Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Madness
Awroo!
The low, abrupt howl made Gu Sheng instinctively hold his breath, not daring to make a sound, secretly hoping that the wild wolf had just wandered into his small yard by mistake.
However.
The sound of the wolf's claws scraping against the dirt grew louder and louder, causing Gu Sheng's pupils to gradually contract.
He felt an unexplainable fear toward this fierce beast, a fear he had never confronted either in this life or his previous.
Gu Sheng made an effort to suppress his breathing, relaxing his muscles bit by bit to avoid diminishing his strength.
He figured it out.
This wolf must have followed a scent here, and the village's rescue wouldn't arrive anytime soon. He could only rely on himself!
Gu Sheng tightened his grip on the chopping wood knife.
Although the knife wasn't particularly sharp, it was heavy. Right now, his greatest asset was his mastery of the Great Achievement Realm in chopping wood—his combat abilities would significantly increase with the knife in hand.
The wolf continued to approach; Gu Sheng could even hear its heavy breathing clearly.
He turned his head and quickly peeked through the crack in the door, his eyes flashing with shock.
Now that the wolf was closer, Gu Sheng realized that although it looked about the same size as a normal wolf, its eyes exhibited an abnormal color—green pupils mixed with a dense blood-red hue. Its mouth was stretched wide, revealing sharp teeth with thick, foul-smelling saliva dripping down.
Hiss!
Gu Sheng's heart trembled, and his fear deepened. This beast didn't look like any ordinary wild animal.
But there was no time to think.
The wild wolf had already locked its eyes on the worn wooden door. Given the wolf's body size, the wooden door certainly couldn't withstand a full-force charge.
Gu Sheng forcefully suppressed the fear in his heart.
Though his arms trembled slightly, he gripped the wood knife tightly, a manic glint beginning to appear in his eyes.
The world doesn't want to let humans live; one can only go mad!
Awroo~!
The wild wolf flared its nostrils, seemingly confirming there was enticing prey inside the house.
Its sturdy hind legs slowly bent, and its green-and-blood-colored pupils remained emotionless as it suddenly launched a charge!
Swish!
The wild wolf moved with lightning speed.
Its gray fur was inconspicuous in the night sky, and it violently crashed into the wooden door.
BAM!
With its significant weight combined with the impact of its high-speed charge, the wooden door instantly shattered into pieces, sending wood splinters flying.
Gu Sheng only saw a gray figure burst into the room, tumbling to the ground along with the door's broken remnants. It was then that Gu Sheng got a clear look at it.
The gray fur was stained with mottled blood. The beast's body wasn't particularly large, its shoulder height about equal to Gu Sheng's thigh.
The wolf stumbled upright, shaking its head, still somewhat dazed.
Strike while it's weak!
Though he didn't know why this wolf seemed less intelligent, it was Gu Sheng's only chance. Otherwise, if the wolf recovered, in such a narrow space Gu Sheng wouldn't be able to dodge, and a dead end would be inevitable!
In this life-threatening moment, Gu Sheng's eyes took on a manic glint, and he let out a deep shout to boost his courage.
In his sight, the wild wolf resembled a piece of wood.
Days of chopping wood had ingrained the motion into muscle memory; the skill had become instinct, and his power was effortless.
With mastery in chopping wood at the Great Achievement Realm, he could channel strength through his whole body!
Though Gu Sheng was just a fourteen-year-old boy with limited arm strength, once his full-body power was concentrated, it became formidable, surpassing the strike strength of an average adult.
Facing the wild wolf, Gu Sheng's grip on the wood knife steadied, his fear and panic unconsciously dissipating.
Gazing at the slowly rising "wolf-wood."
Gu Sheng struck decisively, his right foot pressing against the ground, thigh muscles trembling with tension. Twisting his torso, his waist and abdomen lent their force. Strength surged through both arms, every muscle fiber pushed to its peak.
Gripping the knife tightly, Gu Sheng swung it hard, the sound of slicing air screaming in his ears.
The blow aimed directly at the wolf's waist!
A copper head, iron bones, and a tofu waist—Gu Sheng knew well enough. A full-force strike against the vulnerable spot would inflict serious damage.
The wolf, still dazed from its collision with the door, suddenly regained clarity at the life-threatening moment and let out a low growl, instinctively attempting to dodge.
But Gu Sheng's strike was swift and fierce, powered by his entire body, the timing impeccable. The wolf had barely turned before the blade cleaved down on it.
The heavy, slightly blunt wood knife, driven by overwhelming force, sunk into the wolf's waist and abdomen. If the knife could split a log instantly, the so-called tofu waist of this wolf was no exception.
Though it didn't cut the wolf completely in half, the blade buried itself deeply.
Squelch!
Bright red blood instantly splattered everywhere as a mix of organs and fluid poured out, filling the air with a nauseating stench.
Having landed the decisive strike, Gu Sheng's eyes gleamed with a hint of joy. At that moment, his inner fear was completely gone; rationality had taken hold. Without hesitation, he swiftly released the knife and retreated.
His steps were chaotic, his movements a mix of stumbling and crawling, but fortunately, he retreated in time.
A close miss avoided the wolf's snapping jaws.
Feeling the icy fangs graze past him, cold sweat ran down Gu Sheng's back.
The wild wolf howled in pain and tried to lunge forward, but with a loud thud, it collapsed to the ground.
Gu Sheng staggered back, regaining his balance. He picked up a nearby stone and hurled it at the wolf.
Its waist and abdomen were severed. Even with the wolf's extraordinary life force, it couldn't immediately die but had become a vulnerable target.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of stone smashing against flesh was dull and chilling.
After several breaths, the wolf's growls finally faded. Panting heavily, Gu Sheng grabbed a wooden rod nearby and poked at the wolf, flipping its body over for confirmation. Only then did he feel assured—the wolf was finally dead.
A wave of relief surged through Gu Sheng's soul. He slowly sat down on the floor, his entire body drained.
First, an all-out knife attack, followed by repeatedly throwing stones at the wolf within mere moments of high-intensity exertion—Gu Sheng was thoroughly exhausted.
He stared at the wolf's corpse and let out a long breath, finally breaking into a smile.
"I survived!"
He felt an overwhelming urge to laugh and cry at the same time.
Thinking back on the fight, the split-second decision to strike down the wolf, Gu Sheng realized the beast wasn't as terrifying as imagined—his fear mostly stemmed from inexperience.
From this thought, his courage grew significantly.
His mastery of chopping wood at the Great Achievement Realm had made his combat abilities stronger than those of an average adult.
"Good thing my chopping skill reached the Great Achievement Realm. If it were only at Small Success, I wouldn't have been able to sever the wolf's waist, and I'd probably be dead today."
Gu Sheng felt a sense of gratitude.
Strength once again surged through his body as he slowly stood up, glancing at the wolf's now grotesque carcass. Turning toward the massive hole in the door, he prepared to block it with something.
Outside.
Wolf howls echoed across the night sky. Screams rang out, and the stench of blood began to permeate the air.
Gu Sheng felt a moment of silence.
If it weren't for his skill, encountering the wolf would have left him with the same fate as everyone else.
This world.
Natural disasters, human conflict, beast attacks, demonic chaos...
Ordinary people must give everything they have just to survive—and even then, it depends on luck!
Gu Sheng clenched his fists, a yearning for strength filling his heart.
Suddenly.
His expression changed as he glanced toward Gu Erniu's house, not even a hundred meters away. Wolf howls and the screams of a woman were distinctly audible.
"Erniu's wife!"