"Here we go."
GRAAAAA!!
The whole pack attacked at the same time, coming from all directions. The villagers would be troubled to maintain their defenses against a horde of atleast 30 dogs. But they raised their weapons anyway and smack on it as hard as they can. The reverbration created a pang sound but which failed to broke their skull. They only got dizzy for a while before they stood and attacked again. Their claws were highly infectious such that one scratch is enough to inflict the virus. The villagers have to maintain their formation, however, there were many unexpected outcomes. Ten of them were killed instantly. The vicious beasts tore their faces and bit their neck which exploded with liters of blood. It did not take a minute before the dogs managed to breaktgrough the encirclement and came to attack women and children. The children cried seeing their ugly faces, which itself defines the epitome of ferocious creatures, and most of all their worst fate. Their mothers would just hug them but they were tore themselves. Their backs are incised with parallel deep wounds that run through their spine and they crumvled in shock. Their heads would be tore in a snap under the strong paws of the beasts, revealing theoir children under their clutch which more or less suffered the same outcome.
Cries rabg out in the deathly night but no one seems to hear them. Blood spilled, arms broken, weapons fallen. One by one, the families broke and dies in quick succession. The men could do nothing but to try saving whoever tehy can . Yet even themselves they cannot protect from the viral sharpness of cruelty. Their arms got slashed but theystill swung their clubs hopingvto kill at least one of the motherf*ckers.
Great anger was not enough to pump up their determination to fight for justice. Because the fragile body of mortals are meant to be broken by mere diseases. Furthermore, the rabies of Hesperocyons are not to be taken lightky. The more they move, the more the virus spreads faster in thrir system. Visible to the eye is their arms getting swolen, becoming pale and blackening of their skins into a point their bones are paralyzed. Then it won't be long before they were wrenched. The air is full of massacre's sweat. Blood evaporated from yhe heat of the burning lamps and they produce an awful aroma.
Liu Wushi fought valiantky together with other hot-blooded men. Their sword creates swish'swashing sounds as they collided with the dogs' steel claws. But he did his best skills to behead them and rip out their hearts. His robes were already stained with gores and blood. He saw the chief fell on the ground. One beast was about to leap on him but he slew it with a vertical slash. He pulled the injured chief away from the raging battle unto a wall.
"Chief, stay here. I'll find the medicine."
"No need! I'm badly injured. The virus has already spread out all throughput my system. We haven't created yet a medicine wh8ch can suppress it. It's no use. There's no hope for me."
"Don't say thst. I'll find you a medicine."
Chief held his arm. "Wait. The lady... Rou Lang. Go find her. Protect her. She must not die. She is our only hope."
The chief spoke to him fast but he got the meaning. He gulped and nodded. "I understand."
Liu Wushi left the battle and arrived at the chief house where the lady was supposed to be sleeping. But the house was empty. The door was tightly closed but no one in sight. The window, however was open wide. And the black blade of Ancestor Qian was missing.
"Where could she be? Did she escaped with the blade?"
Liu Wushi gulped at the thought of her leaving after listening to the last words of his uncle. But he was wrong. It was not long until he heard the sound of battle becoming intense once more. He peeked out of the window and was astonished at the stunning sight.
Lady Rou Lang was fighting the pack. But she fought not as normal warriors do, in fact she does it in a more special way. The rate of killing was just so shoking. One by one, the dogs fell with their heads rolling or their skulls crushed.
Rou Lang swung the heavy blade rather fast but unhurried. She did a normal fighting stance and fought as ordinary warriors would do. Even though she was not being so lively in executing her moves, it was still rather stunning to see. One simple and casual-looking slash actually deciminated a dog. The secret for this is relying on her inner self once more. The art of inner cultivation plays a very important role in battle. Not only was it used in meditation but also in fighting. It composed of three main factors in balanced pyramid -breathing, inner control, and willpower. Breathing, the proper breathing is the key to a natural but powerful move which hardly affects the external body such as fatique. If mastered, the body can move forever without gatting tired. Doing a certain breathing pattern in extreme focus will remove all worry of being injured and calmly deliver attacks whilst having a keen perception. Thus, she does not have to worry if her moves are slow or weighed down. She just needs to concentrate on breathing, which is the key for the second factor.
"That's good. Now, to strengthen your physical and internal, it's more expident to apply your inner force control. Just like qi control, all you need to do is to focus, not in a particular area but all round you. You must feel every inch of your self, from head to toe. Feel your heart beats, pulses, and blood pressure, gushing all throughout your circulatory system. But the main focus should be in your heart. If you can control your heart, you can control your inner force. Let it beat faster, madder, wilder, until adrenaline shots up in insane levels. That way, you will gain extra power up. Use your mind to control the energy. You must get it to sink in your bones. That's right! Gather as mush energy as possible to your bones!"
Rou Lang did as intructed. The control of energy is especially hard without a calm self. But all what requires is extreme focus. She just have to focus her mind on her bones, and the energy will gather there willingly. She will then straighten her posture, in complete balance of upper and lower body, so as to jingle those accumulated energy making them hot and lively. The she'll release those energy with a hard exhale. As she exhales, the power contained on her hand multiplied and she slashed quicker and neater. The beast's head did not even know that it died not until seconds later after she severed its head.
"Go! That's right! Now raise your spirit! Feel confident and carefree to every move you make! Remove all worry or desires in your soul. Just let out all the enotions and feelings so as you not get stuffy. Be courageous! Be brave! Strike as hard as you could without holding back. If you are injured, ignore the pain and continue the battle as lively as you started it. This will prove your inner samurai which also defines your true self. Raising your spirit will raise your willpower. And willpower means not giving up despite all the hardworks and suffering. Because there's nothing in this world that can make you crumble down. There's no pain that can make you succumb into surrendering; but only shouting 'It's not enough!'"
The lady warrior gave all her best shots in her first fight. All beasts were now coming from all sides. As they got faster and faster, she gots quicker and quicker until she can't figure out how her body did those extreme movements without straining her muscle. She doesn't know she eas that flexible till now. Gladly as she did, she let her wildliness take control. Not a missing arm can stop her momentum from slaying.
She swung the blade in a horizontal arc which was not evaded by a dog. But another come pouncing from behind, she twisted herself and moved around whilst swinging her sword for the dog's throat. From a distance, she was no different from dancing ballé. She just keeps spinning and spinning as if to seemingly dance with the breeze. But behind her every footsteps is a trail of blood and carapace that were severed to pieces.
At last, Rou Lang did an aerial maneuver as she brought her blade for the last kill.
Swish!
All are deciminated and silence remains. Just as a cold breeze bathed her skin, she suddenly felt exhaustion and she fell down gasping for breath. Contrary to the icy temperature of the ground, her body emits extreme heat, worse than a fever could. Now her heart is thumping loudly as she breathed hard to calm down.
Huff! Huff! Huff...
"Master, am I... I am... did I win?"
Master Levi did not reply immediately. He let her catch her breathing first.
"Uhh... yeah!... yeah... you won the battle, but you lost the war. Still."
Only then realization stuck her. The surrounding is deathly silent. No more cries nor groans are present. It's like the world froze itself. Then she looked in front and saw it.