I settled back into my quarters, thinking about the recent events that had happened when they came knocking. Or rather kicked the door open "Fu Yang. You're coming with us.”

  Five Inner disciples barged in my room, two of them I recognized who had blocked my path at the inner disciple boundary while the others were strangers.

  I was sitting on my bed and looked up at them calmly. "For what?"

  "You'll find out. GET UP."

  I stood slowly. "If this is about the Medical Hall incident, I didn't cause any—"

  The nearest one grabbed my arm. "Move."

  They pulled me from my quarters. One of the disciples kicked my leg from the back, making me stumble and another pushed me forward when I tried to catch my balance.

  I could have resisted, could have broken free easily but I didn't. I let them drag me through the outer disciple area. Past other disciples who watched silently. Past training grounds, toward the sect's detention cells.

  "What's the charge?" I asked.

  "Harassment…."

  I blinked. "What?"

  "A female disciple has accused that you attempted to make sexual advances and tried to force yourself on her even when she refused."

  For a moment, I was confused but once the words settled, all I could do was laugh.

  One slapped me and my head snapped to the side. “Do you think this is funny?”

  "Maybe.”

  I was locked inside a cell, which had nothing except a small bed and a cell door which was locked.

  "We will send someone to question you in the morning. Until then..." The next they left.

  And I sat down on the bed, looking around the small cell.

  False accusations now….Su Ling—She'd arranged this before leaving? Setting it up so that while she was bonding with Chen Wu on the mission, I'd be sitting in a prison cell… Impressive.

  I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

  Inside I was laughing—not at anyone but at myself…I had truly underestimated this backlash thing and now here I was…

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  Heh….

  ? ? ? ?

  Iron Stone Village.

  It got its name from the iron deposits in the nearby hills—most residents worked in the mines or processed ore until the wolves came.

  Half the buildings were damaged now, claw marks were on the wooden walls and blood stains visible on the ground.

  Chen Wu was standing at the village entrance, looking at the ugly site.

  "It's worse than the reports." Su Ling said quietly beside him.

  Chen Wu nodded. The mission report had mentioned wolf attacks with few casualties but now seeing it in person made it real in a way words couldn't capture.

  Behind them, the other disciples were gathering. Elder Yun had sent six people total for this mission:

  Chen Wu and Su Ling as the primary investigators. Both Foundation Establishment.

  Yang Kai—a quiet inner disciple with spear techniques. Foundation Establishment, peak stage.

  Lin Mei—not the Greenbrook Mei, a different girl who was at Foundation establishment, early stage. And two outer disciples who'd volunteered for the experience: Zhao Wei and Liu Chen. Both Body Refinement peak stages and here mainly to assist and learn.

  "Let's split up," Lin Mei said. "Survey the damage and talk to the villagers. We need to understand the attack patterns before we can track the wolves."

  "Agreed," Chen Wu replied. "Su Ling and I will take the western section. Yang Kai, you handle the east. Lin Mei, the center. Zhao Wei and Liu Chen, stay together and cover the northern perimeter."

  Everyone nodded and dispersed.

  Chen Wu and Su Ling walked toward the western part of the village. The damage here seemed new.

  "The wolves are still active," Su Ling observed. "This attack must have happened within the last day."

  They approached a damaged home where an elderly man sat outside, staring at the ruins. His clothes were torn and bandages wrapped around his arm.

  "Excuse me," Chen Wu said gently. "We're from Clouded Peak Sect, here to help with the wolf problem. Can you tell us what happened?"

  The man looked up slowly, his eyes were hollow and exhausted.

  "They came at night in packs… at least twenty Iron Fang Wolves..by…by something bigger. Stronger."

  "An Alpha?" Su Ling asked.

  "I don't know, miss. But, bigger than the others and its howl… gods, that howl..." He shuddered.

  Chen Wu crouched down to the man's level. "How many people were hurt?"

  "Sixteen dead and another dozen injured. Most of us hid in the reinforced homes until they left. But those who couldn't make it inside..." He trailed off.

  "We'll stop them," Chen Wu said firmly.The man looked at him with desperate hope.

  They spent the next two hours talking to more villagers. Gathering information and piecing together the attack patterns.

  By the time they regrouped with the others at the village center, the picture was clear:

  A pack of Iron Fang Wolves had been attacking Iron Stone Village for the past two weeks. Small raids at first. Then larger attacks followed with more coordination.

  Led by an Alpha or… KING though the villagers couldn't tell the difference. The wolves were hunting for food but also seemed to be… claiming territory. Driving humans away from what they considered their land.

  "They'll attack again," Lin Mei said grimly. "Tonight, most likely. That's been the pattern—every two or three nights."

  "Then we'll be ready," Chen Wu replied as he clenched his fist.

  As the sun began setting, they started their preparation, establishing patrol routes and positioned themselves strategically around the village perimeter.

  Chen Wu found himself paired with Su Ling for the eastern patrol route. They walked in silence for a while. The evening air was cool and the stars began to appear overhead twinkling beautifully.

  "This is nice," Su Ling said suddenly.

  Chen Wu glanced at her. "Nice?"

  "Being out here on a mission and working together." She smiled. "We don't get to do this often and usually you're training with Master Yun…humph.”

  "True." He smiled.

  She looked at the forest ahead. "I forget what it's like outside those walls. Everything in the sect is so... structured and scheduled and this place feels more real."

  Chen Wu nodded slowly. "I know what you mean."

  They continued their stroll. Su Ling moved a bit closer as they navigated the uneven ground.

  "Something's been bothering you though, I can tell."

  "Su Ling—"

  "I'm your friend, Chen Wu. You can talk to me." Her voice was gentle and concerned.

  He looked at her. “ It's just… nothing."

  Su Ling put her hand on his arm. "Haah, look I know sometimes life gets frustrating but we should just let it go and move toward what we have waiting for us ahead.”

  “Mmmm, those are some deep words su—” he took a deep breath, meeting her eyes, his voice low. "Thank you, for being here and helping me."

  She smiled. "Always."

  They finished their patrol without incident and no wolves appeared that night. When all five returned to the village center, Lin Mei was waiting.

  "No activity on any route, they're not coming tonight."

  "Tomorrow it's then," Yang Kai said quietly.

  Everyone agreed and found places to sleep. The villagers had offered them space in the community hall—a large building that had survived the attacks.

  Chen Wu lay on a borrowed bedroll, staring at the wooden ceiling. (This mission would take time, maybe a month like Elder Yun had estimated.)

  Chen Wu closed his eyes, finally drifting to sleep with the soothing sound of crickets and the nightlife of the village.