Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next moment, the entire stadium erupted in a chorus of boos, mixed with some harsh jeers.

One of the opponents jogged over with a broad grin and patted me on the back, his thick regional accent evident, "Thanks, buddy!"

The live chat exploded.

"Seriously?! Hahaha, is this guy here for laughs?"

"Are you a mole sent by the other team?!"

"He looks strong, but who knew his brain doesn't work."

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

Ian walked over, clearly disappointed, his eyes red with frustration. "Bryan... Physical fitness is important, but you also need to keep your head in the game!"

I gave him a half-hearted smile.

But it seemed my teammates were now too scared to pass me the ball, fearing another blunder. We kept losing points, and morale hit rock bottom.

I cursed under my breath.

Another point lost, and the team hung their heads like players who hadn't scored in ages.

"Come on! What are you afraid of? Give me the ball! Quick! Stop hesitating!" I couldn't help but shout.

Ian hesitated for a moment, then passed the ball to me.

Clutching the ball, I started to sprint.

Opponents lunged at me, but I dodged left and right, evading them. They weren't as strong as buffaloes.

One even tried to tackle me from the side.

I've tackled bigger guys than you; I'm not afraid of you.

I used my shoulder to shove him away, and he flew back.

In that instant, I felt like I was back in the wild, dodging predators while protecting my territory.

Back then, I had only one belief: if I didn't score, the team would lose. My feet moved so fast they felt like they were flying.

The further I ran, the fewer people were around me.

I glanced back at them and grinned.

I was the fastest runner in the pack; if they wanted to catch me, they'd have to turn into cheetahs first.

"Stestan's number 8 scores a touchdown!"

The extra point was a perfect shot, securing eight points!

Boom!

The stadium erupted into deafening applause and cheers.

Ian ran over, tears streaming down his face, and hugged me tightly, patting my back hard.

The rest of the game turned into my personal showcase.

Every time I got the ball, I ran, and no one could touch me.

When I scored my fourth touchdown, I finally smiled.

"Are they crawling? How can they be so slow?"

With my final burst of energy, we won 48-39, breaking our ten-game losing streak.

Ian's tears flowed like a river again.

Even the coach, usually stern, joined the team in lifting me high into the air.

I was terrified. Despite running fast, I was genuinely afraid of heights.

Online comments were ablaze: "Does he have a motor? That speed is insane!"

Someone even captured a screenshot of me looking back, "He had time to look back! And he wasn't even out of breath after running!"

My old photos surfaced, "Three months, from skinny to buff!"

Even the national sprint team coach posted on Twitter, "Switch sports, you're a natural talent!"

My teammates dragged me to the victory party, but I waved them off. I'm more of a lone wolf when it comes to celebrations.

"But if it's an all-you-can-eat barbecue, you'll help us get our money's worth!"

"Barbecue?"

"Yeah, beef, lamb, pork, chicken, seafood, all you can eat!"

"Let's go!" I turned and started running, "Hurry up, don't dawdle!"

By the time I finished my 58th plate of meat, the waiter couldn't help but snap a photo of the towering stack of plates.

After eating, they dragged me to a karaoke bar.

The room was dim, and the moon was high outside. I resisted the urge to belt out a howl.

"Bryan, if you want to sing, just say so! You're the hero tonight! Here's the mic!"

A wolf appeared on the screen, and the music started. I raised the microphone.

"I am a wolf from Vosridge, walking in the endless wilderness~ The piercing winds blow~ The endless landscape sweeps by~"

Full and satisfied, they walked out, arms around each other.

I habitually shook myself, only to remember I didn't have a tail.

"Hahaha, Bryan, why are you shaking your butt?"

I gave him a playful slap, "You're the one wobbling from drinking too much. I wasn't shaking my butt!"

They got in the car, but I chose to run back.

Not running enough miles made me uncomfortable.

As I ran, I got hot and, seeing no one around, took off my shirt and continued.

Suddenly, I caught a familiar scent, a woman's scent.