In a Fantasy World as Cannon Fodder, I Got Entangled with the Heroine - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Reaping the Spoils

Translation by: Weebsread👹

“Holy crap, no one said I’d be dropped ten thousand feet from the sky! I can’t even fly yet!”  

Jiang Qian plummeted straight from the heavens, tumbling faster and faster, the wind howling past his ears.

Tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

Boom—

He crashed to the ground with a bone-jarring thud…and somehow survived.

Wait, why does the ground feel so…soft?

He glanced down. His pupils shrank to pinpricks.

Gulp—

No way. Did I just land on the back of a Sixth-rank demonic beast?

He’d barely escaped a Fifth Rank, and now he’d crashed into something even scarier!

Jiang Qian scrambled off the beast’s back without hesitation.

...

...

“Jiang Qian…” Bai Piaoxue’s eyes shimmered with tears as she raised her head, looking up at her unexpected rescuer. In that moment, her heart shuddered—her thoughts filled only with Jiang Qian’s face.

Jiang Qian finally noticed her. “Senior Sister Bai, what happened?”

He saw Bai Piaoxue sitting on the ground, battered and bloodied.

“Roar—!”  

The Sixth-rank demonic beast raised its head, bellowing at Jiang Qian and Bai Piaoxue, huge jaws splitting to reveal razor-sharp fangs.

Seriously? It recovered that fast?!

“Sorry, Senior Sister!” Jiang Qian scooped Bai Piaoxue up and slapped a teleportation talisman straight onto himself.

In a flash—

The world spun. The next instant, the two stood atop a mountain thousands of miles away.

Jiang Qian set Bai Piaoxue gently on the ground and let out a shaky sigh. “Whew…that was close. Thought my heart would jump out of my chest!”

He turned to her, unclasping a Blue-patterned Jade Pendant from his belt and pressing it into her hands. “Senior Sister Bai, use this. It’ll help heal your wounds. Keep it with you for now.”

“Okay!” Bai Piaoxue accepted the pendant and clutched it tightly.

Almost at once, faint blue light spread from the jade, knitting together her wounds and soothing her pain.

Jiang Qian slumped onto a nearby rock, leaning his head in his hand.

Two chances, used in a heartbeat. The last one—he couldn’t risk burning it unless he was really desperate. He’d have to guard it with his life.

A few minutes later—

Jiang Qian got up and said quietly to Bai Piaoxue, “Senior Sister, I’m going to scout around. I’ll be right back.”

But before he could go, Bai Piaoxue grabbed the corner of his robe. “Jiang Qian, you’re not going to leave me here, are you?”

“Of course not. I promise to be back by sunset at the latest.”

“…Alright. Don’t be gone too long.”

Reluctantly, Bai Piaoxue released her hold.

Seeing her so vulnerable tugged at Jiang Qian’s heart.

But he quickly shook off the feeling. She’s got her heart set on Duan Yuqing, not me. What am I even thinking?

She just got scared by that Sixth-rank demonic beast, that’s all.

Yeah, that’s all it was.

Who’d ever fall for cannon fodder like me, anyway?

With that thought, Jiang Qian slipped off the mountaintop.

Outside a shadowy cave, Jiang Qian crouched low behind a boulder, staying out of sight.

His eyes were drawn to three demonic beast eggs just inside the cave, and beside them lay a slumbering Sixth Rank—none other than the Thunderflame Skywing Eagle.

So this was the Thunderflame Skywing Eagle’s territory. He really had to get Bai Piaoxue out of here as soon as possible.

【Ding~ Thunderflame Skywing Eagle’s domain detected. Would you like to check in?】

“Check in.”

【Check-in successful!】

【Congratulations, Host! You’ve obtained the Beastmaster’s Ring!】

【Congratulations, Host! You’ve obtained a Fifth Rank demonic beast: Northwind Ice Wolf!】

Nice rewards, but I’ve got to get out of here—

Just as Jiang Qian turned to slip away, another Sixth Rank beast padded into view: the Frostsun White Tiger.

A fresh, barely-healed scar snaked across its belly.

No need to wonder—it almost certainly got that wound from the Thunderflame Skywing Eagle.

“Roar—!”  

The Frostsun White Tiger let out a furious bellow.

The earth shuddered, and the boulder Jiang Qian hid behind threatened to topple.

The Thunderflame Skywing Eagle’s eyes flew open, sharp and cold. It stalked out of the cave.

Face-to-face with a rival, it wasted no time. Its beak parted, spitting an arc of thunderous flame toward the white tiger.

The Frostsun White Tiger sprang aside, the fiery blast missing by a hair’s breadth. In retaliation, it breathed out shimmering frost, aiming for the eagle’s wings.

But the Thunderflame Skywing Eagle launched itself skyward, wings carving the clouds, dodging the freezing torrent.

In the blink of an eye, the two behemoths clashed.

Thunderbolts met freezing winds, fire tangled with ice—elemental might shook the air.

The world trembled. The battle of Sixth-rank demonic beasts was nothing short of apocalyptic.

With nowhere else to hide, Jiang Qian slipped inside the cave.

After all, the Thunderflame Skywing Eagle’s lair had to be the safest place in this death zone.

Inside, his gaze landed on the three demonic beast eggs again.

A wicked grin curled his lips.

The Thunderflame Skywing Eagle could someday reach eight-rank—a true monster of the skies!

Just imagine: riding three eight-rank Thunderflame Skywing Eagles as mounts… How glorious would that be?

Still, stealing eggs—only a villain would do something so shameless.

But—

Without any hesitation, Jiang Qian swept all three demonic beast eggs into his brand-new Beastmaster’s Ring.

Please, I’m a villain—why hold back? I don’t owe any heroics.

By the time the sun set, the chaos outside finally quieted.

Jiang Qian crept to the cave entrance and peered out. The two beasts lay collapsed on the bloody ground, the earth stained deep red.

The Thunderflame Skywing Eagle sensed instantly that its eggs were gone.

It staggered up, eyes wild with murderous fury, lunging at Jiang Qian.

But in that very moment, the dying Frostsun White Tiger clamped its jaws around the eagle’s throat, blood flowing from its fangs.

“Skreeeee—!”  

The eagle screeched in agony.

Jiang Qian’s mind raced. He clenched his fist, then swept his right hand out.

A Northwind Ice Wolf, over three meters long, its fur wreathed in swirling frost, leapt into existence at his side.

“Take out that tiger!” Jiang Qian commanded.

The Ice Wolf surged forward, jaws open.  

Had the Frostsun White Tiger been healthy, the Ice Wolf wouldn’t have stood a chance. But with the tiger on its last legs, it was child’s play.

In moments, the Northwind Ice Wolf tore the Frostsun White Tiger to shreds and swallowed its demon core whole.

The Ice Wolf was still Fifth Rank, but its body instantly bulked up.

Jiang Qian approached the shattered Thunderflame Skywing Eagle and spoke gravely, “Do you want to live? Do you want to protect your children?”

The eagle nodded, weak and desperate.

“Then form a contract with me. Become my demonic beast!” Jiang Qian demanded. He was no soft-hearted fool—better safe than sorry.

The Thunderflame Skywing Eagle hesitated just a moment, then spat out a drop of its heart’s blood.

Jiang Qian accepted it, weaving his Spiritual Essence into the crimson drop, pressing it between the eagle’s brows. A shimmering contract rune flared to life.

With a thought, Jiang Qian summoned both the Thunderflame Skywing Eagle and the Northwind Ice Wolf back into his Beastmaster’s Ring.

Within the ring, their wounds would heal—and, thanks to its high grade, recovery would be swift.

“Time to head back,” he murmured.

Jiang Qian left the cave and made his way down the mountain.

...

Some time later—

“Senior Sister Bai, I’m back—”

Before he could finish, Bai Piaoxue rushed over and threw her arms around him.