Chen Hao's right arm suddenly felt hot, as if it had been branded with a hot iron. He looked down and saw a line of blood seeping from his sleeve, and the pain almost made him let go.
"Holy crap!" he yelled, staggering back two steps, almost dropping the metal rod.
Nana immediately stepped in front of him, her mechanical arm sweeping around to repel the approaching wolves. Her eyes flashed blue as she quickly scanned Chen Hao's wounds.
“The tear is superficial and three millimeters deep, but it did not damage any arteries,” she said. “The blood loss is currently manageable.”
"What do you mean by 'currently under control'?" Chen Hao gritted his teeth. "I feel like my whole arm is about to fall off!"
Susan slid to the side, her dagger tracing an arc on the ground, forcing the other wolf to retract its claws and retreat. She glanced back at Chen Hao, her brow furrowing.
"Can you still stand up?"
"Sure," Chen Hao grinned. "It just means you might have to take a turn when you walk."
"Don't talk," Susan whispered. "They're here again."
The wolves didn't disperse; instead, they tightened their encirclement. The previous attack with fire and blinding light had taken their toll, making them more cautious, but their attacks became even more frequent and intense. Several wolves took turns probing, their movements so fast they almost formed a blur.
The alpha wolf stood on high ground, its ears twitched, and it let out a low growl.
The next second, the three wolves pounced on the gap on the left at the same time.
Nana spread her arms, and another blinding flash erupted. Two wolves dodged, but the third was forced back by Susan's knife. But in that instant, another wolf rushed out of the bushes on the right, lunging at Chen Hao from behind.
He was a fraction too slow to turn around, and the metal bar he had just raised was knocked aside. The wolf's front paws landed on his shoulder, and it bit down.
Chen Hao yelled and slammed the pole down hard on the wolf's head. The wolf released its grip in pain, but two deep gashes appeared on his right arm, blood dripping from his fingertips.
"I can't take it anymore," he gasped. "I really can't hold on any longer."
Susan kicked away the wolf that was standing close to her and quickly returned to his side to defend him: "You have to hold on whether you can or not."
"It's not that I don't want to hold on." Chen Hao leaned against the rock wall, sweat beading on his forehead. "The problem is they specifically target me. Is it because they smell takeout on me?"
"Shut up." Susan grabbed his backpack strap. "If you say another word, I'll throw you out as bait."
Nana stood still, her eyes flashing with data streams. She was retrieving information from the database, her fingers rapidly swiping across the virtual interface.
“Found it,” she suddenly said. “Animal behavior, Chapter 17: The auditory sensitivity zone of social predators.”
"Which district?" Susan asked.
“High-frequency noise can cause short-term confusion.” Nana raised her arm. “I can create a loud bang, which, combined with the firelight, will create a complex interference.”
"How do we do it?"
“Use the remaining phosphorus powder and metal cans.” She pointed to a small cloth bag in the corner of her backpack. “The friction will generate heat and ignite it instantly. The sound will be loud enough to simulate an explosion.”
"Then what?"
“Then we run,” Nana said, “to escape before they can react.”
Susan looked around; the wolf pack had closed in again, less than ten meters away. If they lingered any longer, none of them would be able to escape.
“Let’s change the plan,” she said. “You’re in charge of making noise, I’ll carry Chen Hao ahead. You’ll cover the rear and use the flash to confuse the pursuers.”
"Understood," Nana nodded.
"Wait!" Chen Hao reached out to stop them. "Have you two forgotten that I'm a person? I can walk!"
“You can walk?” Susan stared at him. “You can’t even stand properly right now.”
"I can hop!"
"Then you dance one for me to see."
Chen Hao opened his mouth, but finally managed to utter, "...I choose to be carried."
Susan ignored him, turned around and squatted down: "Get on."
"This position is a bit awkward," Chen Hao muttered as he lay down. "People will think I'm riding a pig."
"If you keep nagging, I'll drag you on the ground."
Nana had already poured the phosphorus powder into the metal can, and the robotic arm began to rub the edge at high speed. A spark flashed, and a hissing sound came from inside the can, followed by a sharp pop, like a tin bucket being crushed by someone.
The wolf pack paused, their ears perked up, and their eyes darted around in panic.
In the instant they hesitated, Nana used her laser sight to ignite a dry branch above. The fireball fell, crashing into the open space in the middle, and flames rose up to waist height.
"Go!" Susan shouted, carrying Chen Hao on her back as she charged out of the encirclement.
Nana followed closely behind, retreating while releasing low-powered flashes of light, each flash stopping the pursuing wolves in their tracks. She calculated the angle, ensuring the light shone precisely into their eyes.
The three of them ran wildly down the slope. Chen Hao, clinging to Susan's back, felt the wind sting his face. He glanced back and saw three wolves still chasing them, but they were deterred from approaching by Nana's flashing lights.
"You're quite smart," he said to Nana.
“I only used basic knowledge,” Nana answered as she ran. “Besides, your weight adds to their burden.”
"Hey! Is this concern or a complaint?"
"Statement of facts".
Susan didn't speak, her pace didn't slow at all. She knew she couldn't stop; if she did, she might be surrounded again. The slope grew steeper, loose stones rolled beneath her feet, but she maintained her balance steadily.
After more than 800 meters, a dry riverbed appeared ahead. There was a crevice in the rocks on the bank, which was mostly covered by vines, making it impossible to see what was inside.
"Over there!" Nana pointed to the crevice in the rock. "There's enough space for three people, and the infrared scan detected no life signals."
"I'll go take a look." Susan put Chen Hao down, drew her short knife, and slowly approached.
She parted the vines, peered inside to check, and waved to signal that there was no danger.
"Come in."
Chen Hao practically tumbled in. He leaned against the rock wall, panting heavily, his right arm still bleeding from the wound. He tore open a corner of his shirt to try and press it down, but the pain made him pull his hand back as soon as it touched the wall.
"Don't move." Susan took out her first-aid kit and tore open the gauze. "Bear with it."
"You make it sound so easy," Chen Hao grinned. "It hurts more than failing an exam."
“You’ve taken the test so many times and never failed,” Susan said coldly, starting to clean her wound.
Nana stood at the cave entrance, looking back at the forest outside. Her system indicated a slight energy overload and a 17% loss of joint lubricating fluid, but she could still continue operating.
“The wolf pack retreated,” she said. “The last two also left the riverbank area.”
"I've temporarily withdrawn." Susan tightened the last bandage. "It doesn't mean I won't come back."
"I think they've learned their lesson," Chen Hao said, stretching his elbows. "After all, nobody wants to eat a fat person with thorns."
“You’re not fat at all,” Nana suddenly said.
They both turned to look at her at the same time.
“According to the standard body mass index, your body fat percentage is indeed above the normal range,” she added. “But considering your daily energy expenditure and actual performance in combat, this value is reasonable.”
So you're saying there's a reason why I'm fat?
“I’m just saying you shouldn’t be simply defined as ‘fat’.”
Susan couldn't help but scoff, "The robot is quite good at talking."
“I’m just stating the results of the analysis.” Nana went into the cave and turned off the external lights. “Next, I suggest we take turns resting. I’ll be in charge of night watch.”
“Okay.” Susan leaned against the other rock wall. “I’ll go first.”
Chen Hao lay flat, staring at the crack in the rock above him. A small beam of moonlight shone through the crack onto his face.
"Do you think we'll encounter this kind of thing often in the future?" he asked.
“It’s uncertain,” Nana said, “but judging from the current trend, the probability is not small.”
"Could we try a different opponent next time?" Chen Hao sighed. "Like a rabbit or something."
Rabbits do not attack humans.
“I know.” He rolled over. “But I can fantasize.”
Susan closed her eyes and remained silent. The wind outside the cave gradually subsided, and the forest fell silent.
Nana stood in the corner, her eyes slightly bright, continuously monitoring the outside world. Her system was running smoothly; although some components required maintenance, its overall condition was good.
Chen Hao's breathing gradually deepened; he must have fallen asleep. Susan opened her eyes, glanced at him, and then looked at Nana.
"Do you really think we can get back alive?" she asked softly.
Nana was silent for two seconds.
"Based on the current survival probability model," she said, "barring any unforeseen circumstances, we can survive until noon tomorrow."
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