"Did the monster just speak?!" Ying Zaizao's mind exploded with shock. She quickly opened her eyes to see the creature before her displaying an expression of deep disdain. It released her, and astonishingly, it stood up like a human, revealing a height of over two meters!
The beast was massive and muscular, its powerful arms and formidable body resembling a wall. Beneath its thick, glossy black fur was a well-defined muscular structure. A finely crafted, gold-embellished belt was cinched at its waist, and its feet were clad in white deer-hide boots. Its sharp claws and fangs, along with ears that stood upright as if they would never droop, all signified its untamed nature.
Ying Zaizao stared blankly for a few seconds before the realization dawned on her. The beast before her was, indeed, a werewolf!
Just then, her head felt like it was going to explode, and her ears began to ring. In her memory, werewolves were bloodthirsty, cruel creatures obsessed with fresh human and animal flesh. They particularly enjoyed preying on humans, being far more terrifying than vampires—no, they were butchers!
Despair washed over Ying Zaizao, and she quickly pinched her face. Damn, it hurt—this wasn’t a dream! She looked around and realized she was no longer in the alley she had been in earlier. Instead, she lay on a bed of lush grass, surrounded by towering trees that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky. The air was thick with mist and rain, and the verdant expanse was both mysterious and hollow.
"Chase her," commanded the werewolf, waving its sharp claws. Immediately, a dozen fiery red shadows shot out from the surroundings, darting into the depths of the forest like lightning.
In that instant, the werewolf's form began to shrink. Its fangs and claws receded, its glossy black fur gradually disappeared, revealing human skin and arms. Within moments, the fearsome, towering werewolf had transformed into a robust young man.
At this moment, a woman in a white robe approached and draped a dark satin cloak over the young man. The young man fastened the cloak and turned to look at Ying Zaizao. She shivered and immediately tried to crawl away, her legs too weak to stand.
But before she could move far, a pair of black boots appeared in front of her. Looking up, she saw a handsome young man in white clothing smiling at her, his eyes twinkling with a crystalline allure.
"Where are you going?"
Seeing him as her potential savior, Ying Zaizao grasped the young man's hand tightly. The young man was taken aback, looking at her in confusion.
"Y-you’re human, right? Please help me!" Ying Zaizao pleaded desperately.
The young man remained silent, his lips curling into a faint, sharp smile that revealed his white, pointed fangs.
Ying Zaizao’s heart sank, and she felt a jolt of terror. She released his hand as if she had been electrocuted.
"Boss, what should we do with her?" The young man grabbed her by the hair and lifted her up, causing her to wince in pain. Damn it, he was indeed a beast, showing no mercy.
"Kill her," the young man said, barely lifting his eyelids.
What?! Ying Zaizao's eyes widened in shock. The command was issued far too swiftly!
"Alright then, I'll just eat her!" The young man suddenly became enthusiastic, dragging Ying Zaizao by her hair towards the forest as if searching for a good spot to gut her.
"Be gentle, be gentle, be gentle!" Tears streamed down Ying Zaizao’s face as she struggled, but the young man showed no sign of stopping, ignoring her cries and pain.
Damn it! She couldn't let him eat her—being killed quickly by a slit throat would be less painful. Driven by survival instinct, she quickly dug in her heels, bent over, and seized the young man’s hand with one of hers while using the other to apply pressure to his elbow. The young man grunted in pain and loosened his grip.
Seizing the opportunity, Ying Zaizao slipped away from him and hurried to the young man's side. She fell to her knees at his feet, crying out, "Wait! Boss, you can’t kill me, I’m useful!"
Although the young man had reverted to his human form, his towering presence made him appear like a mountain before her, exuding an imposing aura. He scrutinized her with piercing eyes, remaining silent for a long time. Ying Zaizao kept her head bowed, too frightened to look up. The intense gaze from above made her sweat with fear. What now? Her pleas didn’t seem to be working. What should she do?
"Boss, this human is extraordinary—she knows martial arts. She must be killed!" The young man rushed over, his previously mild demeanor replaced by a fierce expression and a chilling air of malice.
"That's not martial arts; it was just a survival tactic. Boss, I’m no threat to you!"
"Enough! You speak so easily of ‘boss,’ you’ve done well to get used to it. I’m killing you now!" The young man yanked her hair again, causing Ying Zaizao to clutch desperately at the young man's robe.
"I’m useful! You can’t kill me!" Ying Zaizao clung stubbornly.
"Annoying."
After a pause, the young man finally uttered this single word, his voice low yet powerful.
At his command, not only did Ying Zaizao flinch, but even the young man himself shivered. He quickly knelt in front of the young man.
The young man kicked Ying Zaizao aside and said, "Since she claims to be useful, let’s take her back. I want to see just what use she is."
Ying Zaizao’s persistent pleas had spared her life—for the moment. She was locked in a small iron cage and placed on a carriage. The cage was so cramped she could only squat, unable to even raise her head.
The carriage jostled through the forest, entering a canyon with sheer cliffs and towering peaks that seemed to stretch endlessly. The sky was shrouded in mist and light rain, adding a layer of mystery to the scenery.
Ying Zaizao, with dry eyes, took in the unfamiliar surroundings. If this wasn’t a dream, then she had definitely crossed into another world. Although she had no idea where she was, it was clear that it wasn’t the world she knew.
The young man in white seemed to harbor a deep grudge against her, sitting across from her throughout the journey, glaring at her with such intensity that Ying Zaizao felt as if she were being pierced through. If looks could kill, she would have been riddled with wounds by now.
Ying Zaizao, feeling extremely awkward under his gaze, reflected on her previous arrogance both in and out of school. Now, being caged like a dog by wolves, she felt utterly pathetic.
She gritted her teeth, cursing. Damn it, her bad luck had come true just as the arrogant Young Master had predicted—she was suffering retribution so quickly!