A werewolf could be killed — but no one had ever actually managed to do it.

Because they were so powerful, so terrifying. Who could possibly stand against one?

Villagers came out of their homes one by one and gathered around the body, talking over one another about the turbulent night that had passed.

Word of such a momentous event naturally reached the village chief quickly.

When he arrived, he burst out with exaggerated astonishment: “This is a true warrior! Our village is saved! With a warrior here, no one need ever fear the werewolves again!”

The crowd buzzed with commentary — some in admiration, but mostly in shock. They had not imagined that Shen Mo could defeat a werewolf with his physical capacity cut in half.

Bai Youwei stood in the crowd, watching each face with cold, calculated eyes.

She was searching — trying to determine which villager had been the werewolf the night before.

She spotted Hans and Breil.

Both of them looked dreadful. Breil in particular — even across the distance, Bai Youwei could see his body trembling faintly.

…One was missing.

Where was the one called Molin?

She withdrew her gaze, letting it fall back on the werewolf’s body on the ground.

A thought flashed through Bai Youwei’s mind. She froze, as though struggling to believe it, then looked again toward Hans.

Could it be as she suspected?… And if so, when had Hans first realized?

Hans sensed her stare and turned to look at her. His brow immediately creased, and he averted his gaze, leaning over to murmur something in Breil’s ear.

The two of them turned and walked away — clearly intent on leaving the crowd.

Bai Youwei narrowed her eyes slightly, watching the backs of those two retreating figures. She thought for a moment, then suddenly called out loudly, “Village Chief! What’s to be done with the werewolf’s body? It can’t just stay out here, can it?”

Hans and Breil’s footsteps halted immediately.

Most of Bai Youwei’s suspicion was confirmed.

The village chief replied, “Of course we’ll move it to the plaza and burn it.”

“Just burn it?” Bai Youwei said, dragging out her words unhurriedly. “Last night it attacked another villager, and we’d have had another horrific scene on our hands. As far as I’m concerned, only grinding its bones to dust and cutting it to a thousand pieces could begin to satisfy the rage.”

The villagers chimed in from all sides: “That’s right! Grind its bones to dust! Cut it to a thousand pieces! Death is too good for any werewolf!”

“I think the werewolf’s fur is quite fine,” Bai Youwei added. “What if we skinned it and made coats?”

Breil wheeled around furiously.

Hans gripped his arm hard and spoke to him in a low, urgent voice.

Bai Youwei’s gaze cut through the crowd and fixed straight on the two of them. A cold, mocking smile curved her lips:

“But a coat made of that would probably reek. Better to hang the thing up, display it in the plaza for everyone to see — let the werewolf’s companions know what awaits those who commit evil…”

“Yes, hang it up!” the villagers cried. “Skin it and pull out its tendons!”

Breil’s eyes had gone bloodshot. The veins on his neck stood out in stark relief. He glared at Bai Youwei with savage hatred, his teeth grinding together in an audible creak — as though he wanted nothing more than to sink them into her and tear her apart.

Bai Youwei’s smile grew more brazen and unrestrained. “This werewolf died such a stupid death. Its companions are probably just as foolish…”

“RAAAARGH!” A bestial howl tore from Breil’s throat. He launched himself at Bai Youwei.

Bai Youwei stumbled backward in apparent panic, dodging behind the village chief, and screamed, “Hold him! He’s about to transform into a werewolf!”

The village chief was knocked to the ground by Breil, shrieking in terror.

Breil did not transform — but at this moment he looked little better than a werewolf. His pupils had gone fully slit-shaped, his canines were jutting out, coarse dark fur was sprouting from his neck, and even his frame seemed to have surged larger.

The villagers swarmed him, pulling Breil off the village chief’s body.

“Burn him! He’s tonight’s werewolf — burn him!”

Not far away, Hans withdrew from the crowd, watching Bai Youwei coldly from the midst of the chaos…

—