bully her like this,” Guo Mei sobbed loudly.

“She was the one who harmed the Island Master and murdered our tribespeople!” Yun Zhu extended a hand to point at Su Jiu. “Everyone, charge together and kill this demoness!”

Yun Ao also ordered the tribespeople behind him, “Kill her and take revenge for Min Cheng!”

The crowd charged at Su Jiu once again, countless shovels raised as they slashed wildly at Su Jiu.

“Don’t kill the Young Mistress! You have all been deceived!” As Guo Mei was being dragged away forcefully by her father, she continued to struggle and scream.

Su Jiu no longer tried to defend herself. She raised her leg and sent the nearest miner flying with a mighty kick. She evaded a shovel aimed at her from behind and gave it a wave. The momentum brought about a harsh gust of wind that instantly clashed against the onslaught of people.

However, the miners and tribespeople were all certain that Su Jiu was a traitor who wanted to hurt the Island Master and occupy Wushan Isle. Their eyes were glowing red as they charged at her without being concerned about their lives.

Wu Yi grabbed Yan Shu, his shadow flashed past and he flew into a tree, like a gust of wind, while holding her. He had no plans to aid Su Jiu in evading her enemies. Instead, he sat at a height and watched as Su Jiu was attacked by a few hundred people.

Yan Shu asked with a smile, “Why aren’t we helping her? We can’t let her die now.”

“With so many people fighting, what if some blood gets on my clothes? The blood of these people is filthy!” Wu Yi leaned against the tree trunk. His peach blossom eyes curved into crescents as he spoke languidly.

(1) A dance ritual passed down in folklore.