The giant tilted its head toward Qin Hao. A low growl mixed with scorching breath escaped its nostrils, sending small ripples across the pool of blood.
"Scrunch."
It began chewing Mo Fan's mangled corpse as if savoring a rare delicacy.
Although fear penetrated to his very bone, the survival instinct overwhelmed it. Forcing out the last shred of strength left in his body, he turned and ran madly toward the hole.
The bird blocking the entrance lunged, its beak snapping toward his leg. At the same time, Qin Hao swung his arm with all his might. By sheer coincidence, his fist smashed into the bird's eye like a hammer.
The creature shrieked in pain and recoiled.
Qin Hao didn't hesitate. He crawled forward frantically, never once looking back, sprinting all the way to the village. He only stopped when he reached his home.
His fingers couldn't reach the knock of the door before fainting.
Seven years passed by.
Qin Hao was now fifteen years old. He had grown tall, his body well built and far above average for his age. Two years earlier, he had joined the village's hunting team and quickly become one of its core members.
Today was the village's annual deer hunting competition. Qin Hao stood upright with a longbow slung across his back, exuding a mature and steady aura. Several young men stood in a row beside him, all trained hunters of the village. Villagers surrounded them from every side, some faces lit with excitement, others tight with worry.
The reason was simple, the hunters were allowed to keep their prey. That meant their families could eat meat for an entire week. Moreover, the winner would earn a nomination to become a Civil Guard.
Though remote, every village was still protected by a Civil Guard dispatched by the City Hall Council. Qin Hao had seen them before. They would arrive at fixed intervals, conduct a brief inspection, then leave without much ceremony.
"Mother… I will definitely become a Civil Guard," Qin Hao murmured, clenching his fists as excitement surged through him. He was already dreaming about becoming a guard.
In truth, his dream was to become a Civil guard. Get respected and revered by everyone, most importantly become stronger just like them. Once, he had witnessed a Civil Guard slay a giant fanged wolf that attacked the village with a single strike. From that day on, admiration took root in his heart.
Soon, the competition began. The hunters quickly disappeared into the forest, carrying their weapons and supplies.
Half an hour later, Qin Hao spotted a large horned deer. He killed it swiftly and dragged the carcass into a nearby cave. Carrying it around while continuing the hunt would have been impossible.
He then climbed a tree. Closing his eyes, he focused on his surroundings. The scent in the air, the direction of the wind, even the faintest sounds, nothing escaped his attention.
Suddenly, he leapt down and dashed in a specific direction.
After some time, he slowed to a stop.
"Why does it feel like I'm running around the same place?"
"Did I lose my way… and start moving in circles? That's impossible!"
Qin Hao immediately rejected the thought. He knew this moderately safe region like the back of his hand. There was no way he could get lost here.
"It must be my imagination…" Still, out of caution, he carved a mark into a nearby tree with his dagger before moving on.
"What?!"
To his shock, after walking straight ahead, he found himself standing beside the very same tree.
His heart thudded violently.
Qin Hao moved again. After a while, he returned to the same spot.
Again.
And again.
It had already happened sixty three times.
"How is this possible? No matter where I go or what I do, I end up here."
Suppressing his initial fear, Qin Hao forced himself to calm down. The sun was already setting, yet there was still no way out.
"Don't tell me I have to sleep in the forest…" He pulled the water gourd from his waist and took a long drink.
"The competition must be over by now… I wonder who won…" Dejected, Qin Hao sat down beside the small cave. "Looks like I'll have to give up becoming a Guard this year…"
Night descended, draping the mountains and forest in darkness. Qin Hao lay inside the cave, having blocked the entrance with branches and logs, leaving only a small opening for airflow.
The deer meat sizzled over the bonfire he had lit.
"It's almost done…" His stomach growled loudly.
After sprinkling on some seasoning, he began to eat.
"Ah… it's so good. I really love meat…" he muttered softly.
Once he finished, Qin Hao's thoughts returned to the strange events of the day.
"Was it really my imagination? Or am I truly lost? Sixty-one times… there's no way that was normal."
"I'll check again tomorrow… I'm exhausted."
Soon, he fell asleep inside the cave.
A sudden vibration woke him up. Frowning, Qin Hao crouched down and pressed his ear to the ground, trying to identify the source.
Another tremor followed, stronger than the last. He could clearly hear the earth being pounded by something massive.
"Is it a herd of wild elephants? Or those strange beasts people talk about?" Another violent tremor shook the ground, nearly sending debris raining down. This time, Qin Hao couldn't remain calm. Panic welled up inside him.
"What should I do? What's happening at this hour? If the cave collapses, I'll lose my shelter… and I might attract powerful beasts." The tremors grew stronger, each one more terrifying than the last.
He peered through the tiny opening, it was completely pitch black without a single ray of light. The forest was eerily silent, giving off a macabre sensation which enhanced his anxiety into fear.
The confidence Qin Hao had built up over the years shattered in an instant. Humans had always feared the unknown, and Qin Hao was no exception.
A fierce howling wind suddenly tore through the air, as if a storm were about to erupt. At the same time, a blinding light lit up the sky. Qin Hao's eyes widened as he stared upward. Two orbs of light, one red, one green, were violently colliding, sending dazzling sparks flying in every direction. It would have been a breathtaking sight, if not for the immense destruction those sparks caused wherever they landed.
"What am I even watching?!" Qin Hao muttered in disbelief.
As the clashing lights slowed, two human like figures emerged, floating high in the air.
One of them spoke, his voice ringing with authority.
"Ye Zhengfang, you traitor! Are you truly determined to persist until the very end?"
He wore a Civil Guard uniform, yet it was unlike anything Qin Hao had seen before. Ordinary Civil Guards dressed in ash colored attire, but this man's uniform was adorned with yellow embroidery, a golden robe draped over his shoulders.
"A superior of the Civil Guards!" Qin Hao realized in shock. In the remote village they had only heard about superior Civil guard but never seen one. They were like myths.
"Traitor?" The figure opposite let out a low chuckle, then his voice turned icy. "I no longer care what you call me."
After a brief pause, he continued, "My faith was misplaced and I will make amends for it." He wore a black robe that concealed nearly half his body, giving him an ominous presence.
"What amends could you possibly make on your own?" the superior sneered. "The Guard Chief will arrive soon. Do you really think you can escape?"
The black robed man snorted coldly. "You knew everything, yet you chose to turn a blind eye. As expected, none of you can be trusted."
"What choice did we have?" the guard replied with a shrug. "You know better than anyone that resistance is futile. Why not go with the flow and live comfortably?"
"Then you are mistaken." The black-robed man suddenly burst into laughter, laughter filled with regret and sorrow. "Today, it is me. In the future, there will be others like me… again, and again."
"So you've made up your mind," the superior guard said, a menacing smile spreading across his face. "Remember this, no matter how many traitors rise up like you, I will cut them all down."
The black robed man said nothing more. Turning away, he fled deeper into the forest, his figure soon swallowed by the shadows.