Chapter 37: The Wolf is Coming The leading wolf is huge and has hair...
The night was like a thick, splattered ink, covering the entire landscape. A sharp mountain wind whistled past like countless razor-sharp knives. She took a deep breath, the icy air filling her lungs. As she exhaled, a cloud of white mist formed before her.
The numbness in her hands and feet had just passed, and now she felt like she was walking on soft mud, relying on the rock wall to hold on to. The rough bumps on the rock wall scratched the thin calluses on her fingers, leaving white marks, but she felt no pain. All around her was silence, with only her own breathing echoing in her ears.
The darkness at the end of each corner was as if she hadn't opened her eyes. If it weren't for the moonlight hidden in the clouds, she wouldn't even be able to see where she was standing. The entire forest seemed to hold its breath, and only the sound of her footsteps echoed in the empty night.
Suddenly, a low roar came from not far ahead.
She stopped abruptly and nearly lost her balance.
After the roar, there was the whimper of the beast.
Liu Yeshu felt dizzy, her muscles tensing instantly. She crouched down, trying to minimize her presence. Her trembling hands rested on the ground, feeling the damp, cool earth. Cautiously, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, she looked toward the source of the sound.
In the hazy moonlight, she could vaguely see several pairs of eyes, glowing green, slowly approaching from the gloomy woods. The fierce gleam of a predator gleamed in their eyes, a chilling feeling.
As they approached, Liu Yeshu could even hear the rustling sound of claws stepping on fallen leaves and smell the fishy odor emanating from the beasts.
Liu Yeshu's heart suddenly sank to the bottom of the valley, and the hairs on her body stood on end -
It's a wolf!
She smiled bitterly, Dazhu really didn't lie.
A wolf's eyes were especially sharp in the darkness, and her presence must have been completely exposed. She tried to step softly, retreating slowly, but the dead branches and leaves beneath her feet made a frightening, crunching sound.
However, the wolves' pace quickened, and their deep growls gradually approached, as if they were ready to pounce at any moment.
She was quickly thinking of a countermeasure in her mind, and cold sweat was running down her back.
The wolves gradually approached, and Liu Yeshu could clearly see their sharp fangs flashing coldly in the moonlight. Saliva dripped from the corners of their mouths, leaving dark marks on the ground.
Cold sweat oozed from Liu Yeshu's back, and the mountain wind had already chilled her clothes to the bone.
Suddenly, a large, gray-black wolf in the pack ahead howled loudly. The sound was so powerful that it echoed throughout the valley, as if it was ordering the other wolves to attack.
In an instant, the herbal knowledge in the system flashed through her mind, wondering if there were any herbs that could deal with the beast. However, she soon realized that at this moment, even the most potent herbs would be of no use.
The wolves had formed a semicircle and were about to charge forward. Liu Yeshu's pupils suddenly contracted, and a thought suddenly popped into his mind—wolves are afraid of fire!
She fumbled with the ground, her fingers touching a few dry branches, which she quickly piled into a pile. Using her last bit of strength, she pulled out a flint from her bosom and rubbed it with her hands rapidly. She had brought this flint from home specifically to feed Liu Dikao the wheat in the fields today.
Sparks flew, emitting a faint yet dazzling light in the darkness. The wolves, seemingly sensing the scent of fireworks, paused, whimpering softly, a flicker of hesitation in their eyes. Liu Yeshu didn't dare slack off, and finally, a flame began to dance on the dry branches.
The fire suddenly lit up, dispelling the surrounding darkness and illuminating Liu Yeshu's pale face and the wolves' gleaming green eyes. The wolves took a few steps back in fright at the sudden firelight, but they didn't completely disperse. Instead, they lingered outside the firelight, their green eyes still fixed on Liu Yeshu, as if waiting for the moment the flames would go out.
Liu Yeshu gritted her teeth, a bitter taste of blood lingering on her lips. Trembling, she threw more dead branches into the fire. The flames suddenly rose and crackled, illuminating the huge shadows of the wolves around her.
She threw the torch at the wolves and took advantage of the gap to retreat down the mountain step by step, taking every step carefully, for fear that the flame would go out.
As her pace quickened, the howling of the wolves echoed behind her until it was drowned out by the wind. Finally, she saw an open space at the foot of the mountain and breathed a sigh of relief.
But she didn't dare stop. She ran forward desperately, until she could run no longer. Finally, she stopped and slumped to the ground. Her hands trembled slightly in the night breeze, as if the warmth in her fingertips had been drained of its warmth by fear. Her chest heaved violently, and she gasped for breath.
After resting for about half an incense stick of time, she struggled to stand up and continue moving forward.
At this moment, a familiar low roar suddenly came from behind her, like a muffled thunder exploding in her ears.
She turned her head suddenly, her pupils suddenly contracted, and the blood seemed to solidify in her veins——
The wolves didn't give up on the pursuit; instead, her pause emboldened them. Those pairs of dark green eyes drew closer in the darkness, flickering like will-o'-the-wisp. Several wolves had already silently closed in behind her!
She waved the torch with shaking hands, trying to scare off the wolves. The flames drew orange arcs in the air. However, it seemed that the flames' deterrent effect was weakening. The wolves became more ferocious. They crouched low, their muscles tense, ready to pounce at any time.
The firelight could temporarily hold off the wolves, but their patience had clearly run out. The leading wolf, in particular, was massive, its fur gray and black, its fangs bared, saliva dripping from its mouth, its eyes gleaming with bloodthirstiness.
Suddenly, it leaped up and pounced towards her like an arrow!
"Whoosh!"
At the critical moment, an arrow streaked through the night sky, whistling and piercing the chest of the wolf poised at Liu Yeshu. The wolf let out a shrill cry, its halberd snapping mid-air, and fell heavily to the ground, twitching a few times before falling still. Blood quickly soaked its gray-black fur.
Liu Yeshu was still in shock, her legs weak and she could barely stand. She looked in the direction of the arrow and saw a familiar figure riding towards her. In the moonlight, the figure's outline gradually became clear.
He held a longbow and shot arrows continuously like meteors, each arrow hitting the wolf pack with incredible precision!
Liu Yeshu's eyes widened, her heart filled with ecstasy—
"General Qi!?"
"Get on the horse!" Qi Yu retracted the bow without hesitation, galloped to Liu Yeshu's side, reached out and pulled her onto the horse.
Before Liu Yeshu could recover from the sudden turn of events, Qi Yu had already scooped her up into his arms and placed her atop his warhorse. Qi Yu's strong arms wrapped around her waist, and he whispered, "Hold on tight." Then, he squeezed the horse's belly, and the horse took off like an arrow.
At the same time, Qi Yu's attendants followed closely behind. With deft movements, they unleashed a barrage of arrows, the sound of them piercing the air resonating endlessly. Several more wolves fell to the ground, their howls echoing one after another. Seeing the situation was dire, the remaining wolves retreated, howling deeply. Gradually, the pack was forced back to the edge of the distant forest.
Liu Yeshu gripped the saddle tightly, feeling the jolts of the horse's back, her heart still pounding. Qi Yu's chest pressed against her back, his steady breathing beside her ears, finally bringing her back from her recent panic. She couldn't help but curl up in Qi Yu's arms; he was so warm.
Seeing their companions falling one after another and the ground dyed red with blood, the wolves finally realized that they were defeated. After circling around the bodies of their dead companions and howling miserably, they turned around, tucked their tails between their legs, and disappeared into the dark forest like ghosts.
Qi Yu slowly reined in his horse after confirming the wolves were no longer chasing him. His silver leather armor shone coldly in the moonlight, making him appear even more majestic and inviolable. He leaned slightly to the side, his gaze falling on the still-frightened Liu Yeshu behind him. "Why are you here in this desolate mountain?"
Liu Yeshu's hands tightly grasped the saddle: "I... I was captured, and I found a chance to escape."
A strand of black hair fluttered restlessly from the ear to the tip of Qi Yu's nose, and he sneezed.
"Do you know who did it?"
"I've never met that man, but he said his name was Dazhu." Liu Yeshu shook his head and pointed to his head. "He behaves strangely and speaks incoherently. It seems... he has an intellectual disability."
"I'm afraid the women who disappeared previously are all related to him. I...I heard from him that he had 'buried' some of them...and their lives are unknown."
"He's hiding in a cave? Do you remember the exact location of the cave?"
Liu Yeshu nodded, feeling heavy-hearted. "It's near the halfway point of the mountain. Follow the winding mountain road, pass a fork in the road covered with weeds, and then go further in, and you'll find his hiding place."
Qi Yu turned around and ordered his attendants, "Return immediately and report this to the authorities. Make sure this matter is thoroughly investigated by the county government. Go now!"
The attendant acted upon hearing the order, clasped his fists in acceptance, jumped on his horse, and instantly turned into a black shadow, disappearing into the dark night.
Liu Yeshu was still frightened. She looked at Qi Yu and asked softly, "General Qi, why are you here?"
Qi Yu leaned slightly to the side, his tone still calm and firm: "Your father suddenly came to your house and asked if you had returned, looking worried. I just came back from outside and heard that you hadn't returned home. I immediately felt that something was wrong."
He paused for a moment and continued, "We immediately sent people out to look for you. Along the way, we didn't find any trace of you until we found your lost purse at the foot of the mountain." As he spoke, he took out the familiar small purse from his arms, which was the one Liu Yeshu carried with her.
Liu Yeshu nodded. She had dropped the purse on purpose. She remembered using her last bit of strength to quietly throw it on the ground before she fainted.
"After we found the pouch, we searched the area carefully and soon discovered some dragging marks on the ground. There were unnatural indentations in the grass and soil, extending all the way up the mountain. I suspected you might have been taken away, so I led my men to chase you."
He glanced back at the mountain road behind him, his eyes sharp and worried. "The dragging traces pointed to this mountain, so I immediately brought people to investigate. I happened to see you surrounded by wolves."
"I have no way of repaying you for saving my life..." She hesitated, her heart overflowing with words, but all she could muster was a single word of gratitude: "Thank you."
Qi Yu pricked up his ears and waited for the second half of the sentence, which turned out to be just a thank you.
"It's okay." Qi Yu's voice came from behind.
Liu Yeshu rode on her horse, the night wind constantly brushing past her ears. The air was mingled with the faint smell of blood, mingling with the fragrance of wild grass along the way. Her body's perception slowly recovered, and she felt much warmer.
Only then did she feel something slippery on her hand. She subconsciously looked down and saw that her fingertips were covered with dark red blood, which was particularly glaring on her fair skin.
This isn't her blood, so it must be from when Qi Yu pulled her onto the horse...
Liu Yeshu was startled and turned around to ask, "General Qi, are you injured?"
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