Chapter 1103: The Injured Half-Grown Wolf and the Little Monkey

"Lao Si, are all these your companions?"

Xia Qing had been wandering around the mountain with the old wolf for over an hour, and finally arrived at a hidden, dry cave within Mountain Area Twenty-Six. Seeing the six injured, fierce-looking evolved wolves inside, some lying down and some standing, Xia Qing sighed.

There were over twenty evolved wolves outside the cave, and six injured ones inside—the old wolf's pack was no small in size.

With this many wolves injured, there was no need to ask—they'd definitely been in a group fight. Which animals had they fought? Did they win or lose?

The old wolf, who had already led her safely to dig up the Viola philippica as she requested, nudged Xia Qing, urging her to hurry and treat its companions.

Their task was done, so of course Xia Qing had to honor the deal and treat this pack of wolves' injuries.

Compared to last October after the great wolf-bear-snake battle, when the broken-backed wolf brought her to Mountain Sixty to treat the injured members of the northern wolf pack, Xia Qing's external injury first-aid skills and equipment had improved by a huge margin.

After disinfecting her hands and putting on sterile gloves, she quickly administered oral anesthetic to the wolves and began treatment.

For those with flesh wounds: minor injuries got shaved, disinfected, and covered with antibacterial patches; serious ones got sutured. For swollen legs, she determined whether it was poisoning or soft tissue contusion and medicated accordingly. For fractured legs, she first disinfected, palpated the bones to assess the fracture's severity, and applied a simple splint. For broken or dislodged teeth, there was nothing she could do except feed them some anti-inflammatory painkillers…

Although the wolves outside the cave occasionally let out angry roars, Huo Zhun was guarding the cave entrance and two wolf companions were protecting her nearby—Xia Qing wasn't worried about being attacked by the pack and focused entirely on treating the wounds.

After treating the six wolves, Xia Qing had just stood up when she heard Huo Zhun's reminder: "Sister Qing, a half-grown wolf is coming over, and blood is dripping from its mouth."

Xia Qing turned and recognized this half-grown wolf. It was the smallest of the three wolves she'd rescued from the Wanderer Valley a few days earlier. A long gash had been cut open on the left side of its mouth, and blood was dripping down.

Although injured, this little wolf's condition was much better than when Xia Qing had first rescued it from the Wanderer cave—its spirit was still there.

Xia Qing stared quietly at the little wolf for a few seconds, confirming it was a brain-domain evolved being. She poured oral anesthetic into uncontaminated spring water. "Lao Si, make it drink the medicine."

Before the old wolf could even growl out the command, this half-grown wolf lowered its head and began lapping the water. Its mouth corner was torn—doing this must have hurt terribly—but it seemed to feel no pain, drinking with perfect calm and ease.

Based on this alone, Xia Qing regarded this brain-domain evolved half-grown wolf with higher esteem.

After it was anesthetized, Xia Qing examined the facial laceration. She only performed simple disinfection and hemostasis, then discussed with the old wolf standing nearby: "Lao Si, I can't handle this little wolf's wound here—I need to take it back to Territory Three for treatment. And this wolf with the broken front leg also needs to go back to Territory Three."

A facial laceration isn't like a wound on the body that can be simply sutured and done. A long wound like this requires layered suturing of the deep muscle, the inner buccal mucosa, and the outer skin. If sutured poorly, aesthetics aside, it would definitely affect the flexibility of this wolf's mouth muscles.

Sharp teeth are an important attack method that evolved wolves rely on—if the mouth muscles aren't flexible, it will reduce its combat ability.

Lao Si hesitated for a few seconds, then bared its fangs at Xia Qing, signifying its agreement.

Once the decision was made, they had to act immediately. Taking advantage of the fact that both wolves to be taken were still under anesthesia, Xia Qing called Huo Zhun, who was guarding the cave entrance, inside. Each of them picked up a wolf and prepared to head back.

Seeing that the old wolf wasn't following them out, Huo Zhun asked quietly, "Sister Qing, what about the remaining wolves?"

"Lao Si will stay to look after them." Although she hadn't communicated with the old wolf, Xia Qing knew it would definitely stay—because its injured companions were here.

The remaining five wolves all had external injuries. She'd already used the idol's special hemostatic and anti-inflammatory antibacterial medicine on them, and Xia Qing also instructed the old wolf to tear open one packet of medicine each day for the injured wolves to drink. As long as they didn't get infected with evolved bacteria, these evolved wolves' wounds would heal in five days, and they'd be pretty much recovered in ten days.

Xia Qing left them ten days' worth of medicine.

Xia Qing and Huo Zhun walked out of the cave carrying the two wolves, and were blocked by the wolf pack outside. Standing at the very front was a silver-gray-furred she-wolf in her prime combat period, with two scratch wounds on her body.

This wolf's size was about the same as the northern wolf pack's lead wolf, and her facial expression made it clear she was also a brain-domain evolved being. She assumed an attack stance toward Xia Qing and Huo Zhun, her emerald-green eyes full of killing intent.

Based on positioning and movement, Xia Qing judged that this silver-gray-furred, emerald-eyed wolf was the leader of this pack.

Wolf Lao Er stood in front of Xia Qing, quietly watching this wolf.

Lao Si slowly walked out. The two wolves gazed at each other in silence, exchanged wordlessly for a while, then the pack leader bared her fangs and growled softly.

Communication had failed—this lead wolf didn't trust Xia Qing and wouldn't allow her to take her companions away.

Xia Qing had noticed earlier that this pack's hostility toward humans was no less than that of the Hui Three western wolf pack. Although Xia Qing had been brought by the old wolf, she was the same species as the Wanderers who had once captured evolved wolves—this pack leader's distrust of her was to be expected.

Lao Si didn't clash with the lead wolf. It turned its head and looked calmly at Xia Qing. Xia Qing also spoke calmly: "Brother Huo, let's bring the wolves back into the cave. We'll treat them here and not take them away."

"Okay." Huo Zhun couldn't read what was happening with the wolf pack, but he absolutely obeyed the team leader's words.

After returning to the cave, Xia Qing took out fine needles and thread and sutured the half-grown wolf's facial wound.

She had learned cosmetic suturing techniques from Chang Li, watched videos explaining facial suturing techniques, and practiced on pork together with the broken-backed wolf.

Since this pack's king wouldn't let her take the two injured wolves away, she'd just do it on the spot—however well she could suture was however well it would turn out.

After suturing the half-grown wolf's facial laceration, Xia Qing took out plaster powder and absorbent gauze to make a plaster cast bandage. After soaking it in water, she reduced the fracture in the other wolf's broken front leg, wrapped it up, and once the plaster dried it would become a hard solid, achieving the purpose of shaping and immobilization.

Then, after giving the old wolf a few instructions, Xia Qing left the cave with Huo Zhun and Wolf Lao Er. She had done everything she'd promised the old wolf—as for whether these two seriously injured wolves could recover, that was no longer Xia Qing's concern.

"Sister Qing, should we head straight back?"

After the helicopter took off, Hu Zifeng asked where to go next.

Xia Qing quietly stroked Wolf Lao Er beside her and discussed with him: "We came out under the pretext of patrolling the evolved forest—shall we make a loop through the northern evolved forest first before heading back?"

"Okay." Hu Zifeng agreed and piloted the helicopter along the path they'd come by, heading northeast.

Passing over Mountain Thirty-Six, Xia Qing looked down and didn't see a single evolved tiger;

Passing Mountain Forty, she saw the western wolf king standing atop the snowy mountain, howling skyward, and began to miss the Yishi granules hanging around its neck again;

Passing Mountain Fifty-Eight-Six, she saw the northern wolf pack's lead wolf leading the chase after a group of prey, running with the most dashing posture imaginable;

Passing Mountain Fifty-Eight, Xia Qing saw a little monkey carrying a backpack and wearing a dirty hat, curled up on the highest rock at the mountaintop!