Chapter 559: The Night the Wolf Kings Howled

When a surge of wild beasts barrels in the same direction, it’s far more terrifying than any flood breaking its banks.

In ten years of natural disasters, Xia Qing had lived through dozens of beast stampedes, but this time shook her to the core. Only a wall of rocks, earth, and sandbags separated her from the rampaging horde.

Just over a hundred meters beyond that wall, countless animals of all shapes and sizes pounded eastward. If they turned even slightly, the barrier would crumble in an instant.

Behind this makeshift defense stood the Inspection Team and reinforcements from the combat squads, protecting the hard-won human territory at their backs.

Once again, Xia Qing felt immense respect for Tan Junjie, the commander behind Section One’s defense against the beast tide.

Tan Junjie stood his ground before the advancing stampede, making sure the emergency floodlights along the border blazed for a full eight minutes. That gave the snipers inside the territory time to pick off explosive-carrying Evolved Bats. Xin Yu could focus on commanding her Surveillance Birds, hunting down the invader responsible for orchestrating the beastly bombing run.

According to the original diversion plan, the beast tide should have stayed five kilometers clear of Section One. But in eight minutes, the stampede had moved 4.9 kilometers north.

It’s not hard to imagine the danger and pressure Tan Junjie and his Inspection Team faced.

They’re here!

“Evolved Leopards and the Wolves are coming.”

Xia Qing’s thoughts echoed in sync with Luo Pei’s urgent voice. Both, as high-level Vision Evolutionaries, picked out the fierce ‘rear guard’ beasts leading this surge.

Ahead, herd animals raced for their lives with dozens of Evolved Wolves and Leopards in relentless pursuit. As the gap narrowed, Xia Qing’s pupils contracted sharply in alarm.

Among those wolves, more than a dozen were Huge Wolves—and the silver-gray brute at the very back was even larger than the Handsome Huge Wolf from Hill Sixty.

How could an entire pack like this lose control all at once?

Wait, they’re not out of control. They’re herding the prey, not hunting in a frenzy or killing without thought like truly savage beasts.

These Wolves and Leopards from deep inside the Evolved Forest haven’t run wild. So why are they driving the herd to attack human lands?

Xia Qing raised her sniper rifle. With beasts of this caliber, she couldn’t guarantee a kill in one shot. If her bullet failed, the monsters would simply charge the wall—and end human lives instead.

Still, she didn’t panic. Luo Pei, Hui Three Base’s top sniper, stood right beside her. Anything Xia Qing couldn’t handle, Luo Pei absolutely could.

“Everyone on the south line, hold your fire. Don’t shoot or launch shells until I give the order.” As the one Tan Junjie entrusted to defend the Southern Barrier against the tide, Luo Pei’s voice was cool and steady.

Compared to Tan Junjie and typical Evolved fighters, Luo Pei—seasoned by countless dangerous missions—knew the beasts’ assault strategies inside out.

Everyone held their breath, silently praying the monsters would pass them by instead of attacking.

“Awoooo—oooooooo!”

The largest Evolved Wolf in the mob reached the territory’s southern edge—and stopped. It leaped onto a boulder and threw back its head in a long, piercing howl.

The surging Wolves and Leopards skidded to a halt. All together, they spun around to face north, jaws bared toward the human lands.

Damn! The worst possible scenario!

There was no mistaking that furious howl—the Wolf King was ordering its pack to prepare for battle. Xia Qing steadied her breathing, eyes pressed to the scope, finger on the trigger, waiting for Luo Pei’s signal.

“All…”

“Awooooooooo—ooooooooo!”

Luo Pei had spoken barely a word when an even deeper, more commanding howl echoed from the north.

Xia Qing’s eyes lit up. She reached over and grabbed Luo Pei’s arm just as he was about to give the attack order, catching his gaze. She pointed behind them, then made a notch gesture above her left ear.

Luo Pei instantly understood: the howl came from the Alpha—the Wolf with the missing piece on its left ear—in the rear. He changed tack. “Everyone, stay hidden and hold your positions. Do not engage.”

“Awooo—oooo!” The Huge Wolf chasing the horde barked back at its packmate howling atop the northern ridge.

“Awooooooooo—oooooooo!” The Queen responded, her voice regal and mighty.

“Awooooooooo—oooooooo!” Crippled Wolf followed right on her tail.

“Awoo—ooo!” That had to be the Handsome Huge Wolf’s call.

So the Queen, Crippled Wolf, and Handsome Huge Wolf had all appeared together.

“Awoo—ooo—ooo!” That scatterbrained Lame Wolf was chiming in too.

“Awoo—ooo!” That unmistakable sound belonged to Er Gou, the Sick Wolf from Section Three.

These familiar howls made Xia Qing’s blood race. The Queen and her loyal wolves had taken their stand atop Hill Fifty, announcing to the southern pack: this was her domain.

Through the walkie-talkie, Xin Yu reported, “Captain Tan, there are at least forty wolves on the Third Peak of Hill Fifty.”

Tan Junjie’s reply was calm: “Copy that. Keep the Surveillance Birds away from the Wolf Pack.”

“Understood.”

The main body of the beast horde was already long gone, the rumble of the ground fading. Yet the two monster packs’ dueling howls still rang out, almost within arm’s reach.

Luo Pei nudged Xia Qing with his elbow, pulling her attention from the wolves. Xia Qing nodded slightly, reading the subtle message—she could tell from the pitch and tone that the Queen’s pack had gained the upper hand. The wolves to the south had already lost their fighting will.

Five minutes later, the passing wolf pack ceased their howls and set off after the dwindling beast tide.

Fifteen minutes after that, Luo Pei reported, “Captain Tan, the beast horde has passed.”

Tan Junjie gave cool instructions: “To all reinforcement squads, continue guarding the Southern Barrier. Inspection Team, return to your assigned territories immediately—catch any intruders, treat the wounded, and put out the fires.”

“Copy that.”

“Copy that.”

With so many on the move, Xia Qing simply ran back alongside Luo Pei’s squad, neither talking nor looking around much. Once she’d split from them, she finally opened the Lords’ channel: “Brother Yue, I’m back. Where do you need me?”

Yue Haiying replied, “All invaders have been eliminated. Head back to Section Three and get some rest.”

“Roger.” After returning to Section Three, Xia Qing made a quick detour to meet up with Er in the Northern Buffer Forest.

Spotting Xia Qing, Er Gou—the Sick Wolf—bounded over, tail wagging, nuzzling her leg in excitement. Xia Qing ruffled Er’s neck, sending him home while she jogged to the little house near the Fields where she could reunite with Hu Zifeng’s Squad.

She’d just reached the cabin door when Chen Cheng, who’d been resting inside, barreled over with a barrage of questions: “Sister Qing, it was the Queen and her wolves howling up on Hill Fifty, right? Did she scare off the southern wolves too? How many do you think there were? Sounded like a lot from their howls.”

Xia Qing confirmed, “Yeah, that was the Queen and her crew. As for the southern wolves, over forty with a few Evolved Leopards too.”

Hu Zifeng blinked, surprised. “Evolved Wolves and Leopards teaming up now?”

“Even if they’re not officially allies, they’ve clearly got some kind of deal. I watched—it was only when the wolves stopped that the Evolved Leopards halted too, both clearly poised to attack us.” Xia Qing paused, sharing her thoughts. “But those wolves weren’t berserk. Otherwise, the Queen’s pack could never have driven them off with just their howls.”

“Then why trigger a bloodbath and chase their prey all the way here?” Chen Cheng blurted out, still confused.

“I’m guessing something happened to their cubs. I spotted several nursing mothers in that wolf pack,” Xia Qing offered quietly.

Every member of Hu Zifeng’s Squad fell silent, thinking it through.