Jackson was in a dark, creepy forest. The air was full of gray mist. He could hear rustling sounds. The light was weak. Anything beyond a meter was hard to see.

Jackson shivered. He looked around carefully and cursed, "This is crazy. I just got here and now I have to deal with all this fear."

Suddenly, he saw a flash of metal.

He bent down and found an M23 bayonet on the ground. He picked it up quickly and held it tightly.

"At least they gave me something to protect myself," Jackson thought, trying to calm himself.

The M23 bayonet was standard issue for paratroopers in the Kabbas Empire. It was made from titanium alloys. The blade was wide and thick. It had a sharp edge. It could be used for stabbing, chopping, or survival.

With the bayonet in hand, Jackson felt a bit safer. He started exploring the forest, using the M23 to cut through branches and vines.

The forest was dark, so it was hard to see clearly.

Jackson noticed something moving in the grass. He decided to check it out. He had been in the "Evil" training program for some time and hadn’t seen any dangerous animals. He started to feel less worried, thinking the program might not be so bad.

He looked at the grass and froze. "Holy shit!" he yelled. He saw cobras, disgusting caterpillars, scary scorpions, and slimy worms—everything he feared the most.

He jumped back and ran, trying to get away from these horrible creatures.

He ran for what felt like hours, not sure where he was going. He stopped when he couldn’t run anymore. He leaned against a gray tree and breathed heavily.

After a moment, Jackson noticed that the tree felt cold and slippery, like human skin.

Suddenly, something dripped onto his forehead. He wiped it off and looked at it. It was dark and smelled horrible. Jackson almost passed out from the smell.

He looked up but couldn’t see anything clearly in the dim light.

Jackson slapped the tree. It made a dull "poof" sound, like it was hollow.

As he was about to slap it again, Jackson felt the air change. Something was getting closer.

Jackson stepped back quickly.

"Roar!" A loud roar filled the air. A giant zombie head appeared in front of Jackson, just half a meter away.

Jackson panicked. He fell onto the ground. He swung the M23 bayonet at the zombie, trying to stop it from getting closer.

The sharp blade cut into the zombie’s face. Black blood sprayed everywhere, covering Jackson’s face and head.

The zombie swung its huge hand at Jackson.

In a split second, Jackson dropped to the ground, barely avoiding the attack.

The zombie’s hand was so big, it made the air rush when it moved.

Jackson was hit by flying branches and stones. He bled but didn’t stop running.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The gray tree trunk had been part of the zombie’s body.

The zombie, now angry, moved toward Jackson. The ground shook with every step it took. Trees broke as it moved.

"Eat... eat... eat..." the zombie groaned.

Jackson’s heart raced. He knew the zombie wanted to eat him.

He gripped the M23 tightly and ran faster, trying to escape.

He ran deeper into the forest, hoping the dense trees would slow the zombie down.

The zombie moved slowly because of its size. It struggled to get through the thick trees. Finally, it slowed to a crawl.

After a long time, Jackson finally outran the zombie.

Exhausted and scared, Jackson sat down to rest. He fell asleep from sheer tiredness.

Suddenly, he woke up. He grabbed the M23 and started slashing at the snakes around him. They were colorful and slippery, and Jackson hacked at them until they were cut into pieces.

His skin crawled as the soft, slimy creatures touched him.

Then it hit him: "The fear of danger is worse than the danger itself."

It wasn’t the animals that scared him. It was his fear of them.

He had faced three dangers. First, he ran away. Second, he injured the zombie. Third, he killed the snakes.

This showed that the real problem wasn’t the animals. It was his fear. He needed to be stronger, braver, and more determined.

Jackson realized that if he kept running from danger, he would eventually lose to the "Evil" training program. He would either go crazy or become a broken spirit.

He looked at the M23 in his hand. "I can’t keep running. If I want to stand out, if I want to be a leader, I have to face this. I’ll face the danger and build my future in this forest."

Jackson raised the M23 and stepped into the dark forest. He was ready for whatever came next.

After a while, sounds of fighting echoed from the forest. Jackson shouted, "Die, you ugly beasts!" followed by other angry cries as he fought on.

Meanwhile, in a secret base on a giant asteroid in the Pirate Nebula, a meeting was underway. The Yinglong Pirate Gang was discussing their future.

The Yinglong Pirate Gang had a unique and legendary origin.

The first leader, Lei Hao, had been a battleship captain in the "Enlightened Faction" of the Panhua Empire. When the faction decided to surrender, Lei Hao obeyed the order but secretly hid his battleship, the "Chi You," on an asteroid. He led his crew back to base and claimed the ship had been destroyed by the "Stubborn Faction."

After the Panhua Empire fell, the Enlightened Faction was scattered across the universe. Lei Hao’s group was sent to the Ross Empire.

The Ross Empire was a very exclusive nation. The Enlightened Faction had no political rights. They couldn’t serve in the military or hold public office. They were only allowed to do the dirtiest, hardest, and lowest-paying jobs.

Lei Hao couldn’t accept such a fate. He lived in frustration, unable to find any work that matched his status.

Time passed, and the Ross Empire began seizing the wealth of the Enlightened Faction's members. Many wealthy members disappeared without a trace.

Eventually, the Ross Empire began targeting ordinary members of the Enlightened Faction. Lei Hao realized this was a targeted purge.

He spent nearly all his savings to help his family escape from the Ross Empire. Without an identity, Lei Hao could no longer survive anywhere in the universe.

At this time, the Yunmeng Star System became the Pirate Nebula. Lei Hao led his family back to the hidden "Chi You" battleship and contacted former subordinates who were living in difficult conditions across the galaxy. They became pirates.

They were once soldiers and had a powerful battleship. Their strength grew quickly, and after many years of fighting, they became the third most powerful pirate group in the Pirate Nebula.

The Yinglong Pirate Gang kept strong ties with the descendants of the Panhua Empire’s Enlightened Faction. Many of them donated money to the gang.

The gang was considered the only armed force in the universe that represented the Panhua people. They even dreamed of one day restoring the Panhua Empire.

Inside the meeting room, the current leader of the Yinglong Pirate Gang, Lei Hengbang, sat with his deputies and officers.

"Commander, we received intelligence that the Kabbas Empire is imposing a 'war special tax' on Panhua people in their territory. This has caused dissatisfaction among the Panhua people. Also, we’ve learned from an insider that the Kabbas Empire’s Minister of Defense, Madison, has secretly raised the proportion of artificial food provided to the new recruits from 30% to 35%. The difference of 300 billion Kabbas currency was pocketed by Madison’s family company. To avoid dissatisfaction, he has been supplying the extra 5% to the Panhua recruits. So far, 500 Panhua recruits have tried to escape the camp but were secretly executed."

Director Li Zifeng reported.

"Well done, Li! Our ally in the Kabbas Empire has been very helpful. This is some detailed and valuable information," said Lei Hengbang.