mtl008 Chapter 172 Siege and Breakout
Chapter 172 Siege and Breakout
Just then, the wind direction suddenly changed, and a gust of cold wind swept in.
The tiger's breath condensed into a cloud of white mist in the cold wind, and its ears twitched incessantly, catching every movement in the wind.
Several wolf howls came, this time particularly close.
Then came the sound of snow being crushed underfoot, rising and falling from afar.
The wolf pack is closing in, using the sound of the wind to mask their footsteps, trying to get closer little by little.
The tiger's tail suddenly stiffened, and it abruptly turned northwest.
A gray wolf was braving the wind and snow, cautiously approaching the snow wall.
Upon seeing the tiger's gaze, the wolf froze on the spot, its front paws still in a stepping posture.
Another gust of cold wind swept in, and the swirling snowflakes almost obscured the view.
Once the snowstorm subsided, the wolf had retreated back into the shadows.
But further away, more gray shadows could be vaguely seen moving.
The tiger let out a low growl.
The sound, carried by the howling north wind, echoed across the wilderness.
Several wolves that were about to approach immediately stopped, but instead of retreating, they lay prone in the snow, waiting for their chance to strike.
The cold wind howled, and fresh snow continued to pile up on the snow wall.
The tiger would occasionally paw at the snow, compacting it.
Its every movement was unhurried, as if it were full of confidence in its defense.
Suddenly, a distinctive wolf howl came from the east, followed by more responses.
The wolf pack seemed to have received some kind of signal and began to slowly retreat.
They left a trail of footprints on the snow, which were quickly filled in by the swirling snowflakes.
"The wolf pack has retreated," Wang Ergou said in a low voice, his breath turning into a puff of white mist in the cold wind. "But giving up so quickly is a bit unlike their character."
“You’re right,” Li Xiangyang replied in a low voice, “They clearly won’t give up on stealing their prey.”
Anna was about to speak when Li Xiangyang gestured for her to be quiet.
The black cat's ears suddenly perked up, and its gaze was fixed on the northwest direction.
The cold wind, carrying fine snowflakes, stung my face.
Li Xiangyang subconsciously squinted and followed the black cat's gaze.
The terrain there is slightly higher, and looking down from the hillside, you can see the tiger's temporary stronghold.
If the wolf pack were to launch an attack, this position would indeed be a good choice.
"Looks like the real show is yet to come," Li Xiangyang said in a low voice. "We need to find another place."
He pointed to a huge rock not far away, indicating that Wang Ergou and Anna should go there.
It not only offers a wide view but is also sheltered from the wind, and most importantly, it is a safe distance from potential battlefields.
Using the swirling snowflakes as cover, the three moved quickly while bending over.
Suddenly, a piercing wolf howl tore through the sky. This was followed by a chorus of howls from all directions, creating a deafening cacophony.
The tiger immediately became alert, circling around inside the snow wall, its eyes rapidly scanning every possible direction of threat.
"The wolf pack is closing in," Li Xiangyang observed, squinting. "They're going to..."
Before the words were even finished, a large swath of snow suddenly rolled down the hillside to the northwest. A dozen or so gray wolves charged down the slope against the wind and snow, their agile movements leaving deep claw marks in the snow.
The tiger roared, about to attack, when suddenly a gap was smashed open in the snow wall to the east. Two enormous gray wolves rushed in.
More wolves emerged from all directions.
The wolf pack launched an attack like a tidal wave.
Although tigers are incredibly strong, they are still somewhat overwhelmed when facing so many opponents.
Its roars began to carry a hint of impatience, and its movements were no longer as leisurely as before.
Suddenly, while its companion was fighting with the tiger, a wolf seized its prey and tried to drag it away.
Upon seeing this, the tiger roared and swatted it away with one paw.
But at that moment, three more wolves launched an attack simultaneously.
The tiger showed no sign of panic when surrounded by three wolves.
It quickly turned around, swept away a gray wolf that was trying to ambush it with its tail, and at the same time slammed its front paws at the other two wolves.
“Look, it’s protecting its back,” Li Xiangyang said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the battlefield.
Wang Ergou nodded: "The wolf pack is too cunning; they always attack from blind spots."
Anna's camera shutter clicked almost silently as she whispered, "This is rare footage; wolf packs rarely dare to confront Siberian tigers head-on like this."
The wolf pack had clearly planned this carefully.
Whenever a tiger focuses on attacking from one direction, a new wolf will pounce from another direction.
They cooperated seamlessly, moved nimbly, and had a clear objective.
Li Xiangyang noticed a detail: "Look at that biggest gray wolf; it's constantly looking for an opportunity to approach its prey, while the other wolves are creating that opportunity for it."
Sure enough, while the tiger was fighting with the wolves, the large gray wolf quietly circled around to its prey.
Just as it was about to bite its prey, the tiger suddenly turned around and let out a deafening roar.
The impact of the sound waves caused the surrounding snow to vibrate.
Caught off guard, the gray wolf was jolted back several steps by the roar.
The tiger seized the opportunity, lunged forward, and slammed its powerful front paws heavily onto the wolf's shoulder.
"Awooo!" A shrill scream pierced the sky.
The wolf was slapped so hard it rolled several times in the snow before struggling to its feet and limping away.
"Wow, that's amazing!" Wang Ergou couldn't help but exclaim. "That must have broken at least a few bones."
Li Xiangyang was staring at the wounded wolf when he suddenly noticed something unusual. The tiger's movements changed; although it was still fighting the wolves, its gaze kept sweeping towards the southeast. There was a gentle slope there, where the snow wasn't too thick.
"It's looking for a way out," Li Xiangyang said quietly, squinting his eyes.
Sure enough, the tiger suddenly roared, the sound echoing in the cold wind. Several wolves that were about to attack were startled by the sudden roar and instinctively took a few steps back.
In that split second, the tiger suddenly turned around, its massive jaws snapping precisely around its prey's neck. Its movements were clean and swift, as if it had calculated every angle perfectly.
"This..." Wang Ergou's eyes widened, clearly not expecting this outcome.
The tiger, carrying its prey, galloped down the gentle slope to the southeast.
It was extremely fast, and its thick limbs left a trail of deep claw marks on the snow.
The sound of snow being crushed underfoot and the figures running wildly stood out against the vast snowfield.
The wolves were clearly taken aback by the tiger's escape. They were stunned for a few seconds before reacting and giving chase.
"Brilliant!" Li Xiangyang couldn't help but exclaim. "This tiger is incredibly clever."
Anna, no longer caring about taking pictures, asked, "Why do you say that?"
“Look at those wolves,” Li Xiangyang explained, pointing to the chasing pack, “They have to line up in a row to catch the tiger. That loses their advantage of encirclement. And look, the tiger is deliberately slowing down to lure the wolves into a chase. It seems it's not just protecting its prey, but also using the opportunity to hunt…”