As night fell, the vitality of the world gradually faded. In this area where gravity was five to six times that of normal, the frigid night remained cruel, not something any random strong person could withstand.
The giant wolf lay quietly on the ground, its fur slightly bristling, giving it a fluffy and warm appearance. Each strand of its fur emitted a faint light, enveloping the entire body in a soft aura. This aura was no ordinary one; it blocked out most of the night’s cold, leaving only a touch of chill that was merely refreshing for William at the peak of the mountain range.
Zhao Ruoxi still gazed at the bonfire, lost in her own thoughts. The coldness of the night seemed to be dispelled by the firelight, while the flickering and unwithered red spider lilies added a dreamy hue to the clearing.
She suddenly sighed, as if she could no longer bear the pain and loneliness hidden deep within her heart. She reached out, and a wine jar flew into her hand.
The giant wolf, whose eyes had been half-closed, now opened them wide, showing tension, unsure if it should stop her. This was white fruit wine taken from the natives, with several large jars still sitting nearby.
Even the Six-armed General had fallen under the red spider lilies, and ordinary native stone fortresses were as flimsy as paper before Zhao Ruoxi. As the flowers bloomed and wilted, the natives died in droves, and the few survivors finally learned to fear, fleeing far away.
Although William had never entered the Great Vortex, the werewolves were an ancient race of the Eternal Night, and his knowledge was vast and profound. After a quick sniff, he roughly determined the effects of the wine. He raised his head, intending to stop her, but then recalled the heartfelt words she had just revealed, and his heart chilled.
Beneath Zhao Ruoxi’s sweet exterior, her heart was cunning and vengeful.
Still hesitating, Zhao Ruoxi already opened the wine jar, bringing it to her nose. She wrinkled her brow and said, “How foul!”
William nodded eagerly, hoping she would throw the wine away. But after a moment, Zhao Ruoxi poured two large bowls of wine.
She lifted one bowl and sighed softly, “I’ve always heard that drinking can make you forget many things. I hope… I can forget him too.”
Before William could intervene, she tilted her head back and drank it all in one go. Finishing, she pointed to the other bowl and said, “Big dog, drink a bowl with me!”
Fear flashed in William’s eyes, yet he could not refuse. Gritting his teeth, he downed the wine.
Zhao Ruoxi refilled both bowls and once again drank hers first. William knew he could not escape and reluctantly followed suit.
After two large bowls, Zhao Ruoxi’s face flushed, and her eyes became lively and animated. She smiled, “Drinking is indeed fun. It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”
William’s eyes reddened, and his neck fur stood on end, tail twitching nervously. He did not find it enjoyable; the wine burned like a raging fire in his stomach, making him want to vomit but unable to do so.
Werewolves naturally resisted strong alcohol and various drugs, and this white fruit wine, which had an immediate effect on humans and other races, affected werewolves much less. Moreover, William was a prodigy of the mountain range, exceptionally talented, and even more resistant to the effects of the wine. Yet, even so, he felt something was amiss, and his unripe male instincts stirred within him.
He was wary and knew he must not drink more. But before he could decide, another large bowl of wine appeared in front of him.
“Absolutely no fourth bowl!” William silently resolved, slowly finishing the third.
After three bowls each, the jar was empty. William let out a sigh of relief, but then saw Zhao Ruoxi summon another jar, opening it and starting to pour.
She tilted her head back, the fourth bowl already in her belly, her eyes growing even clearer. Pointing to the bowl in front of William, she laughed, “Come, have some water!”
Would William drink?
In the next moment, her small hand grabbed his neck fur, pressing his giant wolf head into the bowl!
The fiery wine rushed into his nose and mouth, scorching his senses painfully. Werewolf noses were particularly sensitive, and William felt as if he were suffocating. He sucked the wine dry to avoid drowning in it.
Once the bowl was empty, Zhao Ruoxi released him. William immediately fell to the ground, coughing violently, struggling to catch his breath.
But before he could recover, another bowl was thrown in front of him.
“Come, have some water!”
Realizing the futility, William lowered his head and drank. In this era, survival was hard, and no task was easy.
“Drink!”
“One more bowl!”
“This is the last one.”
“That’s the last one. What did I say? I forgot.”
“Stop talking, drink!”
“What’s so hard about drinking water?”
“That’s the spirit, feels good.”
William no longer remembered how much he had drunk. His consciousness and rationality were floating, and his body was filled with an unprecedented sensation. His heart swelled with boundless courage, as if the entire continent was not enough for him to gnaw on, let alone some water.
Empty wine jars piled up, and Zhao Ruoxi’s eyes welled with tears, trembling. She wiped them, but the tears kept flowing.
Finally, she let out a loud wail.
After a long time, exhausted, she collapsed beside the bonfire, falling into a deep sleep.
William watched, his eyes full of concern. But soon, concern turned to confusion. Zhao Ruoxi slept soundly, her vitality unchanged, with no signs of boiling desires. She was like a maiden who had little tolerance for alcohol, sleeping deeply.
Puzzled, William had drunk the same amount. With his resistance, he should have been consumed by burning desire, barely controllable. But Zhao Ruoxi, a mere human girl without primordial power, showed no reaction?
He stood up uneasily, shaking his head, but could not suppress the burning desire. Unconsciously, he took a step towards Zhao Ruoxi. Suddenly, a sharp pain in his paw caught his attention. Looking down, he saw a red spider lily rapidly wilting. As it withered, a patch of his fur turned dull and dry, like dead grass, and the skin beneath it turned ashen.
Instantly sobered, William realized he had almost been controlled by instinct and quickly retreated. As he did, the red spider lilies stabilized, ceasing their withering.
William understood: the coldness of the night and the lust-inducing effects of the white fruit wine were nullified by the power of the red spider lilies. To ordinary strong people, the forces of this world might be irresistible, but they were nothing before the red spider lilies.
As long as the red spider lilies existed, no one could approach Zhao Ruoxi.
Reassured, William stepped back, his gaze reluctant. But the bloodshot in his eyes grew, and the clarity in his pupils faded.
He abruptly turned and vanished into the forest.
Under the night sky, Taya sat under a tree, hugging her knees, using primitive means to ward off the cold. She suddenly turned, seeing the giant wolf emerge, and her face lit up with joy. “William, you…”
Before she finished, the giant wolf leapt, pinning her down.
Taya screamed, struggling against the wolf tearing at her clothes, shouting, “No, we’re not old enough yet! No, you can’t!”
She saw William’s eyes and gasped, “You drank that wine? How much did you drink?”
Sighing, she stopped resisting, flipping over and transforming into a large wolf, her brown fur soft as silk.
The night passed, and dawn arrived.
Zhao Ruoxi opened her eyes, squinting at the morning light. She sat up, stretched, and instantly felt refreshed, showing no signs of a hangover. Looking around, her eyes landed on the empty wine jars, and her face darkened, anger rising. “So, a big dog dared to steal my wine! I’ll skin it alive! I love white fur the most.”
William was dumbfounded.
Shortly after, the girl and the giant wolf set off again. This time, William carried many things, including wine jars and branches and flowers collected by Zhao Ruoxi.
Feeling he had worked hard, she made a flower crown and placed it on his head.
Not far along, Zhao Ruoxi turned, her beautiful face filled with killing intent, looking into the forest.
“Even after cutting down a Six-armed General, you still aren’t scared? If you want to die, I’ll grant your wish!” she said coldly. A red spider lily nearby withered.
A muffled sob came from the forest, and the hidden figures quickly fled. Zhao Ruoxi’s killing intent intensified, and she raised her hand, about to strike, when something tugged at her sleeve. Looking down, she saw the giant wolf biting and pulling at her clothes.
This delay allowed the forest intruders to escape. Looking at the wolf, Zhao Ruoxi couldn’t stay angry. She scratched his head, saying, “You’re too soft-hearted. I wonder how you survived. It’s fine, follow me, and I’ll take good care of you.”
William was stunned. He no longer wanted to stay with this sweet-faced girl. She loved white fur. Since she had revealed her true nature, every touch made William quiver in fear.
But within the Great Vortex, the power of the red spider lilies was unimaginable. Even if William advanced to Duke, he couldn’t escape her grasp.
He trudged forward, head hanging, carrying his burden, spiritless.
The road ahead was long, and the end was unknown.
In another part of the Great Vortex, Song Zining yawned and slowly woke up.
A soft, seductive voice spoke, “Why are you up so early? The cold hasn’t left yet.”
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