The scent of fresh blood and damp earth mingled in the cold air. After collecting the valuable parts from the young Ravener, Kai's breath was still ragged from the life-or-death battle.
Blood streamed from the wound on his arm, soaking his sleeve. But the look in his eyes was no longer the panic of prey; it was the cold clarity of a hunter.
It's not over yet, he told himself. The noise and the smell of blood would attract other things. Things more terrifying than the monster.
He knew all too well that Lom and his gang were like vultures. They were always lurking somewhere nearby, waiting for a chance to swoop in and steal from the weaker. Last time, they had taken his Zippo lighter and left him humiliated. This time, it wouldn't be so easy for them.
After stashing the valuable parts in his bag, Kai didn't leave immediately. Instead, he took some of the monster's viscera and blood and smeared it in several different directions, creating false trails to obscure his true path and force them to split up.
Then, he chose a shortcut—a narrow passage between two collapsed walls, tight enough that only a child like him could easily slip through. Along the way, he picked up an old rope and stretched it taut across the path at knee-height—a crude trap, but enough to trip up a pursuer in the dark.
He climbed onto a high pile of rubble, giving him a vantage point over the area. His heart pounded, not from fear, but from anticipation. The trap was set; now it was time to wait for the prey to fall into it.
And then, they appeared.
Three hulking figures strode into the area where the monster's corpse lay. Lom led the way, his iron hook glinting in the faint moonlight. He nudged the corpse with his foot, then scanned the surroundings with a probing gaze.
"Where's that damn brat?" one of the lackeys grumbled.
"He ran, of course," Lom sneered. "There's blood everywhere. He's badly wounded. We just need to follow the trail."
They quickly discovered the fake blood trails Kai had laid. Just as he predicted, they split up to follow the different paths. Lom motioned for the two lackeys to take two trails, while he himself took the third—the one leading straight to Kai's trap.
Kai held his breath, crouching in the shadows. The first lackey wandered into a dead end filled with barbed wire and debris. The second was busy following a blood trail leading away from the area. And Lom, with the confidence of the strong, took long strides toward the narrow passage.
Thud... Thud...
His footsteps echoed clearly. Kai tightened his grip on the knife. Closer... even closer...
Thump!
A heavy sound. Lom had tripped over the rope and crashed to the ground with a stream of vulgar curses. This was the chance!
Kai didn't pounce immediately. He waited. He knew a guy like Lom wouldn't be down for long.
As predicted, Lom scrambled up furiously, brushing off the dust. But in that moment of surprise and anger, he let his guard down. From above, Kai leaped down, not aiming for Lom himself, but for the cloth bag on his shoulder—the one holding Kai's Zippo lighter.
"Hey!" Lom shouted, startled. Quick as lightning, Kai snatched the bag, rolled on impact, and immediately dashed into the darkness of the narrow passage.
"You little shit!" Lom roared, giving chase. But his bulky frame got stuck in the tight space, unable to match Kai's agility.
Kai ran without looking back. He heard Lom's furious roars and the footsteps of the two lackeys rushing to his aid behind him. But they were too late.
He had taken back what was his. And more importantly, he had sent a clear message to Lom's gang and everyone else: Kai was no longer easy prey. He was a hunter, and a true hunter knows not just how to hunt, but also how to protect his spoils.
He ran, not in panic, but with an eerie calmness. He knew he had just overcome a new danger, and his conflict with Lom had now escalated into an irreconcilable feud.
When he finally reached his temporary hideout, Kai leaned against the cold wall, panting heavily. The bag was still secure in his hand. His wound oozed blood. But inside him, a new fire was blazing: the fire of defiance. He had fought a monster, and now, he had dared to fight his oppressors.
He was no longer just a hunter. He was becoming a warrior. And this small territory, he would not give up easily.
In the safe darkness of his hideout, Kai opened the bag. The Zippo lighter lay there, cold yet familiar. He clenched it tightly in his palm, a faint smile touching his lips. This wasn't just a victory. It was a promise for the future.