Attack of the Dog Demon

The dog was fast. In almost a single breath, it covered a hundred meters and arrived outside the factory gates.

But as though it had sensed something, the dog suddenly stopped, its back slightly arched and even the fur on its body standing on end.

Inside the surveillance room.

The driver lying on the bed rolled over and muttered a couple of things in his sleep.

The other two people in the surveillance room frowned at the dog on the screen and exchanged a glance.

"A dog demon?"

"It's only just turned into a demon, but why would it show up somewhere this remote?"

"Don't tell me that idiot Luo Yun brought it here!"

"This is no joke!"

"Does he expect a bunch of apprentices who haven't even graduated to slay a demon?"

The two were clearly displeased.

"What trouble could one little demon cause?"

"Besides, Luo Yun can take the blame."

As though he had just woken up, the driver stretched, cast a bleary-eyed glance at the monitor, and spoke in a bored tone.

"Have you considered the consequences if something really goes wrong?"

"You're playing games with people's lives!"

"Besides, what if Luo Yun wasn't the one who released this dog demon?"

The first surveillance operator angrily rebuked the driver.

The second operator nodded in agreement.

"Can't you see the marks on its neck where a Demon-Locking Ring restrained it?"

"Besides..."

"Which decorated hero of humanity grew up without bloodshed?"

"Do you think reading books in a classroom can bring peace to the world?"

"Clerks will be clerks. A little too delicate."

A hint of mockery curled the driver's lips. He slowly sat up, casually lit a cigarette, and took off his jacket, revealing a somewhat dark red shirt underneath.

A service medal was pinned to the shirt's right sleeve.

It bore a single stripe.

At the sight of that medal, the two operators instantly reined in their anger, a trace of respect appearing in their eyes as they looked at the driver.

"Finally, a bit of entertainment."

"Getting some exercise wouldn't hurt, either."

With the cigarette hanging crookedly from his mouth, the driver casually pulled over a chair, dragged it between the two, nudged them aside, and sat down to watch the monitor.

Flicking off the ash, the driver muttered with a little excitement, "Come on, get started!"

"Let me see just how much that little fellow can do."

Almost the instant he finished speaking, the dog demon hesitating outside seemed to sense that the danger had vanished. It gave a low growl, then suddenly charged into the factory, sniffing constantly for something.

Once he had confirmed his target, he charged straight toward the students, occasionally bumping into clutter and making noise.

At this disturbance, the students finally stirred groggily awake.

Almost immediately, they saw the dog demon's scarlet eyes in the darkness.

That gaze sent chills through them.

Savage, greedy, ready to devour anyone.

Most importantly, they had always sheltered within the safety of the city and had never experienced anything like this.

Although school had taught them how to respond to a surprise attack by a demonic beast in the wilderness, in their panic, these complete novices had no idea what to do.

The two teachers reacted first.

They got up before anyone else and instinctively shielded the students, phantom images gradually emerging behind them.

"Do you think this is good for the students?"

Liu Qingfeng opened his eyes and spoke softly as he watched the two teachers.

The two froze for a moment.

They looked at the dog demon opposite them, then at the students behind them. Finally, they gritted their teeth and took two steps back.

Before withdrawing, however, they still chose to intimidate the dog demon with their auras, buying the students several seconds.

In a matter of life and death, those few seconds made a decisive difference.

The students forced themselves to muster their courage, constantly recalling what their teachers had told them in class.

Du Xu was the first to act.

He quietly picked up a wooden stick nearby, gripped it, and stood in front of everyone.

His brawny figure gave them an inexplicable sense of security.

Even his face full of whiskers looked much more pleasing now.

Zhao Zicheng immediately searched for Yu Sheng, but found no trace of him.

He was a little puzzled.

But he soon gritted his teeth and rushed forward to stand beside Du Xu, constantly muttering encouragement to himself.

"I'm not scared, I'm not scared!"

"My dad is the director of the Guard Bureau!"

"I'm not scared!"

Despite his words, his face was somewhat pale.

But however frightened he was inside, he did not retreat a single step.

Amid the bustle, another few people stepped forward and formed a line at the front.

But most still instinctively shrank back.

Watching the scene, the two teachers sighed helplessly and withdrew their auras.

The dog demon grew agitated again.

His bloodthirsty gaze fixed on the humans before him, who were like nourishing supplements.

His mind, utterly devoid of intelligence, could not help him discern what fate awaited him today.

Only an instinctive desire surfaced deep within him.

Telling him...

To eat them.

"Roar!"

With another low growl, the dog demon charged. Du Xu, the calmest person there, gripped his stick and advanced instead of retreating.

Braving the dog demon's sharp claws, he swung the stick down with a whistle of wind.

The damp stick snapped outright.

The dog demon merely shook his head slightly, while a bloody claw mark appeared on Du Xu's arm.

As though he had caught the scent of blood, the dog demon grew even more crazed and restless.

"He's got some backbone."

"Just a little stupid. Doesn't he know a dog demon's head is its hardest part?"

"What a fool."

"He's like those meatheads. Got that same reckless streak."

Watching the scene in the surveillance room, the driver smacked his lips as he spoke. Though his tone was somewhat mocking, the appreciation in his eyes as he watched Du Xu was genuine.

As a soldier, he liked these headstrong young fellows best.

Usually, in the reserves, little fellows like this...

Were especially satisfying to beat up.

They could take a beating and still refused to submit.

You could thrash them over and over.

But he soon looked away. A little beast that had only just turned into a demon posed no great threat. With enough people and enough courage, they could handle it in the end.

Besides, everyone present was among their schools' best students.

He even found himself instinctively thinking that if one of them really did die in an accident, it would actually be good for the others.

Perhaps it would spur one or two promising talents into emerging.

Unfortunately...

These were only students, not soldiers.