The Finals (2)

In another part of the forest, Master Feng was seated on a bamboo chair, sipping his tea quietly. The structure was like a gazebo. This was the hideaway of Master Feng and only a few people knew it.

Opposite him was a man wearing a white sports shirt and a blue jeans. His legs were sprawled arrogantly, almost occupying the area in front of him.

Master Feng put the tea cup down on the table, thoroughly observing the man in front of him. With a face that can cause a traffic jam in Costa City, the authority seemed to be imbedded in his bones.

"I wonder why the Young Master of Yun Family paid me a visit?" he asked after a while.

The man's lips curved. "I am curious about your new disciple," he said unhurriedly.

Master Feng raised an eyebrow. Indeed, the Yun's Young Master lived up to his reputation as a straightforward man. "Oh? My new disciple is quite arrogant, far from the unpretentious Dana Hu."

The man chuckled. "Master Feng's taste has always been on point. Why is there a need to assure me?"

Master Feng shrugged. "I'm just afraid that you'll be disappointed."

"That's not your problem anymore," he remarked lazily.

-@-

Ria Zhang closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the wolf to bite her neck. Instead, a wet and sticky tongue licked her neck and face. She grimaced before opening her eyes slowly. Her sight was met with amber ones, looking straight to her soul.

"Are you a snow wolf?" She asked softly, not daring to move. The wolf continued staring at her, probably deciding whether to bite her or not. "I'm not delicious, promise," she insisted.

All of a sudden, the static of the speakers were heard again. "Remaining finalists, you only have thirty minutes to go to southeast direction of the forest. It is where the clearing can be found. If you are not at the area by the time the helicopter comes, you need to go back on your own."

Ria Zhang wrinkled her forehead. 'What the hell?' She exclaimed inwardly. 'Is this really a literary contest?' She gasped loudly as she used her hands to push herself, trying to get up from the ground. The wolf fixed its gaze to her movement the whole time. However, it didn't attack her.

She took a deep breath before standing up. Her legs wobbled slightly. It took her a minute to stabilize her footing. Her arms felt numb from the pain.

A while later, Ria Zhang heard the hovering of the helicopter's blade from a distance. She slowly dragged her feet towards the direction of the helicopter while the wolf followed behind her silently.

Ria Zhang pressed her lips as she heard the helicopter's blade gaining momentum. She tried to walk faster but fell down on the ground as her foot got tangled up in a vine.

She groaned before raising her head. "Hey, I'm still here!" Ria Zhang shouted but her hoarse voice was barely heard over the sounds made by the helicopter.

She tried getting up but it seemed that the force deserted her feet. As her breathing became shallow, she lowered her her head and pressed it on the ground, taking some warmth from the cold she was feeling. The wolf approached and sniffed her neck before licking her face.

Damn, she'll be doomed.

-@-

Lucia Feng was the first one to reach the clearing. The pristine dress remained the same, as if she was just strolling in the park. A while later, two men also reached the clearing. Their clothes were already in tatters while their exposed arms were full of scratches.

The stopped running as their eyes fell on the woman in green dress. The two men looked at each other. They didn't know the woman but an idea formed in their minds. It seemed that the winner has been decided.

Not thinking anymore, the duo dropped themselves on the ground as they heard the sound of the helicopter. They sprawled their limbs and felt the earth below their bodies. They were lucky enough to get away from the tigers. Winning was out of the question. At least , they didn't become the unlucky 'food.'

As the helicopter descended, the leaves swirled with the wind. Lucia Feng clutched her dress tightly as she frowned. Idiot! She stared at the helicopter in disgust. The helicopter opened the door and a man went down, glancing at his watch casually. He squinted as his eyes roamed around the clearing.

"It's almost time. You may get inside the helicopter," he told them.

Lucia Feng nodded before lifting her one foot to start walking. The two men sat straight before standing up and followed not too close behind the woman. As the three of them boarded the helicopter, the man turned around once again, as if waiting for someone to appear. He sighed before going back to the helicopter.