26. Thousands of Strange Glowing Insects

During this rainy season, the scent of petrichor drowned out most of the human odors left by those who trekked Mount Arjuno. For the humans trying to escape from the monsters tracking them, this was a blessing.

But, unfortunately, they didn't realize that as the rain began to ease, disaster was also arriving.

Other distinct smells gradually replaced the fading petrichor. The aromas previously masked by the rain reappeared in the air, allowing a beast to regain its ability to track prey with its poorly sensed smell.

It returned to its victims in a furious rage, sniffing around for the faintest trace left by humans near the quiet limestone cave entrance.

The stench of blood slowly filled its nostrils—a familiar scent it enjoyed, coming from a corpse belonging to a treasure hunter who hadn't survived. His companions had left him behind at the cave's entrance. This scent led the Asu Baung deeper inside. The creature moved further into the cave.

In the total darkness, it felt its way around, moving silently... relentlessly... Its distant prey remained unaware of the approaching doom.

***

Hundreds of glowing fireflies appeared, flickering without pause. Their scattered light filled the darkness of the cave. Those witnessing the sudden swarm were stunned, perplexed by their unexpected arrival.

The calm they once felt was now disrupted, replaced with growing anxiety as more and more fireflies fluttered around them, like small particles of light scattering in the air.

"Why are there suddenly so many fireflies?" Dion asked, his face clearly showing unease as he observed the strange occurrence.

In contrast, Kairav's expression remained calm. His hazel eyes reflected composure. "Most fireflies are sensitive to light. It's likely they're naturally responding to the flashlight you pointed toward the tunnel earlier," he explained to Dion.

The young man aimed his flashlight at the dim passage across the pool, now swarming with more and more fireflies emerging from within.

Trisha frowned in concern after hearing this explanation. "But look at them! There's an unusual number of them," she replied, watching their surroundings with growing caution.

A mocking laugh escaped Kairav's mouth, ridiculing her ignorance. "Why are you so surprised? A place like this is a natural habitat for fireflies. If it's more humid in that tunnel, of course, there'll be more fireflies living there."

Baron joined in with a chuckle, eager to mock her. "Let it go, Bro. There's no point in explaining to someone with a different brain structure than us. Let's just get out of here before we get a headache," the bespectacled young man said, grabbing his backpack from the ground.

"Yeah, we should just move on," Gavin chimed in, agreeing with his friend. He picked up his backpack and began packing his things.

Kairav nodded in agreement, standing by while Gavin finished gathering his belongings. Once everything was ready, the three young men began walking toward the mysterious, dark tunnel.

But before they could reach the mineral pool's edge, they were abruptly stopped. Trisha and her men quickly drew their weapons.

With a sneer that revealed his growing fury, Kairav shot a sharp glare at the group pointing their weapons at him and his friends. "Tsk! Even a dog knows how to show gratitude. Are you planning to rob us after we saved you?" he asked sarcastically.

Baron crossed his arms, casting an irritated glance at his friend. "What did you expect? You want them to bow at your feet?" he snarked, frustrated that Kairav's naivety had gotten them into this mess. "Never expect gratitude from anyone, Bro. Even a pet dog can bite its owner," he added.

"I warned you, didn't I, Bro? Don't show too much mercy to others!" Gavin snapped, equally annoyed, aiming his rifle at their adversaries.

With a sly, contemptuous smirk on her stern face, Trisha slowly approached the three young men who were now bickering among themselves. "I'm not interested in your belongings. I just want to know why you're here on this mountain."

Kairav grinned back, ready to retort. "Well, it's definitely not to steal treasure like—" But his words were cut short as Trisha made an unexpected move.

With nothing but her bare hands, she launched a swift attack—a traditional martial art technique she had mastered. This technique emphasized agility and precise body movements, targeting close-range opponents, allowing her to immobilize them while disarming them in an instant.

Her body moved with confident precision, and with a single swift motion, Trisha grabbed Kairav's arm, yanking him hard and twisting his body until he crashed to the ground. Before he could react, her hand skillfully seized the dagger from his waist.

Disoriented and angry, Kairav found himself trapped, forced to his knees with the girl's arm tightly choking him from behind.

"Damn you!" Kairav growled, his voice filled with rage as he felt the sharp dagger grazing his neck.

"Crazy witch!" Baron and Gavin cursed, seeing their friend held hostage.

Both young men quickly aimed their rifles at the cunning girl's head. But, at the same time, Trisha's men swiftly surrounded them, pointing their weapons at the two, leaving them defenseless and cursing under their breath.

Seeing the young men helpless under her control, Trisha's smug smile widened as she whispered into Kairav's ear. "Just tell me your purpose here. Maybe we can work together if we have the same goal. It seems your brain could be very useful…"

"And you'll kill us once we're no longer useful?" Kairav shot back angrily, as if he knew exactly how her mind worked.

A haughty laugh escaped Trisha's lips, entertained by Kairav's bluntness. "I might reconsider that," she said, moving closer to his ear, whispering in a seductive tone, "I might reconsider if you agree to be my lover."

Kairav scoffed, sneering. "No need to think about it. You'll never be worth dating," he mocked, his sarcasm drawing laughter from those nearby.

His snarky comment infuriated Trisha. She shot a furious glance at her men, who had dared laugh at her expense, instantly silencing them.

Her anger boiling over, Trisha tightened her grip around Kairav's throat, making him struggle for air. "I usually go easy on handsome guys. But today…" she growled.

"You crazy witch! If you harm him, I swear I'll cut off your hand!" Baron yelled, his fury barely contained.

The tension between the two sides grew with every passing second. But just as it seemed about to reach a breaking point, Dion's voice interrupted the standoff. He had secluded himself in a corner of the cave, furiously scratching his skin.

"Uh, can you guys hold off on killing each other for a moment? Don't any of you feel like your skin is burning?" Dion asked, his voice trembling with panic.

"Shut up, Dion!" Trisha snapped, not taking her eyes off Kairav.

"I'm serious, miss!" Dion protested, his voice growing more panicked. "Look!!!"

Trisha turned toward the man, still irritated, but her expression quickly changed as she saw him emerging from the dark corner of the cave where he had hidden after noticing something strange happening to his body.

His face, now clear in the dim firefly light, showed panic and fear. Those who saw him were instantly horrified.

"What's happening to your body?!" Trisha screamed.