Volume One: Mutation Chapter Fifteen: Battle with the Wolf Pack!

Beneath the glow of the setting sun, the massive pupils of the mutated dire wolf reflected the flickering black flames, dancing like spirits. The pack seemed somewhat wary of the fire before them, but not truly afraid. The lead wolf, who had given commands earlier, stepped out from the pack—its body even larger than the others, making it stand out. It advanced to the edge of the fire circle, locking eyes with Liu Cong in a tense standoff.

Within the camp, the people were still staring in astonishment at Liu Cong, who had descended from the sky, and at the ring of fire that now enclosed them. A curious child reached out a finger to touch the flames, only to be sharply scolded by a nearby adult.

“Don’t just stand there. When the fighting starts, focus on the wolves that try to jump the fireline. Don’t let any get through,” Liu Cong said, noticing the armed police still in a daze, a frown creasing his brow.

Jolted back to their senses, the policemen hastily raised their guns, aiming at the wolf pack, bullets or not. The mysterious stranger’s remarkable abilities made them instinctively look to him as their pillar of support. The young people in the camp, even more excited, began loudly explaining to those around them—this man had superpowers! They were saved!

On the surface, Liu Cong appeared full of vigor and confidence, standing tall against the wolves. Yet inside, he was deeply unsettled—his only reliable weapon, the black fire, seemed to have little effect on these monstrous beasts.

The wolves were hesitant to attack, held back by a sense of caution toward the black flames. Seizing the moment, Liu Cong’s mind raced—eight against one. He had to find a solution quickly, or once the pack realized the black fire could not truly harm them, the camp behind him would be doomed.

A snarl split the air.

The lead wolf bared its fangs, glaring fiercely at Liu Cong. Suddenly, a massive mutated wolf behind it charged straight at the black fire line.

Damn it!

Liu Cong realized that once the first mutated wolf broke through, the rest would follow. This alpha was cunning—testing the black fire’s power through its underling!

Without time to hesitate, Liu Cong pushed off the ground with all his strength. Under the gaze of those behind him, he shot forward like a cannonball, his fist wreathed in black fire. He smashed it down onto the oncoming wolf’s head.

A dull, heavy thud rang out as the mutated wolf was slammed to the ground, sliding several meters and gouging a long furrow in the earth. It staggered to its feet, shaking its dazed head, dizzy from the force of the blow.

Liu Cong didn’t fare much better—the wolf’s skull was incredibly hard, and the recoil left his entire arm numb. Such a powerful punch had barely hurt the beast, and the black fire had left only a charred mark, little more than a superficial wound.

This was trouble. He lacked the means to truly injure these mutated wolves. Liu Cong’s face darkened; for the first time since gaining his supernatural abilities, he was at a loss. His previously all-conquering black fire had suddenly lost its potency—a dire omen.

Another roar.

The lead wolf at the front howled, and two more mutated wolves stepped forward. Along with the one already injured, they began to encircle Liu Cong, who now stood outside the fireline.

Damn it!

Cursing under his breath, Liu Cong stubbornly conjured a fireball and hurled it at the three wolves before him. He refused to believe that compressed black fire could still do no harm. But the three mutated wolves, wary of his flames, leapt aside and dodged easily.

What now? Anxiety crept in. Repeated attacks had failed to hurt these beasts, and worse, the black fire was losing its deterrent effect. The three mutated wolves were growing bolder, and Liu Cong realized that today’s mission would be anything but easy.

A simultaneous roar erupted from the trio as they bared their teeth and lunged at Liu Cong.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but the bystanders noticed that as the three hulking creatures leapt at the mysterious man, their movements abruptly slowed mid-air. Instantly, the stranger’s black fire flared, and he struck each wolf’s eye in quick succession.

The three wolves howled—whether in agony or fury, none could say—thrashing their colossal claws, each as large as half of Liu Cong’s body, in a desperate attempt to tear apart their tormentor.

But Liu Cong was already aloft. In that critical moment, he had manipulated the air to slow the wolves’ movements, though the effort left his body aching. Each of these wolves was ten meters long and five meters tall, their sheer mass and momentum formidable. Only by unleashing the full force of his white energy had he managed to restrain them—this was already the limit of his power.

He had no time to heed the camp’s cheers. Glancing at his own hand, he recalled that in his panic, he had driven both white and black energies together when trying to manipulate the air. When these two energies combined, it felt as if something was about to burst forth from his palm.

The sword mark!

Ignoring his lingering pain, Liu Cong drew on both energies again. The sword-shaped scar in his palm began to heat up. Pouring more power into it, the mysterious man hovering in the air became suffused with a profound black-and-white light. These twin energies spiraled around his arm like stars circling the sun, converging on his palm as countless fine threads.

Almost instinctively, Liu Cong closed his right hand. A wondrous sword of light coalesced in his grip. The blade was divided in two—one side pure black, the other pure white, each occupying half the blade, yet blending together in perfect, mesmerizing harmony.

It was the sword that had fallen from the heavens! Liu Cong’s eyes widened as the black-and-white divine sword solidified, taking on the same form as when it first appeared to him. It looked harmless enough, but he knew—it could pierce solid rock with ease.

Whether it could cut through iron like mud he had yet to test, but slaying these wolves should pose no problem. With confidence, Liu Cong smiled, raised the blade, and plunged down from the sky toward the frenzied wolves below.

With a sickening squelch, the sword plunged into a wolf’s skull. Black fire blazed along the blade, and in an instant, most of the beast’s brain was cooked. It convulsed twice, then lay still.

Liu Cong wrenched the sword free, ready to kill the remaining two. But before he could act, the surviving mutated wolves charged at him together. The lead wolf, shocked and frightened by Liu Cong’s new weapon, no longer cared for casualties, driving the pack to attack all at once.

Sword in hand, Liu Cong moved like a fish through water, weaving among the wolves. When he stopped, the pack crashed to the ground behind him, howling in pain, unable to rise.

The young armed police, already awestruck by Liu Cong’s earlier feats, now stared, dumbfounded—the mysterious man had, in a few swift strokes, severed the forelimbs of the mutated wolves! Deprived of their front legs, these quadrupeds could no longer stand.

With the threat behind him neutralized, Liu Cong narrowed his eyes, focusing on the lone alpha wolf.

The enormous alpha, once imposing, now feigned a snarl at Liu Cong before turning to flee, a far cry from its earlier bravado.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Having discovered a new power, Liu Cong was in high spirits and had no intention of letting the beast escape. Like a swordsman from a film, he leapt gracefully into the air, sword raised in pursuit of the demon.

But, embarrassingly, his confident strike missed completely!

He stared, half amused, at the blade that failed to pierce the ground. Just when he wanted to show off in front of the crowd, he had blundered spectacularly.

Casting a resentful glance at the giant wolf’s retreating figure, Liu Cong quickly gave chase.

...

After killing the alpha, Liu Cong returned to the camp.

No sooner had he arrived than he was surrounded by the crowd. To those who had witnessed the battle, Liu Cong was nothing short of a celestial being—he could fly, wield fire, and handle a sword. If this wasn’t an immortal, what was? A true sword sage reborn!

Even the chance to touch him was seen as a way to bask in his supernatural aura. In these chaotic times, perhaps aligning themselves with such a powerful figure could ensure their survival. The crowd pressed in even tighter at the thought.

Besieged by a torrent of questions and noise, Liu Cong felt his head spin. Then, the armed police he had rescued earlier pushed their way through the throng toward him. Liu Cong, feeling as if he had found his saviors, hurried over.

“Hello! I’m from G15, here to support your position. Here’s my credentials—I apologize for being late,” Liu Cong said, guilt evident in his voice. He knew all too well that if he had arrived just two minutes earlier, many lives could have been spared.

Seeing his ID, the young policemen saluted, a mix of surprise and understanding on their faces. “Sir! We’re grateful for your support. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, not just our unit, but everyone here would have been lost. We can’t thank you enough!”

Liu Cong waved them off. “It’s just a title—no need for formalities. I’ll take a look around. You handle the aftermath.” The recent battle had left him exhausted, and all he wanted now was a quiet place to rest.