Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 142 - 141: Tiger Head

Chapter 142: Chapter 141: Tiger Head
"Roar!" A tiger’s roar echoed through the forest.
Under the enormous disparity in strength, the sika deer had no power to resist and was instantly knocked down by the tiger, pinned firmly to the ground.
Its blood-stained jaws opened wide, biting down on the deer’s neck, tearing out a large chunk of flesh, blood streaming down!
Da Lang stood less than ten meters away from the tiger and the deer, blood splattering on his face, fear spreading throughout his body, his blood turned cold, leaving him frozen and unsure how to react.
The tiger, having killed its prey, lifted its head, its huge eyes fixed straight on the unfamiliar human before it.
Driven by the instinct to protect its food and seeing anything smaller as weak and easily bullied, it suddenly leapt towards Da Lang.
The tiger, over three meters in length, stood taller than Da Lang. Faced with such a giant creature, it was like a mouse facing an elephant.
The distance was too short; in a second, the tiger reached Da Lang’s head. The tiger’s paw, seemingly light and casual, concealed a force capable of crushing stones, and if it struck, Da Lang would be crippled or worse.
"I told you not to be afraid with me behind you."
Qin Yao’s calm voice rang beside him as she yanked the frightened Da Lang away and delivered a heavy punch to the tiger’s jaw!
She was no longer the weak and starving girl from last year.
After a year of recuperation, Qin Yao’s combat prowess had soared. The mutated creatures in the post-apocalyptic world were no match for her, let alone an ordinary striped tiger.
With that punch, she sent the tiger attacking Da Lang flying, rolling heavily on the ground, getting up in a slightly messy state, its eyes showing a surprisingly human-like astonishment.
It seemed unable to comprehend how a human, significantly smaller than it, could send it flying.
The tiger, unmatched in the forest and naturally proud, was not deterred by Qin Yao’s powerful punch. Instead, it mistakenly believed she was an enemy trying to seize its prey and launched a fierce attack on her.
Righting itself on the ground, it immediately charged forward, testing Qin Yao with its front paw, moving quickly. Its frequent swipes were all dodged by Qin Yao.
However, when she drew the large knife from her waist, a deep, bone-revealing gash immediately appeared on the probing tiger paw.
The tiger was both pained and enraged, its roars growing louder, making Qin Yao’s eardrums throb.
"So noisy!" Qin Yao cursed, initially hesitating whether to attack it, but now decisively hoisting her knife and charging forward.
As for the beast she intended for Da Lang to practice with, there would always be more than just the tiger, no hurry.
The tiger, the forest’s king because of its sheer strength, had terrifying power capable of crushing skulls with a slap.
But Qin Yao was stronger, and with a weapon in hand, engaged for less than three moves before the tiger felt her terrifying strength. It left its pride behind, turned tail, and fled.
Running now, it only lost a sika deer.
If it delayed any longer, it would be losing its life!
Qin Yao took a step forward, grinning maniacally, "Want to run? Too late!"
Last year, she couldn’t find a tiger even when she wanted to. This year, without even starting the search, one jumped out on its own; how could she let it escape?
Then, under Da Lang’s shocked gaze, he watched his stepmother run parallel with the tiger, chasing it before swinging her knife across, with a "crack," the tiger’s head fell from its muscular body.
The entire head just fell off.
With a loud "thud," the tiger’s body, losing control, collapsed instantly, like a pillar of blood spraying out, spreading a blood mist through the forest.
Qin Yao sighed in relief, smiling as she picked up her knife, bypassing the tiger head on the ground.
"Tsk, the blade’s dulled."
Qin Yao shook off the bloody chunks on her knife, coming to the tiger head, giving it a kick forward, its eyes had already gone gray.
There came the sound of small steps behind her, Qin Yao turned, and there was Da Lang.
He looked at the tiger’s body and head on the ground and stammered, "The tiger skin’s ruined."
Seeing he wasn’t scared stiff, Qin Yao couldn’t help but let out a joyous laugh, "Hahaha!"
Her laughter filled the forest, echoing and frightening the birds and beasts into scattering, quickly fleeing the dangerous area.
Da Lang looked up at the woman before him, foot on the tiger head, laughing until she cried. A smile curled at the corners of his mouth: his stepmother was the most formidable person he had ever seen!
Qin Yao tossed the tiger head at Da Lang, "This is yours."
With no complete skin, better to keep the tiger head as a memento.
With the bloody tiger head before him, Da Lang held his breath, excitedly wrapping it in a burlap sack.
Looking at the tiger’s body and the sika deer on the ground, Qin Yao rubbed her brow in frustration, "I planned to take you out for a few more days, but now we have to head down the mountain early."
Da Lang didn’t see any problem; earnestly, he said, "Auntie, the things I’ve learned these days are enough to last me for a long time."
Once down the mountain, he would review all he had learned, fully grasping it.
Qin Yao looked at him with interest, sensing his awareness, a lack of greed, and a solid foundation—well done indeed.
The mother and son chopped tree branches together to make a sled, Da Lang working while often glancing at the sika deer and tiger body, the fear had inexplicably vanished, replaced with thoughts of the tiger’s pouncing motions.
The scene of his stepmother slicing off the tiger’s head, he’d remember for life but wouldn’t assume it was something he could learn.
Da Lang recalled his own pursuit of the sika deer, forgetting to observe his surroundings, nearly losing his life to the tiger.
As they dragged the prey to find a campsite for the night, Da Lang couldn’t help but nervously ask Qin Yao if she was upset about him being disobedient today.
Qin Yao gave a slight smile, "Without my permission, how could you even make mistakes? I know young people don’t listen to advice; you need to experience it to understand."
Da Lang gave a sheepish "oh," looking up at the person beside him. Night had settled, with only a sliver of moonlight illuminating a vague silhouette.
"Auntie, I want to be someone like you in the future," Da Lang said with admiration.
Qin Yao pushed aside branches ahead, reminding him to watch his step, lightly smiling as she asked, "Someone like me?"
Da Lang earnestly replied, "Calm, composed, unafraid of any challenge, always able to stand undefeated."
Qin Yao shook her head, "No one is undefeated forever, and I have a cheat."
"What’s a cheat?" Da Lang curiously scratched his head.
A bug landed on his neck, itching slightly; he brushed it away through his sleeve, no longer squealing over little bugs or snakes, now well accustomed to the jungle.
"A cheat is my innate Divine Power..."
Qin Yao suddenly halted, Da Lang stopped too, following her gaze, seeing a patch of orange flame in the dark forest.
Faint voices could be heard.
With his shoulder resting on the sled, the mother and son exchanged a delighted glance, giving a mutual excited shout towards the light, "Hey—!"