"What's wrong?" Little Ma was startled and almost dropped his carrying pole. "What has Scarface found this time?"
"Don't panic!" Du Jianshan pressed down on his shoulder with one hand and pointed his knife diagonally forward with the other, his voice low and steady: "If Scarface doesn't bark and a mouse doesn't bark, then something really has happened."
Old Zhou's expression also tightened: "Jianshan, listen, is there any movement over there?"
The wind rustled through the trees, and a series of rustling sounds grew closer and closer. It wasn't just one animal; it sounded like pairs of footsteps slowly making their way up the ravine and slope.
"Put down the load!" Du Jianshan whispered. "Scarface, guard the left side. Little Ma, you guard the fork by the fire. Old Zhou, you stay by the rock, sheltered from the wind."
The three of them immediately took their positions. Little Ma frantically grabbed the long bamboo fork, sweat beading on his forehead: "Brother, was it a wolf? You mean the one you saw that night?"
"Quiet down." Du Jianshan stared intently at the bushes, his nose twitching. "Something's not right... the smell of blood is spreading."
Old Zhou gritted his teeth: "If only I had known... if only I had skinned and bled them as soon as I lifted them onto the embankment. We shouldn't have stayed here. If we linger too long, this will be the time when they are looking for food."
"They're here." Du Jianshan had barely finished speaking when a long, thin shadow leaped out of the bushes with a "whoosh." It was an adult wolf, gray-backed and white-bellied, with fierce eyes. It stopped a dozen steps away, arching its back and baring its teeth, staring at the wild boar at their feet.
"Ready!" Du Jianshan held the knife horizontally in front of him. "It's not the only one; there are more to come."
Sure enough, as soon as the gray wolf appeared, three or four more shadows emerged from the woods on either side. They were all hungry wolves, clearly a small, scattered group that roamed in packs, not a full pack, but enough to give them a run for their money.
Xiao Ma's legs went weak: "Brother... can the three of us handle this?"
"If you're afraid of it, it'll attack!" Du Jianshan said coldly. "These beasts are all about momentum. If you're weak, it'll bite! Don't let go, keep your eyes glued to its nose!"
Old Zhou gripped his machete tightly: "The last time I encountered wolves, I was in my early twenties. Back then, I was young and had an old Eighth Route Army bayonet with me. I took down two of them!"
"I'm here this time." Du Jianshan said softly, then suddenly took a step forward, his right hand flicking the tip of his knife into the ground, and shouted "Whoa!"
The wolves paused noticeably; some lowered their heads, while others bared their teeth and took a few steps back. But the gray wolf on the far left suddenly barked and its tail stood up—it was the leader!
"They're here!" Du Jianshan whirled around. "Xiao Ma, cover the gap over there, Scarface, watch the right! Whoever backs down will be wolf food!"
The wolf pack erupted instantly, with one wolf charging head-on and the other two flanking from the left and right, attacking with incredible speed!
"Roar—" Scarface roared, his whole body leaping out from Du Jianshan's feet, smashing into a wolf cub that was pouncing, twisting his mouth and biting its neck!
"Kill!" Du Jianshan charged at the wolf in front of him, slashing with his sword twice. One sword struck the wolf's shoulder, and the other slashed across its throat! Blood splattered all over his arms!
Old Zhou also went to meet the other side. His knife skills were not as good as Du Jianshan's, but he had more experience. As soon as he saw the wolf open its mouth to pounce, he turned around and dodged, and then slashed the wolf's leg with his knife. The wolf rolled on the ground in pain!
"Don't let them surround us!" Du Jianshan shouted, slashing back the third head that tried to pounce on Scarface. "Little Ma, don't stand still!"
"Oh!" With his eyes closed, Xiao Ma suddenly thrust out the bamboo fork, which struck a wolf that was trying to ambush Lao Zhou in the waist. The wolf howled and rolled over, and the bamboo fork was also pulled away.
"Well done!" Old Zhou shouted, "I'll finish you off!"
"Slaughter them one by one!" Du Jianshan's knife had already severed the alpha wolf's throat. Watching it struggle and convulse, he kicked it hard. "All of you, charge! We're collecting double the pelts today!"
Scarface went berserk, tearing at the wolf cub that had been knocked over, blood and flesh flying everywhere, his eyes filled with ferocity.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the remaining two whimpered and retreated, turning around and disappearing into the forest.
"Should we chase them or not?" Little Horse asked breathlessly.
"Don't chase." Du Jianshan sheathed his knife. "The three of us are all wounded, Scarface is panting, and we're almost out of energy. If we chase now, we'll easily get surrounded."
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