Predator in the Shadows

The moment Lin Feng's fingers touched the serpent's cold, scaled body —

WHOOSH.

A familiar rush of strange energy surged into him. It flowed through his arm, spread across his chest, and sank deep into his core.

He gasped, teeth clenched, body tensing under the sensation. The warmth from the previous absorption returned — but this time, it felt stronger. More alive.

Then — Ding!

A line of text blinked in front of his eyes, brighter and clearer than before:

[Level Up.]

For a split second, Lin Feng blinked in disbelief.

Another window appeared, hovering before him:

[Current Level: 2]

His heart pounded. I leveled up…?

He had barely started to understand how this System worked — and yet, here was undeniable proof: killing creatures, absorbing their energy, and now… growing stronger.

Instinctively, he wanted to check his status — to see if his stats had changed, if new powers had been unlocked.

But before he could focus —

A low, guttural sound echoed through the forest.

A deep rumble that wasn't the rustling of leaves. Not the movement of some small creature.

It was something else.

A primal growl — resonating through the trees and vibrating in his chest.

Lin Feng's breath caught. His body stiffened. Every hair on his arms, neck, and back stood on end.

His instincts screamed: Danger!

He slowly turned his head toward the sound.

That's when he saw it.

Emerging from between the thick roots of two massive trees, its body moving with fluid, lethal grace — an enormous tiger.

Far larger than any normal tiger — easily three meters long (nearly ten feet), its powerful muscles rippled beneath a coat of thick, striped fur. Its eyes glowed faintly in the dim light — cold, predatory, locked onto him.

Its jaws parted slightly, revealing long, curved fangs. Saliva dripped from its maw.

This was no ordinary beast. Its presence radiated death.

Lin Feng's mouth went dry. His legs trembled.

An instinct older than thought screamed at him: Run.

He didn't hesitate.

Without thinking — without planning — he turned and sprinted into the jungle.

Branches whipped past. Roots snagged at his feet. Leaves and vines tore at his arms.

Behind him —

A deafening roar shattered the air.

ROAAAARRR!

The tiger gave chase, claws tearing into the earth, its massive body crashing through the underbrush with terrifying speed.

Lin Feng didn't look back. His breath came in ragged gasps. His heart hammered in his chest.

All he could hear was the thunder of paws behind him — closing in.

Faster. He had to run faster.

But the jungle offered no clear path — only twisting roots, thick vines, uneven ground.

He ducked under a low branch. Leapt over a fallen log. Dodged past a tangled wall of thorns.

Every step was a battle. Every breath burned.

And still — the beast pursued him.

Branches tore at Lin Feng's clothes. Sharp twigs scraped his arms and legs as he pushed forward through the dense underbrush. His breath came in ragged bursts, lungs burning.

Behind him — the sounds of pursuit grew louder.

Thudding pawsteps crashed through the forest floor. Low, guttural growls rumbled through the trees. The tiger wasn't losing ground — it was gaining.

Lin Feng's heart pounded in his ears. I can't outrun it…

But there was no time to think — only to move.

He ducked under another low-hanging branch, nearly stumbling as his foot caught on a twisted root. He recovered quickly, pushing himself forward with every ounce of strength he had.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, part of him screamed: This is insane. You'll die at this rate!

But instinct had taken over. The will to survive.

Just a little further… anywhere… there has to be something—

The jungle ahead thickened even more — a wall of tangled vines and towering ferns. No clear path.

Lin Feng's eyes darted left, then right — searching desperately for an opening.

Another roar shook the air.

The beast was close — far too close.

He could almost feel its hot breath on the back of his neck.

Without thinking, Lin Feng veered sharply to the right, bursting through a curtain of hanging vines. The sudden movement bought him a precious second — the tiger's momentum forced it to adjust course.

But that second wouldn't last.

He stumbled into a small clearing — barely wide enough for a few steps. On the far side, a fallen tree blocked the way.

No escape.

He turned — just as the tiger burst through the vines, eyes gleaming, jaws open wide.

Lin Feng's body reacted on pure instinct.

He dove to the side — rolling across the soft earth, the baseball bat still clutched in one hand.

The tiger lunged — massive claws swiping through the space he had occupied a heartbeat before.

A deafening snarl echoed through the clearing.

Lin Feng scrambled to his feet, adrenaline surging. His chest heaved. Every muscle trembled.

The tiger circled, muscles tensed, tail flicking. Its cold gaze never left him.

It wasn't just hunting. It was toying with him — a predator enjoying the chase.

Lin Feng's grip tightened on the bat. His mind raced. I can't outrun it. I can't fight it head-on. What do I do?!

His eyes darted around the clearing, searching desperately for anything — a rock, a tree, an opening — anything he could use.

But there was nothing.

The tiger crouched low, ready to pounce.

And Lin Feng knew — if he hesitated for even a second — he was dead.

Time seemed to slow.

Lin Feng's heart thundered in his chest. His legs felt like lead, his arms trembling. The baseball bat in his grip felt small — useless against the monster before him.

The tiger's muscles bunched. Its massive paws dug into the earth.

It leapt.

Lin Feng barely managed to throw himself sideways — hitting the ground hard, rolling through damp leaves and tangled roots.

The tiger landed where he had stood moments before, claws gouging deep furrows into the soil. It whirled around, snarling.

Lin Feng staggered to his feet, breath ragged. His vision blurred for a moment. He wiped the sweat from his brow, blood pounding in his ears.

He couldn't keep this up. One more mistake — one slip — and it would be over.

Move! Now!

Without thinking, he turned and ran again, crashing through a narrow gap between two trees.

Branches whipped against his face and arms. Vines tore at his clothes.

Behind him — the tiger roared and charged once more, crashing through the foliage with terrifying force.

Lin Feng pushed himself harder, lungs burning, legs screaming in protest. He didn't know where he was going — only that he had to keep moving.

Every instinct screamed: Survive!

The dense jungle seemed to close in around him, the shadows deepening. The sounds of the beast behind him drew closer with each step.

Then — a faint glimmer of light ahead.

A small break in the trees.

Lin Feng poured the last of his strength into a desperate sprint, pushing through the final thicket — and stumbled into a wider clearing.

He barely kept his footing, breath ragged.

But he didn't stop.

He whirled around — eyes wide — just in time to see the tiger burst through the undergrowth.

And then — something changed.

The beast skidded to a halt at the edge of the clearing, low growl rumbling in its throat. Its gaze locked on Lin Feng — but it didn't attack.

Instead, it paced slowly along the edge of the clearing, tail twitching, muscles tense.

It was waiting. Watching.

Lin Feng's chest heaved. Sweat dripped down his face.

He didn't understand — why had it stopped?

But there was no time to question. No time to relax.

He tightened his grip on the bat, forcing his trembling legs to steady.

This isn't over…