Chapter 399 - 185: Monster Territory

Chapter 399: Chapter 185: Monster Territory

The SUV drove for another ten-odd kilometers before a bridge came into Xu Mo’s view.

The bridge itself was about fifty to sixty meters long, spanning a dry riverbed. Its surface was relatively flat, with low railings on both sides. Below, what should have been a wide river was now, due to a recent drought, just a ten-meter-wide ribbon of water snaking between scattered rocks.

Xu Mo slowed, stopped the car at the head of the bridge, and rolled down the window to observe the other side.

Across the bridge was a stretch of rolling hills. Withered, yellow grass covered the slopes, looking no different from the wasteland on this side.

But Xu Mo didn’t let his guard down. Zhao Shitou’s words still echoed in his ears: "It’s dangerous across the bridge. Some who went over never came back. Others who did come back were... strange."

After watching the other side for a moment, Xu Mo’s gaze shifted to the water below the bridge.

The water’s surface was still. There were no ripples from the wind; he couldn’t even hear the sound of a current.

Suddenly, Xu Mo’s eyes narrowed.

He saw a small ripple appear on the water, then another.

The ripples weren’t from the wind. Something was moving beneath the surface. A moment later, Xu Mo saw several thin, dark shapes swimming slowly underwater.

’Fish?’

’No, that’s not right.’

Xu Mo watched the way the shadows moved; it wasn’t like ordinary fish. They swam languidly, pausing occasionally as if searching for something. What put Xu Mo on high alert was when one of the dark shapes stopped, then slowly rose, breaking the surface to reveal its head.

It was a fish, but its eyes were huge, taking up nearly half its head. Those eyes were staring straight at the SUV, and their gaze held an indescribable quality. It wasn’t the vacant look of a fish, but a malevolent stare.

Xu Mo met the fish’s gaze for a second, then he raised his hand and gave it a little wave.

"Eaten yet?" Xu Mo asked, as if greeting an old friend.

The fish seemed startled by his gesture. It dove back underwater with a small splash. But a moment later, it poked its head out again and continued to stare at Xu Mo.

Xu Mo pulled his gaze away and stepped on the gas.

The SUV slowly drove onto the bridge. It wasn’t long and should have only taken a few dozen seconds to cross. But just as the vehicle reached the middle, Xu Mo suddenly felt a strange, bone-deep chill.

It wasn’t a physical cold, but a chill that rose from the depths of his being, as if something had passed right through his body, making the hairs on his skin stand on end.

But the sensation lasted only for an instant. As soon as the car was across the bridge, the chilling feeling vanished.

Xu Mo slammed on the brakes and looked back toward the bridge.

The sun was still shining, and the water below was still calm. The chill he’d felt seemed like an illusion.

But Xu Mo knew it wasn’t. He put the car in reverse and drove back onto the bridge.

This time, Xu Mo drove very slowly, paying close attention to any changes in his surroundings.

As the car reached the center of the bridge again, the bone-deep chill returned. Xu Mo felt as if he had passed through an invisible film, leaving the sunlit world for a cold, damp space. The feeling came and went quickly, but it was undeniably real.

Xu Mo stopped the car at the head of the bridge again, pushed open the door, and got out.

Standing there, Xu Mo closed his eyes and circulated the qi and blood in his body.

The immense qi and blood of the Iron Bone Realm surged through him, and the chilling sensation caused him no discomfort.

Xu Mo opened his eyes and stretched his limbs.

"Interesting," Xu Mo said under his breath.

’This bridge, or rather this whole area, is definitely a problem. That chilling feeling is like an invisible energy field that can affect one’s perception. But it can’t cause me any real harm. At least, not for now.’

Xu Mo got back in the car and continued driving forward.

He had driven less than fifty meters when he felt another presence. This wasn’t a chill, but naked killing intent.

’Someone’s targeting me... No, not someone. Not human.’

Xu Mo whipped his head around, looking toward the wasteland to his right.

Amidst the withered yellow grass, a gray shadow was sprinting toward him. The creature was incredibly fast, its four legs a blur as it closed a hundred-meter gap in the blink of an eye, like a gray bolt of lightning.

It was a wolf, but far larger than a normal one. It stood at least 1.2 meters at the shoulder and was over two meters long. Its body was covered in silver-gray fur that glinted like metal in the sun.

Its eyes were blood-red, and ghastly white fangs jutted from its mouth as it stared intently at Xu Mo’s car.

’A mutation... No, it’s a demonic beast!’

Xu Mo made an instant judgment.

Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, Xu Mo grabbed the AK-47 from the passenger seat with his other hand, rolled down the window, and fired a series of short bursts at the approaching figure.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three bullets whistled through the air. The wolf’s reflexes were lightning-fast; the moment the shots rang out, it twisted its body in an attempt to dodge.

But Xu Mo’s marksmanship was nothing to scoff at. The first bullet missed and the second grazed its fur, but the third struck its front leg with pinpoint accuracy.

AWOOOO—!

The wolf let out a pained howl. Its front leg gave out, and it tumbled to the ground, rolling over several times.

Though injured, it still struggled to get back on its feet.

But Xu Mo gave it no such chance. He adjusted his aim and fired two more shots.

BANG! BANG!

The bullets struck its skull. The wolf twitched a few times, then fell still.