The battered bodies of the Night Wolf Gang lay sprawled around the smoldering campfire. Lin Feng wiped sweat from his brow, his heart still pounding from the fight. Jin was patching a cut on Min's shoulder, while Yu Yan and Zhang Wei rifled through the fallen thugs' packs for anything useful.
Yu Yan glanced at the eastern sky, where a faint glow hinted at dawn. "We have to move. Black Fang will return soon—and if the stories are true, we can't fight him."
Zhang Wei nodded grimly. "The gang's leader is a monster. If he finds out what happened to his men, he'll tear this whole forest apart looking for us."
Lin Feng's hand trembled as he checked his panel, feeling the new strength and the Iron Grip talent pulsing within him. I'm getting stronger… but so are the dangers.
Jin stuffed a handful of spirit stones and a rough map into his bag. "Which way?"
Yu Yan pointed toward a narrow deer trail winding between the trees. "That way. If we move fast, we can reach the old ravine by midday. The terrain's rough—Black Fang's speed won't help him much there."
Min cracked his knuckles, his stone skin fading back to normal. "Let's go. I don't want to meet this 'Black Fang' if I can help it."
They moved quickly, ducking under branches and leaping over tangled roots. Every sound in the undergrowth set Lin Feng's nerves on edge. Behind them, a distant, inhuman howl rose—a sound that sent birds scattering into the sky.
"Too late," Zhang Wei muttered. "He's found the bodies."
Yu Yan's eyes blazed. "We'll make it. We have to."
As they ran, Lin Feng found himself at the rear, his mind racing. Could he really protect these people? Would his secret ability be enough if Black Fang caught up?
The sun climbed higher, painting the forest in gold and shadow. At last, they reached the edge of a steep ravine, its crumbling sides overgrown with thorny vines. Yu Yan led the way down a narrow path, helping each person across.
Just as Lin Feng scrambled to the other side, a deep, guttural roar echoed through the trees. The ground seemed to shake with fury.
Black Fang had arrived.
Yu Yan grabbed Lin Feng's arm. "Don't look back. Just run."
They plunged deeper into the wilds, racing against the wrath of a monster.
The roar behind them grew louder, echoing through the forest like thunder. Lin Feng's lungs burned as he ran, following Yu Yan's sure-footed leaps down the ravine's twisting path. The others crashed through the undergrowth just ahead of him, urgency driving them faster than fear.
Branches whipped at Lin Feng's face. He risked a glance back—black shapes flickered between the trees, and in their midst, a monstrous figure bounded forward with impossible speed. Black Fang's eyes glinted with murderous intent, and every step he took seemed to crush the earth beneath his feet.
"Faster!" Yu Yan urged. "He's gaining on us!"
The ravine narrowed, walls pressing in, and the ground became slick with moss and loose stones. Jin slipped, barely catching himself, and Min hauled his brother upright with a desperate grunt.
Zhang Wei pointed to a break in the ravine wall ahead—a narrow tunnel between tangled roots and boulders. "There! We can squeeze through!"
The group dove for the gap. Min and Jin scrambled through first, then Yu Yan. Zhang Wei beckoned Lin Feng forward, but as Lin Feng ducked into the passage, a massive shadow loomed at the ravine's mouth.
Black Fang had arrived.
He was bigger than any man Lin Feng had ever seen, his arms corded with muscle, eyes wild with rage. He hurled a fallen tree aside as if it were a twig.
"Go!" Zhang Wei shouted, shoving Lin Feng into the tunnel.
Black Fang's roar shook the stones. He charged, reaching for Zhang Wei. For a heartbeat, Lin Feng thought Zhang Wei would be caught, but at the last instant, Zhang Wei dove through the gap. Black Fang's claws raked the rocky wall, sending shards flying.
The group tumbled out the other side of the tunnel, breathless and scraped, but alive.
"We can't stop," Yu Yan gasped. "He'll try to find another way around. We need to put as much distance between us as possible."
They staggered on, deeper into the unknown wilds, guided only by the rising sun and their will to survive.
Behind them, Black Fang's enraged howls echoed through the forest—a grim reminder that in this world, strength ruled, and mercy was a luxury none could afford.
But Lin Feng pushed himself onward, gritting his teeth as every muscle ached. The terrain grew harsher—roots snaked across the ground, and thick brambles tugged at their clothes. Jin limped, favoring his bruised leg, but Min supported him without complaint.
They pressed on, the echo of Black Fang's fury still booming behind them. Every so often, Lin Feng would glance back and see treetops swaying violently in the distance, as if something monstrous was tearing through the forest in pursuit.
Yu Yan led them in a zigzagging path, never staying on one trail for long. "He's faster than us, but he won't know which way we went if we keep doubling back," she whispered, voice hoarse.
Minutes stretched into an hour. The sun climbed, burning away the morning mist and warming their chilled skin. At last, the forest thinned, and the undergrowth opened up to reveal a rocky outcrop overlooking a winding river below.
"We'll rest here for a moment," Zhang Wei said, chest heaving. "But not long. If he's tracking by scent or spirit, we need a plan."
Lin Feng scanned the landscape, mind racing. Across the river, the land sloped up sharply—more cliffs and dense woods. "If we cross, we can use the river to mask our trail."
Yu Yan nodded. "It's risky, but it might buy us the time we need."
Jin, pale but determined, managed a shaky grin. "Anything's better than waiting for that monster to catch us."
They splashed into the cold water, wading carefully while keeping low. The current tugged at their legs, but together they made it to the far bank. There, they dragged themselves into the tall grass and lay still, listening.
For a long time, there was only the rush of water and their ragged breathing. Then, from far off, came another howl—frustrated, distant. Black Fang had lost their trail… for now.
Yu Yan sat up, wiping her brow. "We're safe… at least until nightfall."
Lin Feng felt relief wash over him, but it was laced with resolve. He'd survived his first real brush with death in this world—and learned how quickly things could change. But he also felt stronger, his mind sharper, as if the danger had unlocked something within him.
Zhang Wei looked at each of them in turn. "We can't go back. We need to keep moving, find the next safe place, and get stronger. Black Fang won't forget us."
Lin Feng nodded, determination burning in his eyes. "Let's keep going. We're not prey—we'll become hunters."
The group rose, battered but unbroken, and set off into the wilds, ready for whatever new trials awaited them.