The mountain peak echoed with tremendous noise, a continuous rumbling roar. It sounded like a wolf pack hunting prey, with wild boars grunting and snorting, their bulky bodies crashing repeatedly against trees and rocks.
Yet it was fortunate the wolves were hunting; otherwise, they themselves would have been the ones in peril.
Under Sheng Huaian’s direction, everyone quietly gathered their belongings. But at this critical moment, someone accidentally dropped a bowl, which shattered with a crisp, ringing sound that carried far into the distance.
As if a pause button had been pressed, the commotion on the mountain inexplicably ceased. In that instant, everyone’s nerves stretched to the breaking point.
Had the wolves won?
Would they be the next target?
Song Jiaojiao licked her parched lips, feeling her heart pounding wildly in her chest as a sense of foreboding grew heavier. She checked the Panel Map, where red dots remained motionless, indicating the wolves and wild boars were still on the mountain.
She tugged at Sheng Huaian’s sleeve, her lips parting in a silent plea: Hurry, let’s go.
Sheng Huaian nodded and signaled for everyone to quickly pick up their torches and retreat. If they were unfortunate enough to encounter the wolves, the torches might help drive them back.
The group had barely moved ten feet when the mountain erupted with noise again—growing louder and clearer, as if something were charging downhill.
And it was heading straight toward them!
Song Jiaojiao glanced at the Panel and paled in alarm.
【Wild boar distance: 280m, 250m, 210m…】
The wolf pack was hot on its heels.
What were they waiting for?
“Run,” she hissed, sprinting forward.
The others were too stunned to react, staring blankly as her figure vanished into the darkness, soon leaving only the flickering light of her torch.
“Should we run too?” Sheng Sanlang turned to ask his older brother, his frightened voice hoarse with fear.
In response, Sheng Huaian scooped up the youngest siblings, Da Ya and her brother, placing them on the cart. He took the cart from Sheng Sanlang and pushed it forward with a burst of speed. “The wolves are coming. Run if you don’t want to die, and don’t fall behind!”
Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats as they sprinted with all their might, trying to outrun the threat—but it was futile.
Within moments, they were overtaken.
The wild boar, too large to control its speed as it charged downhill, tumbled and rolled down the slope. By sheer misfortune, it crashed into a rock, snapping one of its sharp tusks. The intense pain caused it to black out and collapse.
Meanwhile, the wolf pack had encircled the entire group.
Everyone froze, not daring to breathe, their hopeful gazes instantly fixed on Sheng Huaian. He had once slain a tiger—surely he could handle wolves now?
“Don’t move,” Sheng Huaian said calmly, setting the cart down and drawing a dagger from his robe. “These beasts fear fire. Quickly relight the extinguished torches. Everyone form a circle. The wolves are observing us now and will likely feign an attack first.”
Upon hearing this, the “feeble” Sheng Erlang on the cart trembled slightly. In truth, he had long since recovered, but his laziness had kept him “bedridden” to avoid walking.
The more timid among them had already collapsed to the ground, huddling together and weeping in terror.
The mournful cries pierced the night air, thick with the scent of blood, echoing through the darkness. The wolves, sensing weakness, grew restless and aggressive.
What fools! Sheng Huaian was seething. Showing fear to these beasts before even engaging them would only make the wolves more determined to claim their prey.
His gaze, filled with simmering anger, locked onto the gray wolf directly opposite him, radiating an intimidating presence.
The snarling wolf immediately let out a startled hiccup, tucked its tail between its legs, and retreated several steps before turning its attention to another pair of eyes filled with fear and evasion.
Sheng Erlang: “…” Damn it!
Picking the soft persimmon to squeeze—how cunning.
“Shut the hell up, all of you!” Butcher Gao snapped, irritated by the crying. “The eldest is right. Wolves attack those who are alone. Don’t run around. Dashan, Ershan, Xiaoshan—grip your tools tight and aim for their necks and bellies.”
Though the three sons were also afraid, they feared their strict father even more. Ignoring their wives’ pleas, they stepped forward.
The father and his three sons, armed with kitchen knives or choppers, lined up closely to the left of Sheng Huaian. Under the torchlight, the sharp blades gleamed coldly.
“If you’re a man, step up and protect your family,” Butcher Gao swept a cold glance over the crowd. “When disaster strikes, don’t expect others to save you if you’re only looking out for yourself.”
Under his scornful gaze, someone protested indignantly, “But you have the skills. We only know how to work the fields. At most, we can find more food tomorrow to thank you.”
“My family only has one man, and we all depend on him. Your two families have plenty of men anyway.”
The other two families argued self-righteously, huddling in the middle without moving.
Butcher Gao’s face turned livid with rage. Before he could speak, Old Qian spat right into the face of the man who had spoken. “Pah! Blame your mother-in-law for only giving birth to one son. Are the Sheng and Gao families guilty for having more men? Should they just go die for you? Dream on! Eldest, don’t bother with these ungrateful scum later.”
Mrs. Fang added, “These so-called men aren’t even as brave as a weak woman like me. You’ve shamed your ancestors for eighteen generations. If my husband weren’t gravely ill and dared to back down, I’d break his legs on the spot to keep him from setting a bad example for Da Niu.”
Sheng Erlang nearly jumped off the cart in shock: “…”
This shrew still holds a grudge for pushing her away last time!
If she finds out he’s been faking it for days…
Don’t even think about it!
Third Brother, who’s been pushing the cart every day, would kill him first.
Sheng Erlang regretted it all. Stiffening his body, he dared not move, forced to maintain a “deep gaze” with the wolf brother diagonally across from him. Please go find someone else. My skin is tough and I won’t taste good, he desperately signaled with his eyes.
In the blink of an eye, the wolf brother, sensing his weakness, lunged forward. With a few leaps, it landed on the cart with its two front paws.
“Help!” Sheng Erlang sprang up, rolled off the cart, and lost a large piece of his pant leg to the wolf’s teeth. While he escaped easily, the two young children on the cart were left as easy targets.
Da Ya and her brother screamed in terror.
“Dad, save me! I’m so scared!”
“Help—”
Just as the wolf turned to pounce on the siblings, a dagger slashed across its cheek. It howled in pain and immediately retreated.
Sheng Huaian quickly lifted the two children off the cart and pulled them behind him.
“Ouch—”
A pained cry came from beside him.
He glanced sideways and saw Mrs. Fang delivering a fierce kick to Second Brother’s backside, sending him sprawling to the ground with a yelp. Looking up, he found a torch held inches from his face, nearly singeing his hair.
Furious, Sheng Erlang shouted, “Mrs. Fang, stop it! Do you believe I’ll divorce you?”
“It was I who divorced you!” Mrs. Fang’s eyes were red with rage, her arms trembling uncontrollably as she recalled the scene moments before. “Even a vicious tiger wouldn’t harm its own cubs. If anything happens to Da Ya and Da Niu, I’ll skin you alive.”
Under the scornful gazes of the crowd, Sheng Erlang fell silent, but inwardly he seethed: They’re my flesh and blood—what’s wrong with sacrificing them for me? After all, he and Mrs. Fang had been married for less than eight years; they could always have more children.
Just then, the wolf king suddenly howled twice into the night sky.
It seemed like a signal.
The surrounding wolves began charging forward one after another.