Chapter Eleven: Night in the Rainforest

Katherine had just discovered a food that could fully satisfy her hunger, but suddenly it was gone; to say she wasn’t frightened would be a lie. She had already felt the effects of her newfound, gluttonous appetite. Without such satiating food, if she had to subsist on the fish she’d eaten before, dozens a day wouldn’t be enough. Would she really have to endlessly repeat the act of eating? Such a life was too dreadful to imagine.

Ling Mo, with an expression that suggested he’d expected this all along, said, “Of course. For magical beasts, before their magic cores condense, their internal energy quickly dissipates upon death, making the meat indistinguishable from that of ordinary animals. You were leisurely barbecuing—it's perfectly normal for this to happen.”

Katherine felt a surge of frustration, nearly choking. With a plaintive look, she gazed at Ling Mo and said with a hint of grievance, “Master, you knew this would happen, yet you didn’t stop me. That’s rather cruel.”

“You’ll only truly accept your fate once you experience it yourself,” he replied.

Katherine was stunned. She scratched at her head in annoyance and plopped down on the ground. Indeed, if someone simply told her that from now on she would only eat raw food, would she have immediately accepted it? That was impossible. Even now, having fully realized this truth, she felt a wave of sorrow: Was she doomed to become a wild woman, living off raw meat? Would she be forever cut off from modern society? What an unpleasant way to live...

As Katherine brooded, she suddenly felt a warm, large hand gently caress her head. Looking up at her unconventional master, she heard his gentle voice: “Don’t worry, this phase will pass. In time, you’ll be able to eat cooked food again. Besides,”

He paused, his face showing a struggle, and after a moment, he spoke with evident reluctance, “Furthermore, I have a base in the rainforest, where I’ve collected sauces over the years. Spread them on food, and the flavor, aroma, and appearance are exceptional.”

Katherine rubbed her head against his palm, her face brightening with longing. “Hmph, stingy.”

Seeing Ling Mo’s embarrassed expression, Katherine smiled. She quickly finished off the grilled snake in her hands, stood up, and said, “Let’s go, Master. Didn’t you say nighttime is the best time for hunting?”

———————————A Splendid Divider—————————————

Night had fallen, the sky darkened, and it was the perfect time for most carnivores—especially the nimble ones—to appear. Katherine and Ling Mo walked side by side deep into the rainforest. Katherine adjusted her magical eye spirit to night mode, and as they traveled, Ling Mo began to impart essential knowledge about the rainforest to her.

“I’m sure you know that carnivores prefer to hunt at night. Beyond the obvious reason that darkness conceals their forms, have you ever wondered why they favor nighttime for hunting?”

Katherine shook her head. Her previous role as a mage, though adventurous, followed the basic rule: explore by day, rest and keep watch at night. She’d never really considered why.

“To go deeper,” Ling Mo explained, “herbivores, especially large ones, have eyes on the sides of their heads. The advantage is clear: combined with their height, when they raise their heads, they nearly have a full panoramic view—almost three hundred sixty degrees. This is crucial for avoiding predators.” He pointed to both sides of his temples, prompting Katherine to imagine it. “But having a wider field of vision comes at the cost of depth perception. We—humans and animals—have two forward-facing eyes to judge how close or far things are. With only one eye seeing an object, herbivores struggle to judge distance, especially when images are blurry at night. Carnivores, with both eyes facing forward, have a natural advantage at night. Knowing how to use this gift of nature is the key to successful hunting. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Be careful. Nature compensates herbivores for their visual disadvantage by granting them keener hearing. When you approach, make sure you make no sound. Otherwise, with your current stamina, you’ll never outrun them. Understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good. Ahead lies one of the habitats of the third-tier magical beast—the ‘Unicorn Forest Goat.’ Go, capture one and prove your skill! Also, take this.” Ling Mo drew a dagger from his belt and handed it to her. “This dagger is very sharp. Be careful not to hurt yourself.”

Katherine took the dagger and examined it. It was light in her hand, less than a foot long, and its tip wasn’t straight but curved like a crescent moon. The blade was a pale, chilling white, resembling the fang of some fierce beast. She swung it a couple of times to get used to its feel, took a deep breath, and silently moved toward the Unicorn Forest Goat’s territory nearby.

Her vision had greatly improved; even at night, her sight was almost as clear as during the day, just a bit darker. About fifty to sixty meters ahead, through the trees, was a dry open area, maybe twenty meters across, where dozens of Unicorn Forest Goats lay scattered.

Such dry, elevated ground was extremely valuable in the rainforest. Even knowing the risks, the Unicorn Forest Goats had to rest here, because their newborns’ wool wasn’t thick enough yet. If they lay down too long on moist, decaying earth, it would cause severe rot and threaten their lives. So each year, during this period, they must stay here for a few days until the young goats’ wool dries and hardens.

Naturally, this predictable behavior attracted predators. In the darkness, Katherine sensed more than one presence. As a mage, she’d never been so sensitive, but now her perception had grown sharper. She could make out at least three medium-sized feline outlines, all elegant hunters, pressed low against the ground, bodies flattened as much as possible. Whenever the Unicorn Forest Goat on guard turned its head, predators in its blind spot would inch forward. Though these predators weren’t working together, their cooperation was uncanny.

Katherine imitated them, crawling on the ground, advancing whenever possible, eyes locked on the vigilant goats, afraid to miss any chance to move forward. She knew well: despite their apparent harmony, the predators would not wait for each other. The moment one got close enough, it would attack without delay.

Unicorn Forest Goats were distant relatives of the sixth-tier magical beast—the Unicorn. The Unicorn was the totem beast of the Elven race; legend said only the purest maidens could ride them. These holy, ethereal creatures moved through the jungle like the wind, swift and powerful. While the Unicorn Forest Goat wasn’t as formidable, it inherited some of that grace. Unlike other herbivores, their bellies weren’t overly large; their forelimbs tapered into a streamlined shape, and their heads bore a single sharp horn—their sole weapon, jet black, starkly contrasting with their snowy bodies.

Katherine deeply regretted not changing out of her wide clothing—once her favorite style, now her greatest hindrance. Whenever she crawled forward, her loose sleeves and pant legs would brush against the fallen leaves, making subtle rustling noises. When she reached thirty meters, she knew she couldn’t go any further. The large male goat on guard had already glanced suspiciously in her direction several times. She lay still, squinting to avoid her eyes reflecting light and revealing her position, quietly waiting for the other predators to create an opening.

Katherine hadn’t activated her live stream’s chat overlay; had she done so, she would’ve been shocked. Her channel’s popularity had just broken the one-million mark—and was still climbing! No wonder: though the forest was dark, it was prime time for people returning home from work, eating dinner, and relaxing—the so-called “golden hour.” The national news was airing, and her stream had appeared not only on the outdoor adventure section’s homepage, but also on the main page of the SharkFight platform, with a prominent headline:

Shocking! Beautiful streamer fights a third-tier magical beast bare-handed! The outcome will surprise you!

As Katherine lay in wait, viewers commented:

“Never thought I’d live to see someone fighting a third-tier magical beast bare-handed. My life is complete!”

“I’ve been holding my breath since earlier! This no-magic combat reminds me of primitive tribe hunts in documentaries!”

“Kindred spirits! This raw, wild atmosphere is exactly what makes outdoor adventures so captivating!”

“Ah~~~ I can’t take it anymore! I’m falling for the streamer!”

“Did you notice? There’s a clear carnivore outline at two o’clock!”

“Wildlife experts say, judging by its size, it must be a third-tier magical beast—Jungle Leopard!”

“Haha, wasn’t this supposed to be bare-handed combat? Why does the streamer have a dagger?”

“Yeah, yeah, clickbait! Reporting!”

“Where do these fools come from? If I gave you armor, could you beat a second-tier magical beast?”

“Haters will hate anything. The slogan was made by SharkFight, what’s it got to do with the streamer?”

“Killing a third-tier magical beast with a little dagger, and you’re complaining? Why not try with a keyboard and go slay a dragon?”

“Everyone calm down! Watch and learn! Haters, pipe down. The streamer probably closed the chat—she can’t see anything you type anyway!”

“Front row reminder: the streamer is super fast! Don’t miss the action, activate Eagle Eye youself!”

“……”

Just as chaos erupted in the chat, Katherine’s eyes brightened—something had changed. At nine o’clock, one predator seemed to have reached its ideal position. The moment the vigilant Unicorn Forest Goat turned its head away, exposing its back, the predator shot forward like a black arrow, straight at a nursing adult female goat!

The tranquil scene shattered instantly! The powerful thumping of the predator’s run echoed in Katherine’s ears, making her blood boil. In the faint moonlight, she could clearly see that the leaping shadow was none other than a third-tier magical beast, famed among predators: the Raptor!