"Hiss—"
Perhaps it was psychological, but Tang Qi felt the white mist growing denser, rubbing against his skin like a biting cold blade trying to pierce his pores and drive into his bloodstream, coating his bones with frost.
He finally understood why even Dragon Gold City, which celebrated this festival with a ceremony, still regarded it as an "ominous" omen—
Following the interwoven crimson and deep-blue radiance, he raised his head. He had thought he would only see branches and leaves wrapped in halos.
Yet the two full moons, overlapping like concentric circles, seemed to project their phantom images into everyone's field of vision.
Nothing could obscure them. They simply shone into Tang Qi's eyes.
They even seemed to have grown from the treetops, though Tang Qi knew they were truly far away.
The blue moon was holy and cold. Anyone who gazed upon it felt as though it could cleanse their soul.
But the crimson moon looked as if a bloody hole had been bored into its smooth surface.
Thick blood gurgled within the hole, seemingly ready to pour down and water the earth at any moment...
"Roar—"
Wolf howls rang out through the dense forest, one after another.
They were the calls of the cursed people.
Gravel raised his tower shield and went to the other end of the camp, ensuring that nothing dangerous could enter.
After hesitating, Kuru ran toward Dawn.
It knew whose side was safest.
At the same time, Anbi, held in his arms, seemed to have received the same summons and began to howl hoarsely—
The fur that had originally grown only on her wrists, neck, and ears visibly spread outward.
The girl's tender features twisted. As fur covered her face, she uncontrollably transformed into a snow-white wolf's head.
Tang Qi immediately used shackles