"Follow me," he said and took her hand. It was unmistakable that Li Xue and the man never met before, nor had any connection.

***

The man was in his mid thirties With a builded body just like those weightlifters in the modern times. His gaze was tough and his hands rough. No one dares to mess with this man, Li Xue thought.

But no one ever thought, that the man had a pain heavier than a mountain. Which is the sole reason he worked so hard to make himself one of the strongest men, to protect the ones he loves.

They walked far into the mountain and when the man spotted what he was searching for, he tells Li Xue and Bai Zheng to shush down and pointed at the cottage. They hid behind the trees to inspect the situation, there was an unusual cottage that was guarded by two men dressed in black.

Li Xue and Bai Zheng both looked at each other in confusion, the man noticed that and started to unravel to them with his wobbly voice. „They took my wife and my child from me."

„Who are they?" Li Xue asked.

„They are kidnapers and slave traders." he confessed, his eyes flashed with anger and resentment.

Li Xue was bewildered by his short words that were tough to decode," Can you please explain to me all the details and the situation first?" she requested.

Why would they kidnap a married woman and her child, it's not like she is a virgin or the kid a grown man to do heavy work, all the kids know is to cause trouble. And looking at this mans behavior this definitely is not the first time this has happened. Li Xue pondered.

„Miss, you sure are unusual. Don't you know that we, the people of dark color are the most discriminated. No one loves us because of that." He clenched his hands into fists to control his anger and continues,

„Our families get bullied everyday, especially the weak women and the kids. People curse them upon sight, beat them up, throw rocks at them and do many painful things that I dare not mention," he responds.

„But hasn't the law helped you? Shouldn't they imprison those people for doing such inhumane things to your people?" Li Xue was at loss for words, she stood rooted to the ground.

In her times, people were racist of course but they were put in their places by other people that supported all people of color. But this... This was too much to handle, the poor children, women, elderly and men suffer for such thing, just because of their beautiful dark skin color.

Li Xue was one of the supporters and her heart aches whenever she heard about these kind of situations. „God made us with colors, and every color is majestic on it's own" is what she believes.

Tears welled up in the mans eyes and began rolling down his cheeks like rivulets. „The law id worse than the people Miss, they have killed plenty of us, by making wrongfully accusations directed at us. We were alone in this, or I thought so until I met you." He admitted.

„I was planning on killing the kidnapers but when I saw you, I thought you were an angel sent by God. Our salvation! Earlier the day I saw you sharing your treasures to the poor people, so I ran towards my house to bring my family too, only to find it was abandoned."He continued.

„I believe my wife and my kid are not the only ones kidnaped because when they act up they take more people than just two. Please help us Miss, please save my family and whoever is there. Please, Kind Lady! I will be your slave for the rest of my life," he begged her on his knees.

Li Xue sighed deeply and looked at Bai Zheng to get his approval and possibly his help too.
„What do you say Bai Zheng?" she suggested.

„You know I will follow you no matter what," Bai Zheng reassured.

The wind was helping him create a magnificent scene, it was blowing his hair in slow motion. He looked as if he was straight out of a movie, so cool that Li Xue stopped to admire him.

„Let's go then," she gave a big smile to him.

But before they started the mission, they put on their cloaks to hide their identities from the slave traders. And also Li Xue to not be exposed as a woman, to not cause further trouble.

„You wait here," Bai Zheng ordered the man just in case he doesn't mess up anything and left.

They walked up to the cottage and got stopped by the swords of the guards, „Who are you?" one of the guards asked.

„Can't you see? We are buyers." Bai Zheng flaunted and showed a big pouch filled with money.

On the dangerous situations he always snatches the lead role from my hands, Li Xue giggles at the thought.

The guard coughed, „Pardon me Sir, this is simply our regulation. Please, come in." The guards removed their swords and showed them the way in.

There was only the main room ,where the leader of the slave traders was residing in. He was sitting on a steel chair, by his side there were another six guards to protect him.

When the man saw Bai Zheng and Li Xue he got up from his seat and welcomed them with his strident voice.

„So lovely to have you here. What do you need kind sirs?" the leader sugarcoated.

„You know why are we here, show us your goods." Bai Zheng stated.

The man stopped on his tracks and thought for a bit, before he flashed an enormous smile. „I have great offers for you, follow me."

He lead them to a hidden door behind the steely bookshelf'. The door was also made of steel and was kept locked. The leader opened the door and revealed the „goods" he was keeping away from sight.

There were men, women and children, all bound together with a rope and shackles in a tiny room that stenches of their own urine and dirt. They were beaten up badly so they won't have any strength left in their bodies to try to escape and their clothes ripped.

Li Xue came in the room and inspected each of them individually at a slow pace. One of the captured, hissed at Li Xue and spited on her.

The guards rushed inside the room and kicked the man down, they held him up to continue to beat him up but got interrupted by Li Xue.

„I will buy them all," she announced.

„Erm, Sir? Do you have the money to buy them all?" The trader questioned with his skeptical attitude. No one ever bought every slave they captured, because some where either bedridden or scary.

Bai Zheng threw his pouch in the hands of the trader, „Is this enough?" he asked.

When the man opened the pouch he couldn't believe what he was seeing, he started cheering with his guards. „It's more than enough. They are all yours!" The leader responded with a grin from ear to ear, he could not control his happiness.

Li Xue grabs one of the ropes, Bai Zheng the other one and they leave from that malicious cottage. When they got outside they signaled the man who was waiting, to follow them.

They walked up to a place that was empty and safe for her, to drop off the act and remove the cloak. Bai Zheng begins to unlock them from the shackles with the keys the trader gave him and unreleased them from the ropes. Li Xue follows his actions, „You are free to leave now," she tells them. But the people don't budge, they remain still in their places.

„I don't have a home," one of the little kids says while he rubs his eyes.

Another young boy adds,"We can't leave, our homes are destroyed..." he hangs his head low.

The bulky man who followed them for a while runs up to his wife and boy, he hugs them tight and starts to cry,"I am sorry I didn't come earlier to save you." He apologized continuously.

While the others remained quiet, afraid to talk because they couldn't understand the situation . They were in disbelief that she saved them without a purpose, they believe that she has another mischievous plan. Perhaps killing them while they run? By having them as a hunting target?

They think of only bad thoughts because most of those slaves that were sold ended up like that or treated miserably with a life worse than the insects.

Li Xue sees that the adults are not saying anything so she started explaining to them. „I wish no harm to you, I was asked by this man to save you all" she reported.

„That is true! Please believe her, she is our savior!" The man reassured, and stood beside Li Xue.

The people started whispering between themselves. „My husband never lies, I believe him and this woman," his wife stands up.

After much thought they decide to believe in the story, in Bai Zheng and Li Xue.

„Can someone tell me what happened to you all, why are some of you homeless?" Bai Zheng asked.

The man who spit on Li Xue earlier stands up and starts talking, „They burnt our small village where we lived for years. Because of the discrimination and the slave traders we are always on the move to other rural places where it is safe." He clarified

One of the men adds, „We have nowhere to return to, no food and no shelter."

„Please help us, take us in. We sill remain your trustworthy servants till death!" a woman begs.

A lot of people join the discussion, they gave their opinions on which job they would undertake if Li Xue accepts them under her wing. Some wanted to be wood choppers, some cleaners, chefs, maidservants and other random jobs.

„Quiet down, please!" Li Xue shouted. And when they all shushed down, she continued. „I have a proposal! But first, I need your agreement."

The crowd started talking all at once. „You have our agreement no mattet what!" , „We will follow you, Miss." , „Tell us your wishes." they said.

„There is a plan I have contemplated for a long time, but it will need a month of time and hard work to start operating the business and sell the things." She declared.

„But first I need you to hide in some place. And when the time comes, I will come back and take you." Li Xue added.

She asked, „Do you guys know any secret place?"

The men stay quiet, but Bai Zheng the hero comes forth,"I know a small cave deep in the woods, I am sure that will do." His knowledge is all thanks to his animal form as a Tiger which he spent a decade on living and hiding from the humans and hunters.

„That's amazing, show us the way!" Li Xue suggested with a smile on her face.

They started to climb up the mountain,they passed rock surfaces. Although the conditions were hard and the people fell down, thanks to the help of others they all succeeded to arrive to the mentioned cave which was about two hours far from urbanization.

„This is it, but I suggest that we should gather first wood and food in order for you to survive the night," Bai Zheng claimed.

„Yes Sir, we will work on it!" the men shouted in unison and left the scene. The women went on other side to gather fruits, vegetables or whichever nourishing dish they could find.

After a bit of time they returned all delightful and proud of their work done. „We gathered them," one of the men reported.

Li Xue smiled, „That's great, let's head in!"

They all head in the cave and put their things down on each corner, they were all in teams that included their family. The men worked together to start the fire and the women worked on preparation of the food. When the food was ready they all sat down and shared the food with everyone.

They were in such harmony with each other, positivity was surrounding them. Li Xue was in awe, she knew that there was always someone that opposed everyone else but in this case she got surprised for good.

„This is for you," a woman handed Li Xue a stake of food. The food was put on a wooden stake because they did not have any dish. They were kidnaped, so of course they would have nothing worthy with them.

„Thank you but I need to go, it will become night by the time I arrive home." Li Xue explains.

She gets up and takes knifes out of her outfit, „These are weapons for your protection, use them well." Li Xue entrusted them to the men, to protect their families.

„Take care everyone, in most we will come back after two or three days." She said.

The people go out to say their goodbyes and express their gratitude to Bai Zheng and Li Xue that they saved them from a miserable life. They were sad that such good woman and man will leave their side but they were happy that they didn't abandon them.

Bai Zheng and Li Xue finally leave the place and head to their manor; Father must be worried, Li Xue thought.

As they walked down the road and finally got to see the city from afar, they got ambushed by the guards of the leader of slave traders. They jumped out of the trees and circulated them two.

„What should we do?" Li Xue whispered to Bai Zheng.

„It's time to test your fighting abilities, Princess." Bai Zheng smirked.

The men had swords and spears on them as a weapon but unluckily, Li Xue just gave her weapons away to her people. She had only her fists left, Guess I will have to steal one, she grinned.

Bai Zheng was the one to attack first, he fought with the men on his right side. He swung low and punched the man on his throat whose body went limp immediately after the touch.

The other two men saw the scene before their eyes and got angry, they ran up to Bai Zheng while they shouted and made their swords like a big scissor to cut him up. But Bai Zheng jumped on their head and kicked their weapons down so they pierce on the earth.

The men started to fight with their hands but they were weak in the fight without weapons. Bai Zheng hit them hard in the neck where their ears are to make them faint and can took the swords out and cut their head off.

The four men who were remaining were shaking, but were still holding tight on their weapons. They attacked at once with different fighting styles, the spear holders held Bai Zheng at one place and the attacked at sides while the sword holders charged at once.

Bai Zheng took out his hidden black swords and slashed their bloody organs out in one swipe. He was so fast that no normal human could see his movements, what seemed like a swipe was lots of sword work. It didn't work simply like that.

In the other side Li Xue was struggling to fight against her opponents, she was a novice in the martial world so couldn't undertake them all at once unlike Bai Zheng.

Li Xue ran towards a tree, she noticed earlier that it had big tree roots. She ran over it with caution while the other men were running after her and some fell down. One of their sword slides to her foot, she grabs it and slashes the sword into their flesh.

When Li Xue saw their blood she reassured herself by saying that it's just some period blood, nothing more; in order to remain calm. The other men were catching up to her pace, after she was exhausted from running she stopped, and confronted them.

There were two men remaining, It's going to be alright, she thought. Xue took a deep breath and attacked the men by hitting them up in their mid levels of body but they were stronger than her but yet weaker than Bai Zheng that she trained with.

She wanted to pierce one of the men in his heart, and succeeded by tricking him to think that she was aiming for his head. But her right shoulder got cut from the other man, she lots almost all of her strength because the cut was deep.

Li Xue whimpered in pain and crouched down, her blood was flowing out uncontrollably, but she held her sword even tighter. All or nothing, she thought. Xue shouted with all her might, and attacked the man with her strength left.

The man saw an opportunity and slashed her once again in her stomach which made her fall down. But at that exact moment, Her eyes turned like white flashlights and her body started to flow in mid air, her body glowed brighter than the sun; it was blinding light. The earth started to shake and the mountain beasts were howling. The next moment she knew, she ripped the mans flesh apart and lost into the darkness of unconsciousness.

An enormous group of men and their leader entered the scene and Bai Zheng was ready to fight them on but when he saw that Li Xue was injured and had fainted he ran to her and carried her into his arms. He looked at the men one last time and roared in his thunderous Tiger voice.

Responding to that, many beasts of the mountain started running towards the place Bai Zheng gave a signal. The beasts were from uncommon, to mid-tier strong, to legendary beasts no one has seen. They all had encircled the slave traders and one of the beasts that was as big as the trees was the Vulture King. He gave a slight bow to Bai Zheng, and growled loud. The beasts all started to attack the humans mercilessly. To humans, their screams of agony, seeing their partner being ravished and eaten by a beast, and an immeasurable amount of pain were imprinted as their last memory.