"Waaaaah!"
The crying startled the forest birds, sending them darting into the air, stirring the wind into eerie whispers.
Already uneasy in the ominous atmosphere of the forest, Zhao Yuanwang felt even more irritable and alarmed upon hearing the crying. He lashed out with a sharp slap to the boy's face.
The boy's cheek swelled, red and puffy.
"Cry, cry, cry—what's there to cry about? You little bastard, you didn't cry the whole way, but now, raised by a dog, you start bawling!" Zhao Yuanwang snarled, cursing.
The boy froze for a moment, then opened his mouth wide and wailed even louder.
"Damn brat! I'll teach you a proper lesson today."
Zhao Yuanwang raised his hand, prepared to strike again.
Suddenly, a gust of black wind swirled through the forest, carrying a chilling rustle of dried leaves.
The already narrow mountain path seemed to tighten as the surrounding darkness pressed inward.
"Young man... "
