The Secret Cult Chronicles of the Decaying Lake Manor

In the blink of an eye, a figure darted out of the shadows like a cheetah.

It was Lieutenant Bates.

Just as the massive hoof was about to crush the child's head, he suddenly burst forth with astonishing speed, taking several large strides forward and crashing into the side of the brown horse's neck.

The brown horse let out a horrified neigh, its massive body losing balance under the enormous impact and crashing to the ground.

The heavy hoof swept over the child who was clutching his head, slamming into the stone slab and sending sparks flying.

But it's not over yet.

The frightened horses struggled wildly, kicking their legs haphazardly in an attempt to get up.

The lieutenant did not retreat; instead, he lunged forward, his arm muscles bulging, and with incredible angle and force, he tightened the horse's bridle.

He then pressed his knees firmly against the horse's back, his entire demeanor suddenly becoming incredibly fierce and focused, as if the only thing left in the world was the wild horse in front of him that needed to be subdued.

The frightened horse let out a violent neigh, trying to shake off the oppression, but it was unable to escape for the time being.

A brief but incredibly intense struggle unfolded under the moonlight, with dirt and roadside horse manure flying up as the horses pawed the ground.

George and Elliott, who were nearby, took the opportunity to quickly drag the terrified poor child to a more distant place.

"Quiet!"

A low growl came, and George couldn't help but turn around.

A few heartbeats after the lieutenant's shout, the brown horse's frightened struggles noticeably subsided.

It snorted heavily, and finally calmed down slowly in the face of the lieutenant's overwhelming strength and imposing manner, and actually stopped struggling.

A gasp and cheers erupted from the crowd. A woman in a long dress ran towards the child Elliott had helped up, crying out, and hugged him tightly—she must have been his mother.

George stood not far away, staring at Bates's back, his eyes slightly narrowed.

The lieutenant seemed to be shrouded in an invisible aura, a predatory sense of intimidation.

Just then, the lieutenant who had stood up seemed to sense something, and suddenly turned his head, his eyes meeting George's.

For a moment, George thought he was staring at some kind of ferocious beast.

But Bates quickly suppressed his fierce gaze, forcing a smile onto his flushed face as he gestured to George.

George glanced at Elliott, who was dealing with the child's mother behind him, hesitated for a moment, and walked over to the lieutenant.

"John, you've awakened?"

"I guess so, but it's not appropriate to explain it here." Bates's answer confirmed George's guess.

George nodded, pulled Elliot away from his profusely thanking mother, and then declined the offers of the group of gentlemen who had gathered around to watch.

After handing the horse over to the arriving patrol officers, the three of them were finally able to leave the scene and return to their hotel.

In his hotel room, Bates wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still shaken, as he recounted the strange feeling he had experienced.

"Doctor, I felt something was different just now. For a moment, everything around me slowed down. The horse's movements, strength, and the surrounding environment all seemed different in my field of vision."

"I feel like I can 'sense' its next move. And I feel like I've gained a lot of strength..."

George sat opposite him, nodding solemnly.

It is "hunting".

In that life-or-death moment of suppression and confrontation, Bates undoubtedly grasped the essence of the "hunter" principle and achieved an unconscious advancement.

"Concentrate and feel if there is any new power within you," George guided Bates, drawing on the book's vague descriptions.

Bates closed his eyes, tried to calm his breathing, and focused his mind on his body.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

The lieutenant picked up a piece of paper from the table and held it up in front of the two men.

He then pulled a small knife from his sleeve with lightning speed, flicked his wrist, and the tip of the knife precisely sliced ​​open the paper.

George watched as he cut a piece of paper with unimaginable speed, the edges perfectly clean, as if the paper had been shrunk down proportionally.

He picked up another piece of paper that had fallen from the ground and found that a perfect right angle had been cut into it.

This is something that ordinary people cannot accomplish.

It is observable and has real-world feedback effects, so it seems that supernatural powers do exist.

"Incredible... This is the 'Awakened One'?"

Bates, who had accomplished all of this, also seemed quite surprised.

"It seems so." George nodded. "Congratulations, Lieutenant, an awakener of the 'Hunter' principle."

Bates adapted to the changes in his body and quickly calmed down.

"This power needs to be used with caution. Moreover, its source needs to be explained."

"That's exactly what we're going to talk about next," George said, looking at him and slowly revealing the idea that had just popped into his head.

"My father and some people on the estate may have been searching for the extraordinary—my sudden possession of power would most likely arouse suspicion."

"If an experienced retired military officer had come into contact with and understood the principles of 'hunting' by chance, and introduced me to this world, that explanation sounds more plausible."

Bates immediately understood George's intention.

"Me taking on the role of 'guide'? Good idea. It can reduce unnecessary suspicion, and hiding things when the situation is unclear is quite wise."

"Yes," George affirmed, "we need to stick to the same story."

"We can say that you gained some insights after studying that hunting guide and experiencing the unexpected event just now, and you shared those insights with me."

Bates hesitated for a moment, then nodded emphatically.

"Yes, this is a safe and sound plan."

The soldier's decisiveness led him to quickly accept the plan.

With the agreement reached, George felt relieved.

With Bates' experience as a precedent, he had more confidence in the safety of supernatural powers.

Just to be on the safe side, he asked a series of questions and did some checking before making his next request.

"Now, I need to borrow your copy of 'The Hunting Guide'," George added. "You also need to familiarize yourself with the contents of 'Night Wanderings' so you don't give yourself away."

A moment later, George returned to his room with the "Hunting Guide".

He lay down on the bed eagerly, his slightly excited mood making it difficult for him to fall asleep.

So he spent some time reading through the "Hunting Guide" before he calmed down, lay down in bed, and drifted off to sleep.

As he expected, new cards appeared on the card table.

[Himalayan Hunting Guide]

[Sexual aspect: Books]

[Written by Sebastian Moran, the renowned explorer and hunter of the Kingdom of Britta, this book boasts of his series of "great hunts" while also offering insightful observations from a seasoned hunter.]

However, George only glanced at the meaning of the Hunter's Principle [Hunter: The will is imposed externally, what is seen is obeyed and desired. [The Hunter is the principle of violence, cunning, and conquest]] before picking up another card.

【The Path of Dreams (Candlelight)】