“Never mind me,” Ning Yu interrupted her, “Come over here and help, let’s get it to the fire together.”
Mu Xue knew this wasn't the time to argue, so she quickly ran to Ning Yu's side and together they pulled hard on the tree trunk. The trunk was heavy, and with Ning Yu injured, every step they took was incredibly difficult. Sweat soaked their clothes, and their heavy breathing echoed through the cave.
The wolves' green eyes gleamed in the darkness as they paced restlessly, their low howls rising and falling. The firelight's intimidating power was waning; they seemed to sense the two men's weakness and were poised to attack.
"Faster, faster!" Ning Yu roared, pulling on the tree trunk with all his might. His arm wound reopened, and blood flowed down his arm, staining the tree trunk red.
Finally, they dragged the tree trunk to the fire. Ning Yu, without taking a break, immediately began using his dagger to chop the trunk into smaller pieces for easier burning.
Mu Xue continued searching for combustible materials in the cave. She carefully collected dry grass, twigs, and even some animal hair, adding them to the fire.
The fire grew stronger, the leaping flames illuminating the entire cave and the exhausted faces of the two men. The wolves, driven back by the raging flames, howled in frustration.
Ning Yu leaned against the cave wall, panting heavily. His face was pale, his lips were cracked, but his eyes shone with a determined light. He looked at the burning flames, and a glimmer of hope welled up in his heart.
"We...we survived..." Mu Xue's voice trembled slightly, filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.
Ning Yu smiled slightly, about to speak, when suddenly his smile froze on his face. He felt a chill creep down his spine, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.
He whirled around and saw a huge wolf silently approaching the fire. Its eyes gleamed with greed, its sights fixed on the faint flame of hope…
"Mu Xue! Watch out!" Ning Yu shouted, lunging towards the wolf... Before Ning Yu's warning had even faded, the enormous wolf, like a gray lightning bolt, pounced on the fire. It opened its blood-red maw, a stench filling the air, its target the flickering flames. In the nick of time, ignoring the excruciating pain in his arm, Ning Yu instinctively raised his foot and kicked the giant wolf hard in the head.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the giant wolf was struck by Ning Yu's kick. Its massive body tumbled through the air before crashing heavily to the ground. It let out a painful whimper, struggling to get up. The flames flickered precariously, nearly extinguished, thanks to the force of the wolf's kick. Seeing this, Mu Xue's heart clenched, and she cried out in alarm, "Ning Yu!"
Ignoring the excruciating pain in his arm and the condition of the giant wolf, Ning Yu rushed to the fire, shielding it from the wind with his body, and carefully added the dry grass and branches he had prepared beforehand to the fire.
"Huff...huff..." Ning Yu's breathing was rapid, sweat streamed down his forehead, dripping onto the flames and making a sizzling sound. He watched the flames nervously, silently praying in his heart.
The flames flickered in the wind, as if they might go out at any moment. But as Ning Yu continued to add fuel, the flames gradually stabilized and slowly grew stronger.
The giant wolf, lying on the ground, shook its head and got up. It glared fiercely at Ning Yu, its eyes filled with hatred. The other wolves were also restless; they surrounded the fire, growling low, ready to attack at any moment.
"Mu Xue, bring over the rest of the hay and branches!" Ning Yu shouted without turning his head.
Mu Xue quickly brought over the remaining fuel and placed it next to Ning Yu. Ning Yu took the fuel and added it all to the fire without hesitation.
"boom!"
The fire suddenly flared up, illuminating the entire cave and the resolute faces of Ning Yu and Mu Xue. The wolves, startled by the sudden burst of flames, retreated several steps.
Taking advantage of the situation, Ning Yu grabbed a burning tree branch and waved it at the wolf pack, letting out a furious roar: "Get lost!"
The wolves were driven back by the flames, howling in resentment, but dared not approach the fire again.
Ning Yu and Mu Xue leaned against the cave wall, warily watching the wolf pack's movements. The fire crackled, its flickering flames bringing them a sliver of warmth and hope.
Ning Yu looked at Mu Xue; her face was covered in dust, but it couldn't hide the light in her eyes. He said softly, "We..."
Before he could finish speaking, Mu Xue suddenly pointed deep into the cave entrance and said urgently, "Ning Yu, look..."
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