Chapter 40
C40 – It’s My Turn to Make a Move
“Alright, I’ll go along with your plan.”
Amidst the flickering flames, Prof. J suddenly threw his support behind the yellow-robed man’s strategy.
At this juncture, there was no superior alternative to ensure everyone’s survival. They were up against more than just the barbarians; the man-eating wolves were a threat as well.
The group was at a loss for words, reluctantly conceding to the plan in silence—after all, no one else had a better idea.
Once the decision was made, they quickly gathered their belongings to break through the encirclement. The outcome of the battle between the barbarians and the wolves was uncertain, but one thing was clear: victory for either would spell disaster for the group.
Leaping off the boulder, they moved stealthily, heading quietly in the direction opposite the barbarians and wolves, carrying only their essential gear.
Suddenly, a harrowing wolf howl pierced the forest air.
Prof. J and his companions, in the midst of their covert escape, were struck with terror.
The yellow-robed man urgently called out, “This is bad. The wolves have spotted us. Pick up the pace, everyone!”
Wolves howled, agilely weaving through the trees, swiftly encircling Prof. J and his group.
“They’re quite clever,” Wen Huaimu remarked, sensing that the barbarians and the wolves had apparently struck a deal. The barbarians vanished into the woods with a series of leaps, and following a low growl from the alpha wolf, the pack launched a frenzied assault, charging towards Prof. J and his companions.
Time was running out. As Prof. J and the group neared the forest’s edge, they spotted numerous wolves to their left.
A chill ran through him; Prof. J thought they were finished.
But the young people were driven by a primal urge to survive.
Men, typically stronger than women, led the way.
Four young men surged ahead, leaving Prof. J and two young women struggling to keep up.
Witnessing this, Wen Huaimu frowned in disapproval.
Such a lack of responsibility; their character was truly lacking.
“Wait. We can’t keep up,” panted the delicate female students, unaccustomed to such peril. They had barely covered a few hundred meters before exhaustion gripped them as fiercely as it did Prof. J. Yet with wolves and barbarians on their heels, they had no choice but to press on.
“Go on, get out of here. I’ll hold them off for a bit.”
At last, Professor J gasped for air, his breath labored and his face etched with exhaustion and bitterness.
“We can’t just leave you!” The two girls, with their kind hearts, refused to abandon the elderly man.
The young men, however, seemed not to hear their pleas, sprinting away without hesitation.
“Choosing to join you all on this expedition was my bad luck. It’s not often I play the hero.”
To the girls’ dismay, as they watched their classmates flee, the man in the yellow shirt remained.
“Thanks, Senior Brother. Now I see you’re the one who truly steps up.” The short-haired girl beamed at the man in yellow, casting a scornful look at the three students vanishing into the forest.
“Don’t hold it against them. Facing death, it’s hard for anyone to stay calm,” the man in yellow said, without a trace of resentment. He rolled up his sleeves and pulled out a small, rusted knife from his belt—a tool they’d all purchased for cutting branches, never imagining it would be used in combat.
“This kid is really growing on me. He’s got good character!”
Wen Huaimu, watching from the shadows, was impressed by the man in yellow.
“What do we do now? You can’t take on the wolves alone,” the short-haired girl said, her voice tinged with defeat.
“Fear not. If I die, so be it. But I’ll take some wolves with me. That’s not a bad trade,” the man in yellow replied with a chilling smile, eyeing a wolf slinking toward him.
“Think you can take me down with just a little brother by your side? You’re underestimating me!” Clenching the rusted knife, his eyes narrowed, revealing a glint of ferocity.
“He doesn’t have the presence of a martial artist. Looks like he’s a scrapper,” Wen Huaimu mused, edging closer to watch the man in yellow’s every move.
A deep howl echoed, and a black shadow burst from the underbrush, barreling towards the man in yellow with a menacing snarl.
“I’ve been waiting for you!” The man in the yellow shirt remained unflustered as he sidestepped and thrust the small, rusted knife in his hand with lightning speed.
A sharp sound echoed, quickly followed by a pained howl. The man’s face was slashed, sending him stumbling back several steps.
The wolf collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The man in yellow inhaled sharply, his hand hovering over the gash on his face, too afraid to touch it. His body shivered with the intensity of the pain.
“It’s so vicious. Even in its dying moments, it tried to claw at us!” he cursed angrily.
“Are you okay?”
The three who had been stunned by the abrupt fight finally snapped out of their daze. The short-haired woman, noticing the man’s injury, rushed over to check on him.
“I’m fine, just a minor wound. But stay alert—the wolf pack is closing in. They could ambush us at any moment.” The man in yellow declined the woman’s offer to tend to his wound. The pain sharpened his focus, allowing him to remain on high alert for the wolves.
“Find a way to climb a tree, the higher the better. I’ll cover for you.”
“Be careful.”
The short-haired woman nodded and without a moment’s hesitation, she led the other girl and Professor J up the trunk of the nearest tree.
Five wolves burst from the underbrush, their green eyes fixed menacingly on the man in yellow.
Clearly, the dying whimper of their fallen pack mate had been a signal, calling others to avenge its death.
“It seems I’m destined to die young,” the man in yellow muttered, gripping the rusty knife with a resigned smile. If it weren’t for his lingering sense of duty, he might have already fled.
Since when did I become so resigned?
“I’m about to step in. This guy’s grown on me; I can’t let him die just yet,” Wen Huaimu emerged from the shadows.
“Can you hold them off?”
A voice cut through the tension, startling the man in yellow. He turned to see Wen Huaimu approaching with a casual air.
“You!”
He was at a loss for words.
Wen Huaimu frowned, “What’s with the hesitation? I thought you were stronger than this. But since you didn’t leave your friends behind, I’ll protect you all today.”
Wen Huaimu wore an air of ease, regarding the pack of wolves before him with utter indifference.
Regrettably, the man in the yellow robe lacked the capacity to admire Wen Huaimu’s composure, his astonishment at the young man’s presence palpable.
How could a youth like this appear here? And carry himself with such audacity?
“Scram.”
As Wen Huaimu turned to face the five wolves, his gaze turned icy. His gentle reprimand carried an undercurrent of mental force.
The wolves, once menacing, were now seized by a terror so profound at the sound of Wen Huaimu’s voice that they began to wag their tails and vanished into the wilderness.
The man in yellow was dumbfounded. This person was incredibly formidable; his mere voice sent a pack of hungry wolves fleeing with their tails tucked.
“Great hero!” The man was clearly caught up in his own illusions. Suddenly, he saw Wen Huaimu as a reclusive and mighty hero, his adoring gaze giving Wen Huaimu the chills.
“Have I rescued the wrong person?”
“Stay away.”
Screams tore through the forest, reverberating in the still air.
One of the three classmates who had abandoned the others was already suffering a grim fate.
“Hero, please, save my classmates,” the man in yellow implored, his face drained of color as he clasped his hands together in a plea to Wen Huaimu.
Wen Huaimu felt out of step with the man’s demeanor.
Yet, he was expected to save those contemptible individuals?
A cold smirk played on Wen Huaimu’s lips. “I have no patience for the selfish. I had intended to save all of you, but I’ve reconsidered. Their fate is no longer in my hands.”
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