Chapter 1126: The Lake’s Edge Standoff

When the giant python broke the surface, it signaled the start of another invasion defense battle.

But…

Xia Qing eyed the golden-eyed python, silently wondering what it meant as it retreated five hundred meters. Did it think it was safe at two thousand meters, out of reach of her weapons?

If that was truly the case, then this python’s brain evolution must be fairly advanced. By protocol, it would be added to the ‘Do Not Provoke—Top Evolved Beasts’ list.

Just then, another giant python appeared beside the golden-eyed one. Compared to the four-meter-tall golden python, this new arrival was almost comical.

Seriously, either come out all the way or stay hidden. Just poking half your head above water—what’s that supposed to be? Taking it easy? Escaping quickly? Where’s your swagger—did you leave it by Python Pond on Hill Fifty-Five?

“Awoo—” The battle was about to begin. The Alpha let out a low growl, calling Xia Qing back to the pack.

Xia Qing gave Goofball a pat, signaling it to head across the river and join the bear squad, then hurried back to the wolf team. She and the Handsome Huge Wolf took up positions at the Alpha’s left and right. Crippled Wolf leapt down from above, landing steady in front of her and pinned her sniper rifle with his paw.

Xia Qing gestured a question. “Broken Back, are you saying I shouldn’t use the gun on any of the white snakes crawling into the valley?”

Crippled Wolf bared his now gleaming white fangs then pointed his big paw at the nine giant pythons rising out of the lake.

This was both a territorial battle for the Wolf Pack and, honestly, a grand feast. The snakes in the valley were the wolves’ prey. Xia Qing’s job was to keep an eye on those nine pythons in the distance.

“Got it. I’ll focus on those distant pythons and make sure they don’t break through to join the fight.” After confirming with Crippled Wolf, Xia Qing added, “Third Brother needs two live white snakes for research. Broken Back, can you capture two alive for him?”

Crippled Wolf let out a toothy grin. No problem.

“Awooo—Wooo—”

“Rooooaaar—”

The snow-white Devastation Snake poked out from the lake. As it crawled onto the shore, both the Alpha and the Bear King howled. The wolves and bears joined in, their Beast Roars echoing through the valley.

Over in Territory Eight, Xin Yu heard the commotion coming from the eastern valley and grew worried for Xia Qing. Just as she was about to send Gua Gua to investigate, Gua Gua had already taken to the sky with Little Jade the sea eagle, flying above the valley.

Despite the shaky, laggy video, watching the scene from the tamed birds’ aerial feed made Xin Yu’s heart clench.

Thirteen evolved bears and twenty-eight evolved wolves stood across the river, all roaring at the lake together. The sight was breathtaking.

Watching through his laptop, Zhang San couldn’t find words to describe the scene—especially the lone human, gun raised in the midst of the wolf pack.

“Roar!” Suddenly, the Bear King threw his head back and let out a tremendous roar. The bears joined in, and soon the wolf pack howled along too.

“Gua Gua, Little Jade, get out of there, now!” Xia Qing shouted. They had no idea just how much the white snakes crawling ashore attracted the wolves and bears, or how aggressive the Devastation Snakes could be. Their flight path was way too low—enough to make all the valley beasts think they’d come to snatch food.

At the same time, Zhang San grabbed his walkie-talkie and radioed Xin Yu. “Xin Yu! Make the tamed birds retreat—hurry!”

Meanwhile Xin Yu was also sending withdrawal commands to the two birds. Before she could finish, the Bear King suddenly rose to his feet and hurled a rock—about the size of a basketball—straight at Little Jade.

Caught off guard by the roars and the flying stone, Little Jade panicked and flapped hard, climbing into the sky. Jasmine, Gua Gua, and the ravens shrieked and followed after.

Xia Qing answered Xin Yu’s call. “I’m safe here. Don’t let Gua Gua and Little Jade fly so low, or the bears and wolves will think they’re stealing prey.”

“Roger.” Listening to the crackling line filled with Beast Roars, Xin Yu tamped down her worry and gave a status update. “Little Jade’s panicked. It won’t be able to return for a while.”

Xia Qing replied, “That’s fine, their safety comes first. If you can’t calm them down, just call them straight back to the territory. If you need to go look for them, contact Hu Zifeng and deploy the helicopter from Hill Forty-Nine.”

“Alright, you stay safe.”

After ending the call and replying to Zhang San, Xin Yu ignored the now-black screen. Gua Gua and Little Jade were already out of range of the hillside’s micro base station. There was nothing left to do but wait for them to leave the magnetic chaos area and for Little Jade’s communicator to reconnect with the satellite, so Xin Yu could reach them again.

“Awoo!”

“Roar!”

The Alpha and Bear King let out stern, commanding growls. Like a tidal wave, the wolves and bears charged in, hunting the Devastation Snakes coiled around dozens of Devastation Snakes that had crawled onto the shore. Xia Qing held her ground, sniper rifle trained on the eight and a half giant pythons standing in the middle of the lake, two thousand meters out.

The lords of Hill Sixty and Hill Sixty-One were seasoned snake slayers. They always took out the nimble Devastation Snakes first, then targeted the Devastation Snake.

The baited Devastation Snakes and Devastation Snake brought ashore never stood a chance—they were no match for the evolved wolves and bears.

Crippled Wolf used his sharp claws to pin down a Devastation Snake by the neck, then his other paw smashed its heart. He snatched up the Devastation Snake in his jaws, tossed aside the dead snake, and dashed straight toward Xia Qing.

“Thank you, Handsome Wolf! You’re amazing!” Setting down her rifle, Xia Qing quickly pulled the Devastation Snake off Broken Back’s neck and head and stuffed it into a bag.

With another Devastation Snake handed over, Crippled Wolf dove back into the hunt.

After securing the two snakes, Xia Qing picked up her sniper rifle just in time to realize there were fewer pythons in the center of the lake—now only four and a half left.

Where did the other four go? Had they dived underwater or were they sneaking up on the south bank?

Xia Qing quickly moved to the southern sniper spot on the hillside, keeping watch on the remaining pythons in the distance and scanning the lake for any that might leap out to ambush the evolved wolves and bears.

With the scent of Devastation Snake in the air, the land beasts only grew more agitated, their hunt speeding up. When every Devastation Snake on shore was gone, a bear and a wolf lunged at one last Devastation Snake swimming in the river inlet.

One-on-one, bear versus wolf: the wolves had the disadvantage, but with their senses heightened by the snake’s scent, the wolves charged in with no fear and quickly got scratched up. The Handsome Huge Wolf plunged into the water, knocked his injured packmate back to the bank with his head, then snatched the Devastation Snake and flung it into the Wolf Pack’s territory.

But the now-enraged bear didn’t care about the snake anymore. It charged straight at the Handsome Huge Wolf, ready to tear him apart.

“Roar!” The Bear King bellowed. Another huge bear dashed over, trying to drag its angry companion back from the riverbank. Too late—the furious brown bear ran straight into wolf territory, surrounded at once by equally furious wolves.

“Awooo—” The Alpha howled with authority and leapt into the river, blocking a packmate trying to invade bear territory. High above, Crippled Wolf unleashed another resonant howl.

With both the Alpha and Bear King stepping in, their main goal was clearly to stop their pack and clan from crossing the line. The fight hadn’t completely spun out of control yet. But just then, a second wave of snakes slithered into the fray.