Susu, having fled into the forest, didn’t dare to run too deep.
For one, the woods were an unknown territory she was afraid to enter recklessly.
For another, her stubby little legs couldn’t carry her very far.
If that giant Fierce Tiger came after her, it could probably catch her without breaking a sweat.
So, she wisely chose to hide right where she was.
Spotting a pit of mud, leaves, and sludge, she rolled into it without a moment’s hesitation.
The rain washed away her scent, and now that she was caked in mud, her tiny body was well-hidden beneath the dead branches and rotting leaves.
It would be difficult to spot her unless someone was actively searching.
But Susu knew that such a superficial hiding spot wouldn’t work for long.
If that giant Fierce Tiger came looking, it would soon be able to track her down by scent.
Most importantly, she was hungry.
The frantic dash had already burned through her meager reserves of energy.
If she didn’t find something to eat soon, she would starve to death long before any wild beast got to her.
Although she had been stripped of her right to be human and didn’t even know where she was, the ever-optimistic Susu quickly adjusted her mindset.
Clinging to the principle that a wretched life was better than a noble death, she carefully crawled out of the sludge.
She didn’t need a mirror to know how pathetic she looked.
Shaking her sludge-caked paws, Susu stumbled deeper into the forest.
With every other step, she nearly tumbled into another muddy puddle, which would have added yet another thick layer of grime to her already wretched, matted fur.
PTOOEY!
Spitting out a mouthful of acrid, muddy water, Susu was a knot of frustration.
‘Dammit, if I can’t be a human, at least let me be an adult!’
‘Trying to survive all alone in this gloomy, primeval forest with a body the size of a newborn kitten is just a pipe dream!’
‘The difficulty level for survival is way too high…’
‘Where’s the starter-pack gift every transmigrator is supposed to get from the God of Transmigration?!’
Lost in her thoughts, Susu missed her footing and tumbled into the mud again, landing flat on her back with all four paws in the air.
This time, she didn’t even have the strength left to complain.
She struggled for what felt like an eternity before crawling out of the pit, but before she could even catch her breath, she heard a faint, mocking chuckle from behind her.
It sounded almost human.
“Awoo?” ‘Humans?!’
The sound startled Susu.
She whirled around, her expression wary, but saw nothing besides the tangled, overlapping, and colossal ancient trees.
There wasn’t so much as a bird in sight.
‘Was I hearing things?!’
Blinking, Susu hesitantly took a couple of steps in the direction the sound had come from.
Perhaps she was too focused on pinpointing the source of the noise, because she failed to watch her step and once again tumbled pitifully into…
the exact same pit.
“Heh…”
This time, the laugh was much clearer, as if it were right next to her ear.
Susu’s fur stood on end.
She scrambled out of the muddy water on all fours, but still couldn’t see so much as a ghost.
‘Could it be…’
‘a real ghost?!’
At this thought, a chill shot down Susu’s spine.
Without a shred of hesitation, she picked a direction and bolted, her little legs pumping as fast as they could.
‘Dammit, it’s not that I’m a coward, but…’
‘if that heartless God of Transmigration could turn me into something that’s not even human, what else is it capable of?!’