Chapter 53: Confrontation with Wolves

Chen Wuji spent a whole day in this forest chasing Flying Squirrels.

Not until the sun was low over West Mountain, dusk approaching, did he reluctantly put his hand down.

Probably because there is little species competition, the number of Flying Squirrels in this forest is huge.

In a day's effort, Chen Wuji found no fewer than several dozen.

The only drawback is these little critters live far apart, scattered in groups of three or four tree holes, making them very hard to catch.

After a full day's toil, he only caught five.

However, he did gather a good amount of Five Spirit Fat, about ten plus jin.

At contemporary prices, that amount could easily fetch a little over two thousand.

Earning two thousand a day is a very good income in the mountain‑running trade.

He just doesn't know what price these things fetch in the Dayu Dynasty.

On his way down the mountain, Chen Wuji also took a look at the trap he had set that morning.

The first find made Chen Wuji's mouth curl with excitement.

A dog badger whose fur glimmered.

Seeing it, Chen Wuji guessed what had destroyed his trap yesterday.

Eight or nine parts of it was this creature.

Dog badgers have keen noses and a pair of powerful forepaws, digging harder than dogs.

They and wild boars have long been the two major pests in the eyes of the common folk, equally adept at ruining fields.

Yet this creature is more valuable than wild boars.

Both its oil and its fur can sell for a very good price.

After freeing the dog badger from the trap, Chen Wuji cut off some scraps of meat and reset the trap.

When he reached the second trap, Chen Wuji saw the wild boar he had just been muttering about, and— a wolf.

Two brown‑red wolves had already devoured most of his prey; only a fragment of meat could still be identified as wild boar.

Chen Wuji's nerves snapped taut, and he slowly drew his Knife.

He had never heard of a wolf with red fur.

This wolf looked rather indecent, like a flamboyant harlot.

It seemed like the offspring of a gray wolf and a fox that had strayed— fur like a fox, body also, much smaller than a normal gray wolf. If this wolf stood before a massive Arctic wolf, it would probably be treated as a pup.

The two wolves, startled by Chen Wuji's sudden intrusion, quickly retreated two steps from the trap, then stopped, licking their mouths while watching Chen Wuji.

Chen Wuji realized he might have taken the wrong weapon; at this distance he should have used an arrow rather than a Knife, and he wasn't sure if switching now would give those two beasts a chance.

He admired the wolves' flamboyant fur, but he had no intention to hunt them.

After all, he wasn't sure he could beat two wolves.

Yet he couldn't just walk away.

Whether to flee or fight, he had to gauge the wolves' moods.

"It's a misunderstanding, you may continue your meal, I won't disturb," Chen Wuji thought for a moment, then decided to step back and try, swapping to bow and arrow.

He slipped the Knife back into his waist, and the two wolves lowered their bodies cautiously, eyes fixed on Chen Wuji.

That was the sign they were about to launch an attack.

"No need, I'm just passing through, you continue!" Chen Wuji muttered, swiftly nocked an arrow and let loose a shot.

The two wolves clearly didn't want to negotiate, so they struck first.

As the arrow flew, the wolves darted left and right like spears toward Chen Wuji.

A wooden arrow lodged in one wolf, but fell out after it ran.

The wooden arrow's damage was too low, likely only piercing the hide without reaching flesh.

Chen Wuji tossed the bow aside, and swiftly drew his Knife.

Time for melee.

He looked forward to melee with San Niang and You Wei, but he loathed fighting creatures like wolves.

This one‑on‑two situation he really didn't want.

After Yuan Laoer's matter is settled, he will forge a suitable bow and make a batch of iron arrows.

Using wooden arrows for hunting is far too limited in killing power.

Had the arrows been iron, the wolf on the right would already have been disabled.

Now it seemed he had only scratched them.

The wolf on the left lunged, opening a massive maw to bite Chen Wuji's thigh; the strong stench almost knocked him out.

Chen Wuji swung his Knife, shouting, "Disgusting, filthy thing, who taught you to launch magic attacks before striking? You wretched beast, dare insult me, die, die!"

The Red Wolf dodged Chen Wuji's blade, looking like an enraged dog, baring teeth and circling him, trying to find a weak spot.

Wolves and dogs both attack with a clear method.

With only two wolves, one inevitably holds back while the other attempts a sneak attack.

They circle, forcing Chen Wuji to circle as well.

At that moment, the left wolf feigned, and as Chen Wuji swung, the right wolf surged like an arrow, snapping at his right arm holding the Knife.

Chen Wuji twisted his waist sharply, redirecting the blade to the right, slashing the wolf's jaw, "Trying to sneak attack? Damn, Laborers are waiting for you to sneak attack!"

Seeing this, the left wolf pounced.

Chen Wuji sidestepped, swinging his Knife hard at the wolf's waist.

He knew that whether dog or wolf, the first target is the lumbar vertebra; breaking the spine instantly cripples them.

With a whimper, the left wolf rolled and collided with the right wolf.

Chen Wuji's eyes suddenly brightened, he raised his hand and chopped with a knife at the neck of another wolf.

One knife severed the head!

Chen Wuji was sprayed with hot blood all over his face, and his heart boiled as well.

Chen Luozi wasn't bragging; this really is a treasured knife.

As he swung the knife down, he hardly felt any resistance; it was almost smooth as he severed the wolf's head.

The Chen clan has talented people!

Chen Wuji sighed, then quickly gave the other wolf another knife chop.

He realized that his knife chop was no different from a finishing blow.

With that previous knife chop, he almost cut off the wolf's waist, leaving only a third still attached.

The wolf surge died, Chen Wuji's tensed heartstrings relaxed.

The sudden pressure eased, leaving his hands stiff for a while before they returned to normal.

But then a worrisome problem also arose.

These two wolves were hacked into a bloody mess, blood everywhere, making it a problem to bring them down the mountain.

Feeling regretful for a long time, Chen Wuji chose the most foolish method.

Wait!

Wait until the wolves' blood has mostly stopped flowing, then go down the mountain.

He really didn't want to walk while washing himself with wolf blood.

I heard this also wards off evil, but Chen Wuji doesn't need it.

When the setting sun was steadily positioned on West Mountain, Chen Wuji gathered up the bow and arrow thrown aside, tied the wild boar's ruined carcass and the two wolves together with rope, and carried them down the mountain.

Today is destined to be a day where clothes suffer.

Even though the wolves' blood had mostly clotted, Chen Wuji still used soil to clean the blood stains on his wound, but it was still easy to get it everywhere.

However Chen Wuji also acknowledged that changing clothes for the two wolves would still be more than enough.