His laughter, clear and brimming with delight, rippled outward all at once, jarringly out of place amid the silent night. Soon, Wang Zongjing’s laughter faded, the joy draining from his face. He coughed twice and glanced at the heavy darkness around him. The tall trees and deep shadows between them swayed, as if some eerie gaze was fixed on him from the blackness. His heart skipped a beat. He dared not dwell on the thought and spun around, sprinting back the way he had come. *“Roar…”* Suddenly, a low beastly growl rumbled from the small woods beside the path ahead. Two faint, reddish glimmers lit up deep within the forest shadows. Wang Zongjing halted instinctively. A shiver of cold dread swept down his spine, and he held his breath without a sound.
