The desperate vigilance Naxin had developed from years of walking this underworld made him immediately understand the other man's movement: there was danger. But just as he turned his head, a sudden scream came from the outskirts of the caravan:
"There are strange monsters!"
The voice came from the north. Naxin's expression darkened, as though the unease lingering in his heart had finally become reality. He had no time for pleasantries with Mr. Liu. With a stern face, he turned toward the direction of the shout. But the wagons surrounding the camp blocked his view, so he had no choice but to head that way through the camp.
The guards sitting around the bonfire saw him pass by with a grim expression. They failed to react for a moment and exchanged bewildered looks. Only after a while did they pick up their weapons and follow him one after another.
Naxin reached the wagons and looked north across the Qiusangze River, unable to stop himself from sucking in a cold breath. By the faint light of the starry night, he saw a dense mass of monsters surging out of the darkness to the north. The creatures looked like thin sheets of crystal. They stood on two legs, with sharp, powerful claws and long tails. Their heads were tiny, crowned with long beaks, and they looked like ghosts in the darkness.
More than a hundred of these monsters were emerging from the high hills. Their target was obviously the wagon camp. The sentry on the wagon was already too terrified to speak. His mind was filled with shock: When had the strange monsters begun appearing near the Qiusangze River? And how could there be so many?
At this point, Naxin was surprisingly able to remain calm. "Bring the flintlocks and set them