Volume 1, Chapter 4: A Chance Encounter with the Class Beauty

Without daring to overthink, I gripped the dagger in my hand tightly and immediately stepped in front of Lin Yao, my eyes fixed on the hungry wolf.

A gust of wind swept by, bringing a chill to my forehead. Only then did I notice that my brow was drenched in cold sweat.

"Ye Feng, be careful!" Lin Yao hid behind a large tree, her voice trembling.

No sooner had she spoken than the wolf lost its patience. Baring its long fangs and extending its sharp claws, it lunged directly at me. In that instant, my survival instinct exploded. I raised the dagger to meet the wolf head-on. But I was no fool; even if I managed to kill the beast in a direct confrontation, I would inevitably be injured myself.

In a split second, I tilted my body slightly to the side and drove the dagger downward with all my might into the wolf's flank. As expected, I succeeded; the wolf let out a shrill, miserable howl. Still reeling from the disbelief that I had actually struck it, I subconsciously withdrew the blade and retreated several steps.

Looking closely, blood was streaming from the wolf's side. It continued to wail. It must have been in agony. But I remained calm; seizing the moment while the wolf was distracted by its pain, I grabbed Lin Yao and quickly fled the spot.

We didn't get far, however, because the forest was now filled with the howling of wolves. Accompanied by the constant rustling sounds echoing through the woods, it felt as though some terrifying creature could appear at any moment. The shroud of night only added a layer of lethal danger to an already terrifying forest.

Just then, a scream rang out, jolting us both back to reality.

"Head to the beach!" I said immediately. While the forest provided cover, the succession of screams suggested it had become a slaughterhouse for beasts—or more accurately, a hunting ground. The beach might be safer.

I glanced back at Lin Yao and saw that she wasn't responding. Her beautiful eyes were filled with profound fear, and the hand gripping my arm was trembling violently. She had never experienced survival on a deserted island before. Seeing this, I didn't waste a second; I dragged the terrified girl and raced madly toward the beach.

Throughout the journey, the screams were almost incessant. While this filled me with fear, it also made my heart feel exceptionally heavy. We had thought ourselves lucky to survive the shipwreck, but now, being hunted by beasts seemed far more agonizing than a swift death at sea. Those of us who survived the wreck were, without a doubt, the most unfortunate.

I didn't know if I would make it out alive in the end, but compared to the shipwreck, our chances were slightly better here on the island. With that thought, I pulled Lin Yao faster. Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared in front of us, and I was unable to stop my momentum. We collided; although it was painful, the soft sensation of the impact caused a slight ripple in my heart.

In the faint moonlight, I looked closely and realized it was someone I knew.

"Ye Feng, is that you?"
"Chen Jing?"

The other party recognized me as well, and we exchanged a strained smile. But there was no time for pleasantries. The rustling sounds nearby, mixed with the howling of wolves, signaled that a hunt was underway. To be precise, a man-hunt.

The sounds were very close; it was too late to reach the beach now.

"Climb the tree, quick!" Chen Jing suddenly commanded.

Climb a tree? I paused, confused. "Don't wolves know how to climb trees?"

But then I recalled that Chen Jing was a top student with extensive knowledge; she was likely correct. She nodded in confirmation. We didn't hesitate. Chen Jing climbed up first. Although her beauty didn't quite match Lin Yao's, she was still of a caliber that could be considered a class beauty. We hadn't interacted much, so we didn't know each other well, but I knew of her as the brilliant student who had spoken on stage.

"Ye Feng, I... I don't know how to climb trees!" Lin Yao said, looking embarrassed.

I didn't hesitate for a moment. "I'll boost you up. Grab Chen Jing's hand!"

Just then, the wolves' roars grew closer, and the fear triggered Lin Yao’s hypoglycemia. Her body went limp, and she collapsed against my shoulder, her hands gripping my arms tightly—or rather, practically clinging to my waist.

Seeing this, I didn't overthink and immediately crouched down. "Get on, quickly!"

Hearing this, Lin Yao took a deep breath. She glanced at my neck and leaned in, her pretty face flushed with color. With the howling wolves ringing in her ears, she cast aside all hesitation and sat on my shoulders in a position that made my heart race. I pushed those thoughts away and, relying on my physical strength, gripped the trunk and slowly stood up.

"Grab Chen Jing's hand!" I urged.

From my standing height, Lin Yao could just reach Chen Jing, who had already climbed to the first branch. I was slightly surprised; I had never observed this class beauty closely, but she could climb trees? Not only that, but she was fast. Unless she had grown up doing this, it wouldn't be so easy. Was she from the countryside too?

Another howl cut my thoughts short. The branch was thick—as wide as an adult's waist. The tree itself was massive, too wide for three adults to encircle. These were ancient, wild trees, likely hundreds or even thousands of years old.

Unbeknownst to me, Lin Yao’s face was beet red. The moment I stood up, I felt the tension in her legs. The effort nearly took my breath away. With a beauty like Lin Yao sitting on my shoulders, I dared not move or make a sound, terrified of losing control.

Fortunately, Chen Jing caught Lin Yao's hand. At that same moment, a shrill, agonizing scream echoed through the woods—a human voice, filled with unbearable pain. Hearing it, the shame-stricken Lin Yao found a surge of adrenaline. With Chen Jing’s help, she scrambled up.

"Ye Feng, hurry up!"

As Lin Yao called out, her face turned deathly pale. On both sides of the tree, two hungry wolves were already staring directly at me.