Chapter 11: Teeth and Breath
The moment Wei Liang stepped out of the cave, the air hit him differently.
Cold.
Alive.
Real.
---
He stood there for a second longer than necessary.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
---
"…I was inside for… how long?"
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No answer.
Just wind brushing past the mountain face.
---
His eyes shifted.
Sky.
Light angle.
Shadows.
---
"…shit…"
His chest tightened.
"…don't tell me…"
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He exhaled sharply.
"…two days?"
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Silence answered him again.
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His hand clenched.
"…damn it…"
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His sister's face flashed in his mind.
Pale.
Weak.
Waiting.
---
"…I said I'd be back…"
A pause.
"…I said I'd be quick…"
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He dragged a hand through his hair.
Frustration rising fast.
---
"…focus."
A breath.
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"…the herb first."
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That was why he came here.
Not the cave.
Not the ring.
Not any of this.
---
The herb.
---
He stepped forward.
Down the mountain path.
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At first—
everything felt normal.
---
Too normal.
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Then—
something shifted.
---
A faint pressure.
---
Wei Liang slowed.
"…what…"
---
His next step didn't land.
---
His body stopped.
Not fully by choice.
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"…why does this feel…"
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A tremor.
Faint.
Through the ground.
---
Wei Liang's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…earthquake…?"
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Another tremor.
Stronger.
Closer.
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Then—
the sound came.
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Low.
Dragging.
Heavy.
---
Wei Liang swallowed.
A full mouthful.
Hard.
---
"…n-no…"
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He turned.
Slow.
---
And saw it.
---
For a second—
his mind went completely blank.
---
"…th—th… that…"
His voice broke.
"…what the hell is that…?"
---
A Mistfang Wolf.
---
Big.
Grey fur streaked with thin mist.
Eyes locked onto him like he had already been chosen.
---
It didn't rush.
Didn't tense.
---
It just walked forward.
---
Then—
it grinned.
---
Wei Liang saw the teeth.
Long.
Jagged.
Wet.
---
His stomach twisted immediately.
"…ugh—!"
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That breath hit him.
Rot.
Blood.
Something old.
---
His face twisted.
"…your breath is—what the hell—"
---
The wolf's grin stretched wider.
---
Wei Liang froze.
Then took one step back.
---
The wolf stepped forward.
---
His heart slammed.
---
"…o-okay…"
He nodded quickly.
Too quickly.
"…okay… we can—"
---
Another step back.
---
The wolf followed.
Same pace.
---
"…you don't look friendly…"
A weak laugh slipped out.
Wrong time.
Didn't matter.
---
The wolf tilted its head.
---
Wei Liang blinked.
"…did you just—"
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It moved.
---
Fast.
---
Wei Liang jerked sideways—
---
Too late.
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Something slammed into his ribs.
---
"—AH!"
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He flew.
Hit the ground.
Rolled.
Stopped.
---
Air left his lungs completely.
---
"…gh—!"
---
For a second—
nothing worked.
---
Then air rushed back in.
Burning.
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"HA—!"
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Pain followed.
Spreading slowly across his side.
---
"…damn it…"
---
He tried to get up.
---
His arm shook.
Collapsed.
---
"…no…"
---
He tried again.
---
Got to his knees.
Barely.
---
The wolf stood there.
Watching.
---
Not attacking.
---
Wei Liang blinked.
"…you're not…?"
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The wolf stepped closer.
---
Slow.
---
Understanding hit him.
---
"…you're playing…"
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His stomach dropped.
---
The wolf lifted a paw.
---
Wei Liang tensed—
---
Tap.
---
He tipped sideways.
Hit the ground again.
---
"…what the hell—?!"
---
No rush.
No killing blow.
---
Just control.
---
Wei Liang pushed himself up again.
Faster.
Anger mixing in.
---
"…I'm not a toy…!"
---
The wolf moved again.
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A swipe.
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He tried to dodge—
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Too slow.
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Claws grazed his shoulder.
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"—AH!"
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Blood.
---
He stumbled—
fell—
hit the ground again.
---
Second fall.
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"…shit…!"
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He pushed himself up.
---
Third fall came fast.
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Another hit.
This time from the side.
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He rolled hard.
Stopped.
---
Breathing uneven now.
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"…this is bad…"
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The wolf approached again.
Same slow pace.
---
Watching.
---
Wei Liang stared back.
Chest rising fast.
---
"…you really think…"
He coughed.
"…you really think I'm easy…?"
---
The wolf grinned again.
---
Wider.
---
Wei Liang swallowed.
Another full mouthful.
---
"…yeah…"
A shaky nod.
---
"…I see it…"
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Fourth hit.
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He didn't even react in time.
---
Impact—
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He dropped hard.
---
Fourth fall.
---
Pain sharper now.
---
Blood spreading faster.
---
"…get up…"
A whisper.
---
"…get up…"
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His fingers dug into the dirt.
---
"…GET UP…!"
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He forced himself up again.
---
Fifth time.
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His legs shook badly.
---
But he stood.
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"…I'm not… done…"
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The wolf paused.
---
Watching.
---
Something shifted in its eyes.
---
Then—
it lunged.
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Full speed.
---
Wei Liang couldn't dodge.
---
Claws slammed into him.
---
Deep.
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"AAAH—!"
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He hit the ground again.
---
Fifth fall.
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This time—
he didn't move immediately.
---
Everything rang.
---
Vision blurred.
---
"…is this it…"
A faint whisper.
---
Then—
something flickered.
---
Inside.
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That thread.
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"…wait…"
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His eyes widened slightly.
---
"…that thing…"
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The cave.
The core.
The feeling.
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"…I had it…"
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A laugh broke out.
Sudden.
Sharp.
Uncontrolled.
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"Ha—! Hah—ha—ha—!"
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It sounded wrong.
Too loud.
Too cracked.
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"HAHA—! I'm such an idiot—!"
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The wolf paused.
---
Watching him.
---
Wei Liang pushed himself up again.
Shaking violently now.
---
"…it was there…"
Breath breaking.
---
"…the whole time…"
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"DAMN IT—!"
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The wolf charged.
---
Wei Liang didn't run.
---
He forced it.
---
That thread—
snapped open.
---
Energy surged.
Wild.
Unstable.
---
"AHH—!"
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He moved.
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Not clean.
Not smooth.
---
But real.
---
He swung—
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Impact.
---
The wolf was knocked sideways.
---
It crashed.
Rolled.
Got up slower.
---
Wei Liang stood there.
Barely.
---
"…it worked…"
---
Then louder—
"IT WORKED—!"
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Another laugh burst out.
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"HAHAHAHA—!"
---
Blood on his lips.
Eyes sharp now.
---
"…again…"
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The wolf growled.
Deep.
Serious now.
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No more playing.
---
It lunged.
---
Wei Liang met it.
---
Clash.
---
Pain.
---
Movement.
---
He got hit again—
stumbled—
almost fell—
---
But stayed up.
---
"…not… again…"
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Another strike.
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He slipped—
fell to one knee—
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Pushed back up immediately.
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"…I said… I'm not done…!"
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An opening.
--
Small.
---
But enough.
---
Wei Liang didn't hesitate.
---
Everything he had—
h
forced into one strike.
---
"—AHHH!"
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Impact.
---
Silence.
---
The wolf froze.
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Then—
collapsed.
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Wei Liang stood there.
Not moving.
---
"…I…"
Breathing broken.
To be continued.....