Unexpected Danger, Awakening the System

The SUV reached the border of the Safe Zone. The road ahead was no longer passable, so they had to continue on foot.

Otherwise, the noise of the motor vehicle would easily attract the attention of demons. After all, the wilderness was not like the city; the danger level was extremely high, and they had to remain vigilant at all times.

The squad consisted of six people. The group walked cautiously through the forest, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings to guard against demon attacks.

However, their luck was not bad. Aside from a One-Eyed Demon Wolf appearing in the distance, they did not encounter any other demons along the way, making the journey relatively safe.

Finally, after traveling for some time, the group arrived at their destination.

"That's right, this should be the place."

Captain Wang Dakun checked the map and compared it with the information provided by the employer, confirming that the Bone Healing Grass they were looking for grew inside the cave before them.

He turned to the others, his tone serious as he instructed them.

"Everyone, be careful once we go inside. There is a high possibility of a Demon Wolf being here. Xiao Yu, you are a Shadow Element mage, so you are responsible for taking the lead this time."

"Understood!"

Cheng Xiaoyu nodded. He took a deep look at the gloomy, massive cave, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

Immediately, the others followed behind Cheng Xiaoyu, submerging into the darkness.

"Sss~"

A flash of firelight flared up. A ball of flame ignited in Wang Dakun's palm, dispelling the surrounding darkness.

In the pitch-black environment, Cheng Xiaoyu, as a Shadow Element mage, was unaffected and could see everything clearly before him.

He observed his surroundings vigilantly while leading the group deeper into the cave, searching for traces of the Bone Healing Grass.

Fortunately, they did not encounter the so-called Demon Wolf along the way and safely reached a more spacious area.

This place looked like an even larger cavern. There was an opening in the ceiling, and blinding sunlight shone straight down, dispelling the darkness in that area, appearing so comforting at this moment.

And where the sunlight hit, there was a dense patch of grass, with several bewitchingly beautiful plants growing on it, which caught everyone's eyes.

"This is..."

Seeing the scene before them, everyone's faces revealed looks of surprise. Wang Dakun hurried forward to inspect them.

"That's right, these must be the Bone Healing Grass. You did well, Xiao Yu."

He crouched down to observe for a while before immediately recognizing them as the Bone Healing Grass. An excited smile appeared on his face as he patted Cheng Xiaoyu on the shoulder.

"I didn't really do much..."

Cheng Xiaoyu scratched his head. He had only led the way... well, that counted as a significant contribution, he supposed.

"Let's hurry up and collect the Bone Healing Grass, then get out of this godforsaken place."

Wang Dakun set down his backpack and quickly began gathering the Bone Healing Grass from the lawn. Seeing that the others hadn't moved, he turned his head in confusion.

"What are you all standing there for?"

He saw Luo Hao standing to the side, staring blankly ahead, a look of grave concern flashing in his eyes.

"Captain, th... there's a demon ahead!"

Cheng Xiaoyu pointed toward the dim area in front of them. Even though the environment was dark, he could see clearly that a demon was slowly walking toward them.

It was a brown-skinned magic wolf. Unlike the One-Eyed Demon Wolf that stood on two legs, this one stood on all fours. Its silver fangs were exceptionally sharp, looking as if they had been forged from steel bars!

"Not good, it's a Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf! Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Wang Dakun finished stowing away the Bone Healing Grass. Since the bounty was complete, they couldn't linger here any longer; they had to leave immediately.

"It's fine, I'll go hold this beast off first. You guys slowly retreat."

Luo Hao said to the group. A light breeze swept around his body, and he transformed into a blur of wind, leaping continuously at a distance from the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf, attempting to help the team draw its aggro.

No... something's wrong. This Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf seems different!

Cheng Xiaoyu stared fixedly at the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf. He felt that the aura radiating from it was incredibly oppressive, and a faint sense of unease began to rise in his heart.

"Come on, you little beast! Let your Grandpa Luo see how fast you are!"

Luo Hao crooked his finger at the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf, hopping left and right, but the next second, his smile vanished.

The Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf's figure flickered, and it instantly lunged right in front of him. He didn't have any time to react before those sharp claws came crashing down.

"Shua!"

A flash of cold light, blood sprayed, and Luo Hao's body was sliced clean in two, collapsing into a pool of blood.

"Luo Hao!"

Seeing this, everyone's faces turned pale with shock. They stared at the scene in horror or rage. How could they accept that someone who had been alive and well by their side just moments ago had died right before their eyes?

While the group was in a state of panic, the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf did not stop there. It burst into speed once more, charging toward another team member.

"Water Barrier: Protection!"

Xiao Ke reacted very quickly, immediately casting a water-element magic around the person, which was sufficient to withstand an attack from a Servant-class creature.

However, the second-tier Water Barrier was like thin paper before the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf's claws. The water curtain fell in mid-air, and deep claw marks appeared across the team member's chest, exposing white ribs before he was tossed onto the ground like trash.

"Earth Wave: Slow!"

The burly man cast Earth Wave beneath the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf. Seeing that it had finally slowed the beast down, he hurriedly spoke to the others.

"I've trapped it, you guys..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a black shadow flashed before his eyes. A blood-filled mouth clamped down, swallowing him whole.

Tearing through a Water Barrier with a single claw, followed by a three-stage burst of speed—this Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf was definitely in the Advancement Stage!

Cheng Xiaoyu stared blankly as his teammates died one by one. It was his first time seeing people killed by monsters right before his eyes, yet he forced himself to stay calm.

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Ke, you two run!"

Wang Dakun's face was filled with resolve. He tossed his backpack to Xiao Ke, ignited a ball of flame in his hand, and charged toward the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf.

"Captain!"

A mist of tears welled up in Xiao Ke's eyes, but Cheng Xiaoyu pulled her toward the cave exit. He understood that he could not let the Captain's sacrifice go to waste.

Behind them, firelight erupted. A thunderous explosion echoed through the cave. Out of the corner of his eye, Cheng Xiaoyu saw the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf, its body covered in sparks, roaring as it charged toward them.

It seemed the Captain hadn't managed to stop it, and it was highly likely he had already sacrificed himself...

"Xiao Ke-jie, this isn't working. I'll use Shadow Evasion to lure it away, otherwise, neither of us will make it out."

"No, I can't leave you behind!"

"Now isn't the time for that. The rest of the path is straight; just keep running forward, that's all."

With that, Cheng Xiaoyu gave Xiao Ke a shove, threw a rock at the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf, and immediately transformed into a mass of shadows, shifting to the side.

The Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf was enraged. Looking at the human who had vanished, it opened its blood-filled mouth and let out a roar, unleashing a massive cloud of dust and gravel that immediately blasted Cheng Xiaoyu out of the darkness.

"Damn it!"

Cheng Xiaoyu had several scrapes on his body and lay on the ground in a sorry state. He hadn't expected the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf to possess an ability similar to Flying Sand and Rolling Stones.

He had thought he could escape with Shadow Evasion, but it hadn't worked.

Of course, a thought crossed his mind: if the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf went after Xiao Ke-jie, he might be able to survive...

Scrambling to his feet, Cheng Xiaoyu gritted his teeth and ran for his life, fighting through his panic and fear to connect the Shadow Element Star Track. His adrenaline spiked, desperate to escape this hellhole.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his arm, and his body staggered. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his left arm was gone, blood spraying out incessantly.

"Ah!"

He let out a furious, agonizing scream, clutching the stump of his left arm. The next second, he felt the world spin, and he was thrown heavily onto a patch of grass.

Pain surged from his leg. The Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf had bitten off one of his legs as well. Now, he had completely lost the ability to run.

Fresh blood streamed from Cheng Xiaoyu's mouth, and blood poured incessantly from his broken arms and legs, staining the lawn beneath him red.

He gazed up at the cave ceiling, feeling his life gradually slipping away. The warm sunlight shone down upon him, yet he felt exceptionally cold.

No... I don't want to die... My younger sister is still waiting for me to come home... Mom hasn't woken up to see me yet...

The voice in Cheng Xiaoyu's heart grew fainter, and the sunlight in his eyes became increasingly blurred. As if unable to resist the urge to drift into a deep slumber, he could only watch helplessly as the claws of the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf descended.

If only... if only I were given one more chance...

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