Chapter 1484: The Beautiful Red Fox

In the icy, snowy wilderness, on a trail trampled out in Zone 3 of Mountain 49, a trekking pole was thrust into the snow to test the depth of the snow ahead, then pulled out; a foot in a special protective boot stepped on a rock beside the snow pit, tested the rock's stability before stepping down firmly, and continued using the trekking pole to probe for the next foothold.

The human holding the trekking pole, although dressed in the same protective suit and mask as everyone else, was clearly an odd one out at a glance.

Because apart from the trekking pole in his hand, he carried no weapons or supplies whatsoever.

Ahead of this person was Hui Three's top sniper Luo Pei, behind him was dual-system advanced evolution veteran Huo Zhun, to his left was another top sniper Xia Qing, to his right was his beloved disciple, dual-system evolved wolf Little Duan. On the outer perimeter were five top combatants from the Territory Alliance and twenty main battle wolves from the Northern Wolf Pack. In the sky, the tamed birds of Territory Eight were circling.

Why did so many wolves come?

Of course it was because a certain shrewd wolf wanted to earn points, and Zhang San, who doted on it, accepted the proposal, so this guy brought every main-force wolf the Northern Wolf Pack could spare out of the mountains.

Little Wolf Bro, Little Wolf Sis, Little Four-Eyes, Three-Tall were all among them; even Little White Fur and the Plucking Fur Pup were getting half a main-force member's points treatment, damn it!

If it weren't because her idol's current salary was paid by her, the partner, Xia Qing would really want to call every evolver in her alliance over to fleece the big spender together and earn points!

Zhang San was nominally going to Mountain 49 to inspect bamboo rats, but was actually out for a winter hike, so no one was in a hurry; they walked and chatted as they went.

With no outsiders or foreign wolves here, Xia Qing asked directly, "Third Bro, was the data useful?"

Di Ming had obtained some research data from the laptop of Huang Wanmao, a professor at Bai Yi University's Medical School; when Xia Qing last went to Territory Seven, she handed the USB drive containing the data to Zhang San.

Zhang San understood that Xia Qing was asking about the correspondence between Huang Wanmao and the Chonglian Research Institute, and answered directly, "On the surface it's all legitimate academic exchange, but the vast majority of the data in the files isn't worth a dedicated email exchange. I suspect they scaled down or amplified sensitive experimental data according to a ratio agreed upon by both sides."

Rare to get out, Zhang San observed the tracks left on the animal trail as he walked, and asked with great interest, "Xia Qing, what animal left these tracks?"

"Red fox. This area is the territory of a family of three red foxes." Xia Qing pointed to the hillside nearby. "They live in the dens on that hillside."

Zhang San asked with interest, "The little fox that often gets stuck?"

Luo Pei ahead reached out and pulled Zhang San onto the stone steps, also very interested in this question. "Two of the foxes here are elasticity evolvers; which one often gets stuck, the little one?"

Xia Qing answered, "Yes, the little one. Its control over its ability has improved recently; it hasn't gotten stuck."

Why did Xia Qing know? Because Red Big Fur and Red Second Fur hadn't come to her this month to pry open rocks or chop branches to rescue Red Third Fur.

Wu Lianmin on the outer perimeter, hearing this, couldn't resist spilling his good brother's embarrassing story. "Chuizi used to get stuck too, wedged in a rock crevice; our whole squad worked for ages before we got him out."

Zhang Hongda asked with concern, "Brother Huo, you weren't seriously hurt that time, were you?"

Huo Zhun answered cheerfully, "Just skinned a few patches, but after crawling out I got beaten up by Yan Long, lay flat for two days, and was punished with jumping through rock crevices for half a month."

Xia Qing, who would be doing special training with Tan Qi under Yan Long in a few days, heard this and felt a sympathetic ache in her flesh.

Broken-Waist Wolf glanced back at Huo Zhun, then looked at Xia Qing on Zhang San's other side, and limped its left hind leg.

Xia Qing spoke up. "Broken-Waist says wolves with broken legs in the Northern Wolf Pack have gotten stuck too."

Broken-Waist Wolf bared its fangs in a grin, laughing schadenfreude.

Zhang San looked left at Xia Qing with a weasel on her head, right at Broken-Waist Wolf with its bulging protective suit pocket, speechless.

How do you two communicate, brainwaves?!

Xia Qing, hearing her idol's breathing grow heavier, knew he was getting tired, and asked, "Does Third Bro want to see the red foxes? They're really beautiful."

Zhang San was actually a little interested. "Won't we scare them off?"

Xia Qing shook her head. "No, they should be hunting on that ridge over there. If we wait here a while we should be able to spot them; red fox fur really stands out in winter."

"Good." Zhang San sat down on a rock with great interest, gazing at the mountain peak Xia Qing had pointed to.

Broken-Waist Wolf thought for a few seconds, raised its head, opened its mouth, "Awooo—"

Xia Qing immediately praised, "Broken-Waist, you're so thoughtful!"

Di Ming was surprised. "Sister Qing, is the red fox a brain-domain evolver too?"

If it weren't a brain-domain evolver, a fox couldn't have formed an alliance with wolves, let alone come when called.

Xia Qing nodded. "One of the three is definitely a brain-domain evolver. Third Bro, look at the slope to your front left."

A red fox appeared on a slope over a hundred meters away, watching the wolves and humans here warily. Its reddish-brown coat was like a flame dancing on the wintry snow, impossibly beautiful.

"Awoo—" Broken-Waist Wolf howled again.

"Chitter-chitter."

The red fox raised its head, revealing its off-white chin and chest fur, and made rapid sounds like human coughing or bird calls—this was the call foxes used when communicating at close range.

Xia Qing spoke up too. "Red Big Fur, out hunting? These are my companions; we're going to check the bamboo rat shed at Three Peak."

Red Big Fur, confirming that Broken-Waist Wolf and Xia Qing had no business for it, turned and leapt down the slope.

Di Ming's mind raced. This fox was too clever; the Northern Wolf Pack's members actually included foxes!

Zhang San silently roasted Xia Qing's naming sense; Wang Man sighed, "No wonder King Zhou was bewitched by the fox spirit."

Seeing such a beautiful fox, who wouldn't be dazzled?

Precisely because they were so beautiful, red fox pelts commanded high prices; the fox just now was no small animal, and a complete fox pelt could fetch at least 5,000 points. But none of the humans present mentioned this, because they were accompanied by a group of evolved wolves with equally thick, valuable pelts.

After watching the fox, the team continued forward.

This leisurely pace was tolerable for humans, but the wolves couldn't stand it; the young wolves began to slip away, and even the Plucking Fur Pup, wearing the special claw stirrups Xia Qing had fitted it with and lying on her head, grew restless.

Broken-Waist Wolf finished growling at the young wolves, then stared sternly at Zhang San.

Before Broken-Waist Wolf could start roaring, Zhang San spoke up first. "I'm tired."

Xia Qing immediately took out a harness. "Third Bro, shall I carry you on my back while we travel?"

Zhang San refused. "Let Huo Zhun carry me. I want to experience what Zhang Song described as a roller coaster."

Huo Zhun... carrying the big boss at full speed? The pressure was mountain-mountain-mountainous.