Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

Leaping from tree to tree, Chuyuan’s body was covered in wounds that kept spilling fresh blood, scattering it across the lush green shrubs along the way.

He hadn’t sustained such severe injuries in a long time; the last time was in the dimly lit laboratory.

Fusing the flesh and blood of Magic Beasts to create the strongest Demon soldiers was the highest order given to the Biological Relics Research Institute by the Luo Ze Empire.

It was with various expectations that Chuyuan was born from the flesh and blood of countless ape-shaped Demons.

Unlike what the high echelons of the Luo Ze Empire believed, Chuyuan didn’t yearn for battle right from birth with the savage lineage of ape Demons running through his veins.

Instead, he was like a clever yet fragile little monkey that continuously cried out like a child, seeking shelter.

He behaved so much like one that most researchers went out of their way to avoid him.

Only his Creator—Song Wu, director of the Biological Research Institute—reached out to him.

Song Wu did not look at Chuyuan as just another experiment; instead, his eyes were filled with compassion.

”No. S-012, it’s alright. You’ll adapt soon; this place is safe.”

Still young, it was the first time he felt his life being respected.

From that moment, Chuyuan considered Song Wu his real father, and under Song Wu’s protection, he grew strong.

Yet by the age of six, Chuyuan was still only the size of a macaque.

It was also at the age of six that Chuyuan learned of the world’s cruelty.

Chuyuan would never forget that day.

That day, he had been searching for his father and accidentally stumbled deeper into the institute.

When he arrived at a transparent glass window, Chuyuan stopped.

Through the glass, he saw two massive Demons snarling and ferociously tearing at each other until one killed the other.

Somewhat stooped, Song Wu, although having rushed over in an instant after receiving the report of Chuyuan’s disappearance, covered Chuyuan’s eyes immediately, yet the cruel scene still burned itself deeply into Chuyuan’s young mind.

In the days that followed, Chuyuan remained sullen, seeing the remnants of that day in everyone he encountered.

Except for one person...

Hesitant, Song Wu still entered Chuyuan’s room and revealed the institute’s harsh rule.

”I’m sorry, No. S-012, I shouldn’t have kept this from you.

You are quite intelligent, and I believe you will understand what I am about to say.

The things you saw that day, perhaps, will become your fate.

The higher-ups are not satisfied with the likes of you we have created.

Even though I barely managed to convince them with ’ape Demon creatures grow slowly, he will surely show his true strength in the future’...

Somehow, that excuse barely held up.

But, they will still keep inspecting you.

If you can’t grow as much as they hope, in the end, your fate will likely be the same as those losers in the combat lab.”

Song Wu’s face was full of helplessness.

Young Chuyuan barely understood what Song Wu meant and, with Song Wu’s help, he gradually stepped out of the shadows and accepted the institute’s cruelty.

In an attempt to compensate Chuyuan, Song Wu had snuck him out of the institute several times to witness the vastness of the world and experience human society.

No matter what Song Wu thought, at the time Chuyuan considered him his true father, increasingly yearning to help his father, to become the person his father hoped he would be...

However, even after putting in immense effort and growing taller, the scrutiny from the higher-ups left them still dissatisfied.

We’ve put in so much, and this is all we get?

My family’s dog is stronger than this.

Disheartened, the higher-ups of the Luo Ze Empire decided to initiate an assessment of Chuyuan to determine whether the Biological Research Institute was still worth the substantial investment.

Thus, Chuyuan’s ”graduation ceremony” began.

For the first time, Chuyuan stood in the center of the laboratory where he had witnessed countless death matches.

When another door swung open, an unprecedented oppressive force struck his soul—an instinctual fear.

A massive, pitch-black demon stepped out of the cage that held it.

Chuyuan could no longer remember exactly what type of creature the demon was.

All he remembered was the fierce battle, where he had exhausted all his tricks to narrowly defeat the enormous Magic Beast.

But...

He had been so caught up in his first victory, thinking he had proven his worth to the higher-ups and that he could stay, that he had completely failed to notice the Magic Beast still had a breath left in it.

The Magic Beast rose from the ground, its sharp claws piercing through Chuyuan’s chest, and this time it was Chuyuan who fell into a pool of blood.

The warm sensation of blood soaking his entire body felt just like it did now.

Back then, the inspecting officers from the Luo Ze Empire had left in disappointment, while Song Wu rushed toward him with a panicked expression.

The outcome was self-evident.

All that awaited him was the path of punishment.

Chuyuan, his body covered in bandages, sat in the infirmary, not eating or drinking, hugging his knees in the corner, silently spending the entire day.

He knew that failure faced death, yet he had still failed.

Song Wu, who had been continuously watching, slowly walked over to Chuyuan and said,

”S-012, surprisingly calm, aren’t you? Do you remember the things I once told you?”

Chuyuan didn’t know how to respond at the time because he felt that, at that point, nothing he could say would make any difference.

The hunchbacked Song Wu shook his head and sighed before leaning against the wall to stand up, then said,

”Come with me, you...

You were personally trained by my own hands.

I shall carry out the execution myself.”

Without a word, Chuyuan stood up and walked out from the corner where he was crouched, following Song Wu onto a carriage, arriving at a forest.

Near the forest, apart from the two of them, no one else was around.

”Won’t you attack? If you attack, you can be free.”

Chuyuan had forgotten what he was thinking at that time, but he remembered shaking his head persistently.

He just couldn’t bring himself to strike his father.

Song Wu let out a deep sigh and shook his head,

”Indeed, as I thought, you are a kind child.

This world is far crueler than you imagine; unrewarded efforts are the norm.

But lack of reward doesn’t mean one shouldn’t make an effort, living in despair.

Go.

Only you and I are here. I am the head of the Institute; if I say I have disposed of you, no one will doubt it.

There are many Magic Beasts in the forest, just make good use of what you’ve learned from me.

I believe surviving won’t be difficult for you.”

Song Wu paused, then continued to advise,

”If you can...

No, absolutely do not provoke adventurers, and avoid harming humans as much as possible.

To live as an ordinary beast again, perhaps, that is the best fate for you.”

Even though it was hard to part, Chuyuan knew he had grown up.

He had learned not to depend on his father anymore and knew that staying would only lead to a dead end.

In the end, Chuyuan chose to leave.