Chapter 03: Am I very special?

In an instant, Zhi Hao contorted his body, dodging the incoming attack. When the opponent's sword slashed towards his head, he nimbly rolled to the side, saving himself from the deadly attack. With a gasp, he quickly got up and ran through the dense forest.

However, in his escape, his foot tripped over a wooden root sticking out of the ground, as if a trap rope had been waiting for him. Zhi Hao fell heavily, hearing mocking laughter from his opponent who witnessed the incident. "Hahaha, you're funny too, catching crickets, aren't you?" taunted his opponent in a mocking tone.

Annoyance burned in Zhi Hao's chest. In a voice choked with anger, he replied, "What crickets, you damn thing!" he cursed loudly. His heart was in turmoil, shame and anger mixed into one.

In the midst of the chaos, another figure suddenly appeared beside him. That person was carrying a gleaming sword, ready to attack. With quick reflexes, Zhi Hao drew his sword from his waist, his sharp eyes glaring at the unexpected new opponent.

Trend!

The loud impact made the sword in Zhi Hao's hand fly away. Obviously, without energy and relying solely on physical strength it is impossible to block the opponent's slash.

Zhi Hao's breath was short, his eyes stared at the two figures standing arrogantly in front of him. His sword was blown away leaving him without a weapon, making his blood freeze in his veins. The men in front of him, who seemed to be enjoying the situation, looked at each other as if they were planning some evil game.

“Now you can no longer run. No?"

"How could he run, look at his legs shaking," said one of them while pointing at Zhi Hao's legs which were shaking slightly.

"How could you not tremble in the face of death! Hahaha. Will you or I finish this?" said the others, laughing loudly as if they were at a party and not on the verge of murder.

The two of them then chuckled, feeling like they had complete control over Zhi Hao's life and death. "How about we play rock paper scissors first!" suggested one of them, as if this event was just a child's game and not a deadly fight.

Zhi Hao swallowed hard, trying to find a gap or opportunity, even though his heart felt like this was the end of everything. Behind the fear, there is anger that begins to burn in the chest, refusing to die at the hands of the criminal.

Wei's hands moved quickly to form a stone symbol, while his flock, with a depressed expression, revealed the paper.

Wei's laughter broke through the air, echoing the joy of victory. "Rock paper scissors!" he shouted again, igniting a spark of competitive spirit.

"Repeat one more time. You cheated!" his friend snapped, his eyes narrowed suspiciously, lips pursed in dissatisfaction.

Wei frowned, annoyed, "Losing is losing, just admit it. What's so hard about it?" Wei's arms were folded across his chest, his sharp gaze penetrating.

"Don't be like that, I wasn't ready." his friend said, his tone trying to be calming, but his body tense, ready for another round.

Meanwhile, nearby, Zhi Hao observed the two fools arguing. the corners of his lips quirked up, an opportunity forming in his mind. This was his chance, taking advantage of the two people's quarrel for his own benefit. His eyes locked on the sword lying not far from them, a sword filled with memories of his mother.

With barely audible movements, Zhi Hao crawled closer to the sword. Every inch of his movement was careful, avoiding pebbles that could betray his whereabouts. Finally, his fingers touched the hilt of the sword, and he quickly gripped it tightly.

Bang!

Suddenly, a kick from behind knocked him to the ground, the sword slipping from his grasp.

Wei, who had been paying attention to Zhi Hao's movements, stood up with heavy breaths, his eyes burning as he stared at the sprawled Zhi Hao. "You think you can take advantage of our dispute, you useless Trash?" Wei's voice was bluffing, full of threats.

Zhi Hao couldn't say anything else.

The forest was dark and dense, highlighted only by the timid rays of the sun. the laughter of the two of them echoed, breaking the tense silence.

Suddenly, two huge wolves appeared from behind the bushes, their red eyes emitting a frightening glint, their dark fur seemed to absorb the moonlight.

Both of them were shocked, but immediately prepared themselves. "Wei, you take care of that kid, I will finish off these two Wolves first!" one of them exclaimed, his voice firm without hesitation. He didn't wait for a response from Wei, immediately leaping forward with his sword drawn.

the wolves growled, their fangs bared, ready to pounce. However, with quick and agile movements, he swung his sword.

Slash! The sound of iron meeting flesh filled the air which also instantly silenced it forever.

Slash! The swing of his two swords was no less fast, hitting the second wolf who was trying to attack from the side.

The two wolves collapsed to the ground, blood flowing onto the dry leaves beneath them.

"Wei, where is that boy?" Dong's voice echoed among the deciduous trees.

Wei, who was still in a state of shock, immediately woke up from his reverie. His eyes widened, and his lips trembled. "I don't know, damn it. Where did it go?" Wei said in a high pitched voice, reflecting his panic and fear.

"How can you not know, even though I've already told you, take care of that boy," Dong shouted, frustration overflowing because of Wei's carelessness.

Wei lowered his head, feeling infinite guilt. "It's no use fighting now, we have to look for him. I know I was wrong!" he said in a calmer but still shaken tone.

The two then rushed, leaving the area to look for Zhi Hao, hoping that there was still a chance to find him before it was too late. dong with big, fast steps, while Wei followed behind with guilt weighing down his steps.

***

Zhi Hao's eyes opened wide, his breath hitched when he realized he was now in an unfamiliar area. Amazement and confusion mixed into one. "What happened?" he asked himself, trying to piece together the events that had just passed.

A few seconds ago he only shifted his sitting position slightly, but now he was in a completely different place.

In the midst of this confusion, the quiet atmosphere of the forest was suddenly broken by the sound of a deep and scary growl.

Zhi Hao stood up straight, his eyes wide with fear when he saw the huge figure of a black tiger that appeared from behind the bushes. Its shiny black fur is clearly visible even though it is only illuminated by the dim light that penetrates through the gaps in the leaves.

The animal made a growling sound that made Zhi Hao's blood freeze.

His heartbeat raced, cold sweat began to drip down his back. "There has to be a way to get out of here," thought Zhi Hao, as he slowly looked for a wooden branch or stone that could be used to defend himself.

His eyes did not dare to leave the figure of the tiger who was now starting to step forward with his eyes focused on him.

“This situation is not much different from before. It came out of the crocodile's mouth and entered the tiger's mouth. Am I really this special to be favored by evil?” Zhi Hao muttered in his inner turmoil.