Why Did That Stinking Wolf Make It Here?!
Xue Yunxue's face instantly drained of color.
Her body was slammed against the ground—hard, cold, leaving her no room to resist. Yun Wu's wolf ears stood straight up in vigilance, his tail stiff with tension. His feral aura pressed down on her like a mountain, choking her breath.
She couldn't move.
But just as Yun Wu's killing instinct peaked, something changed.
That vicious face—carved by years of hatred—slowly faltered. His eyes narrowed, then widened in shock as he stared at the pale, unfamiliar face beneath him. His brutal grip loosened bit by bit.
"Who… are you?" Yun Wu asked, his voice filled with undisguised astonishment.
Xue Yunxue came back to herself.
Her face—
was no longer Hu Shui's.
"Me?" she replied softly.
"I'm just someone who happened to pass by."
Even her voice was different—gentle, clear, light.
Her voice.
Not Hu Shui's hoarse, cold, oppressive tone.
Yun Wu completely released her. He didn't immediately stand. Instead, he stared at the woman before him, his gaze no longer filled with rage—but confusion.
That face was utterly unfamiliar.
Her eyes were round, slightly upturned like a cat's, framed by long, soft lashes—not Hu Shui's sharp, cunning fox eyes. Her nose was higher, the tip slightly lifted, unlike Hu Shui's subtly sloping one. Her lips resembled small plum blossoms—soft, full, bright pink. Her chin was sharper.
That face—
beautiful, gentle, innocent.
A beauty so different it left Yun Wu momentarily stunned.
But then his wolf nose twitched.
That scent—
he would recognize it anywhere.
It was Hu Shui's scent!
Yet this face… was not hers.
Doubt and unease churned violently in Yun Wu's chest.
Xue Yunxue slowly stood up, retreating as far as she could. She rubbed her reddened wrist—Yun Wu's claw marks were still clearly imprinted there.
She lowered her head briefly, steadying her breathing.
Before her, Yun Wu stood frozen—trapped between a scent he knew all too well… and a face he had never seen before.
"You… are Hu Shui."
Yun Wu's voice was hesitant, as though the name itself hurt his tongue.
"I'm sorry, Sir," Xue Yunxue replied honestly, suppressing her breath,
"but I am not Hu Shui."
Her gaze didn't waver. She knew the truth didn't always save lives—but she refused to lie.
"Your scent belongs to Hu Shui."
In a flash, Yun Wu seized her wrist again, forcibly activating the bond-mark test.
"No!" Xue Yunxue struggled fiercely, trying to break free.
"Let go of me! Do you know that harassing a woman can result in severe punishment?!"
A faint light flared.
A wolf-head mark appeared on her wrist—clear and unmistakable—then slowly faded.
Yun Wu sneered coldly.
"Hah. Still trying to fool me?"
His grip tightened. "Your face may have changed, but a face is just skin. Your identity is still Hu Shui."
His claws dug into her wrist. Her skin split, fresh red blood seeping out.
Xue Yunxue winced from the pain—but she didn't scream.
Instead, she lifted her head.
Her black eyes—clear, steady—met Yun Wu's amber gaze without fear.
"I've told you again and again," she said firmly, her voice trembling slightly but filled with conviction,
"I am not Hu Shui. I am Xue Yunxue."
Yun Wu froze.
That gaze—
no madness.
no cruelty.
no deceit.
Only quiet determination… and silent courage.
For a moment, the world seemed to stop.
Then—
With a rough motion, Yun Wu flung her wrist away. Her small body was thrown aside, crashing to the ground.
Yun Wu straightened and let out a long, furious howl.
The sound carried years of suppressed rage and frustration. His feral aura exploded outward, shaking the forest. Hidden beasts scattered in terror, fleeing into the darkness.
Under the bright moonlight, Yun Wu's amber eyes burned even more fiercely—wild, wounded, and full of conflict.
He stared sharply at Xue Yunxue, his gaze dazzling yet deadly. Still, Xue Yunxue met his eyes without hesitation.
Yun Wu crouched before her.
"I'll watch you myself," he said slowly, every word heavy with threat.
"To determine whether you are truly Xue Yunxue… or Hu Shui."
He leaned closer, his voice low and icy.
"And listen carefully. I don't tolerate lies."
"If you deceive me—"
His eyes narrowed.
"—that day will be the last time you ever see the sun."
Relief seeped into Xue Yunxue's body, spreading to her bones like coolness on a scorching day.
For a moment, she was certain—she had nearly died tonight, before even facing the true power of darkness.
"From now on," Yun Wu said flatly, his tone absolute,
"you are my captive. Once I am completely certain you are not Hu Shui, I will release you."
The relief vanished instantly.
"What?" Xue Yunxue stared at him in disbelief. "A captive?"
"I'm a free person. I've never belonged to anyone."
Yun Wu merely shrugged, casual as if discussing the weather.
"I won't take that risk," he said coldly.
"If you are Hu Shui and roam freely, you are a threat to society."
"I won't gamble everyone's safety on a single possibility."
Xue Yunxue clenched her jaw, suppressing her anger.
"Then," she asked slowly, "how confident are you that I'm not Hu Shui?"
Yun Wu thought for barely a second before answering decisively.
"One percent."
One percent!
This man truly didn't trust her at all. He must be incredibly stupid—her face was obviously completely different from Hu Shui's! Xue Yunxue cursed inwardly.
Frustration tightened her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Without another word, Yun Wu pulled a simple tent from his storage space and set it up with swift, efficient movements. Then he took out a thick, heavy iron chain—clearly not decorative.
The chain…
was fastened to Xue Yunxue's ankle.
The other end was locked to Yun Wu's own leg—an intentional act, as though he fully expected her to run at the first chance she got—which, to be fair, was exactly what she planned.
Xue Yunxue felt exactly like a criminal.
For the first time since arriving in this world, she truly felt like a prisoner. She didn't resist—not because she agreed, but because she knew resistance would only make things worse.
Yun Wu finished securing the chain, then glanced at her with a faint, almost mocking smile.
As Yun Wu turned to light the campfire, Xue Yunxue suddenly realized something.
Since meeting Tao Ling…
she hadn't heard Moa's voice at all.
"Moa?" she called softly in her mind.
"Are you there?"
Silence lingered long enough to make her heart beat uneasily.
Then—
"Whoaaa—sorry, Sister Xue!" Moa's cheerful voice echoed in her head.
"I was exhausted after draining so much energy and fell asleep. Looks like I need to train my stamina more."
Before Xue Yunxue could reply—
"Huaaa! What happened to you, Sister Xue?!"
The shriek made her head throb.
"That stinking wolf," Xue Yunxue replied hopelessly,
"captured me and made me his prisoner."
Moa fell silent for a moment, as if thinking hard.
"Hmmm… he's very persistent," Moa said, sounding more impressed than concerned.
"I'd say stupid," Xue Yunxue muttered.
Moa paused again before speaking.
"I don't think this is a bad start."
"What?" Xue Yunxue nearly choked.
"You could try getting closer to him," Moa said seriously.
"His energy level is quite high. He's at level 67 right now."
"That's a very valuable asset for you."
Xue Yunxue stared at Yun Wu's back, illuminated by the firelight. Her heart was a mix of irritation, wariness… and uncertainty.
Suddenly, a loud sound shattered the silence of the night.
Grrrrkkk—
Xue Yunxue froze.
Her face immediately burned red. That shameless noise was her stomach growling.
So embarrassing… she groaned inwardly.
Only then did she realize—the last thing she'd eaten was that morning. From afternoon until night, she hadn't had a single bite.
Yun Wu turned around. His gaze landed squarely on her stomach, then moved up to her pale face.
"You hungry?" he asked.
His tone was flat… yet somehow sounded like mockery.
Xue Yunxue turned her face away, pretending not to hear.
Yun Wu clicked his tongue lightly and tossed something toward her.
Thud.
A large protein biscuit landed near her feet.
"That's all I have," Yun Wu said coldly.
"Eat… or starve."
Xue Yunxue stared at the biscuit and picked it up. It was hard and thick—more like a brick than food.
Her teeth would fall out trying to eat it.
"Don't worry," Xue Yunxue said calmly.
"I can prepare my own food."
She tossed the biscuit back to Yun Wu.
"Suit yourself," Yun Wu replied curtly, clearly unconcerned whether she ate or not.
Xue Yunxue moved closer to the campfire. Calmly, she took out a small pot from her storage space—something she'd bought that morning—followed by ingredients: meat, vegetables, and simple seasonings.
Her hands moved deftly.
The knife gleamed under the firelight, slicing ingredients neatly and efficiently.
Yun Wu was stunned.
This woman… could cook?
As far as he knew, Hu Shui never stepped into a kitchen. To her, a knife was a killing weapon, and a pot was a blunt instrument used to smash someone's head when she was angry—not a cooking tool.
Yet the girl before him handled the knife with natural skill, as if she'd done it thousands of times.
Completely unexpected.
Yun Wu remained seated, chewing his hard biscuit expressionlessly. In his heart, he was certain—her cooking would taste awful. He was already prepared to watch her grimace.
But—
As the soup began to boil, a rich, savory aroma slowly spread through the air.
The scent of hot broth was irresistibly tempting.
Suddenly, the biscuit in his hand felt unbearably bland.
His stomach betrayed him.
He swallowed.
Impossible…
His wolf instincts desperately wanted that meat, but his rational mind warned him:
It's a trap. The soup must be poisoned.
Yet that aroma…
mocked his logic.
Xue Yunxue glanced at him.
Yun Wu's eyes were locked on the pot, barely blinking. He was practically drooling.
Greedy wolf… she thought amusedly.
Out of pity, Xue Yunxue poured the soup into two bowls and handed one to Yun Wu.
Yun Wu didn't move.
With a soft sigh, Xue Yunxue placed the bowl on the ground beside him.
"Eat it or don't. Up to you."
"I don't want it," Yun Wu said coldly.
"Take it back."
The problem was—his face completely betrayed his words.
Xue Yunxue's cheek twitched as she held back laughter.
"If you don't want it," she said lightly,
"then throw it away."
"You didn't poison it, did you?" Yun Wu asked quickly, wary.
Xue Yunxue answered only with action.
She calmly sipped her own soup.
Without warning, Yun Wu snatched the bowl from her hands.
"You eat that one," he said firmly, pointing to the other bowl.
Xue Yunxue sighed tiredly, then picked up the bowl that had been his and began eating slowly.
Yun Wu took a sip.
And instantly—
His eyes widened slightly.
The soup…
was delicious.
Rich. Savory. Warm.
A taste he had never known in his entire life.
Unconsciously, his wolf ears popped out—twitching gently in pure satisfaction as he drank every last drop.
He even looked… disappointed when the bowl was empty.
Xue Yunxue watched him quietly.
So his ears appear according to his emotions, she thought.
This wolf… feels more like a big dog.
She held back a small smile.