Chapter 23: The Will to Fight of Death

Jiang Yi had never expected that Da Hui, whom he had long since forgotten after the apocalypse began, would grow to be so massive and ferocious. He did not attempt to appeal to any past sentiment; even before the world changed, Da Hui had never shown the slightest affinity for any human, attacking anyone who dared to approach it with wild aggression.

Jiang Yi was not surprised by these changes. Days earlier, he had heard people in the cafeteria talking about how, following the apocalypse, many animals—not just humans—had undergone mutations. They had even spotted a rat larger than a cat in the canteen; it had simply waddled away, dragging its fat tail while nonchalantly clutching a piece of cured meat amid the screams of the crowd.

It had been a heavy blow for Jiang Yi to learn that animals could awaken and evolve as well. He had been envious enough of the classmates who had gained powers; the thought that this ability—which he could not obtain—had been so easily bestowed upon a group of animals made his eyes burn with resentment.

He sprinted through the woods like the wind, feeling the thundering footsteps behind him and the crushing pressure of Da Hui’s massive frame. Only two days ago, Jiang Yi would have turned and fled without a second thought. But now, he had decided to stay behind to ensure Guo Hanxue could escape safely. However, he was not reckless enough to engage such a terrifying beast in a frontal assault.

As Da Hui lunged, Jiang Yi rolled aside, diving into the thick of the woods. The dog, having missed, charged into the trees without hesitation. Having lived in these woods long before the apocalypse, Da Hui treated the area as its own territory. Seeing Jiang Yi enter its domain rather than flee, it was never going to let him go.

Yet, Da Hui clearly underestimated its own massive size. In the past, its small, agile frame had allowed it to navigate the woods and escape encirclement by dozens of people with ease. Now, while its calf-sized body had increased its combat power a hundredfold, it severely restricted its maneuverability in the narrow, tree-filled terrain.

A flash of hope crossed Jiang Yi’s mind. He knew all too well that the dog’s speed and strength far exceeded his own; a direct fight would be suicide. His only chance was to find a way to lose it. He darted through the trees like a lithe serpent, while the giant dog constantly caught its body in the gaps between trees. Yet, driven by madness, Da Hui ignored the scrapes and collisions, pushing forward with reckless abandon.

"Boom!" Jiang Yi gasped, his pace slowing until his strength was nearly spent. He suddenly realized the futility of his efforts—a dog’s sense of smell was too sharp; he couldn't possibly shake its pursuit. Exhausted from the earlier battle and the prolonged chase, even his iron will was beginning to fail as his body reached the point of collapse.

Vision blurring, he heard a sudden, vicious gust of wind from behind and instinctively lunged forward. A harsh scratching sound echoed as Da Hui tore a thick strip of bark from the tree right behind him.

Da Hui had finally caught its prey, though it was in poor shape itself. Its reckless charging had stripped away much of its fur, and several deep wounds were slowly oozing blood. Yet, so long as it could kill the man before it, the beast felt no pain. Jiang Yi crouched on the ground, gripping his black blade tightly, his body tensed to the limit. Sweat blurred his vision, but he dared not wipe it away.

Da Hui circled him slowly, searching for a weakness. Even though Jiang Yi was far weaker than it, the beast’s pre-apocalyptic instincts kept it on high alert.

Jiang Yi’s vision went black, and his lungs felt as though they might explode. Knowing he could wait no longer—and hoping Guo Hanxue was safe by now—he realized it was time to make his move. With a roar, he charged.

He knew running was impossible. Although he was more agile in the woods, the stadium gates were nearby, and his path was blocked. Once he left the forest, he would be easy prey.

"No retreating!" With that realization, he made his most desperate move, slashing at the slightly dazed beast. Da Hui swiped a paw, knocking the blade aside. Jiang Yi stumbled, his heart lurching as he felt a sharp, crushing pain in his chest—the dog had kicked him with tremendous force.

Despite being a dog, its kicking motion was unnervingly skilled. The lightning-fast strike sent Jiang Yi’s hundred-plus-pound body flying. He hit the ground, clutching his chest, his face turning blood-red as he spat a mouthful of blood onto the parched earth.

Sensing the smell of blood, Da Hui became even more agitated. Jiang Yi wiped the blood from his face and, as the dog lunged again, gripped his blade with both hands. At the final second, he dodged, revealing two narrow, closely-spaced trees behind him.

Da Hui, unable to stop its momentum, slammed into the trees and found its midsection wedged between them. It struggled frantically, shaking the thick trunks, but Jiang Yi did not hesitate. The moment it was trapped, he swung his black blade.

The sharp edge bit into Da Hui’s hind leg. The dog let out a piercing howl, struggling even more violently. Jiang Yi collapsed; his blade had barely managed to break the skin. His hands and feet trembled—he had no stamina left. But if he didn't end this, he was a dead man.

He bit his tongue, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth, and used his blade as a crutch to stumble toward the beast. Trapped and panicked, Da Hui let out a sharp, shrill cry. Jiang Yi instinctively raised his blade to strike the dog’s neck. Anticipating the move, Da Hui pulled back, and the blade sheared off one of its ears instead.

Blood splattered everywhere. In its agony, the beast stood on its hind legs, braced against the trunks, and managed to wiggle free. It lunged at Jiang Yi, pinning him to the ground. Driven completely mad by the loss of its ear, the giant dog buried its head, snapping and tearing at Jiang Yi’s body.

Jiang Yi blocked with his blade, but could only protect his vital organs. Soon, he was covered in blood. Panicked and unable to find a way out, he fought on instinct. When he let his guard down for a split second, the dog clamped its jaws onto his right arm. A sickening crunch of bone followed, and Jiang Yi let out a piercing scream.

As he realized the dog was preparing to thrash its head to tear his arm off, he lunged forward, desperately locking his arms around its neck. He couldn't let it shake him, or his arm would be shredded.

It was a grotesque sight: in the wreckage of the forest, the massive grey dog ran and crashed about, a human arm clamped in its jaws, while the man clung desperately to its neck, pinning it down with his legs.

Slamming into a tree, Jiang Yi’s vision dimmed, but he dared not loosen his grip. He had overestimated his own strength; his 5.5 power rating was no match for the evolved beast. As Da Hui thrashed, Jiang Yi felt his legs beginning to slip.

Was this the end?

As his strength faded and the wounds on his arm grew more horrific, he knew he was truly spent. Just as he prepared to let go, he caught sight of the dog’s eye, mere inches from his own. He grinned, his teeth stained red with blood. "Da Hui, what are you looking at?"

With a question that sounded as if it were addressed to an old friend, Jiang Yi poured his final ounce of strength into his left hand, driving his fingers into the beast’s eye socket. With a spray of blood, he ripped out Da Hui’s right eye.

The beast hadn't expected the cornered man to retaliate so viciously. It roared in agony, throwing Jiang Yi aside. The man slammed into a tree, hitting the ground and vomiting blood, slipping toward the edge of consciousness.

Sensing the devastation of its eye, Da Hui was consumed by rage. The loss of sight was a massive blow to the predator. It charged at the fading Jiang Yi, jaws wide, ready to crush his skull. Jiang Yi, unconscious, had no idea how close he was to death.

A cold, furious voice thundered: "You damn dog, you're looking for death!"

At the sound of that roar, the ferocious beast suddenly froze. Its remaining ear instinctively flattened against its head. A flicker of fear crossed its single eye, but driven by the pain of its injury and hatred for Jiang Yi, it ignored the voice and lunged once more.