Special Forces Medic

Chapter 949 918: Entering the Mountains, Wolf Pack

"Every time I go through something like this, all I feel is a blank space. I never understood why my mother never held me, until I accidentally heard news during a crackdown on the East Triangle smuggling operation, then I gained an understanding."

"That was three years ago. Did you start investigating back then?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I only gathered you last year."

"No matter if you are from the Xiao Family or not, you are our boss, I'm sure others feel the same way about it, don't they?"

Xiao Lin smiled without saying anything more.

The hot and humid climate of Guangxi swept over everyone with its enthusiasm as soon as they got off the plane. Yelu Shou took Xiao Lin onto a pre-arranged off-road vehicle with plans to head into the mountainous area.

"This is Nu Ba, our leader in the Guangxi region of the Dark World." Yelu Shou spread the map on his knees. "He will accompany us throughout the journey until we return to Yanjing. This is a gathering place for various ethnic minorities, so there are many customs here. We must be careful and avoid offending them. Nu Ba will handle it for us." After explaining all the arrangements, Yelu Shou put away the map and started chatting with Nu Ba in the local language, occasionally turning to Xiao Lin to explain a few things.

Looking at the people Yelu Shou had arranged, Xiao Lin didn't feel much. After entering the mountainous area, the road became difficult, and eventually, the vehicle stopped at a mountain village. Nu Ba requested that they all get out of the car and carry their packs to trek into the mountains.

"Elder Miao's village is just beyond this mountain. The rest of the journey requires us to walk. Nu Ba asked if we should rest for a night and enter the mountains tomorrow. If we go now, there's no place to rest, crossing the mountain would take at least four hours, and it would be late at night by the time we arrive."

"Three hours to finish the walk!" Yelu Shou translated Xiao Lin's suggestion to Nu Ba, who glanced at Xiao Lin, said nothing, adjusted his equipment, and headed into the mountain.

The three of them were silent except for their heavy breathing, occasionally interrupted by the low hum of insects, birds, and the roars of wild beasts, as if warning these intruders to be careful.

The light within the mountains was densely shrouded by tall trees, and before long, they were groping their way in complete darkness. Nu Ba led the way, using the large machete on his back to cut through branches, clearing a path. Yelu Shou stayed at the back, vigilantly surveilling the surroundings to prevent a surprise attack by beasts. Entering the rainforest meant there was no negotiating with nature, displeasing it might lead you into an abyss or bring torrential rain making the path even harder.

Nu Ba stopped in front of a totem, took out offerings from his backpack and placed them on the altar, lit incense, and started worshipping the mountain. Yelu Shou indicated for Xiao Lin to follow suit. When in Rome, you follow the customs, and they couldn't break the rules here.

The ritual was simple; after worshipping the mountain god, they continued forward. Suddenly, there was a swift movement nearby. Nu Ba stopped, raised his machete, and vigilantly turned his head. In the dim light, shadows moved swiftly around them. "It's a wolf pack."

Encountering a wolf pack is a troublesome affair. From a spiritual perspective, Xiao Lin likes this animal very much, but from a combat point of view, it's a nuisance. "Wolves are afraid of fire, let's start a torch."

"No, the firelight could attract other beasts as well. The wolf pack approximately has seven to eight animals, the leader is in the front left," Nu Ba spoke fluent Chinese, making Xiao Lin raise his brow. "Wolves are pack animals with a matriarchal society. We handle the mother wolf first and then deal with the others." As soon as he finished speaking, Nu Ba charged towards the mother wolf's position. The wolf's entrenched formation was broken by Nu Ba's attack, and a wolf howled into the sky. Before Xiao Lin could take action, wolves from all sides pounced.

"What a hassle!" Yelu Shou took out a weapon and tossed it to Xiao Lin, irritated that they faced a showdown even before reaching their destination. His stomach rumbled, adding to the discomfort, making mountain treks unsuitable for groups.

Wolves are ferocious animals; they are cold-blooded and ruthless, never letting go of their prey. Xiao Lin kicked aside a lunging gray wolf, slashed down his blade, releasing a column of blood. Seeing their companion swiftly dispatched, the surrounding wolves paused, snarling but holding their ground. Wolves are intelligent and calm, waiting for the leader's orders and the next wave of attacks.

A pitiful howl stirred the wolves. With the scent of blood thickening the air, they charged at Xiao Lin and Yelu Shou with implacable momentum. "Looks like it's the final strike." Yelu Shou, nailed to the ground by a wolf's pounce, kicked it in the belly flipping it over, only to have another leap at him, baring its fangs at his shoulder. Seeing this, Xiao Lin beat down an approaching wolf and flung his blade towards the attacking one. Blood splattered over Yelu Shou's head and face. Extracting the weapon, he pushed the corpse away, rolled on the ground quickly, and jumped up to stab a young wolf cub.

"Don't kill it!" shouted Xiao Lin, tearing a wolf apart barehanded, his voice breaching Yelu Shou's focus. "It's just a child." With a reluctant gaze into those amber-colored, slightly green eyes, Xiao Lin felt a pang of compassion.

"I know you like wolves, but we can't keep it. If you let it go, it will definitely seize the opportunity to turn around and kill us." Yelu Shou's hand was gripping Xiao Lang's neck. In its pupils, there was a mix of fear and coldness, along with the smell of blood all over its body seducing its ferocity. "Without the protection of adult wolves, it won't have time to find us; survival itself is a challenge."

Yelu Shou helplessly dealt with Xiao Lin's persistence. He released the wolf cub whose fur had not completely shed. In a flash, Xiao Lang darted to the side, glaring at Xiao Lin and growling. From a battle, it was the only survivor. Ignoring the two people nearby, Xiao Lang circled around the corpses of the other wolves, using its nose to push at the lifeless bodies, finally arriving at the mother wolf and letting out a mournful whimper.

Nu Ba shouted loudly at Yelu Shou with a look of disagreement. Xiao Lin kept watching Xiao Lang's movements and was not interested in what Nu Ba wanted to express. "Lin, Nu Ba says he must kill the wolf cub to eliminate future threats."

"What if I refuse?"

"Now is not the time to be wilful." Yelu Shou dutifully reminded Xiao Lin. However, by this time, Nu Ba couldn't wait and leaped towards Xiao Lang, still by the mother wolf's corpse. The tool in his hand fell towards its body; Xiao Lin shouted loudly, but was a step too late. Xiao Lang fell next to its mother's side, struggling to survive with a deep wound on its back, oozing fresh red blood.

"Lin!" Yelu Shou shouted. He was afraid Xiao Lin might impulsively kill Nu Ba, so he rushed quickly to stand between them. If Xiao Lin killed Nu Ba out of anger, he, as the dark leader, would be in a difficult position.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't go so far as to kill him!" With Xiao Lin's assurance, Yelu Shou sighed in relief. "You've already hurt it, but you didn't completely kill it, so it's mine now."

"Is it worth causing trouble with us dark forces over a wolf cub?" Nu Ba did not think he had narrowly escaped with his life, showing hostility towards Xiao Lin's arrogance.

"Nu Ba! He is my leader, which makes him your leader as well." Yelu Shou appropriately reminded Nu Ba of his position but still held his personal opinion somewhat against Xiao Lin's impulsiveness.

The journey was halted because of the wounded wolf cub. The fire camps built in the jungle drove away insects and dampness. After Xiao Lin treated Xiao Lang's wound, he held it tightly in his arms as if it were a treasure. After comforting Nu Ba, Yelu Shou sat back beside Xiao Lin. "Don't you think what I did was worthless? This little guy might still carry hatred, waiting to avenge us."

"You have your reasons for doing this. If you were reckless and impulsive, you wouldn't qualify as my leader. I just think we should be more reserved on other people's turf. Nu Ba did nothing wrong; everywhere here is dangerous, and he's looking out for us."

"In a wild battle, the wolf pack helped me once. It's not really help; we just happened to have the same enemy, so there's some gratitude. This time, it's fine to repay the favor!"

"Only a fool would believe that. If you don't want to say it, forget it. But with Nu Ba, you should hold back a bit. Dark forces aren't as obedient as they seem. We're walking on a double-edged sword now!"

"I see the sword has already been drawn!" Xiao Lin carried the wolf cub over to the fire pit, picked up a thicker branch as a torch, and pointed it in a direction. "Come out!"

No sooner had he spoken than several people dressed in strange outfits jumped out. "They've been following us for quite some distance; I guess these wolf packs were lured by them."

The hostile foreigners were armed. Yelu Shou threw knives and some other defensive weapons onto the ground. Nu Ba used the local language to reveal their identities, followed by a rapid exchange of jabber, reducing the tension in the air a little.

"They are from Miao Family Village, but they say they've never heard of the person you mentioned." Nu Ba translated the recent conversation, and Xiao Lin glanced at them, whispering a few words to Nu Ba. "You shouldn't speak to them like that."

"I'm pretty sure the person I'm looking for is there." Nu Ba looked at Yelu Shou, who nodded.

After the Miao people heard Nu Ba's words, a commotion began to spread. Their gaze towards Xiao Lin became extremely complex. Nu Ba slowly retreated to the edge of the fire pit, ready to act at any moment. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes; your support is my greatest motivation.)