Phoenix Power: The True Colors of the Empress - Chapter 5: Surrounded by Wolves.

In today’s world, three countries existed side by side: Cang Qian, Yue Li, and Yong An.

On the surface, these nations seemed to coexist peacefully with friendly communication, but behind the scenes, there were cliques and rivalries quietly vying for dominance.

Centuries ago, these three countries were unified as an empire, called the Cang Ming Empire. Yet, as time passed and for various reasons, the empire gradually declined, eventually splitting into the three current countries.

Yet, the remnants of the Cang Ming Empire were still left everywhere in all of them. They were in contact with each other, attempting to restore the past splendor of the Cang Ming Empire, and were working hard toward that shared ambition.

On a dark and windy night, in the Dark Moon Forest, located in the northern reaches of Yue Li, through the dense fog, pairs of eyes glimmered ominously, revealing a cold and piercing sternness!

“Woo woo…” The mournful echoes of distant howls drifted through the air, haunting and chilling to the bone everyone within earshot. Thick fog enveloped the surroundings, casting a gloomy and chilly air over the land.

The pack of wolves appeared, encircling the entrance of a cavern. While lacking in open hostility, their presence instilled an involuntary shiver in anyone who looked at them.

Among the wolves’ gathering, there was a little girl sitting in the innermost part of the cave.

Her waist-length hair, though unkempt, bore a hint of golden radiance amidst the dirt; she had no clothes except some animal fur that could barely cover her body.

Though her face appeared somewhat grimy, a closer examination of it revealed a clear and charming beauty, already budding with youthful allure!

Especially her bright eyes revealed a particularly stern look, probably because she grew up with the wolves since she was a child, so her eyes were as sharp as a wolf’s, keeping alert at all times, able to detect the danger around her at any time.

No one knew where this little girl came from; she simply grew up with the wolves since she was a baby.

The remarkable thing about her was that from the very first day in this place, she was never once threatened by any wolf, but instead wolves took care of her as if she were their own pup, so this girl could also be called a ‘wolf girl’. Now, she’s grown beyond childhood.

She grew up drinking wolf’s milk and eating their food, nurtured by the pack of wolves.

The girl’s backstory began six years ago when soldiers from Yue Li brought her to this place. They left her here and since then, she has continued living like this.

“Why can’t we just leave her here?” One of the soldiers, noticing the wolf’s eyes in the forest, voiced his fear to his companion.

“But our commander has ordered us to abandon her in the Dark Moon Forest,” responded another soldier with concern.

“However, there are wolves lurking inside. I’m too scared to proceed. If you insist, you can go by yourself! I’m not doing it.”

After much discussion, a few individuals decided to leave the girl here, leaving her fate to her own hands.

“Leaving you behind wasn’t our intention. I hope you can be reborn soon. If there’s a next life, may you be born into an ordinary family instead of royalty, and live out your life peacefully.”

“If you ever come to know us in your next life, please don’t blame us. If blame is to be placed, it should be on those who instructed us to leave you here. We are merely following orders, and we sincerely hope you find a better existence.”

Nevertheless, two soldiers remained kneeling timidly in front of the girl, creating an eerie yet slightly silly scene.

“What are you two doing? Why haven’t you left yet? Do you want to stick around and have the beasts come out to greet you?” the soldier in front exclaimed, turning around to see the two individuals kneeling before the girl and promptly shouting in a hushed tone.

This wasn’t a safe place to linger, despite being on the outskirts of the Dark Moon Forest.

“Understood,” they replied.

With a few final bows to the girl, they straightened themselves up and followed the other soldiers, quickly exiting the area.

After paying their respects to the girl, the two of them brushed themselves off and followed the soldiers ahead to depart.

Once the group of soldiers had left, a wolf emerged from the forest and approached the little girl.

They gazed at each other, the girl meeting the wolf’s eyes without fear. Instead, she smiled warmly and reached out her hands to stroke the wolf’s cheeks affectionately.“Woo…” A long howl echoed through the air, and suddenly, a whole pack of wolves emerged behind the first one. They surrounded the child in a circle, yet none of them seemed to harbor any malicious intent; rather, they encircled her protectively.

The lead wolf gently picked up the bundle containing the little girl and departed with the pack following closely behind, their movements calm and deliberate. Occasionally, they let out wolf cries, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

The initial wolf, acting as the pack leader, carried the girl to a nearby cave. Inside, a she-wolf had recently given birth to pups. Without hesitation, the she-wolf nursed the little girl alongside her own offspring, providing her with warmth and sustenance.

Thus, the little girl thrived under the nurturing care of the wolves, now six years old and bearing an unusual appearance likely due to her prolonged isolation from the outside world.

Growing up amidst the pack, she would frolic with them in the forest, occasionally gazing curiously into the distance from the forest’s edge. Yet, despite her curiosity, she remained content within the safety of her woodland home.

Perhaps influenced by innate human instincts, as she matured, she began fashioning simple clothing for herself using leftover animal furs provided by the wolves.

Despite her efforts, the clothes the Wolf Girl fashioned provided little coverage.

As night fell, the Wolf Girl prepared for bed. However, her routine was interrupted by a peculiar sound from outside—a noise as if something had fallen from above.

Reacting swiftly to her instincts, the Wolf Girl emerged from her shelter to investigate. There, she witnessed a young boy tumbling from the sky, only to be caught by a small tree branch just before reaching the ground.

However, the slender trunk couldn’t bear the weight for long. With a sharp crack, both the little boy and the tree tumbled to the ground.