Chapter 3: Not So Easy to Escape

　　Xiao Fan: ≖‿≖✧

　　The villagers, feeling the long-awaited rainfall, went from anger to shock and then erupted into ecstatic cheers.

　　Village Chief Gao shouted for a few villagers to untie the "Saintess" and saw the girl tilting her head to feel the divine rain. The rain on her head was much larger than that on the villagers, almost like a downpour, as if it was meant to extinguish the flames beneath her.

　　Yao Xi was untied, and with clasped hands, she devoutly knelt in the direction of Xiao Fan.

　　The rain thoroughly soaked the little girl, and her ragged linen clothes clung tightly to her body, outlining her well-defined curves.

　　Xiao Fan: (//▽//)

　　Seeing this scene, Xiao Fan couldn't help but feel his cheeks burning, his face turning red. A fluttering sensation emerged in his chest, prompting him to quickly adjust the nozzle of the water bottle.

　　(Even though she suffers from malnutrition, "Di li Jiao ba's" figure is... slender where it should be, and full where it should be.)

　　Inside the ecological box, the little people cheered and rejoiced, feeling the sweet rain brought by Xiao Fan. When the rain ended, the little people knelt in unison, following Yao Xi's direction in continuous bowing.

　　"...Saintess, um, Saintess..." The old man crawled to the girl, his expression somewhat strange, bowing repeatedly in a low voice.

　　"Village Chief, just call me Yao Xi... What's happening to you?" Yao Xi asked curiously.

　　Each bow from Village Chief Gao was forceful; being an elderly man, his body couldn't bear such exertion.

　　Yao Xi couldn't bear to watch, so she grabbed Village Chief Gao, waiting for the old man to speak.

　　"Saintess... Yao Xi, this old man... on behalf of the villagers, apologizes to you. We were all misled by Zhao Twelve, that scoundrel... we even tried to burn you alive. Alas! We were truly confused! This old man, on behalf of the villagers, asks for your forgiveness, and requests that you report to the Lord of Heaven, pleading for the Lord of Heaven's forgiveness..." Village Chief Gao was distressed, repeatedly pounding his chest with fists as if they were withered wood.

　　Yao Xi, at this moment, saw the villagers behind her kneeling with shame and regret in their eyes.

　　"Village Chief, please don't do this. Yao Xi has been an orphan since childhood, living with the villagers. She grew up with the shared meals of a hundred families. The real culprit is Zhao Twelve, and it has nothing to do with you or the villagers..." Yao Xi supported Village Chief Gao and spoke loudly.

　　By doing so, she was telling Village Chief Gao and the villagers that she didn't blame them and held no resentment.

　　"Lord of Heaven, can you forgive everyone? Please don't be angry..." Yao Xi prayed to the faintly visible Lord of Heaven in the sky.

　　"I'm not angry, as long as you're safe."

　　Xiao Fan: (^_^)

　　Xiao Fan, thinking that the little girl had forgiven them all, had even less reason to harbor resentment towards the villagers.

　　However, as for the mastermind, Xiao Fan had no intention of letting him go.

　　Hearing the response from the Lord of Heaven, Yao Xi blushed slightly, but now the most important thing was to reassure everyone's panicked emotions.

　　"Village Chief, fellow villagers, the Lord of Heaven just told me that he is not angry and won't punish anyone."

　　"Thank you, Yao Xi... No, Saintess!"

　　"Thanks to the Lord of Heaven for forgiving us, and thanks to the Saintess for forgiving us!"

　　"By the way, where is Zhao Twelve?"

　　"That's right! Where did that shameless scoundrel go? It's because of Zhao Twelve's instigation that we almost angered the Lord of Heaven!"

　　The villagers looked around, only to find that Zhao Twelve, the despicable fellow, had already fled the scene when the divine rain fell.

　　Xiao Fan, hearing the discussion among the little people, surveyed the entire ecological box and noticed one little person running towards the western edge.

　　"Damn it, I never thought that Yao Xi could truly commune with the Lord of Heaven! This wretched woman, I'll surely return for vengeance..."

　　"...Now, let's go find Li Er Gouzi. Those Thundering Horse bandits have long desired to plunder this place. By then, I can offer this wretched woman, Yao Xi, to Tibet's Second Prince. He's an absolute sadist and relishes tormenting such emaciated women with no wealth and alluring curves. However, the Lord of Heaven's methods are quite sophisticated." Zhao Twelve schemed, his eyes full of depravity, oblivious to the changes around him.

　　In the next moment, the previously tranquil sandy desert was whipped up by a violent wind, carrying clouds of yellow sand.

　　Zhao Twelve suddenly felt a sharp pain on both sides of his shoulders, as if clutched by invisible hands.

　　"Hey? What the hell is happening?"

　　The sharp-faced little person soared into the air, the howling wind distorting his already ugly face.

　　"Woo, help! Save me! Lord of Heaven, have mercy!"

　　With caution, Xiao Fan delicately pinched the sharp-faced monkey-like little person, lifting him from the edge of the ecological box and tossing him onto the open ground within the city.

　　Xiao Fan: (｀ω*)

　　"Di li Jiao ba is so beautiful, and you still want to burn her? Do you think you can escape like this?"

　　In his thoughts, Xiao Fan remarked, capturing Zhao Twelve, who attempted to flee, and leaving the handling to the little girl.

　　"Woo... Have mercy, Lord of Heaven! Spare me!"

　　With a thud, Zhao Twelve fell face-first into the central open space. The monkey-faced little person looked extremely pitiful, rolling over and kneeling on the ground, tearfully begging for mercy from the heavens.

　　"This... this is Zhao Twelve!"

　　"Did Zhao Twelve fall from the sky? What's going on?"

　　The little villagers were extremely surprised, witnessing Zhao Twelve, who had already managed to escape, falling from the sky.

　　"Lord of Heaven, Lord of Heaven, Lord of Heaven... Uh, ah!" Zhao Twelve, terrified, began to speak incoherently, his expression one of panic. He gazed into the vast azure sky, repeatedly kowtowing until he couldn't catch his breath, and eventually collapsed in the midst of the crowd!

　　Xiao Fan: (⊙ｏ⊙)

　　"Ah, is this little guy dead?"

　　Xiao Fan was shocked, not expecting the little people in the ecological box to be so fragile. Despite exerting a controlled force, Zhao Twelve was frightened to death.

　　"Zhao Twelve deceived and collaborated with the Thundering Horse bandits, even blaspheming the Lord of Heaven. Now he's frightened to death, reaping what he sowed!," Yao Xi quickly explained when she saw the surprised expression on the Lord of Heaven's face and the bewildered villagers.

　　"He deserved it. Zhao Twelve deceived and betrayed, conspired with bandits, and even blasphemed the Lord of Heaven. Now, he's frightened to death; it serves him right!" Village Chief Gao agreed.

　　"Yes, yes! Blaspheming the Lord of Heaven and wanting to burn the Saintess Yao Xi. He deserved to die!"

　　"Good riddance to Zhao Twelve! Pity he wasn't burned to death! What about Zhang Shi? She's Zhao Twelve's mistress. Now that Zhao Twelve is dead, we can't let Zhang Shi off the hook!"

　　The villagers spoke and pushed out a plump woman, the middle-aged woman who had helped Zhao Twelve incite the villagers earlier.

　　"Sacrifice her to the Lord of Heaven!"

　　"Yes! Burn Zhang Shi! Offer her to the Lord of Heaven!"

　　Xiao Fan: (￣┰￣*)

　　"What's wrong with these little people? Always thinking about burning people as sacrifices?" Xiao Fan couldn't help but sigh, feeling helpless.

　　Yao Xi looked at the Lord of Heaven with a complex expression. It was her first time meeting this Lord of Heaven, and she didn't know his temperament. He had bestowed rain, but did he expect something in return from the villagers? Yao Xi was uncertain about these matters.

　　Sensing the girl's gaze, Xiao Fan looked at her hesitating expression and couldn't help but smile. However, now was not the time to appreciate a beautiful girl.

　　"You're called Yao Xi, right? I don't want a sacrifice, and I'm not the Lord of Heaven either," Xiao Fan said.

　　Yao Xi brightened up upon hearing the Lord of Heaven's words. Sacrificing a living person was too cruel, and she was worried that this Lord might be some evil deity, making demands that went beyond moral boundaries. Yao Xi didn't know how to handle such a situation.

　　"The Lord of Heaven says no sacrifices are needed. As long as Zhang Shi can mend her ways, the Lord of Heaven will forgive her," Yao Xi conveyed the good news on behalf of Xiao Fan.

　　"We can't let her off so easily!"

　　"Yes! She's in cahoots with Zhao Twelve. Burn this poisonous woman alive!" The villagers were still very angry.

　　"Cough, fellow villagers! We must follow the guidance of the Lord of Heaven! The Lord of Heaven is merciful, and the ringleader Zhao Twelve has already faced divine punishment. We shouldn't add unnecessary killings. Since the Lord of Heaven is giving Zhang Shi a chance, we should also give her an opportunity. Zhang Shi! The Lord of Heaven and the Saintess have forgiven you. Be a good person in the future, don't aid the wicked, and express your gratitude!" Village Chief Gao explained on behalf of Yao Xi.

　　"Yes, yes. Thank you, Village Chief, thank you, Yao Xi... No, Saintess, thank you, Lord of Heaven, thank you, Lord of Heaven!" Zhang Shi kowtowed repeatedly, her ability to survive owed to Yao Xi's kindness.

　　The villagers looked at each other and nodded. As long as it was what Yao Xi said, it was the will of the Lord of Heaven.

　　"The Lord of Heaven is merciful!"

　　"Thank you, Lord of Heaven!"

　　The little people knelt again, kowtowing in the direction of Xiao Fan.

　　Gurgle.

　　Despite repeatedly saying he wasn't the Lord of Heaven, being worshiped and revered felt quite good...

　　Xiao Fan watched the little people kowtowing, feeling pleased. After all the commotion, he hadn't had the chance to eat lunch, and now his stomach was making mournful sounds!

　　Xiao Fan: (~_~;)