Chapter 8: The Shadow Wolf's Rampage

The figure of the mutant wolf moved as swiftly as a gust of wind. Wang Ji had to focus all his attention just to barely track the creature’s shadow, his recurve bow drawn tight as a full moon.

His steady silhouette stood motionless in the lingering breeze of the sunset, unmoved like a mountain in the face of the mutant wolf’s howling charge.

“Hit!”

With a gentle release, the titanium-steel arrow in Wang Ji’s hand shot out, gleaming coldly as it whistled low and fierce toward the mutant wolf.

The wolf had not expected this two-legged creature to be capable of such a lethal attack. Mid-leap, it twisted violently in midair, forcing its left shoulder and leg to take the blow aimed at its vital point.

Sparks flew as the titanium-steel arrow burrowed deep into the wolf’s left leg, a burst of blood spraying instantly. The wolf’s body was halted mid-motion, crashing heavily to the ground.

It bit off the arrow shaft, feeling a searing pain in its left limb. The blood gushing from its wound drove it into a frenzy. Its eyes, glowing red, fixed on the figure dozens of meters away and slowly stalked forward.

Seeing this, Wang Ji’s face grew grim. He tossed aside his recurve bow, reached behind for his automatic rifle, and flipped off the safety.

“Let’s fight to the end!”

With a silent sigh, Wang Ji dashed into a sundries shop, bracing his rifle against the wall to open fire.

Tension hung in the air, and the horror of the mutant wolf finally became clear to the onlookers. Panic broke out; people scattered in all directions.

The crisp rattle of the automatic rifle shattered the evening calm, its sound carrying far across the nearby districts.

Some other mutant beasts, hearing the commotion, began to approach, but as they neared the market, sensing the presence of the mutant wolf, they hesitated and dared not come closer.

Several kilometers away, in a cargo warehouse, a group of men carefully loaded supplies onto a small truck. At the sudden sound of gunfire, the leader’s face hardened as he looked toward the market.

Zhao Gang, captain of the town’s police station, thirty-seven years old, was a retired soldier who returned home to Zhao Village after leaving the army.

When the chaos of the apocalypse began, he was among the first to react, leading people to protect and evacuate hundreds to the local school, and continued to rescue more survivors in the days that followed.

“Captain Zhao, was that gunfire over there?”

One of the men put down his load and approached Zhao Gang.

“Yes. Listen to that, heavy firepower. Could it be reinforcements from District F arriving so quickly in the town?” Zhao Gang was doubtful—communications were down, and no one knew what was happening outside.

“Doesn’t matter. Xiao Li, you leave your gun here, take these supplies back to the school, and stay alert. Do not open the gate until I return, understand?”

Xiao Li, anxious, protested, “No, Brother Zhao, we can barely take care of ourselves. We can’t go!”

“My decision is made. I must go—I have to see if help has really arrived. You take the supplies back. That’s an order!”

With a wave, Zhao Gang selected two men, each taking a submachine gun, and headed quickly toward the market.

At that moment, a thunderous crash erupted from a corner of the market. A low mud-brick house collapsed in an instant, and from the rising dust, a huge figure burst forth—the battered shape of the mutant wolf.

Just before, Wang Ji had emptied two magazines at the wolf from behind cover, inflicting two more wounds, but the injured beast, now desperate, pressed the attack. With no choice, Wang Ji hurled a powerful grenade.

Unfortunately, it only stunned the wolf, causing no substantial harm.

“Damn it!” Wang Ji cursed, reloading and firing again at the shifting shadow of the mutant wolf.

“Brother Wang! I’m coming to help!”

Unexpectedly, Mouse had run back, breathless, and dashed into Wang Ji’s shelter.

Wang Ji shot him a surprised look, tossed his backpack aside, and said, “There’s a pistol and ammo in the bag. Be careful!”

“Got it!” Mouse replied eagerly.

“No problem! Brother Wang, from now on, I’m sticking with you—come hell or high water, just say the word!”

“Less talk! Deal with that beast first!”

Mouse clumsily drew the pistol, fumbled with the safety, and awkwardly began firing alongside Wang Ji.

“Whoa! This feels amazing!”

After only a few shots, he seemed to forget his fear, firing wildly at the wolf. Most bullets missed their target completely.

He quickly emptied a magazine. Wang Ji shot him a glare, then glanced at the mutant wolf, which was getting closer.

“Focus! Hold your breath, squat and grip the gun—align the sights, aim, and then fire!”

Mouse hurriedly adjusted his posture, heeding Wang Ji’s advice and slowing his rate of fire. But his wrist soon went numb from the recoil; after only two shots, he had to lean against the door to recover.

The mutant wolf circled the house, roaring furiously as it looked for an opening to pounce. The arrow wound in its foreleg was taking a greater toll, slowing it down. It needed to finish off these two annoying insects quickly.

Likewise, Wang Ji was anxious to end the crisis. In just a dozen minutes, the two of them had used up more than a dozen energy points’ worth of ammunition, which pained him deeply.

Seeing that the wolf would not stop until one of them was dead, Wang Ji frowned, used twenty energy points from the X System to manifest a twelve-gauge shotgun, and created several shells.

“Cover me with the rifle!”

With that, Wang Ji charged out with the shotgun, moving in on the mutant wolf. Against such a large beast, only close-range, high-caliber firepower could do real damage.

“Hey! Brother Wang…!”

Mouse, seeing Wang Ji rush out, hurriedly grabbed the rifle and opened fire on the wolf.

The mutant wolf, sensing the decreased threat from the other side, roared and lunged at Wang Ji’s position.

“Come on!”

At a distance of ten meters, Wang Ji felt the full force of the mutant wolf’s menace.

“Boom!”

He chambered another round and watched as the shotgun blasted over a dozen bloody blossoms across the wolf’s back, steadying his nerves.

But the wolf, startled by this new attack and seriously wounded, darted past a nearby house, accelerating as it tried to close the distance.

Damn it!

Wang Ji’s heart skipped a beat—he had underestimated the wolf’s speed.

He fired twice in quick succession, but both shots only grazed the wolf, hitting empty air.

Damn!

Taking half a step back, Wang Ji tried to chamber another round, but in that instant, the wolf seized its chance and pounced.

A foul, reeking wind rushed at him as Wang Ji saw the wolf’s fangs looming closer. On reflex, he raised his shotgun as a shield.

With a crash, the mutant wolf tackled Wang Ji, smashing through a low wall and tumbling to the ground.

“Ah!” Facing death, Wang Ji roared and smashed his boot into the wolf’s belly, trying to keep its serrated fangs at bay.

The wolf, furious, bit down on the shotgun, the weapon creaking under pressure as saliva dripped onto Wang Ji’s head. With a swipe of its claws, it tore open several gashes in Wang Ji’s new bulletproof vest.

“Brother Wang!”

Seeing Wang Ji brought to the ground, Mouse dashed out, rifle raised, and fired.

Bullets riddled the wolf, spraying blood. The wolf, in pain, released Wang Ji and lunged at Mouse instead.

“Dodge!”

But Mouse, petrified by the charging beast, stood frozen. The wolf barreled into him, sending him flying into a wall, from which he bounced onto the ground, blood pouring from his mouth and nose as he lost consciousness instantly.

“Die!”

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Ji reloaded and fired at the wolf’s wounded hind leg.

The blast tore into the old wound, splitting flesh and revealing bone. The wolf’s right leg instantly became useless.

Wang Ji pressed the attack, reloading and blasting the howling beast in the waist.

Two heavy shots left the wolf showing fear for the first time, dragging its crippled leg, trying desperately to flee.

“I’ll help you!”

From a nearby house, Zhao Gang and his two men emerged, their submachine guns blazing, bullets striking the wolf’s body.

Wang Ji’s face lit up. He loaded more shells and approached the dying wolf, firing two more times at its head.

Blood and flesh sprayed as the mutant wolf finally collapsed, still twitching.

Wang Ji, seeing the beast still struggle, raised his shotgun and fired once more at the wolf’s skull. The creature convulsed and went still.

“Ding! Commander has slain a primary elite mutant leader. Gained 100 energy points.”

Without stopping to greet Zhao Gang, Wang Ji rushed to Mouse’s side.

Counting this time, Mouse had twice helped Wang Ji survive mortal danger. Wang Ji had already come to accept this annoying but decent rascal as a companion.

“Mouse! How are you?!”

Seeing Mouse unconscious and still bleeding from his mouth and nose, Wang Ji tore open his shirt, revealing a black and swollen bruise.

“Ding! Commander, you may spend 10 energy points to scan the injured party’s status.”

Without hesitation, Wang Ji activated the scan.

“Patient has three comminuted rib fractures, grade two pulmonary contusion, grade two chest trauma, visceral shock, and respiratory obstruction. Without treatment, respiratory failure and cardiac arrest will occur within an hour.”

Wang Ji trembled, looking at the mouse-faced man, his eyes growing moist.

“No! I must save you! Wake up!”

Coughing, Mouse spat out a mouthful of blood and slowly opened his eyes, glancing around.

“Cough… Brother Wang… you’re alright… good…”

“Yes, I’m fine. And so are you!”

“Let me have a look,” said Zhao Gang, stepping forward. He quickly examined Mouse, his expression darkening.

“Cough… it’s fine… Brother Wang, I feel alright,” Mouse said, pressing Zhao Gang’s hand away as if sensing his own condition.

“Mr. Wang, to be frank, your friend’s injuries are critical. Unless there’s a hospital—”

Wang Ji, holding back tears, cut him off.

“No! I believe I have a way.”