Infinite Horror: The Strongest Zhongzhou Team

But the mouth, stained with silver blood, was clearly visible.

Upon seeing this, Malfoy immediately yelled, "Ah!!!"

Before the noise had even stopped, Malfoy turned and ran without hesitation.

He thought he was fast enough, but then a dark figure appeared, even faster than him.
It turned out to be that big black dog with teeth.

Harry also wanted to leave at that moment.

But this time, the stinging pain on my forehead was completely different from before.

Instead, the pain intensified, penetrating to the very marrow, to the point that at this moment, the pain completely drained him of all his strength.

He was forced to kneel on the ground.

This series of commotions had already alerted the opposing side.

A figure shrouded in black robes floated up from the unicorn's body.

That’s right, it’s floating.

Because Harry was certain that this wasn't how a normal person gets up.

If I had to use an adjective to compare it, it would be that it's more like a snake.

A snake winding its way through the darkness.

A black figure dragged its robes.

He wasn't moving fast; he just slowly approached, little by little.

Upon seeing this, Harry wanted to turn and run away or shout for help.

But at that moment, Harry felt his body becoming increasingly stiff as the dark figure approached.

Because the pain is getting worse.

An indescribable pain arose in my spirit.

Harry Potter bit his lip hard, finally gathering a little strength to prop himself up and back away.

But there were too many tree roots on the ground, and Harry tripped over them.

Even so, Harry continued to move backward.

His survival instinct told him that he couldn't get too close to the dark figure, or he would surely die.

I will definitely die...

under the moonlight.

Just as the black robe was slowly lifted back, about to reveal his face.

A peculiar roar and stomping sounds suddenly rang out from one side of the air.

The black figure paused.

Harry, gritting his teeth, sensed something and looked up.
He only saw a strange figure stretch out from the dense forest, breaking through the broad, dark leaves, and finally leaping down.

He stood perfectly positioned between Harry and the man in black.

Upon seeing outsiders arriving, the man in black robes did not hesitate and immediately turned and floated away again.

Finally, it merged into the darkness and disappeared.

The suddenly appearing being stood frozen in place, watching the figure disappear into the darkness.

Two or three minutes passed before the huge and distinctive figure finally turned around with peace of mind.

Harry Potter finally regained some strength, as the pain gradually subsided and eventually disappeared as the shadowy figure left.

Although I am still a little weak, I can at least think and speak normally now.

With the help of the moonlight, Harry could finally see clearly that the creature that had fallen from the sky to save him was a peculiar being with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse.

The upper body, which is human, is naked, and judging from the facial features, he is a middle-aged man.

The other person's chest, arms, and abdomen were covered in thick hair, as if they were wearing clothes.

The rest of his skin was covered by strong, muscular muscles, giving him a powerful appearance.

The centaur stepped onto the ground and walked over.

A pair of brown, vertical pupils stared unblinkingly at Harry, and a voice with a distinctive tone rang out:

"Harry Potter, you must leave here."

“Besides the one you just saw, there are many creatures here that know you, some friendly and some hostile.”

"The Forbidden Forest is not safe at this time, especially for you."

Harry took two deep breaths and struggled to his feet: "Thank you for saving me."

"May I ask what you chased away?"

"Who is that man in the black robe?"

The centaur walked up to Harry:

"That was an evil monster."

"You need to know that slaughtering unicorns is a terrible crime."

"Unicorn blood can keep a dying creature alive."

"But this continuation of life comes at a terrible price."

"Killing a unicorn, such a pure creature, will leave you half-dead from the moment your lips touch its blood. And you will be cursed with weakness for the rest of your life!"

But who would choose to live like that?

"You wouldn't believe it, Harry Potter!"

Harry reacted very quickly; the pain in his forehead was the best indication.

"You mean, the monster that just killed the unicorn and drank its blood, was that person?"

The centaur's expression turned serious upon hearing the last three words, and he looked down at Harry.

Do you know what's hidden inside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry right now?

Harry blurted out instinctively, "You mean the Philosopher's Stone?"

"A magic stone that can grant immortality?"

"But how did you know?"

Centaur: "Hagrid and I are good friends!"

Harry nodded, because the reason was perfectly reasonable.

After all, that's how he knew about the Philosopher's Stone.

So how many people did Hagrid actually tell this message to?

Why would any random centaur in the Forbidden Forest know this news?

It was while Harry was pondering this question.

Wang!Wang!Wang!
Before anyone could be seen, the sound of teeth barking could already be heard.

However, compared to the whimpering when running away...

This roar was incredibly powerful.

As soon as Harry heard it, he inexplicably knew that Hagrid must be coming.

Then came the sound of a heavy object hitting the ground, dull yet powerful!

Looking up at the sound, Harry saw a huge figure burst out of the jungle.

The anxious figure stopped only when he saw that Harry was safe and sound.

Malfoy, Hermione, Ron, and Yaya followed behind him.

Who else could it be but Hagrid?

"Harry, you're alright? That's wonderful!"

Ron and Hermione were the first to speak.

Hagrid first looked at the unicorn in the distance, and then at the centaur in front of Harry.

"Oh, hello there, Ferrenze. Looks like you've already met Harry." Ron ran up. "Harry, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Harry nodded and pointed behind him: "Thanks to this, uh, this Mr. Ferrenzer, I was saved."

"He was the one who drove the monster away."

Ron looked at Harry and said he was fine, then simply pushed Harry aside.

Then Ron and Hermione looked at Ferrenze with shining eyes.

To be precise, they were looking at the man's muscular physique and his centaur-like body.

Both of them were amazed and even a little excited.

Harry was also helpless upon seeing this.

"Wow, I swear, even my brother has never seen one before. This is the legendary centaur!"

Hermione nodded: "I always thought the centaurs in the Forbidden Forest were just a legend, but I never imagined they were real."

Ron said excitedly:
"Mr. Ferencze, you are so handsome."

The tall and handsome centaur ignored the two little admirers, greeted Hagrid, and then looked at Harry.

"Harry Potter, I have to go now. Good luck!"

After he finished speaking, without the four strong hooves exerting any force, the man leaped away with a light touch.

Then, incredibly, he leaped into the air, stepping on tree trunks and branches.

Mid-air: "Hagrid, your mission is complete. You can go back now."

"Understood, Ferencze!"

Hagrid stood in front of the unicorn's corpse, blocking the four little ones' view.

A colossal figure loomed over them, and Hagrid asked again to confirm:
“Harry, are you sure you’re really okay? That thing…”

He glanced worriedly at the unicorn carcass behind him, illuminated by the moonlight, and his voice lowered, "It's horrible."

Harry took a deep breath of the cool, damp air of the Forbidden Forest.

He covered his heart with one hand, trying to dispel the lingering chill and the faint stinging sensation on his forehead.

Although the excruciating pain that went deep into my bones had subsided, the lingering effects of fear still coursed through my limbs and bones.

Harry shook his head to indicate that he was fine.

“I’m fine, Hagrid,” he tried to make his voice sound firmer.

"I was... I was a little scared. But thankfully Mr. Ferenc arrived just in time."

“Yeah, Ferenze is a good fellow,” Hagrid muttered as he stood up, his large beard trembling slightly in the moonlight.

"Luckily he was patrolling here... Alright, kids."

He clapped his hands, trying to keep his voice relaxed, in an attempt to break the heavy atmosphere.

"Let's go, let's go back. You've seen enough and been through enough danger tonight. Go back and get a good night's sleep and forget all about it."

"Forget it?" Malfoy's sharp voice pierced the silence. His face was as pale as paper, and he had been hiding behind Hermione and Ron as if the shadows might engulf him again at any moment.

“A…a monster! Killed a unicorn! Drank its blood! Right in front of us! And that…that…” He pointed in terror in the direction the shadow had disappeared, his lips trembling.

“Potter almost got killed by it…” He abruptly stopped, as if just imagining the scene was suffocating him.

“Malfoy!” Ron immediately retorted, though his own expression wasn’t much better. “Now you’re scared? You ran faster than Tooth, leaving Harry all alone!” He glared angrily at Malfoy.

"That was...that was a wise retreat!"

Malfoy forced himself to stand tall, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.

"Who would be stupid enough to stay there and wait to die?"

"Alright! Shut up, all of you!"

Hagrid growled, his gaze sweeping sternly over Malfoy and Ron with an unquestionable air of authority.

"Now is not the time to argue! We need to get out of the Forbidden Forest immediately! Follow me, stay close!"

His massive body turned around, like a mobile fortress.

Tooth seemed to sense its master's determination, let out a soft whimper, and clung tightly to Hagrid's leg.

Hermione gently tugged at Harry's sleeve and whispered:

"Harry, is your head... really not hurting anymore? Ferrenze said that dark figure was... was it him?"

She didn't dare say the name aloud, but asked anxiously with her eyes.

Harry nodded, lowering his voice to make sure only Ron and Hermione could hear:
"Yes, Mr. Ferrenzer just explained it very clearly. Drinking unicorn blood, half-dead... wanting to prolong his life while also wanting to get close to the Philosopher's Stone in Hogwarts, who else could it be but him?"

Harry's heart sank again as he recalled the black-robed man's serpentine, approaching figure and the despair that had almost frozen his body.

Voldemort is here, in the Forbidden Forest, weak yet truly present.

Like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

For the first time, Harry felt the fear emanating from this dark magic legend.

Ron shivered and hugged his arms tightly:
“Merlin’s beard… He really came back, and he’s right outside… so close to the school… He drank that… that curse…”

He recalled Ferenczec's fatalistic words.

Half-dead, forever cursed.

While the price is chilling, it also demonstrates Voldemort's extreme desire to be resurrected.

“This further illustrates the importance and danger of the Philosopher's Stone,” Hermione said, her voice tinged with worry and a hint of determination.

“He needs it to truly regain his power and break free of the curse. We must…”

“Now, don’t say anything, Hermione,” Harry interrupted her abruptly.

He glanced warily at Hagrid, who was walking ahead, and at Malfoy, who was still somewhat distracted.

"Let's talk about it when we get back, when it's just the two of us."

The three boys exchanged a glance and then fell silent.

The group quietly walked among the gnarled roots of the ancient trees, led by Hagrid.

The moonlight was fragmented by the dense foliage, casting grotesque and distorted shadows on the ground. Every step I took rustled through the thick layer of decaying leaves.

The familiar sound now seemed particularly jarring, as if something was lurking in the surrounding bushes, following them.

Malfoy was practically clinging to Hagrid's back, glancing back in fear every now and then.

Ron and Hermione stood close to Harry, silently supporting and nervously exchanging glances.

Toothpick's ears were perked up alertly, occasionally letting out a low whimper.

Compared to how they felt when they came in, all four of them were now somewhat absent-minded.

After all, there's the legendary unicorn, the centaur, and who else?

They all appeared vividly before their eyes.

This is all too incredible.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, sparse light finally appeared ahead.

The edge of the Forbidden Forest is finally near.

When they finally stepped out of the forest and were once again bathed in the relatively open moonlight.

Everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, as if an invisible shackle had been removed.

Hagrid stopped and turned around, his massive body blocking out the dark Forbidden Forest behind him.

His expression was more serious than ever before, and his beetle-like black eyes swept over the four terrified children.

“Listen.” His voice was deep and solemn, each word striking a chord in everyone’s heart.

"Everything you saw in the Forbidden Forest tonight, the unicorn, that shadowy figure."

No one is to tell anyone. I mean no one! Understand? I will personally report to Headmaster Dumbledore. Your task is to go back and go to bed.”

His gaze lingered for a moment, particularly on Malfoy's pale face, carrying a stern warning. Malfoy seemed about to object, but ultimately only pursed his lips, nodded, and his eyes were filled with fear and confusion. (End of Chapter)