Chapter 70: Killing the Wolf
The space had grown smaller, resembling a compact training ground—only this time, her opponent was a bloodthirsty beast. And at this moment, He Yan held no weapon in her hands, not even the broken bamboo staff from before.
The wolf's eyes gleamed with excitement. It was a cunning and cruel creature, and under such circumstances, any human would surely meet their end.
A bitter smile touched He Yan’s lips. The heavens truly favored her, always arranging such impossible trials. She was no mythical warrior—how could she escape danger every single time?
This was likely a trap set by hunters to catch rabbits or foxes. But it had been abandoned for so long that it was completely concealed beneath layers of dead branches and fallen leaves. Who could have guessed that she and the wolf would tumble into it during their struggle? Now, there was no way out.
The wolf slowly rose to its feet. He Yan tried to do the same, but the moment she moved, she knew it was bad. Her leg had been injured in the fall, and now, even the slightest movement sent a piercing pain through her left leg.
She had no choice but to brace herself against the stone wall to stand.
The wolf crouched low, a low growl rumbling in its throat. He Yan watched it silently, her back pressed against the wall, unmoving. The beast circled a few steps before suddenly lunging at her.
Its gaping maw loomed before her, the stench of blood and rot thick in the air. In that instant, He Yan recalled the gnawed bones she had once seen by the roadside—remnants of a wolf’s feast, flesh torn away, faces unrecognizable, nothing left but decay.
At the critical moment, she thrust out her left arm. The wolf aimed for her throat, but she managed to deflect it with a forceful strike. Though she had put strength into the blow, it was no match for the beast’s ferocity. While she protected her neck, the next moment, the wolf’s jaws clamped down on her arm.
She didn’t need to look to know the bite was deep. Yet she paid it no mind. Instead, she pushed forward, as if trying to shove her arm deeper into the wolf’s mouth. With its grip still locked, He Yan’s right hand slashed forward—
A shrill howl erupted from the wolf as the cunning, relentless beast thrashed wildly in the pit. Its eyes had been gouged by sharp stones, blood splattering everywhere.
He Yan unclenched her fist. In her palm lay a small, jagged rock, its pointed tip stained crimson.
She had blinded the wolf.
From the moment she fell into the trap, she had been searching for anything to defend herself. Unfortunately, the pit held only scattered stones—but she had managed to find one that could serve her purpose.
Now deprived of its sight, the wolf could see nothing. Overwhelmed by agony, it writhed and raged in the pit. Gritting her teeth, He Yan leaned against the wall and dragged herself forward. With all her remaining strength, she pinned the wolf’s head down and raised the stone once more, slashing ruthlessly across its throat.
Blood seeped out—warm at first, then gradually turning cold.
She slumped to the ground, utterly spent. Her left arm bore the wolf’s bite, blood soaking through her sleeve. Her left leg refused to move, and her neck was scraped raw. She must have looked a complete mess, but all she could do was stare at the dead wolf, a wave of sorrow washing over her.
How similar she was to this wolf—once blinded, she too had been at the mercy of others. Now, witnessing the beast’s miserable end, though she had caused it herself, memories of the past flooded her mind. Exhaustion weighed her down, leaving her with no strength for anything else.The sun had set, its last glimmer of light fading away as the mountains and forests plunged into darkness. She sat quietly, head bowed in silence, motionless as if breath had left her—as if she had quietly passed away.
……
No one at the Liangzhou Garrison knew of the heart-stopping events that had unfolded on the mountain.
Zheng Xuan had arrived at the garrison and, along with two others, went to find the drill instructor. They had deliberately lingered at the foot of the mountain for a while before returning. By now, the sun had already set, leaving only a blood-red remnant of twilight stretched brilliantly across the water's edge.
Shen Hong hadn’t gone with them and had instead returned to his own room.
By the time he got back, the others had already finished dinner. Seeing Shen Hong sitting there in a daze, someone teased, "Hey, how was the trip up the mountain today?"
"Why does he look so out of it? Did he wear himself out?"
"Probably, haha! Can’t even handle that much? Too weak."
After a few jests, everyone assumed Shen Hong was just exhausted and went about their own business without another thought. A short while later, Wang Ba entered. He shared a room with Shen Hong, and as soon as he walked in, the new recruits greeted him. Even though Wang Ba had lost to He Yan in the crossbow competition, he was still the one they looked up to here.
Wang Ba also noticed Shen Hong sitting blankly on his bed and casually asked, "What’s wrong with him?"
"No idea. It was his turn to go up the mountain today, and he’s been like this ever since he came back," someone answered.
Wang Ba gave Shen Hong a glance, finding him odd. Though he had bullied this timid man plenty in the past, he had never seen Shen Hong so utterly broken. He strode over and shoved Shen Hong roughly. "What’s the matter? Did you run into a beast up there and lose your nerve?"
The moment the word "beast" left his lips, Shen Hong trembled violently, his mouth moving soundlessly as if muttering something. Wang Ba leaned in closer and caught the words, "I’m sorry."
"Sorry? Who are you sorry for?" Wang Ba frowned.
Shen Hong kept murmuring to himself, and Wang Ba lost patience. He grabbed Shen Hong by the collar and hoisted him up like a ragdoll. "Listen here, you little runt. Spit out everything that happened up there today. If you don’t—" He shook his fist threateningly. "—I’ll make you regret it!"
The rough handling seemed to jolt Shen Hong out of his stupor. Wang Ba’s menacing glare bore into him, and under the pressure, his guilt and fear spilled out in a rush: "He Yan… He Yan is still on the mountain!"
He Yan? Just hearing the name made Wang Ba’s heart skip a beat. That guy was nothing but trouble for him. Still, curiosity got the better of him. "What do you mean, still on the mountain? Did you go up together today? Why are you back and he’s not? What’s going on?"
"There were wolves… so many wolves! He Yan saved us by luring them away," Shen Hong sobbed, the words tumbling out uncontrollably. "Zheng Xuan told us not to report it to the drill instructor. He said we should claim He Yan wandered off during Crossing Mountains. But no—that’s not what happened! They were the ones who crossed the mountains, and He Yan saved them, but now they want him dead! They even want to frame him! He’s alone up there, unarmed… he’ll die! And it’s all our fault!"His words were jumbled and incoherent, but Wang Ba was no ordinary man. In the blink of an eye, he grasped the meaning behind Shen Hong's words. He froze momentarily before fury suddenly surged within him. With a fist slammed onto the table, he startled Shen Hong.
"He saved you, and you left him alone on the mountain?"
Shen Hong sobbed, "I didn't want to... I had no choice..."
Wang Ba shot him a scornful look. "Coward!" Then he turned and walked out the door.
(End of Chapter)
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