Yet the craftsmanship was undeniable. Each fang gleamed like polished ivory, and the fur carried an almost hypnotic sheen. His gaze drifted to the surrounding ash and burned wood. Where were the bones? The weapons? There should have been remains.
"Bones and ash don't just evaporate,"
Something caught his eye near the hood's interior – a tiny crimson bead where the collarbone would rest, gleaming like a frozen droplet of blood. When he touched it, warmth radiated through his finger.
"Whoa, okay, gross." He jerked back his hand. "Please don't be sentient. I don't want a creepy cape talking to me."
Despite his reluctance, the cape's power called to him – dangerous, untamed, and very likely cursed.
"Ground rules," he declared, wagging a finger at it. "No biting. No turning into a wolf monster while I'm wearing you. And absolutely no whispering ominous things at night."
With a mix of hesitation and determination, he slipped it on. It fit perfectly, the wolf hood framing his face, sharp fangs hovering just shy of his skin.
"I look... epic," he admitted, striking a pose with his revolver. "The Lone Wolf Avenger? Captain Carnage?" He sighed. "Nope, too cringe."
The crimson bead pulsed faintly at his touch, as if responding to his thoughts. "Yeah, definitely cursed," he muttered.
Yet he felt an undeniable connection, as if the cape had chosen him. Adjusting the hood, he squared his shoulders. "Well, whatever you are, you're mine now. Just don't eat me in my sleep."
With one last glance at the ruins, Lin Feng turned away, the cape billowing behind him like a shadowy wolf.
Lin Feng dragged himself through the forest, grumbling under his breath. "Why do protagonists always know where they're going? Like, seriously, is there a 'Wuxia GPS' I didn't unlock?"
The towering trees loomed over him, their twisted branches creaking in the wind. Each step crunched against fallen leaves, and every path he picked seemed to lead nowhere.
"Lost in the woods with a fur cape," he muttered. "Yup, peak transmigration experience. Next stop: getting eaten by a demon Mommy."
His stomach growled loudly, cutting off his monologue. He froze, glancing down at his belly with a frown. "I just had fish soup! Is this a transmigrator perk? Infinite hunger? Great. Love it."
As he walked, something strange tickled his nose. A faint, musk scent, mixed with something sweeter—like berries, but not quite. He sniffed again, the aroma stronger this time.
"Wait. What? Is that... deer?" He stopped in his tracks, sniffing the air like a confused dog.
Then the doubt kicked in. "No way. Humans don't just sniff out and say it's deer. I'm definitely going nuts."
But the scent didn't fade. Instead, it grew sharper, cutting through the fresh forest air. Lin Feng rubbed his nose and shook his head. "Nope. Imagination. 100%. This is what happens when you wear a creepy wolf costume."
The blood bead against his neck warmed suddenly, his blood reacted, his heart jumped making him flinch. He clutched his chest, scowling. "Heartburn? Seriously? What did I eat—a cursed fish?"
He carried on, trying to ignore the strange sensations. But they followed him. A faint rustle of leaves. The soft thud of distant hooves. The world around him felt more alive, every sound sharper, every movement more vivid.
Then he spotted it. A deer, grazing lazily a few paces ahead, its slender form barely visible through the foliage. Lin Feng blinked, the realization sinking in.
"Huh. So, I wasn't imagining things."
With a feral call in his blood, his body reacted before his brain could catch up. His knees bent into a crouch, hands pressing against the ground for balance.
"Whoa, what the—?!" he whispered harshly, trying to stand upright. His legs resisted, staying locked in place.
"Okay, no. Nope. I'm not doing this. I am not stalking a deer." He straightened forcefully, only for his body to shift again, naturally sinking back into the hunting posture.
"I swear, if this cape is turning me into a furry, I'm burning it."
The deer raised its head, twitching its ears. Lin Feng froze, biting back another furry accusation. For a moment, he stood still, caught in a strange battle between his instincts and his reason.
But reason lost. The deer bolted.
"Great! Thanks, instincts!" Lin Feng growled, taking off after it.
Except he wasn't running. Not normally, at least. His feet barely touched the ground, each stride launching him forward with inhuman speed. He weaved through trees like a shadow, his hands brushing the trunks for balance without slowing down.
"Okay, this is kinda cool," he admitted mid-sprint. "Parkour level: beast-mode. But also terrifying!"
Branches whipped past his face as he closed in on the fleeing deer. His body moved on its own, a strange rhythm guiding his every step. The cape billowed behind him, its weight nonexistent, almost like it pushed him forward.
"I'm being controlled by a fashion statement," he muttered. "This better not end with me howling at the moon."
The chase ended abruptly. The deer skidded to a stop at the edge of a steep slope, its wide eyes darting around for escape. Lin Feng landed a few feet away, his breathing steady, his muscles coiled like springs.
He hesitated. His hands flexed, sharp instincts screaming to pounce. But the thought of tackling a deer bare-handed made him pause.
"Okay, instincts. Chill. I'm not about to go full caveman." He reached for his revolver instead, aiming quickly and pulling the trigger.
The shot echoed through the forest, and the deer crumpled in a heap. Lin Feng lowered his revolver, a triumphant grin creeping across his face.
"Take that, Bambi," he muttered, stepping closer, he went down to look closer. "First successful hunt! Man versus wild, and man—"
The rest of his gloating vanished when the blood bead at his neck grew warm, then hot, as if it had come alive. Before he could react, a thin, crimson mist began rising from the deer's lifeless body.