A Desperate Escape

Back in the forest, at the base of a sloping mountainside, Yuntai tightened his grip on the worn handle of his woodcutter’s axe. His breath came in short, visible puffs, merging with the cold air. Slowly, he stepped backward, his muscles tense, his eyes never leaving the wolves before him.

There were at least six of them, their low growls. vibrating through the air, their piercing yellow eyes locked onto him.

Yuntai had killed a wolf before—but that had been different. That wolf had been injured, weak, and cast out from its pack. Even then, it had been a struggle. But now, he was facing a full hunting party. He dared not be reckless.

The wolves moved forward in unison , each step measured, their bodies tensed like coiled springs.

Suddenly—

A wolf lunged!

Caught off guard, Yuntai reacted on instinct.

With a sharp breath, he leapt backward, narrowly avoiding the beast’s snapping jaws. Without thinking, he hurled his axe. with all his strength. The weapon spun through the air—

Thud!

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It struck the wolf’s flank, but not deep enough to be fatal. The beast yelped in pain, staggering, but the rest of the pack didn’t even flinch.

Yuntai didn’t wait.

He turned and ran.

Snow crunched beneath his feet as he sprinted through the forest, his heart pounding like a war drum. But he knew the truth—he couldn’t outrun them.

Behind him, the pack gave chase.

Their massive forms moved with terrifying speed, their silhouettes shifting like specters in the snow. Their growls grew louder, their fangs bared and glistening , ready to tear him apart.

Yuntai gritted his teeth, desperation clawing at his mind.

If he didn’t think of something soon—

He would die.

Every step felt like sinking into the abyss.

The snow-laden forest sapped his strength, each desperate stride draining his stamina faster than he could recover. His lungs burned, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but he didn’t dare stop.

The winter trees, stripped bare of leaves, stood tall and silent, their branches heavy with frost. Though the dense trunks provided obstacles that momentarily slowed his pursuers, they did little to truly hinder the wolves.

Still—he kept running.

He had to.

But his legs were failing him. His speed faltered. His body felt heavy.

I can’t… keep this up…

Then, a chilling realization gripped him—they were right behind him.

He stole a quick glance over his shoulder—gleaming fangs, glowing eyes, snarling maws, inches away.

His heart pounded in terror.

At this point, he knew—he couldn’t escape.

Reaching a clearing along the sloping terrain, he stumbled to a stop. His breath came in harsh gasps, his legs shaking under him.

With no time to think, he snatched a sturdy fallen branch from the ground, gripping it with numb fingers. His back pressed against a massive tree trunk, his body tensed for the inevitable.

A wolf lunged.

With a last-second reaction, Yuntai ducked low—the beast’s snapping jaws missed his throat by inches. He rolled to the right, just as the wolf slammed headfirst into the tree.

Crack!

The impact shook the trunk, dislodging a thick layer of snow from the branches above.

Before the rest of the pack could react—a cascade of white buried the clearing in a thick, blinding sheet.

Yuntai seized the chance.

Using the sudden snowfall as cover, he forced his aching legs to move—pushing forward, deeper into the woods, vanishing into the storm of white.

He didn’t know where he was going.

He only knew one thing—he wasn’t dead yet.