As Feng Chen turned to leave the Whispering Rift, he cast one last glance at the desolate landscape.
"The truth will come to light someday," he murmured, his resolve hardening.
With a final sigh, he leaped into the air, his figure swiftly vanishing into the horizon.
CLANK! CLANK!
Moments later, as he soared over a dense forest at the base of the gorge, the distant sounds of battle reached his ears.
Screams, roars, and the clash of steel against something far tougher reverberated through the trees.
Feng Chen's brows furrowed.
"Is someone fighting?"
He adjusted his trajectory, heading toward the commotion.
As he descended, the scene became clear.
A group of about a dozen people was under attack by a massive Rank-5 monster.
The beast was a Scarlet Horned Direwolf, its crimson mane and sharp, curving horns exuding a terrifying aura.
The guards, clearly dressed as mercenaries, had formed a defensive formation.