“The boy who cried wolf” was a fairytale.
But at this moment, the fairytale had turned into a cruel reality and was happening before everyone’s eyes. It was no longer a fairy tale that had educational value, but an impending nightmare.
The first group training in the camp.
The crowd unconsciously had inexplicable expectations, hoping that the chief instructor was just joking.
Some wanted to run to the exit and ask the chief instructor to open the door; some didn’t dare to move, hoping that it was just a test and a scare tactic; and a few simply stopped where they were, hiding in the crowd and feeling safe.
“Ten!”
“Nine!”
They heard Niu Hechuan’s loud voice as it resounded at the starting point of the track.
The crowd froze in place.
Not to say if anyone was timid or weak. Most of the people grew up in cities and towns and were used to living harmoniously. Which of them had seen wolves before?
Furthermore, there was more than one wolf.
There were at least a dozen wolves locked behind those steel guardrails.
It was not scary racing one wolf. But to race a pack of wolves was putting one’s life on the line!
Instead of running away, it was better to fight head-on. Tang Hong looked over to Jiang Lulu who was panicking. His gaze swept past all the other trainees and landed on Xiao Ziyun.
The two looked at each other and each knew that the other had the same intention.
If they combined the power of the crowd, as long as they did not panic, it wouldn’t matter how many wolves there were.
“Seven! Are you not going to start running!?”
Niu Hechuan seemed to see through Tang Hong and Xiao Ziyun’s thoughts and let out an angry shout, startling the crowd.
“Run!”
Someone shouted.
In an instant, people went from being frozen to panicking, from stunned immobility to desperate frenzy. The hundreds of people who were at the starting point of the running track started rushing forward.
This was crowd psychology. When one person started to flee, everyone would flee too.
All thoughts of resistance disappeared instantly. However, everyone still retained some sanity and did not cause a stampede. The people in front ran desperately and the people behind chased desperately.
Huff, puff.
More than a hundred people ran with all their might. They accelerated rapidly and ran more than ten meters in just two seconds. They were not running by themselves. There were too many people running together and it was too easy to fall.
Even so, everyone scrambled to be the first. It was as if they were crazy.
Of course.
Ladies first, even if one could not run, they could not drag others down, such conditions still had to be adhered to. Several chief instructors had come together to decide on the total number of people participating. There must not be too many. Otherwise, there would be a problem.
There cannot be too little as well, it would be a waste of time.
“Five!”
Niu Hechuan shouted the number.
Only Jiang Lulu remained at the starting point.
Just because she had low intelligence didn’t mean she was an idiot. No one would lose their lives at the special training camp? Jiang Lulu didn’t believe that the chief instructor would sit back and watch someone die, so she raised her head.
“Hey!”
After running more than ten meters, Tang Hong could not see Jiang Lulu from the corner of his eyes. His heart thumped.
He knew something was wrong.
That kid acted up at the crucial moment. He was really angry.
“Jiang Lulu, run with me!”
Tang Hong slowed down slightly and turned around to wave at her. His shouts, filled with indignation and reproach made her forget about her presumptuous thinking as she leaned forward and stumbled a little before she started running.
He waited for about two seconds.
Splat!
Tang Hong fiercely yanked Jiang Lulu’s left arm with his left hand and pulled her forward to run.
The explosive effect of nearly 50% Strength was no small feat. In just two or three seconds he led Jiang Lulu to catch up with the group of people at the end of the crowd.
“Run, aren’t you afraid of being disfigured if you get bitten by the wolves?!”
Tang Hong shouted in a low voice, reminding Jiang Lulu. This girl, who usually laughed like an airhead, would probably break down if she got bitten by the wolves. Tang Hong could not tolerate it.
If it was a life or death situation, he would have already ran away.
But the situation was not as serious now. He could not sit back and watch Jiang Lulu make a fool of herself by staying at the starting point.
‘There is only a chance of getting hurt at the special training camp, no one will die.’
‘This Jiang Lulu is usually so silly, how did she become so smart at the critical moment?’
‘Maybe she did the right thing…’
‘Maybe we shouldn’t run…’
“No, no. If even Jiang Lulu could think of this loophole, the chief instructor would have thought of it also. What method would the chief instructor use to dispel our conclusion that no one would be killed?”
In a sudden flash, his thoughts flew by.
Tang Hong thought that things were not that simple. The first special training test would not be so easy. But what would Chief Instructor Niu Hechuan have to do to force everyone to expend their full strength and think that their lives were really endangered.
While he thought, he pulled Jiang Lulu and ran with all their might.
After hearing the word “disfigured”, it was as if Jiang Lulu had taken a pill. She accelerated, huffing and puffing, and caught up with Tang Hong.
She was afraid of being disfigured.
She could feel the pain on her arm from Tang Hong clutching it.
They ran against the summer night’s wind as it blew past their eyes. Only heavy panting and the sound of people running at different paces could be heard. They could no longer hear Niu Hechuan’s countdown. The crisp sound of the steel rail guards crashing on the ground lingered.
The wolves were released…
It was not a dozen wolves, as Tang Hong had estimated. There were thirty of them!
“Ahwoo!”
Hearing the wolves’ howl, everyone began to run faster. The whole group moved faster.
“It should be safe.”
Tang Hong looked at the people around him from the corner of his eyes. He and Jiang Lulu belong to the middle back echelon.
However, at this moment.
“Ah!!”
That desperate scream rang out in the back. It sounded extremely miserable!
It was heart wrenching!
It didn’t seem fake!
Someone probably got hurt. Everyone felt their hearts racing and extremely fearful.
The scream was too real, real enough to make people panic and bolt. Their suspicions and expectations disappeared without a trace.
‘You either run, or you die’, chief instructor Niu Hechuan’s words filled their minds.
“Ah——”
A second screeching cry could be heard.
It was tragic beyond comparison and appalling. Words could not portray how one felt at this moment. Tang Hong looked back, all his thoughts were gone, his brain had gone blank.
There was a bloody man crawling on the ground…
What was he saying, his forehead was injured…
His face could not be seen clearly, he only let out a second abrupt cry of horror!
One wolf pounced on him, then two, then three. Immediately after, there was only silence. Nearly a dozen wolves had drowned out the man.
He was instantly buried under the wolves.
The other wolves which did not manage to get a share did not stop the slightest. They raised their paws and chased after the crowd.
“Ahh!”
Jiang Lulu shrieked. She heard two screams herself and couldn’t help but turn around. Her legs went weak at once, as she stumbled and cried.
“No, it can’t be.”
“We’re not going to die here, right.”
Hearing this.
Tang Hong fell into silence.
By this time, he was no longer so sure and began to waver. His initial scepticism turned into confusion as he broke into a cold sweat. Tang Hong just wanted to abandon the burden-like Jiang Lulu away and escape alone.
His strong willpower forced him to calm down. Tang Hong suddenly thought of Hua Yu.
The person who died…
Was it Hua Yu?
Tang Hong didn’t dare to take the risk. He gasped and faintly heard the subtle sounds of hungry wolves chasing after them.
He and Jiang Lulu nearly fell behind.
“Run!”
Tang Hong was ready to let go of her hand to run faster himself, and let Jiang Lulu run on her own.
Humans were selfish, he could not risk his life for Jiang Lulu. Moreover, Jiang Lulu could run on her own.
But without waiting for him to release his grip, Jiang Lulu’s youthful body unexpectedly exploded with strength, stumbling and ditching Tang Hong.
“Don’t bother about me! You run! Run!”
After hurting her head in elementary school, Jiang Lulu never ran again. Her mother didn’t allow her to play roughly. As the beloved daughter, everyone pampered her, and no one pushed her to exercise.
Because it was meaningless, and it would only aggravate her condition.
And now.
She ditched Tang Hong.
She slowed down at once.
She gritted her teeth and her fists clenched tightly. She did not have the courage to turn back.
“I… Damn you Jiang Lulu!!!”
Since his ex-girlfriend proposed a breakup, it was the first time Tang Hong felt like cursing. Jiang Lulu stood there cowardly thinking that she was an ostrich.
But those hungry wolves would not think she was an ostrich.
They’re nearing!
Getting nearer and nearer!
The fastest wolf was about to leap up and pounce on Jiang Lulu!
Its green eyes, blood-stained teeth, all of them foretell the ferocity of these wolves. It was terrifying to look at even one of them up close. Who would dare to turn around to fight and kill.
If not for the cries, or the scene of the dying man covered with blood, Tang Hong would definitely not hesitate.
Yes.
Tang Hong did his best, he did his best.
He did not give up on Jiang Lulu just now, he did not ditch her and escape on his own. What else could he do? Was the chief instructor Niu Hechuan not going to do anything about it?
Countless thoughts entwined together.
That second felt as long as a century.
If he didn’t go back, if the kid died.
Everything that he had heard about the Yellow River Organization, the government military, the Transcendent special training camp, countless thoughts filled his mind at that moment.
Speeding up and running wildly, in addition to the internal struggles, caused him to sweat profusely.
Tang Hong only felt a chord break off in the depths of his mind. His heart pumped vigorously, and his blood vessels twitched!
Under the blazing summer sun hanging high in the blue sky.
A bead of sweat flowed down his forehead, sliding over the corner of his eye, cheek, and then dripped onto the track. The bead of sweat reflected the sun rays like a mirror as it fell on the ground.
Splat!
He stomped one foot on the ground!
Turn back!
Turn around!
His Strength percentage value had increased again. A sense of inexplicable exuberance suffused his entire body. Within him, he felt a calm that separated him from the rest of the world!
“Come!”
It was the most difficult step to take. His willpower shattered all the hesitation he had before.
He crossed ten over meters in two strides. All those feelings of fear, confusion, and anger exploded in his mind!
“Come! Come! Come!”
Tang Hong roared in his heart as he swung his fist out.
Don’t touch that girl.