Cleverly Retreating the Demon Wolf

Chapter 18: Outsmarting the Demon Wolf

The Green Wolf Demonic Beast's low howl, filled with resentment and unwillingness, gradually faded into the thick darkness of the night, but the stench of blood and the suffocating pressure lingering in the air did not dissipate immediately. Chen An leaned against the cold, rough wooden door, sliding down to sit on the ground. His heart still pounded like a war drum, and his limbs trembled slightly from prolonged tension and fear.

That heart-stopping scene from moments ago was etched into his mind like a brand. The blood-red, vicious eyes, the fangs glinting with cold light, the ferocious impact that could split mountains and crack stones, and the ripples spreading across the invisible barrier, bringing with them a soul-shaking tremor of the laws... All of it reminded him that beyond the courtyard wall lay a true Primordial World hell, where the strong preyed on the weak and danger lurked everywhere.

Pure fear, like icy tides, crashed against his reason wave after wave. He curled up in the shadow behind the door, unmoving for a long time, just gasping for air, trying to calm his heart, which felt ready to burst from his chest. The Safe Zone was absolutely secure, but the visual and psychological impact of being a hair's breadth away from death was far too intense for a soul from a peaceful world.

Time passed slowly in the dead silence. Outside the yard, the roars of other Demonic Beasts seemed to deliberately avoid this area that had just weathered a storm, leaving an oddly quiet stillness. This quiet, in turn, only made things more unsettling.

Chen An's gaze involuntarily drifted back to the gap in the door. In the darkness, it was as if he could still see that pair of red eyes staring fixedly at this spot. An indescribable sense of humiliation and anger, like tiny sparks, began to kindle deep within him.

What am I even afraid of?

A voice rang out in his mind.

That beast can't get in at all! It bashed itself bloody and could only rage helplessly outside!

This thought, like a lightning bolt cutting through the darkness, instantly illuminated the fear-shrouded recesses of his heart. Yes, why was he cowering here like a frightened mouse, trembling? That barrier was an absolute fortress that even such a terrifying Demonic Beast couldn't shake! It was the true master of this domain, and he was the one sheltered by its protection!

A strange courage, mixed with the anger that had been suppressed before, began to replace pure fear. He was no longer just a passive refugee enduring threats. He possessed a reliance that the other side could neither understand nor overcome.

He slowly stood up. His legs were still a bit weak, but his gaze gradually grew firm. He walked to the kitchen stove. The embers in the hearth still glowed with a dim red light, offering some warmth and brightness. Carefully, he added a few thin sticks of firewood, gently blew on them, and orange flames leaped up again.

The firelight dispelled the darkness behind the door and seemed to chase away some of the shadows in his heart.

He needed a "weapon"—not for physical attack (that would be pointless), but to assert his presence and serve as a deterrent. His eyes fell on the pile of burning firewood.

He pulled out the thickest, most fiercely burning piece, about the width of an arm. Flames danced and leaped at its tip, radiating scorching heat and bright light. Fire was the starting point of human civilization, the most primal symbol for driving away wild beasts and bringing light and courage.

Holding the torch, its warm touch and dancing glow gave him an indescribable sense of power. He took a deep breath and walked back to the main house door.

This time, he didn't hide behind the door to peek. Instead, he took a deep breath and yanked open the creaking courtyard gate!

Creak—

The sound of the door hinge grinding was especially jarring in the silent night.

Outside the gate, in the darkness, that pair of crimson pupils suddenly flared. Clearly, it hadn't expected this weak existence to dare show itself! The Green Wolf Demonic Beast let out a low growl, tinged with surprise and fury, its massive body crouching slightly, assuming an attack stance.

Under normal circumstances, just that murderous glare and low growl would have been enough to make Chen An's heart burst with terror. But now, holding the torch, standing within the absolute safe boundary, though still nervous inside, he had no intention of backing down.

He took a step forward, standing firmly within the threshold of the courtyard gate, at the edge of the Safe Zone. He swung the torch forward with force!

Whoosh—!

The flame traced a dazzling arc through the air, light surging forth, instantly dispelling the darkness before the door and illuminating Chen An's figure clearly.

"Get—lost!"

He shouted with all his strength, a hoarse but resolute roar. The voice might not have been loud, even a bit strained from tension, but it carried an undeniable command to drive away.

He stared wide-eyed, meeting those crimson beast pupils without flinching, forcing a fierce, intimidating expression on his face. His other hand, empty, even clenched into a fist, mimicking an attacking stance. He knew he probably looked ridiculous, like a child brandishing a toy sword at a giant, but he had to make this gesture!

The sudden burst of light and sound clearly startled the Green Wolf Demonic Beast. Fire—a natural force it wasn't unfamiliar with, but one that usually meant danger and destruction—was now being wielded by a tiny creature and actively used to provoke it. This behavior, defying its understanding, threw its simple mind into momentary confusion.

It instinctively retreated half a step. Its crimson pupils contracted slightly under the stimulus of the flame, and the growl in its throat carried a hint of hesitation. It couldn't comprehend why this weak being had suddenly become so "bold." The leaping flames and the aura emanating from the other party—so different from the fear before—made it feel a trace of unease.

Chen An saw its hesitation and felt a surge of confidence. It's working!

He took another step forward (still within the threshold), swinging the torch even more fiercely, the flames crackling loudly. He continued to shout, his words crude and direct, pouring out all the fear, anger, and survival pressure he had accumulated over these days into this one-sided "confrontation."

"What are you looking at! You beast! Come on in if you can!"

"Get back to your forest! This isn't a place for you to run wild!"

"Come any closer, and I'll burn you to death!"

His curses echoed through the Primordial World night, mingling with all kinds of terrifying sounds from afar, forming a strange and absurd picture: a tiny human, holding a torch, standing on the boundary between light and darkness, issuing childish yet resolute challenges to the terrifying behemoth lurking in the distant dark.

The Green Wolf Demonic Beast paced restlessly on the spot, its claws gouging deep pits into the ground. Several times it lunged forward, but the invisible barrier and the leaping flames held it back like two shackles. Its simple mind couldn't comprehend what was happening, but its animal instinct told it that this seemingly weak being and the area behind him were filled with unknown danger.

Staying here any longer, besides wasting energy and dignity, was pointless. The other party clearly wasn't afraid of it, and that invisible obstruction was an unbreachable chasm.

In the end, the beast's ferocity, under the pressure of incomprehensible laws and sustained deterrence, was gradually suppressed by a more practical survival instinct. It let out a low growl, full of unwillingness yet tinged with a barely perceptible hint of retreat. Its crimson pupils gave Chen An one last deep look, then swept over the leaping flames, as if etching the scene into its memory.

Then, it turned abruptly, no longer hesitating, and with heavy steps, quickly vanished into the distant dark forest. Even its footsteps carried a note of haste.

Only when that massive figure had completely disappeared from his perception did Chen An slowly lower his already numb arm. The torchlight illuminated his sweat-soaked but exhilarated face.

He... had succeeded?

Not by relying on luck, not by hiding, but by using the rules and taking the initiative to intimidate, he had forced back a terrifying Demonic Beast!

A surge of unprecedented, complex emotions—a mix of immense accomplishment, release, and a hint of lingering fear—erupted through his body like a volcanic blast. He grabbed the doorframe and couldn't help but burst into laughter. The laughter echoed through the silent courtyard, carrying a hint of post-survival madness, but even more, a sense of triumph over himself.

In that moment, he truly began, psychologically, to become a "resident" of this Primordial World, one who dared to stand tall.

(End of Chapter 18)