Farolynch ran swiftly along the rough road beside the river, keeping an eye on the wilderness as he went.
There were no real cities nearby, and the population was far from dense. All the human settlements had been built along the river, so if something was preying on people, he only needed to follow the river to find it.
At Farolynch's speed, he reached an upstream village in half an hour. Several dogs at the entrance saw a stranger appear in the night and immediately began barking together.
Farolynch glanced at the village, then at the dogs gathering around him. His figure blurred before their eyes and vanished.
He abandoned his search of this village outright and headed farther ahead.
He passed through three villages in succession without noticing any serious problems, until he stood outside a fourth in the latter half of the night.
Thin clouds veiled the moonlight overhead, making the village look even darker. It was utterly silent. There was not even the chirping of insects, let alone barking dogs.
Farolynch hesitated, then chose to enter the village directly along the main road.
An uninhabited village alone would not have been strange. The devastation of war came not just from fighting, but from upheaval. Unrest had preceded the war in Jinsibia, and with the population plummeting, empty villages and even deserted towns were hardly rare.
But the absence of any sound from stray cats, dogs, or insects throughout the village was troubling.
After Farolynch entered the village, the night wind seemed to change direction. Instead of blowing at his back, it blew into his face, carrying a rotten stench into his nostrils and making him frown.
He did not have to search far. A glance around was enough to reveal bodies-human bodies.
"This is..."
Farolynch stopped. He