Ariana shot him a defiant glare, but he only chuckled coldly and taunted, "You think you can intimidate me, a nobody like you?"

Realizing the perilous situation she was in, Ariana was about to avert her gaze when she caught sight of the man in black making a gesture.

The next second, the cage with a hungry tiger was wheeled out.

The restless and aggressive tiger locked eyes with them, poised to attack at any moment.

Fear gripped Ariana, her legs trembling.

She knew that if the tiger was set loose, she would be dead.

Ariana's survival instincts kicked in. She focused on the man in black.

As he turned to leave, she seized a desperate opportunity, rushing up behind him and kicking his vulnerable spot.

He cried out in pain, stumbling, and in that moment of weakness, Ariana snatched the whip from his grasp and swiftly wrapped it around his neck.

Acting quickly, she subdued him before anyone else could react. When someone attempted to intervene, she tightened her hold and issued a warning, “Stay back, or I'll kill him! Try me!"

Ariana's eyes blazed with determination as she applied more pressure on the whip.

She was clueless about the man's identity or if the person on the raised platform would step in to help the man in black.

The crowd paused, and even those who had reached for their guns shared unsure looks.

Feeling a bit relieved yet still on edge, Ariana realized the man she held must have some influence. However, with no clear instructions from the person on the platform, she remained catious.

Her primary goal now wasn't necessarily escape but survival.

She maintained a tight grip on the whip, her hands reddened from the strain, using the man in black as a shield against the others.

The man in black, his face reddening from the pressure, struggled as Ariana eased her hold enough for him to say, "Don't move. Help me."

Ariana was trapped with no escape in sight. It was a do-or-die moment, and she chose to gamble everything.

Her gaze was piercing, swiftly scanning the encircling crowd for any hint of movement, her nerves tense.

Deep inside, Ariana was terrified, yet she constantly reassured herself that there had to be a way out, a chance to survive and return home. She was determined not to meet her end here, not with Melon and Holden waiting for her return.