Four Eyes tapped Jack's shoulders to assure him he was not alone anymore.

Jack realized he had been carried away thinking of the past. He looked at Four Eyes and smiled at him, but his smile didn't reach his eyes this time.

"Our Supreme Commander and her son helped us restore the village and look for families to care for those who became orphans. I was amazed by their extraordinary skills and asked if I could be one of them.

Our Grand Master was very impressive. I found out he was only fourteen then; he was very friendly to all of us. I kept following the Grand Master wherever he went, and I didn't stop until he agreed to take me back with him," Jack told Four Eyes and laughed.

"When he finally agreed, I was ecstatic to announce it to our village.

It also turned out that more people from our village wanted to return with them. In the end, thirty of us orphans joined the camp. It is our great honor to serve our benefactors, and we have pledged our sincere loyalty to them with our lives," Jack said with pride.

Four Eyes nodded at him as they continued cooking.

"This is almost done." Four Eyes said, looking at the meats on fire.

"Yep, mealtime!" One yelled and started distributing the food around.

"Chu Yan! This crocodile blood is truly awesome! Only after an hour, those severely wounded don't feel the pain as much as before." Chatty said excitedly. "Here, apply some to your wounds too."

Four eyes nodded with a smirk and looked at Jack, who had heard what Chatty said. He was only smiling, and all his teeth were brightly showing on his face.

"Here, there is still one bottle untouched." Chatty handed the bottle to Jack.

Jack glanced at Four Eyes, "You can keep it." He said.

Four Eyes secured his original water bottle in his backpack, thoughts briefly lingering on his wife, Ling, who might find some use for it. His longing for Ling Li momentarily softened the harsh reality they faced. He missed Ling Li and his twins.

After their meal, one of their comrades stood up and announced, "Let's get moving before it gets dark. Remember, we are just around the area where the wolves attacked us."

The group nodded in agreement, their senses sharpening with the reminder of the recent danger. As they continued their journey, the sound of growling grew louder.

"Shhh…" Their comrade in front signaled for silence, urging everyone to move slowly and carefully.

The trainees strained to hear and identify the sounds. As they peered through the dense plants and bushes, their eyes widened in shock. A shiver ran down their spines, and some could only swallow hard as they glimpsed a pack of hyenas, their eyes glinting with predatory hunger. The trainees knew they had to stay as quiet and still as possible, hoping to avoid drawing attention to themselves while devising a plan to navigate this dangerous encounter safely.

"That is a whole pack of hyenas!" A comrade whispered in fright.

Indeed, they are watching the hyaenas wildly feasting on the dead wolves and mastiffs they fought last night.

Their comrade in front, a Class A, signaled them to retreat back in silence, understanding the dire situation.

"We don't have anywhere to go unless we cross the lake," one of the trainees said, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"No way!" Nearly everyone responded at once, the fear of the mysterious lake outweighing even the threat of the hyenas. They couldn't think of themselves crossing the mysterious lake. Just thinking of the idea made them tremble.

"Those hyaenas, did you see? There were hundreds of them. We can't fight them head-on, and they will find us soon."

"How do you plan to cross the lake?" One curiously asked.

"Make some rope," someone suggested.

Four Eyes looked at Jack. When their eyes met, Jack shook his head.

"Making rope takes time. The hyaenas would find us ahead before we finish the needed ropes." Jack said.

The group looked at Jack with wide-open eyes before reality sank into them.

"So we can only fight the hyaenas?" Chatty asked, his voice unsteady from terror.

"Yep, or we can try walking around them silently while they are still eating. Let's hope we don't get their attention," Jack suggested.

"Lead the way," everyone urged Jack.

Jack nodded to them without hesitation; Four Eyes followed him closely, while the rest had no choice but to stride their feet to follow against their will.

Jack took out his daggers, and the rest did the same as they walked, crunched in silence with sweats forming on their foreheads. The tension was palpable.

Seeing a clear path, Jack began to run, the rest matching his speed. They managed to pass the pack of hyenas, although the looming threat still lingered in their minds.

After several hundred meters, they came to an abrupt stop, stunned by what lay ahead. The unexpected sight left them momentarily speechless, their hearts pounding from the adrenaline and anticipation.

"Who can do this?" one of the trainees murmured, his voice trembling with disbelief.

"Lions. Only lions can kill hyenas," another replied, eyes wide with fear.

"Tigers and leopards, too," added a third, casting a wary glance around.

They stared at the pile of dead hyenas, the number too large to be the work of just one predator. "That won't be just one lion," someone whispered.

"Obviously not," came the calm response.

"Come on, let's move forward," the Class A comrade urged, breaking the spell of fear that had momentarily frozen them.

Their steps were cautious but determined, each one knowing that whatever had taken down the hyenas might still be lurking nearby. Every rustle in the bushes made their hearts race, but they pressed on, driven by the will to survive and the knowledge that standing still was not an option.

"Really, Mom? Hyenas? Are you sure you're not trying to kill them?" Shi Min's voice carried a mix of disbelief and concern as he watched the monitors. Shi Min couldn't believe his mother's guts.

"You must have some people on standby near them. Otherwise, I don't guarantee Paps and Shun won't get hurt," he added, his worry evident.

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