Chapter 42: Display of Might—The Bully Meets His Doom

In the usually tranquil and harmonious village of Lijiabao, the moment that peace was suddenly shattered, it was as if the entire world trembled in response.

Several hundred meters away, in an open field, the once-still earth also seemed to quiver slightly, as if sensing an imminent threat drawing ever closer.

Villagers poured out of their homes, faces etched with confusion and unease, their gazes converging in the direction of the clinic.

There, an unseen crisis was quietly unfolding, stirring an inexplicable fear in the hearts of everyone.

Whispers rippled through the crowd like waves, yet not a single soul dared step forward to offer even the slightest help to Xiao Chao, the physician who had always served them silently and selflessly.

At this moment, his figure appeared particularly solitary as he faced this unknown danger alone. Yet, his past good deeds seemed to go unanswered by his fellow villagers.

Just then, a clear and resolute voice rang out among the crowd: “Villagers! Do you realize Xiao Chao has been treating us for free these past few days? Now he’s in danger—can we really just stand by, doing nothing?”

It was Xiangxue who spoke, her eyes revealing unwavering conviction, tinged with reproach and hope.

Her words crashed over the villagers like a thunderclap, yet also swept through them like a refreshing breeze, dispersing the fog of uncertainty clouding their hearts.

Awakened by her plea, the villagers began to recognize their own indifference and neglect.

Their low murmurs betrayed both fear of the unknown and a growing concern and gratitude for Xiao Chao.

“Why don’t we go together? The more of us, the stronger we are,” someone ventured bravely.

“But what if it’s dangerous?” another worried aloud.

“Yes, what if we get trapped too?” a third echoed.

Xiangxue looked at them, disappointment and anxiety welling inside her.

She understood their fear, but she also believed they could not abandon Xiao Chao to face this alone.

“Friends, we can’t just stand by and watch! Xiao Chao entered the forest for our sake; we cannot let him face danger on his own,” she urged passionately.

“But…” someone hesitated.

“I know everyone is afraid, but we can’t let fear make us shirk our responsibility. We are a united village—we must face hardships together,” Xiangxue insisted, her gaze sweeping over them, her resolve impossible to ignore.

The villagers exchanged uncertain glances; slowly, courage began to overtake their fear.

“All right, let’s go together!” someone called.

“Yes, we can’t let Xiao Chao take all the risk!” others chimed in.

Watching them, Xiangxue finally felt a measure of relief.

She knew they would likely face tremendous challenges, but she firmly believed that with unity, they could overcome anything.

“Exactly—if anything happens to Xiao Chao, who will cure us in the future?” another added, worry for the days ahead clear in their voice.

“But what’s really happening in there? Is it truly dangerous?” someone hesitated.

“Yeah… Maybe we should wait a bit longer—maybe Xiao Chao can handle it himself,” another suggested.

Xiangxue’s heart sank with disappointment and anxiety as she looked at the crowd.

She understood their fear, but she also knew their conscience must not be clouded by it.

“We can’t wait any longer! Xiao Chao is in danger because of us—we can’t just stand by!” she declared loudly.

“But…” someone began.

“No buts! We cannot let Xiao Chao’s kindness be in vain!” Xiangxue cut him off. “If there’s danger, we’ll face it together!”

The villagers hesitated, then one nodded: “All right, let’s go together!”

More and more voices joined Xiangxue’s call; they gripped their farming tools tightly and moved toward the clinic.

Tension and anxiety filled every heart, yet so did gratitude for Xiao Chao and a commitment to justice.

“I hope we can help him…” one villager murmured.

“May he be safe…” another whispered, hands clasped in silent prayer, their heart heavy with worry.

“That’s right! We, the people of Lijiabao, aren’t so easily cowed! Even if we don’t dare help directly, we can at least shout some encouragement!” someone added with a voice full of determination.

Led by Xiangxue, the villagers finally summoned their courage and strode resolutely toward the clinic.

But as they neared, a chilling, blood-curdling scream tore through the sky—sharp as a butcher’s knife, shattering the courage they had just mustered.

The scream was like a cold blade stabbing into every heart. Faces turned to one another, terror and helplessness etched upon them.

“What’s happening?” someone stammered.

“Is something wrong with Xiao Chao?” another asked, voice quavering on the edge of tears.

“We can’t shrink back now—Xiao Chao still needs our help!” Xiangxue’s voice rose above the crowd, her gaze brave and unwavering.

The villagers looked at each other, feeling a surge of courage.

“Yes, we can’t turn back!” came the reply.

Once more, they rallied, following close behind Xiangxue, their steps unsteady but their eyes firm.

For they all understood: they were not only trying to save Xiao Chao, but were fighting for the future and hope of Lijiabao.

“We must save him!” Xiangxue swore silently, her steps growing more resolute.

“Xiaoxue, those people clearly aren’t to be trifled with. Let’s not invite trouble—we could get hurt ourselves,” someone muttered as several figures were roughly thrown from the clinic’s direction, prompting the crowd’s courage to falter.

Seeing the villagers shrinking back in fear, anger flared in Xiangxue’s heart.

Clenching her jaw, she declared, “If you’re all afraid, then I’ll go by myself!” Her voice was quiet but resolute, brimming with courage.

Just as she was about to step forward alone, several bodies were hurled out like sacks, rolling painfully on the ground.

The villagers looked on in shock. There lay Ma Zi and his men, groaning, their legs clearly broken.

“Aren’t those Ma Zi and his lot? How did they get beaten so badly?”

“Yes, their legs are broken!”

“What on earth happened?”

The villagers’ faces were full of shock and confusion.

Xiangxue herself was startled—she’d thought Ma Zi and his group had come from the county to trouble Li Chao, but hadn’t expected them to end up in such a state.

She furrowed her brow, pondering: “Who are these people really? Why such ruthless treatment for Ma Zi and his men? Is there some grudge with Li Chao?”

Inside the clinic, the situation was becoming clear.

Xie Long had ordered his thugs to break Ma Zi and his companions’ legs, then hurriedly fell to his knees before Li Chao, begging for mercy: “Boss, I swear I didn’t know it was you! I wouldn’t have dared come even if I had ten lives!”

The others, terrified, dropped to their knees, pleading for forgiveness.

Li Chao gazed at the men before him, his heart brimming with fury and disdain.

“You bullies prey on the weak, commit evil, and now you finally reap what you’ve sown!” he said coldly.

Standing nearby, Yuxin watched the scene, emotions swirling within her.

She had feared something terrible would befall Li Chao, but in the end, it was Ma Zi and his gang who suffered the consequences of their own deeds.

Seeing the calm and resolute look in Li Chao’s eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a new sense of respect for him.

The villagers of Lijiabao were equally stunned.

Looking at Li Chao’s composed figure, they understood a simple truth: true heroes rise at critical moments, standing up to protect the peace of all.

Li Chao gazed at his fellow villagers, a deep sense of responsibility swelling within him.

He knew that his duty was not only to heal the sick, but also to safeguard the well-being of his home.

He vowed silently to work even harder for the sake of the villagers.

From then on, the people of Lijiabao esteemed and cherished Li Chao even more.

They knew that where Li Chao was, there would always be safety and hope.

Through his actions, Li Chao had proven the true heart of a healer—not only curing illness and saving lives, but also upholding justice and guarding the peace of his village.