However, before they could catch their breath, even more giant rats surged out of the darkness, screeching sharply as they rushed toward them like a tidal wave.
Ning Yu and Mu Xue stood back to back, brandishing their weapons and desperately fending off the giant rat's attacks. Blood splattered, and the sounds of roars and scratching mingled together, creating a symphony of death.
They gradually felt overwhelmed; the giant rats were too numerous and fearless. Ning Yu sustained several more wounds, his clothes stained crimson with blood. Mu Xue was also exhausted; the branch in her hand had long since broken, and she could only fight with her fists and teeth.
Just then, Ning Yu felt the ground beneath his feet tremble again, and an even heavier breathing sound came from the depths of the cave, accompanied by a chilling sound of bones grinding together...
"Looks like we're in big trouble..." Ning Yu said in a low voice, a hint of despair flashing in his eyes. At the same time, a commotion came from the cave entrance; the wolves began scratching at the rocks and branches around the entrance with their claws...
"They're coming in..." Mu Xue's voice trembled, tinged with fear. Ning Yu gripped his dagger tightly, his gaze fixed resolutely ahead. He knew they had nowhere to retreat... Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from the depths of the cave...
The roar echoed through the cave, shaking the ground beneath their feet. It was a deep, hoarse sound, full of primal power, unlike anything they had ever heard before. The giant rats were momentarily startled, ceasing their relentless attack, their bright little eyes darting rapidly toward the source of the sound. However, this brief respite did little to alleviate Ning Yu and Mu Xue's predicament. Trapped in a corner of the cave, surrounded by a swarm of gnashing, gleaming creatures, they were bleeding, exhausted, and completely outnumbered.
“This…this is it?” Mu Xue whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and resignation. She clutched a jagged stone tightly in her hand, her knuckles white from the force. Her usual playful banter had been replaced by a chilling silence, a testament to the gravity of their predicament.
Ning Yu's face was grim, bloodied, and he didn't respond. His arm was throbbing with pain from a cut made by the sharp claws of a giant rat. He knew Mu Xue was right. They were out of options. The wolves outside were tearing through the barriers, and the terrifying rats showed no sign of backing down. Even if they managed to drive the rats away, they would only face the hungry wolves waiting outside. It was a lose-lose situation.
He glanced at Mu Xue; her face was pale and etched with exhaustion. He had promised to protect her, to ensure her safety in this ravaged world, but now, facing certain death, he felt a pang of painful regret. He had failed her.
Just as the mice, emboldened by their silence, began to approach again, the scratching sounds at the cave entrance intensified. The wolves were almost inside. The first few stones rolled into the cave, followed by the howling snout of a particularly large wolf.
Ning Yu spurred himself on, preparing to face his fate. He raised his blood-stained dagger, its dim reflection illuminating the menacing green eyes of the rats. He would fight to the very end, even if it was futile. He would protect Mu Xue for as long as possible.
Suddenly, the earth trembled again, and the previous roars echoed once more in the cave, but this time they were closer. The scratching at the entrance abruptly ceased. The wolves howled, a sound of pure terror emanating from the mouths of animals that had been so eager to tear them to shreds just moments before. Even the enormous rats seemed to cower in fear, their aggressive posture replaced by a trembling unease.
A colossal shadow swayed in the darkness deep within the cave. The air grew heavy, filled with an ancient and unsettling atmosphere. Each heavy footstep shook the ground, the tremors traveling to the very core of the mountain. The sound of massive bones grinding against each other echoed through the cave, a chilling prelude to the emergence of what lurked in the shadows.
Ning Yu gripped Mu Xue's hand tightly, his eyes fixed on the approaching darkness. He could feel his face turning deathly pale. The wolves fell silent, the rats froze, and in the deafening silence, a rough, ancient voice rumbled through the cave.
“Interesting…” The guttural sound echoed in the air with an almost tangible power, sending a chill down Ning Yu’s spine. He gripped Mu Xue’s hand tightly, offering a silent reassurance that even he himself wasn’t entirely sure of. The rats huddled together in trembling clumps, a stark contrast to their previous ferocity. The cave entrance, where the wolves had been frantically scratching, was now eerily silent, which was even more unsettling. It was the silence of predators anticipating their predators’ arrival.
The shadows deep within the cave shifted, vaguely revealing something enormous. A scaly leg, thicker than a tree trunk, shrank into the dim light, followed by another leg, each step causing the ground to tremble. A strong, ancient, and pungent musky scent filled the air.
"...What is that?" Mu Xue whispered, her voice barely audible amidst her rapidly beating heart.
Ning Yu shook his head, his mind racing. He had encountered mutated creatures before, bizarre remnants of a world ravaged by nuclear war, but this… this was different. It felt like something ancient, like something from legend. He activated his system, hoping to gain some understanding, some clues about what they were facing. This system, which usually provided information, stubbornly remained silent, flashing a mysterious error message he had never seen before.
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