Deep within the mountain forest, a massive python lay hidden among the dense canopy, motionless.
Its cold, calculating eyes were fixed on the ground below, ready to strike at the first sign of prey.
The sudden temperature drop had increased its energy demands, forcing it to hunt more frequently. For this predator, food wasn't just about survival—it was the key to further evolution.
The snow-covered treetops provided perfect camouflage. Invisible to the untrained eye, the python lay in wait, utterly still.
After what seemed like an eternity, movement finally stirred below.
A lone, muscular man walked beneath the trees, his gaze fixed on the snow-covered ground as if deep in thought. Oblivious to the lurking danger above, he continued forward.
The python's vertical pupils contracted. The man was a prime target—large, strong, and oblivious.
As the distance between them closed:
Ten meters.
Five meters.
One meter.
The man stepped directly into its range.
The python struck.
"Swoosh!"
With lightning speed, it shot out from the canopy, jaws wide open, aiming to swallow the man whole.
But just as it descended, the man suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze locking onto the serpent. A faint smile played on his lips.
"Well, well. Looks like breakfast came to me," he said nonchalantly.
Before the python could react, the man spun gracefully, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick.
"Bang!"
The impact sent the massive serpent flying, its body crashing into the snow in a dazed heap.
The man took a slow step forward, his calm demeanor unchanged.
"Not bad," he murmured, eyes scanning the python's enormous body.
Realizing its fatal mistake, the python turned to flee.
It was too late.
In a blur, the man closed the distance, his speed explosive. Raising his leg high like a battle axe, he brought it down with earth-shattering force.
"Thud!"
The strike landed squarely on the python's head, crushing its skull from the inside.
The body twitched, then fell limp.
"Dark energy... truly versatile," the man muttered, observing the lifeless python.
The man was Zhu Jiu, and he was refining his hunting techniques.
Once merely a fist technique, his mastery of Wing Chun now allowed him to channel dark energy through every movement.
"This way, I can kill without spilling blood," Zhu Jiu said with satisfaction. "Perfect for hunting."
He had learned the hard way that spilling blood attracted other predators. In these mountains, careless hunters didn't live long.
"This snake will make a fine stew," Zhu Jiu thought.
Ever since discovering the nutritional value of mutated animals, he had become addicted to their taste—and their benefits.
Not only was the meat unbelievably tender and flavorful, but it also provided an immediate boost to his physical abilities.
"For normal people, just a few meals like this would put their strength on par with infected monsters," he mused.
But he wasn't here for gourmet delights. Zhu Jiu had bigger plans. These hunts were about survival and preparation.
Looking deeper into the forest, he realized that the creatures grew exponentially stronger the further one ventured. At the mountain's base, he encountered simple prey like rabbits and boars. But as he ascended, the threats escalated—wolves, snakes, and other predators ruled the mid-tier levels.
Further up, who knew what horrors awaited?
"Give it a few more days, and these beasts will start moving into the city," Zhu Jiu muttered.
The thought spurred him into action. Hoisting the python over his shoulder with ease, he began his descent toward the waiting wolves below.
Outside the forest, a pack of silver-furred wolves awaited their alpha's return.
Zhu Jiu tossed the python's corpse onto one of the wolves' backs and climbed onto the broad, powerful shoulders of the wolf king.
"Let's head back," he said, patting the beast.
The wolf king let out a low growl of acknowledgment, bounding forward with its pack trailing close behind.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar echoed through the mountains, freezing Zhu Jiu mid-ride.
From the peak of the mountain, massive boulders began to roll down, accompanied by the shrieks of birds and animals fleeing for their lives.
Zhu Jiu turned his gaze upward and froze.
From the mountain's summit, enormous tree branches lashed out, striking the terrain with terrifying force. The sheer size and power of the branches were enough to send tremors through the ground even from a distance.
"What the hell is that?" Zhu Jiu whispered, his grip tightening on the wolf king's fur.
The branches were colossal, swinging with enough strength to reduce anything in their path to dust. Even at his peak, Zhu Jiu doubted he could withstand a single strike.
Just as the branches moved with renewed fury, a deafening roar shook the mountain:
"ROARRRR!"
The sound was unmistakable—a tiger's roar.
Whatever monstrosity was battling the tree, it was giving as good as it got.
"An evolved tiger?" Zhu Jiu murmured in disbelief.
From the sound alone, he could tell the beast's strength far surpassed his own.
Watching the epic battle unfold from a distance, Zhu Jiu felt a mixture of awe and caution.
"Luckily, I didn't climb any higher."
Whatever was happening up there was far beyond him. For now.
As the sounds of battle continued to reverberate, Zhu Jiu turned back toward the safety of his base.
He gave the mountain one last glance, his eyes narrowing at the peaks veiled in mist.
"One day," he whispered. "One day, I'll be strong enough to conquer even that."
With a flick of his hand, he urged the wolf king forward.
It wasn't a retreat.
It was a promise.