Chapter 124: Saving the Wolf

Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Saving the Wolf

Time was of the essence, so Xiaqing called Luo Pei directly. "Brother Luo, is Doctor Wang still in your territory? I have two injured wolves here that need medical attention. One has a broken hind leg, and the other’s spine seems to be broken."

Instead of answering directly, Luo Pei calmly asked, "Xiaqing, what time is it?"

This was the code Xiaqing and Luo Pei had agreed upon. If they suspected something was wrong with the other person, they would ask for the time. Answering with the exact time meant everything was normal; answering with "Let me check," "I don’t know," or something similar meant they were in danger and it was inconvenient to speak.

Xiaqing answered directly and precisely, "Two thirty-five in the morning."

Hearing Xiaqing state the time, Luo Pei fell silent for two seconds. ’The Green Dragon Team clearly has people guarding Mountain No. 49, and Tan Junjie’s squad is on patrol tonight. How did wolves break into Xiaqing’s territory?’

’And how did the wolves let Xiaqing know they wanted her to treat them?’

"Injured wolves ran into your territory and asked you to treat them?"

Luo Pei’s reaction was calmer than Xiaqing had anticipated, so she replied calmly as well, "The wolf that attacked the Wild Boar Breeding Center on May 14th brought them. It also brought me a few herbs. That wolf is on the roof of the house in my front yard right now. The two injured wolves are in my yard; I’ve already fed them Relaxing Capsules."

’Looks like there’s no getting out of treating them,’ Luo Pei thought. He replied, "Put the herbs away to show the wolf you’ve agreed. I’ll bring the team doctor over at once."

Xiaqing sighed in relief. "I already have. Thanks, Brother Luo. Make sure you all wear Protective Suits. I’ll do my best to keep the wolf calm."

To avoid surveillance from Territory No. 2, Luo Pei led his people on a detour through Mountain No. 49, entering the North Buffer Forest of the Third Territory and heading toward Xiaqing’s village. Along the way, they triggered five of Xiaqing’s sound traps. The CHIME-CHIME-CHIME sounds clearly reached Xiaqing’s ears, as well as the Head Wolf’s.

Perched atop the highest point of the ruins, the Head Wolf gazed northward.

Xiaqing gently explained, "They are the humans I called, the ones who can treat injuries. They’re my companions, and they can be trusted."

Afraid the wolf would fight Luo Pei, Xiaqing nudged the Sheep Leader. "Leader, go tell your friend that my friends are the ones coming. Tell it not to cause any trouble."

The Sheep Leader didn’t understand. It stood beside Xiaqing, chewing its cud with its eyes half-closed, a blissful expression on its face.

Just as Xiaqing heard footsteps, she noticed the two wolves behind the Head Wolf split off, one heading left and the other right. Xiaqing’s voice was low and firm. "My companions are here. If you dare harm them, I will kill your companions."

The Head Wolf remained unmoved, its gaze fixed on the road leading into the village from the left.

Feeling ignored, Xiaqing immediately took action. She left the yard to greet Luo Pei, and the Sheep Leader CLIP-CLOPPED behind her. With her back to the Head Wolf, Xiaqing’s auditory senses were on high alert, every muscle tensed. If she detected the slightest unusual shift in the air behind her, she would immediately leap onto a tree or into the ruins.

The Head Wolf didn’t make a move, even as Xiaqing met up with Luo Pei’s group of five. Xiaqing breathed a sigh of relief and quickly explained, "When they heard you coming, the two uninjured wolves went into hiding. The Head Wolf is still standing outside my yard."

A female team member beside Luo Pei said in a low voice, "There’s a wolf behind a tree thirty meters to the left, and another behind a wall to the right, twenty meters in a straight line."

’This female team member must be a much more powerful Auditory or Olfactory Evolver than I am,’ Xiaqing thought. Adopting her reporting style, she added, "The other one is on the ruins of a house about two hundred meters directly in front of Brother Luo, on the south side of the road."

Luo Pei nodded. Ignoring the wolves for the moment, he introduced his team member to Xiaqing. "This is Chang Li. She specializes in treating external wounds, so I brought her along."

Xiaqing greeted Chang Li, then led the way. Luo Pei, Hu Zifeng, and Wei Chengdong formed a protective perimeter on the left, right, and rear, shielding Chang Li and Doctor Wang in the center.

Although everyone was wearing Night Vision Goggles, Xiaqing still held a lit flashlight. The light was for the Sheep Leader, but it also served to show the Wolf Group the humans’ direction of travel, letting them know they had no malicious intent.

After entering the village, Luo Pei gazed up at the Head Wolf. It stood upon the ruins under the moonlight, a piece of its left ear missing. "A High Level Evolver," he murmured.

Xiaqing gave a slight nod. "Without a doubt."

Only when the group had entered the yard and stood with their backs to the house, facing the Head Wolf, did they finally relax a little. Hu Zifeng let out a breath. "Well, this is..."

’He’d fought wolves several times before, but he’d never seen anything like this. It was just indescribably bizarre.’

’But to Hu Zifeng, the strangest thing here wasn’t the wolf on the ruins or the ones lying in the yard. It was the Evolutionary Sheep, pacing back and forth between the wolves and the humans.’

Protected by Xiaqing, Hu Zifeng, and Wei Chengdong, Doctor Wang and Chang Li stepped forward to examine the two wolves’ injuries.

Luo Pei gripped his gun in a standoff with the Head Wolf. Between the two Top Level Evolvers, the outcome of a real fight would be uncertain.

Soon, Chang Li gave her initial diagnosis. "One has fractures in both hind legs—I can fix that. The other has a lumbar spine injury. We’d need to get an X-ray to determine the extent of the damage. I can keep it alive, but I can’t heal it."

Xiaqing asked, "Is there any way for the seriously injured one to make a full recovery?"

Chang Li glanced at Luo Pei and continued only after he gave a slight nod. "The fastest way is to find Lord No. 7. If he’s in a good mood and willing to help, it might be possible."

’My idol, Brother San?’ Xiaqing immediately had a plan. "Could you two please start treating the wolf with the broken legs? I’ll contact Lord No. 7 right now."

Chang Li reminded her, "At this hour, he’s either sleeping or doing research. He’s not going to be in a good mood if he’s disturbed."

Clutching her phone, Xiaqing asked, "If we wait until dawn, is there still hope for this wolf?"

Chang Li shook her head. "No."

’So, I have to call now.’ Xiaqing took out the four herbs the wolf had brought. "Could you two please take a look at these? What kind of plants are they, and what are they used for?"

While Chang Li was setting the bones of the wolf with the broken legs, Doctor Wang examined the mud-caked herbs under the flashlight beam. "These are all medicinal herbs for external injuries. Judging by the color and roots, the quality is quite good."

’If the quality is good, then I have a bargaining chip.’ Bracing herself, Xiaqing dialed the number, risking being blacklisted by her idol. With each ring, her heart sank a little more.

On the fifth ring, the call finally connected. Zhang San’s voice was hoarse with the anger of being woken up. "Xiaqing, are you sleepwalking?"

’That’s my idol for you, coming up with an excuse for me even when I’m the one waking him up.’

Xiaqing’s tension immediately melted away. She apologized profusely, "Brother San, I’m so, so sorry to disturb you this late. There’s an emergency. The Sheep Leader’s wolf companion was brought here with serious injuries. It needs your help."

Zhang San was silent.

Xiaqing immediately sweetened the deal. "The wolf brought four herbs. I don’t know what they are, but they look valuable. Should I send them over to you first?"

Zhang San’s voice was flat. "You and Ji Li bring the wolf over."

"Okay, thanks, Brother San!" Xiaqing hung up, grinning from ear to ear. ’I’m not on his blacklist!’ "Brother Luo, Ji Li is coming over soon. I’ll take the wolf there with him."

Everyone present was astonished that Zhang San had actually answered Xiaqing’s call and even agreed to help. Luo Pei nodded. "Leave things here to me. Have Zifeng go with you."

Xiaqing shook her head. "Brother San told me to go alone with Ji Li. Besides, Captain Hu just brought his kitten home. If he gets the scent of wolves on him and the Cat Princess smells it, she might take her kitten back."

Hu Zifeng was touched that Xiaqing would consider the predicament of a new cat owner like him even at such a critical time. "The wolves hiding in the shadows won’t know why you’re carrying a wolf away, so they’ll definitely follow. You should let Chengdong go with you for protection, to guard against a wolf ambush."

’I won’t go myself,’ he thought, ’for fear of being caught by the Cat Princess.’