A painful howl emerged from the bushes, and a figure stepped out.
Quentin and his companion shone their flashlight towards the sound, revealing a young boy with dark skin and an extraordinary presence.
The boy was dressed in colorful traditional Miao clothing, wore a necklace made of animal teeth, had a Miao knife at his waist, and carried a quiver of arrows and a short bow on his back.
At this moment, he was clutching his bleeding right hand, which held the dagger Eileen had thrown.
He looked at Quentin and his companion with fear; their overwhelming presence was unlike anything he had ever encountered.
Not only had they detected his position, but they had also accurately hit him with a throwing knife. If he hadn’t dodged desperately, the knife might have struck his head, ending his life.
The cave was cold, damp, and eerily silent.
“Miao people?!” Eileen exclaimed.
“Are you following us?” Quentin asked.
“I’m sorry, brother and sister. I was just passing by and noticed you weren’t from our tribe, so I followed to see what you were doing,” the boy said in a gentle and friendly tone.
“Are you Miao? What are you doing here?” Quentin asked, not letting his guard down despite the boy’s age.
“Yes, I’m from the White Miao Tribe. I came up the mountain to hunt today and to gather medicine for my father. That’s when I encountered you,” the boy replied.
“Eileen, treat his wound and then have him lead us,” Quentin instructed.
Eileen took out a medical kit and began to stop the bleeding, disinfecting the wound and applying a simple bandage.
“Miss, here’s your knife,” the boy said, handing the dagger back to Eileen. He remained cautious of the two, knowing they could easily kill him if they wanted to.
“Now lead us to the Miao Village. Don’t try anything clever, or you’ll face the consequences,” Eileen said coldly as she took back the dagger.
“Alright, follow me,” the boy said, turning to lead the way.
“Not that way. We’ll go through the cave,” Quentin said.
“The cave? Are you sure, brother? It’s full of dangers and beasts. Many of our people who entered never came out; it’s almost certain death,” the boy said, visibly terrified.
“Just lead the way. We’ll protect you,” Quentin said firmly, pulling the boy towards the cave entrance.
“Wait, it’s too dark inside. Your glowing devices won’t be enough,” the boy said. “I have some pine oil and resin. We can make torches for better visibility.”
The boy didn’t recognize their flashlights but quickly gathered three sturdy sticks, wrapped them in cloth, and coated them with pine oil and resin to make torches.
Lighting the torches, they illuminated their surroundings like fireflies in the dark.
The cave was pitch black as they advanced with their torches. After a long walk into the depths of the cave, they encountered slithering snakes and scurrying rats, along with several horrifying skeletons still wearing remnants of Miao clothing.
These must have been the tribesmen who met their end here, as the boy had mentioned. He was increasingly terrified as they went deeper.
Despite having two strong protectors, he feared the unknown dangers that could turn them into another set of bones.
The air was thin and filled with an unbearable stench of swamp gas.
Suddenly, eerie sounds echoed around them from above.
Looking up, they saw countless pairs of blood-red eyes opening one by one, staring down at them.
Raising their torches, they saw a swarm of bats, each the size of a rooster.
“Sir, those are blood bats! We’re doomed!” The boy trembled in fear.
Blood bats were mutated mountain bats known for their large size, bloodthirsty nature, and venomous fangs. It was said that any beast or human encountering them would be devoured completely.
“Stay behind us,” Quentin said as he and Eileen took defensive stances to protect the boy.
“Their bites are poisonous! Be careful!” the boy warned.
Quentin remained calm; to him, these were just minor creatures.
The blood bats screeched and bared their fangs as they swooped down in a frenzy, like vampires starved for blood.
Quentin and Eileen wielded their daggers with swift precision, effortlessly cutting down bat after bat.
Despite their efforts, more bats kept coming in relentless waves.
The boy drew his Miao knife and stayed behind them, wary of any bats attacking from behind.
After what felt like an eternity, Quentin and Eileen had reduced the bat swarm to a few stragglers that fled in fear.
The boy was awestruck by their combat prowess; it was beyond anything he had imagined. He felt a deep sense of admiration for them.
“Let’s keep moving; we’ve wasted enough time,” Quentin said as they continued forward.
Along the way, they encountered more blood bats, venomous snakes, and other dangerous creatures, all of which Quentin and Eileen dispatched with ease.
The boy’s fear gradually subsided as he witnessed their incredible strength time and again.
Finally, a beam of light appeared ahead-the other end of the cave.
They quickened their pace and emerged from the perilous cave into the sunlight.
The boy sighed in relief, feeling liberated at last.
But as they looked ahead, the scene before them left all three stunned once more.