Something Terrifying Lurked Over There

Was it connected to that golden light during the day?

He opened his eyes and looked out the window. In the darkness, the snowy mountains were indistinct, with only the stars twinkling overhead.

The Wolf Cub seemed to sense something. It drowsily raised its head and whined in that direction.

"You felt it too?" Chen Hao gently stroked its head. "No rush. We'll take a look tomorrow."

The Wolf Cub nuzzled his hand, then lay down and went back to sleep.

In another yurt, however, Cai Jingwen couldn't sleep.

She lay beneath the covers, listening to Chen Siyao's steady breathing beside her, but her mind was filled with images of Chen Hao.

His composure as he stopped the raging bull with one hand, his tenderness as he picked up the Wolf Cub, his calm as he gazed into the distance from the viewing platform, and that fleeting look he had given her at the dinner table earlier.

There had been appreciation and courtesy in that look, but nothing more.

He wasn't attracted to her.

Cai Jingwen rolled over, feeling both disappointed and relieved. She was disappointed because this was the first time she had felt this way about a man, yet he showed no interest in return. She was relieved because if a man like him really did fall for her, she would probably fall even harder.

Forget it. Just let things happen naturally.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep.

Early the next morning, everyone was awakened by the rooster at the camp.

"What time is it?" Yang Wanqing fumbled sleepily for her phone. "It's only six..."

"Get up and watch the sunrise!" Chen Siyao knocked on the door from outside. "Hurry, hurry! My brother said he's taking us somewhere great!"

Yang Wanqing groaned, but climbed out of bed anyway.

Half an hour later, the group got into the car and drove along a narrow road into the mountains.

"Where are we going, bro?" Chen Siyao asked.

"In the direction of that golden light yesterday," Chen Hao said. "We'll take a look while we're out."

Li Li's expression changed. "Are we going on another dangerous adventure?"

"We're just taking a look. We might not go in," Chen Hao said. "If the route gets difficult, we'll turn back."

They drove for about an hour. The road grew narrower and narrower until it finally disappeared altogether.

"Out of the car. We'll walk." Chen Hao switched off the engine.

Everyone got out. Before them stretched an open meadow, and at its far end lay an enormous glacial lake. Its deep blue waters reflected the snowy mountains, so beautiful it hardly seemed real.

The water was an exquisite icy blue, like a sapphire sealed by the gods and nestled among the surrounding snowy mountains. A thin layer of ice covered the surface, refracting the sunlight into dazzling rays. Untouched white snow lined the shore, pristine and free of even a speck of dust.

"Wow..." Yang Wanqing's mouth fell open. "This is unbelievably beautiful!"

"It's gorgeous! What kind of heavenly place is this?!" Chen Siyao pushed open the car door and rushed out, her snow boots crunching through the snow.

Cai Jingwen followed close behind. The breeze off the lake lifted her long hair, and she closed her eyes to take a deep breath. The crisp, cool air refreshed her to her core, and all her worries melted away.

Chen Siyao held up her phone to livestream, pointing the camera at the glacial lake. Her voice trembled with excitement. "Guys! The Kunlun Secret Realm! The Sacred Glacier Lake! These views are god-tier!"

Cai Jingwen was awestruck too. The water was so clear that she could see the pebbles on the bottom. Its mirrorlike surface reproduced the sky and snowy mountains perfectly, making it impossible to tell reality from reflection.

The livestream chat had already exploded:

[Flowery Roll: Heaven on earth!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: This is so beautiful! I want to go too!]

[Five Against Two: I think I've heard of this place. It's called Ice Lake, and it formed from glacial meltwater.]

[Burfan: The color of that water is incredible. It looks like a sapphire.]

[Li Weiwei: Get closer! I want to see the details!]

Chen Siyao grabbed Li Li and ran toward the lakeshore, with Yang Wanqing following behind.

Chen Hao got out of the car holding Moontrace. The wolf cub seemed to sense the spiritual energy here. It nuzzled his palm, opened its eyes a sliver, then quickly closed them again.

His gaze swept across the lake. The spiritual energy was several times denser than it had been along the way. This was indeed a rare, spiritually rich place, but that savage aura was growing stronger too.

Cai Jingwen walked up beside him and spoke softly. "Mr. Chen, it really is beautiful here. It feels like the end of the world."

She deliberately moved a little closer. She could smell the faint, fresh scent of greenery on him, and her heartbeat involuntarily quickened.

Chen Hao gave a slight nod, his gaze still resting on the lake. "It's quiet here. A good place for Moontrace to rest."

With a single sentence, he once again dashed Cai Jingwen's little hopes. She lightly bit her lip, a trace of disappointment flashing in her eyes, but still offered a gentle smile. "Yes, Moontrace will definitely like it here."

Just as everyone was about to reach the lakeshore—

"Waaah—"

A baby's cry suddenly rang out from across the lake!

The sound was shrill and piercing, especially chilling in the silent valley. Everyone froze.

"What was that?" Yang Wanqing's voice trembled.

"It sounded like... a baby?" Cai Jingwen said uncertainly.

"Where would a baby come from out here in the middle of nowhere?" Chen Siyao's face turned pale.

Another cry rang out, louder and more anguished than before, as though something was suffering terrible pain.

Li Li's knees buckled, and she clutched Cai Jingwen's arm. "L-let's go back... Something's wrong with this place..."

The livestream chat erupted too:

[Fishing All Day: Holy shit! That sound is terrifying!]

[Yaoyao's Little Red Riding Hood: Waaah, I'm scared!]

[Fudan Dragon King: It doesn't sound like a baby. It sounds like some kind of animal.]

[Clearheaded Guy: Run! Something is definitely wrong!]

[Occult Whiz: My divination says something terrifying lurks over there!]

Chen Siyao shuddered in fright and threw herself straight into Chen Hao's arms. "Who?! Who's crying?! How could there be a baby here?!"

Yang Wanqing nearly dropped her phone into the snow, her face pale. "Th-that sound is way too scary! Why would a child be crying out here in the wilderness?!"

Li Li was so frightened her legs went weak. She grabbed Yang Wanqing's arm. "Wh-what if it's something supernatural?! Let's get out of here! This is terrifying!"

Cai Jingwen stiffened too and instinctively edged closer to Chen Hao, her voice trembling slightly. "Mr. Chen... That sound..."

Only Chen Hao's expression remained unchanged. He looked sharply toward the opposite shore, his brows drawing together slightly. Not a baby. A ferocious beast.

The livestream chat went wild, a dense flood of comments mingling fear with curiosity:

[I Am Ying Zheng: What was that sound?! I've got goosebumps all over!]

[East Gate Snowblower: There's something wrong with that crying! It's too creepy!]

[Occult Whiz: Holy shit! That sound is downright sinister! It's not human!]

[Not for the Fainthearted: Run, streamer! Don't stay there!]

[Adventure Enthusiast: There's something across the lake! I think I can hear fighting too!]

Dull sounds of combat came from across the lake, accompanied by low roars and the thunderous cracking of rocks.

Chen Hao frowned. "There's someone over there."

"Someone?" Yang Wanqing was both frightened and curious. "Then should we..."

"Let's take a look." Chen Hao was already walking toward the lake.

As his words fell, he led the way toward the shore, his steps steady and utterly fearless.

The girls exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and stayed close behind him—with Chen Hao there, they dared to face even the most terrifying things.

After about ten minutes of walking, the sounds of combat grew clearer, mingled with angry human shouts and bestial roars. They rounded an enormous rock, and the sight before them left everyone stunned!

On the shallows across the lake, an Esoteric Buddhist Monk in red robes was battling a terrifying giant beast!