Chapter 331: Chapter 330: Discrimination
Just as described in a fairy tale, this little girl had radiant golden hair, wore brown boots, and donned a red velvet hooded dress. The hood extended into two small capes over her shoulders and was fastened at her neck with a ribbon.
She seemed as if she had stepped right out of a stage play.
The players, no longer five or six years old, were hardly thrilled to see a character from a fairy tale. On the contrary, from a normal person’s perspective, the appearance of such a delicate and seemingly defenseless Little Red Riding Hood in a dense, dark primeval forest was utterly bizarre.
Perhaps this Little Red Riding Hood is a warrior skilled in all sorts of martial arts, able to easily hunt down monsters, and when necessary, even pull an anti-tank rocket launcher out of her dress?
So, the players merely squatted in some distant bushes, hiding their presence and observing Little Red Riding Hood.
"HUM HUM HUM~"
Little Red Riding Hood, completely oblivious to the group secretly spying on her, continued hopping along the forest path, occasionally bending down to pluck a fresh, elegant flower or two, twirling them in her hand.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Until a wolf suddenly emerged from the woods.
This large wolf, its fur grey, stood on two legs in a human-like posture. It was at least two meters tall, with an inverted triangular upper body. Its broad, muscular chest was riddled with scars from various weapons—knives, bullets, and arrows. Its fangs and claws were as sharp as daggers, and its eyes glinted with bloodlust.
Judging by its appearance alone, the wolf was a relentless killing machine.
Bob, an older Black man, instinctively raised his shotgun to aim, but Smoker, the Latino youth beside him, grabbed the barrel and pushed it down.
"Don’t rush," Smoker murmured, his voice barely audible. "Let’s wait and see."
In the players’ view, Little Red Riding Hood was clearly startled by the Big Grey Wolf’s sudden appearance. She instinctively took half a step back, fear flashing across her face. But then, as if remembering something, she composed herself, stepped forward again, took a deep breath, and looked up at the towering werewolf.
The humanoid Big Grey Wolf grinned, asking leisurely, "Hello, little one, what do you have in your basket?"
"Some completely healthy, green snacks for my grandma."
Little Red Riding Hood turned slightly, shielding her basket with her hand, and calmly said to the Big Grey Wolf, "I’m bringing food to my grandma, and it’s not to imply that she’s sick, incapable of living independently, or unable to improve herself further. There’s nothing oppressive about it.
"In fact, my grandma isn’t sick or incapacitated, nor does she have any mental disabilities. And even if she did, it wouldn’t mean she’s ’unhealthy’ compared to others."
To the players, Little Red Riding Hood’s speech was exceedingly strange. Her manner of speaking was nothing like the fairy tale descriptions. She didn’t sound like an innocent, adorable little girl, but more like a rambling NGO volunteer.
However, the Big Grey Wolf didn’t find anything odd about it. "Wow, you’re truly an Angel," he said. "But you should know, it’s not safe for a little girl to walk through this primeval forest alone."
An expression of offense and anger flashed across Little Red Riding Hood’s face, but she quickly suppressed it. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "I find your comment rife with gender discrimination. Are you implying that, as a little girl, I’m incapable of the mere act of ’crossing a primeval forest’? Are you implying that we women must rely on men’s help to get things done?"
"Of course not!" the Big Grey Wolf exclaimed, startled, hastily waving his hands. "How could you possibly think that? I’m just offering a little advice."
"Hmph! It better be just that."
Little Red Riding Hood spoke with righteous indignation, "Moreover, I do not believe the primeval forest is dangerous at all.
"Contemporary society’s fear of the wilderness stems from a cultural pattern instilled by a patriarchal society, one that views nature as a resource to be exploited. In this cultural pattern, natural predators—such as creatures with an appearance like yours—are typically seen by the public as competitors for natural resources and potential threats to nearby human safety.
"But I believe that, with the consolidation of Her Majesty the Snow Queen’s rule, all creatures marginalized by contemporary society can break free from their predicaments and exist freely in a manner accepted by the vast majority of beings.
"Therefore, I am not afraid of the primeval forest, nor do I believe any dangers exist within it."
Little Red Riding Hood’s speech was flawless and remarkably sophisticated. It greatly surprised the Big Grey Wolf, and even the nearby players were left stunned.
Is this still the naive Little Red Riding Hood from the fairy tales? they wondered. Why does she sound like an environmental activist at a Western media press conference?
With that said, Little Red Riding Hood ignored the Big Grey Wolf, who stood dazed, and walked straight ahead.
The Big Grey Wolf remained stunned for a second or two, allowing Little Red Riding Hood to pass by and disappear completely into the woods.
Then, before the players’ disbelieving eyes, the wolf leaped high, bounding off the trunks of towering trees. It shot out above the canopy, swift as an arrow, and sped off in a specific direction.
The players instantly realized that, following the fairy tale’s plot, the Big Grey Wolf was likely taking a shortcut to Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother’s house. He intended to eat the grandmother, put on her clothes, and wait for Little Red Riding Hood to arrive.
John Joyce leaped up from the bushes, clenching his teeth tightly. "Split up and chase!" he bit out.
That wolf’s agility probably surpassed even theirs. Though they didn’t fully grasp the situation, they certainly wouldn’t let the Big Grey Wolf seize the initiative.
Without another word, John Joyce, Julia, and Li Ang dashed through the woods after the Big Grey Wolf, while Smoker and Bob ran in Little Red Riding Hood’s direction.
Through the forest, several figures gave chase like phantoms.
Li Ang and the others were certainly not slow, but the Big Grey Wolf was unreasonably fast. Using all four paws, the giant wolf agilely maneuvered through the treetops, quickly outpacing them. It gave the players no chance to attack and, in moments, reached a brick-and-tile cottage. It dived down from above, rolled upon landing, pushed open the door, and rushed inside.
The three players had just caught up when they heard a wolf’s howl from inside. Through the window, they clearly saw the giant wolf open its cavernous, blood-red maw and swallow an old woman whole.
Afterward, the Big Grey Wolf, its belly now distended, took the old woman’s clothes from a nearby wardrobe, put them on, and climbed into bed. Just then, Little Red Riding Hood came bouncing along.
Li Ang and the others exchanged glances. Having no other choice, they leaped onto the roof and watched as Little Red Riding Hood skipped up to the cottage, pushed open the door, and went inside.