12

The deeper they went into the jungle, the darker it became. The thick canopy above blocked out the sunlight completely, like layers of curtains shutting the world out. Vines hung down like monsters with tentacles, twisting and tangling until the path ahead became a narrow green tunnel.

They were being escorted through it, their feet sinking into slippery layers of rotting leaves and soft mud. Branches snapped back with sharp pah-pah sounds. The air was hot and sticky, clinging to their skin, making it hard to even breathe.

After what felt like forever, they were finally brought to a massive banyan tree. Its thick roots were twisted and tangled, forming a dark hollow underneath—just large enough to hide dozens of creatures.

Inside, the skinless monsters sat down in a circle. Without waiting, they tore open the sacks on their backs and pulled out chunks of bloody meat, shoving it into their mouths. The sounds of tearing, chewing, and bones cracking filled the space. The stench of blood mixed with the damp rot of the jungle, forming a heavy, sticky fog that seemed to wrap itself around Maverick and Dr. Chan—suffocating them with despair.

Dr. Chan looked around wildly, his eyes wide and voice shaking.

"Are… are they going to eat us too?"

"We're fresh meat," Maverick replied calmly, though his eyes held a deep, dark glint."They'll probably save us for a feast… or for someone important."

Dr. Chan stiffened, his voice barely a whisper.

"Like… sashimi?"

Maverick almost laughed, but he didn't have the energy. Instead, he sighed and sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes and starting to breathe deeply in rhythm.

"Why do you always sit like some monk?" Dr. Chan muttered irritably.

Maverick opened one eye to glance at him. This was his way of calming himself—meditation. His father used to say, if you could sink deep enough into it, you could do things you never thought possible.

That thought lit a spark in Maverick's mind. Could"anything"... include escaping these monsters?

But the more he tried to focus, the more chaotic his thoughts became. He opened his eyes and studied the creatures. Despite their wild appearance, they weren't fighting over food or roaring randomly. Each monster kept a respectful distance, behaving with a strange sense of order.

Even stranger was their path. It looked messy, but one thing stood out—there were always smooth, purple vines lining the way. Wherever the vines didn't grow, the creatures refused to step foot.

When they passed areas where the vines were sparse, the monsters slowed down. Some even stopped eating and turned to keep watch, growling low in their throats like big cats. Their tension was clear—alert, cautious, uneasy.

What are they afraid of?

Maverick held his breath, heart pounding. If even they need to stay alert… then what kind of danger are they worried about?

He glanced at Dr. Chan, who still stared blankly upward, pale as a sheet, looking like a frightened rabbit. Maverick reached out and gave his shoulder a firm squeeze.

If we want to survive, we'll have to fight for it.

"Dr. Chan," Maverick whispered."Do you still have any of those experimental serums?"

He longed for that brief surge of power—something, anything to turn the situation around. But right now, he felt weaker than ever.

"You think those are like drinks you can grab at 7-Eleven?" Dr. Chan snapped."Those are classified bio-agents!"

Maverick sighed again. Not even a cheat code left... now what?

His eyes moved to the chief of the skinless monsters. This one was different—calm, straight-backed, not eating wildly or growling. It looked like it was watching… maybe even thinking.

Maybe… it can understand us.

Maverick steadied his voice and spoke carefully."Boss… where are you taking us?"

The monster didn't answer. It just lowered its head and started eating faster, as if afraid they'd steal its food.

Trying a different approach, Maverick picked up a leaf from the purple vine.

"Boss… is this leaf edible?"

The monster chief quickly swallowed the meat in its mouth, snatched the purple vine leaf from Maverick's hand, and threw it to the ground. Then it stood tall, glanced around, and with a swipe of its sharp claws, sliced off a segment of a green vine. Holding it up, it gestured for them to drink.

Maverick took the vine branch. A drop of clear liquid began to form at the tip. He hesitated for a second, then opened his mouth and let the drops fall in.

The liquid was slightly sweet, with a faint, pleasant fragrance. It slid coolly down his throat. The monster chief then cut another vine for Dr. Chan.

"Is it because we're too skinny and not tasty that you're not killing us?" Maverick asked half-jokingly, still trying to test the waters.

This time, the chief crouched back down and continued eating. In a low voice, it answered,"...No."

Maverick gave a small laugh."Oh? So you're planning to fatten us up first?"

A strange light flickered in the monster's eyes, but it didn't reply.

Dr. Chan couldn't help but whisper angrily,"Could you not give them ideas?!"

He looked terrified that Maverick's jokes might spark some horrific food-farming revolution among the monsters.

But Maverick suddenly lowered his voice, as if speaking to himself.

"You're… afraid of something too, aren't you?"

The monster chief froze for a split second. Its eyes swept the area sharply—alert, on guard.

"You avoided a lot of flatter paths," Maverick said quietly."You're strong… so what's out there that even you fear?"

The creature lowered its head slowly, staring directly at Maverick. Its lipless face twisted into a skull-like grin.

"Clever… prey," it rasped, its voice like rusty metal scraping together."But sometimes… knowing too much isn't a good thing."

"What, you expecting an army in here?" Maverick asked."These mountains are rough, the roads muddy—hardly a place a military would show up."

The Chief gave a cryptic reply:

"You'll know… when it's time."

Dr. Chan gulped, as if he'd just swallowed something sharp. His face turned even paler, full of dread. But Maverick actually felt a bit relieved—at least, they weren't being served up for dinner yet.

One thing was clear now: the purple vines weren't food. They had another purpose. Markers? Signs?

"Chan," Maverick said, lowering his voice,"have you noticed these purple vines are everywhere? Do you recognize them?"

"I wasn't paying attention!" Dr. Chan snapped, still nervously scanning their surroundings. He clearly thought Maverick had his priorities completely backward.

But Maverick stayed quiet, thinking hard.

Around them, the monsters seemed to be winding down, like workers finishing their shift. They leaned against tree roots or curled up on vine beds, closing their eyes. Soon, the sound of snoring filled the air—rhythmic, but never chaotic.

Suddenly, the monster leader stood up sharply, body tense, head tilted to listen.

"…Something's wrong."

In the distance, a lookout monster let out a series of piercing shrieks, like knives slicing through the air.

In an instant, all the monsters snapped to attention. They moved fast and silently, as if they'd trained for this moment a thousand times.