"This is our tree! You steal our fruit and now you’re acting tough?"

The man shouted, and a crowd of villagers came running. In an instant, they had the Ling family completely surrounded. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The villagers were armed with hoes, carrying poles, and bamboo staffs.

The scene instantly grew tense, and the atmosphere became a standoff.

Ling Zhenkang, a lifelong soldier, stepped forward to reason with them, but he was cut off before he could even speak.

Just as he opened his mouth, an old man in a gray cloth shirt shouted over him, accusing them of being outsiders.

"Shut it, you old coot! You steal our fruit and hit our people. If you don’t pay up today, none of you are leaving!"

"Just because you say it’s yours, that makes it yours? This mountain belongs to the state, and the trees are managed by the forestry bureau. What gives you the right to call the shots? Besides, you dared to shake the tree so hard with a child in it. If he’d fallen, could you have taken responsibility?"

The villagers’ shouting grew fiercer, and the Ling family’s tempers began to flare.

Ling Zhiwei clenched his fists. Ye Ruoling pulled Shanshan back a few steps.

Ling Antao moved the elderly family members to the side and stood at the front.

Tensions on both sides escalated, with shouts rising and falling.

Pushing and shoving broke out, and it was impossible to tell who started it.

The other side had more people, but the Ling family was not to be trifled with.

Defiance was written on every Ling family member’s face. They stood their ground, not yielding an inch.

Their eyes were fixed forward; not a single one of them retreated a single step.

Not to mention there were several active-duty soldiers in their group, acting as protectors.

Their stances were disciplined and their movements restrained. Though they didn’t attack, they consistently shielded their family members.

The moment anyone approached menacingly, they immediately assumed a defensive posture.

As soon as the conflict began, they had called the police.

After connecting, they quickly stated their location and the situation, then kept the line open.

Just as the villagers were growing more outrageous, the police cars arrived.

The red and blue lights cut through the tranquility of the mountain evening as the sound of engines grew closer.

The villagers’ movements immediately slowed. Their eyes darted about as they exchanged glances.

Only when the police arrived to mediate did both sides reluctantly stand down.

The officers separated the crowd, asked about the incident, and registered the information of those involved.

The Ling family argued their case logically, presenting video footage from their phones as evidence.

The villagers stammered, unable to look the police in the eye.

The Ling family was in no mood to continue their outing and went down the mountain with the police.

No one spoke on the way down the mountain. The atmosphere was oppressive.

The children held tightly to the adults’ hands.

But they never would have imagined that the villagers couldn’t let it go.

They secretly watched their movements and noted where they parked their cars.

At night, some of them waited at the intersection, pretending to be on a stroll but actually keeping watch.

Shanshan suddenly felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere, with the looks she was getting from the people around her.

While walking down the road, people who would normally greet her suddenly fell silent.

Thinking fast, she immediately pulled out her phone and dialed her dad’s number.

Her fingers tapped rapidly on the screen, her heart pounding as she waited for the call to connect.

The phone was answered after just two rings. She lowered her voice and told him her location.

Ling Anxun had originally planned to come over the next morning.

But the moment he heard the slight tremble in his daughter’s voice, he dropped everything without a second thought and raced over.

He grabbed his car keys and rushed out the door, contacting a local acquaintance to get information while speeding past two service areas on the highway without stopping.

Unfortunately, distant water can’t put out a nearby fire.

Over the phone, he could only repeatedly warn his daughter not to run off and to wait for news in a safe place.

The old couple discussed it briefly and decided they couldn’t stay here any longer. They might as well pack up and leave tomorrow morning, find somewhere else to relax.

They had long retirement days ahead of them anyway; they wouldn’t be short of places to go.

After their discussion, they immediately started packing, folding their clothes into suitcases and sorting their daily necessities.

But no one expected that later that afternoon, their car tires would be punctured.

All four tires were flat, and the trunk had been rummaged through.

The gas cap was open, and there were traces of fine, sand-like particles scattered inside.

"Grandpa, Grandma, look! It must have been that group from before!"

Shanshan pointed at the tires and shrieked.

She circled the car again and again, trying to find footprints or anything left behind.

"How dare they! This is outrageous! I’m calling the police right now!"

Ling Zhiwei’s face was livid. He yanked his phone from his pocket, his fingers trembling as he dialed 110.

Ling Zhiwei’s temper flared. Unable to stomach the insult, he turned to go settle the score.

He started to charge toward the village entrance, shouting that he was going to find the village chief and hold him accountable.

"You stop right there!"

Ling Ancai roared. With a quick glance, he signaled for Jing Shu Cui to hurry up and pull her son back.

He leaped forward, blocking Ling Zhiwei’s path with his arm across his chest.

In the blink of an eye, a group of masked figures burst out from the surrounding bushes, holding all sorts of makeshift weapons.

They closed in from multiple directions, their steps swift.

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

Shanshan was tightly shielded in the center of the family members, while Ling Zhiwei grabbed a nearby wooden bench and charged forward to meet them.

He swung the wooden bench, forcing back two of the assailants, then pushed off the ground and lunged forward.

But no matter how fierce he was, he was no match for their numbers.

He didn’t last more than a few minutes before a club struck his leg, causing his knee to buckle and sending him to the ground.

Fresh blood trickled down his pant leg, leaving small spots on the ground.

He gritted his teeth and tried to get up, only to be struck hard on the shoulder by a second blow.

Immediately after, a shovel came swinging straight for the back of his head.

The shovel whistled through the air, but just inches from his scalp, it abruptly changed direction.

"Fourth Brother!"

Shanshan’s heart cracked at the sight. In her panic, she secretly cast a Spell, causing the shovel to swerve violently off course.

She tried to rush forward, but her grandmother grabbed her in a tight hug and forcibly dragged her to the side.

Shanshan gritted her teeth, scanning the chaotic scene, her mind crystal clear.

’If I reveal that I can use Spells now, it will only put my family in more danger.’

The air was filled with noisy shouts and constant shoving.

She stood in a corner, her gaze quickly sweeping over every familiar yet unfamiliar face, confirming the positions of her parents and brothers.

’If I make a move, the consequences will be unpredictable.’

’Those people are already agitated. Seeing something abnormal would only make them lose control even more.’

’I wouldn’t be helping; I’d just be making things worse.’

’Besides, I haven’t fully mastered my abilities yet. Using them recklessly could cause even bigger problems.’

’Not only would I fail to save anyone, but I’d also cause my entire family to be treated as freaks.’

’There’s no other choice. I have to hide for now and find a way to get revenge for them later.’

She took a few steps back and, using the crowd as cover, quietly slipped around to the back of the house.

As she ran, she reminded herself to calm down and not act rashly.

’Besides, this is a society ruled by law. They wouldn’t dare to actually kill someone over something so petty.’

’The police station is right in town. Once a call is made, the police will arrive quickly.’

’As long as we get through this, there will be a way to resolve it.’

This was the key reason she ultimately chose to run.

But just as she hid on a small hill and looked back, she saw that her family had all been scattered.

Worst of all, Ling Zhiwei had been tied up and dragged away by those people.

’I can’t wait any longer.’

’Even if it’s risky, I have to follow them and see what’s going on.’

She took a deep breath, suppressed a sob, and stealthily followed them under the cover of darkness.

It was obvious at a glance that this group was made up of local villagers.

Although their faces were covered, they navigated the turns and paths with an ease that showed they had the home-field advantage.