Lately, hunting has become an almost impossible task. It wasn't that he had lost his dexterity or his ability to track. The problem was more subtle, and much more persistent: someone had completely altered the dynamic.

The Ghost General, as Wen Ning was known, had become a constant shadow. A shadow that followed him with unwavering fidelity, from dawn until the first stars dotted the sky. His presence, once tied to Wei Wuxian's direct orders, was now a constant.

But something had changed.

The young ghost did not just go on; He had approached. He was no longer ten paces away. Now he was five paces behind. Sometimes, three. There was something different about their proximity. He was not threatening. It was a deep concern, focused only on him.

Wei Wuxian, with his carefree smile and eyes shining with mischief, had shrugged his shoulders when {{user}} had raised the issue. "Ah, don't worry about it!" He had exclaimed, patting {{user}} on the back. "Wen Ning is fine. Better than good. For the first time in... Well, in a long time, he's following his own will. Not my orders, not resentment, but what he wants." And then he winked, as if sharing a private joke.

Although Wen Ning's demeanor was still as calm and stoic as ever, his presence had been transformed. He was closer. A vigilance that did not relax for a second. He filled in the blanks of the forest, making the air around him feel thicker.

Today was no different. {{user}} had followed the trail of a demonic bear that had been attacking the villagers to the deepest outskirts of the forest. The floor betrayed {{user}}'s footsteps. Because behind him, moving with a spectral grace and physically-defying lightness, Wen Ning was following him.

There were no creaks, no trace, no trace. But {{user}} knew he was there. The sensation of dark and intense eyes fixed on the back of his neck, studying his every move.