sbdcsierra Chapter 1158 Encountering a Wolf Pack
Chapter 1158 Encountering a Wolf Pack
"Master Gu, we must find a shelter before dark."
Shen Zhinian's eyes were like cold stars in the twilight, without any extra emotions, only judgments about life and death.
"A rock cave, a tree hole, or a crack that's strong enough to be sealed. Otherwise..."
There was no need to say the rest of the words, as both of them understood the consequences.
Gu Jinxiao took a deep breath of the chill air and suppressed the heaviness in his heart: "My Queen, let's go!"
Shen Zhinian didn't hesitate at all, and forced himself to stand up, and the dead leaves on his cloak fell off.
Gu Jinxiao said no more and slid down the rock first.
He did not move forward immediately, but squatted down, and quickly and carefully groped and moved his fingers on the thick layer of pine needles, as if he was distinguishing extremely subtle traces and directions.
After a moment, Gu Jinxiao stood up and pointed to the northeast, an area with significantly steeper and more rocky terrain.
"My Lady, the mountains over there are steeper, forming a natural barrier and making it more likely for crevices and caves to appear."
Shen Zhinian didn't question it at all: "Okay."
The two hit the road again.
This time, it was more cautious and more urgent than before.
The dusk was like a huge gray curtain, slowly closing in from all directions, swallowing up the last light in the forest.
The thick layer of pine needles underfoot became even more slippery, and if you were not careful, you would be tripped by the tangled tree roots and hanging vines.
Every step needs to be taken with more caution.
The two people's vision was severely obstructed, and five steps away, there was only a blurry shadow.
Gu Jinxiao always walked half a step ahead of Shen Zhinian, using the scimitar in his hand to sometimes chop through the thorny vines that blocked the way, and sometimes exploring the way on the slippery steep slope.
The scabbard tapped tentatively against the soft fallen leaves and moss, making a dull sound.
His movements were still swift, but with a tension that seemed like he was being chased by the dusk.
Shen Zhinian followed closely, feeling exhausted with every breath.
The dark environment magnified the weakness of the body, and the feeling of emptiness under the feet became stronger and stronger.
She gritted her teeth, forced herself to concentrate, and stared at the crimson figure in front of her that was looming in the twilight.
Time passes in silent escape.
The sky was getting darker and darker, and the scenery in the forest completely lost its outline, turning into pieces of swaying inky shadows of varying depths.
The whistles of the pursuers in the distance seemed to be blurred by the twilight and the complex terrain.
But this did not bring any peace of mind to the two. Instead, it was like the calm before the storm, foreshadowing a more terrible crisis.
“Ooooooooooooo!!!”
Long wolf howls came from the depths of the dense forest in the northwest without any warning.
The sound penetrated the twilight, carrying a primitive sense of ferocity and hunger, instantly breaking the oppressive silence of the forest.
Then came the second and third sounds.
The howling of wolves came one after another, forming a faint echo!
It's a pack of wolves!
Shen Zhinian and Gu Jinxiao stopped in their tracks at the same time, feeling a chill in their hearts.
The most dangerous moment has finally arrived!
Gu Jinxiao turned around, her eyes sweeping across Shen Zhinian's instantly pale face, with an unprecedented sense of urgency: "Madam, we must find shelter immediately, the wolves have been alarmed!"
He stopped exploring and scanned the steep and rugged rock wall ahead.
Every crack in the rock, every possible depression, became the only hope at this moment.
"There!"
This was the first time Shen Zhinian had ever experienced such a scene. She suppressed her palpitations and pointed sharply to the right, where the base of a rock face was half-hidden by several huge, ancient pines.
With the last bit of dim light, Shen Zhinian saw a deep cave entrance with vines hanging on it at the bottom of the steep rock wall.
The entrance to the cave was not a narrow crevice, but one wide enough for a person to enter by bending over. It extended inward and disappeared into the deep darkness.
The edges of the cave were covered with slippery moss.
This is a ray of hope in a desperate situation!
Without any hesitation, the two of them rushed towards the cave entrance.
The entrance is mostly hidden by hanging vines and dense shrubs, and it is difficult to find unless you look closely.
Gu Jinxiao pushed aside the vines and bushes that were blocking his way with one hand, and with the scimitar in the other hand, he stepped into the darkness first.
"Tuk Tuk Tuk!"
"Wow!"
Shen Zhinian heard the dull thud of the scabbard hitting the rock and the sound of gravel rolling down, which were particularly clear in the silent twilight.
Gu Jinxiao was checking whether there were any poisonous snakes or ferocious beasts lurking inside.
After a moment, he sheathed his sword, came out, and said to Shen Zhinian in a hurried and brief manner: "It's safe inside for the time being, please come in, Madam."
Shen Zhinian went in immediately without any hesitation.
Gu Jinxiao followed closely behind.
The cave was slightly deeper than expected. After about five or six steps, the space became slightly wider, barely enough for two people to stand up straight.
The ground was of uneven rock, covered with a thick layer of fine gravel.
The cave ceiling is not high, but the feeling of oppression is still strong.
Absolute darkness instantly engulfed the two of them, blocking out all sounds from the outside world, leaving only the amplified sound of their heartbeats.
Gu Jinxiao immediately groped his way back to the cave entrance, and carefully moved the vines and bushes at the entrance, trying to restore it to its original state as much as possible, making the entrance more hidden.
After doing all this, he slowly sat down against the cold rock wall, his chest rising and falling slightly.
“Woooooooooooooooo!!!”
The long and shrill wolf howl was so close that it seemed to be right at the entrance of the cave.
The claws scratched the nearby rocks and soil, making a harsh rustling sound, accompanied by a low and threatening whimper, which was clearly transmitted into the cave through the gaps in the vines.
Instead of leaving, the wolves seemed to be prowling and sniffing around the cave entrance.
They seem to have locked onto the hiding place of their prey!
The chill of late autumn seeped in madly through the rocks, like countless icy needles pricking the two men's tired bodies.
The sweat from the desperate escape just now soaked the clothes, sticking to the skin and bringing a biting cold.
Shen Zhinian could clearly feel that his body temperature was rapidly decreasing, his teeth were chattering uncontrollably, and waves of numbness and stiffness were coming from his limbs.
This bone-deep coldness is more despairing than the wolves wandering outside the cave!
Without fire, they would not be able to survive this cold night!
Shen Zhinian knew that if they continued like this, frozen to death and suffering from hypothermia, the fate of her and Gu Jinxiao would be no different from being eaten by wolves.
At this moment, Gu Jinxiao, who had been silent beside him, moved.
He adjusted his posture very slowly to avoid making any noise by touching the rock wall, then lowered his voice and said to Shen Zhinian, "My Lady, we need to light a fire to keep out the cold."
"I'll go outside and get some dry firewood. Please wait a moment, Your Majesty."
Shen Zhinian's heart suddenly tightened, and his voice was filled with a hint of barely perceptible panic: "No!"
"There are wolves outside. It's too dangerous!"
The wolf's sense of smell is so sharp that any movement may be detected by this deadly beast.