C17 The Misunderstanding Became Deeper and Deeper
After leaving the village, Lin Xiaoqiang realized just how dull life could be when you're on your own. His mind kept drifting back to the recent days when Zhang Lili would prepare a variety of delicious meals for him.
The memory of her playful, flirtatious glances was pure bliss. Now that was living.
But here he was, wandering aimlessly through the wilderness, clutching a small knife, as the sun dipped toward the horizon. The fading light cast a loneliness over Lin Xiaoqiang that he had never known before.
He wandered without purpose until he could no longer ignore the encroaching darkness. It was time to find a hiding spot and wait to see if the wolves would emerge again tonight. He couldn't stray too far from the village; he needed to be ready to defend his people if the wolves dared to attack again.
Lin Xiaoqiang couldn't pinpoint when exactly he had started to feel this deep concern for his fellow villagers. Even before claiming the title of Ice Lord, he had come to see them as his own, with a heartfelt desire to protect them.
He circled back to the southwest edge of the village and hastily constructed a lean-to from branches. After clearing the ground of grass and leaves, he crawled inside.
But Lin Xiaoqiang's mood soured as evening approached. His partner would usually have dinner waiting for him by now. His stomach growled in protest, reminding him of his current predicament—no food at hand and no way to cook the provisions in his backpack without risking a fire that could attract unwanted attention. Reluctantly, he decided to bear the hunger.
Closing his eyes, he lay in the tent, lost in a half-conscious state, while his son stayed alert to the sounds outside. The gnawing hunger made Lin Xiaoqiang's discomfort all the more acute.
Time passed, and suddenly Lin Xiaoqiang's eyes snapped open. "Damn, why aren't I hungry anymore?" he wondered aloud.
He couldn't recall when the shift had happened, but the hunger had vanished, replaced by a warm sensation in his stomach. Focusing inward, he realized that the red energy he had absorbed during the Dead Shallows mission was now steadily flowing from his dantian into his stomach, sustaining him.
Under the influence of this unusual effect, Lin Xiaoqiang found himself brimming with more energy than he'd ever felt from eating any food. He was elated. Now, he could sustain himself without food, having become someone utterly out of this world.
As the night wore on, the clock ticked past 10 PM. Lin Xiaoqiang, deep in slumber, was jolted awake by a rustling sound. He opened his eyes but remained still, wary of revealing his position. The sound was too close; any hasty movement might invite an immediate attack. He needed to identify the source and prepare himself for a potential confrontation.
Turning slowly, Lin Xiaoqiang peered through the gaps in the makeshift tree shelter. The sight that met his eyes sent shivers down his spine. Just ten meters away, a pack of wolves emerged from the forest. These were no ordinary wolves; standing at 1.23 meters tall and over two meters in length, their massive presence spelled an unprecedented calamity.
Despite his usual bravery, Lin Xiaoqiang's legs threatened to give out from under him. Clenching his jaw, he steadied his nerves and berated himself internally, "What a disgrace. You call yourself the Ice Lord? Any true Ice Lord would face the moment of truth head-on, preferring death over the stain of cowardice."
With resolve, Lin Xiaoqiang drew the Azure Dragon Blade and stealthily crawled out of his tent. He slithered across the ground, ready to launch a surprise attack on the unsuspecting wolves.
Unexpectedly, as the wolves emerged, they didn't linger. The alpha's howl seemed to signal a swift move, and in the blink of an eye, the pack was already at the southern entrance of the village. Their speed was astonishing, almost as if they had been instantly transported. Lin Xiaoqiang realized these were not ordinary wolves; the changing times had transformed their very nature.
These wolves might be even more vicious and bold than the ones before. He couldn't tell if he'd be fortunate or doomed in the upcoming battle with the wolves.
But now, there was no time for such thoughts. In a mere moment, the wolves had reached the southern entrance of the village. If he didn't act immediately, more villagers might perish.
The alpha wolf's howl at the forest's edge had once again startled the already fearful villagers. Peering out from their windows at the village's perimeter, they were consumed by despair.
Bathed in moonlight, the wolves' silhouettes loomed like colossal beasts at the village's southern entry.
Regret washed over the villagers who had earlier joined in driving Lin Xiaoqiang away. They realized their mistake; Lin Xiaoqiang had nothing to do with these wolves.
The southern part of the village was where a venerable elder lived, his home filled with four generations under one roof.
The elder, shaking, lit his pipe and armed himself. The others grabbed whatever weapons they could find: kitchen knives, rice spoons, forks, and sticks for stoking fire.
"Dad, what do we do now? The wolves are back in our village."
Shivering, the old man drew on his pipe and responded, "It looks like Lin Xiaoqiang is out for revenge, sending these wolves to attack because I led the charge to expel him today. You all are innocent. Escape through the back yard. I'll face the wolves alone. Once you're out, alert the whole village that Lin Xiaoqiang is a malevolent man. He can summon and control these wolves. You must find a way to eliminate him and prevent future threats."
Finishing his smoke, the elder picked up his long-unused hunting rifle, loaded it, and sat in the main hall with a composed demeanor.
His descendants heeded his advice and fled through the back door, raising the alarm throughout the village.
"Listen up, everyone! The ravenous wolves are Lin Xiaoqiang's minions. We won't be safe until we deal with Lin Xiaoqiang himself. We must come together and devise a plan to eradicate this menace."
