Chapter 1801: Won't Retreat? Then Fight!

Big Gray Wolf's attitude immediately let Xia Qing understand what mistake she had made.

It was the period when the wolf pack was raising cubs, so the area guarded by the Wolf King's mate leading the team must be close to the cave where the Wolf King was raising cubs!

The Southern Wolf Pack had fought humans many times, and aside from Old Four and Scarface Junior, the other wolves' trust in Xia Qing wasn't high. If this conflict wasn't handled well, Xia Qing might very well be done with the Southern Wolf Pack.

Surrounded by four evolved wolves, Xia Qing stood still and explained gently, "Big Gray, I'm Xia Qing, the human most trusted by Lord Cui Yan, Old Four, Missing Ear, and Scarface Junior. I went to the water pool in the valley ahead to catch bullfrogs. Lord Cui Yan and Old Four both know about this and agreed."

The way Wolf King Cui Yan agreed was by tossing out an emoji. The former Wolf King said nothing, indicating it accepted the Wolf King's decision.

Xia Qing had no choice but to promise that if she caught the bullfrogs she wanted, she would pay the Southern Wolf Pack points at market price.

"Wooo—"

Big Gray Wolf didn't listen to Xia Qing's explanation, or perhaps it simply couldn't understand what she was saying. It continued to bare its sharp fangs and growl low, striking a combat-ready posture, advancing step by step and forcing Xia Qing to retreat.

Won't retreat? Then fight!

To protect the cubs, the wolf pack would never stop until the intruder was killed.

Xia Qing didn't explain any further and took direct action, retreating step by step to show she had no intention of capturing wolf cubs.

She had come for frogs, not to make enemies of the Southern Wolf Pack. If Big Gray Wolf wouldn't let her take this beast path, she could take another.

Fortunately, the Southern Wolf Pack members remembered Xia Qing's scent, so the two wolves flanking her from behind didn't take the opportunity to ambush her. Instead, they gave way and let her pass. Then two wolves stayed in place while the other two and Big Gray Wolf, which had been pressing Xia Qing to retreat, formed a fan-shaped formation, forcing her to withdraw step by step.

After retreating three hundred meters, Big Gray Wolf finally stopped, still glaring at her with killing intent.

After retreating another dozen or so meters, the dense forest blocked her view and Xia Qing could no longer see the three wolves, but she could still hear their breathing.

They were still following!

Xia Qing retreated another two hundred meters, climbed over a hill, and finally could no longer hear the beasts' breathing.

She let out a breath of relief, leaned against a large tree, took out her phone, first sent her location to the Southern Wolf Pack's former Wolf King, then dialed, "Old Four, I'm on my way to the water pool at the third peak of Mountain Twenty-Eight. I must have taken the wrong path—Big Gray Wolf and the others blocked me and won't let me keep going forward. Can Old Four come over and lead the way for me?"

Points?

If Old Four dared to mention it, next time it or Scarface Junior went to Territory Three, they'd have to pay just to enter the door! Sneak over the wall? Double the fee!

Old Four stared solemnly at Xia Qing on the phone screen, giving her no response.

Xia Qing asked, "Where is Old Four?"

Old Four turned the phone so Xia Qing could see the mountain peak behind it.

Seeing the shape of the peak, Xia Qing confirmed the location and understood what it was doing. "You went to the second peak of Mountain Twenty-One to observe the helicopter and my human companions? They're only moving within fifty meters of the helicopter, not going into the forest. Old Four, come over for a bit. If you're really too busy, send Missing Ear or Scarface Junior over instead. I'll wait here."

After speaking, Xia Qing ended the call directly, not giving the old wolf a chance to refuse.

The old wolf, located on the highest peak within the second peak area of Mountain Twenty-One in Hui-Three, was silent for two seconds, then raised its head and let out a long howl toward the south.

"Awooo—woo—"

Hearing the howl, Tan Qi, who had been moving near the helicopter, immediately hoisted Little Eleven onto his shoulders. Lu Fangchun hoisted Wu Wencan, and at top speed they returned to the cabin. Tang Huai and Wang Bo held their sniper rifles, executing a defensive mission as they retreated step by step back into the cabin.

After the cabin door closed, the six people's rapidly pounding hearts slowly began to slow.

Tang Huai reminded Wang Bo: "Your footwork and shooting stance just now were fine, but as a sniper you have to be steady—steady emotions, steady heart, steady breathing. Only then can you keep your hand steady and pull the trigger the instant the target appears, hitting it."

"Mm, thanks, Brother Huai." Fifteen-year-old Wang Bo nodded seriously.

He had to raise his combat power as quickly as possible to qualify for missions with Xia Qing to earn points and pay off the debts he'd incurred for detoxification and treating injuries.

Hu Zifeng reminded Tang Huai, "Your breathing and heartbeat are faster than Wang Bo's."

Having argued with Hu Zifeng on the lord channel for over two years, Tang Huai, upon hearing him speak, reflexively fired back: "Haven't you heard that some learn the Dao earlier, disciples need not be inferior to their masters, and masters need not be more virtuous than their disciples? My heartbeat and breathing are indeed faster than Wang Bo's, and I can't control it, so I'll never be a senior sniper. But Wang Bo has the potential to become a top sniper. That's why I, as the one who learned first, reminded him to pay attention to the details. Is there a problem with that?"

Chen Zheng changed the subject. "Listen to that howling—there are three wolves near us. Everyone keep quiet, don't draw them over."

Wang Bo also helped smooth things over. "Brother Huai, your hearing's good. Listen to what those wolves are howling about—are they declaring war on us?"

Tang Huai's attention was immediately drawn to the wolves howling on the distant peak.

Little Eleven, staying beside Tan Qi, quietly felt the calm magnetic fields of Hu Zifeng and Chen Zheng, and gradually relaxed.

This was the Southern Wolf Pack's territory. Wolves that could keep Hu Zifeng and Chen Zheng this calm had to be members of the Southern Wolf Pack—wolves that protected Mama.

The howl carried to Mountain Twenty-Eight in northern Hui-One. Zhang Song immediately took out his voice recorder, seizing this rare opportunity to add a sound recording to the Southern Wolf Pack's file.

Just as Zhang Hongda was about to press the walkie-talkie to contact Captain Xia Qing, her order came through their walkie-talkie: "Sampling team, immediately withdraw into the cave laboratory to rest. Wait for me to rejoin before taking action."

"Copy!"

Shi Du and Yu Shou immediately hoisted the two researchers onto their shoulders and retreated under Zhang Hongda's protection.

"Awooo—woo——"

In Mountain Twenty-Seven of Hui-One, Xia Qing heard Big Gray Wolf using its howl to report its position to the Wolf King, and half of her worry faded.

Another three minutes passed, and Xia Qing heard the sound of a beast running through the trees to her front-left.

She turned two steps while leaning against the large tree and saw the warmest little wolf on all of Blue Star walk out of the dense forest. She immediately greeted it warmly, "Scarface Junior! Long time no see!"

Scarface Junior walked up and sniffed Xia Qing, then headed toward the right rear, flicking its tail to signal Xia Qing to follow.

Xia Qing followed Scarface Junior at a quick pace. Once she confirmed Big Gray Wolf and the others hadn't followed, she understood she was moving away from the cave where the Southern Wolf Pack was raising cubs.

After running with Scarface Junior for over half an hour, the panting Xia Qing climbed a hill over two hundred meters high and saw the not-so-large valley and winding stream on the other side. A happy smile broke across her face. "Scarface Junior, this is exactly the valley I was looking for. Thank you so much."