Chapter 3, Pursuit (3)
Asa stared blankly at the woman's composed and radiant face. Her beautiful, hazy eyes, straight nose, thin lips, and delicate white neck were subtly visible through her clothing. Suddenly, Asa was struck by the illusion that blood was tragically flowing from there, and he shuddered violently.
Asa suddenly felt a deep sense of fear. Fear of the tenderness contained within those squinting eyes, the stubbornness reflected in the thinly pressed lips. The woman still wore that expression, yet Asa was completely engulfed by the terror arising from this sudden realization of tender beauty
Gazing at the woman's beautiful and gentle face, along with the ghastly wound on her neck, he felt his own injury with his hand. Sadness, sorrow, fear, and pain enveloped Asa tightly, much like the surrounding darkness, causing Asa to suddenly awaken
However, confusion is of no use. This is indeed the most efficient method; once the pursuer expends energy and time on the chase of the woman, the likelihood of his own escape increases significantly. Even if he kills the woman and then resumes tracking himself, his advantage in stamina would also enhance his chances of victory. Asa shook his head, trying to focus all his energy on running step by step.
After such a long distance, the sound from https://wwwhetushu.com has become very faint, yet it strikes like a massive hammer on Asar's heart. Instantly, the dream from last night surfaces in his mind, the woman's throat with that piercing wound is vividly clear. He stands frozen in place, unable to move.
A few strands of black hair clung to her thin lips, which were pressed into a slightly constrained arc. Her drooping eyes squinted, and the long eyelashes held a hint of hazy laughter. It was only upon closer inspection that one could truly appreciate the beauty of this woman.
The blade slices through the skin, tears through the muscle, severs the trachea, and then cuts the artery, the muscle breaking apart as it emerges from the other side of the neck. This sensation is vividly clear, distinctly felt from the fingertips to the wrist, to the elbow, to the arm, ultimately resonating directly to the heart, layered and profound, akin to a magnificent poem. Then, the bright red blood flows passionately and exuberantly from the woman's body, allowing Asa to indulge in its warmth.
He did not jump into the river to hide his scent, nor did he mind leaving footprints on the soft mud that even the most visually impaired mice could see clearly. He did not run fast; this speed was the most efficient use of his stamina. He was well aware that any disguise would be futile in the eyes of the hunter, and such obvious traces would instead confuse him
A scent reminiscent of lizards wafted through the air, which repulsed the hunter. He was indifferent to any connection between the two creatures, simply finding them distasteful. If it were not for these nightly intruders forcing him to wait in the tree hollow until dawn alongside his prey, he could have driven the prey to collapse from sleeplessness in just one day and night. If it were not for the foul odor that nearly dulled his sense of smell, he would not have been delayed by a trick that almost deceived him, nor would he be here, distracted by the distant glow of fire. If it were not for these nightly intruders forcing him to wait in the tree hollow until dawn alongside his prey, he could have driven the prey to collapse from sleeplessness in just one day and night. If it were not for the foul odor that nearly dulled his sense of smell, he would not have been delayed by a trick that almost deceived him, nor would he be here, distracted by the distant glow of fire
Do not be too agitated, do not be too agitated, maintain calm, maintain calm. The hunter reminded himself once again. Everything he would see tomorrow must be observed carefully, considered thoroughly, and he must not be deceived by any illusions. Remember to be wary of illusions, be cautious of illusions
However, the hunter immediately reminded himself not to lose his composure. In the face of such a cunning prey, losing one's cool would only lead to falling into a trap. Undoubtedly, this was definitely a setup, or perhaps a continuation of the trap from earlier in the day.
The bipedal dragons swoop past the treetops, and the gusts of air they create can be felt even within the tree hollows. These enormous flying creatures exert absolute dominion over the swamp at night, including all warm-blooded animals in their diet, even the bison, which are similar in size to them.
Are you provoking me? The hunter thought furiously. Are you telling me: you are right there, come over, so I can rip your heart out?
Do you think I can be easily fooled? Are you still proud of that mind which I am about to twist off and savor slowly?
At that moment, a faint and indistinct scream echoed from the depths of the swamp
The hunter felt pleased with his calm thoughts and let out a loud snort.
The river is not far away; tomorrow morning, I will run with all my strength to pursue it, and then end this hunt in a very satisfying manner. The hunter let out an excited snort, gripping the powerful weapon in his hand. The brain matter and blood on it had formed a thin crust, becoming part of this weapon. Along with the *illustration*.
Certainly, the pursuer still has the possibility of following this true trail, but after passing the previous trap, he will definitely have concerns, making this possibility relatively small. Asa suddenly realized that he was actually looking forward to the sound of the pursuer's footsteps behind him
Then he realized that the wound he had just inflicted was not only on the woman's throat, but also on his own. As he touched the wound on his neck, the clear and distinct sensation of cutting it echoed in his chest. He wanted to fill the wound with that feeling, but he was powerless to do so. Asa began to moan in immense pain.
The pale light of dawn has already appeared in the east, and the calls of the bipedal dragons are gradually fading away. These creatures began to spiral from the edge of the swamp, flying back to their nests deep within the marsh. The position of the hunters is closer to the depths of the swamp, which gives Asa the advantage of an earlier departure.
However, after running for less than half an hour, he saw a large river stretching out before him. He felt a mix of laughter and tears. Everyone, including the pursuers, had miscalculated. Perhaps due to the rainy season, the river water had diverted from the low-lying marshy areas, flowing directly through the swamp.
What is the purpose of lighting a bonfire? Is it to eat and replenish energy? Do you know that I have already seen https://mhetushucomcom and have fallen into your trap? Or is this yet another trap?
However, Asa did not show much interest in this precious time. Instead, he squatted by the extinguished campfire, numbly watching the woman crush water mint and pyrethrum with stones before applying them to her clothes and skin. Even now, the sensations left by the nightmare still echoed in his mind, like trying to shake off sticky mucus that just wouldn't go away, leaving his thoughts still in a haze. Fortunately, he could genuinely feel that his strength had almost completely recovered.
The woman, however, seemed to have slept quite well. After finishing her application, she began to nimbly tidy up her things, all the while not forgetting to chat with him: "You had a terrible nightmare last night, it woke me up. I was actually going to wake you up."
After watching the woman's silhouette disappear into the morning mist, Asa began to run in the direction of the river.
The woman had already packed her belongings and bid him farewell: "Goodbye, if there is a chance in the future, you can come to the Duke of Mralak's residence in the royal capital to find me." She broke into a smile that made the morning mist seem tender and gentle. "My name is Xiaoyi"
There is no chance left. It is either your death or mine. Asa completely could not face that smile and merely stared at the ground, responding with a faint acknowledgment.