While it might’ve seemed that Tian Lang left Yue Villa in a moment of rush. In reality, it wasn’t.

When Tian Lang understood more about humans, he realized he couldn’t learn about ‘normal’ humans from Yue Yang. After all, Yue Yang was anything but normal. It was called useless for a reason.

That being said, it wasn’t as if he learned nothing. Thanks to Yue Yang, the ‘abnormal’ third young master, he mastered Human Language. He familiarized himself with countless abstruse knowledge, which some humans might’ve been unwilling or not bothered to teach him.

Though his reason wasn’t that complex, it would’ve been a blessing if he didn’t pass out from such a complicated thought process. He only remained because Yue Yang taught him; since no one taught or showed him anything interesting, Tian Lang naturally lost his interest.

Not that he had a great plan either. Assuming the foolish pup knew the value of a plan in the first place.

But even with his simple intellect, the pup knew staying near any human dens sounded anything but safe. Although humans with big fleshy mounds seemed rare, he still believed there to be more in such a large human den.

Hence he stayed further away from the dens. As for his destination, he followed something that the humans called a carriage. While it moved slowly, Tian Lang only had this to learn human activities outside their den. For he lacked the knowledge to go on an adventure.

When Tian Lang moved further away from the human den, his tranquil shadow once again became lively. It moved to a corner, then bent in a circular shape. As if it stretched its body after a long rest. Gradually the movements of the shadow became flexible. They twisted and turned as the shadow slowly crept from Tian Lang’s hind leg to his underbelly. Then steadily at a slow pace, covered Tian Lang’s body.

(A/N: What were you thinking guys, they are just innocent beasts, smh; you disappoint me)

Despite being clumsy and a first try, the process was so smooth that Tian Lang, the stalker pup, had no idea of the change. After some more experimentation, the shadow once again returned to its original state.

Unaware of any ongoing change Tian Lang kept chewing the black crystal. Throughout the whole journey, he hoped to melt it bit by bit. However, even after a few days passed, he failed to taste this hard, black crystal.

Finally, the impatient pup couldn’t bear it anymore, so he dug.

Why?

He didn’t know.

He dug because he thought he should.

Were there any reasons required?

Like the crystal bed, he ‘hid’ on top of the mountain; Tian Lang similarly chose a high mountain to hide it. After all, this was now his possession. He couldn’t let anyone steal or own it.

Since the mountain peak was narrow, it should naturally be the most unassuming place to hide! Not the other way around!

The more Tian Lang thought, the more convinced he became.

How absolute genius I am!

The foolish pup thought, unaware of his method to relocate his so-called ‘treasure.’

He had long forgotten that the first time when he ran away from a human, he kept running in a circle. He spectacularly proved how rotten his sense of direction was. Yet he remained unaware even now.

He looked at the spectacular hole and praised himself once again. The stunning spot was indeed unassuming and suitable for hiding his treasure.

Nodding in satisfaction once again, Tian Lang bit the treasure on his left only to freeze.

W-what?!

His treasure was gone!

He bit a pile of dirt and stones!

Veoh! Voh! Voh!

Tian Lang coughed his throat out and cautiously looked at his left and right.

He saw the humans camping at a distance away. Nothing in his surroundings looked out of the place. Even his surroundings maintained their order.

Leaves fluttered in the night wind, bugs chirped. Everything seemed normal.

Yep.

Everything did, yet why did his shadow stretch so far?

Naturally, blood rushed to Tian Lang’s head. The taste of dirt and sharp rocks only fueled his anger.

The culprit responsible for Tian Lang’s dismay, confusion, and anger realized the change in the air even though it remained confused about the reason.

It curiously turned to Tian Lang; then it went back to its own thing.

...

The leopard saw a Tian Lang seething with rage, which was a common sight. This powerful pup was both impatient and irredeemable. As long as anything got on his path, he would answer with either his claws or fangs. Hence, the leopard coolly ignored him. It got used to Tian Lang’s antics!

As expected of the one who decided to follow the foolish pup, it could suit Tian Lang’s ridiculous antics.

It wondered what Tian Lang saw in this weird black crystal.

If it knew the source of Tian Lang’s ‘confidence’ was a weak human, it would’ve scoffed at this naivety.

At that moment, the leopard coolly avoided an incoming claw. It took the black crystal and entered his shadow.

This simple event left a hole in Tian Lang’s heart.

Why?

Just why did he still let this leopard follow him?

Well, it let him sleep in its soft, warm fur, which was really soothing and comfortable. A trait he picked up after living lavishly in the human house.

Ah, right also. Tian Lang couldn’t get rid of it.

Tian Lang felt frustrated, so frustrated that he howled. He howled to suppress this feeling of grief, helplessness, and frustration.

Awwwooooooo~!

And a series of howls followed after.

AowwwoOOO!

AWWoOOO~!

WoOOOoO!!

The sudden unexpected howls stupefied Tian Lang a little. Then, feeling excited, he howled continuously as more and more beastly roars followed.

Unfortunately, Tian Lang didn’t understand the meaning of howling. Nor did he know the significance of continuous howls. He just howled because it felt exciting.

As the howls continued, Tian Lang got distracted. A black crystal ‘flew’ from the ground to in front of him. It was his black crystal.

As Tian Lang watched the black pendant, he blinked.

Blink. Blink.

He blinked some more. As his eyes flashed, Tian Lang tapped the ground under his paws–a move Tian Lang did to call the leopard.

The leopard slightly raised its head from the shadow, and curiously watched him.

Tian Lang tapped the black pendant, then the ground.

The Shadow Leopard looked at the black pendant and the shadowless ground Tian Lang tapped. It almost let out a non-existent sigh. For the first time, the leopard wondered how it got defeated by him and whether following this foolish pup was a good idea or not. Still, it followed Tian Lang’s ‘instruction’ and took the black crystal pendant to his shadow.

Awk-

Tian Lang gasped. Why did he even bother digging a hole? Well, as tempting as the idea sounded and felt, Tian Lang’s rationality won over the ridiculous notion.

He tapped the ground again as the leopard popped up again.

He tapped a few times more, and the leopard returned the black pendant. Tian Lang once again tapped the pendant and then the ground, the leopard took the pendant.

Tian Lang continued his experiment a few times with his eyes shining, quite literally.

Every time the leopard took the black pendant in and out of the shadows, a slight sensation touched his paws.

It was faint, really—the countless times before he didn’t notice. But the continuous in and out motion of the pendant with the slight shadowy element made him sensitive.

Then suddenly, he noticed a point of existence.

Shadows.

It was there, and he took it naturally. Never minding it.

However, he realized shadow was more than how useless it looked.

Everything or being had a mirror or an existence that followed them, and none was an exception to that force, or law. Even those mighty big fleshy humans had a dark soft mirror following them.

And this beast following him used those mirrors, instead of the ground, to move and even hide. It could even pull in items inside them.

Tian Lang’s body suddenly turned soft, as if illusory, but stopped and gained hard form. His glowing eyes looked tranced as if lost focus.

His body waved once again, but something seemed to be lacking as his body returned to normal once again.

While it might’ve been just another of Tian Lang’s foolish tries, the leopard looked at Tian Lang with bated breath.

However, before Tian Lang progressed more, his eyes regained their focus due to a howling noise below the mountain. The humans in the camp nearby created a barricade while some removed their camping tools and entered the carriage.

Many wolves surrounded them from the woods, while a few particularly strong ones surrounded the mountain. Slowly, they crept to the top.

Yes, only the alphas of the nearby packs gathered around the mountain.

Wolves, by nature, live in packs and maintain a basic hierarchy and communication. Just a while ago, they heard the howl of an unfamiliar, yet a higher rank of Alpha. All the wolves in the packs, including the mates of the Alpha, became restless. The grief and unwillingness portrayed in that howl made even the Forest Alphas uneasy.

They didn’t wish to be near this place as they dreaded, at the same time, they couldn’t reject the call of help from a leader, a higher Alpha.

So, the Alphas, who maintained a delicate balance in the forest, decided to see the end of this mighty dying or already dead Alpha. If that Alpha didn’t die, they would finish him with their own hand.

But they couldn’t let their packs witness such a scene. So they guided their groups to the human camp, who most probably harmed their Great Leader.

As they approached the mountain peak, the alpha wolves froze to find a pup looking straight at them.

This... is this the mighty wolf’s offspring?

If that’s correct, where’s the body of the Alpha?

While they wondered this, they looked at their surroundings.

Suddenly, they felt weird. If an Alpha, even higher than them, fought here, such a small mountain should have a few missing chunks. But... everything looked so peaceful here.

Grr...

The pup growled threateningly at them.

However, the Alphas couldn’t help but cower subconsciously.

The four exchanged looks, but no one expressed any mocking thoughts. They felt humiliated. They were the Alpha of their own packs, yet they cowered in front of a pup. At the same time, greed flashed their eyes, if they could eat this pup, they would definitely level up, and the chance of evolution was too high.

Evolution!

Such a thing was insignificant compared to level up. If the wolves could reach from Bronze Rank to Silver Rank, then their status would change sharply. From a simple pack, they could occupy the whole forest!

Greed clouded their judgment. The Alphas no longer worried about the possible higher Alpha, but they didn’t jump ahead of another either. The first one might get to the pup, but he would be killed before that.

The four suddenly became cautious and emitted their hostility against the other, completely ignoring the clueless pup.

Tian Lang glanced at the wolves fighting against each other and felt bored. Even though his senses lacked sorely amongst beasts, he could still tell this bunch was weak.

As long as it wasn’t those humans with big fleshy mounds, Tian Lang had confidence that he wouldn’t lose. After all, the only beast who could put up a fight against him was the leopard moving in his shadow.

He ignored the four wolves, who started in-fighting and imitated the same feeling he received just now. However, this time, he faced something other than his own shadow, the shadow of a tree.

Imitating the feeling, he dived at the shadow and–

Shua!

–everything went silent.

It was a world of tranquility and darkness. Tian Lang could see nothing, and at the same time, he could see everything as far as his eyes could stretch.

This time though, he didn’t see the same usual world. Only Shadows.

Paths.

Paths that stretched endlessly.

And the leopard whose head still remained above the shadows.

However, despite it being a few meters away, it was with him. Tian Lang circled the leopard while its head popped back to the shadow.

Tian Lang then looked above. The things he could see were barely discernible. It seemed a hazy fog blocked his vision.

When Tian Lang tried to touch the fog, he phased through it. His claws passed through the shadow of the real world. Tian Lang popped his head out, and everything in the real world became clear. Though, this time he couldn’t see the paths made of Shadows at all, not even the hazy outlines.

Tian Lang popped up and down between the shadows and the real world multiple times in excitement. He couldn’t help but howl in the shadow world.

Auu!--

Although there was no sound, as soon as Tian Lang howled, intense pressure was directed his way. A force with absolute neutrality and tranquility. A force deep from the shadows.

Tian Lang almost felt his body being forced out of the shadows. The leopard, which remained beside him, slammed Tian Lang’s jaw, making his howl short and abrupt.

Unlike usual, Tian Lang didn’t snap at the leopard. He looked shaken up. He hesitated a little and ultimately popped out of the shadows.

Tian Lang shuddered for a moment to shake the force away while his eyes fell upon the human camp... err, the former human camp.

Among the large group of humans, 4 had already fallen.

Tian Lang’s mind suddenly cleared. He couldn’t let them die because he didn’t wish to wander around the woods once again. He had to rely on them to learn more about Humans and found another human den.