To everyone's surprise, A-Lai remained calm, his expression unchanged.
"You're so boring!" A small figure darted to A-Lai's side—it was Little Fly, the class prankster. Despite his short stature, he was as nimble as a cat, always darting around the classroom.
"Hey, A-Lai, are you always this slow to react?" Little Fly grinned mischievously, looping his arm around A-Lai's neck, his eyes sparkling with playful energy.
A-Lai smiled slightly and replied,"I can smell your coming from far far away."
"Stop bragging! By the way, A-Lai, can you teach me those cool spear moves? I can't wait any longer!"
Little Fly always admired A-Lai, who had mastered spear techniques under the guidance of the village's kung fu master. But the master was hesitant to teach Little Fly, who lacked patience and couldn't even hold a basic horse stance for three minutes.
A-Lai thought for a moment and reluctantly said,"I can teach you the basics, but the master insists that the spear techniques cannot be passed on."
"I just want to learn your special moves, like the'Backfire Spear' and the'Poseidon's Trident.' And I'll bring you your favorite sweet syrup." Little Fly continued to coax A-Lai into agreeing.
"But that's not allowed. I need to ask the master."A-Lai responded.
"Why do you always have to ask the master for everything? Just teach me yourself!"Little Fly protested.
"If the master finds out, he might be very angry!" A-Lai warned.
"You're so stingy, no fun!"
Little Fly quickly joined another lively conversation with his classmates, laughing with them. Soon, he forgot about the spear techniques altogether, finding joy in the playful banter with his friends.
A-Lai's fingers gently brushed the long, over one-meter package on his desk. Inside was a cleverly segmented spear, an old friend he had practiced with for years. The time was near. He took a deep breath and hopped onto the floor, grabbing the package with one hand, his palm slightly sweaty with anticipation
Around the bonfire, the headmaster and students formed a tight circle, creating a small stage in the silent night. The girl's gaze was fixed solely on the boy in the center, his silhouette dancing at the edge of the flickering firelight. Every movement he made was graceful and mysterious, as if he were performing a magical show just for her.
The boy's spear spun, transforming into a cascade of flames, splitting from one into three, then nine, like a mesmerizing flower of fire. To her, the boy seemed like a mystical magician, turning the tranquil night into a vibrant tableau, painting a world of wonder.
However, the joyous atmosphere was abruptly shattered by a scream from the nearby woods.
A student, noticing something unusual, asked,"Did you hear that high-pitched scream from the woods?"
"No, don't disturb me. I'm watching him...Eh, I mean... the show,"her friend replied, fully engrossed in the boy's captivating performance. As another round of applause erupted, the girl clapped along, unaware that her hands were turning red.
When her hero finally steadied his spear, standing firm as a mountain, his unwavering demeanor earned everyone's admiration.
The headmaster led the applause, the children's eyes fixed on the boy, filled with awe and admiration. Their gazes were full of dreams for the future, seeing their own aspirations reflected in the boy.
-----------------
As the night deepened, distant sounds of laughter and revelry echoed through the darkness, and Darek and Dylan momentarily fell into a trance. Suddenly, the bushes rustled violently, and the harsh, guttural howls of wolves pierced the night. A few fearsome wolves appeared before them, their cunning green eyes gleaming in the darkness like malevolent sprites.
"It seems tonight's gathering is a bit 'special'," Darek's voice was calm yet edged with cold severity. His gaze was sharp as a blade as he scanned their surroundings. He picked up a sturdy branch from the ground, swiftly stripped it of leaves, and skillfully fashioned it into a rudimentary weapon. Darek's eyes were intent."Brother, the wolves' weak points are their throats and bellies. Their throats have thinner fur and are more vulnerable, while their bellies are the least protected. Targeting these areas will effectively diminish their fighting ability."
Dylan's eyes twinkled with mischief. He grinned and picked up a slender branch as his weapon, giving Darek a playful wink."Big bro, you're a real 'professional'. But I think these branches will really surprise the wolves—let's not let them think we're their dinner!"
Darek maintained his vigilance while adjusting his grip on the branch, speaking seriously."Stay calm, and don't expose our backs. Remember, there won't be a large pack of wolves here. We just need to aim for their weak spots and give them a few hard hits, and they'll retreat."
The wolves started to circle them, the lead wolf growling menacingly, showing no intention of letting them go. Darek quickly moved, darting behind one wolf. With a strong swing of the branch, he hit its side with a dull thud. The wolf yelped in pain, sliding several meters away with a sad cry.
Seeing Darek's success, Dylan was eager to join in. He used his branch like a sharp arrow, slicing through the air with a"whoosh" as it struck a wolf's flank. The wolf howled in agony and staggered back a step.
While swinging his branch, Dylan cheekily remarked,"Big bro, our'weapons' aren't half bad!"
Darek smirked slightly but stayed alert. He quickly swung his branch to fend off another wolf trying to pounce on them."Keep it up! The wolves are moving around a lot. If we hold out a bit longer, more people will come! These wolves will have to leave!"
The wolves' retreat was swifter than expected, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Well, this'gathering' was a bit'exciting'," Dylan laughed, patting Darek on the shoulder."Next time, I'm bringing my bow and arrows—it'll be even better!"
The two walked arm in arm, chatting and laughing merrily. Dylan bent down to pick up a clay pot, while Darek stayed put, glancing towards the campfire, hoping they hadn't wasted too much time. Suddenly, a gentle breeze brushed past, and Darek noticed the distant campfire flicker as if cut in half by something. Before he could react, a sharp wolf's claw slashed across his throat. Blood spurted out like a fountain, and he desperately clutched his neck, trying to staunch the flow, but it was unstoppable, soaking his clothes.
Dylan, hearing the strange noise, turned around, his eyes widening in horror at the sight of two glowing red orbs, burning like embers. A powerful force then hurled him against a tree. He heard the sickening crack of his spine breaking before he crumpled to the ground, limp as a ragdoll. In the dim light, a towering werewolf stood over the fallen brothers, its cold gaze scanning the surroundings to ensure there were no further threats. Then, it silently vanished into the underbrush, leaving behind a scene as eerie and silent as when it arrived.
The wolf pack quickly regrouped, black mist swirling around them, causing strange changes. The wounds of the two injured wolves began to clot, turning into black scabs and numbing their pain. Even the bones around their injuries started to stick out. Their red eyes burned again with an unending, fierce battle spirit.
Sebastian, the gambling company's owner, watched this scene with a flicker of interest in his eyes. A smile curved his lips."This is far more entertaining than I anticipated!" He quickly dialed the number of a top host, instructing him to immediately join the hunt's hosting duties while also opening the gambling channels.