Our Family Has Fallen

If things continued this way, it might have truly become an Extraordinary creature, but its soul would have been devoured by that sinister force, turning it into a strong but insane monster.

One day, it could have caught the attention of a Witcher like Geralt, perhaps a Bounty Hunter like Tadiff, or even provoked a powerful wilderness creature into killing it; in any case, it wouldn’t have ended well. This was evident from its voluntary approach to the Warwolf and its unhesitating challenge to the Wolf King.

Regrettably, its strength was still too weak. It was unable to defeat even the weakened Wolf King and was fated to become a sacrifice.

If the ritual had continued, Wang Cai would certainly have died. Fortunately, an arrow from the darkness interrupted the ceremony, also creating an opportunity for it to escape.

It burst forth with its last ounce of strength. Driven by the instinct to survive, it fled a fair distance, yet still ended up on the brink of death.

However, the adoration of more than thirty wolves inadvertently constituted a sort of ancient ceremony—perhaps even one from barbaric ages—which activated the hidden power within it.

Indeed, having followed Lance for so long, Wang Cai had undergone who knows how many Blessings, even if just to refresh its state, but that faint power had been accumulating over time.

Previously, this power was repressed by the sinister element within its Wolf God Bloodline and had to remain dormant. However, during the recent ritual, the Wolf King greedily devoured its bloodline, simultaneously extracting that sinister element from within it.

Now, the depleted bloodline was filled by the power of Bless. Although this force was weak, it was enough for the current Wang Cai to escape its near-death state.

Perhaps its fate was held in a certain someone’s hands, to the extent that even the Grim Reaper had to step aside.

Just a second before, Wang Cai had been on the brink of death. Now, it suddenly opened its eyes. Those eyes no longer held madness but instead possessed a hint of moonlight’s cool clarity.

Wang Cai survived because the ritual had been interrupted. Afterwards, the gray wolves didn’t abandon it but followed, fortuitously enacting the ancient ceremony that activated the power within its body.

If there had been any misstep in these circumstances, Wang Cai would have already died during the ritual.

But were these really just countless coincidences?

Consider this: if the Warwolf hadn’t slaughtered the Eagle Flock, the woman wouldn’t have harbored such hatred, and there would have been no arrow to interrupt the ritual.

If the ritual hadn’t been interrupted, it wouldn’t have backfired, holding the Warwolf and the Wolf King at bay. Also, because the backlash preoccupied the Warwolf, he didn’t issue an immediate order, allowing the woman to drag away that Barbarian warrior.

If Wang Cai hadn’t previously led the wolf pack on frenzied hunts, filling their bellies, these gray wolves might not have followed it at such a critical moment, nor would they have instinctively performed the ancient ceremony.

If Lance had been stingy with his Blessings before, then when its bloodline was extracted, Wang Cai would have been reduced to a pile of dry bones, possessing no strength to resist.

What appeared to be numerous coincidences was, in fact, merely reality’s feedback.

It’s just that some things don’t become apparent immediately but rather wait for time to reveal them.

Wang Cai sensed its physical condition; it hadn’t recovered much. Both the intense battle and the bloodline-draining ritual had severely damaged its body. The wounds and pain continued to torment it.

Thankfully, however, it had regained some stamina and, with a bit of a struggle, managed to stand up.

The gray wolves, lacking Wang Cai’s intelligence, looked stunned at the spectacle of its resurrection, clearly not understanding this power that transcended death.

But this wasn’t Wang Cai’s primary concern. Once its mind began to function, it quickly accepted its current state, having previously received many powers from its master and experienced such wonders before.

Upon regaining full consciousness, it realized the immediate concern was those peculiar enemies.

Although it didn’t know why, it felt those fellows would definitely catch up.

The howling earlier had exposed its location; now it needed a way to escape.

Wang Cai’s gaze retracted, focusing on the wolf pack.

A wolf’s night vision is excellent, but its sense of smell is even more potent. Wang Cai knew it would be impossible for the pack to outrun their pursuers together; they had to scatter.

But before that, it needed to make some preparations.

”AWOOOO!”

Wang Cai looked toward the blood it had shed on the ground when it fell. Exhibiting true wolfish cunning, it turned and howled at the pack a few times.

Wolves don’t possess a complex language, but having been their leader for some time, Wang Cai could naturally command them.

The gray wolves, shocked by the miracle of Wang Cai’s resurrection, quickly complied. They rolled on the ground to coat themselves with Wang Cai’s blood, then scattered into the wilderness. Wang Cai’s guess was correct; they had barely left when the Warwolf arrived with his followers.

”The blood is still fresh; it just left,” the Warwolf said. He crouched down, his massive form resembling a small mountain, and rubbed the remaining blood between his fingertips.

The One-Eyed Wolf King also leaned in to sniff the bloodstains, then lifted its head to gaze into the darkness.

The Potion’s effects were quite apparent. Though the ritual hadn’t been fully completed, it had certainly plundered Wang Cai’s Wolf God Bloodline.

The pure bloodline granted it an even more powerful healing ability. The wounds on its body were already scabbing over, and it would likely recover in a few days.

But... its right eye was now impossible to regrow.

It would probably have to bear the name One-Eyed Wolf King from now on.

Hatred filled its heart; only by killing Wang Cai could it find relief.

”Don’t worry. No prey can escape our tracking,” the Warwolf said, sensing the Wolf King’s emotions as he patted its head.

The ritual had to be completed. Only by killing Wang Cai could he, the Warwolf, continue on his path to becoming Legendary.

”Move out!” The Warwolf did not linger. Wang Cai’s ruse had only delayed them by a few minutes.

The Warwolf quickly noticed Wang Cai’s little trick, but such a ruse couldn’t fool him.

The difference in weight meant the footprints were distinct. Moreover, it wasn’t just the smell of blood; having fought Wang Cai, the Wolf King could discern its specific scent.

He was not only the leader but also the most formidable hunter in his tribe, exceptionally skilled in tracking prey.

Similarly, no prey could escape the One-Eyed Wolf King’s nose.

It was always going to be an unequal hunt. Pausing somewhere to catch its breath, Wang Cai quickly picked up on the signals in the air and knew its ruse had been exposed.

Wang Cai stood up and walked into the darkness. But after only a few steps, it sensed something and glanced back, only to see that its pursuers had already caught up.

With no time to spare, it hurriedly ducked into the dense forest beside it to break their line of sight. However, its pace then suddenly slowed, and it began to tiptoe as if afraid of disturbing something.

The enemy was close behind, yet Wang Cai slowed its pace. This strange behavior was intensely eerie, but the dense forest provided cover.

The Warwolf led the way, clearing a path for his group. A fleeting glimpse had already revealed the sacrificial wolf—Wang Cai—scrambling away.

The One-Eyed Wolf King, blinded by hatred, immediately sped up in pursuit. The Warwolf and his followers quickly followed suit without hesitation.

They had thought the pursuit would be effortless, but they had overlooked one thing.

The wilderness of Hamlet wasn’t populated merely by bandits and Heretics; it was also home to some very interesting creatures.

As they charged into the dense forest, the commotion immediately disturbed its ”native” inhabitants.

These were exceptional hunters from the Mountains. Upon entering, the pursuers instantly sensed that something was amiss. The Warwolf, with his even more heightened senses, also detected danger.

When they looked up, they saw countless eyes shining in the canopy overhead, as dense and numerous as stars.

However, these strangely colored ”stars” revealed nothing good.

Even the Warwolf, no stranger to bizarre sights, couldn’t help but feel a chilling dread at this scene.

”Get out! Retreat quickly!” The Warwolf, realizing this was a trap, his expression growing frantic, roared the command.

Entering had been easy, but leaving would require the permission of these creatures, long starved for fresh prey.

Giant spiders, as large as washbasins and half the height of a man, emerged, raising their huge abdominal glands to deliver a wild welcome to the intruders.

Welcome to Hamlet!