The Shadow

Night fell.

Chenghua Avenue.

At a sewer entrance several miles from Guanghua Residential Area.

Three figures dressed in all-black combat suits felt their way forward inch by inch through the damp, foul-smelling passage.

Their movements were swift and deft. They were clearly no ordinary people.

"Old Ye, how long is this aimless search supposed to go on?"

The man in the middle raised a hand to wipe his face. The stench of the sewer made him frown, and the Knight Sword in his hand gleamed coldly.

"We're done when we catch those monsters that slipped out." Old Ye's voice grew more serious as he swept the High-Power Flashlight through the thick darkness. "We don't have to catch them all, but we should at least bring back two or three."

"If I weren't only E-Rank, I'd storm a dungeon just to see what it's like!" The swordsman slapped his scabbard with a series of clanks, his voice full of resentment.

"Give it a rest." The man at the back couldn't help teasing him. "With our E-Rank abilities, we're only a little stronger than ordinary people, and you're already dreaming about dungeons? Looking to get yourself killed?"

He patted his companion on the shoulder. "We've got a Patrol Team job, dealing with low-risk monsters, and a salary of tens of thousands a month in our pockets. What's not to like?"

"A real man's ambitions lie far and wide!" The swordsman raised his chin proudly. "How could a Patrol Team position hold me back?"

"Here you go again, dreaming your big dreams."

"Quiet!" Old Ye suddenly barked, cutting off their bickering.

He stared fixedly at the murky water flowing beneath their feet, a sharp wariness flashing in his eyes.

"Something's wrong."

The other two immediately sobered up and followed Old Ye's gaze.

On the stone walkway in the sewer, a series of twisted, winding trails stood out, like tracks left by some enormous soft-bodied creature.

"This thing's... too big to be an E-class Demonic Beast." The swordsman's expression darkened, all his earlier arrogance gone from his voice.

"It definitely isn't one of the E-Rank Octopus Monsters that slipped out of the dungeon today."

Old Ye crouched and brushed his fingertips over the marks on the stone, his brow furrowing. "An E-Rank Octopus Monster is barely a meter tall at most, but whatever made these tracks must be at least two meters!

"That's at least a D-class Monster!"

The three exchanged a glance and silently came to an understanding. They turned around and began backing away, careful to keep their steps light.

All three were E-Rank hunters, and their weapons were fairly good. If they fought together, they might be able to take down a D-class Monster.

But it wasn't worth the risk!

No matter how high the Patrol Team's monthly salary was, it wasn't worth gambling their lives over.

"Let's report it and have the higher-ups send an advanced hunter to deal with it."

"Agreed."

"No objections."

They settled on a plan in just a few words. As they carefully retreated, they took out their Walkie-Talkies.

No one noticed the strange ripples suddenly spreading through the murky water behind them, as if some enormous creature were slowly churning beneath the surface.

"Headquarters, we've found traces of a D-Rank or higher monster in the sewer at No. 16 Chenghua Avenue. Requesting backup! Requesting backup!"

Static crackled through the Walkie-Talkie, followed by the dispatcher's voice. "Please provide your exact coordinates and remain alert—"

Before the dispatcher could finish, piercing screams rang out in the sewer, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Ah—!!!"

"Old Ye! Don't come over!!! Aahhhh!!!"

Clack—

The night grew darker, its shadows thick and impenetrable.

A black figure slipped silently out through the window, his fingertips hooking around a mottled drainpipe on the outer wall as he climbed down with the agility of an ape.

The cool moonlight fell across him, outlining the bulging muscles in his arms. His movements were charged with astonishing explosive power.

The five-story drop was nothing. In just twenty or thirty seconds, the figure leaped down and landed steadily, the tips of his feet not even kicking up a speck of dust.

"The smell of blood."

As soon as Xu Feng landed, his nostrils twitched. A faint, fishy stench crept into them.

Ever since he'd trained Iron Wire Fist to perfection, not only had his strength and physique far surpassed those of ordinary people, but his sense of smell and hearing had also become as sharp as a beast's.

"Could they be those E-Rank Octopus Monsters that slipped out of the dungeon, the ones people were talking about on the forum?"

A glint suddenly shone in Xu Feng's eyes. He reached behind him and pulled a cleaver from his backpack. Its edge gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

That was right. His weapons were three cleavers he'd swiped from his own kitchen.

"Little monster, just turn into my Breakthrough Points."

Following the trail of blood, Xu Feng bent low and moved lightly, silently creeping toward its source.

He hurried onward, his feelings a tangled mess.

Excitement and impatience surged in his chest, mixed with a hint of fear of the unknown.

After all, this was his first time facing a monster. To say he wasn't nervous would be a lie.

But his burning desire for power ultimately outweighed the fear in his heart.

The farther he went, the stronger and more pungent the smell of blood became.

Its source was in the dense thicket behind Guanghua Residential Area.

Xu Feng held his breath and stepped as lightly as possible. With a cleaver clutched in each hand, he inched toward the thicket.

As he drew closer, his view finally cleared.

A black shadow was crouched among the branches and leaves, ravenously tearing at something beneath it.

"Could... someone have been killed?!"

Xu Feng's heart sank. The heavy stench of blood made his throat tighten, and cold sweat had already dampened his palms around the knife handles.

The shadow hadn't noticed him approaching at all. It kept its head down, tearing at its prey.

"Let's do this!"

Xu Feng clenched his teeth and suddenly surged forward, covering the distance in three quick strides as he charged at the shadow.

Just as his cleavers were about to fall and split the shadow in two, his movements abruptly froze.