Li Julong held back the beast as best as he could. He landed a hit at the fanger’s muzzle, but the stronger monster pushed him further to the entrance where the security was stationed. 

I couldn't help but watch Li Julong fight the fanger, risking his life to protect a stranger. Sure, he got ahead of himself, fighting such a monster alone but… What was bad about that? Part of me felt pity for him, knowing that his sacrifice would likely go unnoticed and unappreciated by the rest of us. Another part was almost… yeah, satisfied, that this was his own fault.

Ayo Guh turned to me, whispering. “The people here are really disgusting, aren’t they? Gawking at this like a show. He already saved them and got rid of one of them.”

{Pfft! Amazing? This guy?}

The cheeky voice’s laughter was unsettling. The tiny fragmented voice strands that went off at the same time in high frequency did not mix well. Millions of tiny dots crawled up my arms and then my neck. I wanted to scrape off a layer of skin like when wearing one of these itchy sweaters. The boy next to me started scratching his arm.

[Dragon Anima: “He is great, but the snow fanger is still alive.”]

What? It was clearly lying there burned and dead! But if it wasn't…

As I watched the scene unfold, a plan began to form in my head. 

I could use this opportunity to get another kill and reset my paralysis timer. I glanced around the room, wondering if I should ask Ayo Guh for help.

Then my eyes fell on the food tins in the center of the room, and my decision was made. I was going to do this alone.

I made my way down two stories, my mind racing. My plan was simple but effective. The building’s darkness swallowed me up. Outside, the street lanterns flickered on and their yellow glow tried its best to overshine the dreary gray of the dusty air inside. But even with the sun's last rays seeping through the cracks of the unfinished walls, the light couldn't erase the dreadful atmosphere. Instead, the light cast hard shadows on my face, obscuring the shadows behind me, making me part of the darkness.

{…you better let him die.}

Finally, I reached the glass door that led outside. The blizzard hit me like a wall. The biting cold sliced through my clothes and gnawed at my bones. I dug my fingernails into my arms and clung to the pain to keep my resolve and not run back inside immediately. The icy threats had me in its tangles again, tightening with every second.

[8 minutes.]

I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what I was about to do. It was a simple plan.

“Okay, Yu Anya,” I mumbled to myself. “Just rush in and pierce the back of its neck. If that doesn't work, run away.”

{Listen, you need to let Li Julong die!}

I gritted my teeth. “Listen, Voice, I appreciate you trying to protect me, but I really need that free kill. I don’t know why you dislike that man so much, but even if just for your comfort, I do not plan to help him!”

{Good~}

Li Julong was at his last breath. He looked much worse than earlier, not like a powerful leader at all. His cheeks had sunken, and dark circles framed his bloodshot eyes. Red was the only color barely visible under his drooping lids. His arm had a nasty scar and black soot circled around him with tiny sparks flickering here and there as if they were trying to ignite the swirls to full blaze one last time. 

The brown-haired man behind the administrator had his head turned up to the monster and sat on the floor with closed eyes, shivering. Who knew how long Li Julong would be able to hold up the fanger?

Doing a ducked run for my prey, I coated my knife with the same warm feeling I used to kill Schwartz earlier. 

“Di-rring!”

[Your stat mana leveled up!]

What?!

Distracted by the loud sound, I missed a step and stumbled. My foot, trying to find a hold on the slippery ground, threw up a sheet of fluffy snow. It splat down in a big area. I held my breath.

The tail of the fanger facing Li Julong whipped the ground. It hadn’t spotted me yet. I crept closer. Finally, I reached the injured fanger. Now, from up close, I could see the warm vapors emanating from its mouth. It was really alive. I prayed silently to Dragon Anima.

With all my might, I thrust the dark knife into the thick fur, feeling the satisfying impact as it died instantly. Pulling out the knife, I looked at my prey, lying there motionless. Glowing bubbles rushed into my body, illuminating the window screen.

"Di-rring!"

[Level up!]

[All stats increased by 1 EX.]

[Your body condition has reset due to additional health.]

Thank god! Finally!

All the heaviness, I carried around since the paralysis started, fell off. I felt light as a feather. I could do a backflip if I wanted to. But my thoughts were interrupted by a pang of guilt for Li Julong. I shook my head, shaking off the thought, and focused on getting back as fast as possible. Only then I would be able to make further plans.

Taking tiny steps, I started to sneak back towards the building, I was even more careful to avoid alerting the fanger, now. As I got closer to the building, I heard a commotion behind me. 

“Fuck!” Li Julong cursed in frustration, “This… Argh!!”

The monster jumped forward, just missing Li Julong by arm's length, before losing sight of him and stopping right next to me. 

I pulled my head down, pressing my back against the small wooden wall. It was barely tall enough to hide me if I cowered together. My knees poked painfully into my chin and the melting snow soaked through my pants.

The snow fanger let its red eyes wander over the snowy environment, extending and hiding its clicking claws. I could smell its gross body odor. Panicking, I looked at Dragon Anima’s last message. Was there any way to contact the gods… by text?

My heart was pounding so loud in my ears that I was sure the monster could hear it. I leaned forward to look at the monster, which licked its teeth in anticipation to jump at anything that moved. Its long tail was swishing back and forth, sending up puffs of snow with each strike to the ground.

With a toneless voice, I moved my lips, careful, not to exhale warm air. “How much strength does a fanger have?”

No sound left my mouth, I was sure of it. The fanger, however, still turned in my direction and its deadly stare hit me. Shit.

I leaped on my feet, knocking over the wooden wall, that turned out to be a table. In retrospect, it would have probably been smarter to play dead because I was already covered in snow. Instead, I ran for my life. 

The snowfall intensified, making it impossible to see where I was going, especially as the snowflakes glowed in the lantern light, creating spots in my view whenever I looked at the dark parts of the street.

{Why are you running?}

The voice had the audacity to ask. Why? Why?! Maybe because I didn’t want to die?!

But hold on. Why was I trying to survive again? The front of a building appeared in my view, obstructing my path. My steps became shorter, and I started to catch my breath.

“You’re right,” I huffed out, “I could just… stop here.”

My lung burned from the cold air and the euphoria I got from the level-up had subsided as well. I couldn’t outrun the monster anyway, so my only choice was a direct confrontation. With my hands resting on my knees, I turned my torso and looked back. Ugly Beast, bring it on.

The snow fanger stopped when I did. It watched me curiously. It didn’t expect the prey to give up escaping. 

When I returned the glare, it was not sure anymore if I was prey. It contemplated. Did I have anything to withstand it? But I was small – insignificant compared to it. Shouldn’t it be able to reach me in one leap and bite my head off? 

The snow fanger shifted its weight from one front leg to the other, and back, walking circles around me, keeping a safe distance of a few meters.

Then, suddenly, it leaped at me, opening its steel teeth spiked mouth, exhaling a breath whose strong putrid odor made me nauseous. 

Thump!

Centimeters away from my neck it winced. The giant body which could not stop mid-dash crumpled up its form and formed a negative parabola. The back legs stretched forward, and the front legs were hard-pressed on the ground, making chunks of snow explode from the pressure. Impetuously, the fanger bent down, reducing its height by a third, and then… it jumped. 

It was the highest and fastest jump I had seen in my life. Not that I had seen many beasts jump so far, none actually, but it exceeded my imagination when the beast suddenly flew up 10 meters high in the air. It was taller and higher than some four-story buildings in the street. It landed on the junction, four of its body lengths away, feline-like on all four. The fur bristled, making the beast appear even taller.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a figure moving amidst the snow hill formed by the monster’s brake action.

“Uhm,” someone cleared his throat high above, “Sorry!” He shouted down. The woman in the snow looked up, clenching her fist, and if looks could kill, that young man would drop dead this second.

“Don’t say sorry! She was rude.” His uncle rebutted.

“But she’s a woman. Don’t you always say, you shouldn’t hit a woman?”

“Chivalry… that is dead anyway. You punk don't even hold doors open anymore! Don’t be a hypocrite.”

“… whatever you say.” The man turned away from the window. 

“Did you just yawn?! Am I boring to you?! Hey! Come back here, young man.”

While the two continued to argue, I sneaked to the building wall. Pressed to the cold stone, I let out a sigh. But I was not out of danger yet. The monster had effectively blocked the narrow entrance to the street. 

I could either stay put and risk being discovered, or attempt a daring escape. The snow fanger stared at the shaking woman, giving me a one-in-a-million chance. 

I ran! Towards the fanger. I felt the collision of my wet feet with the ground with each step. The creature's claws were dangerously close. My brain repeatedly rattled down the plan if just to distract myself from the fear. 

Turn sharp right, escape its claws, and then immediately enter the building. 

Right, escape, building. Ok, I got this.

The closer I got the more I questioned my decision. Would it have been the better choice to hide under the snow?

The beast turned left, ogling me up and down while my legs carried me through the snow. The adrenaline pumped and my mind filled in the missing view blocked by the bright yellow snowflakes. I fixated on the opening between the fanger’s legs.

The monster towering above me, its massive paws almost twice the size of my whole body looked at me. Its half-open jaw dripped with foamy saliva, and a rancid stench filled the air again. To avoid nausea, I held my breath and charged forward. I darted between its front legs, then turned right. The hairy arc above me opened the view to the saving entrance door on the right.

As I sprinted past its front paw, initiating the second phase of my plan – sharp right – the monster turned around, making me face the front again. I jumped back from its drooling mouth, hitting my head on the furry stomach.

The fanger struck at me, and only my slippery feet saved me, making my body curve in. A burning sensation went through my ankle but I recovered my stance and toggled to the back. The monster reached underneath its body with its paw again and tried to pierce me with its claws. 

It walked in a semi-circle but just as I slipped through to the right, the monster turned abruptly, entangling its legs, and then toppled over.

I bolted towards the door. I heared the monster’s claws scrabbling the snow, its dissatisfied growls filled the chilly air, and footsteps chasing after me. However, the steps were lighter than the monster’s heavy stumps.

The door squealed when it swung open and when it shut with a clack, I had already ascended half the staircase.