Penetration

A thin layer of bloody stench hung in the morning mist, lingering over the entire woodland.

The previously deadlocked battle between the beasts was completely overturned without anyone's expectation.

The jackals, who had been charging forward with the ferocity of predators just moments before, suddenly retreated without warning, their offensive crumbling instantly. In contrast, the Horned Sheep, who had initially only dared to huddle together and defend, steadily advanced through the mud and bloodstains, their sharp horns aimed at the jackals' weaknesses, forcefully reversing the course of the battle.

Lu Heng, hiding deep in the bushes, stopped breathing completely.

He had been lying face down on the cold, frozen ground for quite some time. The chill seeped into his Combat Suit, stimulating the old wounds in his lower back and legs, causing a tingling, numb sensation that slowly spread outwards. He could only consciously tense his lower body muscles to suppress the discomfort, not daring to move an inch, for fear that the slightest movement would reveal his hiding place. His palms gripped the Giant-Feather Crossbow's barrel tightly; the metal was icy cold in the mist, and his knuckles gradually became stiff from the cold.

He gazed silently at the battlefield below, the strange feeling in his heart now turning into a bone-chilling cold.

The jackal is the quintessential carnivorous predator in this snowy mountain forest; fierce, bloodthirsty, gregarious, and daring to fight and kill, it is born to be the hunter.

The Horned Sheep is supposed to be a herbivorous animal.

Even the strongest and hardest horns should still possess the instincts of a herbivore: fear, a tendency to seek advantage and avoid harm, and a retreat when faced with strength.

But the scene before them completely overturned the rules of survival in this mountain forest.

There was no fierce counterattack, no desperate and chaotic struggle; the flock of sheep simply advanced, encircled, and strangled the sheep in a calm, orderly, and tacit manner.

In a short time, the entire jackal pack was wiped out.

The ground was a scene of devastation, with broken bones and torn fur soaked in dark red blood. A few severely wounded jackals clung to life, but after struggling for only a few seconds, they were completely finished off by the goring of the sheep.

The woodland fell silent instantly.

The sounds of the wind, the panting of animals, and the fine wisps of mist were all clearly audible.

But this quietness carried no hint of unease.

What truly made Lu Heng tense was the scene after the battle ended.

The flock of sheep, which should have dispersed to rest, stood motionless beside the pile of jackal carcasses.

The next moment, the lead Horned Sheep, whose size far exceeded that of its kind, slowly lowered its head.

The hard ram's horns pressed against the jackal's carcass, applying slight force.

A crisp tearing sound pierced through the mist, and the taut animal hide was ripped open with a large gash.

Without hesitation, without wavering.

This herbivorous beast, which should have been grazing on grass and trees, opened its mouth and bit directly into the warm flesh.

The smell of blood suddenly became much stronger.

One bite, two bites.

Numb, silent, and devoid of any natural constraints.

Following the leader's actions, all the Horned Sheep around lowered their heads. However, there were still subtle differences between the individuals. Some hesitated for a moment, their noses twitching as they sniffed the blood, before finally joining in the biting due to the atmosphere of the herd. There were also a few younger lambs that paced back and forth nervously, their throats emitting low, suppressed whimpers, revealing an instinctive resistance that was not carnivorous.

A group of herbivores surrounded the predator's carcass and began to gnaw on the raw flesh.

Lu Heng's pupils contracted slightly.

The last vestige of hesitation vanished, replaced by an extremely resolute killing intent.

horrible.

That's really scary.

Even the fiercest tigers and black bears are solitary predators; they are fearful, know when to advance and retreat, will flee when injured, and will withdraw when at a disadvantage.

Their ferocity is visible and conforms to common sense.

But this flock of Horned Sheep is different.

They are gregarious, united, highly disciplined, physically robust, and work in perfect harmony.

Most fatally, they are going against their biological instincts and becoming completely alienated.

Their docile, herbivorous nature has disappeared, replaced by a ferocious nature of predation, slaughter, and carnivory.

If they are allowed to scatter, multiply, and spread throughout the snowy mountains and forests, the consequences will be dire.

This hidden danger is several times more terrifying than any top predator.

It cannot be placed there.

Not a single one can be left.

Lu Heng lay prone in the bushes, his back pressed against the frozen ground, his fingertips quietly touching the Giant-Feather Crossbow on his back.

The movement was so light that it made no sound at all.

The mist dampened his cuffs, the cool touch against his skin, but he was oblivious, his entire attention fixed on the ram below, the leader of the Horned Sheep.

At this point, the sheep were completely unaware of any danger.

They were engrossed in devouring flesh and blood, as if it were their birthright, numb and greedy, completely ignoring the deadly danger lurking in the shadows of the forest.

Lu Heng calmed himself, enduring the faint ache and numbness in his legs, and slightly raised his upper body.

The Giant-Feather Crossbow was slowly raised.

He used the gaps in the bushes as a natural aiming point, keeping his shoulders firmly planted and his wrists completely still.

Line your line with your line of sight, aim, and the sheep's head (the vital point on the head).

The distance is suitable, there is no wind, the view is clear, and the target is stationary.

A perfect opportunity to snipe.

Lu Heng did not hesitate for a moment.

A light tap of the trigger with the knuckles.

Buzz--

The extremely short whooshing sound was muffled by the fog, barely audible.

The iron arrow pierced through the thin morning mist in an instant, traveling a straight distance and precisely embedding itself in the center of the leader Horned Sheep's skull.

"Click."

A very faint cracking sound rang out.

The hard sheep skull was instantly pierced by the immense force, and tiny cracks appeared on the surface of the bone, spreading along the seams in a dense and grotesque pattern.

Fine, warm, bright red blood spurted from the wound, scattering around and directly onto the fur of several Horned Sheep that were feeding nearby.

The leader, who had been numb and bloodthirsty just a second ago, suddenly stiffened.

His limbs instantly lost their strength, and his massive body collapsed forward, crashing directly into the pool of blood of the jackal's carcass, where he remained motionless.

In the blink of an eye, the leader was killed.

This silent, decisive strike shattered the deathly stillness of the forest.

The stench of blood suddenly filled the air.

All the Horned Sheep around them stopped moving abruptly.

The head, which had been lowered while eating, suddenly lifted up, and both ears instantly stood upright and tensed.

The beast's eyes, which had been calm and numb just a second ago, instantly turned into a violent and ferocious light.

They sensed the leader's death and smelled the sudden, murderous intent in the air.

The entire flock of sheep instantly went into a state of alert.

All the sheep's heads were lowered in unison, their sharp horns pointing outwards, their limbs braced against the ground, their bodies taut, all facing the surrounding dense forest in perfect unison.

They did not panic and flee.

They did not scatter and flee.

They quickly huddled together, providing cover for each other, vigilantly scanning every hidden corner, frantically searching for attackers lurking in the shadows.

They are gregarious, orderly, quick to react, and have a strong sense of crisis.

Even with their leader fallen, the formation did not collapse.

Seeing this scene, Lu Heng's killing intent intensified.

The more orderly and united the society, the less it should be allowed to remain.

His expression was cold, and he didn't pause for even half a second after landing a successful blow.

Taking advantage of the bushes' cover and the sheep's distraction as they searched their surroundings, Lu Heng held the crossbow in one hand, his movements fluid and graceful. The prolonged prone position caused his lower back and abdomen to ache, but he gritted his teeth, ignoring the discomfort. With his left hand, he quickly drew a spare arrow, lowered his head, nocked it, cocked the bowstring, and locked on.

The entire set of movements was crisp and clean, with the body kept low throughout, revealing not a single trace of the body's outline.

The crossbow was loaded again.

The cold, metallic texture pressed against his palm. His gaze deepened as he locked onto the scattered, mutated Horned Sheep once more.

Lu Heng knew in his heart that his original plan to cause the herd to collapse by killing the leader had failed. The cohesion of this group of mutated Horned Sheep was far greater than expected, and the ensuing battle to wipe out the entire herd would inevitably be much more difficult than he had initially imagined.