Chapter 1168: Wolves in the Grass, Shadows on the Mountain

“Big Wolf, stop for a second.”

Perched on the handsome huge wolf’s back, Xia Qing wrapped her arms around its neck to make it pause. She called out to the old wolf leading the pack up ahead. “Number Four, are there any blue-skinned scavenger human dens around here?”

Number Four bared its fangs impatiently. “Yeah, there are!”

“Wait a moment.” Xia Qing pressed her walkie-talkie to contact Yang Jin. “Captain Yang, am I approaching Hui One’s Mount Twenty-Nine?”

Since Xia Qing wore a tracker, Yang Jin could pinpoint her exact location. “That’s right. There’s no Hui One official or squad member within ten kilometers ahead. Azure Dragon Squad Five already ‘accidentally’ crossed into the area. You can keep going without worry.”

“Copy that.”

Though the Evolved Forest ahead technically belonged to Hui One, it was under the Azure Dragon Squad’s control. So Xia Qing could pass through without being mistaken for an intruder.

Number Four moved swiftly in front, but the handsome huge wolf shook itself forcefully, signaling it didn’t want to carry Xia Qing anymore. She wasted no time hopping from its back to Big Guy’s. Locking her feet into the fixtures beneath its protective suit, she urged them gently, “Big Guy, Handsome Wolf, Black Wolf, let’s hurry up and catch up to Number Four.”

To make traveling easier, Xia Qing had Huo Lei add fixtures to the wolves’ protective suits. That way, she could ride them without restraining harnesses—just hook in with her feet and stick firmly to their backs. Both her hands now free, she could hold a gun or a knife whenever needed.

Twice as safe, and her combat power shot up too!

The old wolf slipped from Mount Hui Three-Nine into Mount Hui One Twenty-Nine. After five minutes, it slowed and finally crouched in a dense patch of grass, tall as a person, baring its fangs at a stone cliff ahead in a silent roar.

The way Number Four was acting, this was more than just finding a cave.

Xia Qing jumped down, crouched beside Number Four, and whispered, “Number Four, are there blue-skinned scavenger humans up ahead?”

Number Four bared four sharp fangs, looking fierce.

“Got it. There are blue-skinned scavenger humans ahead, and they’ve hurt Number Four’s companions. I’ll have Yang Jin catch them right now, so don’t move, okay?”

This was an unexpected bonus. Xia Qing soothed the old, battle-scarred wolf, who’d survived against all odds, as she contacted Yang Jin.

A month ago, Xia Qing accepted a mission from Number Four and teamed up with the Northern Wolf Pack. They headed west from here, at least five li away, toward the great gorge between Hui Three Twenty-Six and Hui One Twenty-Nine. There, they rescued three evolved wolves—two big and one small—trapped in a cave by scavengers.

On that mission, Number Four saved its three companions, while Xia Qing scored a haul of high-grade Yi Stones. Azure Dragon Squad not only got Yi Stones but also captured Xiao Jing, a nine-year-old Type C Magnetic Sense Evolver.

During Xiao Jing’s interrogation, the squad learned there were at least twenty blue-skinned scavengers still hiding in the Evolved Forest. But since Xiao Jing was so young and low-ranked in her squad, she didn’t know their exact hideouts, just the general area.

With her intel, Azure Dragon Squad sent crack troops into the Evolved Forest and rooted out twelve blue-skinned evolved scavengers, seizing a few batches of supplies.

Because of Azure Dragon Squad’s pinpoint raids and the decline of the Blazing Fire Squad, the remaining blue-skinned scavengers pulled out of these mountains. A few days ago, they tried to meet up with Black Panther Squad in Hui Five during migratory bird season, planning to collect supplies stashed in Mount Hui Three-Nine.

Hui Three Officials tracked this squad’s movement and sent Xia Qing, Zhu Zhenming, and Tang Zhou’s squad to wipe them out. During that mission, three people led the way disguised as scavengers, but only two were real; the third was actually a Phantom Squad member in disguise.

Since both scavenger members were killed and the Phantom Squad member didn’t know the stash location, Hui Three Officials couldn’t retrieve the hidden supplies in Mountain Nineteen.

The two scavengers who worked with Phantom Squad, plus the twelve caught by Azure Dragon Squad, made fourteen. In other words, there were at least six blue-skinned scavengers still hiding out there.

This group was a dangerous wild card in the Evolved Forest—an unstable element that needed to be wiped out fast.

Xia Qing discussed with Yang Jin. “Yep, there are confirmed scavengers somewhere in the mountains southwest of me, but I don’t know how many. Captain, think you can send someone to get them?”

They couldn’t get a headcount because Number Four couldn’t count. The territory of its wolf pack overlapped partly with the scavengers’ turf, so Number Four knew their tricks and fighting style well.

In fact, Xia Qing suspected that once Number Four reached Section Three, it quickly connected the dots, all thanks to its interactions with these scavengers. Through them, Number Four had picked up human words and gestures.

This time, Number Four brought Xia Qing here to drive out these scavengers and keep the wolf pack safe.

Azure Dragon Squad Five had just swept through that area but found no scavengers. Still, Yang Jin trusted the old wolf’s evolved brain and Xia Qing’s skill at communicating with them. “Roger. The scavengers are loaded with special pesticides for Evolved Forest beasts. Fall back at least a hundred meters, and I’ll bring some people over to catch them.”

“Okay. You all be careful.”

“Understood.”

Once Xia Qing got Yang Jin’s reply, she led the wolf pack to retreat a hundred meters. They crouched between Number Four and the Crippled Wolf, eyes fixed on the way ahead.

The scavengers were masters at hiding; even with low-light and infrared gear, you couldn’t spot their lairs. But after fighting them before, Azure Dragon Squad knew how to close in. Once they locked down the area, no one was getting away.

Yang Jin moved fast. After a few silenced gunshots, his voice crackled in Xia Qing’s earpiece. “Four scavengers caught—two dead, two wounded. They came to fetch supplies hidden in Mount Hui Three-Nine, but the cave and crevices they’re holed up in are empty. They’ve told us about another stash in Mountain Nineteen. Should I escort them over?”

Bringing the handsome huge wolf had really paid off—everything went like clockwork.

Xia Qing replied, “Yes. Once you’ve found the supplies, I’ll check if there are any other caves.”

Yang Jin escorted two scavengers to a hidden cave beside an underground river in the area. Inside, they found plenty of pesticides, herbs, food, and a few Yi Stones. Meanwhile, guided by Number Four, Xia Qing reached a cliff edge in Mount Hui Three-Nine.

Yang Jin hadn’t updated Xia Qing, but he was certain a big stash lay ahead.

Because the two recently-captured scavengers who adamantly denied any more stashes were clearly nervous and on edge.

Five hundred meters ahead, in the Evolved Forest in front of Yang Jin, Xia Qing scanned the area with her night vision goggles.

There wasn’t even a crevice, let alone a cave. Xia Qing asked, “Number Four, where’s the scavenger cave?”

The old wolf, already annoyed, lifted its head and looked upward.

Xia Qing glanced up at the soaring black cliff. “The cave’s up there?”

Number Four pulled its lips back, flashing its sharp fangs in confirmation.