The invaders returned to their base with plundered goods and captives. Cheers from those who had stayed behind filled the air, but the leader couldn't shake off a nagging sense that something was wrong. The air at the base was heavy and damp. Unlike usual, the trees seemed lifeless, and the sky was covered with ashen clouds, bringing early darkness.

After moving the plundered goods and herding the captives into a designated area, everyone settled down. Soon, preparations for a feast began. However, unease still gripped the leader's heart.

The leader walked slowly around the base, carefully assessing the situation. "Nothing seems out of place, but there's a strange sense of unease," he muttered. His eyes fell upon a tree that had withered in a peculiar manner. The tree appeared drained of life, its bark dry and cracked.

"Look at that tree. Isn't it strange?" an old woman pointed out, her voice trembling.

The leader asked a passing villager, "Hey, weren't these trees vibrant before we left? Do you know what happened to them?"

"What are you talking about? They've always been dead like this," the villager replied, adding to the leader's anxiety. Everything around him felt eerily off. Dense fog rose from the ground, and occasional indecipherable whispers filled the air. Even the unsettling smell in the atmosphere made him uneasy.

The leader asked the other soldiers, "What's going on here? None of this strangeness was here before we left."

The soldiers, equally bewildered, responded, "We don't know either. The trees didn't look like this before."

Sweating, the leader inquired about the other strange things he had noticed. "Something is definitely wrong... Did I overexert myself today? Am I just imagining things?"

He then questioned the soldiers who had accompanied him outside the base. They all had the same memories as the leader. "Why do the ones who stayed here and the ones who went out have different stories?" The leader felt a chill run down his spine.

Approaching the old woman who had pointed out the tree, the leader shared his concerns. "Calm down for now. Nothing is certain yet," she soothed him. "It's getting late; you should rest."

At that moment, soldiers came to inform them that the preparations for the feast were complete. The leader, still pondering the old woman's words, reluctantly made his way to the feast.

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As the feast began, soldiers laughed heartily and enjoyed the party, but the leader couldn't bring himself to join in the merriment. The feast hall was lavishly decorated, but all the decorations seemed even more eerie in the cold air. The cold drafts and the smell of smoke wafted through, as if whispering that something was terribly wrong.

After a while, a soldier next to him asked, "What were you doing standing alone earlier?"

"What do you mean? I was talking with the old woman," the leader replied.

"You were alone. Old woman? Who is that?"

"The elder here."

"Elder? Never heard of them." The soldier's response made the leader drop his drink in fright. Initially, the stories of those who stayed at the base and those who went out differed, but now even the stories among those who went out were different. An atmosphere of fear enveloped the leader. His fear grew stronger. He left the feast and stepped outside to look at the night sky, trying to calm himself.

"Am I just too tired today?" he muttered. Then he noticed the withered tree. "Wait, was that tree here before?" The tree looked even more terrifying. Its branches were twisted, and it had shed all its leaves, appearing like a hand of death.

The leader examined the tree closely, feeling more and more frightened. The branches swayed in the wind as if warning him. Leaning on the influence of the alcohol, he drew his sword. With determination, he swung his sword with all his might. The sharp blade sliced into the tree, making a chilling sound.

Suddenly, the tree split in two, and a mysterious red liquid gushed out. The liquid looked like thick blood and soaked the leader's entire body. The cold liquid seeped through his clothes, chilling his skin. At the same time, a piercing scream erupted from the tree. The sound was so horrifying and painful, like the wail of a tormented spirit. The scream cut through the air, and the leader's heart pounded with fear.

"What is this... blood?" the leader gasped, unable to hide his shock. Goosebumps rose all over his body. The red liquid continued to flow from the tree's cut surface, accompanied by a faint but eerie moaning sound.

At that moment, someone tapped the leader on the shoulder from behind. He turned around in a panic, feeling as if his heart would stop. Only the sound of his breathing could be heard in the cold night air. A hand emerged from the darkness and grabbed his shoulder. He screamed and stumbled backward.

"Wh... who is it?" the leader shouted in a trembling voice. In front of him stood a faint shadow. It looked human but was distorted in some way. The shadow slowly approached. The leader stepped back, raising his sword. "Show yourself! Who are you?"

The shadow took another step closer and then suddenly vanished. The leader was left in confusion. There was no one around him. But again, a cold hand reached out from behind and grabbed him. He turned around in terror, but once again, nothing was there.

"What... what is happening?" The leader's body shook with confusion and fear. At that moment, he heard a whisper in his ear. "......" It was an incomprehensible, mysterious voice.

"Something... something is very wrong..." the leader whispered to himself. He tried to move to a safer place, but his steps grew heavier. And then, a cold hand reached out from behind and grabbed him again. This time, it held him tightly, as if it would never let go.

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