Hunting Wolves

Zhou Leng looked over and saw a group of youths about his own age approaching.

Zhou Leng vaguely remembered seeing a few of them recently. After thinking carefully, he finally recalled where.

Before the Martial Examination began, some examinees dressed in gaudy colors had been chasing and fooling around on the steps of the martial arts arena. Several of them had been among that group.

All of them had dyed their hair in every color of the rainbow.

"Isn't this Young Master Chang? What wind has blown you here?" Xue Chengsong looked at Chang Luan with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Nothing much. You're on the Martial Arts Field Study too?" Chang Luan was tall, thin, and pale, with long hair slicked back. He looked somewhat old-fashioned for his age. He surveyed everyone in Zhou Leng's group, then glanced at Guo Xiaohao and the other person behind them.

"Yeah." Xue Chengsong answered casually.

"Fine, then I won't disturb you. Be careful. Don't let a Demonic Beast kill you," Chang Luan said.

"May your auspicious words come true, Young Master Chang. You be careful not to drown in the water either."

"My life's tough."

Ding Yan asked softly, "Do you think they'll cause trouble here?"

"Chang Luan isn't much of a person, but he isn't stupid. At a critical time like the Martial Arts Field Study, he won't go looking for trouble and grow branches where there are none. Don't worry. There aren't many real tough fighters among his people; most are good-for-nothings."

"I'm just afraid we'll run into enemies."

Xue Chengsong looked at Chang Luan's retreating back and said, "My dad and his dad both run Pioneer Base branch companies. The two of them can't piss into the same pot. They fought over resource sites and got into several fights, with wins and losses on both sides, before someone finally mediated. Both sides still pull little tricks from time to time, but it won't come to tearing their faces apart. Chang Luan and I have sparred a few times. We're happy when we win, talk tough when we lose, and fool around fighting. There's no need to become enemies over it."

"That's good," Ding Yan said.

"Who doesn't have a few enemies these days? It doesn't matter." The tallest, burliest muscleman in the group crossed his arms, completely unconcerned.

This man was Cui Mingcong. His physical condition was visibly formidable.

"You're so built, of course you don't need to be afraid." As Ding Yan spoke, he kept looking around.

"If you're afraid of dying, why come to Demon City at all?" The speaker was a girl with a buzz cut.

Cui Mingcong had the most muscle in the group, while the buzz-cut girl, Cao Jiajia, ranked second. Her body was so muscular that men would envy it, and tiger-stripe tattoos covered her neck and wrists.

"You're strong, so whatever you say goes." Ding Yan smiled.

"Jiajia's words are much more pleasant to hear," Cui Mingcong said.

Cao Jiajia glanced at Cui Mingcong's thick, bulging upper arm, then at her own, which was not even half as large. Her brow furrowed slightly.

Xue Chengsong said with a smile, "Let's go. We're heading to Wolf Valley."

As Zhou Leng walked, he kept Li Linhan's instructions firmly in mind: speak less within the group, observe his teammates, and be prepared for every possibility.

The group traveled onward. After moving swiftly for nearly an hour, Xue Chengsong spoke.

"Remember the trees with these red-spotted leaves. They mark a vague boundary. Within this forest line, we can directly use our Merit Badges to call for help, and the military and people nearby will come to our rescue. But once we go inside..."

Xue Chengsong looked toward the dense forest ahead and said slowly, "You are responsible for your own lives and deaths. The Merit Badges will lose contact with the outside world and will only be able to transmit location signals. In other words, this is everyone's last chance to leave."

Xue Chengsong looked at the six team members.

The six met his gaze calmly.

"Good. Let's go."

The group entered the red-spotted forest. By afternoon, Xue Chengsong took a wristwatch-style demonic microcomputer from his pocket. The computer projected light and displayed a three-dimensional map.

Feng Wenhao stared enviously at the demonic computer, then looked at his own phone.

"Up ahead is one of more than thirty Wolf Valleys, and it is also the target of this Martial Arts Field Study. Next, we'll conduct one final combat rehearsal. Everyone must be clear about their role. Any retreat, cowardice, or mistake could trigger a chain reaction..."

The seven gathered together and, one by one, recited the material they had practiced before.

Ding Yan said, "My footwork and movement techniques are strong. I'll mainly distract the demonic wolves and attack them from behind..."

Cui Mingcong said, "I have the best physique, so I'll handle the demonic wolves head-on..." As he spoke, he tightened his spiked bracers.

Zhou Leng said, "My footwork and palm techniques are decent. I'll attack from the flanks whenever possible and handle rescues..."

Feng Wenhao said, "I'm the weakest. I won't strike first. I'll be responsible for rescue and observation, avoiding being discovered by more demonic wolves..."

The others also clarified their roles within the group.

Finally, Xue Chengsong glanced at Guo Xiaohao and the other person some distance away and said, "Let's move."

As the sun sank in the west, the seven set out once more, moving cautiously and slowly through waist-high grass.

After walking for a quarter of an hour, Liu Teng, beside Guo Xiaohao behind them, asked softly, "Should we warn them?"

"Wait a little longer. I'll warn them when that demonic wolf gets closer," Guo Xiaohao said.

"Mm."

The seven did not even dare breathe loudly as they advanced at a slow pace.

Zhou Leng suddenly looked toward the front left and said quietly, "Something's wrong."

The group abruptly stopped.

"Where?" Xue Chengsong did not dare turn around. He stared carefully ahead.

"About ten o'clock ahead. Something feels off, but it's getting dark, and I can't see clearly."

The others all looked in the same direction. Suddenly, a Blue-Backed Demonic Wolf rose to its feet and lunged straight at them.

Wherever the demonic wolf passed, fierce winds swept through, flattening the wild grass.

"Damn..." Cui Mingcong cursed, raising both arms as he stood at the very front of the group.

Zhou Leng widened his eyes and observed it. Without counting its tail, the demonic wolf was about two and a half meters long and nearly one point six meters tall—far larger than a yellow ox.

He had clearly seen them in videos and books, but the sheer shock of one lunging at him head-on made his heart instinctively panic.

"Keep calm! An ordinary Blue-Backed Demonic Wolf has a hunting level of Qi-Nourishing Level Four. That means four ordinary soldiers at the Qi-Nourishing Stage can kill one. There are seven of us..."

The demonic wolf pounced, opening its jaws to bite Cui Mingcong.

"Get lost!" Cui Mingcong growled, striking directly at the demonic wolf's neck. The wolf twisted its body midair and forcibly dodged before landing.

"Just do it!" Cui Mingcong actually charged the demonic wolf.

Zhou Leng followed at Cui Mingcong's front left, searching for an opening.

Ding Yan dropped into the grass and used both hands and feet, circling behind the demonic wolf like a lizard.

Everyone else performed their respective duties.

The demonic wolf looked at the six people and charged straight at Ding Yan. Ding Yan immediately fled back toward the group, while the others rushed at the demonic wolf.

The demonic wolf hurriedly turned around. The group formed a half-encirclement and attacked it.

The demonic wolf either swiped with its claws or stretched its head out to bite, probing them in every way.

Of the seven-person team, five had experience hunting demonic wolves and did not panic at all.

It was Zhou Leng's first time fighting a demonic wolf. His heart pounded wildly, but he no longer had the attention to spare for panic. Instead, his fighting spirit surged.

Feng Wenhao stood at the very back of the group, his hands clenched tightly. He looked at the demonic wolf, then around at his surroundings, his whole body stiff.

"Charge!" Seeing that the demonic wolf was not advancing, Cui Mingcong took the initiative.

Five people attacked from five directions, while Ding Yan was still circling around.

The Blue-Backed Demonic Wolf flew into a rage and swung a claw at Cui Mingcong.

Cui Mingcong raised his left arm, blocking with his spiked bracer. The sharp spikes stabbed into the wolf's paw.

The demonic wolf yelped softly and violently pulled its claw back.

The other experienced team members attacked in unison. Zhou Leng was half a beat slower, but he still kept up.

Qi rose from his dantian, strength flowed through his waist, and he struck out with a palm.

The demonic wolf easily retreated and dodged.

The five pressed forward again and again. The demonic wolf took several hits, yet seemed completely unaffected.

After fighting for several minutes, the demonic wolf suddenly gave a low growl, turned, and ran.

"Very good." Xue Chengsong, the captain, nodded in praise.

Feng Wenhao stared blankly. "That's it?"

"Of course that's it," Xue Chengsong said. "When we first came here, we were just like you. We thought we would either kill them easily or fight bathed in blood. In truth, Demonic Beasts are quite intelligent. Unless they are ordered by a superior, they rarely fight to the death against a strong enemy."

Feng Wenhao suddenly understood. "Even ordinary wild animals know fear and how to flee. Demonic Beasts are stronger and smarter, so there's no reason they would only know how to fight desperately. The fact that it was ambushing us already shows that this demonic wolf is clever."

"Or maybe all the stupid demonic wolves have already been killed by the Sea-Calming Army," Zhou Leng said.

Feng Wenhao said quietly, "I was hoping to eat some demonic beast meat."

"You're thinking too much," Ding Yan said. "The contract states it clearly. If we really kill a demonic wolf, we can't carry it away at all. We can only mark and locate it with a Merit Badge, then have the military send someone to take it away."

Xue Chengsong said, "Once we're stronger, when a few of us can finish all the demonic beast meat, we can roast it and eat it on the spot. For now, don't even think about it. Safety comes first. Also... we should thank Zhou Leng."

Everyone thanked Zhou Leng at once.

Zhou Leng hurriedly said, "It was just luck. Don't mention it."

"You're wrong," Xue Chengsong said seriously. "The captain of my previous pioneer team once said that any help given to the team could save everyone. We must develop the habit of thanking our teammates and avoid taking things for granted. We have bodyguards now, but what about later? In Demon City, only teammates can be relied upon!"

Zhou Leng nodded.

"Let's continue."

The group continued onward.

They encountered demonic wolves three times that night. Although they did not manage to hunt any, the battles went smoothly, and at most they suffered superficial wounds.

After leaving the boundaries of Wolf Valley, the group set up camp to rest.

After dinner, the seven took out their phones or microcomputers, recalled their experiences, and wrote their field study notes.

Demon City was dangerous, so they did not light a fire. Only the faint glow from their screens illuminated their faces.

After everyone finished writing, Ding Yan said, "Zhou Leng, you're more perceptive than all of us. You were the first to spot all three demonic wolves."

Zhou Leng said honestly, "Half a year ago, I was attacked by a demon. It turned disaster into a blessing, and my mental will was tempered, so I have a small advantage in some areas."

Xue Chengsong looked at the other four and said, "See? Didn't I say we'd found a treasure? In Demon City, this ability is more important than ten experts at the same level."

Cui Mingcong looked at Zhou Leng and asked, "Was this really your first time entering Demon City?"

"It really was."

"You have a great mindset. Your moves barely lost shape during battle. When we first entered Demon City, the teachers scolded us until we were drenched from head to toe in abuse. Looking at Feng Wenhao, I won't laugh anymore." Cui Mingcong could not help bursting into laughter.

Everyone smiled and looked at Feng Wenhao.

Feng Wenhao's face reddened. "I can't compare with experts like you. I'm mainly here to keep watch and run errands. To be honest, when that first demonic wolf came, my legs wouldn't move. I almost had to go change my pants."

"Hahaha..."

The seven chatted and exchanged experiences, shared their gains, arranged three night watches, and gradually went to sleep.

Pioneer Base.

In the monitoring room, a series of alarms suddenly sounded.

Everyone turned to look at the large central screen.

Three green nodes turned red, spreading red ripples outward.

"Spatial monitoring points 791, 792, and 793 have simultaneously detected abnormal spatial fluctuations. All are Level One fluctuations. Abnormal spatial fluctuations are equivalent to Level Two fluctuations. Please proceed to investigate as soon as possible."