Loa said nothing.
He merely rose slowly, his gaze passing through the campfire's lingering glow to settle on the pitch-black forest.
There was a pair of eyes among the shadows of the trees.
Dark gold.
It was a peculiar color, not the bright gleam of gold, but a dark gold steeped in countless years, as though time had worn away its luster yet left something deeper behind.
Those eyes simply watched him.
There was no intent to attack, nor any sign of retreat. They simply watched.
The wind carried the scent of blood.
"Boss?" Wangcai sidled over and asked in a low voice, "What's that?"
Loa shook his head.
He did not move, and neither did those eyes.
After a long time-or perhaps only a moment-the eyes vanished into the darkness.
Gone.
Loa stood where he was and thought for a moment.
"Come on. Let's follow."
Wangcai froze for a moment. "Boss, it's already left. Why are we chasing it?"
"Curiosity."
Wangcai was speechless. But if the boss wanted to chase it, then chase it they would.
The man and dog followed the scent of blood.
After pursuing it for roughly half a kilometer, they saw the creature.
It lay on the ground.
It was a horse.
Its entire body was pitch-black, as black as the finest black satin, without a single stray-colored hair from head to tail. A jet-black horn rose from its forehead. At that moment, it lay on its side, its body rising and falling faintly with each breath.
Moonlight filtered through gaps in the trees and shone on it.
Strangely, its coat reflected no light. The moonlight seemed to be swallowed as it fell upon it, vanishing without a trace. Staring at it for too long actually made one's eyes feel a little dizzy.