Deadly Battle in the Dense Forest, Traces Lost at Midnight

The bushes ahead slowly parted.

A massive monster stepped out.

It was a beast that resembled a tiger in appearance.

However, its size was two or three times larger than any tiger on Earth, with a shoulder height of at least two meters.

Its body was covered in black and white fur, with every single hair standing on end like a steel needle.

What was most striking was its forehead.

Instead of the "king" character marking, a purple crystal was embedded there, emitting an eerie glow.

"What kind of monster is this?"

Lu Chongwei's pupils constricted, and he cursed his luck inwardly.

The pressure this tiger exerted on him was even greater than that of the Tyrannosaurus Rex he had encountered when he first transmigrated.

The tiger monster did not give him time to think.

It let out a low growl, and the crystal on its forehead lit up once more.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

Three more energy orbs shot out in succession, sealing off all of Lu Chongwei's escape routes.

Lu Chongwei gritted his teeth, a flash of ferocity in his eyes.

Can't dodge!

Then I'll take it head-on!

He took a sharp breath, the mysterious energy within his body surging wildly as it gathered in his arms.

"Get out of my way!"

Lu Chongwei roared, his fists punching out like cannonballs leaving their chambers.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two of the light orbs were forcefully shattered by him in mid-air.

The violent explosion left his arms numb, the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers split open, and blood streamed down.

But the third orb was unavoidable.

"Boom!"

The orb exploded against his left shoulder.

Excruciating pain swept through his entire body in an instant.

Lu Chongwei let out a muffled groan as he was blasted backward, slamming heavily into a tree trunk.

"Cough, cough..."

He coughed violently, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

His left shoulder was charred black, the flesh torn and mangled, a shocking sight to behold.

But the tiger monster did not stop there.

It bent its hind legs slightly and pushed off the ground, its massive body turning into a blur as it lunged at Lu Chongwei to finish him off.

Its sharp claws carved cold streaks through the air, aiming straight for Lu Chongwei's throat.

At this life-or-death moment.

The cowardice in Lu Chongwei's eyes vanished, replaced by a fierce, wild instinct.

Enduring the agonizing pain, he ducked low.

He narrowly avoided the lethal claws.

Then, in that split second, he grabbed the tiger's tail, which felt like an iron whip.

"Up!"

Lu Chongwei bellowed, his entire body's strength erupting.

He actually managed to swing the thousand-pound tiger monster into the air.

"Bang!"

The tiger monster was slammed hard against the ground.

But the monster had thick skin and flesh; this blow did not cause much damage.

It quickly flipped back onto its feet, its eyes burning with even greater malice.

Lu Chongwei knew he could not afford to linger.

The monster's ranged attacks were too bizarre, and since he was so close to the river, the sounds of the fight might attract even more powerful predators.

Using the recoil from that last strike.

Lu Chongwei turned and ran.

He darted through the dense forest, utilizing the complex terrain to dodge the energy orbs trailing behind him.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions erupted continuously at his back, sending trees toppling and stone fragments flying.

Lu Chongwei didn't dare look back.

Gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his shoulder, he sprinted with every ounce of his strength toward the cave.

He didn't know how much time had passed.

The commotion behind him finally began to fade away.

Lu Chongwei dared not let his guard down; he circled around several more times, and only after confirming he wasn't being tracked did he cautiously slip into the cave.

The moment he entered, he collapsed onto the ground.

"Huff... huff... that was damn close."

Lu Chongwei gasped for air, his face filled with the relief of having survived a brush with death.

He looked absolutely wretched.

His face was bruised and swollen, his body covered in abrasions, and his left shoulder was a bloody mess.

He struggled to sit up and, by the faint moonlight filtering into the entrance, inspected his injuries.

"It's fine, just superficial wounds. No bones broken."

Lu Chongwei winced, hissing in pain as he disturbed the wound.

Although it looked terrifying, he knew his body possessed an astonishing recovery rate.

Injuries of this magnitude would be mostly healed by tomorrow morning after a good night's sleep.

Enduring the pain, he cleaned his wounds as best he could.

He then cut a small piece of meat from the Flying Fish and swallowed it raw.

He needed to replenish his energy after being injured, and he couldn't afford to worry about whether it was cooked or not.

After eating, Lu Chongwei dragged his exhausted body to the cave entrance.

He gathered some weeds and branches, carefully camouflaging the opening while leaving a few small holes for ventilation.

Only after finishing this did he stagger over to the stone bed and lie down.

Exhaustion washed over him like a tide.

The moment his head hit the makeshift pillow, he fell into a deep sleep.

Late at night.

The forest fell into a deathly silence.

Only the occasional chirping of insects broke the eerie stillness.

Inside the cave, Lu Chongwei breathed evenly, seemingly lost in a pleasant dream.

However.

Right at the stroke of midnight.

Lu Chongwei, who had been fast asleep, suddenly sat up.

His eyes remained tightly shut; he hadn't opened them at all.

Yet his movements were exceptionally fluid, without a hint of hesitation.

It was as if an invisible soul were controlling his shell.

Lu Chongwei stood up from the bed, standing stiffly in the center of the cave.

The corners of his mouth curled up, revealing a strange, eerie smile.

His lips parted slightly, letting out a low, weathered sigh:

"Sigh! Truly weak..."

This voice did not belong to an eleven or twelve-year-old boy.

It carried an arrogance that looked down upon all living things, and an indifference born of ages past.

Then, he shook his head slightly, seemingly extremely dissatisfied with the current state of this body.

The next second.

A bizarre scene unfolded.

Lu Chongwei's figure vanished into thin air in an instant.

There was no warning, nor any fluctuation of energy.

The entire cave was empty, as if he had never existed at all.

Even Lu Chongwei himself, still fast asleep, remained completely unaware.

He was actually sleepwalking.

Furthermore, he had gone to an incredible place.

Early morning.

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the cave entrance, spilling onto the stone bed.

The crisp chirping of birds echoed through the forest.

Lu Chongwei's eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.

He instinctively stretched, his bones popping and cracking with a series of sharp snaps.

"Hm? It doesn't hurt anymore?"

Lu Chongwei sat up abruptly, reaching out to touch his left shoulder.

The wound that had been a mangled mess of flesh was now completely healed, leaving behind only a faint pink mark.

Even the scrapes and bruises on his body had vanished without a trace.

He felt full of energy and brimming with strength.

"This recovery speed is practically a cheat code."

Lu Chongwei exclaimed in pleasant surprise.

Although he had long known his recovery was strong, experiencing this miraculous overnight healing still felt unbelievable every time.

In high spirits, he hummed a little tune as he prepared to get dressed and rise.

However.

Just as his hand reached toward the side of the bed, his movements suddenly froze.

His gaze was locked firmly onto the side of the bed head.