9

From Caron's perspective, the principal and villagers looked like a bunch of ants, initially panicked but gradually regaining order. Such organization caught the eye of gambling company boss Sebastian.

"Caron, your little hunting game has piqued my interest," Sebastian said, tilting his head slightly, a mocking smile on his lips, his narrow eyes filled with amusement."How about you introduce the teams for the first round? Let me see how entertaining this 'game' can be."

Hearing Sebastian call his name, Caron immediately put on a fawning smile, bending slightly, his tone so obsequious it could polish shoes."Honourable Mr. Sebastian, dear audience! As you know, this is just a remote, backward village... but who knows, there might be hidden talents among them!"

He carefully watched Sebastian's expression, and seeing that his interest had not waned, he continued,"Our hunters—ah, we've chosen mutated terror wolves! Known for their ferocity, these mutated beasts won't stop until their prey is dead—unless," he paused dramatically, lowering his voice,"their heads are blown off or their bodies are completely torn apart."

"Hmm, sounds intense," Sebastian chuckled, then shifted his tone."And the villagers here... oh, I recall there are 107 of them. What do you think their fate will be?"

Caron licked his dry lips, his smile becoming a bit strained."Uh... well... that's hard to say. While terror wolves are fierce, they do have weaknesses. They could be taken down by skilled hunters..."

"Hunters?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow with a mocking smile."How many real hunters are there among these villagers?"

"Uh, perhaps... one-fifth?"

Sebastian tapped his chin with one finger, seemingly calculating something, then laughed dismissively."So, at best, about five might survive?"

Caron hesitated, his eyes darting around."Uh... boss, one-fifth would be... should be... maybe twenty..."

"Maybe?" Sebastian shook his head as if hearing a joke, a sneer curling his lips."Twenty? My calculations are never wrong—no more than five."

Caron's eyebrows twitched slightly, a perfect hint of shame flashing in his eyes."Oh? Boss, you're always right!"

"Haha!" Sebastian suddenly spread his arms and laughed exaggeratedly."Caron, this is gambling; you need to have a knack for maths!"

Caron's smile froze a bit, but he kept his fawning expression, nodding repeatedly."Yes, yes, of course... it is indeed an exciting gamble!" He quickly cleared his throat, returning to his host persona."Now, let me introduce the special betting game arranged by our company! The core of this game is predicting the number of survivors. You can use your wits or simply rely on luck to make your boldest guesses—"

He waved his hand with feigned enthusiasm, his smile looking forcibly fixed.

The audience began placing bets, but they were mostly small amounts, much to Mr. Sebastian's dissatisfaction.

"Any more bets? Alright, seems like most are still waiting and watching, so let's get started quickly!" Mr. Sebastian urged, and Caron, along with the other gamblers, watched the 3D projection with flushed faces.

---

Listening to the principal's loud voice, Alex stood protectively in front of him. Dan, the burly young man, walked over and stood next to Alex, winking at him. Dan was like Alex's half-brother; he was always glued to the master, cooking and brewing tea, acting like the head disciple. Only Alex knew the master had never formally accepted Dan as a student, but Dan had learned many skills. Dan arrived a few years before Alex and always called him "junior brother" without hesitation. Alex never exposed him.

Despite the tension, the line entering the school remained silent and orderly. The last batch of students and villagers waited to enter. Among the last students, a pair of anxious eyes stared at Alex, trying to convey something but too shy to speak. Alex sensed someone looking at him and turned to see the girl already helping an elderly villager cut in line, her position barely changing.

Alex's gaze followed her, feeling a tightness in his chest. He raised his hand instinctively, wanting to call her name, but in the chaos, the words remained stuck in his throat.

"What am I doing? Saying goodbye to that girl? But what if she doesn't even like me?" These thoughts flooded his mind, making him unable to move.

Suddenly, everything went quiet. Alex had never encountered such an eerie silence, where he could hear his companions' heavy breathing. He looked around, the night dark and dense, the forest filled with the increasing rustle of leaves and the snap of dry branches. Moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting a silver glow on the ground and revealing the slowly gathering hellish creatures. Five, ten, hundreds of terror wolves silently surrounded the campus, their red eyes like the gaze of hell's demons, creating a silent pressure that made one shiver and struggle to breathe.

Terror wolves, said to be the ancestors of wolves, were tall with long, bared teeth. They stood taller than Alex. The wolves slowly tightened their circle, their breathing and growls echoing in the night. Using the shadows of the night and the forest, the pack seemed endless, creating a suffocating presence. Most of the wolves focused on Alex, mocking his isolation.

Alex smelled the mix of blood and the wolves' stench, their growls and footsteps in his ears, making him uncomfortable. The sturdy wooden fence seemed thin before the wolves, and the schoolyard felt like a leaky bucket against the number of wolves. Wolves had already jumped over the fence, closing in on the school entrance.

The two main entrances were packed with students and villagers seeking refuge. The principal and Dan had formed semi-circular defense lines outside, but how effective were they? No one felt confident."Quick! Get inside!" a few teachers urged by the doors. There was no need to hurry; the young villagers guarded the perimeter, while the elderly, women, and children queued up. They couldn't move much faster, causing frustration.

Alex didn't follow his classmates into the school but stood firmly on the edge of Dan's team. He remembered the first question his master had asked him:"Why do you want to learn martial arts?" Alex had answered without hesitation,"To protect!" His answer had made Dan laugh."Kid, I've heard many reasons—some want to be the best martial artist, some seek revenge, some want to kill enemies. Ha! First time I've heard of protecting! You're using a sharp spear to do a shield's job? Forget it, you'll never become the master's disciple!"

But before Dan's laughter stopped, the master's eyes had lit up, grabbing Alex."Finding a good master is hard, but finding a good student is harder! Tell me, what do you want to protect?" From that day on, much to Dan's dismay, Alex was taught the internal martial arts.

Today was the same. Alex's spear was to protect his fellow villagers, classmates, teachers, and campus. How could he hide inside?

Dan glanced at him.

"Kid, don't blame me for not warning you. This is the biggest fight I've seen. You still have time to leave!"

Dan's slightly disdainful attitude made Alex feel humiliated. He snorted but didn't move. Dan grinned and ignored him.

The wolves' eyes gleamed in the night, closing in, creating an inescapable pressure. Someone shouted, trying to scare the beasts but mainly to bolster their courage. Villagers instinctively tightened their defense circle, young men holding wooden sticks shoulder to shoulder. More wolves gathered around Alex, thinking him an easy target.

Alex crouched slightly, realizing he was too close to the protected villagers and couldn't retreat. He steadied himself, becoming the front line of defense. The heavy atmosphere kept both sides from breaking the stalemate, benefiting the villagers.

With one minute left on the countdown, a particularly menacing terror wolf locked eyes with him, leaping close and then stopping, growling. Alex's pupils contracted, instinctively stepping back, his spear pointing upward, accidentally stopping his retreat and forming a defensive stance. He realized the wolf was testing him, gauging his reaction. As he suspected, the wolf barked furiously, mocking his perceived weakness.

Alex felt a sudden pang of shame, years of martial arts training, and now this. From deep within, a shout erupted,

"No retreat, fight to the death!"

It was an ancient military command, a phrase passed down in village legends, the command warriors shouted when facing formidable enemies. The villagers were inspired, shouting in unison,

"No retreat, fight to the death!"

At first, the calls were sparse, but they gradually built into a thunderous roar, causing the terror wolves' attack to pause.

The surrounding terror wolves sensed the shift in momentum and were displeased. One wolf prowled in front of Alex, letting out low growls, trying to draw his attention.

Its fur bristled, making several feints like before, but always stopping short. It forced Alex to follow its movements with his eyes, and when Alex mistook another feint for a real attack, suddenly another wolf lunged from the side, aiming its sharp fangs at Alex's throat. This was their true attack, long prepared.

At the same time, the wolves in front launched a genuine assault. Illusions mixed with reality, making it challenging even for seasoned hunters. Alex was undoubtedly in extreme danger.