Capítulo 24: 24. Light Trapping

The rhythm of their hearts pounded faster as the sound of four-legged creatures rushing toward them echoed from the dark entrance of the cave. Long howls grew louder, creating an overwhelming sense of dread for those consumed by fear and panic.

Kairav, trying to keep his calm, warned the group again, his voice low but firm, "Remember, our priority is to kill those coyotes. Once they're all dead, stay silent and don't make a sound until the Asu Baung leaves the cave. Understood?" He asked, scanning the group as they all nodded in unison. "Turn off your flashlights!" he ordered.

The entire cave was plunged into pitch-black darkness, instantly causing those without infrared goggles to feel as if their eyes had been forcibly covered by a black cloth, rendering them blind.

Cold sweat dripped from the shooters' pores as their eyes, behind the infrared goggles, began to see the slow movements of several heat signatures approaching them.

Hoowll… Hoowll…

About twenty large coyotes prowled down the cave corridor, their howls and sharp barks echoing as their snouts endlessly sniffed the human scent left along the cave floor.

Among the coyotes, one figure stood out the most—a creature with the body of a man but the head of a dog, covered in jet-black fur that cloaked its entire massive frame. It crawled forward, its height estimated to reach over ten feet if it stood on its hind legs.

A coyote beside the Asu Baung sniffed the ground under its paws several times. The animal then suddenly turned toward the Howling Dog Monster, barking loudly as if trying to communicate that the prey was near.

Receiving the information from its 'Hunting tools', the monster growled softly and began to move forward, searching for its hidden prey in the total darkness.

Saliva dripped from between its sharp fangs as its poor sense of smell struggled to pick up the human scent nearby. Its pointed ears twitched constantly, trying to catch any strange sounds in the silent cave.

Unable to find its prey quickly, the creature barked furiously. Its anger triggered the coyotes to sprint forward, desperately searching for the exact location of their leader's prey. Strangely, this time, they were having trouble tracking the scent.

Unbeknownst to them, a deadly threat lurked in the darkness. As the coyotes drew closer to the rocks where the shooters were hiding, Kairav silently raised his hand, signaling with his fingers.

1... 2... 3…

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hot bullets flew, shattering the stillness. The sound of gunfire clashed with the coyotes' fierce barks as their bodies were struck by the unexpected metal projectiles.

Blood splattered from the bullet wounds, and the pained howls of the coyotes reverberated throughout the cave amidst the relentless hail of gunfire.

The coyotes, now frenzied and terrified, stumbled and writhed as blood pooled beneath their feet, while others attempted to flee from the slaughter.

But as they turned to escape, Kairav aimed his rifle, firing more rounds at the retreating animals.

A loud roar thundered through the cave, momentarily shaking the spirits of the attackers trying to defend themselves.

The leader of the coyotes rose to stand on its hind legs, revealing its terrifying and intimidating form. Panic and fury filled the creature's eyes as it realized its hunting tools get wiped out one by one.

The Asu Baung began to feel along the cave walls, searching for the location of its attackers, who had almost exterminated its entire tools.

Small bursts of light from the muzzle flashes of the rifles flickered faintly in the creature's poor vision, and the scattered gunshots made it even harder for the monster to pinpoint the exact position of the attackers.

All it could do was continue groping the cold cave walls while its hunting tools lay decimated.

Kairav raised his hand again, signaling the shooters to cease fire just as he took down the last target.

Silence fell over the cave as the others followed Kairav's command. The only sound now was the growl of the monster, still moving aimlessly in the darkness, searching for prey in its 'blindness.'

But that silence was soon shattered by a scream of agony. One of the treasure hunters, a long-haired man, fed up with the monster, suddenly unleashed a barrage of bullets on it. The Asu Baung sank deeper into its rage, though the bullets only left minor scratches on its thick fur.

Because the gunfire came from a single source, the monster quickly identified the exact location of its attacker. Its poor vision caught the faint sparks from the rifle's muzzle, and the gunfire's sound coming from just one direction made it easy for the creature to target its prey.

Sensing disaster about to strike, Kairav cursed the long-haired man in his mind, "Idiot!"

Growll!!!

The monster leaped, pouncing toward the foolish attacker, who had realized his mistake too late. The man fell from the large rock he had been standing on, crashing into a cold pool below.

His screams of agony echoed through the cave as the monster's large, sharp claws tore into his flesh and bones.

"Arghhh!!!"

The sight of the horrific attack sent waves of panic and fear through the group, making them want to flee before becoming the next victim.

But from his hiding spot, Kairav firmly signaled for them to stay still and silent, not to make any movement or sound that might draw the monster's attention away from its current prey.

The group remained as still as statues, their eyes filled with terror, especially the treasure hunters, watching their companion being devoured alive right before their eyes.

After a few agonizing moments, the screams ceased entirely. The once-clear pool had turned crimson, the mangled corpse of the treasure hunter floating on its surface, his chest and stomach torn open, exposing his organs.

The creature responsible for the gruesome death stepped out of the pool, a fresh human heart clamped between its sharp fangs.

Its predator's eyes scanned the pitch-black surroundings, searching for new prey. Everyone sank deeper into their fear, and amidst the tense silence, a terrible mishap occurred.

Splash!

Dion, the cowardly member of the treasure hunters, accidentally kicked a small rock into the pool, the splash immediately drawing the Asu Baung's attention as it moved toward the source of the sound.

Dion tried to scramble away, but Gavin quickly grabbed him, clamping his hand over Dion's mouth. Cold sweat poured from the two as the monster's snout inched closer to their faces, the stench of death suffocating their senses. Both men braced themselves, convinced their lives were about to end if the monster detected them.

The tension in the air gripped everyone's hearts, as they feared there would soon be another victim. While the others were paralyzed by fear, Kairav silently slipped away from his hiding spot, moving as quietly as possible without making a sound.

His sudden departure stirred suspicion and silent curses among the group, especially from Trisha, who thought he was trying to run away.

But in reality, Kairav was executing a plan that had quickly formed in his mind. He moved toward the cave's passage, his hand trembling slightly as he carefully unzipped his backpack, trying not to make a single sound. He breathed a little easier once he opened the bag, but tension returned to his face as he pulled out a specific item.

Kairav stood in the middle of the passage, gripping a flare gun in his hand. With his heart pounding in his chest, he aimed the gun toward the entrance of the cave.

Once confident in his aim, he pulled the trigger, releasing the flare. A bright, glowing red light silently shot through the air, illuminating the cave corridor. Kairav quickly ducked behind a large rock.

His heart raced faster as he watched the monster start to detect the faint light in its poor vision.

The creature slowly turned its head, distracted from the two prey whose presence it hadn't fully sensed. Giving Gavin a slight sense of relief. Yet, at the same time, he cursed his best friend's actions in his mind, even though he knew Kairav had acted so recklessly to save him. "Is he brave, or does he just have a death wish?"

Meanwhile, the flare's fiery light, which had successfully caught Asu Baung's attention, continued to fly toward its intended direction.

This caused the monster to immediately turn its body and follow the path of the light, thinking it was created by its careless prey, as before. But in reality, it was a trap, luring the beast toward the cave entrance, ultimately driving it out of there.