novelden Chapter 146 Tonight, this place is a battlefield of carnage.
Chapter 146 Tonight, this place is a battlefield of carnage.
As dusk fell, the chill intensified.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou remained patiently in their secluded spot on the hillside, their eyes fixed on the valley.
"Xiangyang, do you think we're having really bad luck?" Wang Ergou asked softly, his breath swirling in the air.
Li Xiangyang shook his head: "Hunting is all about patience. Elk are extremely alert animals, and their activity patterns are unpredictable. You never know when they'll appear."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of a tree branch snapping came from the valley.
The two men immediately held their breath and gripped their guns tightly.
A huge male elk slowly walked into the valley.
It is tall and robust, with a shoulder height of nearly two meters, and the horns on its head are like huge shovels, making it particularly eye-catching.
"Don't rush," Li Xiangyang said, holding down the restless Wang Ergou. "Let it get closer. This beast is tough; we need to hit its vitals."
The male elk seemed very familiar with the area, leisurely munching on the tree bark.
But its ears twitched from time to time, clearly alert to any movement around it.
Just then, the howling of wolves suddenly came from the other end of the valley.
The male dog raised its head alertly, its huge nostrils twitching incessantly.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou exchanged a glance, both seeing the worry in each other's eyes.
If the wolves attack, the hunt will become even more dangerous.
"We need to hurry," Li Xiangyang whispered. "I'll aim for its throat, you aim for its hind legs. Remember, we must fire at the same time."
Wang Ergou nodded and adjusted the position of the gun muzzle.
Gong'an was now facing sideways to them, presenting the best angle for firing.
"Ready..." Li Xiangyang's voice was so low it was almost inaudible, "Fire!"
Two gunshots rang out almost simultaneously in the valley.
Gong'an fell to the ground with a thud, but quickly struggled to his feet again.
It let out a deafening roar and charged toward the hillside.
"Quick, finish him off!" Li Xiangyang shouted, pulling the trigger at the same time.
Wang Ergou immediately opened fire as well.
Amidst the intense gunfire, Gong'an finally collapsed to the ground, never to rise again.
But the howling of wolves in the distance was getting closer and closer.
"We need to deal with this quickly." Li Xiangyang stood up abruptly. "The wolves will come as soon as they smell blood."
"It's too late, they're here!" Wang Ergou suddenly looked up and saw a dozen pairs of eerie green eyes slowly approaching in the darkness.
The two men immediately turned their guns around.
Under the moonlight, the outlines of the wolf pack gradually became visible, numbering more than twenty.
"Save your bullets," Li Xiangyang whispered a reminder. "Aim at the leaders."
The wolf pack spread out in a fan shape, continuously tightening their encirclement.
The leader was a particularly large gray wolf, baring its fangs and letting out a low growl.
"Bang!" Wang Ergou fired decisively, but missed the opponent's vitals.
But this seemed to be a signal to attack, and the other wolves rushed towards the two.
The dense gunfire echoed through the valley.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou stood back to back, spinning around and firing to block the wolf pack's attack.
"Xiangyang, I'm running low on ammunition!" Wang Ergou shouted anxiously.
"Save your fire, let them in and then fire!" Li Xiangyang said while firing, "Wait for them to retreat!"
After losing seven or eight of their companions, the wolf pack finally began to hesitate.
The lead gray wolf let out a long howl, and the rest of the pack slowly retreated.
"Phew..." Wang Ergou slumped to the ground. "I almost thought I was going to die here today."
Li Xiangyang checked the ammunition, his expression grave: "They'll definitely come back. We need to find a safe place quickly."
“Then this elk…” Wang Ergou looked at the prey on the ground.
"Forget about that, survival is the priority." Li Xiangyang looked around and pointed to a large rock not far away, "Over there!"
The two quickly ran to the boulder.
The location is high up, backed by a cliff, and offers a wide field of vision, making it suitable for defense.
They quickly cleared a space and built a bonfire with dry firewood.
In this kind of weather, wild animals generally wouldn't rashly cross the wall of fire to attack.
As night deepened, the howling of wolves came and went, sometimes near, sometimes far, but never getting any closer.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou took turns keeping watch, adding firewood to the fire from time to time.
"Such a big elk, and it's just gone to the wolf pack so easily..." Wang Ergou said with some annoyance.
"That's not necessarily true," Li Xiangyang said softly. "With such a strong stench of blood, this place will be a battlefield tonight. We might even make a profit."
Just as the wolf pack confirmed that Li Xiangyang and his group would not attack and began to feed, a low howl suddenly came from afar.
The wolves immediately stopped eating and became alert.
“A leopard.” Li Xiangyang observed intently. “A Siberian leopard, even bigger than a leopard.”
Sure enough, under the moonlight, a huge Amur leopard slowly appeared.
It was more robust than an ordinary leopard, and its fur shimmered with a dark golden luster under the moonlight.
The appearance of the Amur leopard completely changed the situation.
The once arrogant wolf pack dared not make any rash moves, and even their feeding became cautious.
Even wolves dare not provoke this large feline.
"The wolves and the leopard are locked in a stalemate; clearly, the wolves aren't going to let the other get a share," Wang Ergou said excitedly. "What do we do?"
"Wait." A glint of shrewdness flashed in Li Xiangyang's eyes. "The night is long, and the show has only just begun."
Not long after, several red foxes cautiously moved through the bushes.
They vigilantly observed the situation, waiting for an opportunity to approach the elk's carcass.
But whenever the wolf pack makes a move, these clever little creatures quickly disappear into the darkness.
Further away, pairs of eerie green eyes could be seen appearing and disappearing—they were forest cats.
They were even more timid than red foxes, only daring to linger on the outskirts, waiting for any remaining scraps.
This area has become a dangerous arena of power struggles.
Various carnivores are attracted by the smell of blood, but due to the balance of power, a delicate equilibrium is formed.
No one wants to rashly break this balance.
Because whoever makes the first move will face a surprise attack from other opponents.
The cold wind howled, and the moon's shadow swayed.
Under the glow of the campfire, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou watched this battle of nature with bated breath.
The Amur leopard maintained its superior posture, lying on a protruding rock like a majestic sculpture.
The wolf pack was scattered around, occasionally letting out low growls.
Suddenly, a sharp scream pierced the night sky.
"A weasel!" Li Xiangyang squinted. "Look over there."
Under the moonlight, several weasels nimbly traversed the snow.
These little guys may not be big, but they are quite bold.
Using the terrain as an advantage, they continued to approach the elk's carcass.
"These little things are really bold," Wang Ergou whispered.
Li Xiangyang gently shook his head: "Don't underestimate them. Weasels love to fight in groups and are extremely vengeful. Wolves and leopards don't want to provoke them rashly."
Sure enough, when a wolf tried to drive away a weasel, seven or eight weasels immediately surrounded it, baring their teeth.
The wolf had no choice but to retreat, fearing it would be bitten.
Just then, the Amur leopard suddenly pricked up its ears.
Its gaze was fixed on the other side of the valley, its muscles tense.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou also heard it—a heavy footstep was approaching.