My father used to say that there comes a time in every man's life when he thinks about his life choices. I thought differently.

Why? Simple. I was good at judging situations and people alike, and never once doubted the choices I made in my life, be it leaving my home when I was barely fifteen to search for something that could give my life meaning or giving up my position in Ministry of State Security (MSS) as a prized asset to return to my hometown in Ysichuan and join a private security agency as a bodyguard. 

In my ten years as an elite baobiao* in HuangHao Security Services, one of the best security agencies in the country, primarily responsible for protecting the rich and famous, this was the first time I had witnessed something that made me regret choosing this profession. 

I was by no means a coward, the scars  I bore on my, dare I say, sexy body could attest to that, but the thing that had entered my line of sight looked like it had walked straight out of an eighties creature feature and I wasn't sure if the stun gun I had on me would be able to do the needful. 

Ignoring the tinge of rot that hung in the air, I concentrated on the beast.

Walking on all fours, covered in thick, dark fur from head to toe, and sporting nails that could seriously injure even an elephant if the two were to face off against each other, the beast bared its teeth and growled. 

Thanking my lucky stars that it had not spotted me yet, I lowered myself till the front of my work-jacket touched the cold moist ground. I took in my surroundings and dared a peek at my phone. It appeared that the nano-tracker I had inserted in JunJun's bracelet was within a hundred meters of me. 

But where is he? 

Had he lost the bracelet while trying to get away from his kidnappers?

That would explain why the tracker had stopped moving. 

Why did the fucking kidnappers have to bring my charge here of all places!?

'Katakam WildLife Reserve: The place wolves call home.' The signboard at the main entrance of the reserve had announced proudly just before I entered this nightmare.

The thing in front of me was definitely not a wolf. I was sure of it. Well, almost. 

'Two more mutilated bodies found at Katakam Reserve. A seriously gruesome accident or a murder in disguise?'

I recalled the headline I had come across two days ago. The article that left no stone unturned in describing the victims conditions had conveniently left out the cause of death.

Useless.

Cold invaded my chest as moisture seeped through the multiple layers of my clothing and reached my skin. I held my breath and stole a glance at the beast. 

I watched it huff and turn away, as if uninterested. This was my chance. Keeping my profile low, I started crawling backwards. 

The movement felt alien. I hadn't had to resort to it since joining HuangHao. Moreover, it was getting harder and harder to keep my mind off the foul smell that hung heavy around me. Fighting my urge to throw up, I kept my eyes glued on the creature that was at least ten feet long and eight feet around the shoulder.

Crunch.

Fucking twig! 

With my full attention on the beast, and in a rush to get my shapely butt to safety, I did not expect the ground to fall away. I lost my balance and tumbled into a ditch I hadn't noticed earlier.

'I reckon you are getting too old for this shit, Zhao laoshi!' My bastard of an inner voice, who from this point on shall only be referred to as Bastard, chaffed.

Shut up, I am barely thirty two!

Anyone in my place would have yelled, but I did not. Nonetheless, I knew I was found out. If it was an intelligent animal, which I could tell that it was, the ruffling of leaves would be enough to lead it to me. 

Damn it! 

In order to survive, it was imperative that I knew what resources I had at my disposal if I was to go up against it. Unfortunately, shining the light around me did not do anything to alleviate my panic. It did the opposite, if I was being honest. 

Dead bodies, at least five or six of them, with a good chunk of flesh missing from the base of their throats, assaulted my eyes. 

I hope JunJun is not among them. 

The sight was jarring, to say the least. But, on the good side, it seemed like I had stumbled upon the beast's discards. 

Hoping that my assumption was true, and with barely seconds to spare, I got down on my knees, grabbed a fist full of gooey blood from the pool of stale blood closest to me and smeared it on my face and neck; then I pressed my cheek against the wet ground and prayed that the dead bodies would cover my scent. 

[Chapter Word count : 852]

Glossary:

Baobiao - Bodyguard

Laoshi - literal meaning is 'old teacher'. The address “laoshi” has the denotation of pundit and decency, so “laoshi” conveys the respect toward others on some level, which maintains their faces. Here, however, it has been used to address oneself sarcastically.