CRIMSON NOCTURNE

Yi Fei slipped back into N City Senior High with practiced ease, his movements silent and unnoticed. The campus was dark and lifeless at this hour. The four-meter wall wasn't a problem — a light leap and he was standing inside. The moon had begun to sink. He could control his transformations now, but the full moon's compulsion was a fate no werewolf could escape. Back in Classroom 4 of Senior Year Two, he confirmed no one was nearby before shifting back to human form, enduring the familiar grinding of bones and searing pain. Dressed again, he collapsed onto his desk to sleep. Even werewolves need rest, and the night's ordeal had drained every ounce of his energy. As class time approached, students filed in one by one. No one seemed surprised to see Yi Fei fast asleep. "Ha, that guy's always like this," they'd chuckle. Familiarity bred indifference — they teased him but never bothered to wake him. The bell roused him. Yi Fei wiped the drool from his chin and noticed his homework had been collected. In its place sat a bag of soy milk and two steamed buns. He turned to glance gratefully at his group leader, Cheng Yao. She caught his look and smiled back with a small nod. He wolfed down his breakfast before the teacher entered. He wasn't a model student, but he paid attention in class. After all, knowledge was power. "Yi Fei, ready for this afternoon's match?" asked Yang Yi, his best friend and soccer team captain, during the break. Yi Fei was the substitute right winger — barely. Everyone knew he'd joined because of a new Ministry rule: students who participated in clubs and achieved results could earn bonus points on the college entrance exam. He'd asked Yang Yi to pull some strings to get into one of the city's best teams. Yang Yi had never put Yi Fei in a real game before. But today was different. The starting right winger, Zhang Hao, had eaten something bad and was in the hospital getting IV fluids. The actual substitute had been forced by his father to quit soccer after his grades dropped. That left Yi Fei as the only option. "Nothing to prepare. When it's time, I'll go." "... Yeah, fair enough. Just show up on time." Yang Yi furrowed his brow and walked off. Yi Fei sighed. What Yang Yi didn't know was that he'd spent the past week secretly practicing his strength control. "Damn it. If I accidentally jump three meters high, they'll dissect me for sure." Lunchtime finally came. Just as he was about to bolt for the cafeteria, Cheng Yao gently tugged his sleeve. "Yi Fei, good luck in the game." Her big eyes sparkled as if she were looking at something precious. "Uh... why are you saying that?" He looked at her pale, delicate hand on his sleeve. His face reddened. She smiled softly and let go. "Because I'm a soccer fan." Lunch tasted strange that day. Normally delicious food held no appeal. His mind was full of Cheng Yao's hand on his sleeve, her gentle smile. Two years as classmates, and today felt like seeing her for the first time. He shoveled the rice into his mouth and finished what was normally his favorite part of the day. With nothing to do during the break, he went to the bank. The money in his account was more than last month. He smiled — that meant his parents were doing well. On the way back, he thought of Cheng Yao again. Since it was Saturday, there were no classes. Yi Fei went straight to the soccer field. Though the match was over an hour away, spectators were already gathering and a few teammates were doing light warm-ups. Yang Yi, deep in conversation with the coach at the sideline, gave Yi Fei a brief nod. Yi Fei knew the pressure on his captain. Today's opponent was N City No. 2 High School, who had monopolized the sole provincial tournament slot for years. With two rounds left in the season, Yi Fei's school had battled to just one point behind. But everyone knew No. 2 wouldn't let this opportunity slide. At 3:15 PM, the stands were packed. Yi Fei's sharp eyes and ears picked Cheng Yao out from the crowd. Her hair in a ponytail, she wore a white sleeveless top with denim shorts, standing beneath the school banner. To him, what stood out most were those long, pale legs. No. 2's players arrived just before kickoff. Since the schools were neighbors, they'd skipped warm-up drills. "Everyone, gather!" Yang Yi took a deep breath. The players crowded around the captain and coach. The coach reiterated the tactics, then told Yi Fei: "First match. Just do your best. Don't overthink it." Yi Fei nodded blankly, having no idea what "don't overthink it" actually meant. "Yi Fei." Yang Yi stopped him as they took the field. "I'm counting on you for an assist." Looking at Yang Yi's forced smile, Yi Fei just nodded. The referee blew the whistle. No. 2 had clearly been told the right winger was a rookie. From the first minute, they attacked relentlessly down the left flank. Their left winger, Li Hai, had one instruction: exhaust the opponent's right side at any cost. Against a team with no real substitutes, No. 2 had reserves to spare. Yi Fei's school had always prioritized academics. In a school with such limited sports investment, a soccer team of fifteen or sixteen players was normal — which was exactly why Yi Fei, the perpetual benchwarmer, had to play. Still, the school's lack of investment couldn't stop the students from loving sports. If parents and teachers stopped them from playing, they could at least cheer. So N City Senior High had thousands of fans. Ten minutes in, No. 2 had already earned three corner kicks on the left. Yi Fei tried his best, but technical flaws couldn't be fixed by effort alone — especially when he couldn't use his full strength. Many times, he could have twisted his body back with his powerful leg muscles, but to avoid revealing a suddenly swollen leg, he let himself fall. Unable to fight properly, his frustration grew. No. 2 took the corner. Yang Yi cleared with a header, but the ball fell to Li Ming, No. 2's star midfielder. He controlled it and launched a volley. Zhao Chuang, the goalkeeper, caught it firmly. This attack was the story of the first half. With the right flank shredded, N City Senior High couldn't mount any offense. No. 2 tore through using just Li Hai and their fullback. To them, Yi Fei's side was an empty highway. Yang Yi was frantic. But what could he do? Compared to the bench, Yi Fei was actually the better choice. This was why the team was called "true eleven-man soccer" — no substitutes. Near the end of the first half, No. 2 scored. Another left-side break. Li Hai faked past Yi Fei — who let himself fall — then cut inside. When the center back covered, he passed to the unmarked Li Ming, who chipped the ball over the charging goalkeeper. One-nil. The halftime whistle followed immediately. Yi Fei sat on the ground, staring blankly. He didn't hear the whistle until Yang Yi pulled him up. "No way... they scored from my side?" The coach said little. He simply nodded, praised their spirit, and told them not to give up. But Yang Yi understood — this was the school's first shot at the provincial tournament in history, and the dream was slipping away. Halftime ended. As Yang Yi prepared for kickoff, Yi Fei grabbed him. "Da Yang. I don't want to defend anymore. I can't stop them. Let me attack." Yang Yi thought a moment. "Fine. Push forward. I'll cover your position." Yi Fei grinned. Now he wouldn't lose because of his half-hearted defending. The fans had gone quiet. Watching their team get crushed, no one had energy to cheer. Yi Fei glanced over — Cheng Yao sat on the grass, disappointed. "Damn it. For the sake of my breakfast, I've got to try." But he thought of becoming a specimen and held back. When the second half began, No. 2 noticed the change. Yang Yi had moved to right midfield, and the rookie was at striker. The coach almost called out but stopped himself. "Let them figure it out." The formation change didn't faze No. 2. They kept pressing. Only Yi Fei remained up front; everyone else crowded into the box. Zhao Chuang was still the busiest man on the field. No. 2 attacked again. Li Hai crossed from the left. The center defender was pushed off balance. "Get out!" Zhao Chuang punched the ball away. It fell to Yang Yi, immediately swarmed by two opponents. "Yang Yi! Kick it forward!" He hoofed it downfield. The ball arced into the gap between defenders and goalkeeper. No. 2's center backs didn't underestimate the rookie. One stayed tight on Yi Fei, the other sprinted for the ball. But fired up by the crowd, Yi Fei's leg muscles bulged. The werewolf, living on speed, left the first defender in the dust. He blew past the second like a sprinter. No. 2's coach leaped to his feet on the sideline. Only the goalkeeper remained, charging toward him. Yi Fei panicked. "Whatever!" He closed his eyes and kicked with his terrifyingly swollen leg. A dull thud — the ball smashed into the goalkeeper's face and rebounded. In the sixteenth minute, Yi Fei knocked the keeper unconscious, then tapped the rebound into the net. The crowd erupted. This was their home ground, and they roared for the spectacular goal. Yi Fei even saw Cheng Yao jumping for joy. But he couldn't celebrate. "I used too much force..." The goalkeeper wobbled after treatment. Everyone knew he was done. After the substitution, the game shifted. Yi Fei pinned No. 2's back line in their own half. Their attack lost its edge. For the rest of the match, Yi Fei played like he was sleepwalking, and the 1-1 draw held. For Yang Yi and the team, this was acceptable. If they won their last match and No. 2 slipped, they'd make the provincial tournament. Even if they lost, second place was a school record. For Yi Fei, it was enough bonus points. But he couldn't think about points. From the moment he'd scored, he'd been consumed by the fear of being exposed and turned into a dissection specimen. * * * [END OF CHAPTER 1]