Chapter 334: You Just Go Try It

The young members of the Azure Wolf Tribe grew restless.

"When will this end?"

"We might as well charge out and fight them!"

"Exactly! Though they are many, we are not weak either!"

Ha Sen calmed them and consulted Xiao Ningxun again.

Xiao Ningxun said, "The Red Mountain Tribe's move clearly aims to wear us out, both people and horses."

Lu Qi replied, "They aren't foolish either; they probably intend to wait until the wolf pack emerges from the canyon before striking, to avoid being caught in our trap."

Ha Sen furrowed his brow, "If the wolf pack leaves the canyon, we won't know where they'll strike, so how can we catch them?"

"Then we can only lure them out," Xiao Ningxun frowned, thinking, "Find a spot the wolf pack often visits, set up a false scene to confuse them."

"Make them think the wolf pack has already emerged from the canyon, forcing them to act."

Ha Sen asked further, "How should we do it?"

"Calls, footprints," Xiao Er pondered, "We can also let people move quickly, disguising as wolf shadows."

"But there's one thing that can't be hidden," Ha Sen shook his head, "It's the time when the wolf pack is shedding its fur."

"If in the wolf pack's haunts not a single shed hair can be seen, even the most foolish of the Red Mountain Tribe wouldn't believe it."

Silence fell over the tent.

Wolf fur! This seemingly trivial thing has become the key to the plan's success.

Although the Azure Wolf Tribe and the wolf pack have coexisted for generations, they always observe an invisible boundary and never venture deep into the pack's habitat.

"Wolf fur..." Xiao Ningxun frowned; it truly was a dilemma.

"Wolf fur?" a soft, mushy voice repeated.

Everyone looked over and saw Tuan Tuan's eyes sparkling: "I can go ask the wolves for it!"

"You go?" Xiao Ran chuckled, "Tuan Tuan, that's not like picking up a branch off the ground; the wolf pack won't easily let strangers near."

"It's fine! Tuan Tuan declared confidently, "The wolves are nice, and I'm nice too!"

"I'll tell them, 'Wolves, give me some of your fur, okay? I need it to catch the villains!' They'll surely give it to me!"

The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

Reason with wolves...?

Ha Sen kept shaking his head, "Nonsense!"

But the others had witnessed Tuan Tuan's abilities; perhaps... it could really work?

"Chief," Xiao Ningxun looked at Ha Sen, "We could let Tuan Tuan try. Tonight, we'll accompany her into the canyon."

"You!" Ha Sen was startled to find that, aside from himself, no one objected.

He stared deeply at Xiao Ningxun, this young man who had always been resourceful and calm under pressure, and wondered why he now approved such a ridiculous idea?

He turned to Tuan Tuan, thinking perhaps this little girl possessed some special skill?

He gritted his teeth, "Fine! Then you go try it!"

"Let Wu En guide you; he knows the wolf pack's habits and will surely protect you fully!"

"Fine!"

That night, the moon shone sparsely among the stars, and the wind moaned.

Wu En raised a torch, and the party followed him into the canyon.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wu En halted.

He lowered his voice and pointed to a relatively open hollow ahead, "The place ahead is where the wolf pack often gathers; the wolf king should be nearby. We can't go further."

From a distance, in the hollow, dozens of massive dark silhouettes lay in vague outlines—some moving gently, others cuddling and licking each other.

A few smaller tufts of fur clumsily rolled and played beside their mother, emitting a soft "woo" childish cry.

Countless wolf eyes flickered with faint green light, appearing and disappearing.

Xiao Ningxun's palm sweated slightly, and he whispered to Tuan Tuan in his arms, "Tuan Tuan, did you see? With many people it might cause trouble; we'll wait here for you."

"These wolves are unlike ordinary ones; can you handle it? Don't push yourself."

Xiao Ran hesitated a bit, "Little one, why don't we go back? This is too scary."

"It's fine! Don't worry!" Tuan Tuan slipped from her brother's arms onto the ground.

She stepped forward with her short legs, and tiptoed toward the dim hollow.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi drew their blades, Ha Ri Cha Gai and Wu En nocked their bows, and Qing Qing stared unblinkingly at Tuan Tuan's steps.

Tuan Tuan stopped a short distance from the wolf pack.

The wolf pack stirred slightly; a few robust male wolves rose, watching her warily.

"Wolves!" Tuan Tuan spoke softly, "Hello, I am Tuan Tuan."

The pack froze for a moment, as if listening.

"I'm not a villain! Could you give me some of your fur?"

Her small face showed distress: "We need it to catch those villains who killed your companions! Please give me some, okay?"

She extended her tiny white hands, palms upward.

Moments later, an especially massive wolf, about half a human's height, emerged slowly from the shadows.

Its silvery‑gray fur glimmered in the moonlight, a tuft of striking white hair on its forehead, eyes sharp and calm—the wolf king guarding the pack.

The wolf king stopped three or four steps away from Tuan Tuan, standing a head taller than her.

It lowered its head, its nostrils flaring gently, sniffing the scent of the tiny biped before it.

Tuan Tuan remained still, blinking her big eyes at it, her gaze clear.

Everyone far away tensed their nerves.

After half a day, the wolf king let out an extremely low, almost whimpering sound from its throat.

Then it turned its body sideways and rubbed forcefully against the nearby rock.

A few strands of silvery‑gray long fur stuck to the rough stone surface.

Immediately after, several more wolves came over and scratched vigorously on the stone.

More wolf fur fell down rustlingly.

Then they turned around and stepped back a few paces.

Tuan Tuan hurried forward, carefully collected those wolf furs, and gently tucked them into their bosom.

A few wolf cubs poked their heads out from behind the rocks, staring at Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up as they crouched down: "Little wolves! Hello! Come over and let me pet you, okay?"

A slightly braver wolf cub staggered over to Tuan Tuan's side, nudging Tuan Tuan's fingertip with its damp nose.

Tuan Tuan giggled, gently stroking the wolf cub's fluffy head and ears.

The cub comfortably squinted its eyes, continuously rubbing against Tuan Tuan's hand.

Satisfied, Tuan Tuan hugged it and said, "Thank you! Wolf wolf!" then turned and ran back,

The others, as if waking from a dream, relaxed.

Tuan Tuan pulled the large bundle of wolf fur from their bosom, raised it, and with a smug expression said, "The wolves gave it to me!"

Wu En stared dumbfounded at the wolf fur in Tuan Tuan's hand, then at the wolves still staring intently this way, feeling an indescribable shock in Wu En's heart.

"Heaven of Longevity is above!" Wu En murmured, placing his right hand on his chest, facing Tuan Tuan, and bowed deeply.

Xiao Ningxun scooped up his younger sister in one arm, and his heart finally settled in his stomach.

The group walked back to the tribe; Ha Sen listened to Wu En's account, looked deeply at Tuan Tuan, and said, "You truly are the lucky star that Heaven of Longevity sent to our Grey Wolf Tribe!"

The next day, Wu En led a few youths along the wolves' usual hunting path, carefully fabricating wolf‑paw tracks.

He then sparsely scattered those precious wolf furs among the shrub branches and in the crevices of the rocks.

Everything was set up properly, waiting only for the Red Mountain Tribe to take the bait.