"Clang! Clang! Clang" The resonant sound of the bell echoed through the night sky. In the pitch darkness, a massive red countdown appeared, ticking down from an hour. It shifted to 5900, and then a minute later, to 5800. The blood-red numbers were strikingly vivid, like fresh blood against the black canvas of the night. Beside the countdown, the equally vivid number 304 stood out sharply.
"What is that? I've never seen anything like this before!"
"Is it a miracle? Is that a sign from the God?"
"I think it's the work of aliens!"
"There is no God or aliens!" a villager argued."I've never seen one of those before!"
"Could it be a countdown? What if a disaster happens in an hour?"
"What does the number beside it mean?"
The villagers' whispers merged into a buzzing sea of anxious murmurs.
"Don't panic," the principal said, gazing up at the sky. The red numbers were unnervingly bright against the dark background. He clenched his fists, feeling a tremor of fear. He had never faced such a scenario before; the fear inside him surged like a hidden tide. But he knew he had to stay calm. The villagers depended on him for leadership."Everyone, move slowly towards the bonfire!" He understood that this situation was beyond anything he had ever known.
In the face of unknown terror, the best strategy was to keep everyone together. Amidst the tense atmosphere, the villagers slowly retreated to the bonfire. The principal hurriedly closed the school's gate. The fence, standing waist-high, provided a small sense of security. People gathered behind him, children already in tears, mothers frantically holding or carrying them into the schoolhouse.
"Women and children first, hurry! We must protect them!" The principal's voice was firm but tinged with urgency as he scanned the crowd, trying to hide his own fear.
"With so many of us here, we have nothing to fear!" a villager shouted, attempting to calm the group.
"Yeah, who cares about any demons or monsters!" another chimed in, though their voice wavered.
"Principal Zhang, can I go out and check?" A-Lai, holding a spear, seemed to unconsciously place himself in front of the principal, asking in a low voice.
"No, you're too young. Stay with the second group going into the schoolhouse! All students, prepare to enter the schoolhouse!" The principal stood in front of A-Lai without a word. A-Lai, looking at the broad shoulders in front of him, smiled silently."Principal, you're blocking my view!"
"All able-bodied men, find weapons and stand at the perimeter with me!" The principal appeared as calm and composed as usual, as if he were organizing a harvest."You, go inside and bring out some tables, throw them out of the first-floor windows, as fast as you can!" Despite the oddness of the request, several young villagers complied obediently.
---
Little Fly rushed into the third-floor classroom, hurriedly pushing open the window and leaning out to look around. More students crowded into the classroom, eagerly pressing to the windows, nervously asking,"Can you see anything?"
"Ah, I see something!" one exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention.
In the darkness, shadows moved, creating an unsettling atmosphere as they drew closer to the school. It seemed the entire school was surrounded.
"Wolves, the wolves are here!" the student blurted out, nervously watching the shifting shadows. These terror wolves were enormous and displayed remarkable intelligence. They didn't attack recklessly but instead slowly tightened their circle. Outside the wooden fence, the growls of beasts formed a deadly ambiance. The wolves' eyes gleamed with hunger as they silently surrounded the gate, moving swiftly and silently like ghosts. Their eyes glowed with a feral light, their fangs dripping with eager saliva, their dense fur gleaming hard in the moonlight. Their tails were tucked tightly, like warriors ready to charge at any moment.
"Are all those shadows wolves?" Little Fly asked anxiously, scanning the forest edge where shadows kept appearing like nightmares emerging from the night.
A girl exclaimed,"Look, their eyes are red! Wolves' eyes shouldn't be red! This is terrifying!"
"Whatever they are, please don't come in!" another girl prayed, clutching her chest.
At the edge of their vision, the dark specters paused briefly before swiftly darting around. Their outlines were eerie and blurred, yet they moved quickly toward the school.
Outside the wooden fence, some villagers, hoping against hope, said,"The fence is high and sturdy. We built it together with the principal. These terror wolves can't get through!"
"Those beasts are as big as calves. The fence won't hold them," another villager retorted.
As the shadows grew denser outside, the villagers crowded around the windows, peering out anxiously.
A-Lai smelled the stench in the air, straightened his back involuntarily, and gripped his iron spear tightly. His fingers twirled the spear shaft slightly, easing his inner tension. The spear, wrapped in coarse cloth soaked in linseed oil and sun-dried repeatedly, appeared deep black. In the tense atmosphere, the spear seemed to absorb his sweat, silently soaking up each drop. The weight of the spear gave him a sense of security.
---
From their elevated vantage point, the principal and the villagers looked like a group of ants, their initial panic gradually giving way to a semblance of order. This organizational ability had piqued the gambling company's interest immensely. Now, Caron and another well-dressed man hosted the gambling event through 3D projections.
"Mr. Caron, your hunting game has caught my interest. Could you introduce the lineup for the first round?" The man in the black suit had an exaggeratedly large mouth that drew attention.
"Honorable Mr. Kim, esteemed viewers, as you know, this is a remote village. But who knows if there are hidden talents here? Our hunters are mutated terror wolves. Terror wolves are vicious animals, but after mutation, they are relentless unless their brains are blown out or their bodies are shattered."
"Are you saying your hunters are like zombie wolves?" Mr. Kim's face showed surprise, though it was hard to tell how much was genuine.
"Yes, like zombie wolves."
"So, what do you estimate will happen to the 304 villagers here? Or, how many do you think will survive the first round?"
"My estimate is fewer than ten."
"Oh, then it's going to be a bloodbath?"
"Yes, it will be brutal, but I hope I'm wrong. Terror wolves have deadly weaknesses that hunters can exploit."
"How many hunters are there among the villagers?"
"About one-fifth of them are hunters."
"So the best outcome would be around sixty survivors?"
"Yes."
"Alright, a truly cruel game. Now, I'll introduce the betting options arranged by our company. It's mainly about guessing the number of survivors. Use your imagination or luck to make the boldest predictions!"
"..."
The audience placed their bets, mostly small amounts, leaving Mr. Kim less than satisfied.
"Any more bets? Alright, it seems most are still waiting. Let's begin! The hunting game starts now!" Mr. Kim announced passionately. Caron and the gamblers watched thegame with flushed faces.