That’s true, after all, Xia Chuan was just a passing acquaintance. Even though she instinctively felt that he was not like the people from the Three Tigers Camp, she didn’t have any solid evidence to confirm he was a good person. As for trying to trade Iron Ore from the Great Xia Camp at a low price, it was just talk and couldn’t be taken seriously.
"Strangers are approaching, everyone come back quickly!"
Suddenly, a quick shout came from outside the cave, and Xiao Ning and the others, who were resting, immediately changed their expressions and quickly sprang up from the ground.
"Hang’er and the others get inside, Yu’er come with me to check it out!"
Xiao Ning quickly grabbed her bow and arrow, called out to the others, and ran straight toward the cave entrance.
Xiao Hen and the others who were working, although worried, hurriedly ran inside the cave.
They were different from Xiao Ning and Xiao Yu, having only the cultivation of the Logging Realm; they wouldn’t be of much help outside and could become a burden.
The sisters had just rushed out of the cave when they discovered their father, Xiao Kangcheng, standing fully armed with twenty-one others of the Earth-digging Realm, guarding the entrance.
"Father, what’s going on?"
Xiao Kangcheng didn’t speak, keeping a serious expression, but a middle-aged man next to him turned to Xiao Ning and said, "I was on duty on the outskirts tonight and just noticed a few people sneaking around nearby as if they knew the location of our cave. They kept getting closer, so I thought something was wrong and came back to report to the leader."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ning’s expression also became grave.
The discovery of their camp’s location was not a good thing.
Especially during this cold wave period, there’s talk of the Three Tigers Camp lacking people and trying to annex other camps, and if they were discovered, a fierce battle would be inevitable.
Someone suddenly shouted, and everyone looked in the direction he pointed; their faces darkened at what they saw.
In the dense forest to the south of the cave, three torches were quickly approaching, and the people holding them had obviously seen the cave and were moving rapidly closer.
"It’s too late to seal the cave now, let everyone hide inside first, see who they are, and then take action!"
Xiao Kangcheng spoke, and everyone’s expressions turned nervous as they gripped their weapons, staring at the approaching torches from the south without daring to relax for a moment.
"It might not be people from the Three Tigers Camp; it could be someone from another camp lost and in the wrong place."
"Even if it’s people from the Three Tigers Camp, I’m not scared. Worst case, I’ll fight them. No matter how strong they are, they can’t force me to be a slave."
"Why panic? At worst, we can just hide inside the cave."
Even though they said this, the increasingly heavy tone still betrayed their anxious feelings.
"Sir, found it. It’s here."
"It’s here, the cave has a light."
"It must be Xiao He Camp, notify the others to come over!"
With the three torches only about a hundred meters away, their unguarded voices clearly reached Xiao Kangcheng and the others.
The content of the three men’s words undoubtedly added to their heavy mood.
The last bone whistle sound was clearly summoning nearby people, something they, as frequent travelers, were well aware of.
Sure enough, no more than ten breaths after the whistle, six more torches approached rapidly from the sides, and in just a moment, the group had gathered.
"It’s manageable, not too many people, let’s see what’s going on!"
Seeing there were only nine people, Xiao Kangcheng’s expression relaxed a lot, showing a hint of aggression, and he led the others a few steps toward the south.
But just as he moved, a cheerful voice came from the opposite side.
"Leader Xiao, it’s been ten days, I trust you’ve been well. Xia Chuan is here to visit again!"
Upon hearing this familiar voice, the people on Xiao Kangcheng’s side were stunned.
Xiao Ning, however, showed a hint of delight in her eyes, which her sister Xiao Yu saw clearly.
"It’s Brother Xia Chuan, not people from the Three Tigers Camp."
Hearing the joy in his daughter’s voice, Xiao Kangcheng’s brows furrowed but then gradually relaxed.
At the same time, the nine people approaching were also clearly seen by them.
Seeing this, Xiao Kangcheng and the others couldn’t take their eyes off them.
Ten days ago, upon seeing Xia Chuan at first glance, they were stunned by his attire, not just the Xiao Yu siblings but also Xiao Ning, Xiao Kangcheng, and the other Earth-digging Realm individuals.
That well-crafted black cloak, blue beast fur hat, black beast skin boots, and the slender long knife with an iron sheath hanging from his waist, along with the iron token he left for them.
Now they found that the eight people accompanying Xia Chuan wore identical clothes, had similar tokens at their waists, weapons sheathed at their sides, and even carried bows and arrows on their backs.
One of them even had two sets on his back.
What is this, showing off wealth?
Xiao Kangcheng looked a bit surprised, but as Xia Chuan got closer, he still slightly cupped his hands and said, "Xia Chuan... Sir, may I ask why you have come here?"
To have nine Earth-digging Realm individuals following like that, and some even carrying things, clearly in a subordinate manner, the words ’virtual nephew’ could not come out of Xiao Kangcheng’s mouth no matter what.
Even though he changed the address to ’Sir,’ Xiao Kangcheng still tried to soften his tone, not to be so stiff.
"This level of vigilance is quite something!"
Seeing Xiao Kangcheng’s cautious inquiry, Xia Chuan sighed internally but quickly put on a smile. As he approached, he signaled Shi Ping and the others beside him to take out the three items.