Chapter 145: One Problem After Another.

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: One Problem After Another.

Chapter 145: One Problem After Another.

’Even if I were to continue running, where would I run to?’

Sasha slowly looked around, only then realising how little she knew about her current surroundings, since her captors had brought her all the way out here while she was unconscious, leaving her with absolutely no idea where she was or how far she had been taken from the nearest settlement.

She didn’t know which direction would lead her towards a town, nor did she have any way of telling whether the path she chose would take her farther away from civilisation, and without someone to guide her, she could easily end up wandering through the forest until she was too exhausted to continue.

If she continued wandering around without knowing where she was going, the most likely outcome would be her running into some ravenous beasts out here in the wild, and unlike the armoured man who had rescued her, she had no special abilities that could help her defend herself against such creatures.

Her body was already exhausted from the days she had spent imprisoned, and although she had managed to escape from the cage, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to run for very long if something dangerous decided to chase her.

On the other hand, if she remained here and waited for her saviour, there was always the possibility that her captors could catch up to her before he returned, especially if they discovered that she had escaped and decided to search the surrounding forest.

The thought of being taken back there filled her heart with sorrow and grief, causing her to lower her head as she remembered the cold metal bars of her cage and the horrible expressions on the faces of the men who had treated her like an object they could sell whenever they pleased.

She didn’t want to return to that place, nor did she want to experience those days of fear and helplessness again, but no matter how much she wanted to escape, she couldn’t see a clear path forward.

For the first time since leaving the encampment, Sasha began to wonder whether her escape would amount to anything at all, because even if she managed to avoid the traffickers, she still had no idea where she could go or how she would survive on her own.

---

While Sasha was spiralling into a well of despair with no clear way out, a sudden sound drew her attention, interrupting the endless thoughts that had been troubling her.

Startled, she quickly turned towards the sound, her body stiffening as she stared into the darkness, only to see a patch of vegetation trembling underneath the moonlight.

Sasha grew scared, unconsciously walking backwards as she continued staring at the trembling vegetation, her mind filled with all sorts of terrible possibilities as she wondered what kind of creature could be hiding behind those leaves.

Her back ended up bumping into a random tree, and the sudden jolt frightened her so badly that she nearly screamed, hurriedly turning around before realising that it was nothing more than the trunk of a tree standing behind her.

However, rather than feeling relieved, the discovery only made her more aware of her current situation, since she had unknowingly backed herself into a corner with nowhere left to go.

With nowhere to run, she could only stare at the trembling vegetation in fear, her hands trembling uncontrollably as she tried to prepare herself for whatever might emerge from within the darkness.

She had heard stories about the dangerous beasts that inhabited the forests outside human settlements, and although she had never encountered one herself before being kidnapped, the stories were enough to make her understand that she stood little chance of surviving an encounter with a powerful creature.

’Please, let it be him...’ Sasha silently prayed, biting her lower lip as she desperately hoped that the person approaching her would be her saviour rather than another danger waiting to take away the little freedom she had managed to obtain.

GRRRRRRRR!

Alas, her prayers seemed to fall on deaf ears, as a deep growl suddenly came from within the vegetation, causing her entire body to stiffen while her heart began beating even faster.

The leaves parted as a beastly creature resembling a coyote emerged from the thick vegetation, its dirty fur standing on end while its sharp claws dug into the ground with every step it took.

The beast bared its fangs at her, its ravenous eyes scanning her body as though it were already deciding which part of her it would tear into first, and the sight of its sharp teeth made Sasha realise that she had been foolish to hope that something harmless would appear.

She had no weapon to defend herself with, nor did she possess the strength to fight against a beast that looked capable of tearing through her flesh with a single bite, and even if she somehow managed to escape its first attack, she doubted that her exhausted body could outrun it.

Sasha’s heart beat accelerated as her legs gradually lost their strength, causing her to stumble backwards before falling onto her rear, her hands pressing against the ground as she tried to move away from the approaching creature.

However, no matter how desperately she tried to retreat, the tree behind her prevented her from moving any farther, leaving her with no choice but to stare at the encroaching beast with trembling, teary eyes.

"...No... please... don’t come any closer," she pleaded in a weak voice, hoping that the creature might somehow understand her words and decide to leave her alone, even though she knew deep down that such a thing was unlikely to happen.

The beast continued moving towards her, its growls growing louder as it lowered its head and prepared to attack, seemingly uninterested in the frightened human who was begging for her life.

Sasha could feel her entire body trembling as the creature drew closer, and although she desperately wanted to scream for help, her throat had become so tight that she could barely make a sound.