The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 198: Escape Route

Chapter 198: Escape Route

As Xu Feng skidded to a halt, his lungs heaving for air, he couldn’t shake the sense of astonishment that enveloped him. The once chaotic pursuit by the wild boars had dissipated into an eerie silence, leaving him surrounded by the hushed whispers of an ancient forest.

Sweat trickled down his face, mingling with the grime and debris that clung to his skin, but there was an odd serenity in the middle of the disarray.

A flicker of relief surged through him as he realized he wasn’t being chased anymore. The dense undergrowth had deposited twigs and leaves into his disheveled hair, yet despite the frenzied flight, he seemed unharmed, except for the fatigue gnawing at his muscles.

Glancing around, he assessed his surroundings.

The forest sprawled in all directions, an otherworldly expanse that dwarfed any woodland he’d ever encountered. The trees stood tall, ancient and imposing, their colossal trunks stretching upwards into a canopy that seemed to touch the heavens themselves.

Even if he’d joined his hands with three others, he doubted they could have circled the girth of these colossal sentinels.

It was surreal. Xu Feng grappled with the impossible thought that he couldn’t have traversed so deep into this primordial forest in such a short span. The mystery surrounding his rapid journey and the abrupt disappearance of the boars weighed heavily on his mind.

One moment he’d been pursued by a horde of furious creatures, and now there wasn’t a single animal in sight, just the quiet whispers of nature enveloping him.

However, in the middle of the confusion, a subtle warmth emanated from the ring that hung around his neck. It’s warmth was felt inside his clothing, close to his heart, a comforting sensation that seemed to encourage him, as if urging him to follow the mysterious pull he felt.

Exhausted and bewildered, Xu Feng hesitated for a moment, contemplating his next move. The call beckoned to him, the inexplicable force guiding him toward an unknown destination.

It was a choice between staying put in this eerie stillness or yielding to the magnetic pull that seemed woven into the fabric of the forest itself. With a deep breath, he steeled himself, his mind set on following the inexplicable force pulling him onward, deeper into the heart of the ancient woods.

But...Was that really a good idea?

As Xu Feng scanned the exotic, towering flora surrounding him, he made a deliberate decision to resist the inexplicable call emanating from the ring against his heart. He suddenly felt lucky he didn’t wear it on his finger.

Maybe it would have more power over him then?

Xu Feng refused to be driven solely by a strange force, especially in an unknown wilderness without any semblance of context. Holding onto the kitchen knife tightly, he observed the peculiarly colored plants, none resembling the vicious wild boars that had chased him earlier.

Alien, but beautiful. The surroundings were abundant, filled with fruits, vegetables, and more, but not one Xu Feng knew. The sights enveloped him unceasingly. He tried to look as much as possible while his body was on a different mission.

To his surprise, the sensation seemed to shift its trajectory, now heading directly toward him. An unusual shiver of anticipation ran down his spine.

Could it be that because he had previously refused to go to it, it would come to him instead?

Xu Feng paused, tensing himself, prepared for whatever was to come.

Strangely, the pulling sensation ceased abruptly, almost as if it were pacing back and forth in frustration. A moment passed, then another, but the mysterious presence didn’t reassert itself. Xu Feng pondered this unusual behavior, perplexed by the apparent indecision.

Suddenly, the force surged back, but this time, it was different—stronger, more insistent.

It tugged at him with such vigor that he felt compelled to move, as if his own will had been overridden. Despite his attempt to resist, he found himself unable to fight against the compelling force.

It was reminiscent of the unexplainable impulses he’d felt around Xuan Jian and Xuan Yang in the past, (and present, Xu Feng still felt an uncontrollable attraction and a desire to sexually dominate the two men. It wasn’t his kink in the past, but he couldn’t help himself with this immortal blood running through his veins).

Though he shook his head to clear his thoughts, he pressed forward, a sense of helplessness enveloping him. At least his mind wasn’t clouded, but the pull was undeniable.

With each step, he tried to mark the trees with the kitchen knife, leaving his own trail, a feeble attempt at asserting some control over the situation as he was pulled against his, will deeper into the ancient forest.

In a seemingly momentary peace amid the eerie, otherworldly surroundings of the forest, Xu Feng found himself walking forward without the relentless pull, as if the force had finally released its grip.

The warmth emanating from the ring increased, almost as if it were expressing excitement, urging them closer to their destination.

For a brief period, everything felt serene, tranquil, almost as if the forest had lulled into an inexplicable calm. It was in this fleeting tranquility that Xu Feng decided to take action, a smirk playing on his lips as he stealthily turned on his heel and sprinted back in the direction he had come from.

The ring’s warmth vanished in an instant, and the mysterious force lost its pull, both elements seemingly confounded by Xu Feng’s sudden maneuver. He felt a surge of triumph, a momentary elation at outsmarting whatever was trying to lure him.

If this was a scheme, an elaborate ruse to ensnare him, Xu Feng would rather wander aimlessly in an unending forest than surrender himself to an unknown fate. His instincts screamed at him not to submit, to fight against the unknown.

However, as he reveled in his small victory, the world seemed to chuckle at his audacity. In a split second, the ring around his neck heated up rapidly, the warmth almost scorching, and then, in an instant, everything around him turned blindingly white.

The forest, the flora, everything was engulfed in a blinding light, leaving Xu Feng disoriented and reeling in shock, his senses overwhelmed by the sudden, strange change.