Chapter 1: Pursuit (I)
Very good luck, and soon three non-venomous worms were found among the surrounding grass and bushes. They were as large as a finger, wriggling energetically in hand. Grasping the head with a finger, one then slowly tightened the grip, causing green excrement to be expelled. Care must be taken not to apply too much pressure to avoid bursting the worm's body, which would cause the nutritious juice to splatter, while also trying to expel any potentially toxic excrement. This is an extremely refined skill, and after several days of practice, Asa had become quite proficient.
On the sludge formed from decaying matter, Asa, moving its limbs like a scavenging lizard, fervently prays
The sunlight was fragmented and scattered by the branches. The damp ground transformed the sun's remnants into a veil that lingered between the tree's foliage and the earth. In this stifling and humid shroud, all swamp life grows rapidly, only to swiftly perish for the sake of other life, with even the rapid decay appearing vibrant and lively
The scent of blood rose from the stomach. The throat, acting on its own accord, emitted a low growl, dull and ambiguous, distant and prolonged, not as if it originated from an organ, but rather from some fold within the soul.
I only need a rotten stroke of luck now
During these three days, Asa feigned the desperate flight that a hunted prey would exhibit. His physical stamina declined rapidly, as if he were truly fleeing for his life. Without the ability to make a fire, he lacked sufficient food. In the lizard swamp, consuming the flesh of any animal would be tantamount to seeking death, as the parasites within could be fatal to the human body. Instead, he could only search for some non-toxic insects to eat raw. Although the fresh blood of animals was safe and could provide a slight supplement, it was insufficient to compensate for the sweat and energy lost through extensive exertion. The scarcity of salt and food had nearly reached the limits of endurance, and he had to conclude the authentic illusion he had created over these three days with an action that allowed for not a single mistake.
The skull must remain undamaged, along with the books. Slowly excavate the brain matter from the eye sockets and consume it, then strip away the flesh. Invite the finest craftsmen to polish the skull. This perfect trophy can be placed upon the ancestors' tomb. As a sacrifice, it serves as a testament to the tribe's pride in their advanced hunting skills.
The tender insect flesh quickly turned into a thick paste between the teeth, the slippery bitterness clinging to the taste buds like the swamp air sticking to the skin. Asa meticulously ground it with his teeth, carefully searching with his tongue for any larger chunks of meat that might have been missed, ensuring that every part of the insect could be reduced to the smallest possible unit for easier digestion. Every drop of nutrition was precious, a source of energy for what lay ahead, a hope for survival. Asa meticulously ground it with his teeth, carefully searching with his tongue for any larger chunks of meat that might have been missed, ensuring that every part of the insect could be reduced to the smallest possible unit for easier digestion. Every drop of nutrition was precious, a source of energy for what lay ahead, a hope for survival.
He remembered this sound; at the age of three, he hid in a tree and watched several hunters in the village surround an injured wolf. He was shaken by the low growl emitted by the wolf, not out of fear, but because it resonated with a string deep within his soul. After that, he became obsessed with understanding the language of animals for a period of time
The hunter quietly watched a large group of scavenging lizards eagerly fighting over the carcass of a mountain mouse. He detested the strong odor of the slime on these ugly scavengers, which was too overpowering for his sensitive sense of smell. A larger lizard triumphantly seized the carcass and turned to flee, while the others immediately swarmed after it, disappearing into the forest, leaving behind a dug-out pit and traces scattered across the ground
He focused all his attention on this ugly action, carefully controlling every muscle in his body, ensuring that he lay as flat as possible against the ground, leaving no noticeable marks on the soft, muddy surface. Any loss of control or lack of coordination in his movements would completely nullify three days of meticulous planning
The pursuer was not exerting full effort to chase him. This was not a hunt; the pursuer did not wish to catch up to him quickly, risking injury and engaging in a desperate struggle like a cornered beast. This was hunting, a continuous pursuit of the prey, allowing it to weaken gradually in fear and frantic flight, waiting until there was absolute certainty before approaching, killing it as one would crush a mouse, and severing its head. Regardless of physical factors or survival skills in this swampy forest, he could not escape the pursuit. Both the pursuer and the prey were well aware of this.
The air is filled with the strong, distinctive odor of the marsh lizard. The hunter crouches down, carefully examining every trace on the ground. Although the lizard's movements and its scramble for food have left the surrounding area in disarray, the hunter's exceptional observational skills and experience allow the traces of this prey to remain visible, and with some time, all the signs in the vicinity can be thoroughly investigated.
However, the hunter immediately discovered with astonishment that all traces ended here and did not extend in any direction
Now, the hunter feels that he has enough confidence.
I revisited every detail in my mind. There were no flaws, and a profound joy of impending survival welled up within me. Now, the only issue was the corpse of the mountain mouse; it had to decay sufficiently before the hunters arrived, enough to emit a certain odor.
He now understands that the sound was originally meaningless, merely a scream of life in the face of the threat of death, a release of the intense will to survive and the nearly frenzied animalistic instincts overflowing within his heart
However, merely having a considerable degree of confidence is insufficient. This is not a battlefield, but a hunt; one must gradually evolve a considerable degree of confidence into a sufficient degree of confidence. Since yesterday, the footprints have begun to gradually weaken and become insubstantial.
With the knife strapped to his back, he carefully examined himself, trying to smooth out every protrusion of his clothing. Like a cautious sentinel stepping onto a narrow watchtower, he gingerly stepped onto the freshly covered mound of earth where he had just buried the mountain mouse. Then, he slowly crouched down, lying flat like a gigantic, deformed worm, gradually inching toward a puddle of dirty water nearby
I do not want to die
From a human perspective, this prey is quite remarkable, exhibiting excellent speed, agility, and strength. The hunter is very interested and has considerable confidence in being able to kill it in a direct confrontation
Close to the ground, the most sensitive sense of smell on the entire continent finally discerned a hint of the scent he hoped to find from the pungent odor emitted by the slime on the lizard and the decay of the soil. This scent extended towards the sewage puddle
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly sinking into the chest-deep sewage without causing a single splash. The weight of the knife was just enough to keep him from floating, as he stirred the silt at the bottom and moved towards the direction of his memories. This pool of sewage led to a temporary stream formed by the rainy season; he had come here intentionally and had specifically chosen this terrain to bury the body, everything was part of the plan
There are a few places on the body that ache slightly; leeches have attached themselves. Asa chose to ignore them, as they will release their grip once they have consumed enough blood. Forcing them off would only leave their suckers embedded in the skin, leading to infection. The most important thing now is to swim as far away as possible before the next breath.
A long-lost exhilaration filled the entire body of the running hunter, a sensation that had only surged within him when he had just matured, while pursuing the most beautiful female of his tribe.
This completely exceeds the scope of experience accumulated over many years by the tribe of hunters. ... Escape, concealment, gradually declining physical ability ... . The hunter can only rely on his own mind to connect these elements, hoping to derive something beyond mere experience. However, a mind lacking logical reasoning skills finds it difficult to accomplish this task. When he realizes that he is, as the fugitive hoped, gradually falling into a strange trap, an uncontrollable rage seizes all his thoughts. However, a mind lacking logical reasoning skills finds it difficult to accomplish this task. When he realizes that he is, as the fugitive hoped, gradually falling into a strange trap, an uncontrollable rage seizes all his thoughts.
Asa was acutely aware of the disparity in abilities between himself and the pursuers. He vividly recalled how the heads of the two infantrymen from the third squad had been smashed to pieces like watermelons in an instant. Now, the only advantage he could rely on was his insight into the intentions of the other party
One must take the opportunity while alive to extract the heart, to tear apart that warm, still beating entity between the teeth, and swallow it down the throat along with the freshest blood contained within, transforming the cunning it embodies into one's own strength
In the afternoon, the sun, rarely seen in the lizard swamp, made a brief appearance
You are my good prey
Using a knife, he dug a pit approximately one foot deep in the ground to bury the corpse of the mountain mouse. For the past three days, each time he killed an animal, he would generously expend his precious energy to bury the corpse.
Yet this is also a peculiar prey. Although it is indeed being pursued, the footprints do not exhibit the disarray and panic typical of a hunted animal. The feeble steps reveal a strange sense of determination; it is not merely a frantic escape, but rather something else is concealed within.
An incomprehensible mindset, foolish mistakes, there seems to be a tenuous connection between the two, a feeling that makes the hunter feel somewhat strange. However, it is merely a sense of strangeness; after catching up, killing, and decapitating, there is nothing left to be curious about. No animal can escape its pursuer in this swampy forest. The hunter has absolute confidence in this. Absolute. No animal can escape its pursuer in this swampy forest. The hunter has absolute confidence in this. Absolute.
The blade tightened around the neck, and the body in hand suddenly tensed and convulsed, emitting tremors that seemed disproportionate to its small size, as if it were about to unleash every drop of life contained within. As the warm, foul liquid gradually dripped into the mouth, the trembling in the fingers also gradually waned, eventually dissipating. Asa exerted all his strength to squeeze the mountain rat, indifferent to the contents of the stomach being expelled alongside it. Only when the last drop of bodily fluid slowly dripped down did Asa release the mountain rat, which had been twisted and deformed, and extend his tongue to lick the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Some steps were somewhat unsteady yet not frantic, leaving no trace of retreating footsteps behind. Instead, they merely circled around the surrounding bushes, likely in search of food. The pursuer could even determine that the first food he found was likely a bug located beneath two specimens of the fern. The front halves of the two footprints there were slightly deeper, indicating a shift in the center of gravity due to bending down. However, beyond that, nothing else was discovered. The footprints ceased abruptly at the pit where the body was originally buried. The front halves of the two footprints there were slightly deeper, indicating a shift in the center of gravity due to bending down. However, beyond that, nothing else was discovered. The footprints ceased abruptly at the pit where the body was originally buried.
The concealment of movements over the past three days has been quite effective, yet a foolish mistake has been consistently made—burying the carcasses of animals that have been drained of blood. This is entirely counterproductive, as lizards will dig up the corpses drawn by the scent of decay to consume them. Pursuers need only follow the foul odor of the large groups of lizards to track them down.
Three days of raw flesh and blood, coupled with extreme tension and the brink of physical exhaustion. The looming threat of death trailing behind him and his intense will to survive, the torment of both nearly transformed him into a complete beast. However, fortunately, reason still dominated all his actions
A lizard crawled back, shaking its head, sniffing around the edge of a pit, hoping to discover some benefits. However, it immediately became the target of a nearby enraged creature's outburst. Its massive body was sent soaring high into the air by a violent strike, then fell into a pool of sewage, splashing filth and mud everywhere. Along with the muddy water that washed ashore, several leeches awkwardly wriggled their swollen bodies, which had become round from feeding, trying to return to the water. The predator noticed this, picked one up for a closer look, and with a snap, crushed it, tasting the liquid that flowed out. Along with the muddy water that washed ashore, several leeches awkwardly wriggled their swollen bodies, which had become round from feeding, trying to return to the water. The predator noticed this, picked one up for a closer look, and with a snap, crushed it, tasting the liquid that flowed out. Then, a grim expression appeared on its face, one that other species could not comprehend.