'Could the victim have been mauled to death by this beast?'
'It wasn't out of the question.'
Qirong City was located in a basin, surrounded by vast and numerous mountain ranges.
One of them, Daqing Mountain, was even designated a 5A tourist attraction. Its most distinctive feature was the monkeys that swarmed all over one of its peaks.
Tourists visiting the area were often attacked by wild monkeys. They were lucky if they only lost some belongings; others were left with scratches.
Yet, despite this, the place was still packed with tourists year-round.
Hu Qi had researched the area and seen a few news stories like this, such as wild boars running onto roads and randomly goring pedestrians.
But a beast as ferocious as the one in the report, one capable of eating a person alive... that was likely something only a tiger, a starving wolf, or a black bear could do.
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
But with so few clues, it was impossible to draw any conclusions.
'Forget it. This has nothing to do with me. Mulling over this pointless stuff will only stress me out.'
Hu Qi shook his head.
However, his resolve to master a Fighting Technique and increase his strength only grew firmer.
'If I'm strong enough, even if I run into one of those so-called beasts, I won't be completely helpless.'
'After all, if I can reach the Golden Fist Level recognized by the Federation, my arm strength will exceed five or six hundred pounds.'
'I could even kill a wild wolf with my bare hands.'
'Against a tiger... well, I should be able to last a bit longer, at least. I wouldn't be devoured in a single pounce.'
An adult tiger, after all, possessed a strength of over a thousand pounds.
That wasn't a foregone conclusion, though.
The most important reason humanity rose to the top of the food chain was its ability to use intelligence and tools.
Besides, a Fighting Technique was created for the very purpose of survival and killing one's enemies.
If it really came down to a fight, the outcome would be anyone's guess.
'Of course, just to be safe, I should prepare some self-defense items.'
'Never mind the beast wandering the city, ready to prey on someone at any moment.'
'I also have to watch out for the guys who put this body's original owner in the hospital.'
At this thought, a sense of urgency washed over him.
He finished the laundry, hanging the clothes on a rack to dry.
Then he returned to his room, opened a shopping app on his phone, and started browsing for portable equipment.
In this world, regulations on certain items were a bit more lenient than in his previous life.
Unfortunately, firearms were still not for sale.
Otherwise, he would have been tempted to buy one.
'Hm? This looks good.'
Suddenly, an item caught Hu Qi's eye.
It was a pair of jet-black knuckle dusters.
The four steel rings were topped with diamond-shaped spikes, exuding an aura of pure violence.
Below them, a semicircular iron brace was designed to be gripped in the palm.
If worn, they would be extremely concealable.
Because they concentrated immense force on a small impact area, a single blow could, at the very least, tear tendons and break bones.
The more Hu Qi looked, the more satisfied he became. He placed an order immediately.
He then bought a folding knife, a high-voltage stun baton, a self-defense spray torch, and a stab-proof vest, among other items.
He didn't stop until he heard a knock at the door—his food delivery had arrived.
Only then did Hu Qi put down his phone, satisfied.
He got up to get his food.
The delivery was a large bag filled with a lavish spread of food.
When it came to food, Hu Qi never short-changed himself.
「A dozen or so minutes later.」
He had eaten and drunk his fill.
At the same time, the last sliver of twilight vanished from the sky outside.
The entire world sank into darkness.
Faint wisps of braised pork aroma drifted in through the window, along with the sound of a child crying.
Everything seemed so normal.
It left Hu Qi in a bit of a daze.
It was as if he hadn't transmigrated at all, as if this were all just a dream.
After a moment of silence, he shook his head, casting the thoughts aside.
He settled his mind and began to practice Mixed Martial Arts.
He had originally planned to go out for a walk and get some exercise.
After all, when fighting experience was equal, the strength of one's Physique would undoubtedly be the deciding factor.
Besides, even if he ran into danger he couldn't fight, he could at least run away.
Unfortunately, he had to put that idea on hold for now.
It was better to be safe and wait for his self-defense gear to arrive.
...
「Qirong City, Lower City District.」
The hour grew late, well past midnight.
Outside a brightly lit card room.
"That's it for today, fellas. We'll play again tomorrow, tomorrow."
Lin Dong's face was flushed as he bid a cheerful farewell to the other players.
He turned down their requests to keep playing.
He loved playing cards, but he had his principles.
He never stayed out too late and always made sure to be home before one in the morning.
He glanced at the time on his silver wristwatch.
It was already 12:50 AM.
He was a little later than usual tonight.
He didn't mind, though.
'My luck was good tonight. I should go get a bite to eat.'
He reached out and felt the thick wad of cash in his coat.
It was his winnings from the night—a few thousand in total.
Though in his forties, he was still single, and not for a lack of money to find a partner.
Quite the opposite.
Thanks to a demolition compensation deal in Qirong City, he'd acquired two apartments and a storefront. He lived in one apartment and rented out the other two properties.
Even if he did nothing all month, he had an income of eight or nine thousand.
The reason he was single was simply that he didn't want to settle down.
After all, life as a bachelor was quite enjoyable.
But as he got older, his parents aged, and his siblings all started their own families, he had started to feel a bit lonely. That was why he'd taken up cards as a pastime.
'Maybe I should find a wife and settle down soon,' he thought to himself. As he walked along the side of the road, the urge to urinate suddenly struck him.
He glanced around.
Perhaps because it was so late, the street was completely empty.
Dim, yellow streetlights illuminated the potholed road.
The shops on both sides were shuttered, except for a few distant late-night barbecue stalls where the sounds of customers drinking and playing rowdy drinking games could be heard.
The residential buildings behind them were shrouded in darkness, only their mottled, blackened walls faintly visible.
Occasionally, a faint light shone from a window or two.
A gust of night wind sent dry leaves skittering across the pavement.
It made the street feel exceptionally desolate.
The pressure in his bladder was mounting.
He considered that taking a leak on the main road would be pretty embarrassing if someone saw him.
So, he headed toward the mouth of a nearby alley.
"Damn it, which asshole took a crap here? No public decency at all," Lin Dong cursed in disgust, looking at the yellow filth he'd just stepped in.
He glanced into the alley.
It was pitch-black inside. With no streetlights and no moonlight tonight, the darkness was absolute.
Red and green trash was scattered on the ground, and the air was thick with the stench of rotting fruit.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he thought he could hear a faint rustling from deeper inside.
He didn't think much of it, assuming it was just rats or something similar.
He unbuckled his belt. A look of relief spread across his face, accompanied by the sound of a steady stream.
CLANG!
Just then, the sound of a can clattering to the ground came from the side. It slowly rolled out of the shadows and came to a stop by his feet.
He didn't know if it was the night wind or something else, but Lin Dong suddenly felt a chill and couldn't help but shiver.
On pure reflex, he glanced deeper into the alley.
But in the next instant, his expression froze. His mouth fell open, his face a mask of utter shock and terror!
Instantly!
A jet-black arm shot out from the deep shadows and clamped down on Lin Dong's neck.
It gave him no time to react.
He was dragged straight into the darkness.
Faint sounds of a struggle echoed in the alley for a few seconds, then gave way to a deathly silence.
This was immediately replaced by a grotesque gnawing, like something devouring flesh, punctuated by the faint crunch of breaking bones.
Aided by a faint beam of light from the streetlamp on the road ahead, one could vaguely see a winding trail of blood trickling out onto the ground.