C10 A Monster Has Come

As time passed, the fog grew denser.

Qin Feng knew exactly why the fog was thickening and immediately braced himself for action.

The others, however, were clueless, murmuring among themselves in hushed tones, "How odd. Why the fog all of a sudden?"

"I checked the weather forecast earlier today. It was supposed to be clear tonight."

"It's just fog. What's the big deal?"

Lu Shaojie overheard their chatter with a dark scowl. He sharply raised his voice, cutting them off.

Today was meant to be his and Zhong Yanan's engagement celebration.

But the mood had soured, thanks to the infuriating ramblings of a certain man. If Lu Shaojie didn't confront this madman for an explanation, he'd lose face with his friends forever.

With these thoughts, Lu Shaojie's gaze turned icy. He fixed his eyes on Qin Feng's impassive face and declared, "I don't care who you are or whether you're feigning ignorance. You had the audacity to speak out at my engagement party. If you don't provide a satisfactory explanation, you're not walking out of here!"

His eyes blazed with anger, as if he could devour Qin Feng whole.

Qin Feng remained unnervingly calm.

Ignoring Lu Shaojie, he headed for the banquet hall's main entrance.

He wasn't trying to escape. He simply wanted to shut the door to prevent the "human scent" from spreading too quickly and attracting the monsters.

But they clearly misunderstood his intentions.

As Qin Feng made his way to the door, Aunt Wang blocked his path, her disdain palpable. "Didn't you hear Young Master Lu? Who sent you to wreak havoc?"

Qin Feng remained silent.

He had never been one for small talk, in this life or the last, and saw no point in wasting energy on a quarrel. He just gave Aunt Wang a cold, hard stare and commanded, "Move aside!"

His gaze was piercing.

Aunt Wang initially had an air of defiance, but the moment she locked eyes with Qin Feng, she let out a startled cry and hastily backed away into the crowd. Clutching at Lu Shaojie's shoulder, she exclaimed, "Lu, this man is a lunatic. Get your guys to straighten him out."

"Don't worry. With so many people here, he's not getting away!" Lu Shaojie boasted with a sneer, his eyes glinting with malice.

No sooner had he spoken than another seven or eight men positioned themselves in front of Qin Feng.

A man with short, dyed blonde hair arrogantly rolled up his sleeves and declared, "Looks like we need to give you a lesson!"

The men shared a derisive laugh and moved to attack Qin Feng.

But then, out of nowhere, a harrowing, raspy scream cut through the air, like unexpected lightning.

The piercing, urgent wail sent shivers down their spines, striking at their hearts.

"What's that? Did I just hear someone scream?"

"Yeah, I heard it too."

The would-be attackers were shocked, their heads whipping around to face the banquet hall's entrance.

But as quickly as it had begun, the scream ceased, leaving behind a swirling fog of confusion.

"Something must have happened outside!"

Zhong Yanan's face turned ashen. Her woman's intuition sensed an imminent, unknown threat. She clutched her mouth, emitting a gasp of shock.

Even Aunt Wang's face lost its color. From behind the safety of the crowd, she asked, "What in the world is happening out there? Can someone check?"

Silence fell over the group, their eyes meeting in a wordless exchange.

The prolonged quiet made the air in the banquet hall heavy, almost suffocating.

"Who's causing trouble?"

Lu Shaojie couldn't take it anymore. With a look of scorn, he declared, "Keep an eye on Qin Feng. I'll check it out myself!"

With that, he marched toward the exit. But Qin Feng, still encircled, issued a chilling reminder, "Hold it. You'd best stay put."

"Do you really think I'd fall for that?"

Lu Shaojie squinted and turned, his face twisted into a snarl as he confronted Qin Feng. "You're definitely up to something. How many goons have you brought with you this time?"

Qin Feng replied with a stoic calm, "I'm not here to play games. Let me put it this way: if you step outside now, you might never make it back."

"You!"

Lu Shaojie was beside himself with rage, his composure as a gentleman shattered.

He stamped his foot and cursed like a thug, "Damn it! If I don't teach you a lesson today, I might as well not be a Lu. Security, tie this lunatic up, now!"

His command was cut short by a dull thud at the door. A round object rolled ominously through the entrance.

"What in the world?" Eyes widened in shock as necks craned for a better view.

And then, they saw it—the most horrifying and bizarre sight imaginable.

A human head!

The sight of the bloodied head, its features twisted in a final expression of terror, sent them reeling back three meters.

It was the head of the very security guard Lu Shaojie had summoned.

The guard's body was a gruesome sight—stripped of flesh, with no sign of organs or bones. His head had come to a macabre stop in the middle of the hall.

Screams pierced the air, men and women alike crying out in terror. Nearly everyone was shaking with fear, the more faint-hearted collapsing to the floor.

"How did he die?" Lu Shaojie was frozen in shock, trembling at the threshold, his face contorted in fear.

Qin Feng alone kept his composure.

As the head rolled to a stop, he barked at Lu Shaojie, "Enough with the screaming! Close the door, now!"

The presence of the bloody head was a clear sign—the monster had them in its sights.

Shutting the door was the only sensible action.

But Lu Shaojie remained paralyzed, clueless about what to do next.

"Move!"

Thankfully, there were braver souls present. A man behind Lu Shaojie, realizing the urgency, shouldered past him and dashed to seal the door.

As the door swung shut, a collective breath of relief swept through the crowd.

However, as the man was shutting the door, he suddenly shuddered and yelled, "What on earth is that?"

What?

Dozens of terrified eyes turned towards him.

Through the dense fog, a cluster of blood-red lights, floating eerily in the night, hurtled towards the hall at an alarming speed.

"Could that be will-o'-the-wisps?" cried someone in a helpless panic.

"No, those aren't will-o'-the-wisps; they're the eyes of monsters!" Qin Feng provided the correct explanation.

The crimson orbs that hovered in the darkness were the glowing eyes of the creatures. They were so distant and the night so pitch-black that it seemed as if the will-o'-the-wisps were adrift in the heavens.

The multitude of ghostly lights mirrored the swarm of monsters.

At last, these carnivorous beings had revealed themselves.