The sun goes to rest, the sky dusted last rays of light, it was time to leave. Before they set off, Majid checked the system, he was assured by default it stores mapping data and that it didn't charge for detailed maps. He doesn't want to waste time finding his way back later.

Outside the forest turned amnios again, the night that he got to know these last few days became a stranger all of a sudden. The situation was different, it became safe in his hideout, in the safe zone, his mind perspective of the night included their destination. The beasts zone. Was this really the right choice.

His life played between the enemies of the day and night. Which was worse, no matter how much he thought about it, humans were scarier. With fiery around, they could scare away or fend off beasts as long as they evade packs. But humans were different, they were smarter, they work on a social level, and they were persistent. Even though he thought they wouldn't send their elites after him as his uncle would keep his dirty deeds between a small circle. if they put him in their heads, they won't stop until the job is done. Beasts are either protecting their territory or looking for food. If you proved you're neither a threat nor a food you can avoid trouble, he can afford this risk.

Though he trained his senses a few days, his range was still limited and the clarity was even worse. It was as if he was holding a flickering candle under the depths of the sea, his ears worked against him, catching any unnecessary moves. Everything was in shades of black, shadows behind other shadows, each of them might be the enemy lurking in the dark. He grew unsettled with each step closer.

He tried to distract himself with other things while they were in the safe, he can't let his fear build anymore. Nothing good came his way, every thought led to the same end, his enemies, especially the beast lying ahead in the wait, and he was drawn to their lair like a fly to the fire. The problem with the beasts was their level was unclear, They grow in a similar way to human cultivation. But they have a clear advantage, they train 2 realms at the same time. For some reason, they could build their core at the same time as they build their meridians. While humans need to build their meridians first to be able to concentrate Qi in their Dantian enough, for their core to start crystallizing. That's why even though Majid trained his Strengths levels, he wasn't up to the beasts with their abundant Qi, it even helps them build stronger bodies.

Far ahead as they walked for a long time, a wavy shadow loomed forebodingly. Time starts ticking as they get closer and closer, the shadows grow taller unnoticeably. They threatened like the castle of evil. The beast area starts from this mountain range. There are other ways, but Fiery hideout lay in between the mountains.

They stopped as the mountain hid the sky, laying their shadow around, making everything they stretched to darker, especially the valley that stretched deep, it looked darker than the cave for some reason. Looking deep he legs weakened, he regretted his decision, maybe they should wait until the morning.

Fiery unaware of his struggle continued leading the way, everyone followed after her. He couldn't tell them he grew a valley's phobia, so he followed praying for the best. They took many turns left and right around the mountains, high and low, he followed like a train wagon. He kept his map open, with the little data his system gathered giving him a sense of his surroundings. Feary became their eyes and shield, he put his trust in her senses as he followed behind.

He started to get an idea where to use his free choice reward, though his system couldn't make his eyes better, maybe it could filter his eye images though, and make him see better in the darkness.

[Request impossible, the system doesn't have of the required knowledge]

He regretted not watching some programming videos, but those codes just hurt his eyes. He could only deal with what he got, his soul stretched to its max, it was a double-edged sword, as it could inform both parties. Especially that sensing technique, only confident people could use it. But in the end, if an enemy was as close as his 6-meter range, there no way it wouldn't be aware of them, might as well let them know too.

As they took another turn his eyes finally caught sight of light, a light was flickering deeper, warm light of the fire. He didn't feel warm though, that light was as cold as coldness could get that he froze in his place, humans weren't good news for him, someone was camping ahead, strong enough to camp in this beast valley. Are they the ones sent after him, his hunt down started already, he avoided them in the day only to meet them at the night. He backed step by step his head swing back and forth. He was about to run as he thought of the scary detection technique.

'Calm down, don't alert them,' hearing her words, he came to his senses.

"Who's there?" a voice rose, a teen's voice came from the fire direction.

The shout nearly made him faint, he was about to escape again, but his legs gave out, he calmed himself, he can't let himself go down by fear. His mind took note of something important, though someone noticed them, he didn't feel anything sweep past him like that time, this tells a lot about their opponent. They were less powerful than Lao Ji, at least in their sensing. But they could hear someone moving in the distance.

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"Teemao hides and retreats slowly" he whispered to the boy, he needs to step up. Fiery was their pillar, but she fellow her instinct, she can't guide humans. He looked at the direction of steps, a shadow could be made out sometimes, especially when it moves on the way of the fire. They must evacuate the passage, he crouched and got near the frozen Teemao.

"Teemao gets on your four, and let's move left,"

He led the way on all four to the side climbing the slop, he retreated slowly his breath stopped, Teemao kept close to him, he doesn't know how the boy felt in this darkness, but he was sure he wasn't doing better. The steps ahead kept getting closer. Majid hurried his steps as much as he not making a noise. The shadow was advancing faster than he was retreating though, the foxes were nowhere to be seen, unlike them, on all four predators are the masters of stealth. He doesn't know the man range, but if they let him get closer Teemao and him, would be detected eventually.

He stopped at his place, and the steps sound stopped, Teemao followed. Something swept past him, he knew this feeling, it was the detection technique, they were found. His mind stopped for a moment as the silence continued.

"Beasts, heh..."

Majid was understanding and open-minded at that moment, he really wasn't offended that he took him for a beast, by all means, do. The soul was the fast sense but not as clear, the visibility deteriorates fast as the distance grew.

"Might as well get another core" the steps strode in his direction, an aura started to gather around lighting a sword. Before Majid could confess his humanity, another wave swept past him so he immediately bolted to the side, a sharp sound followed as if a speeding car went past him, his heart boomed furiously.

"A smart one, heh" Majid was about to confess.

"Lian Do, ...come back…"

The boy named Lian Do didn't answer, but he could hear his steps getting away,

"A lucky one" Lian Do said, only then Majid's breaths came back. But he couldn't relax, he needs to leave this place before any unexpected development takes place. He moved at a medium pace making sure to make less sound. Fiery made her way to them easily with her little Foxy, she was familiar with the area, so they took another way around. His paranoia grew exponentially after their encounter, especially with all the wooshes behind, the wind enjoyed tormenting him with the abundant greenery around.

As they get closer, a deeper shade of black kept on distancing itself from the rest, Making out a circular shape. It wasn't welcoming, it looked like the mouths of a ferocious beast, with stalactites and stalagmites at the entrance. it was open and ready to swallow whoever got near.

He felt his legs got wet as they got near, there was shallow water around, a slow stream flows from inside the cave. He nodded his head, maybe no one would take this place home, it was a good idea to come here, she's a fox after all.

As they got inside the familiarity lend him a little bit of respite, not for long though. The mind worries were endless and ideas crept in. If Fiery could think of this place, why can't another beast or human do the same, he wasn't ready for any more trouble.

His soul suddenly brushed past a strange shape, though the soul was weak in this aspect, it could make out shapes to some extent. That shape wasn't something natural, so he slowed down his steps, and sharpened his senses. He walked slowly and his soul concentrated around the thing. As the shape got clear, his legs gave out, he crawled on his back crying with weird voice ...damn it, why am I scared of a skeleton for. He looked at his companions, they were all eyeing him, he felt sour, he just ruined his image. Especially in front of the boy, he was the oldest with most knowledge and wisdom, but he can't lead the way with a cat personality.

He brushed his nose, "something bit me" he tried to say something to redeem himself, all he came out with was a pitiful lie. Maybe he should buy an option that could help his social skills, but the system wasn't a benevolent fella. All he could do was to go back to the skeleton, to make a point at least. A good idea hit him timely, it made him forget all his awkwardness.

He closed his eyes as he came closer and prayed, please a spatial ring, a spatial ring. He checked the fingers, a shiver runs up his spine each time they crackled. He checked the finger one by one, but all that was there were bones. He throws the hand in frustration, but he apologized as fast. His soul might be roaming around, there were indeed reasons to fear the skeleton. He couldn't take the darkness anymore so he got outside, Teemao followed him, it seems he didn't lose his face completely, it was normal after all. He gathered some branches, as they came inside he set one of them on fire, spreading an eerie light around, it was lovely compared to the darkness.

Fiery was no were to be found when where they left her, she must have continued deeper. They found fiery waiting for them in a crossroad, the water came from the passage to the right, they took the left, it was narrow that he had to crouch. At the end, the passage got a little bit wider, he could stand with some headspace. He let off the woods and prepared to set them on fire, but at the edge of his eyes, he could see Fiery disappearing. He looked closely there was an inconspicuous hole at the corner, he threw his torch inside and crawled after it, a wider room welcomed him. Indeed Fiery brought them to a good place, it has double security levels, all they need is to hide that hole... he dropped the idea, as it might kill them. He would think of something else by the morning, it was safe enough, he was eager to sleep now, his mind was tired.

The foxes huddled together, he wished to stuff himself between them many times before, especially today. If they were normal animals he would have served himself. But these guys were sentient, they talk for god sake, they could reject him, and let him awkward like a stone. He looked at Teemao, he rolled his eyes, that was even worse, he missed the time when he was young and didn't have to think about a lot of unnecessary things.

He got out and brought the firewood inside, though his body was strong and could take the cold of the spring nights, he liked the warmth of the fire. But then he shook his head as he throws the firewood away, his tired mind was a closer enemy to himself than anything, he almost suffocated them twice in a row. He stood some firewood up, in front of the hole, put the torch off, and found himself a corner. He curled and sank deep into the wonderlands.