Chapter 840: Eye to Eye

The bear pack versus the wolf pack might be evenly matched; Xia Qing versus Daigua the monkey, Xia Qing wins hands down.

So in the display of strength between the two sides, the wolf pack won. The wolves raised their heads, howling and stirring with rising battle intent. If the alpha wolf gave the order now, the pack would charge without hesitation and tear the bears to shreds!

The bear pack also knew they had lost the upper hand, so they surrounded the weakened bear in the middle and roared furiously outward. Especially the giant bear that had been roaring back at Xia Qing had already made a pouncing motion, just waiting for the leader's command to charge over and smash Xia Qing flat.

Both sides were waiting, waiting for their leaders to give the attack order.

Just then, the alpha wolf suddenly leapt down from the boulder and stood between the wolf pack and the bear pack. The Speed-Evolved Giant Bear also stepped forward two paces, beginning a battle of gazes with the alpha wolf.

The wolf pack stopped howling, and the bear pack fell silent as well.

Xia Qing, whose throat was parched from roaring, took the chance to pull out her canteen and drink several big gulps of water, then clipped on her protective mask and retreated behind the Broken-Waist Wolf and the Handsome Giant Wolf to watch the standoff.

When it came to roaring, she wouldn't lose face, but in a real fight she was outmatched. With her speed, she really couldn't take a single slap from the monkey-carrying bear across from her.

Of course, it was best not to fight at all; if they did, there would be casualties. No matter who won or lost, what would be depleted was the overall combat strength of the northern Evolution Forest of Hui Three.

If their combat strength declined, the larger beasts from deeper in the Evolution Forest would rush out to seize this vast and rich woodland.

On the nearby Shanfeng, a plucked yellow weasel poked its trembling head out, peering down.

Several leopards also stood on trees farther away, gravely watching the bear-versus-wolf contest.

Bai Mao, carrying medicinal herbs in her mouth, leapt through the depths of the Evolution Forest like lightning, dodging the monkey pack's pursuit.

By the crocodile lake of Mountain Fifty-Two, several little birds stood inside the giant crocodile's gaping mouth, pecking at scraps of meat.

In the python pool of Mountain Fifty-Five, a black giant python rose more than four meters above the water, flicking its forked tongue as it investigated the latest developments of the battle.

Several carrion-eating birds circled high in the sky, waiting for their meal.

"Why did the wolves' and bears' howling stop? Is the fight over?"

The Jingkuan Squad, waiting two kilometers from the core battle zone, asked Xin Yu through the walkie-talkie.

At the same time, Tang Huai, on the lord channel, asked Xia Qing the same question: "Xia Qing, from what you can hear, who won?"

Chang Li pressed the walkie-talkie and answered in Xia Qing's tone, "I don't know."

Tang Huai, squatting in a dirt pit, scratched his ear and muttered softly, "Xia Qing's a bit off today—did she have a fight with that crazy Hu and end up crying?"

Xin Yu, aboard the helicopter, looked down at the wolves and bears that seemed frozen in place, lowered her voice, and replied, "The first phase of roaring is over; now we're entering the second phase. The real fight hasn't started yet, so don't make any loud noises."

"Copy that," Jingkuan responded.

Animal researcher Zhang Song analyzed the current situation: "The bears and wolves probably don't want to fight; they're looking for a way to resolve today's problem."

Yan Long held a different view: "No, that wolf and that bear are competing in presence. For true强者, the victor is decided before they even move."

Xin Yu's brows knit tight; Yan Long's magnetic field was sharp and restless, tormenting her.

"Bzzz—bzzz—"

Hearing the sounds of cicadas and crickets, Xia Qing knew these weren't insects calling out—it was her damaged hearing protesting.

The insects at the site where the bears and wolves faced off had long since fled without a trace.

Xia Qing couldn't see the alpha wolf's expression or eyes, but she could see those of the giant bear across from her. Even though she couldn't sense the animals' magnetic fields, she could still judge from its expression that this bear was now full of rage.

The reason for its rage was, of course, the weakened brown bear surrounded in the middle. Because they were of different species, Xia Qing couldn't clearly explain the whole story to this giant bear, so she could only place her hopes on the alpha wolf, who was a bitter neighbor to the bear pack.

One minute, two minutes… five minutes… ten minutes.

The first to move was the giant bear leader; it stopped facing off with the alpha wolf and turned its gaze to Xia Qing.

The instant it fixed its eyes on her, Xia Qing's adrenaline surged wildly, and she wanted to leap onto the Handsome Giant Wolf's back at once and have it carry her away.

But reason held her legs in check; Xia Qing took off her protective mask and stared calmly and steadily at this top combatant of the bear pack, watching to see what it wanted to do.

One minute, two minutes… five minutes—Xia Qing didn't move a muscle, not retreating an inch, but the cicadas screaming in her ears had multiplied several times over.

At eight minutes, the giant bear retreated!

Realizing this, the wolf pack grew restless, and Xia Qing's blood boiled with excitement.

The giant bear turned and headed north; passing the human corpse lying on the ground—clearly bitten to death by wolves—it slammed a paw down on it.

The remaining bears followed the giant bear back; the weakened little bear bringing up the rear picked up Daigua the monkey lying in the grass, shook it, then turned back and placed it in front of the alpha wolf, and then, with those eyes full of wisdom, looked at Xia Qing standing beside the Handsome Giant Wolf.

A sudden, very bad feeling rose in Xia Qing.

Sure enough, after the bear pack retreated and the wolf pack let out victorious howls, the alpha wolf picked up Daigua the monkey in its mouth, leapt back onto the boulder, and placed it in front of Xia Qing.

The Handsome Giant Wolf, which had long since hidden far away from Xia Qing, acted as if it had seen nothing and continued tilting its head back to vent its victorious joy; the Broken-Waist Wolf turned its head to look at Xia Qing, and because it was grinning so happily, not only the little tips of its lower fangs but even the little tips of its upper fangs were showing.

When Xia Qing turned her blade tip toward Daigua the monkey, the alpha wolf bared its fangs at her, expression stern. Its meaning was clear: this monkey could not be killed.

Xia Qing pressed her lips together, put on her black face covering, clipped on her protective mask, and picked up Daigua the monkey.

"Awoo—oooo—"

Only then did the alpha wolf raise its head and let out a long wolf howl.

The bear pack had retreated, the battle was over, and it was time to clean up the battlefield. Xia Qing, carrying Daigua the monkey, leapt down from the boulder to check on the poacher who had been flattened by the black bear.

The protective suit he was wearing was decent quality—it hadn't been pierced by the broken bones inside; take it off and wash it and it could still be used. The more troublesome thing was that shoulder-fired rocket launcher, which had been stomped into the mud by the giant bear, making Xia Qing's heart ache.

Whether it could still be used or not, she had to dig it out first.

Xia Qing used her black blade to dig the rocket launcher out of the mud, pressed the walkie-talkie button, and said, "Xin Yu, after the wolf pack retreats, notify the Jingkuan Squad to come clean up the battlefield, and tell Huo Zhun to land and load supplies. Ask the Qinglong reinforcement squad who can fly a helicopter, and have them send someone to fly the helicopter back. You come down too; let Yan-jie, Huo-ge, and Song Ge take the Territory Seven helicopter back."

"Copy that," Xin Yu replied.

Jingkuan replied, "I've got someone here who can fly a helicopter."

Just as she'd arranged the follow-up, the alpha wolf came to Xia Qing's side, nuzzled her body, and signaled for her to follow the wolf pack; seeing that Wolf Lao Er meant the same thing.

Xia Qing set Daigua the monkey on the ground and gestured to explain to the alpha wolf, "Queen, my lord, I have a companion up in the helicopter; I need to send her back to the territory first before I can go with you."

The alpha wolf had no objection and led the wolf pack away. Xia Qing told Wolf Lao Er to return to Territory Three first, then the two helicopters landed and the Jingkuan Squad arrived one after another.

Xia Qing, expressionless, carried Daigua the monkey to the Territory Seven helicopter and handed it to Zhang Song.

Before she could even open her mouth, Zhang Song held his phone up to her face: Third Brother doesn't allow this monkey to be brought back to Territory Seven for treatment.

Xia Qing……

Does this silly thing have to be kept in her own territory?!