Chapter 175 - 172: Other People in the Mountains

Chapter 175: Chapter 172: Other People in the Mountains

’That does it! You damned White Weasel, just you wait!’

Hearing the scheming little fox’s thoughts, Zhao Wendong couldn’t help but burst out laughing. ’This is perfect,’ he thought. ’It probably won’t be thinking about getting revenge on me for a while, since it has a new target now.’

"What are you laughing at?"

Lin Zhiyin, holding the White Weasel, sidled up to him to show it off, her intention to flaunt it obvious.

"See? We can win over little animals too!"

Before, she had thought Zhao Wendong just had a natural affinity for animals. Now she realized that as long as you fed them right, anyone had a chance of taming one!

"Nothing, nothing. I’m happy for you. It’s fine if you want to raise it. Taking this thing home would be great for catching rats. Just be careful around the fox. It might like to eat these things!"

Zhao Wendong was actually quite in favor of keeping this White Weasel. The village, and his house in particular, had been overrun with rats lately. Although General and the other dogs helped out occasionally, they couldn’t catch them as fast as the rats were breeding. With this weasel around, at least he wouldn’t have to constantly listen to the rats’ inner monologues, which were filled with nothing but getting it on.

"Mm, I know. Xiaobai, you have to be good. Don’t bully... hmm, don’t bully Little Xiaobai."

Lin Zhiyin cradled the White Weasel, carefully placing it inside her coat and using the padded cotton to shield it from the biting wind. The White Weasel obediently curled up inside the jacket, only its small head and a pair of bright black eyes peeking out. It looked back and forth between Lin Zhiyin and Jin Xiuying, occasionally casting a wary glance at the White Fox in Jin Xiuying’s arms, full of curiosity and anticipation for everything that was to come.

Checking the time and the position of the sun, Zhao Wendong made a mark on his surroundings and then set some traps. The two traps from last time hadn’t caught anything in days, so Zhao Wendong had collected them and moved them here.

Whether one used poison or snares, getting a catch was never easy. In the summer, you could lie in wait, but in the winter, a person simply couldn’t withstand staying outside for long. But if you only came back after a few days, it was likely your catch would have already been snatched by another wild animal.

Zhao Wendong’s use of traps was more of a casual approach—it was great if they caught something, but no big deal if they didn’t. He wasn’t a trapper; he was a Hunter who let his gun do the talking. Today, they had bagged four badgers and a rabbit that Xiaojin had brought them. Anyone else would have been thrilled with such a haul, but Zhao Wendong wasn’t quite satisfied, especially considering the firepower they were packing.

A trip into the mountains with a large group incurred considerable expenses. If they didn’t bring back enough goods, one trip wouldn’t even earn them enough for a few bricks. But it was getting late. One more loop farther in, and they’d be traveling back in the dark. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but the Wolf Pack led by that White Wolf last time had Zhao Wendong worried. With their vision limited at night, they would be at a disadvantage if they ran into that pack again.

Just as he was about to have everyone return to their stone cave base, Xiaojin let out a cry from the sky and landed steadily on Zhao Wendong’s shoulder, rubbing its head against his cheek.

’Wolves. The pack from last time.’

Zhao Wendong’s heart jolted. He urgently pulled out a strip of rabbit meat and fed it to Xiaojin, then quickly stroked its head, gave it a pat, and sent it back into the sky.

Xiaojin often transmitted useless thoughts, which Zhao Wendong would deliberately ignore. He only went through this routine when he needed it to lead the way. Xiaojin was already familiar with the procedure and knew Zhao Wendong wanted it to lead them to the Wolf Pack. It flew a short distance ahead and began to circle, waiting for Zhao Wendong and the others to catch up.

The others were also very familiar with Xiaojin and Zhao Wendong’s teamwork. They all looked at Zhao Wendong with expectant eyes.

"Quick, follow Xiaojin!"

Seeing Zhao Wendong’s urgent expression, the group couldn’t help but cheer. Xiaojin must have found a target. General and San Gou were called over and put back on their leashes, mainly to prevent them from wandering off and slowing everyone down.

Xiaobai didn’t need to be managed; it was always allowed to roam free. Meanwhile, the newcomer, the White Weasel now known as Little Xiaobai, was nestled in Lin Zhiyin’s arms. Its little head poked out, its mood perfectly stable, and it watched with great interest as Lin Zhiyin and the others hurried forward.

They followed Xiaojin for over twenty minutes as the sky grew dim and the wind in the forest picked up. Ahead, Xiaojin, who was leading the way, suddenly spread its wings wide and held them perfectly straight. It barely flapped, using only the small feathers at its wingtips and its tail feathers to make minuscule adjustments for balance.

From the ground, its body was motionless, as if suspended in mid-air by a thread, hovering fixedly like it was nailed to the sky. All the while, Xiaojin’s head remained pointed toward a specific spot on the ground.

"Hurry, it’s just ahead!"

Zhao Wendong excitedly urged everyone to keep up. After just a few more steps, a distinctly familiar wolf howl echoed from the forest ahead. General and San Gou immediately arched their backs, baring their sharp fangs. The White Fox turned tail and ran, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The White Weasel was also terrified, but instead of running, it simply shrank its head back into Lin Zhiyin’s coat, adopting an "if I can’t see it, it isn’t there" mentality.

The wind wailed through the trees, and paired with the howls, it sounded like a funeral dirge calling them to their doom. An uncomfortable, oppressive feeling settled over the group. Zhao Wendong took his Type 56 semi-automatic in hand and shouted a reminder to everyone.

"This might be the same Wolf Pack we ran into the other day! Everyone switch to the filed-down bullets! Shoot any wolf you see, don’t conserve ammo! I don’t know what they’re hunting this time, but whatever it is, it’s ours now!"

"That’s right! If it is that same pack, we take out that pure-white Wolf King first!"

"Right!"

The group responded in unison.

"Watch your spacing. Don’t spread out too much."

Seeing that everyone was ready, Zhao Wendong added one last instruction and took the lead, charging toward the direction of the wolf howls.

BANG! BANG!

Two gunshots suddenly rang out from up ahead. Zhao Wendong faltered, a look of shock on his face. He never would have imagined this Wolf Pack was hunting humans again. Normally, wolves knew how deadly a hunter’s gun was and wouldn’t attack people so easily. They must be desperate with hunger.

Or perhaps, Zhao Wendong’s heart sank, they were deliberately retaliating against humans. After all, he and his group had killed six of their wolves last time.

"Fuck, Dongzi, there are people up there!"

The others also heard the gunshots and their faces paled. Zhao Wenjun cursed angrily. A Hunter wouldn’t normally open fire on a Wolf Pack unless absolutely necessary. Gunshots meant the situation was critical. Those people were in danger. The only question was how many of them there were, and if they could hold out until help arrived.

"Hurry, let’s help them!"

Zhao Wendong roared and broke into a sprint. The others immediately followed suit. The situation was urgent, so they abandoned any attempt at stealth, fanning out into a skirmish line and charging toward the sound of the gunfire. The fur on General’s and San Gou’s necks bristled as they let out a series of ferocious barks, bravely charging ahead of their masters.

Rounding a thicket of bushes, the sight before them made everyone’s pupils contract in horror.

In a small hollow in the snow, a dozen or so gray wolves were gathered around two figures, feasting. Pools of dark red blood stained the snow, frozen into blackish-red shells that reflected an eerie light in the fading sun.

"AWOO~"

A long howl echoed. At the far edge of the woods, a wolf as white as snow spotted Zhao Wendong and his group and immediately issued a new command. It was indeed the same Wolf Pack from last time!

It was the kind of reunion that made your blood boil. Zhao Wendong raised his Type 56 semi-automatic and fired at the White Wolf. The bullet barely missed its head, grazing its face and leaving a bloody gash.

The White Wolf let out a wretched howl, then turned and vanished into the woods. The others also opened fire. The wolves, having received the White Wolf’s command, began to retreat, but a few unlucky ones were hit in the chaotic volley. Two wolves yelped and fell, while the rest desperately chased after the White Wolf in the direction it had disappeared.

With a shriek from above, Xiaojin dove from the sky and, with practiced ease, knocked over a gray wolf lagging at the rear. General, San Gou, and Xiaojin already had a perfect understanding. The dogs were right behind the eagle, and just like last time, they worked together to pin down the unlucky gray wolf.