Harvest of The Fallen

Chapter 08

“Why are you asking me? Just keep moving if you want to stay alive!”

The middle-aged man immediately broke into a run.

Laga and the others followed, including Boma. They grabbed metal bars, broken chairs, and anything else they could use as weapons.

The middle-aged man spoke without slowing down. “Just because we worked together on the bus doesn't mean we're friends. Look out for yourselves.”

“Old men are such a pain!” Don snapped.

“Young men like you tend to underestimate the elderly,” the middle-aged man replied calmly. “There's no guarantee you'll live long enough to become one.”

“If you want me to show you some respect, then tell me your name.”

“Logan.” 

The middle-aged man picked up his pace.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind swept in from behind, pushing Laga and the others forward and nearly knocking them off their feet.

A howl echoed through the darkness.

Everyone immediately ran faster.

Ale began to cry, hurriedly wiping the tears from her eyes.

Don snorted. “Crying isn't going to change anything, Tomato!”

“If I had my phone, I'd livestream this and ask my followers for help. Maybe someone could figure out where we are. I wouldn't even mind if they didn't send me any virtual gifts.”

“You idiot! Your followers would probably just laugh at you!”

Laga glanced over his shoulder. A sudden realization struck him.

“Where did the bus go?”

Everyone looked back.

“I can't see it anymore, even though we haven't run that far.”

The streetlights ahead began flickering to life one after another, while the lights behind them gradually dimmed and went out.

Panic spread through the group, and everyone ran even faster.

Something else bothered Laga. He hadn't seen the bodies of the three passengers who had died.

“That horned eagle was probably the one that carried the bus away and forced us out,” Laga said while running. “But something doesn't make sense. Neither the eagle nor the pack of wolves has attacked us yet.”

Everyone turned toward him.

“Could it be that they're deliberately giving us a head start?” Susan asked. “If they were really after us, they wouldn't waste time letting us escape. They could have attacked us already.”

Don glanced at Laga.

“You've got a sharp eye, kid. You're more useful than those three who already kicked the bucket.”

He then glanced at Ale, who was running beside him. “But there are still some useless people among us.”

“Are you taking another shot at me?” Ale glared at him.

“Does the shoe fit, tomato?”

Ale glared back. “I stopped that damn wolf in its tracks and prevented it from attacking us! If it weren't for my scream, you'd all be dead!”

“You were bawling like an idiot when that wolf attacked! You only got lucky because your ability happened to awaken.”

Laga looked toward Logan, who was running ahead of them. He knew Logan's ability required time to reload, but it was still the most useful long-range ability among them.

However, Logan had already made it clear that he didn't consider himself their ally.

Laga could only hope the old man would be willing to help if things got worse.

“Could... you guys... slow down a little?” Boma gasped from the back of the group. “I... really... can't... run anymore.”

“If you don't want to die here, you'd better keep moving!” Susan snapped.

The fog began to thin.

Suddenly, the streetlights turned red.

An eagle's screech rang through the darkness.

A chorus of howls answered from behind them.

Laga and the others froze for a split second before immediately picking up their pace.

Fear was written all over their exhausted faces.

Boma suddenly collapsed.

He tried to get back on his feet, but his legs gave out again.

“Help! Somebody help me! Don't... leave me!”

Laga looked back.

Hundreds of red lights appeared in the distance.

A Stoneback Wolf emerged from the fog.

Then another.

And another.

Within seconds, dozens of wolves filled the road.

Above them, a massive eagle circled through the air, screeching loudly.

Boma scrambled backward as five wolves suddenly lunged at him. “I... I promise I'll exercise and go on a diet if I make it out of this alive!”

Laga and the others stopped and stared at the wolves surrounding Boma.

Then, one by one, they started running again.

Laga ran with them.

This wasn't the time to play the hero.

The pack of Stoneback Wolves suddenly rushed past Boma. Their saliva hissed and smoked when it hit the ground, filling the air with the pungent stench of sulfur.

“I don't like wolf meat!” Boma screamed.

Suddenly, the wolves surrounding him were sent flying backward.

Boma rolled over, accidentally crushing one of them beneath his body. Then he scrambled to his feet and charged forward. He slammed into and kicked aside every Stoneback Wolf that blocked his path.

The wolves closest to him immediately backed away. Whenever one of them prepared to attack, it suddenly retreated.

However, the monsters farther away continued charging toward him.

“That fatso made it!” Susan exclaimed. “How the hell did he do that? He should've done that from the beginning instead of screaming and passing out!”

Laga, Logan, Don, and Ale all turned around.

“Susan!”

A Stoneback Wolf suddenly lunged at her from above.

Susan immediately swung her iron tool and struck the monster before driving one of her tattoo needles deep into its stomach.

The Stoneback Wolf convulsed before being thrown aside and trampled by the rest of the pack.

“Since when do you know my name, brat?” Susan asked.

“You have ‘Susan’ tattooed on your body.”

Laga smashed an approaching Stoneback Wolf with his iron rod.

“Susan, spray the ink from your tattoo needles into their eyes and noses!”

“You damn brat! How dare you order me around!”

She gritted her teeth.

“But... I'll give it a try.”

Colored ink suddenly sprayed from the tips of her needles. Some of it splashed into the wolves' eyes and noses, while the rest stained the road.

“Damn it! I can't see clearly! Let me try again!”

The wolves hit by the ink immediately slowed down.

Some stumbled backward, only to be trampled by the wolves behind them.

The pack continued advancing. Then they split into three groups.

One group chased Laga and the others from behind, while the other two moved along their left and right flanks.

Some of the wolves even ran along the edges of the road, attempting to cut them off. Within moments, the pack had nearly surrounded Laga and the others.

Above them, the massive eagle flew low, circling over the group while occasionally letting out a terrifying screech.

Its jet-black feathers contrasted sharply with its flaming tail.

It had a wingspan of nearly four meters, a razor-sharp beak, iron-like talons, and a single iron horn protruding from its head. Around its neck hung a human skull.

Laga's expression turned grim.

The stones on the Stoneback Wolves' backs began to pulse and glow brightly.

The wolves raised their heads and howled.

A moment later, hundreds of stones shot toward Laga and the others like arrows.

“GET DOWN!”

Laga immediately threw himself to the ground.