When Carlos regained consciousness, he felt as though he were trapped within an absolute prison.
This prison resembled the legendary "little dark room," a place where there was no space to spare. At the same time, it felt like an endless abyss, a terrifying sense of dread blossoming in his heart, one he had never before known—an overwhelming panic.
He wanted to scream, but no sound escaped. He tried to flee, but his body felt as though it was burdened with a thousand-pound weight, unable to move. Yet he didn't give up, relentlessly crawling in one direction, onward, only in one direction, with one goal. Even though his body ached and he was too tired to continue, he refused to stop.
He continued his mechanical crawl... How much time passed, he didn't know. Finally, when he could move no longer, he collapsed onto the ground and only then realized that ahead, there was a glimmer of light. Summoning all his remaining strength, he crawled toward it.
"Awake! He's awake!"
"Doctor! He's awake!"
"A miracle! A miracle!"
The voices around him echoed like a maddening chant, ringing in his ears. After that, he heard nothing more, and once again, he lost consciousness. How long passed, he couldn't tell, but when he woke again, it was much quieter, without the maddening sounds. In the next moment, Carlos realized that something was terribly wrong. His body ached all over, every inch of him was in pain, so much that he wanted to cry out. He managed to let out a soft groan.
"Hmm…"
His throat was dry, and his voice came out as a mere hum.
Looking around, his mind slowly processed the environment, and it dawned on him—he was injured.
A nurse nearby noticed he had awakened, and, jumping up with excitement, she rushed outside.
"Doctor! He's awake!"
"Lisa! Don't shout in the hospital!"
Then came an angry shout from outside.
"…" Carlos had no strength to complain.
Before he could even think about it, several people entered the room.
Soon, he saw a familiar face.
"Uh—"
He tried to speak, but his throat was too dry to form words.
"Don't speak, take the medicine."
"Drink this, and you'll recover."
A person took out a jade-colored vial, opening it to reveal a refreshing fragrance. The smell was soothing. The vial was brought to his lips, and Carlos naturally opened his mouth, feeling a cool, refreshing liquid flow down his dry throat. The painful dryness faded, the aches melted away, and he felt better than he ever had.
"Captain!"
He finally sat up and greeted the familiar face.
Carlos had very few people he truly admired, but the one he respected most was his captain—Hodar.
This man had personally trained them when he joined the security company, making them stronger. They had challenged him once, but as soon as they got close, they were all taken down effortlessly. Even when the whole team rushed at him, they were quickly defeated, realizing just how formidable he was.
This man was god-like in his strength. Since leaving them to train, Carlos hadn't seen him in a long time, and now, seeing him again, he felt a surge of emotion.
Wait… My throat's better, and my body doesn't hurt anymore. What's happening?
It was only then that he realized the pain had vanished, and the immobility that had kept him bedridden was gone. He could now sit up. His mind flashed, and he looked at his captain with gratitude, who was smiling warmly at him.
"Feeling better?"
"Yes! I'm fine!"
Unbelievably, he clenched his fist. His strength wasn't just back—it felt even greater!
"I'm really fine!"
Carlos moved his body, and it seemed completely normal. If not for the bandages wrapped around him, it would have been hard to believe how quickly he had recovered.
Fortunately, there were no other people around. If anyone else had seen this, they would have been terrified. What was happening surpassed common sense; even ordinary people wouldn't dare to imagine it.
After a moment, recovering from his surprise, he turned to his captain with gratitude.
"This medicine… is it the one from the guild?"
The lingering fragrance from the medicine still filled his mouth, and he felt utterly comfortable.
"It's from the bounty guild. If you've read the introduction, you should know what it is."
"Your mission is complete. This is the guild's reward. You can learn more about the specifics… Well, that's all for today. Don't engage in strenuous activity for the next few days. Rest up first."
Hodar delivered the goods, exchanged a few words with him, and left.
Carlos was someone Hodar believed in, and delivering the medicine to him was a gesture of support. He didn't want Carlos to become a cripple. After this, Hodar was confident that Carlos would become a reliable hunter—this was an unexpected blessing.
"The magical medicine from the hunter guild is truly remarkable!"
Carlos was lost in thought, then suddenly recalled something. With a few swift motions, he tore off the bandages, changed out of his hospital gown, and into a set of neatly prepared clothes, putting on fresh shoes. He grabbed his wallet and the injury diagnosis, and without a word, left the hospital.
No one tried to stop him, and the doctors never came to intervene as he left.
Carlos hurried back to his hotel, took out his belongings, and read the injury diagnosis, feeling a wave of relief. His mind replayed the earlier scene.
That monstrous creature, with its razor-sharp fangs, he hadn't even lasted a single round against it. The pain he had felt...
Dark clouds loomed over the horizon.
The night was pitch black, with no light to be seen. The earth was silent, stifling, suffocating.
Zhao's Manor.
Inside a new villa.
The lights shone as brightly as daylight, yet couldn't dispel the darkness.
On the manor's streets, armed individuals paced back and forth, serious and vigilant, patrolling and checking.
In the shadows, more figures were concealed, wearing heat-resistant suits with tracking lenses, either hidden in high places, in the bushes, or even underground.
The surveillance was professional, covering every angle. With their presence, no one could deceive their watchful eyes or infiltrate the manor.
At this moment, the manor was as suffocating as the atmosphere, so thick with tension that even the insects in the bushes had fallen silent.
In the living room, both men and women sat quietly on the sofas, gently polishing their weapons.
Near them, a few pets lay on the carpet, their ears twitching as they watched for any movement.
From high above, two snow sculptures stood watch over the entire manor, their eyes scanning like infrared sensors. Anything that moved within their sight could not escape their gaze.
Tap tap! The maid arrived, bringing one last pot of hot coffee, as per Zhao Lun's instructions, before slipping into hiding.
Time passed, eleven o'clock, midnight approaching, and the enemy had not arrived yet.
"Brother!"
"The bad guys are really coming, but Maria isn't afraid of them!"
"Maria has weapons! Maria will use the weapons brother gave her to defeat them!"
The little girl, though nervous, was also starting to grow drowsy. She promised confidently, but now, her small head drooped, and the room felt heavy with silence. When Maria spoke, everyone unconsciously smiled at her.
The manor's tension lifted for a moment.
Shriek! A sharp cry pierced the dark night.
At the same time, the dogs, who had been listening intently, suddenly froze. Their fur stood on end, their bodies crouching, and they all stared at the sky, growling low.
"They're here!"
Zhao Lun whispered harshly, drawing a bow, eyes locked on the outside.