On the way back to Jiangzhe University, the professors and students began discussing what they had seen at the Xingyan Group base. The visit had been a rare experience for many of them.
As they talked, someone brought up the pet attacks that had been occurring in various places.
Because Huaxia had strict regulations on pets, the large-scale pet attacks reported in other countries had attracted some attention, but the only measures taken were to make everyone leash their dogs and ban the keeping of other dangerous pets. Nothing more was done.
But over the past few days, pet attacks had still begun occurring, with outbreaks in various places over a short period of time.
There were also reports that wild animals had become more aggressive.
Farms had seen several outbreaks of pigs, chickens, ducks, and other livestock rampaging.
The situation was worst at zoos. Animals of all kinds that had once become docile were growing restless and aggressive, and zookeepers were finding it difficult to calm them down.
In some places, rats no longer feared cats and were gathering in packs.
Sometimes, animal carcasses of unknown species appeared on the roads. After analysis, most turned out to be birds and abandoned pets.
Just then, one student asked, "Hey, do you think the rocks and trees falling onto the roads lately could be the work of animals in the mountains?"
"Man, that's actually possible. There could be a bear up there, punching down one tree after another and practicing its moves."
"Forget punching. Maybe it's already practicing sweeping kicks."
The students on the bus began joking around.
Among them, one student furrowed his brow, seeming deep in thought.
The person sitting next to him gave him a gentle nudge.
"Zhang Shun, what are you thinking about?"
A female student with a short bob teased him, "Don't bother him. He's probably just thinking about getting back to see his girlfriend. A day apart feels like three years, right? This round trip will take seven or eight days, so that means you haven't seen her for over twenty years. How could you not miss her?"
Zhang Shun snapped out of it and quickly waved his hands.
"That's not it. Do you remember the news we heard that day when we were eating in the base cafeteria?"
The short-haired girl said, "You mean the day someone at the next table tried to set you up? Young man, you're not being honest. Did you get in touch with her? Are you thinking about how to explain it to your girlfriend when you get back?"
Zhang Shun covered his face awkwardly. "Why are you still bringing that up? There's no way I'd do something like that. Huang Zhiqiu, you really don't remember? You remember that kind of thing so clearly, but forget the important stuff so quickly."
The student sitting beside Zhang Shun was named Cen Kexian. He rubbed his chin, as if recalling something.
"Are you talking about what the people sitting behind us mentioned that day?"
Zhang Shun nodded.
"Right. I remember them saying that some people had gone missing in Chuilong Town, mostly after visiting the scenic spots there."
Another girl, Yu Jin, was sitting behind Huang Zhiqiu. She had been scrolling through her phone when she suddenly seemed to see something and hurriedly spoke up, her voice carrying through the bus.
"I'm sending a news story to the group chat. Everyone, look at the video!"
The others clicked the link in the group chat and read through it carefully.
It turned out to be an official report from Hehe County, where Chuilong Town was located, detailing the results of the investigation into the disappearances.
During the investigation, some surveillance cameras had captured strange shadows. They looked like monkeys, but not quite. Some of the monkey-like figures in the footage had a single horn on their heads.
As everyone knew, no local troop of monkeys had such a feature. And among all known monkey species in the world, none had a single horn.
Samples of fur left at the surveillance sites were analyzed and found to be genetically identical to several nearby monkey troops. Skin flakes, hair, and other traces left behind by some of the missing people were also found, and the trails showed a high degree of overlap.
In light of the recent increase in animal attacks, the preliminary conclusion was that the disappearances were the result of monkey attacks in the Taihang Mountains.
According to the county government, the authorities had deployed police, firefighters, and other law enforcement personnel to conduct round-the-clock patrols. Any monkeys found attacking people were to be killed immediately.
The nearby military would also set out the next day to clear animals from areas of the Taihang Mountains close to densely populated regions.
In addition, following the recommendations beneath the link, everyone saw reports of animal attacks from across the country and around the world.
These incidents were erupting in rapid succession. Over the past three days, there had reportedly been hundreds of known attacks around the globe each day.
Before today, there had only been a few rumors online, and most reports involved injuries.
But just now, as if on cue, news outlets around the world had all begun reporting these incidents, as though they were a sign that something was about to happen.
After seeing the reports, everyone on the bus began talking at once.
"Everyone, quiet down. Listen outside—I think I hear wolves howling."
A burly-looking student stood up, pointed out the window, and shouted.
The bus fell silent. Outside, there was nothing but the occasional gust of wind and the rustling of leaves stirred by the breeze.
"Gao Mingyuan, don't scare us. We were just talking about animal attacks, and now you pull this?"
A thin student looked at Gao Mingyuan in confusion.
"Yeah, Gao Mingyuan. Are you sure you heard something?"
The other students sitting beside Gao Mingyuan began asking him one after another.
"Didn't you hear it? They're still howling. It's faint, sure, but it's there."
Gao Mingyuan looked embarrassed and a little confused.
Suddenly, a long-haired girl with a few strands of brown in her hair cried out, "I heard it too, and I think it's getting louder!"
With some members of the Xingyan Group no longer with them, the Jiangzhe University group of more than thirty people needed only one bus to return. Lin Chenxing, Jin Zhenwei, and the others were on board as well.
After hearing the students' discussion, Lin Chenxing and Jin Zhenwei exchanged a knowing look. Jin Zhenwei nodded, and Lin Chenxing stood up and walked straight toward the driver.
Jin Zhenwei also stood and addressed everyone on the bus. "To be safe, I've decided to postpone our trip and return to the Chuilong Base of the Xingyan Group. Please let your families know so they won't worry."
After speaking, Jin Zhenwei sat back down and took out his phone to report the situation to the university.
The bus turned around successfully. After it had driven some distance, more than a dozen giant wolves suddenly burst out of the woods near the spot where it had turned around. They were generally larger than normal wolves, with dark red markings on their bodies and slightly bloodshot eyes.
One wolf was a little larger than the rest, about the size of a motorcycle. Its tail tip was also tinged with blood red, setting it apart from the others.
A student sitting at the back of the bus glanced behind them, went deathly pale, and cried out, "W-wolves!"
The others had suspected as much, but hearing the shout still made them tense up. Some of the students and professors hurriedly yelled, "Faster! Drive faster!"
As the bus began to speed up, the giant wolf threw back its head and howled.
The pack beside it then began racing down the road after the bus.
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