mtl008 Chapter 368 The Wolf Pack That Is Closing in Step by Step
Chapter 368 The Wolf Pack That Is Closing in Step by Step
The bushes on the opposite bank of the stream suddenly shook, and then a gray-black wolf darted out.
The appearance of the wolves instantly broke the existing standoff, and the wild boar herd became increasingly agitated.
As the first wolf appeared, more wolves emerged from behind the bushes.
They spread out in a fan shape, their emerald green eyes gleaming fiercely in the snowlight.
This pack of wolves numbered more than ten, larger than a herd of wild boars.
From his flank position, Wang Ergou saw the wolf pack clearly and couldn't help but curse under his breath, "How did we run into this pack of hungry wolves! This is a huge problem."
The other members of the hunting team also looked tense, their grip on their guns tightening slightly.
They knew all too well the cunning and ferocity of wolves, especially in this icy and snowy place where food was scarce, and the wolf pack would stop at nothing to fill their stomachs.
Faced with this delicate situation, Li Xiangyang quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
"Never mind the wolves!" Li Xiangyang quickly adjusted his posture, aiming at the lead boar. "Each of you take responsibility for the prey in your area! Shoot!"
At Li Xiangyang's command, gunshots rang out almost simultaneously.
Li Xiangyang's bullet accurately struck the head of the lead boar.
The boar that was hit fell to the ground and twitched a few times on the snow before becoming still.
Wang Ergou's bullet also hit the second boar's vital spot.
Aside from the two of them hitting the target precisely, the other members weren't so lucky.
Some shots missed, and even when they did hit, they didn't strike vital organs.
Instantly, the remaining wild boars panicked and fled in different directions.
At the same time, as everyone was making their move, the wolf pack on the other side of the stream moved. They carefully waded across the stream and approached the hunting party and their prey.
"Don't panic, everyone. Don't fire your weapons rashly," Li Xiangyang instructed. "Wolves are clever; they're testing our limits."
Water splashed as the wolf pack waded across the stream and stopped about fifty meters from the hunting party, forming a crescent-shaped encirclement.
The lead gray wolf paced slowly, its nose catching the stench of blood in the air, its emerald green eyes fixed intently on the wild boar lying on the snow.
"Don't move, maintain formation," Li Xiangyang commanded in a low voice. "Ergou, you guard the right flank; Li Daqiang, keep an eye on the left; everyone else, form a circle back-to-back."
The hunting team members quickly adjusted their positions according to Li Xiangyang's instructions, forming a defensive circle.
Everyone aimed their hunting rifles at the nearest wolf.
“They’re testing our strength,” Li Xiangyang calmly analyzed. “Wolves are intelligent; they won’t rashly attack humans with firearms unless they’re extremely hungry or desperate.”
A large gray wolf slowly moved forward, seemingly trying to get closer to the fallen wild boar.
“Be careful, they’re about to make their move,” Li Xiangyang warned.
Sure enough, the lead wolf suddenly let out a low growl, and the three wolves immediately rushed toward the prey from different directions.
"Attack!" Li Xiangyang gave the order decisively.
Several gunshots shattered the silence of the valley. Two wolves fell to the ground, and a third was grazed on the shoulder by a bullet, howling as it fled back to the pack.
A smile appeared on Li Daqiang's face: "Xiangyang, these beasts are nothing special!"
“Don’t let your guard down,” Li Xiangyang shook his head, observing the wolf pack’s movements. “This is just the first probe. The real attack hasn’t even begun yet.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the wolf pack suddenly split into two groups. One group continued to stare intently at the wild boar carcass, while the other group quietly moved toward the flank of the hunting party.
"They're going to surround us!" Wang Ergou shouted nervously, realizing the wolves' intentions.
Li Xiangyang squinted: "Everyone, don't panic. Conserve your ammunition. Aim for vital organs before firing. Xiao Hu, hold the rear!"
The little tiger understood its master's command and stood warily behind the hunting party, baring its teeth and growling to intimidate the approaching wolves.
Just then, Li Dabao suddenly shouted, "Oh no! Look to the right!"
All eyes turned to the direction indicated, where a large black wolf silently circled around from behind a protruding rock and appeared behind them.
"It seems they're determined to fight us," Li Xiangyang immediately realized. "They're trying to cut off our retreat!"
"Let's fight them off and retreat quickly!" Zhang Weiping suggested, his palms already sweating.
Li Xiangyang shook his head: "No, although the wolf pack has formed a battle formation, whether or not to fight depends on the morale of both sides. Once we turn and run, the wolves will immediately give chase. How can two legs outrun four? If our morale weakens, we will inevitably be defeated one by one."
"What should we do then?" Chen Chen asked nervously. He was the youngest member of the hunting team and his marksmanship was not yet steady enough.
Li Xiangyang thought quickly, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding terrain.
There are several sturdy pine trees not far away, with not much snow on their trunks, so they should be climbable.
"Ergou, see that tree over there?" Li Xiangyang pointed with his chin to a spot not far away. "That can be our base."
Wang Ergou nodded knowingly: "I understand. The wolves can't reach us from the trees. If we take the higher ground, we can aim more accurately."
“Yes, but you must maintain formation while moving, advancing back to back.” Li Xiangyang looked around at everyone. “Remember, everyone must move in unison; no one can be left behind.”
The hunting party began to move slowly toward the pine trees, with each person's gun pointed outwards, forming a mobile defensive circle.
The wolf pack seemed to sense the hunting party's intentions, and several wolves began to pace back and forth uneasily, occasionally letting out low howls.
"They're about to make their move," Li Xiangyang said alertly. "Prepare for an attack."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the alpha wolf suddenly howled, and the entire pack instantly pounced on the hunting party.
"Fire!" Li Xiangyang calmly gave the order and pulled the trigger, hitting the head of the wolf charging at the front.
Gunfire erupted, the howls of wolves, gunshots, and human shouts mingling and echoing through the valley.
Li Xiangyang's marksmanship was the most accurate; every shot hit the target.
Although Wang Ergou was not as good as Li Xiangyang, he still managed to repel three wolves that attacked him.
"Turn left! Turn left!" Li Xiangyang noticed an opening on the left and immediately gave the warning.
Upon hearing this, Li Daqiang quickly turned around and pulled the trigger on a wolf that was about to pounce on Li Dabao.
The wolf flew in an arc through the air and crashed heavily onto the snow.
"Well done!" Li Xiangyang exclaimed, while continuing to guide the team closer to the pine tree.
The first wave of attacks was successfully repelled, and the wolf pack retreated to their original positions, but they did not give up and surrounded them again in a semi-circle.
The hunting team usually goes into the mountains to hunt, and although they have experienced many hardships, this is the first time they have been surrounded so fiercely by a pack of wolves.
At this moment, apart from the experienced Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou, the rest of the team members panicked.
Under the watchful eyes of the closing wolf pack, the group involuntarily quickened their pace, trying to reach the pine trees as quickly as possible.