The sun began to set, casting a reddish glow across the sky as Hangfang moved through the crowded streets. The city felt alive, buzzing with excitement and anticipation. People hurried in the same direction, their faces glowing with a mixture of hope and fear. Everyone knew that the grand competition at the heart of the city would change everything. Some were eager to prove themselves, others desperate to survive.
As Hangfang made his way through the crowd, he could hear their voices—their hurried conversations, their whispers of excitement, and the murmurs of worry. It wasn't just any competition; this was a brutal fight for survival, where only one would walk away alive. He couldn't help but feel the weight of it all pressing down on him, but he steeled himself. He was ready.
The large gates of the arena loomed ahead, dark and imposing, casting long shadows across the street. The noise grew louder, the people more animated as they neared the entrance. Hangfang's heart beat faster, his palms sweating despite the cool evening air. He wasn't nervous—he had trained for this. But even the bravest couldn't deny the chill that settled in their bones when faced with such raw violence.
Then, as if the world had suddenly shifted, the temperature dropped. A thick fog rolled in, swirling around the arena. It wasn't just fog; it felt unnatural, like the very air was shifting, bending under the weight of something dark and ominous. The crowd fell into an uneasy silence as the fog thickened, swallowing the stadium whole.
From the heart of the mist, a figure emerged—Chang Shi. Tall, commanding, with an aura of absolute power. His presence seemed to make the very ground tremble. He wasn't just a man; he was something else entirely, something untouchable. The crowd stilled as he walked through the fog, every eye on him.
Behind him, the beast followed—large, ominous, a creature of shadows, its eyes glowing with an eerie light. The air crackled with fear as it stepped forward, its massive form dwarfing those around it. People recoiled, some gasping in terror, but none dared move. This was Chang Shi's world, and they were all just living in it.
Hangfang watched with a cool, calculating gaze, the rest of the world fading away. He knew that, for all his power, Chang Shi was still just a man—just like him. But there was something in his eyes, something that made Hangfang feel like even the air itself was afraid to touch him.
When Chang Shi spoke, his voice was smooth, yet chilling. "I am Chang Shi, leader of the Luu Sect. Welcome to the competition." His words held no warmth, no welcome—just cold, hard inevitability.
The crowd was silent, hanging on his every word. Every person knew exactly what this meant, but no one dared to speak their fear aloud.
"This competition will be like no other," Chang Shi continued, his voice cutting through the tension. "The first phase is a war game. Fifty of you will enter. Only one will leave alive."
There was a collective intake of breath, a gasp that rippled through the crowd. Hangfang's heart tightened slightly, but his face remained calm. This wasn't new. He had expected it. The first phase would be brutal, but it would be only the beginning.
"The second phase will test your survival instincts," Chang Shi went on, each word weighing heavier than the last. "You'll be thrown into the deadliest parts of this land, forced to survive on what you can find."
Hangfang's mind raced, but he kept his face impassive. He knew that survival meant far more than just fighting. It meant thinking. Adapting. The jungle was not just a physical challenge—it was a mental one.
"And the final phase," Chang Shi's voice dropped, as if the words themselves were knives. "A one-on-one deathmatch. Only the fittest will survive."
The crowd was motionless, frozen in the gravity of his words. There was no cheering now. No excitement. Only the quiet realization that they were here to die.
The gates opened, and the first group of contestants entered the arena. Chaos erupted almost immediately. The sounds of weapons clashing, bodies crashing to the ground, and the frantic shouts of the contestants filled the air. But through it all, Hangfang stood still, watching the madness unfold before him.
It wasn't that he wasn't affected. He just knew how to bury his emotions, to focus on what mattered. And right now, that was survival. The first phase wasn't just about strength. It was about keeping your head clear when everything around you was chaos.
The battle raged on, bodies falling one after another. Blood painted the ground, but the crowd cheered as though they were watching a game, not realizing that the violence was real, the lives lost were real.
Hangfang's eyes flicked over the battlefield, studying each contestant, each movement. It wasn't just about surviving; it was about making sure he was the last one standing.
When the gong rang, signaling the end of the first phase, the survivors were announced. The crowd erupted into applause, but Hangfang didn't join them. His mind was already turning, already calculating the next move.
The first stage was over, but the real test was still to come.