Fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood's wolf mentor

"Do you know what that was that came over here?"

Poro looked at the veteran's expression, his heart stirred. He understood that this man, who looked weathered and experienced, definitely knew far more than he did.

"That's a Scuttler's Familiar, one of the twelve demonized princes."

The veteran glanced at Poro. Although this wolf could talk, the doubt in his eyes had lessened a lot.

After all... the Scuttler chooses familiars, and an animal without any special characteristics would only be killed by this energy. Even if it were lucky enough to survive, it would mostly turn into a madman like that human just now.

So... it's more normal for this wolf to have something special about it.

"He's here to..."

"Most likely to find you."

The veteran started running, with Leike and Poro following behind. "The original seven dwarves in that forest, you killed them all, right?"

"Uh...sort of?"

"That's right, I used the last bullet to eliminate the prince whose 'Divinity' had almost completely receded, so... now that you possess a trace of that prince's 'Divinity', you're likely to become the new prince."

"Huh?"

Although Poro had suspected it, he was still a little stunned when the man in front of him confirmed it.

He just drank a cup of wine, killed a few dwarves, watched the remaining dwarves die, and then inexplicably... became some kind of prince?

"Does this prince have a fief?"

Poro suddenly asked.

"Ah... princes, they were genuine princes before they became Scuttler's Familiars, that's why they have this title.

Someone like you doesn't have that kind of status."

The veteran shrugged. "Those princes' countries were also destroyed by themselves."

"Destroyed? How did they do it? Did they kill them all one by one? Like, kill them just by looking at them?"

"No, it was a plague, a plague brought by the Scuttler."

The veteran's eyes darkened a little. He looked at the city behind him and suddenly said, "Faster, we can't stay here. Leave here while it's night."

"Is that prince very dangerous?"

In Poro's mind, he recalled the shadow sealed in the stone pillar, that strange, inhuman existence.

"No, the real danger is the Scuttler, the guy behind the prince."

As the veteran spoke, he took out a gunpowder bullet from the bullet pouch on his waist, loaded the musket, and then drew a military knife from his waist.

"As for the plague brought by that prince, you'll see it soon—when this prince appeared, this city was completely finished!"

"Then where are we going now..."

"I need to take my lover with me. I snatched her back from this dead prince. She used to be... that demonized prince's dance partner."

A trace of tenderness appeared in the veteran's eyes, but it quickly dissipated.

At the intersection, a resident sat slumped on the ground.

Before his eyes, the house he had lived in for decades had collapsed in the earthquake, and the savings he had accumulated for a long time were also buried in the ruins. The only thing to be thankful for was...

He himself was not harmed in any way.

He suddenly felt a burst of frustration. The chaotic pressure and thoughts squeezed in his heart, making him want to express it, but he didn't know how.

What should I... do now?

He wanted to shout, to stand up and run and dance wildly!

To vent the depression in his heart!

And once such emotions arose, they could not be stopped. He looked at his hands, and they were trembling.

The trembling was not from cold or fear, but from... a strange excitement!

Finally, he stood up trembling. He felt the agitation from within, making every muscle in his body tremble.

Yes, the house is gone, what else can... be done?

There was nothing to restrain himself anymore. He began to give up control of his body, and his flesh stretched out in excitement, wanting to release the agitation in his heart!

And the agitation in his heart took over his whole body the moment he gave up control!

His limbs began to dance wildly, using a dance he knew, but... not only that, his speed became faster and faster!

The excitement not only did not subside, but became even more intense in the surge of blood!

Extreme comfort!

Only this feeling remained in his mind. He felt like he was now carrying out a long-awaited catharsis!

He began to run and dance madly in the middle of the road!

And the other residents on the side watched this scene in stunned silence. Unlike in the past, at this time, the pressure that had accumulated for a long time in their hearts also began to stir.

Plus... someone was already making such a move in front of them.

More residents also began to give up control of their bodies, and the moment their limbs changed from stillness to movement, this spiritual plague instantly took advantage of the void!

The moment they started dancing, it was difficult for them to stop!

More and more people began to join this chaotic carnival!

At this time, some people already felt that something was wrong. An old man who originally had heart disease only danced a few steps before blood spilled from the corner of his mouth!

The pain interrupted the carnival in his mind.

He finally overflowed with fear, but found that he could no longer stop. His limbs, at the moment when reason gave up control, had already succumbed to the pleasure of venting pressure!

They didn't want to stop!

Unless... the spark of life was extinguished in this wild dance!

Finally, the old man slowly fell to the ground in pain, but his limbs seemed to continue twitching as if they had not realized it.

Around him, more residents still ran past wildly!

There was no longer any comfort on their faces, only... extreme horror!

They could only watch helplessly as their bodies moved towards destruction in the extreme wild dance!

"That little girl..."

The veteran and Poro both heard the inexplicable sounds of jubilation coming from the city. The veteran's expression was grave as he looked at Leike and said:

"Keep thinking, don't completely surrender your body to that agitation. You don't have... the Scuttler's energy in your body. Without special protective gear, you may be infected by this madness..."

"Okay."

Leike nodded. She was a little puzzled, but soon she knew why the veteran said these things.

From all directions at the intersection, there came abnormal, chaotic, but somewhat rhythmically disordered footsteps!

It's... the residents of the city.

They danced wildly with various different dance steps, even the elderly and children, regardless of whether they knew how to dance or had learned it.

They gathered and moved towards Poro and the others!

"The dancing plague, they would originally run and dance aimlessly until they died, but a prince is manipulating them in the dark... so they are rushing towards us—don't let them hold you back.

Little girl, you better not be touched by them."

The veteran said, glancing at Leike.

Leike looked at the crowd running wildly, and a trace of sadness and anger flashed in her eyes. She knew that these were ordinary people, but they were being used by the existence called "Scuttler."

Looking at those people, she inexplicably felt a kind of depression rising in her heart, wanting to give up thinking...

But soon, the silver dagger in her hand and the cloak on her body emitted a burst of coolness.

Suppressing the inexplicable irritability.

"This is... the dance plague?"

Leike reacted. If it weren't for the cloak and dagger, she would most likely have fallen into this strange spiritual epidemic like those ordinary people!

"How much further?"

"We'll be there soon."

The veteran looked at the dancing residents in front of him and took a deep breath.