The Night of Hunting Games

Away from the eerie place, the school was filled with laughter and joy. The villagers, unaware of the terrifying scenes in the forest, were enjoying their happy time. The children's laughter and the adults' cheerful conversations drowned out the faint cries for help from afar.

Principal Zhang found himself surrounded by a group of children and village women.

"Principal, tell us a story!" the children kept clamoring.

Principal Zhang was once the only educated person in the village. He loved telling stories to the children because he believed that stories could entertain and impart wisdom. His gray hair and kind smile made him a parental figure in the eyes of the villagers. Both adults and children loved to gather around him to listen to his interesting tales.

Seeing the children's eager eyes, Principal Zhang felt a wave of warmth in his heart. He knew that although these children lived in a poor village, they were full of curiosity and hope for the world.

"I usually tell you stories about our village," Principal Zhang said with a gentle and magnetic voice."Today, how about we switch to an alien story?"

The children's eyes widened, and they nodded eagerly, unable to resist the allure of a good story.

The bonfire's glow flickered in the night sky, casting warm shadows on Principal Zhang's face. His face was etched with the marks of time, but his eyes remained bright and spirited. Whenever he reached an exciting part of the story, his eyes would squint slightly, and a smile would play at the corners of his mouth, as if he were immersed in the story's world.

"Not long ago, an alien spaceship landed in a field on Earth. The hatch slowly opened, and a mighty alien warrior, looking like a mix between an octopus and a drenched chicken, stepped out. His four eyes glowed with the light of a conqueror.

At that moment, he saw a human—a farmer resting on a rock, chewing a straw, looking as if he had seen it all.

The alien squinted, extended a long, somewhat sticky finger, and slowly drew a giant circle in the air, indicating that they had a powerful interstellar fleet and were here to take over.

The farmer stared at him for a second, then calmly extended two fingers.

The alien was stunned. What?! The humans had two interstellar fleets?

But he was a galactic warrior and couldn't be intimidated. He took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and showed a confident smile unique to alien beings (which looked more like acid reflux to us), then boldly showed three fingers! This was the highest-level battle declaration on their planet, representing 3,000 galactic warriors coming to conquer this place. Tremble, foolish Earthlings!

The farmer looked at him, then at his mud-covered hands, thought for a moment, and slowly extended six fingers. Then he tapped his iron hoe, making a"bang bang" sound and mimed digging.

The alien's tentacles froze instantly, his four eyes widened, and his body shook as if he had just heard the news of the Galactic Empire's downfall.

Six? You have 6,000 galactic warriors, all in iron armor, ready to bury us here?

What kind of terrifying tactical code was this? Was it a prelude to an interstellar war, or were the Earthlings mocking his weapon?

The alien's brain worked quickly, recalling the files from their interstellar intelligence department, but found no records of this terrifying planet. The unknown force was even more frightening.

"It's over. This planet's combat power far exceeds our expectations!"

The alien warrior instantly lost his fighting spirit, turned back to the spaceship dejectedly, forgetting his original conquest plan. He rushed into the control room, didn't even fasten his seatbelt, and immediately activated the"superluminal escape mode," disappearing into the stars.

"Mr. Zhang, we don't have interstellar fleets and warriors," the chubby boy Barney couldn't help but interrupt.

The teacher patiently replied,"That's right, the farmer was puzzled too. He saw the alien holding up one finger and making a big shape with his hands, so he thought the alien was asking about the price of a big pumpkin in the field and showed two fingers to indicate two dollars!"

Laughter spread among the children.

Principal Zhang continued,"When the farmer saw the alien show three fingers, he thought he was asking the price for buying three pumpkins and showed six fingers for six dollars, and tapped his hoe to say he could pick them right away. The alien got scared and ran away!"

"Hahaha," the children's laughter rang out joyfully in the night sky.

-----------------

Alex stepped into his classroom, wearing an old, slightly faded blue shirt that made his slim figure look even leaner.

In the corner, three or four girls were whispering and giggling, their laughter echoing in the night breeze. Their silhouettes swayed gently in the dim light, like night fairies. The girls' laughter flowed like a clear spring, filling the corner of the night with youthful vitality.

In the moonlight, Alex could vaguely make out his classmates. He glanced at Brooke, who was wearing a pretty dress, and her figure always caught his eye. He wanted to talk to her again, but it felt like an invisible rope was tightening around his throat. He was afraid of others discovering his feelings, afraid of embarrassing the girl in public, and afraid of ruining this quiet beauty.

When their eyes met, the girl's casual smile was clear and warm, like a gentle ray of sunshine, giving Alex a bit of warmth and comfort. Every time her smile moved him, his heart trembled, as if the whole world brightened in that moment.

Alex slowed his pace, reaching his spot by the window, and lightly hopped onto the desk, looking back at the shadow beside him, as if the girl was sitting right next to him.

The moonlight bathed his side face softly, quietly, and serenely. Alex took a deep breath, as if trying to etch this beautiful moment into his heart. Years later, he still couldn't forget that night, that moment, that warm smile that always floated in his mind.

An elderly man followed Jordan down the corridor towards the classroom. The old man's face was marked by the passage of time, with every wrinkle a testament to the years. His eyes were filled with loving affection as he looked at his handsome and upright grandson.

Though young, Jordan already displayed a touch of nobility. His tall and well-proportioned figure, elegant clothing, a long robe with intricate cloud patterns, a silver-embroidered belt at his waist, and spotless shoes all marked his high status. His fair face, well-defined features, and an ever-present calm and confident smile in his eyes made his self-assurance and pride evident.

His hair was tied into a high ponytail, secured with a jade-inlaid pin, swaying slightly as he moved. His deep-set, slightly mischievous eyes reflected his refined demeanor. He always carried himself gracefully, speaking with a slight lift of his chin, as if everything was under his control. Even in a crowd, he effortlessly became the focus, not due to deliberate showmanship, but because of his natural arrogance and composure that couldn't be ignored.

"Grandpa, this is my classroom. When you meet my classmates, don't scare them, especially Miss Brooke!"

"Yes, yes, I know!" the old man indulgently agreed to his grandson's request.

Just then, a senior student's shadow appeared at the other end of the corridor. The old man's sharp gaze swept through the darkness, his powerful aura seeming to freeze the shadow in place.

After the grandparent and grandchild entered the classroom, the shadow continued to move reluctantly, without stopping at the classroom door, and slowly disappeared down the corridor.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but that old man's presence was too strong. I have a feeling that if I got any closer, I'd be killed."

"Who is he? He looks like an ordinary old man."

"An ordinary old man? With eyes like knives that could cut you in half?"

"Are they our competitors?"

"Seems like he's Alex's protector. I don't want to take any more risks!"

"Hey, let's wait a bit longer!"

-----------------

"Grandpa, this is Miss Brooke Ren," Jordan said, stepping slightly aside to introduce Brooke. His tone was gentle yet proud."She's the one I told you about before. Not only is she the smartest girl in our class, but even the teacher praises her for her talent."

Elder Yang raised his eyes, letting his gaze linger on the girl for a moment. Though elderly, his sharp eyes seemed to see right through people. Brooke stood there, slightly bowing her head in a respectful greeting, then straightening up with a calm and gracious demeanor. She wore a simple dress, not as luxurious as the decorations in the Yang family estate, but with a natural elegance.

Jordan added with a smile,"Brooke is not only quick-witted but also skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Even Mr. Zhang says she has a great future ahead. I'm sure you'll like her too, Grandpa."

Unlike Alex, Jordan never hid his admiration and pursuit of Brooke.

Elder Yang nodded approvingly, giving his grandson a meaningful look, half-smiling as he said,"Oh? For you to personally introduce her, she must be quite extraordinary."

Jordan smiled gently, his tone relaxed."Of course she's extraordinary, Grandpa. If she weren't, how could she be worthy of our family?"

Brooke was slightly taken aback, looking at Jordan. But he appeared calm, as if the words had come naturally, filled with his usual confidence and pride.

"Elder Yang, you might have misunderstood..."

Jordan quickly interrupted Brooke, laughing,"Haha, Brooke, you know? Your traditional greeting just now was so elegant!" His tone was full of praise, seemingly casual yet with a hint of deliberate attentiveness.

"In our family, not everyone can learn such elegance. My grandpa, after all, is the village elder. He taught us these manners and postures since we were young." He waved his hand nonchalantly, as if talking about something insignificant, but his pride was evident in his voice.

"By the way, Grandpa just brought back a fine item from the city yesterday, a short sword with silver inlay. It was specially selected by a master from the Treasure House, suitable for someone with true refinement to practice with."

As he spoke, he glanced briefly at Alex, then continued nonchalantly,"Of course, in martial arts, it's not just about technique but also about grace. Like sword dancing, elegance and precision are equally important. Unlike some people who practice martial arts so...crudely, lacking a bit of finesse."

"Brooke, this sword is for you. I asked Grandpa to buy it especially for your protection!" Jordan said flatteringly.

"Wow, you're so lucky!" The girls around knew the sword could be extremely expensive, and they couldn't believe that Jordan gave it to Brooke as a gift. They brightened up at the mention of Jordan's family background and the silver-inlaid sword.

Someone chimed in,"Wow, Jordan, your family takes martial arts so seriously? Have you learned amazing swordsmanship too?"

Jordan waved modestly,"Nothing amazing, really. My family prefers a well-rounded development—swordsmanship, spear techniques, even footwork and body movements. After all, being good at only one thing is too limiting, right?" His words seemed humble but subtly carried a hint of sarcasm.

Alex remained calm, as if he didn't catch the veiled jab. But Jordan continued leisurely,"Of course, some people might think specializing in one martial art is better. Like spear techniques, simple and direct, with great power but less flexibility. If they meet a true expert, they might be easily countered."

These words made the nearby students glance at Alex, their eyes filled with curiosity. Someone whispered,"Hey, it's true, you rarely see spear masters match sword masters..."

Seeing this, Jordan smirked slightly, then casually changed the topic as if his earlier words were unintentional.

"Sorry, I can't accept such an expensive gift. Oh, excuse me, it's time for my performance with the principal," Brooke said politely, bowing again before running off like a flower fell from the tree.