Chapter 1355: Eastern Dhole King

Dholes, like wolves and foxes, belong to the canid family. Distinguished by size, wolves are large canids, dholes and jackals are medium-sized canids, and foxes are small canids.

After evolution, non-giant dholes still cannot match evolved wolves in size, and giant evolved dholes also cannot match giant evolved wolves. However, giant evolved dholes are now comparable in size to non-giant evolved wolves, or even slightly larger.

The pattern of size change for evolved canids on Blue Star compared to before the Catastrophe is: non-giant evolution brings a 1.4–1.5 times size increase, while giant evolution brings a 2.1–2.3 times increase.

As for wolf packs, ordinary wolves now have a shoulder height of 65–85 cm, non-giant evolved wolves 100–115 cm, and giant evolved wolves 145–165 cm. The northern pack's Head Wolf and Broken-Waist Wolf, and the southern pack's Old Wolf, are non-giant advanced evolved wolves with shoulder heights of 110 cm, 112 cm, and 114 cm respectively; the giant Big Guy and Handsome Giant Wolf have shoulder heights of 148 cm and 150 cm respectively.

The pack of dholes before her had a few smaller individuals with shoulder heights in the 50-something cm range, most in the 70-something cm range, and over a dozen giant dholes with shoulder heights between 100–125 cm.

The giant dhole leader standing at the very front had an estimated shoulder height of 130 cm!

Compared to wolves, this pack of dholes has a coat coloration closer to foxes—their backs, heads, and limbs are darker, mostly rust-red or tawny yellow; their bellies and throats are lighter, mostly pale yellow or grayish white.

The eastern dhole pack's giant leader has an iron-rust red back, grayish-white belly and throat, paired with those orange-red eyes and bone-white fangs, creating an extremely powerful visual impact.

When this lofty dhole leader lowered its head, its neck fur bristled and its back arched, and Xia Qing could even see the powerful muscles bulging beneath its pelt.

However, this giant dhole, still smaller than Handsome Giant Wolf, did not give Xia Qing—who had once fed tigers up close—much of a sense of pressure. What she cared about most was still those cold, murderous yet intelligent eyes of the dhole king.

This is another brain-domain evolved powerhouse.

Who says brain-domain evolvers are rare? It seems like every leader of a large predator group deep in Hui-Three Evolution Forest is a freaking brain-domain evolved powerhouse!

Stared down by such a powerhouse, Xia Qing, Broken-Waist Wolf, and Little Wolf Sister all growled low at the same time. Xia Qing didn't know what Broken-Waist Wolf and his daughter were thinking; her first reaction upon seeing this dhole leader flex at her was:

"The hell are you flexing for? You think my queen won't come over and one-shot you in a second?!"

Old Four gave its tail a light flick, signaling the three behind it not to act rashly, then walked slowly forward alone. Although the dholes opposite began howling angrily again, Old Four did not stop its steady pace.

After Old Four moved forward, Xia Qing and Broken-Waist Wolf each stepped toward the center at the same time, filling the gap Old Four had left. Then Xia Qing ordered Huo Zhun and Wang Man behind them to move to the side-front, and the three people and two adult wolves firmly shielded the three wolf pups in the middle.

Among the three wolf pups, the smallest and most timid one—the Plucked-Hair Pup—scrambled up Xia Qing's protective suit, finally planting its two hind paws on her shoulders and its two front paws on her protective mask, gazing at the battlefield ahead.

Feeling the weight of the little one's hind paws, Xia Qing decided that once back, she would install two footrests on the back of her protective mask so her powerful companion could stand more comfortably, lest it suddenly take action and startle the little one into releasing its toxic gas.

When Old Four had walked forward ten meters, the fur on Broken-Waist Wolf's neck beside Xia Qing suddenly bristled, baring bone-white fangs toward the slope on the right, growling low and fierce.

Little Wolf Sister, Big Guy, and Broken-Waist Wolf stayed in sync.

Following Broken-Waist Wolf's gaze, Xia Qing saw another twelve evolved dholes appear on that slope! At their head was a male giant dhole with a deep rust-red back and pale yellow belly and throat.

Broken-Waist Wolf reacted so strongly because it had automatically matched its opponent: Old Four's opponent was the Dhole King, and its own opponent was this pack's number-two giant dhole.

To stop the human-wolf squad from entering Mountain Zone Fifteen, the dhole pack had actually deployed over forty dholes!

The dhole pack's combat strength is no weaker than a wolf pack's—this is a sizable group of predators, no wonder they dominate the nearby mountain area, and no wonder Huo Zhun had to find the middle wolves to harvest hickory nuts.

That said, for Huo Zhun and his two retired special forces comrades to be chased by these predators and still escape unscathed is really, really impressive.

After confirming that the newly appeared pack of evolved dholes had no intention of attacking directly, Old Four continued forward, and Xia Qing continued watching the movements of the thirty-plus dholes directly ahead.

When Old Four slowly walked up to the Dhole King, the dhole pack stopped howling, and the pack's number-two giant dhole also stopped facing off with Broken-Waist Wolf—both staring at this old wolf.

Although she had ordered Huo Zhun and Wang Man not to draw weapons, at this moment Xia Qing couldn't resist the urge to reach for the gun at her waist. Old Four standing alone before the dhole pack was indeed bold and dashing enough, but also dangerous enough—Xia Qing couldn't help wanting to protect it.

Old Four stopped ten meters in front of the Dhole King. Wolf and dhole silently regarded each other, exchanging no sound for a full two minutes, before Old Four was the first to let out a low, brief, gentle call.

"Aoo~ woo~ woo."

Xia Qing and Broken-Waist Wolf's eyes widened at the same time, because this was the call an adult wolf only makes when summoning its own pups or closely bonded pups in the pack!

The Dhole King, which had been all imposing and murderous, upon hearing the old wolf's call, voluntarily stepped forward two paces, stretched its neck to sniff gently. Then Xia Qing saw the Dhole King widen its orange-red eyes—naturally lined in black—and, fox-like big tail wagging rapidly, rush forward, circling Old Four while making soft "guk-guk" sounds.

This is... it just recognized Old Four? Is the Dhole King this happy because it had contact with Old Four when it was still a pup?

Xia Qing and Broken-Waist Wolf looked at each other at the same time, found that the other didn't know either, then both looked forward again.

Compared to the excited Dhole King, Old Four's way of expressing joy was far more reserved and understated. It gave its tail a slight flick, gently bumped shoulders with the tall Dhole King enthusiastically circling it, and lightly sniffed its scent.

After dhole and wolf interacted for a while, the Dhole King let out a howl, and over twenty members of the dhole pack dispersed; Old Four also turned its head and howled once at its companions.

Deputy Captain Xia Qing pressed the walkie-talkie button and ordered, "Hold back your killing intent, don't draw weapons, maintain formation, protect the pups, advance."

"Copy."

Huo Zhun and Wang Man replied in low, excited voices, advancing with the group.

The dhole pack, which had already started playing around, began howling in chaotic fashion again upon seeing Xia Qing's group advance. The Dhole King did not restrain its companions either, only quietly watching this small team of humans and wolves.

Because Old Four had not given a halt command, Xia Qing and Broken-Waist Wolf continued leading the team forward. When the squad was ten meters from the dhole pack, Old Four sniffed the Dhole King, then led its team into Mountain Zone Fifteen.