The Hunters' Mark
The streets of Xiangcheng seemed emptier than before, yet Lin Yue felt eyes on her from every shadowed corner. The lanterns swayed gently, casting trembling pools of light that flickered over the cobblestones like ghostly fingers.
Shen Wei's steps were silent but deliberate as they navigated the winding alleys. "They know we are here," he murmured. "The hunters are close, and they mark every move we make."
Lin Yue's pulse quickened. "Hunters? You mean… like those from the stories?"
Shen Wei's lips pressed into a thin line. "Stories don't prepare you for reality. They are relentless, cunning, and merciless. Their loyalty lies with power, not justice."
From a rooftop above, Lin Yue caught movement—figures cloaked in black, knives glinting in the moonlight, their eyes golden in the shadows. The hunters.
"They're watching us," she whispered.
Shen Wei's hand brushed hers, grounding her. "Do not panic. Panic is what they feed on."
A sharp whistle split the night, and the hunters shifted, forming a circle in the distance. Lin Yue's stomach churned with fear and awe. She had never seen anything so precise, so silent, yet so deadly.
"They are skilled," she murmured.
"They must be," Shen Wei replied. "Or the city would have devoured them long ago."
One of the hunters stepped forward, raising a silver talisman that glimmered in the moonlight. A ripple of power passed through the air, and Lin Yue felt a strange pull in her chest, as if the talisman were calling to something deep within her.
Shen Wei's eyes narrowed. "They're testing you," he said. "The talisman senses the bloodline. It recognizes what the city has been waiting for."
Lin Yue swallowed hard. "Bloodline? What… do you mean?"
"Your family," Shen Wei said softly, "has a history intertwined with the city's guardians and predators. You are marked, whether you know it or not."
The hunters shifted again, the circle tightening, eyes glinting with hunger and expectation.
Shen Wei's voice dropped to a growl. "Stay close. Trust only me. Remember what I taught you: movement, silence, shadows. Our survival depends on it."
Lin Yue nodded, feeling the weight of the night pressing down on her. Every step, every breath, seemed critical, as if one mistake would unravel everything.
From the far end of the street, a low growl echoed—a sound both terrifying and familiar. Lin Yue glanced up at the crimson moon, its blood-red light spilling over the city like a warning.
The hunters were patient, skilled, and cruel. But tonight, Lin Yue realized, she was not merely prey. She was part of something far greater, a force she had yet to understand, and the night was only beginning.