Vol. 4 Chapter 18: The Red Fox

In the distance, the roar of tigers echoed, seemingly closing in. In reality, it was just the sound of dozens of paper tigers rustling through the grass, creating an illusion of grandeur. Two crippled tigers were among them, their words killing with the strength of speech. However, when faced directly, their words often fell short.

The power of words can indeed create the illusion of tigers. But if you do not waver in your beliefs, the words lose their impact. The root of the power of "three men make a tiger" lies in the belief of the masses, not the speakers. When people believe in the presence of tigers, chaos ensues. If you are intimidated and yield to the threats of these two tigers, the illusion becomes reality.

Thus, confronting these tigers head-on, without falling prey to their words, reveals their true weakness. The real danger lies in the approaching tigers. Once the paper tigers' true nature is exposed, they can be easily defeated.

As Lu Li dealt with the five or six squirrel-turned tigers, the sound of drums and gongs approached from a distance. It seemed a procession was headed directly for him. The paper tigers, hearing the approaching sound, transformed into human figures—mostly merchants, hunters, and woodcutters, all bearing gruesome wounds, as if bitten by tigers. These people were likely servants of the tiger.

They knelt in the forest, awaiting something. In the distance, a group carrying a palanquin, accompanied by loud drumming, approached rapidly. The bearers, also marked with tiger bites, appeared lifeless. The music, though loud, was empty and uninteresting.

The palanquin stopped before Lu Li, and out came a red-furred fox, draped in a tiger pelt, exuding an air of authority. The fox addressed Lu Li, "Human, what brings you to our Southern Mountain, causing such commotion? How dare you harm the citizens of the Southern Mountain Tiger Kingdom?"

The fox's words carried great weight, especially with the tiger pelt enhancing his presence. He pointed at the paper tiger pinned to the ground by the shadow assassin's blade, ignoring the five squirrels that had reverted to their original forms.

"I consider you a foreign guest, and to avoid conflict between our nations, I give you a chance to explain yourself. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to act against you," the red fox declared, gesturing. The servants' wounds transformed into armor and weapons. Though illusory, in this dreamlike state, they were as effective as real weapons.

The servants, now armed, aimed their weapons at Lu Li, ready to strike at the red fox's command. They were of all ages and genders, yet now all appeared equally lifeless.

"You speak of conflict between nations. Which two nations are you referring to?" Lu Li asked, showing no signs of panic, his curiosity piqued.

"Naturally, between our Southern Mountain Tiger Kingdom and your Human Wu Kingdom!" the red fox replied. At his signal, the servants lowered their weapons, easing the tension. "Our nations should remain separate. Why have you intruded and harmed our citizens?"

"Your citizens? Judging by their attire, these people are from Wu Kingdom. When did they become your subjects?" Lu Li retorted with a smile. "I should ask why you have killed and controlled our people."

"Nonsense! Your Wu Kingdom's harsh policies leave your people desperate. They sought refuge in the Southern Mountain Tiger Kingdom. Ask them—every one of them joined us willingly," the red fox retorted angrily, turning to one servant for confirmation.

The servant, a hunter, recounted his plight with a lifeless expression: "Years of famine left our fields barren. Taxes increased due to war. I turned to hunting in the mountains and met the king. I joined the Southern Mountain Tiger Kingdom willingly."

"Oh, is that so?" Lu Li squinted at the servant, whose neck bore deep bite marks. Clearly, he had died when he encountered the tiger. Now, he claimed to have joined willingly, a ridiculous notion.

"Enough talk! Explain why you harmed our citizens, or face the consequences," the red fox demanded, his expression turning smug. "Though your human kingdom is powerful, I cannot betray the King's trust."

The red fox shook his tiger pelt, releasing a powerful aura that stirred the wind around them.

"It wasn't my fault. These squirrels controlled them, leading to their deaths. You, a minister of the Tiger Kingdom, wrongly accuse me. I won't stand by without resistance," Lu Li declared, pointing to the dead squirrels, his shadow rising to form massive tentacles behind him.

"Is that so?" The red fox's eyes flickered with doubt as he whispered with a servant-turned-paper tiger. Turning back to Lu Li, he smiled warmly. "I see. These were rebels, attempting to incite conflict between our nations. I was hasty."

"Honored guest from a foreign land, please accompany me to meet the king. We will ensure proper hospitality and compensation," the red fox said, bowing in apology.

"Very well. I never refuse an interesting invitation," Lu Li replied with a smile.