The giant rat let out a shriek, a mixture of fear and rage. It ceased its pursuit of the panicked mice, instead arching its back, its fur standing on end, and hissing threateningly in the direction of the roar. Even the fierce wolves halted their attack, pacing uneasily and emitting low growls. This roar was more powerful than any sound they had ever heard before, filled with primal force, enough to intimidate any creature.
Ning Yu seized the opportunity and grabbed Mu Xue's arm. "Now!" he growled, pulling her along, crouching low, and moving towards the cave entrance along the cave wall. The loose rocks pricked their hands and feet, but they ignored the pain, only wanting to escape this suffocating cave as quickly as possible.
They moved slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. The giant rats and wolves were stunned by the sudden roar, temporarily forgetting their presence. The cave was filled with the nauseating smell of dust and blood. Ning Yu felt Mu Xue's hand was icy cold, gripping his arm tightly; her breathing was rapid and shallow, as if she might faint at any moment.
Finally, they reached the cave entrance. Huge rocks blocked their view, leaving only a few narrow gaps. Ning Yu cautiously peeked out through the gaps. It was dark outside, with only faint light filtering down from the sky, illuminating the desolate landscape ravaged by nuclear war.
He squinted, trying to make out what the creature that had roared was. He only saw a huge black shadow, towering in the distance, its outline indistinct. The shadow resembled a small mountain, standing there motionless, giving off an indescribable sense of oppression.
"What is it?" Mu Xue's voice trembled as she clung tightly to Ning Yu, not daring to peek out.
“I can’t see clearly,” Ning Yu said in a low voice. “It’s too far away, and the light is too dim.” His heart raced, and a nameless fear welled up inside him. The roar, the shadowy figure—both were filled with unknown danger.
Suddenly, the dark figure moved. It slowly turned around, as if watching them. Ning Yu felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He instinctively wanted to pull his head back to avoid the dark figure's gaze.
"It...it seems to be watching us..." Mu Xue's voice trembled even more violently.
Ning Yu remained silent, his eyes fixed on the dark figure, his palms sweating. He didn't know what the figure was, whether it was friend or foe. But he knew they had to leave as soon as possible.
"Shh..." He put his index finger to his lips, signaling Mu Xue to be quiet. Then, he slowly, little by little, backed away. Mu Xue followed closely behind him, not daring to make a sound.
"We..." Ning Yu was about to speak when Mu Xue interrupted him.
“Wait,” Mu Xue tugged at his sleeve, pointing towards the cave entrance, “What…what is that?” Mu Xue’s finger trembled as she pointed towards the cave entrance, her eyes gleaming with hope. “Let’s…let’s call for help! Maybe…maybe it can help us!”
Ning Yu whirled around, a flicker of fear in his eyes, and quickly covered Mu Xue's mouth. "Shh! Don't make a sound! Are you crazy? We know nothing about it, how do we know if it's friend or foe? What if we attract even greater danger?"
Mu Xue struggled for a moment, her eyes filled with confusion and anxiety. She wanted to speak, but Ning Yu covered her mouth tightly. Ning Yu could feel her warm breath and rapid heartbeat in his palm.
Time ticked by, and the cave was eerily silent. Aside from their rapid breathing, only the occasional whistling of the wind could be heard outside. Strangely, the chilling howl had vanished, and the wolves and giant rats hadn't attacked again. The tense atmosphere in the cave only intensified because of this eerie calm.
Ning Yu slowly released his hand from Mu Xue's mouth, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with confusion. "Why...did they become quiet?"
Mu Xue also noticed something was wrong. She gently rubbed her mouth, which was a little numb from being covered, and whispered, "Perhaps...perhaps that roar scared them away?"
Ning Yu shook his head. "Impossible. Even if they scared away the wolves and giant rats, they wouldn't be this quiet. Unless..." He suddenly thought of something, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, "Unless they're afraid of that thing that roared!"
This idea filled Ning Yu with excitement, but also with greater unease. What exactly was this being capable of intimidating the wolves and giant rats? Was it an even more powerful mutated creature, or...?
He took a deep breath and made up his mind. "I'll go out and take a look."
"No! It's too dangerous!" Mu Xue grabbed Ning Yu's arm, her eyes filled with worry.
“We can’t hide here forever; we need to find out what’s going on outside.” Ning Yu gently pried open Mu Xue’s fingers, his tone firm. “You wait for me here. If I encounter any danger, you…”
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly rushed out. Mu Xue tried to stop him, but only grasped at air. She anxiously called out, "Ning Yu!", but dared not chase after him. She could only press herself tightly against the cave wall, observing the situation outside through the cracks.
Ning Yu carefully moved a boulder blocking the cave entrance, then slowly poked his head out. The light outside was brighter than inside the cave, and he squinted, trying to adjust to the change in light.
The desolate land, the withered trees contaminated by nuclear radiation, and the collapsed buildings in the distance constituted this apocalyptic scene. The wind whipped up dust, making a wailing sound, like the howling of ghosts. A pungent, acrid smell permeated the air, the remnants of nuclear radiation.
He looked around but saw no sign of the wolves or the giant rats. His gaze fell on the huge black shadow in the distance. The shadow was clearer than the one he had seen in the cave, but he still couldn't make out exactly what it was.
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