Surrounded by a pack of wolves, they were clearly in grave danger. Luckily, Tianzheng—the very pro Bai Xia had pinned her hopes on—remained perfectly calm, quietly steadying her nerves.
As the wolves crept closer, Tianzheng finally spoke.
"Don’t resist."
"Huh?" Before Bai Xia could react, he scooped her up under his arm.
A faint crimson glow erupted from his body. The Warrior-exclusive buff skill, Battle Cry, activated instantly.
Attack speed up. Movement speed up. Accuracy up. Ready to strike!
Then…
He spun and bolted.
Wind whipping through her hair, Bai Xia watched Tianzheng flee without hesitation—carrying her. Even her stoic expression cracked. "You’re actually running? Pro, you’re such a coward!"
"Hmph." Tianzheng snorted, unmoved. This wasn’t cowardice. It was a tactical retreat. Charging headfirst now? That’d be stupid.
True, Forest Wolves were one level below the Jade Serpent—but still matched Tianzheng’s level, and no less deadly. One serpent versus six wolves. Early-game, no gear: a Warrior’s tankiness beat an Assassin’s, sure, but not enough to survive a pack assault.
And Bai Xia? Level 1. One scratch = instant death. No matter how strong he was, protecting her mid-fight was impossible.
Running was shameful—but effective.
Besides…
"Who said I’m running?"
*Isn’t this running?* Bai Xia glanced back at the wolves hot on their heels, already picturing their gruesome end—maybe dragging Tianzheng down with her.
Forest Wolves weren’t absurdly fast. Alone, Tianzheng could’ve shaken them off with his speed boost. But carrying her slowed him drastically. Dropping her? Instant death.
She felt like dead weight, jostled in his grip.
Even the system seemed to wince. A prompt flashed: *Unwanted contact detected. Confirm warning?*
In *The Otherworld*, to prevent harassment, the system flagged malicious physical contact—punishing offenders with paralysis, lightning strikes, or bans. The rule covered players *and* NPCs, crushing fantasies of high-level bullies targeting low-level NPCs or "pretty enemy girls." Every case was judged fairly; loopholes? None.
Bai Xia blinked, startled—then quickly tapped *Cancel*.
Yeah, Tianzheng had tricked her earlier. A tiny grudge lingered. But now? No way. If he got penalized, they’d both die. She had zero interest in a "lover’s suicide" with him.
Unaware of her thoughts, Tianzheng focused solely on the wolves.
Battle Cry lasted sixty seconds. Once it faded, they’d be caught. Running wasn’t the plan—it was setup.
He hadn’t fled down a path. He plunged straight into thick undergrowth—a calculated move. Forest Wolves weren’t smart. Terrain could split them. Trees offered cover. Risk? Attracting more monsters. Luck held: no extras appeared while he separated the six.
With wolves unable to swarm, the threat dropped.
But the window was narrow. Without warning, Tianzheng halted. Sword summoned. Body spun. Slash backward—
Thwack!
The lead wolf never saw it coming. Throat slit. Samsara Slash’s energy blade carved deep—and critted on a weak point. Health bar plummeted.
As it howled and staggered, Tianzheng sidestepped behind a tree with Bai Xia, dodging the next lunge while slashing the attacker’s chest—dealing heavy damage, triggering knockback.
Level 5 wolves held no advantage. Grass-eaters meant low defense. Two critically wounded in seconds.
Tianzheng pressed forward. Set Bai Xia down. Closed in with boosted speed. Arc Slash swept across the second wolf—and clipped the first, already bleeding out.
Following the "target the weakest first" principle, he dodged a counterstrike with a subtle shift, then unleashed swift slashes on the near-dead wolf. Finish.
Fluid. Flawless. Bai Xia almost stars-eyed.
First wolf down. Second below half-health—all in seconds.
As the remaining four closed in, Tianzheng calmly finished the second.
To him, they were no threat now. His gaze flicked to Bai Xia. After a brief hesitation, he scooped her up again and fell back—clearly wary she’d recklessly pull aggro and complicate things.
