Silence fell over the village gate.
The enormous corpse of the Alpha Demon Wolf lay on the ground, its dark blood slowly soaking into the soil.
The air was thick with the smell of blood.
Lin Ye stood frozen, his back already drenched in cold sweat.
Reg's eyes were fixed on him.
That gaze was as sharp as a blade.
"That wasn't a normal ability," Reg said quietly.
"That was forbidden magic."
The hunters around them froze when they heard those words.
Zhao Hu was the first to react.
"Forbidden magic?"
He turned toward Lin Ye, his expression slowly filling with shock.
"You mean… him?"
Lin Ye felt his throat tighten.
He didn't know how to answer.
At that moment, Su Li suddenly stepped forward.
She stood in front of Lin Ye, blocking Reg's line of sight.
"You're mistaken," she said calmly.
Reg's eyes shifted to her.
"Mistaken?"
Su Li nodded.
"That was just shadow magic."
"Many mages can use it."
Reg was silent for a moment.
Then he slowly shook his head.
"No."
He stepped closer.
His footsteps echoed clearly in the quiet village entrance.
"I've seen shadow magic before."
"That kind of spell doesn't grow directly out of the ground."
His gaze returned to Lin Ye's feet.
The shadow lay quietly on the ground.
But for some reason—
It looked strangely unnatural.
Reg continued,
"And besides…"
"The Alpha Wolf chose to attack you."
He stared directly at Lin Ye.
"Monsters are very sensitive to the scent of the Abyss."
The air suddenly became tense.
Lin Ye felt his heart drop.
Reg was getting dangerously close to the truth.
Just then—
Zhao Hu suddenly spoke.
"Wait."
He walked over to Lin Ye and frowned.
"Didn't you get thrown into the forest yesterday?"
Lin Ye didn't answer.
Zhao Hu's expression slowly changed.
"The Shadow Wolf also died yesterday."
"So could it be…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
But the meaning was obvious.
The hunters around them began whispering.
"Could it really be him?"
"But he's always been weak…"
"Isn't forbidden magic extremely dangerous?"
The atmosphere grew heavier and heavier.
Lin Ye could feel everyone staring at him.
Some looks were filled with shock.
Others with fear.
Then—
Su Li suddenly raised her hand.
A soft white light appeared in her palm.
The glow was gentle.
Almost like moonlight.
Reg frowned.
"A sealing technique?"
Su Li spoke calmly.
"It's just a magic detection spell."
She gently placed her hand on Lin Ye's shoulder.
The white light slowly spread.
Lin Ye was startled.
He didn't know what she was doing.
But the next moment—
He felt something strange.
A thin layer of power spread across his shadow.
Like a membrane.
The deep abyssal aura around him was completely suppressed.
Su Li removed her hand.
"No demonic energy," she said.
She looked at Reg.
"If he were truly using forbidden magic, you would be able to sense it."
Reg fell silent.
He really couldn't feel anything unusual anymore.
The air stayed quiet for a few seconds.
Then Zhao Hu scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
"See? I knew it."
"How could Lin Ye be a forbidden magic user?"
The other hunters visibly relaxed.
Reg, however, said nothing.
His gaze still lingered on Lin Ye.
As if he were thinking about something.
After a while, he finally turned away.
"Deal with the demon wolf's body first."
The hunters immediately began moving.
Some went to fetch tools.
Others lit torches.
A monster of that level had to be burned.
Otherwise its corpse might attract more monsters.
Lin Ye stood there.
Finally, he let out a quiet breath of relief.
Su Li stepped beside him.
"Don't relax yet," she whispered.
Lin Ye looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Su Li spoke softly.
"He doesn't believe it."
Lin Ye's heart sank.
Just as she said—
Reg suddenly stopped walking.
He turned his head and looked back at Lin Ye.
His gaze was still sharp.
"You."
Lin Ye blinked.
"Me?"
Reg nodded.
"You're coming into the forest with me tomorrow."
Lin Ye frowned.
"Why?"
Reg replied calmly,
"Monsters don't gather without a reason."
"I'm going to investigate their nest."
He paused.
Then added one more sentence.
"And you…"
"Always seem to appear in strange places."
Silence fell again.
Lin Ye felt a wave of unease.
Su Li also frowned slightly.
Reg continued,
"If you truly know nothing—"
"Then think of it as helping."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Soon only Lin Ye and Su Li remained near the village gate.
Lin Ye lowered his voice.
"He's testing me."
Su Li nodded.
"Exactly."
Lin Ye was silent for a moment.
"So what should I do?"
Su Li looked toward the distant forest.
Night was slowly falling.
She spoke quietly.
"If you refuse…"
"He'll suspect you even more."
Lin Ye sighed.
"So I have to go."
Su Li turned to him.
Her expression grew serious.
"Then I'll go too."
Lin Ye blinked in surprise.
"You?"
Su Li nodded.
"If there really is a monster nest…"
"It will be more dangerous than you think."
In the distance, the forest was slowly swallowed by darkness.
The wind rustled through the leaves.
It sounded like whispers in the night.
As if something deep within the woods was waiting.
Lin Ye stared at the forest.
A strange feeling rose in his chest.
It felt like—
Something in the darkness was calling to him.