"This... this..." someone stammered, unable to process the shock.
Before them stood a massive black bear, its fur as dark as coal. Rising on its hind legs, it looked like an unyielding mountain.
Nobody could move.
In the blink of an eye, the bear raised its claws and sliced through the man still stammering in front of it, cutting him in two.
It was only when the man's blood and mangled remains fell lifelessly to the ground before the other participants that they snapped out of their stupor.
They hadn't expected this. They thought the producers of the survival show were bluffing, trying to scare them into quitting. But no one, not even in their worst nightmares, had anticipated someone dying.
"Run!"
Kim Hyun's shout broke through the paralysis that had gripped everyone.
Of course, they froze. Even though they were well-known athletes, strong and resilient, they were not accustomed to facing life-threatening dangers where death loomed over every second.
As Kim Hyun's voice fell, the remaining participants scattered in all directions. The black bear roared and prepared to attack, but suddenly let out a pained cry. It lifted its leg, trying to shake off the sharp sting of an attack.
Sian had struck its weak point with a military knife, jamming it into the joint of its hind leg. Even a creature as fearsome as this bear could be crippled if its movements were restricted—it was, after all, just a massive slab of flesh.
Lan Qisheng seemed to have the same idea. As the bear thrashed in anger, dodging its frenzied swipes, he moved in to strike the other hind leg.
It all happened in seconds, maybe a minute at most. By the time the others, who had been running, turned back, they saw the bear collapsed on the ground, howling in agony and unable to move.
"What is this? This can't be real. This isn't real. I must be dreaming..."
One of the participants sat on the ground, clutching their head and muttering like a lunatic.
"Is this some kind of joke? It has to be a prank or hidden camera show."
Sian ignored the hysterical ramblings of those too shaken by fear and walked over to check on the man who had been attacked by the bear.
Sian was utterly exhausted. It wasn't just that his current body was weak and unaccustomed to rigorous movements. In his past life, humans had become as fragile as paper in the apocalyptic wasteland, yet they had still managed to hone their combat abilities. They had learned to fight, train, and even run for days without food. Sian, the youngest member of his special forces team, had not only been their best fighter but also their leader.
But now, Sian's new body was in pitiful condition. He had barely been in this body for a few hours, and the pain in his soul hadn't subsided even for a moment. To make matters worse, exerting so much strength in the fight had left him as drained as a dog.
If he kept pushing himself like this, he was bound to die soon.
"Your face is pale. Go rest for a bit; I'll handle this," Lan Qisheng said, following Sian as he examined the victim. He had noticed Sian's worsening condition, and for some inexplicable reason, seeing Sian so weak pained him.
Sian had no energy to argue and walked off to sit under a tree, closing his eyes for a moment.
Meanwhile, the remaining participants huddled together, fear evident on their faces.
"Everyone, calm down!" Kim Hyun spoke firmly. "I know you're scared. I am too. But in situations like this, the first thing we need to do is stay calm and think of solutions."
"Shut the fuck up! Don't try to lecture us now!"
"Yeah, why don't you call the crew instead of pretending to be a hero, huh?"
"Exactly! Someone's been injured—we need an ambulance right now!"
"He's dead."
The room went silent at the weight of Lan Qisheng's voice. It wasn't the fear of him that silenced them—it was the content of his words.
"He's dead," Lan Qisheng repeated as if to confirm that they weren't imagining things.
A blood-curdling scream pierced the air, followed by the sound of retching. Tong Xiao and Marco were among those who vomited.
The atmosphere was heavy, silent, and suffocating.
---
Elsewhere, the broadcast of these events had thrown the world into chaos.
In a high school:
"What the hell? Did someone just die?"
In someone's home:
"Oh my God...this... call the police, now!"*
In a city café:
"Damn! Is this real?"
"Look at the participants' faces. Do you think they're acting? If this is fake, I'll walk down the street wearing a dress."
"Now's not the time to joke! This is serious. Call the police first. Even if it's a reality show, there shouldn't be wild predators like that in the forest."
"Yeah, black bears aren't even native here. Something's off about this."
"Call the police now..."
---
Everything that had happened to Sian and his group had been broadcast live. From the bear's appearance to the gruesome death, the internet was on fire. People flooded emergency lines with calls to the police and ambulances.
The same live broadcast played on massive screens across the city, leaving passersby horrified. Some wept openly, while others shielded their children's eyes from the carnage.
Suddenly, the live feed was interrupted. A new image appeared on the screen: a man with a sharp, sinister face and a bloodthirsty smile.
"Hello, everyone! How's it going? Enjoying the show?"*
The man's tone was casual, but his words carried a chilling undertone.
"Today was supposed to be the grand opening, but unfortunately, only one person has died so far."
Liam "Wolf" Morgan's expression shifted slightly, a mix of disappointment and amusement.
"Ahem. Let me introduce myself properly. I'm Liam 'Wolf' Morgan.
Some of you are probably confused, wondering what's going on. Don't worry, I'm a nice guy, so I'll explain."
The camera panned to reveal a grim scene. The show's director, crew, rescue team, and medics were all tied up and thrown into a corner, some visibly injured, blood staining the floor. Armed men in black uniforms stood guard around them.
"You see," Liam continued, "we, the Wolf Clan, have taken over this broadcast. We now control the entire forest. As for who we are... well, go ask your precious police."
To be continued...