Chapter 7

  Fang And The Hunt.

  Several days passed.

  Sam continued his relentless training. Sword drills. Spear thrusts. Mana reinforcement. Efficiency refinement.

  His movements had become smoother — faster — quieter.

  That morning, he went hunting again.

  As he moved along the forest ridge, he stopped.

  On a tall rock stood a majestic wolf.

  Its silver-gray fur shimmered under sunlight. Its golden eyes were sharp and intelligent. It was fierce… powerful… but calm.

  Sam did not reach for his weapon.

  The wolf did not bare its fangs.

  Because this was not their first meeting.

  Years ago, when the wolf was young, it had been gravely injured deep in the forest. Sam had treated its wounds, fed it, and protected it until it recovered.

  Since then, they met often.

  The wolf would track prey with its superior senses. Sam would calculate angles and trajectories.

  They hunted together.

  They trusted each other.

  “Good morning, Fang,” Sam said softly.

  The wolf flicked its tail once.

  ? AIRS

  ? Entity recognized: Wolf. Designation: Fang.

  ? Threat level: None.

  Fang leapt down from the rock and trotted beside him.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Meanwhile…

  The exiled group continued their search for stability.

  Uncle Wang and the two loyal men had been scouting locations to build a permanent shelter. Two gathered materials. Two searched for suitable terrain.

  But exhaustion was catching up to them.

  One evening, their weapons were damaged during material collection. They returned empty-handed.

  No food.

  Tired bodies. Heavy silence.

  Lie watched his mother and sister. He clenched his fists quietly.

  Without a word, he left the cave and moved toward the river.

  Near the riverbank, he saw something unexpected.

  Sam.

  He was kneeling near a tree, setting a carefully designed trap.

  This time, Lie did not hide.

  He stepped forward openly.

  Sam glanced up calmly.

  “You again,” Sam said.

  Lie nodded. “Yes.”

  They spoke briefly — simple words, cautious but respectful. Lie did not reveal his exile or suffering. Betrayal had sharpened him. He trusted carefully now.

  Sam finished securing the trap.

  Lie stared at it in amazement.

  “The mechanism… it’s precise,” Lie murmured.

  Before Sam could reply, Lie’s expression changed.

  Danger.

  He sensed it first.

  He jumped aside.

  “Dodge!” Lie shouted.

  From the trees — a massive wolf emerged.

  Sam did not move.

  Instead, he smiled slightly.

  “Don’t worry,” Sam said calmly. “He won’t harm you. Not unless you harm him.”

  Lie blinked in shock.

  The wolf approached, stopping beside Sam.

  “His name is Fang.”

  Fang’s eyes studied Lie carefully.

  ? AIRS

  ? Wolf emotional state: calm. Protective.

  ? No aggression detected.

  Fang nudged Sam lightly, then turned and began walking away, looking back as if signaling them to follow.

  “You understand him?” Lie asked, stunned.

  Sam shrugged lightly. “We’ve hunted together for a long time.”

  They followed Fang.

  Soon, they reached a grazing group of animals.

  Without speaking, roles formed naturally.

  Fang circled wide — distracting the prey.

  Sam drew his bow — calculating wind and distance.

  Lie positioned himself opposite.

  The chase began.

  After a long run and precise coordination, two animals fell.

  Breathing heavily, Lie looked at Sam with new respect.

  Sam handed one prey to Fang.

  He handed the other to Lie.

  Lie hesitated. “I can’t take this.”

  “I have plenty stored,” Sam said calmly. “Take it.”

  Fang also hesitated slightly.

  Sam crouched and scratched behind his ear. “It’s fine. I really do have enough.”

  Fang accepted.

  After retrieving their arrows, they parted ways.

  Sam returned to reinforce traps around his shelter.

  Lie carried the heavy prey back to the cave.

  When he entered, everyone was stunned.

  So much meat.

  Uncle Wang stared at him. “How did you manage this alone?”

  Lie gave a small smile.

  “A friend from the forest helped.”

  Surprise filled the cave.

  After roasting the meat, warmth returned to their spirits for the first time since exile.

  That night, some stood guard.

  Some slept.

  Hope flickered again.

  Far away, Sam adjusted the final trap around his shelter.

  The sun slowly dipped below the horizon.

  The forest darkened.

  Two young men, from very different paths, had unknowingly taken their first step tow

  ard intertwined destinies.

  End Of Chapter 7

  To Be Continued......