In an hour, night will fall completely. In the midsummer forest, every inch of the land seems as if it's about to melt under the baking sun.
Ding Hao, however, continues to venture deeper into the forest. Legend has it that no hunter has ever reached the end of this forest. It's said that gods, ghosts, and demons lurk in the depths of this forest, and even the most shrewd and robust hunters can never truly conquer it.
Since he was very young, Ding Hao has heard the old folks in the village say that if you're naughty or do something bad, you'll be sent to the Black Wind Forest.
The Black Wind Forest is what the villagers named this place. Everything here grows larger than in other places, be it animals or plants.
The giant trees with lush foliage blot out the sky. In the deep forest, there's a constant gloomy wind all year round, and it's deathly still. Even the chirping of insects is much fainter than elsewhere!
After growing up, Ding Hao no longer believes the words of the old villagers, nor does he think there are gods or ghosts in the depths of the forest.
But he does believe that this forest holds some mysteries. He's also certain that one day he'll be able to conquer it completely, which is also the dream of every hunter in Shanhe Village.
However, this forest has never given any hunter the chance to fulfill this dream.
It's like a hideous demon lying in wait, with its huge mouth wide open, constantly devouring one excellent hunter after another.
Ding Hao was found by the old hunter Zhang Cheng in the forest. Zhang Cheng had caught several roe deer and was about to return to the village when he discovered baby Ding Hao on the way. In the crude bamboo basket, Ding Hao neither cried nor made a fuss. He just stared at Zhang Cheng with his big, bright black eyes.
The bamboo basket seemed to have been hastily made, and the bamboo tips hadn't been polished at all. Fearing that the bamboo tips might prick the baby, Zhang Cheng hesitated for only a moment before picking the baby up in his arms. The baby was wrapped in a bright red bellyband, and there was a green jade pendant around his neck engraved with the words "Ding Hao".
Zhang Cheng initially thought that Ding Hao's parents were nearby and had just left for something. So he held Ding Hao and waited there for them to come. But by nightfall, not a single soul had shown up.
So Zhang Cheng took Ding Hao home. In the following days, Zhang Cheng would hold Ding Hao and wait there early every morning for his parents. But they never came to look for him. So Zhang Cheng adopted him, named him Ding Hao according to the name on the jade pendant, and taught him hunting skills until Zhang Cheng was killed by a tiger in the forest when Ding Hao was thirteen years old.
Children in the mountains mature early. Ding Hao started following Zhang Cheng to hunt in the forest at a very young age. When it comes to hunting, Ding Hao has shown astonishing talent. He's resourceful, tenacious, brave, and calm. He seems to be born with the qualities of a hunter. In terms of mastering hunting skills, he has far surpassed his peers. All the hunters in the village believe that when Ding Hao grows up, he'll surely be the most outstanding hunter in Shanhe Village.
Two years ago, when Ding Hao returned to the village with a tiger on his back, he further proved this point. Standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, every muscle in his body is filled with explosive power. In terms of speed and strength, no one in the village can match him.
He has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and every feature on his square - shaped face is well - defined. Although only eighteen years old, his whole body is already brimming with masculine beauty!
Ding Hao can't remember how many times he's been here. This area is far from the village. If he doesn't turn back now, he won't be able to make it back to the village today. Moreover, if he goes further, it'll be completely unfamiliar territory. It's the place in the Black Wind Forest with the most legends, the most dangerous and mysterious area.
Many times before, he stopped his exploration here. On the one hand, he felt that he hadn't yet become the best hunter in Shanhe Village and wasn't fully prepared. On the other hand, he still had concerns in his heart, feeling that he hadn't fully repaid the villagers of Shanhe Village for their kindness in raising him.
But now these two reasons no longer hold him back. After hunting the most dangerous tigers one after another, Ding Hao no longer feels threatened by anything. On the other hand, due to his tireless hunting, he has exchanged piles of prey for enough silver for the villagers. The villagers' lives have improved significantly in recent years, and they no longer have to worry about making a living.
After checking the three quivers of arrows on his back and the bow that has accompanied him for five years, and drawing the newly - bought high - quality hunting knife, Ding Hao finally overcomes his hesitation and takes the most crucial step in his life.
Two hours have passed since he set off. The sun in the sky has long been replaced by a crescent moon. By the moonlight, Ding Hao's vision isn't greatly affected. The chirping of insects is getting weaker and weaker until it's almost inaudible. The silence is rather strange.
With years of hunting experience, Ding Hao senses that something unusual is bound to happen. His pace gradually slows down. Along the way, small and gentle animals are becoming scarce, and all he can see are carnivorous animals such as wild boars, lone wolves, and leopards. These animals that are usually not easily seen keep appearing in his sight. Ding Hao deliberately hides himself and hasn't attracted the attention of these animals along the way.
The chirping of insects has completely stopped. The silence is almost unimaginable. Ding Hao's pace slows down even more. The squeaking sound of his feet stepping on the thick layer of rotten leaves is extremely harsh in the silent forest.
Suddenly, the sound of running reaches his ears. The sound gradually gets louder and closer.
It's a tiger! Ding Hao narrows his eyes slightly, and a glint of coldness flashes in them. Years of experience enable him to quickly identify the sound of a running tiger. But strangely, he only hears the sound of the tiger running and not the sound of another animal running. Under normal circumstances, if the tiger is hunting, based on the direction of the running sound and his own position, he should be able to hear the sound of the prey running. Ding Hao is absolutely confident about this!
If it's not hunting, what could make the tiger run at full speed? Ding Hao is a bit puzzled. While he's in doubt, another sound reaches his ears. It's the sound of something rubbing against the ground, like skin on dirt. Is it a snake? No, not even a python has such great friction. What could it be? Ding Hao can't tell. But this sound allows him to make another astonishing judgment - the tiger is running for its life! It's fleeing from the animal behind!
Ding Hao has never known of anything in the forest that could make a tiger so terrified. As the sound gets closer, Ding Hao judges that the tiger is doomed. The thing chasing it is even faster than the tiger!
At this moment, Ding Hao starts to consider his own safety. An animal that can make a tiger run for its life like this is definitely not something he can handle easily.
Instinctively, he quickly spots the tallest tree with a sharp eye and climbs up it as nimbly as a wild ape. Only then does he breathe a sigh of relief. Except for flying animals, basically no other animals can pose a threat to him now.
Standing on the tree, with the moonlight, Ding Hao has a broader view. Here it comes. With the appearance of this huge beast, a whirlwind kicks up on the ground. Its colorful fur seems to float over like a phantom.
The tiger is about three meters long, and its tail is one meter long. Judging from its weight of around 300 kilograms, it's an adult male tiger. At this moment, it's running like crazy - not for hunting, but just to survive! Now Ding Hao is even more curious about what animal is chasing it.
It's getting closer. Behind it is an even bigger whirlwind, mixed with dust and leaves, making it hard to see clearly.
In the blink of an eye, the tiger rushes past the tree where Ding Hao is hiding. At this moment, Ding Hao finally sees clearly what the animal chasing it is!
He gasps in horror. At this moment, he's glad that he climbed the tree so resolutely just now! He sees a strange creature that looks like a python but not exactly, with two horns on its head and two wings on its back. The creature's dark - purple eyes are as big as fists. It's about eight meters long, as thick as a barrel, and covered with thick scales all over. In its wide - open mouth are several rows of conical teeth. Just by looking at their hardness, Ding Hao has no doubt that they are extremely lethal.
Although the creature is still several meters away, the stench from its mouth has already hit Ding Hao. Just smelling a little of it makes Ding Hao feel a bit stuffy in the chest. He immediately holds his breath, secretly glad that he's lucky. He didn't expect that the stench from its mouth is even poisonous.
The creature, of course, has no idea that there's another prey on the big tree above. It also rushes past Ding Hao. But the whirlwind it creates during its movement has briefly blurred Ding Hao's vision with dead branches and mud.
At this time, a mournful tiger's roar announces the end of this chase. When Ding Hao looks in the direction of the sound, he finds that the tiger has fallen silently. Just by looking at the unnatural distortion of the tiger's body, Ding Hao can be sure that a living tiger could never be in such a position.
At this time, Ding Hao starts to consider whether he needs to get closer to observe. But this idea is immediately rejected. He thinks of the consequences if he's discovered by the creature. Just by looking at it, he knows that this creature is brutal and bloodthirsty. Looking at its thick scales, Ding Hao begins to doubt whether his arrows can cause any damage to it. And with its mountain - like size, Ding Hao has no confidence in his own strength either. Moreover, it's highly venomous!
Ding Hao quickly comes to a conclusion that this thing is definitely beyond his ability to handle. Staying where he is is undoubtedly the wisest choice at present!
After a moment's hesitation, when Ding Hao looks at the creature again, he finds that a third of the tiger has been devoured. The speed at which the creature devours makes Ding Hao wonder if it swallows without chewing. But its next move of biting off the tiger's neck immediately dispels Ding Hao's doubt. He no longer dares to question the sharpness of its teeth!
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the tiger has been completely eaten. All that's left are the tattered tiger skin and bones all over the ground!
The creature seems not to be full. Its dark - purple eyes are darting around, as if looking for the next prey.
Without any warning, a shrill bird's cry suddenly rings in Ding Hao's ears. The creature's dark - purple eyes flash, and it starts to flee back the way it came as if its life depends on it!
There's actually something that it's afraid of! Ding Hao is suddenly stunned!