7: The First Night in the Black Iron Forest

Night fell, and the earth was covered in silver-white moonlight. However, the Black Iron Forest seemed to reject any form of light, shrouding the area in impenetrable darkness.

A group of over a hundred people walked slowly through the forest, moving cautiously with every step.

Alan took the lead at the front of the group to ensure that he could protect everyone in case of danger.

Walking through the dark Black Iron Forest, the dense foliage blocked out the moonlight, making it difficult to see.

Moving became increasingly challenging, and it didn't take long for some students to accidentally stumble and cry out in pain.

Alan's heart tightened. He knew that the more accidents that occurred, the more careful they needed to be. The Black Iron Forest concealed unknown dangers, and even a small mistake could lead to accidents.

"Alan, I think we're far away from the school. We should find a place to rest. The students are tired," someone suggested.

"Okay, I'll take care of it," Alan agreed.

They found a sheltered spot under a one-foot-high rock slope. The students gathered together, leaning against the slope to protect themselves from attacks from behind.

Under the night sky, the Black Iron Forest appeared exceptionally gloomy and cold.

The sound of a lighter being ignited broke the silence.

"Stop!" Alan swiftly slapped away a female student who was attempting to start a fire. She froze, fear evident on her face as tears streamed down. It was clear that she was frightened by Alan's reaction.

Some other female students trembled, confused by Alan's sudden anger.

"Alan, what are you doing?" someone asked.

"She wanted to start a fire, and I stopped her," Alan replied.

"You don't need to hit anyone to stop them!" a male student retorted angrily, standing up to glare at Alan.

How dare he hit my girlfriend? The other students didn't know how to intervene.

"Alright, alright. Alan is preventing the fire for our own good. It may seem unfair, but everyone should understand!" someone tried to mediate.

"Why?" another student asked.

"I'm afraid we'll freeze to death. Alan is an evolutionary, so he'll be fine. But what about us?"

These words resonated with everyone present.

That's was true. The reason they had agreed to venture into the forest to find a way out was because they understood that staying in the school would eventually lead to their demise. They also believed that Alan would protect them.

Now, it seemed that Alan was preventing them from starting a fire, even though it was a simple measure to keep warm. This angered the male students.

"We're in an unfamiliar environment now. Any wrong move could put us in danger. I can't let you endanger everyone!" Alan said.

"Nonsense!" the male student retorted loudly.

"What do you mean, 'endanger everyone'? You're the selfish one here. You're lucky to have become an evolutionary, but now you don't care about the rest of us. You have the ability to turn us into evolutionaries too, so we wouldn't have to worry!" the male student argued.

"It's not that simple to become an evolutionary. You have to-" Alan tried to explain.

"I don't care! Either let me start a fire or help us become evolutionaries!" the male student insisted.

Alan narrowed his eyes, suppressing the anger rising within him. It was clear that most of the students had started to believe the male student's words. They no longer looked at him with the same admiration, but instead with doubt.

"People's hearts..." Alan took a deep breath, calming his anger. He turned around and silently walked away.

"Alan!" Olivia's concerned voice called out. She rushed over, while Sofia was a step slower, and could only withdraw her right foot silently.

The male student sneered, feeling triumphant. "Lily, go ahead and start the fire. Don't be afraid"

"Simon, thank you!"

Soon, a ball of fire ignited, a rare sight in the Black Iron Forest.

"Alan!" a gentle voice called from behind.

Alan stopped and turned his head. Olivia had run towards him and stopped in front of him, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath, revealing an alluring sight.

"Ahem."

Alan turned his head, averting his gaze.

"Alan, don't be angry. The students have never experienced something like this before, so they may not be thinking clearly. They have no ill intentions," Olivia said.

"I know."

"Then you're not angry?"

"I'm not angry," Alan replied.

Olivia smiled, her eyes narrowed. Her smile was radiant, like a blooming lily. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Alan had never been alone with a girl, especially at night. Moreover, he could sense that Olivia had feelings for him.

"Oh, by the way!" Alan suddenly remembered something and took out the note that Olivia had given him in the infirmary earlier that day.

"Here's your thing."

Olivia glanced at the untouched note, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes, quickly masked by a smile.

"You don't have to read it. What's written in the note?"

"Uh..." It wasn't that Alan didn't want to read it, but he simply didn't have the time. If Olivia hadn't come running over, he would have almost forgotten about the note. In this unfamiliar and dangerous world, survival was his top priority.

Softly, Olivia said, "I never ask for anything in return for what I give."

"Alright then," Alan agreed, putting the note in his pocket to read later. Another person approached—it was Sofia.

Sofia finally took a brave step forward.

"Sofia, why are you here?" Alan asked.

"If Olivia can come, why can't I?" Sofia retorted.

The relationship between Sofia and Olivia suddenly turned tense, and there was a clear sense of dislike between them. The root of this tension was Alan.

Two beautiful girls with different looks and personalities engaged in a silent contest. Their eyes met, invisible sparks colliding in the air. It was intense.

Feeling overwhelmed, Alan licked his lips, sensing a potential danger approaching.

"Not good!" he exclaimed.

[Telepathy]

His special skill was activated, releasing a wave of spiritual energy from Alan's mind, spreading in all directions.

Alan noticed a group of green-skinned monsters about a hundred meters away, pinpointing the location of the students.

At a distance of a hundred meters, a group of nimble and swift green-skinned beasts roamed the Black Iron Forest.

Being native to the Black Iron Forest, these green-skinned beasts had the natural ability to see clearly in the darkness, particularly the flames that were an unfamiliar sight in the forest.

The burning flames in the distance acted as a guiding light, drawing the green-skinned beasts closer. Step by step, they moved forward, clutching their wooden sticks in hand. The green-skinned beasts were already hungry and thirsty.