A wolf howled, and the swarm of fast-moving coins slowed, drifting towards the academy walls. They began crawling up the school's exterior, moving in a chaotic pattern and colliding with each other, producing a harsh metallic clatter.
The villagers, huddled behind their windows, watched with bated breath. Fear and curiosity widened their eyes as the eerie whistling of the coin creatures intensified. Some clutched their loved ones tightly, while others whispered prayers. The bravest among them cracked their windows open just a sliver, attempting to glimpse the source of the commotion.
Yet, all they could see were shadows flitting across the schoolyard, elusive as whispers on the wind. Tension hung heavy over the village, a shroud of anticipation as everyone waited for what would come next.
By the time the villagers realized the threat's proximity, the academy walls were already cloaked in a dense swarm of coins, their surfaces dulled by patina. Glass windows screeched as the creatures attempted to crawl inside. Panicked villagers rushed to shut their windows, but for some, it was too late.
With each passing moment, more copper coin monsters emerged from cracks in the walls, relentless as a rising tide. The creatures grew bolder, tearing at wallpaper and leaving gouges in the walls. Alarmed, some villagers tried to capture one out of curiosity, only to scream as its sharp edges cut their skin.
"What are these creatures?" a young villager whispered, her voice trembling with fear.
"Their presence of blood attracts more of the copper coin sprites," another villager responded, the voice edged with dread."They're ancient guardians, released by dark forces—creatures from Hell, according to legend!"
The creatures began crawling onto the villagers' bodies, slipping through gaps in their clothes and beneath their skin. One villager jerked in panic, trying to rid himself of the swarming coins, but only succeeded in drawing more to him.
Amidst the chaos, a figure struggled desperately, while another villager attempted to help him, only to have the creatures crawl onto and cover his hand. As he shook them off, more creatures leaped onto him. This terrifying sight drove others back, and they used whatever tools they could find to fend off the coin creatures.
Suddenly, like butterflies startled from a branch, the coin spirits scattered and fled all at once. The villager caught in the middle stood covered in blood, strangely frozen. At a woman's scream, he collapsed like a sculpture of sand, revealing countless frog-like creatures rushing out from within him, as if he had been a nest for them.
The green creatures opened their mouths wide, emitting a strange, mocking laughter that seemed to ridicule the foolish humans. Their long tongues lashed out, striking the glass like blades and leaving a grating, ear-piercing noise. The female villager who had screamed turned pale and fainted, collapsing to the ground.
Realizing the severity of the situation, some villagers scrambled to block the classroom windows with anything they could find, desperate to keep the monsters out. Whim Li, stunned and desperate, even used his young son to block a window frame. The child was swiftly rescued by other villagers, and Whim Li received a stern scolding from several concerned aunties.
Cries for help, screams of agony, and desperate calls for loved ones filled the air, forming a tragic and piercing symphony. The chaos unfolded room by room, like a nightmare come to life, etching terror deep into the villagers' memories.
The chaos give the wild wolves at the front an order, they slowly closed in, their breaths and low growls echoing in the night sky. With the cover of night and the shadows of the forest, the pack of wolves seemed endless, looming dark and dense, making it hard to catch a breath.
Most of the wolves approached A-Lai, seeming to identify him as an easy target. Yes, A-Lai looks younger, shorter and weaker than the other warrior.
"If we don't bully a weak one, who will?" they seemed to say.
One of them suddenly leaped forward, swiftly closing in on A-Lai, then abruptly stopped, emitting a low growl from its mouth.
A-Lai's pupils contracted, instinctively taking half a step back, assuming a defensive stance typical of martial arts. He realized that the wolf's behavior was just a test, wanting to see his reaction. As expected, the wolf barked wildly, as if mocking his coward behaviour.
Seeing A-Lai's face, Dan gave a quiet smile, reminding him of his first encounter with wild beasts. A-Lai felt a sudden pang in his heart and a wave of embarrassment. All those years of practice, and this was how it turned out.
At first, A-Lai was full of questions."Am I brave enough for the monsters? Am I strong enough? Will I make it?" But then, his face turned red with shame, and a wave of anger stopped all his worries.
Suddenly, a young voice called out next to Dan,
"Hold ground, form up!"
This was an ancient military order, a legendary tale passed down orally in the village, the command soldiers in the army would use when facing formidable enemies.
Dizzy Dan laughed excitedly,"Good, we hold!"
His fondness for the young man grew.
As the wolves caught sight of their defensive stance, a thrill of excitement surged through the pack. Their howls echoed through the night, punctuated by swift bites and sporadic claw attacks.
Yet, despite the ferocity of their onslaught, most of their assaults were deceptive feints, designed more to intimidate than to harm. Amidst the chaos, A-Lai stood firm, his spear gripped tightly in his hands. He skillfully evaded the wolves' attacks, refusing to yield any further ground.
As time passed, the wolves around them started to get less excited, their energy slowly fading. Some wolves at the front got more upset aggressive,which made the already tense situation even more intense. While some other wolves appeared tired, with some even lying down.
The young boy was under a lot of pressure, his attention completely on protecting one side. The aggressive wolves launched several real attacks, forcing A-Lai to track their movements with his eyes. The closest attack left a scratch on the back of A-Lai's hand.
All of a sudden, the lying wolf darted out from the side like lightning, its sharp teeth aiming for A-Lai's throat. This was the real attack they had prepared for so long.
At the same time, the wolf in front launched a second attack. Even for an experienced hunter, this mature and sophisticated technique was rarely countered. Dizzy Dan saw the wolf's trick too late to help A-Lai.