Beyond this patch of grass, there was no ambush as I had expected.
Only a bizarre, multi-colored bird!
This strange bird, about the size of my forearm, was covered in patches of various vibrant colors.
Its eyes were an intense crimson, and when it stared at me, it felt as though it were prying into my very soul.
What was even more unsettling was the way its throat pulsed.
Strange calls emanated from it!
It was this very bird, calling out my name!
It stood perched on a half-rotted tree stump. Seeing me approach, it showed no alarm, but continued its eerie calls, beckoning me.
What in the world was this creature?
My brow furrowed. I didn't rush forward, but stepped back a pace, standing amidst the foliage, watching the peculiar bird in thought.
This bird, much like a parrot, must possess a degree of intelligence, capable of mimicking human sounds.
But where had it heard my name?
Could it have seen Qu Xiangyun?
That's it, it must be!
After a moment's contemplation, I was overjoyed. This strange bird must have overheard Qu Xiangyun calling my name and remembered it!
This proved my path was correct; Qu Xiangyun must be somewhere nearby!
But where exactly?
Had I missed something during my trek earlier in the day?
The unexpected information from the strange bird solidified my conviction that I was on the right track.
I took a few steps forward, intending to capture the bird and see if it could reveal any more information about me.
As I neared the strange bird, my inner alarm bells blared!
The ground beneath my feet began to churn.
Not good!
The wooden stump before me suddenly splintered apart, revealing a foul-smelling maw.
It lunged towards me!
At the critical moment, I sharply bent my knee, deflecting the gaping mouth to the left.
Then, I rapidly retreated.
The owner of the monstrous jaws, struck by my sudden blow, let out a pained cry.
Its voice was hoarse and terrifying, clearly the sound of a ferocious beast!
After I retreated back into the bushes, establishing a safe distance, I looked back towards the strange bird.
What I saw sent a shiver down my spine.
There, where the tree stump had been, a colossal beast lay crouched. It was nearly three meters long, resembling a crocodile, its body caked in mud.
It had clearly been lying in wait here for an unknown amount of time.
What was even more astonishing was that the strange bird’s tail was seamlessly connected to this colossal, crocodile-like beast, forming a bizarre symbiosis!
It was like nature’s own version of entrapment!
Though the scene was utterly bizarre, in the face of such life-threatening danger, not a moment could be wasted.
I crouched low, every muscle tensed, circling the beast, searching for a weakness.
Against a monster like this, I had to be quick and decisive, delivering a single fatal blow. Engaging in a protracted battle would surely lead to my demise.
While observing the beast, I noticed an apparent injury on its left forepaw. Even through the mud, a faint trace of blood seeped out.
This discovery filled me with elation.
If this beast was hindered in its movement, it was merely a caged animal.
Cautiously maintaining a safe distance, I unhooked my alloy blade from my waist and drew my revolver.
The beast seemed to sense the danger, opening its massive jaws and growling menacingly in my direction.
Its roars were terrifyingly chilling.
I spat on the ground.
Roar all you want. Soon, I’ll ensure you can never open your mouth again!
Raising my revolver, I fired repeatedly at the beast’s injured left forepaw.
The creature thrashed its head, howling, and rolled rapidly in the mud, as if trying to evade my shots, but to no avail.
Bullets bloomed like crimson flowers on its left forepaw.
I fired a few more shots, breaking its forepaw, then targeted its vulnerable eyes and mouth.
Before long, the monster’s cries grew weaker, eventually falling silent.
I didn't approach immediately. In this jungle, caution was never a bad thing. To falter at the last hurdle would be a tragedy.
After a considerable wait, and confirming the beast was completely still, I slowly approached to claim my spoils.
Looking at the now-lifeless creature, I couldn't help but marvel at the endless wonders of nature!
With the monster's demise, the strange bird, which had been connected to its tail, also ceased to move.
These two seemingly unrelated creatures had shared a symbiotic bond of life and death.
After my moment of reflection, I drew my alloy blade, intending to dismember the monster. However, when the blade struck its hide, it produced a sound like metal clashing against metal.
Several subsequent blows failed to even scratch its surface.
It was then I realized how fortunate I was not to have engaged it in hand-to-hand combat. With such formidable armor, a direct confrontation would have undoubtedly made me its prey.
The day was rapidly fading, as dark as ink.
Having already slept very little, and then being awoken in the dead of night to battle this monster, I was feeling quite exhausted.
Thus, I temporarily buried the monster with soil, to prevent other beasts from being drawn by the scent of blood, and returned to camp.
I planned to deal with it the following day.
The rest of the night passed uneventfully, with no further disturbances. I slept soundly until dawn.
Upon waking, I quickly made my preparations and headed to where I had buried the monster the previous night to process its carcass.
After exerting myself to break down the monster’s body, something unexpected occurred.
Within its stomach, I discovered a partially digested piece of animal hide!
Holding the hide in my hand and examining it, my expression immediately soured.
This was the material of Qu Xiangyun's backpack, as I recalled!