Chapter 890: Running with the Wolf: A Nighttime Pursuit

After sending Luo Pei off, Xia Qing brought her two companions—one still sick—out of the Breeding Greenhouse and back to the yard, only to find the Handsome Huge Wolf standing by the security door.

Was he trying to come inside?

Xia Qing set down Old Goat, who she had been carrying, and the Monkey, who hung from her arm. She walked over and opened the security door. “Big Wolf, come on in.”

This wolf might be handsome, but he didn’t care much about manners—he walked through the house with muddy paws, heading straight to the first-floor bathroom. After sniffing the bath barrel and noticing it didn’t have that pungent smell, he turned to look at Xia Qing.

So, he’d discovered the benefits of the medicinal bath for healing injuries and wanted another soak? Not bad, he knew what was good for him. Xia Qing had pulled strings with Alpha to get him a bath last time—worth it, apparently.

Xia Qing stepped inside, pointed at the empty bath barrel, and pulled out her phone to communicate, “Big Wolf, you want a medicinal bath? Not today. You’ll have to wait until the moon is this shape again, then you can bathe with the Queen.”

The wolf, silent and direct as ever, paid her little mind. He just stood stubbornly at the bathroom door, those icy blue eyes lined as if with mascara, staring Xia Qing down.

Afraid he’d throw a tantrum, Xia Qing quickly dug out some spinach leaves she’d pinched on her way back from sending Luo Pei off. She juiced them, dripped some into a nutrient source, and brought the bowl to the Handsome Huge Wolf. “Here, Big Wolf, try some nutrient shake. The spinach I grew is even better now—the shake’s energy is higher, too. You’ll feel good after drinking it.”

The Huge Wolf drank down the whole bowl of spring water mixed with nutrient shake in just a few gulps, still standing at the bathroom door, eyes locked on Xia Qing. Honestly, his persistence was starting to resemble that Red Fox family who barged in for free medicine every day.

Xia Qing had no choice but to dig out a pack of Green Lantern Roasted Jerky, tore it open, and put it in the bowl. “Want a snack, Big Wolf?”

The Huge Wolf ate the meat but continued to stubbornly guard the bathroom door.

Medicinal bath—now!

Xia Qing was at her wits’ end. She went upstairs for half a spoonful of honey, dissolved it in pure spring water, and brought it down. “Here, Big Wolf, try some. I just got this honey—it’s really sweet. Drink up, then we can do the medicinal bath next time, okay?”

Monkey smelled the honey and slowly crawled a step closer—then turned and headed for the stairs, intent on climbing up.

The Handsome Huge Wolf drank the honey water in a few swallows and kept staring coldly at Xia Qing.

Running out of options, Xia Qing called for her companions, “Old Goat, Er, can one of you explain to Big Wolf that today’s not the day for a medicinal bath? We’ll soak again when the moon is right.”

Old Goat was sour over being sent to the greenhouse earlier; after coming back, he wouldn’t even ride his bicycle, let alone listen to Xia Qing’s orders.

Monkey, the temporary worker, was stubbornly climbing the stairs for honey. Only Er, after a quick sniff of the Huge Wolf, trotted off to the Chicken House and returned with an egg, placing it gently in the bowl.

The Handsome Huge Wolf bent down, sniffed the egg, bit it open and lapped up the yolk. He actually looked a little happier, but still sat guarding the bathroom door.

Xia Qing seized the chance while the wolf was in a good mood. She pulled out her phone. “Big Wolf, have you seen these people in the Western Evolved Forest?”

Handsome Huge Wolf only stared at Xia Qing, not the phone.

Xia Qing ran upstairs, grabbed the troublemaker wolf’s new laptop, scooped Monkey from the fourth step and set him back to the bottom. Back at the bathroom, she showed the Huge Wolf enlarged photos on the screen. “Big Wolf, have you seen these people? They disappeared while clearing trees on the edge of the Western Evolved Forest.”

Back in January, humans had invaded the Western Wolf Pack’s core territory and cruelly killed thirteen wolf pups. The pack fought back with a beast horde, attacking human and Safe Zone territory, and ended up driving all humans out of the Western Territory.

After that disaster, Huai Three Squad’s leaders declared a ban: no more humans in the core territory of the Western Wolf Pack, to avoid another catastrophe.

The evolved forest and mountains near the Safe Zone, along with the abandoned Western Territory, all formed the fringe of the Western Wolf Pack’s turf. Humans had limited access here—no big predators, so it was ideal for gathering and hunting. Liang Qing’s eight-person squad had accepted a clean-up job in this area and left the Safe Zone.

Their disappearance was strange and ominous, to say the least. If she could, Xia Qing wanted to rescue those two young Huai Three Squad fighters.

The Handsome Huge Wolf turned his giant head away, pointedly staring at the bath barrel.

Xia Qing slid past his neck, laptop in her arms, crouched by the bath barrel, and held up the screen with a wheedling tone. “Big Wolf, you’re the biggest and best, top of the food chain. A hundred times better than that shameless Broken Back wolf. Will you look closely? Have you seen any of these people in the Evolved Forest?”

The wolf just turned his head again, this time staring at the noisy cold-air machine on the wall.

Three thousand credits hung in the balance—Xia Qing was willing to tolerate being ignored. She tried again, “Big Wolf, will you take me to find these people? You’re the best, you must know where they are, right? You drank my nutrient shake, honey water, ate my jerky and egg… Come on, help me, okay?”

After ten minutes of Xia Qing’s relentless pestering, the Handsome Huge Wolf finally had enough. He stood up, kicked open the door and stomped out into the yard, glancing back at her.

Huh? No howling, no fuss—just leaving? Did he understand she needed to find someone?

It was the middle of the night…

Seeing the Huge Wolf about to leave, Xia Qing hurriedly pulled on her protective suit, stuffed Little Fei Mao into the pouch on the wall, strapped on her rifle and knife, then rushed out. “Big Wolf, are you taking me to those people? Let’s go!”

Apparently terrified of Xia Qing climbing onto his back, the Huge Wolf bolted.

Xia Qing left Er to keep Old Goat company, then sprinted after the Huge Wolf while calling Luo Pei. “Yeah, this big wolf has seen the missing people. He’s leading me there—no, we can’t wait till morning. He’s far too impatient… and fast. Only Captain Yang could keep up with him. Alright, let’s stay in touch.”

Xia Qing chased the Huge Wolf, cutting through Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine into Section Six, exiting the hills and following a winding, uneven animal trail for thirty minutes. She finally gave out, sagging against a regular-sized tree, gasping for breath.

Even though she’d trained like crazy, her speed now matched a human Four-and-a-Half Rank Speed Evolver, but compared to this four-legged wolf—who bounded six or seven meters in a leap—she was nowhere close.

Plus, Xia Qing had never set foot in these mountains before, and heading out in the pitch dark like this was already pushing her limits.

The Handsome Huge Wolf, far ahead, noticed Xia Qing had stopped and waited impatiently in place.

Panting, Xia Qing downed a premium nutrient shake and tried to negotiate. “Big Wolf… can I ride you for a bit? I really can’t run anymore…”

The Huge Wolf pretended not to hear, but when Xia Qing approached, he didn’t dodge away either.

She pulled out a blanket pad and set it on his back, climbed on and settled in. “Thank you, Big Wolf—you really are the kindest, most thoughtful wolf. Let’s go.”

The wolf stood still a few seconds, shook himself in reluctant protest, then broke into a powerful run.

Riding a wolf was way easier than running. Xia Qing hugged his neck, pressed against his back, shut her eyes and used Magnetic Sense to scan the Evolved Forest—her first visit to such an untamed place.

Thanks to the mix of all-natural foods she’d eaten these past months, Xia Qing had soaked up plenty of nutrients. While her sight, hearing and strength hadn’t improved, her Magnetic Sense had grown sharper. Now she could detect unusual magnetic plants and Devastation Snakes from farther away.

Wait—that blip she just sensed…

Excited, Xia Qing snapped her eyes open, pulled out her phone, opened the compass app, and quickly took a screenshot with their coordinates. Then, using her night vision goggles, she tried to memorize the shape of the nearby mountains so she’d never forget this spot.