Bad Luck

"Damn, this is so freaking terrifying!"

As Yi Feng stepped into the Forest of Terror, a chilling breeze swept over him. The deeper he ventured, the darker his surroundings became, until eventually, he couldn’t even see his own hand in front of his face.

The eerie, unknown atmosphere genuinely frightened Yi Feng.

Especially when the occasional rustling sounds in the darkness kept his nerves on edge.

Yet, it also excited him.

Sure, the environment was terrible, but dying here was a sure thing!

So, Yi Feng wandered aimlessly through the forest.

He had no idea how long he’d been walking, only that exhaustion had finally caught up with him. With a sigh, he plopped down on the ground.

"Who knows what kind of dangers lurk in this forest," he muttered to himself.

Too tired to care, Yi Feng leaned against a tree and dozed off.

In his mind, dying in his sleep would be the best outcome.

However.

While Yi Feng was fast asleep, two shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, their eyes fixed intently on him.

"Why the hell is this guy here? Did we piss him off or something?"

One of the shadows spoke, his voice dripping with resentment.

"How should I know? I’m just as confused. We’ve got no beef with him, so why’s he always on our tail?"

The other shadow cursed under his breath.

"Damn it, we finally clawed our way up to squad leaders, commanding over a million minor demons, and this bastard keeps cutting them down like weeds! If we hadn’t been smart enough to hide, we’d have been wiped out too. And now, after getting transferred to this godforsaken place, we run into him again? Un-freaking-believable!"

"Enough whining! You’re the older one—think of something! At least do something to deal with him!" the first shadow snapped.

"Who says I haven’t?"

"What have you done?"

"I’ve been praying…"

"Does that even work?"

"Probably… I don’t know."

"Then what’s the point of praying?"

"Better than doing nothing, right?"

"Well… fair enough."

A long silence followed.

Yi Feng’s snores gradually filled the air, but the two shadows didn’t dare move a muscle.

"I’ve got an idea," the leader suddenly said.

"What?"

"Let’s run!"

"…That’s actually a great plan."

The two exchanged glances, then transformed into streaks of light, shooting into the sky at an insane speed. As they fled, the darkness shrouding the Forest of Terror was sucked away with them.

In an instant, the entire forest was bathed in light.

The lifeless silence gave way to vibrant vitality.

Clear springs bubbled, their waters crystal-clear.

Flowers and grass lined the stream, with butterflies and bees flitting about playfully.

Nearby, a little rabbit and a squirrel hopped around, occasionally darting up to Yi Feng as if curious about this unfamiliar face.

Finally, the mischievous squirrel picked up a nut and bonked Yi Feng on the head.

Startled awake, Yi Feng groggily opened his eyes.

The squirrel, seeing him stir, quickly scampered away.

Once fully awake, Yi Feng ignored the critter and stood up, staring blankly at his surroundings.

His face visibly darkened.

"Are you kidding me? That woman totally lied to me! With that creepy vibe earlier, I thought this place was actually dangerous. Turns out it was just nighttime! This place isn’t scary at all!"

"No wonder nothing happened to me after walking for hours…"

"Forest of Terror? More like Forest of Bullshit!"

Grumbling, Yi Feng stormed back the way he came.

Along the way, he held onto a sliver of hope—maybe he’d encounter some real danger.

But the worst that happened was a monkey leaping from a tree, nearly snatching his family jewels in a sneak attack.

Outside the Forest of Terror…

Piaomiao Hong remained tied to the tree. She had tried countless ways to escape but still couldn’t believe that, despite her cultivation level, she couldn’t break free from Yi Feng’s simple knots.

Her mind raced, unable to figure out what this mysterious man was playing at.

Why had he left her here alone while he went into the Forest of Terror to die?

If that was his goal, why capture her in the first place?

Just to have a woman witness his heroic demise?

But she knew she’d probably never get an answer.

According to the intelligence she’d gathered, the Forest of Terror grew deadlier the longer one stayed inside. If someone didn’t emerge within fifteen minutes, they were as good as gone.

Yi Feng had been in there for an entire day and night. With that much time passed, he was undoubtedly dead.

No matter how strong he was.

And she knew this because her faction had tested it—countless experts had gone in, never to return.

Of course, no one knew what exactly lurked inside. Only that it was lethally dangerous.

Aside from one man who had stumbled out after half an hour—his mind shattered, descending into madness—every other person who entered had perished.

Lost in thought, she suddenly realized the ropes binding her had been loosened.

"What are you spacing out for? Let’s go!"

Yi Feng’s annoyed voice snapped her back to reality.

Piaomiao Hong nearly jumped out of her skin, her eyes widening as if she’d seen a ghost.

"How… how are you back?"

It was the first time since her capture that she had spoken to Yi Feng with genuine emotion.

All she got in return was an eye-roll.

"I slept the whole night. You expect me to sleep another one?"