Evan Chu spotted the strange monsters appearing in the distance and immediately said to the three beside him, "Look over there—what kind of beasts are those? Why do they look so bizarre?"
Jenny Sima and the Violet Thunder Fox immediately stood up, just as startled by the sudden appearance of these monsters. "Never seen them before. No idea if they're strong or not," Jenny said.
Evan Chu found it odd that these human-faced, beast-bodied monsters just stood there without coming any closer. "Did you notice? It seems like these guys don't mean us any harm," he said.
"That's not certain, but they really do look terrifying. How could there be such monsters? We’d better be careful," Jenny Sima said, frowning.
"Big Brother, I don't think these monsters are very strong. Want to go check them out?" the Violet Thunder Fox suggested. Her beast instincts let her gauge their level and strength.
Evan Chu nodded, drew Frostbane, and carefully approached step by step. But every time he moved closer, the monsters retreated a step, leaving him speechless.
Finally, Evan activated Shifting Position in a burst, flashing forward with afterimages right in front of the monsters. Instantly, the creatures scattered in panic, and what they did next nearly made Evan stumble in shock.
All those human-faced, beast-bodied monsters actually dropped to the ground, kowtowing nonstop, their foreheads thumping against the earth—leaving everyone completely baffled.
"Do they think we're gods or something? Why else would they bow like that? What kind of monsters act like humans?" Evan Chu asked the Violet Thunder Fox beside him.
"I have no idea either. Nothing like this in my inherited memories. Try telling them to stop—see if they understand human speech," the Violet Thunder Fox replied.
Evan Chu thought that made sense, so he called out loudly, "Everyone, get up! Get up!"
As soon as Evan finished speaking, all those human-faced, beast-bodied creatures stood up, their faces full of respect and awe—making Evan and the others shiver a bit inside.
"Looks like they understand human speech, though I wonder if they can actually talk like us," Evan Chu said.
At that moment, Jenny Sima came over to Evan and said, "Evan, do you think these monsters might be the native inhabitants here? Maybe they're just not fully evolved yet, kind of like humans."
"Jenny, that's way too naive. No way that's possible. Don't overthink it. I'll go ask them myself—they shouldn't be afraid of me if they're all kneeling," Evan Chu laughed as he walked over.
"Always showing off, huh? Wonder when you'll ever change that," Jenny Sima said helplessly.
Evan had only made it halfway when a beast taller than him walked over and, in broken speech, said, "Gr...Great Deity, you...you finally...came."
"Holy crap! They really can talk! Who are you people, and why are you here?" Evan Chu exclaimed in shock.
The beast glanced at Evan Chu, its face showing a mix of uncertainty, but still said, "Great Deity, you... you...
...don't remember... us?"
Evan Chu felt his head spinning. He'd never seen these creatures before—how could they claim to know him? It was just impossible.
For a moment, Evan didn't know how to respond. But one thing was clear: someone had been here before—someone who looked a lot like him, though he had no idea who it was.
"I forgot—do any of you speak more fluently? It's exhausting trying to talk like this!" Evan Chu said honestly. To figure things out, he needed someone who could actually speak.
"Yes... our... chief!" the beast replied.
"Great, take us to your chief!" Evan Chu said at once, finally relieved to have found someone who could speak clearly.
The beast then led Evan and the others into the woods, and soon they arrived at the edge of a cliff. Evan saw many caves there—probably where these creatures lived.
"Great Deity... you all... wait... I'll go... get the chief." The beast guide left, leaving Evan and the group quietly standing with the other beasts who’d come along.
"Evan, I bet my guess is right. These guys are still primitive—you can see it in how they act like wild beasts, but they understand how to survive just like humans," Jenny Sima said.
"We'll know soon enough. Let's just wait and see," Evan Chu replied.
Soon, an even larger beast walked over. As soon as it saw Evan Chu, it immediately knelt down, and all the surrounding beasts followed suit.
The kneeling beast said, "Great Deity, you've been gone for decades. We've waited for you all these years. Did you finish what you set out to do?"
"You can all get up now—no need to kneel like that," Evan Chu said right away, feeling uncomfortable with all these half-human, half-beast creatures bowing to him.
"Damn, this one's speech is perfectly fluent—just like a person," Evan thought, still not understanding why they treated him as a deity.
"You remember me? I came here before? How come I don't remember any of this?" Evan Chu asked deliberately, hoping to probe for more information.
The beast paused at Evan's words, clearly sensing something was off but unable to pinpoint it. After thinking for a moment, it said, "Great Deity, come with me. I'll show you something—then you'll understand."
Hearing that, Evan Chu perked up immediately. "Alright, lead the way!" he said.
Following the beast, Evan squeezed into a cave. The walls were smooth, almost polished, and luminous crystals glowed from the ceiling—clearly valuable. Evan made a mental note to try and extort a few if he got the chance.
The cave was deep, and after several twists and turns they stopped. Evan saw it was actually a bedroom—simple, but livable.
The beast took out something wrapped in animal hide from a hole in the stone wall. It looked like a scroll. Carefully peeling away the layers, he revealed that it really was a scroll.
"Great Deity, this scroll is what you left behind years ago. You said you'd return after a few years, and if you forgot, you should look at this scroll to remember. Here, take it," the beast said, handing the scroll to Evan Chu.
Evan took the scroll, exchanged glances with Jenny Sima and the Violet Thunder Fox, then slowly unrolled it. The portrait inside shocked him so much he nearly wet himself—it was... it was...