No one slept.
Not really.
They closed their eyes.
They rested.
But no one trusted the dark.
Because now—
Death didn't announce itself.
Wei Liang remained still.
Back against the tree.
Breathing steady.
But his awareness—
Spread outward.
Wider.
Sharper.
The forest had changed.
Again.
Not quieter.
Not louder.
Just—
Wrong.
Time passed.
No movement.
No attack.
That—
Was worse.
Then—
A faint sound.
Not from the group.
From beyond.
Wei Liang's eyes opened.
Slowly.
Someone—
Was missing.
No scream.
No struggle.
Just—
Gone.
The others noticed too.
A shift.
Subtle.
Then—
"…Where is he?"
No answer.
No one moved immediately.
Because moving—
Was dangerous.
Shen Jinhai stood.
"…Count."
Voices answered.
One short.
Silence.
"…Spread out," he said.
A mistake.
Wei Liang knew it immediately.
Division—
Meant weakness.
But no one argued.
Fear—
Overrode logic.
They moved.
Not far.
But enough.
Wei Liang didn't go far.
Just enough—
To see.
To hear.
To react.
The forest pressed closer.
Shadows—
Deeper.
Every step—
Measured.
Then—
He saw it.
A body.
Half-hidden.
Face—
Unrecognizable.
Throat—
Gone.
Clean.
Too clean.
Wei Liang crouched.
Examined.
No struggle.
No defense.
Instant.
His eyes narrowed.
Not panic.
Not chaos.
Skill.
Controlled killing.
Not like before.
This—
Was deliberate.
A hunter.
Wei Liang stood slowly.
Then—
A presence.
Behind him.
He moved instantly.
Sideways.
A blade passed.
Close.
Too close.
Wei Liang turned.
No face.
Just—
Shadow.
The attacker didn't stop.
Second strike.
Faster.
Wei Liang reacted—
Barely.
The blade grazed his arm.
Blood.
The attacker stepped back.
Didn't chase.
Didn't finish.
Wei Liang's eyes sharpened.
Testing.
The shadow tilted its head slightly.
Observing him.
Then—
Gone.
Disappeared into the forest.
Wei Liang didn't chase.
Didn't follow.
Because—
That would be death.
He stood still.
Breathing steady.
So this is the real one.
Not the group.
Not the fear.
This.
A single hunter.
Picking them off.
One by one.
Wei Liang exhaled slowly.
"…Good."
Because now—
He understood the game.
This wasn't chaos.
It was control.
And control—
Could be broken.
When he returned—
The group had gathered again.
Tighter this time.
More afraid.
"…Another one?" someone asked.
Wei Liang nodded once.
"Yes."
Silence.
Shen Jinhai's expression darkened.
"…Where?"
Wei Liang pointed.
No emotion.
No explanation.
They didn't ask.
Because—
They already knew.
Shen Linyue stepped closer.
"…You saw him."
Wei Liang met her gaze.
"Yes."
"…And?"
A pause.
Wei Liang answered simply.
"He's not rushing."
Silence.
Then—
"…He's hunting."
The words settled heavily.
Because everyone understood.
They were prey.
Wei Liang looked around.
At the group.
At the fear.
At the tension.
Then—
His thoughts aligned.
If we stay like this—
We die.
One by one.
Slowly.
Wei Liang exhaled quietly.
"…Then we hunt him."
The words broke the silence.
Everyone turned.
Not expecting that.
Shen Jinhai's eyes narrowed.
"…You think you can?"
Wei Liang didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"No."
A pause.
Then—
"But we can stop being prey."
Silence.
Then—
Something shifted.
Not trust.
But—
Direction.
Shen Linyue smiled faintly.
"…Now that's interesting."
Shen Jinhai didn't speak.
But—
He didn't reject it.
Which meant—
The decision was made.
Wei Liang lowered his gaze slightly.
Good.
Because now—
The hunt—
Had changed.