The massive beast burst out from the forest, charging straight at Zhu Jiu.
Reacting with lightning speed, Zhu Jiu lashed out with a fierce whip kick, sending the creature flying backward.
As it landed with a thud, Zhu Jiu got his first clear look at it—a wolf.
Its glowing green eyes, sharp fangs, and ferocious demeanor were terrifying enough, but what stood out the most was its size.
This wolf was several times larger than a normal one, towering over them like a heavy motorcycle.
Though visibly injured from Zhu Jiu's kick, the wolf managed to stand its ground, growling at the group but not advancing further.
"Impressive," Zhu Jiu murmured. "Took my whip kick head-on and is still standing."
His strike would have easily obliterated an ordinary wolf. This beast's resilience was comparable to that of a tiger before the world's descent into chaos.
But Zhu Jiu wasn't worried about the wolf's physical strength. His real concern lay elsewhere.
Wolves were pack animals.
Where there was one, there was bound to be a pack nearby.
And sure enough, the wolf tilted its head back and let out a long, piercing howl.
"Awwooo!"
The call echoed across the forest, quickly answered by dozens of howls.
"Awwooo! Awwooo!"
Zhu Jiu's sharp senses picked up the sources immediately.
Dozens of wolves. They were surrounded.
Within moments, pairs of glowing green eyes began appearing in the dense underbrush.
And then, one pair of eyes stood out—golden and luminous.
A regal-looking wolf emerged from the shadows, its movements elegant and deliberate.
The silver-furred wolf exuded an air of majesty. Its gleaming coat shimmered in the light, and its golden eyes radiated intelligence.
The other wolves seemed to revolve around it, their postures submissive.
"This must be the alpha," Zhu Jiu thought, his eyes narrowing.
Its commanding presence made its status unmistakable.
Standing at a towering height of 1.5 meters and stretching over two meters in length, this wolf king resembled a car more than an animal.
Its powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws radiated strength, marking it as a creature that could dominate even in this chaotic, evolved world.
Zhu Jiu's expression remained calm, betraying no fear. He raised the Darksteel Sword in front of him.
Behind him, his squad of students stood frozen in fear. Zhu Jiu couldn't afford to back down.
If the wolves attacked, the students wouldn't stand a chance.
Zhu Jiu had made a promise to protect them, and a promise was a promise.
Even more than that, Zhu Jiu felt a rare surge of excitement.
Finally, a real challenge. Something far more rewarding than cutting down mindless infected.
With slow, deliberate steps, Zhu Jiu advanced toward the wolf pack.
His pace was unhurried, but with each step, his aura intensified. His body grew larger as he activated his Iron Shirt to its fullest extent.
By the time he stood face-to-face with the wolf king, Zhu Jiu had transformed into a bronze-skinned titan, over two meters tall, radiating an overwhelming presence.
The wolf king's golden eyes gleamed with battle lust, recognizing the formidable opponent before it.
"Awoo!"
The wolf king barked an order, and the pack retreated into the shadows, leaving the alpha to face Zhu Jiu one-on-one.
"Single combat?" Zhu Jiu muttered, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Fine by me."
He drove the Darksteel Sword into the ground with a sharp clang and flexed his fingers.
"No weapons," Zhu Jiu announced, adopting a Wing Chun stance. "Let's settle this with fists."
With his body coiled like a spring, Zhu Jiu surged forward in a blur of motion.
His fist, powered by immense force and precision, shot straight for the wolf king's head.
"Boom!"
The punch landed with earth-shaking force, but to Zhu Jiu's surprise, the wolf king merely shook its head, seemingly unfazed.
"Not bad," Zhu Jiu admitted, his eyes gleaming with newfound respect.
The wolf king responded with a low growl, its claws slicing through the air as it lunged at Zhu Jiu's chest.
"Careful!" one of the students cried out in alarm.
But Zhu Jiu remained calm, his body shifting fluidly as he sidestepped the attack.
The wolf's claws missed their mark, instead tearing through a nearby tree, cutting it cleanly in half.
"Those claws are sharper than my sword," Zhu Jiu thought grimly.
He could feel his battle instincts kicking into high gear, a fierce grin spreading across his face.
As the wolf king charged again, Zhu Jiu stood his ground.
At the last moment, he struck. His fists, now bulging with corded muscle and pulsating veins, collided with the wolf's jaw in a devastating uppercut.
"Bang!"
The sheer force sent the massive wolf staggering backward.
Zhu Jiu pressed his advantage.
Closing the gap in an instant, he unleashed a flurry of rapid punches, each one landing with a resounding crack against the wolf king's head.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
It was a relentless assault. Zhu Jiu's mastery of Wing Chun, combined with the brute force of his Iron Shirt technique, left the wolf king reeling.
The students watched in stunned silence.
What they were witnessing was beyond belief—a man single-handedly pummeling a creature as terrifying as the wolf king into submission.
Even the surrounding wolves seemed paralyzed, torn between their instinct to protect their leader and the fear of facing Zhu Jiu.
Finally, the wolf king let out a plaintive howl, its tone carrying a note of surrender.
Zhu Jiu halted his assault, his gaze steady as he regarded the fallen alpha.
The wolf king locked eyes with him, its golden gaze filled with a mix of defiance and resignation.
After a long, tense moment, it lowered its massive frame to the ground, bowing its head in submission.
Zhu Jiu raised an eyebrow.
"Well, that was unexpected," he muttered, stepping back.
The wolf king had chosen to surrender, acknowledging Zhu Jiu as its superior.
Behind him, the students erupted into cheers, their fear giving way to awe and exhilaration.
Zhu Jiu turned to them with a rare grin.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a new ally," he said, gesturing toward the subdued wolf king.