The Silver Alley
The streets of Xiangcheng were quieter now, but the tension lingered like a thick fog. Lin Yue's footsteps echoed against the cobblestones as she followed the stranger through a maze of narrow alleys.
"Who are you?" she asked, keeping her voice steady despite the unease curling in her stomach.
"I am Shen Wei," he replied, his eyes never leaving the shadows. "And you… are far from safe here."
Lin Yue's brow furrowed. "Safe from what? From some stray dog?"
Shen Wei's lips twitched in what might have been amusement. "Not a dog," he said softly. "Not anything you've ever known."
They turned into a side alley where the lanterns burned dimmer, the walls closing in with age and neglect. A faint rustle came from above—a cat? Or something heavier. Lin Yue swallowed hard.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked, suspicion sharpening her tone.
Shen Wei glanced at her, his gaze piercing. "Because if you survive tonight, you will need someone who knows the city's shadows… someone who understands what hunts in them."
Lin Yue felt a chill. "And if I don't survive?"
He hesitated. "Then the city will claim you, like it claims so many before."
A howl broke the silence again, closer this time, urgent and full of hunger. Lin Yue froze. Shen Wei's body tensed, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike.
"Stay behind me," he instructed, his hand brushing hers, barely touching, yet the warmth of it anchored her. "Move only when I tell you."
From the darkness, shapes emerged—tall, hunched figures with glinting eyes. Lin Yue's heart raced; every instinct screamed to run, yet she remained rooted by fear and fascination.
Shen Wei stepped forward, his shadow stretching long under the flickering lantern light. His voice carried an authority that demanded attention. "Leave her," he commanded.
The figures hesitated, snarls curling through the night. A silver glint caught Lin Yue's eye—daggers, knives, and strange talismans clutched in their hands. This was no ordinary pack; this was a hunting ground for the unseen rulers of Xiangcheng.
The leader of the shapes stepped forward, eyes like molten gold. "Heed the rules, Shen Wei," it hissed. "The girl is claimed."
Shen Wei's jaw tightened, a low growl escaping him that didn't belong entirely to a human throat. "Not tonight," he said. "Tonight, she walks free."
Lin Yue felt the pulse of something ancient and dark within the alley, a force she could not yet name. The city held its breath, and so did she, standing between life and the unknown, between a stranger and the creatures of the night.
The air vibrated with the promise of danger and the allure of secrets, and Lin Yue understood for the first time that Xiangcheng's shadows were alive—and they were watching her.