Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Everyone dispersed, devoting themselves to the hunt. Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu traveled together, initially catching only ordinary prey like rabbits and pheasants. As they delved deeper into the forest, the surroundings grew increasingly quiet, with only the occasional crisp bird song adding to the deep and mysterious nature of the forest.

Suddenly, Ma Yunlu's eyes lit up as she discerned a sika deer not far away. Its graceful deer, its fur gleaming softly in the sunlight, resembled a forest elf. However, sika deer are naturally extremely alert, and instantly sensing something unusual, they unleashed their hooves and streaked off into the distance like an arrow.

Seeing this, Ma Yunlu rode his horse in pursuit without hesitation. Cao Ang, fearing she might be in danger, hurried after her. The two of them, so absorbed in chasing the deer, unknowingly separated themselves from the main group, running further and further away, gradually entering the more remote heart of the forest.

Finally, after a fierce chase, Ma Yunlu successfully hunted the sika deer. Just as the two were about to return to rejoin the others, something unexpected happened. A roar resounded through the forest, seemingly shattering the tranquility of the landscape. A massive, ferocious tiger suddenly burst forth from the dense jungle. The tiger exuded a chilling majesty, its bell-like eyes gleaming with ferocity and greed. It fixed its gaze on Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu, like a grim reaper from hell, slowly approaching, seemingly sizing up its two "prey."

Faced with this sudden life-or-death crisis, Cao Ang instantly drew his sword from his waist and, with lightning speed, stood in front of Ma Yunlu without hesitation. Ma Yunlu also quickly calmed down, tightly gripping his bow and arrow, standing shoulder to shoulder with Cao Ang, his eyes revealing a fearless determination.

The tiger struck first, leaping at Cao Ang with the force of a golden bolt of lightning. Cao Ang reacted with remarkable speed, dodging the tiger's fatal blow with a sideways movement. At the same time, his sword, like a venomous snake emerging from its lair, stabbed the tiger fiercely. However, the tiger was incredibly agile, its massive body deftly twisting in mid-air, effortlessly dodging Cao Ang's blade. Then, with a swift, sharp swipe of its claws, it slashed towards Cao Ang. Cao Ang was unable to dodge, and the claws slashed his left arm, staining his sleeve with blood.

But Cao Ang showed no sign of retreating. He knew he had the responsibility of protecting Ma Yunlu, and he had only one thought in mind: no matter what, she must not be harmed. Ma Yunlu calmly looked for the right moment to strike, attempting to deliver a fatal blow with her bow and arrow.

In the fierce fight that followed, the tiger attacked repeatedly, each lunge carrying overwhelming force. Cao Ang, with his unwavering will and masterful swordsmanship, narrowly parried the tiger's attacks, creating openings for Ma Yunlu. Several more wounds stained his body, and blood flowed continuously, but his gaze remained even more resolute.

As the fight dragged on, Cao Ang's strength gradually faded, and the tiger, sensing his weakness, intensified its attacks. During one of the tiger's attacks, Cao Ang stumbled to the ground. Seeing this, the tiger opened its maw and bit Cao Ang's throat. In the nick of time, Ma Yunlu seized the opportunity and fired an arrow, hitting the tiger's eye. The tiger, in pain, let out a deafening roar and paused.

Cao Ang seized the opportunity, quickly rising and, with every ounce of strength he possessed, thrust his sword fiercely into the tiger's neck. The tiger struggled frantically, its immense force throwing Cao Ang backward. But Cao Ang held onto the hilt of his sword, refusing to let go despite the tiger's struggles. Blood splattered everywhere, and the tiger's struggles gradually weakened before it collapsed to the ground, motionless.

Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu gasped for breath as they stared at the fallen tiger, finally letting out a sigh of relief. Cao Ang's body was covered in wounds, his clothes stained red with blood, and he was shaky. Ma Yunlu felt a mixture of emotions as he watched the injured Cao Ang: deep gratitude for his life-saving protection and sincere admiration for his bravery.

"How are you? It's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on chasing the sika deer, we wouldn't have encountered the tiger and you wouldn't have been seriously injured..." Ma Yunlu said anxiously with red eyes.

Cao Ang's lips trembled slightly, and he forced a smile, suppressing the pain and said, "Miss Yunlu... don't blame yourself. Protecting you is... what I should do. Besides, we... didn't we successfully hunt the tiger..."

Ma Yunlu gasped as she stared at the fallen tiger, her heart finally settling. But then she caught sight of Cao Ang from the corner of her eye, and her expression suddenly changed. Cao Ang had been holding on, but after confirming the tiger was dead, he could no longer hold on. With a thud, he fell flat on his back. Cao Ang's body was now covered in wounds, his clothes stained crimson with blood, and he was as weak as a candle in the wind.

Ma Yunlu screamed in terror, "Master Cao, Cao Ang, how are you? Wake up!" Tears instantly blurred her eyes. At that moment, the young woman could no longer suppress the surging emotions within her. Recalling Cao Ang's bravery, as he bravely stood before her, battling the tiger with all his might, her heart was completely captivated by the man before her. She rushed to Cao Ang's side, shaking him repeatedly, trying to wake him.

Amid Ma Yunlu's anxious cries, Cao Ang finally awoke. He slowly opened his eyes, his expression weak and exhausted, but he forced himself to stay awake. He softly asked, "Miss Yunlu, are you...are you okay?"

Ma Yunlu burst into tears: "It's all my fault. If I hadn't been chasing the sika deer, we wouldn't have encountered the tiger and you wouldn't have been so badly injured..."

Cao Ang raised his hand slightly, gently wiped away the tears on Ma Yunlu's face, and said affectionately: "Miss Yunlu, from the first time I saw you, I was stunned by your beauty. Your heroic demeanor has long been deeply imprinted in my heart. I have never regretted what happened today. If it happened again, I would still risk my life to protect you. Protecting you is the most natural thing for me. I only regret that my martial arts are not strong enough to keep you unharmed..." Cao Ang paused, his eyes becoming more determined, "Miss Yunlu, I truly admire you. For the rest of my life, I want to be by your side and keep you safe and secure."

Ma Yunlu looked into Cao Ang's affectionate eyes, tears streaming down her face even more. This time, they were mingled with emotion and joy. She held Cao Ang's hand tightly, choking with sobs as she said, "Cao Ang, you'll be fine. We'll definitely get out safely. I... I'll also..." Her words, half-finished, spoke volumes.

Ma Yunlu was extremely anxious. Seeing Cao Ang lying injured, he immediately tried to help him up, hoping to carry him away from this dangerous place as quickly as possible. After all, there were many wild beasts in the mountains and forests, and no one knew if another beast would appear at the next moment. If there was another danger, they really didn't know how to deal with it.

However, Cao Ang's injuries were too severe. Ma Yunlu tried very hard to help him stand up slightly. She wanted to help him walk, but it was impossible. In desperation, Ma Yunlu gritted her teeth and decided to carry Cao Ang on her back. She squatted down and tried hard to carry Cao Ang on her back, but Cao Ang's tall body and heavy injuries made it impossible for her to succeed. Every time she tried, Cao Ang couldn't help but grimace in pain. Although he tried hard not to scream, his painful expression was enough to show that he was in great pain at the moment.

The two first chased a sika deer, and then fought a desperate battle with a tiger. They had already consumed a lot of physical strength. After all this trouble, not only did they fail to get Cao Ang up, but Ma Yunlu herself was also exhausted and panting. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead, and tears covered her cheeks.

Just when Ma Yunlu felt desperate, he suddenly heard shouts from afar: "Master Cao, Miss..." Ma Yunlu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he responded anxiously: "Here! Here!"

It was already past noon, and the generals who had gone out hunting had gradually returned to the gathering place, but Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu were nowhere to be seen. They waited a moment longer, their hearts pounding with worry. Ma Teng, especially worried about the safety of his daughter and Cao Ang, immediately ordered his men to disperse and search the forests. Cao Hong was equally anxious. If anything happened to his nephew, he didn't know how to explain it to his brother, so he also made every effort to search.

Hearing Ma Yunlu's cries, everyone rushed towards the source of the sound. When they arrived, they were stunned by the scene before them. Cao Ang lay weakly on the ground, severely wounded and bloodied. Ma Yunlu's armor was also splattered with blood, and he looked utterly miserable. Beside them lay a massive tiger.

Everyone gasped at the sight of this tragic scene. Cao Hong felt his heart shattered. He rushed to Cao Ang and asked in a trembling voice, "Nephew, how are you? How did you get hurt like this?"

Cao Ang's face was pale, but he forced a smile and said weakly, "Uncle, I... I'm fine." After saying that, he turned his head slightly and looked at Ma Yunlu, whose face was covered with tears, and whispered to comfort her, "Miss Yunlu, don't worry, I'm really fine."

At this moment, Ma Teng also hurried forward. Seeing his daughter and Cao Ang in such a state, his heart was filled with distress and worry. He immediately ordered, "Quick, make a stretcher and send Master Cao back to the camp for treatment!"

Everyone sprang into action, hastily fashioning a makeshift stretcher out of branches and clothing. After carefully lifting Cao Ang onto the stretcher, Ma Yunlu hurried forward and gently held Cao Ang's hand, tears still streaming down her face as she murmured, "Cao Ang, you must hold on. We'll be at the camp soon. You'll be alright..."

Cao Ang nodded slightly and held Ma Yunlu's hand tightly with all his strength to comfort him.

On the way back to the banquet, Ma Yunlu stayed by Cao Ang's side, whispering to him, "Cao Ang, you know what? You really scared me just now... If it weren't for you, I..." Cao Ang shook his head slightly and interrupted her softly, "Miss Yunlu, don't say these words anymore. As long as you are safe, I will be at ease."

Behind him, several soldiers worked together to drag the hunted tiger. This once majestic king of beasts had now become a "trophy" that everyone witnessed Cao Ang and Ma Yunlu's life and death together.