Silence stretched between them, broken only by the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. The girl continued to watch him cautiously, as if trying to determine whether he was real or just an illusion. He, on the other hand, was still trying to process her words.
"This land is abandoned… No one lives here."
But how could that be true? This place was filled with life—the trees, the river, the fresh air rich with Qi. It didn't feel like a dead land at all.
He sighed and finally decided to break the silence. "Tell me, why is this place considered abandoned?"
The girl hesitated for a moment before answering, "Because it's not just abandoned… it's cursed."
His brows furrowed slightly. "Cursed?"
She nodded, her eyes still studying him carefully. "This region was once part of a great empire, but years ago, a mysterious catastrophe occurred… Everyone who lived here vanished overnight. No trace of them was ever found, only silence and the strange energy that covered the land."
He frowned, deep in thought. "If this place is so dangerous, why are you here?"
She hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "I was running."
"From what?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she glanced around cautiously, as if expecting something to appear at any moment.
Then, before she could say another word, a new notification appeared before his eyes.
[Ding! A potential threat has been detected nearby.]
He felt something moving in the shadows between the trees. They were not alone.
"We need to leave," the girl said quickly, her voice low but urgent.
"What is it?" he asked, but he didn't need an answer—because the sense of danger suddenly spiked.
Before he could move, the ground trembled slightly, as if something massive was shifting beneath it. Suddenly, a dark aura emerged from between the trees, like an invisible entity spreading its presence through the air. He felt his body freeze for a moment, as if his very soul was trying to flee from this place.
"This… is not an ordinary creature," he whispered to himself.
The girl suddenly grabbed his arm, her eyes filled with fear. "If you want to survive, don't ask questions now. Just follow me!"
He had no choice but to agree.
The girl moved swiftly, navigating through the trees with ease as if she knew the terrain well. It was clear that she wasn't just an ordinary person. He tried to keep up with her, but every step he took, he felt like something was watching him, waiting for a moment of weakness.
Suddenly, his vision shifted for a moment, as if his mind was showing him an image of what would happen in the next few seconds—a dark entity emerging from the trees, attacking him directly.
" What was that "
He didn't think twice. He leaped to the side at the last second, and while in mid-air, he felt a wave of energy rush past him at an incredible speed, slicing a massive tree clean in half.
"What was that?!" he shouted, trying to regain his balance.
"A Shadow Wraith!" the girl responded quickly, looking at him in astonishment. "How did you know it was going to attack?"
He didn't have an answer, but he knew it had something to do with the system.
[New skill :Enhance physical capacity ]
"This… is useful."
But there was no time to think. The Shadow Wraith wasn't finished yet. He heard a strange whispering sound filling the air, as if the entity was speaking in an ancient, forgotten language. Then, in an instant, it lunged toward them again.
"This isn't good…" he muttered to himself.
But the girl suddenly looked at him and said, "If you can dodge its attacks, we might have a chance to survive. Follow me, I have a plan!"
Without hesitation, he followed her, realizing that this encounter was only the beginning… and that this world was far more dangerous than he had expected.