Chapter 166: Gunfire
As expected, creatures with tiny brains had limited processing capabilities. The neurotic Squirrel went berserk the moment it saw Yu Sheng and his companions. It flung its acorn away and began bouncing frantically through the shrubs, squealing and causing a racket that rivaled even Irene’s usual chaos. Despite being barely the size of a palm, it managed to stir up a commotion, screaming things like, “It’s happening!”, “Where the hell did all these freaks come from?!”, and, “Is this even Little Red Riding Hood anymore?!”
Eventually, Little Red Riding Hood couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped forward and caught the Squirrel just as it was about to leap from a twig. Gripping it tightly, she brought it up to her face and growled, “Silence! Or I’ll toss you into a thorn bush!”
The Squirrel, eyes wide and body tense, stared back at her, then glanced toward Yu Sheng and the others. Its neck stretched out, head tilted—then with a sharp little gasp, it fainted dead away.
Yu Sheng: “…”
Even Irene was stunned. “What the hell kind of useless creature just faints from fear…?”
But as soon as she finished speaking, the Squirrel regained consciousness. It squirmed in Little Red Riding Hood’s grasp, then seemed to settle slightly after taking in its surroundings. Still, it couldn’t stop muttering, “Something’s about to go terribly wrong… Is this still the Black Forest? Why are there so many people all of a sudden…? None of them even look like new Little Red Riding Hoods…”
“Um… hello,” said Foxy timidly, stepping forward to greet the Squirrel politely. “My name is Foxy.”
“And this one slung over my shoulder is Irene,” Yu Sheng chimed in with a bright, sunny grin as he approached. “We meet again, little Squirrel.”
“Yes, again… Of course Squirrel remembers you. You’re that ‘grown-up’ who somehow barged in before… and now you’ve brought more weirdos. I’m confused, I’m so confused,” the Squirrel muttered as it wriggled out of Little Red Riding Hood’s hand and climbed up onto her shoulder, nervously jabbering. “The Black Forest won’t be happy. The Black Forest hates troublemakers… You all look like troublemakers. You’re going to get yourselves cursed. You should run. You really, really need to run…”
“Funny you should say that,” Yu Sheng said cheerfully. “We’re here to make the Black Forest unhappy.”
The Squirrel blinked at him, clearly not understanding.
Yu Sheng didn’t elaborate. He simply dialed down his smile and began walking toward a faint light in the distance. “Do you know where I can find the Hunter?”
The Squirrel let out a high-pitched, puzzled squeak. “The Hunter? Why would you want to find the Hunter?”
“I need to ask them some questions,” Yu Sheng replied casually, then quickly added, “Don’t ask what—it’s none of your business. Just tell me where to find them.”
“It’s not safe. Going to the Hunter like this is really not safe…” The Squirrel seemed agitated. “The Hunter has a gun. They shoot anything that looks even remotely like a Wolf. Little Red Riding Hood already looks way too much like a Wolf… You’ll get mistaken for prey—especially tonight. Tonight…”
Yu Sheng’s steps faltered slightly, his expression shifting. “Tonight? What about tonight?”
The Squirrel clutched at the hood of Little Red Riding Hood’s cloak, visibly hesitating. Under Yu Sheng’s intense gaze, it finally shrank back and confessed, “Since yesterday, the Black Forest has been unstable. Some Wolves have gone mad. Some parts of the forest are disappearing. There was even a huge explosion… Tonight might be worse. When the Black Forest is unstable, the Hunter becomes unstable too. They roam, angry and dangerous—sometimes more dangerous than the Wolves themselves…”
Yu Sheng didn’t respond immediately.
Irene reached up and poked the back of his head. “Why do I feel like this might all be your fault?”
Yu Sheng stiffened. “…It’s all part of the plan.”
“What are you two talking about?” the Squirrel asked, baffled.
“Nothing,” Yu Sheng said curtly, then swiftly changed the subject. “Forget everything else—just lead me to the Hunter. Whether or not we get along is my problem. Worst case, you run away again like last time.”
“You just don’t listen to warnings!” the Squirrel cried, waving its paws. But then it drooped, tail drooping, and burrowed halfway into Little Red Riding Hood’s hood. “Fine, fine, your funeral… If you want to find the Hunter, just follow the trail of the Wolf Granny. Wherever she appears, the Hunter is sure to follow—no matter where he’s been roaming.”
“Perfect. That’s the clue I needed. Just as expected.”
Yu Sheng nodded and resumed his march toward the flickering light.
Irene, meanwhile, was confused—she wasn’t familiar with the rules of the Black Forest. Curiosity got the better of her. “Do you guys know where to find that Wolf Granny?”
“The Little House,” answered Little Red Riding Hood, walking beside her. “In the Black Forest, you’ll sometimes find trails lit by street lamps. At the end of those paths, there’s usually a wooden cabin. Inside, there are two possibilities—either it’s a safe, empty room… or it houses the Wolf Granny. By the way, normally I’m supposed to avoid the Little Houses with a Wolf Granny in them.”
Irene listened intently to Little Red Riding Hood’s explanation, until a particular phrase caught her attention. “There are usually two scenarios? Then what about the unusual one?”
“…There’s a third case,” Little Red Riding Hood’s steps paused for a moment, her voice calm but a flicker of fear passed through her eyes. “Sometimes the Little House doesn’t have Wolf Granny inside. But when you enter the Little House to hide, Wolf Granny will come knocking on the Door.”
“This is the most dangerous scenario. The chance to escape only lasts a heartbeat. I’ve been caught a few times… right when she knocked.”
She paused, exhaled gently, then added, “And recently, Yu Sheng and I encountered a fourth kind. A Little House standing alone in the Deep Forest, unconnected to any paths and completely unlit, with Red Cloaks hanging all over inside.”
Irene responded immediately. “Ah, I know that one—the one you two found last time.”
Yu Sheng, meanwhile, noticed the Squirrel hiding in Little Red Riding Hood’s hood shrink instantly at the words “unlit Little House” and “Red Cloaks.” When it peeked out again, its beady eyes were filled with terror.
He stepped forward and locked eyes with the creature. “Why are you so scared of that unlit Little House?”
The Squirrel visibly trembled, letting out a panicked squeal. “I don’t know! Squirrel knows nothing!”
Yu Sheng frowned deeply.
“Don’t push it,” Little Red Riding Hood sighed, interrupting his next question. “If it’s reacting like this, we won’t get anything useful—and if the pressure gets worse, it might faint again.”
“Yes, yes! Little Red Riding Hood and Squirrel are friends! Best friends!” the Squirrel cried quickly.
“Yeah, not the most reliable friend,” Yu Sheng muttered, but dropped the questioning. As he continued walking, he kept part of his focus on the Squirrel’s movements.
A path appeared ahead.
A winding trail through the woods, lit by fantastical floating lamps. The trail led into the depths of the Forest, its far end swallowed in darkness. The soft light cast a clear boundary along the trail, temporarily repelling the malevolence of the Black Forest. Within that circle of light, a sense of safety prevailed.
The moment they stepped onto the path, the ever-present feeling of being watched and stalked ebbed away. Even the distant howls of the Wolves faded.
“Whoa… this is kinda interesting,” Irene’s sharp senses picked up on the shift immediately. Her eyes widened as she stared at the hovering light orbs. “But this doesn’t feel like a typical ‘Safe Zone’ in the Otherworld… it seems the path’s safety depends on the lights themselves.”
“What’s the difference?” Yu Sheng asked, puzzled. “Aren’t they both safe zones?”
“Not quite,” Irene shook her head. “Normal Safe Zones in the Otherworld are inherently stable. Even if they move or vanish over time, while they exist, Entities and other threats can’t intrude. But this path… it feels more like a temporary barrier created by some Strange Object. With these lights, it’s safe. Without them? It won’t be.”
She looked around. “In short, it’s not the path that’s safe. It’s the lamps. This isn’t a Safe Zone. It’s a Safe Object.”
Yu Sheng listened carefully, easily following the little doll’s logic.
He realized again that exploring the Otherworld really was easier with this Doll Lady in tow. She might be unreliable at times, but her mystical insight and sometimes uncanny intuition could prove invaluable.
But his train of thought was interrupted by a sound from beyond the trail.
Bang!
A gunshot.
Muffled, sudden. The sound of a hunting rifle.
Everyone froze mid-step, exchanging startled looks.
The Squirrel popped out of the hood, nervously wringing its tiny paws. “Hunter fired… Hunter fired…”
“Benefactor, the sound came from over there,” said Foxy, tugging Yu Sheng’s sleeve and pointing off the trail. Her ears twitched in the air, finely tuning to the direction. “Roughly a couple hundred meters.”
Just as she spoke, a second shot rang out.
Bang!
From the same direction.