Chapter 45 - 46: Crisis

Chapter 45: Chapter 46: Crisis

Everything in the space was still in its original place. The water storage compartment was relatively empty, but everything else was still packed full.

Just then, Gu Wenheng suddenly grabbed her hand. "It’s not your space. We’re all in danger now."

It wasn’t just Jin Qianqian’s heart that was racing; Gu Wenheng felt panic creeping in as well.

Before Jin Qianqian could even react, Gu Wenheng pulled her to her feet and began scanning their surroundings.

"What are you doing?" As soon as the words left Jin Qianqian’s mouth, her eyes locked onto the distance. "There! Look over there, do you see that gleam of light?"

Gu Wenheng gritted his teeth. "Those are wild animals. I just don’t know what kind."

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gu Wenheng yelled, "Everyone, wake up! There’s trouble!"

"What now? It’s the middle of the night, can’t a person sleep?" someone immediately shot back impatiently.

"What’s happening?" Others immediately shot up, clearly still rattled by what had happened before.

"Look over there. See those lights? Does anyone know what kind of animals those could be?" Gu Wenheng had his suspicions, but he wanted to be more certain.

"Looks like a wolf pack," said Gu Yuanjin. He and Gu Yuanmu used to hunt together in the mountains and often ran into old, experienced hunters.

So, while they had never encountered wolves themselves, they had some knowledge of their habits.

"Wolves?" Jin Qianqian hugged her arms tightly. "It’s been so dry the whole way. How could there still be wolves in this area?"

Gu Wenheng said in a low voice, "You forgot about that patch of green we saw earlier. There might be a water source there."

Jin Qianqian replied, "So does that mean we can’t go there either?"

Gu Wenheng felt uncertain now. After all, they were all flesh and blood. When faced with such beasts, they could only retreat, not charge in and fight them for territory.

"They’re staring this way now. The strong smell of blood probably drew them here." Gu Yuanjin gripped the knife in his hand and started yelling to his three sons, "Hurry up and pile the firewood together! Gather everything you can from nearby, don’t go far, and be quick about it!"

"Wolves are afraid of fire?" Gu Shulin ran over just in time to hear. "My father wanted me to ask if you have any good ideas."

In the village, they were the only brothers who went into the mountains to hunt, so naturally, Gu Sanbu had thought of them.

Gu Yuanjin replied, "I’ve only heard old hunters talk about it. If it’s a pack of wolves, then it all comes down to our luck.

They’re not just numerous, they’re also cunning. The only thing that can stop them for now is a bonfire."

Gu Wenheng added, "We should try to gather everyone together. That will also help conserve firewood."

"Move it!" Jin Qianqian could no longer stand by. She pointed to a high slope to one side, tracing a half-circle in the air. "Quick, set up a perimeter over there!"

Gu Shulin immediately understood. It was indeed a defensible position, sheltered from the wind, so the smoke wouldn’t blow back into their faces.

No one dared to delay. Shouting to one another, they moved with a coordination born from their journey together. Everyone surged toward the spot, not only carrying their own belongings but also grabbing all the firewood they could find and hauling it over.

Their movement was like a signal. As soon as others heard the commotion, they also sprang into action.

Perhaps the commotion was too loud, because the pairs of lantern-like eyes on the hillside were startled and began to move rapidly.

"They’re coming!" someone screamed, and everyone’s eyes fixed on the hillside.

Gu Wenheng grabbed a torch. "Don’t just stand there! Light the fires!"

"There are still people over there!" Lan Ying suddenly shrieked, pointing in the direction where Li Chuntong and the others were tied up.

"So what if there are? Why don’t *you* go bring them in?" Liu Liu had already rolled her eyes countless times over Gu Yuanlei bringing the entire Lan Family into their group. Hearing this ridiculous comment now, she snapped right back.

"How can you be so cruel?" Lan Ying covered her mouth, her face a mask of disbelief.

Liu Liu was so angry she was momentarily speechless. It was Wang Caiyue beside her who retorted with biting sarcasm, "You’re so kind, so merciful. Shouldn’t you be the one to perform such a good deed? Go on, bring them over. We’ll all praise you for it."

"You..."

Jin Qianqian’s tense mood was broken by their bickering. She pressed her lips together, trying her best not to laugh out loud.

"They’re here," Gu Yuanjin said, his eyes fixed ahead. "We brothers will stand in the front. Le Tian and the others will back us up from behind."

At this, he glanced back worriedly. Except for Gu Dashishi, who was still lying unconscious on the ground, every single member of his family was present.

"Mother, you all hide at the very back. No matter what happens, don’t come forward."

Li Cuicui gritted her teeth and pulled the young children behind her. "Don’t worry. I know what to do."

Gu Wenheng glanced at Gu Yuanlei, who was standing beside them. ’That guy is actually shielding the Lan Family. He’s really a lost cause.’

Standing at the back, Jin Qianqian had a clearer view of everyone’s positions. A sense of caution rose within her, and she quietly moved to stand behind Gu Wenheng.

"AWOOO..." In twos and threes, the wolves stared at them from the hilltop, howling incessantly. The sound made everyone’s blood run cold.

Many of the more timid people couldn’t take it anymore and began to cry out in despair and fear. This only increased the panic among those guarding the bonfires. This wasn’t like the stories. This was a face-to-face standoff.

The sight of those icy, greedy eyes, in particular, made everyone involuntarily tighten their grip on their weapons.

"Qianqian, get over here right now!" Li Cuicui whispered urgently when she saw that Jin Qianqian was also gripping a weapon, standing behind Gu Wenheng.

Jin Qianqian looked back and gave her a slight shake of her head. "Mother, don’t worry. I won’t get in the way."

’If there weren’t so many people around, she would have handed Gu Wenheng the electric baton. She had only just remembered it. When she was buying wholesale goods, she had considered that she might hire security for a future mall and had casually tossed it in her space.’

"Why are there hyenas too?" Gu Wenheng recognized the scrawny-looking wild dogs that appeared on the other side. He had only ever seen them in books before and never expected to encounter them here.

’So many pack animals appearing at once... today really is the unluckiest day.’

"Hyenas?"

Gu Yuantu had never heard of them and thought they were just ordinary wild dogs.

"They’re recorded in books. They’re infamous and use insidious methods when they hunt. Everyone, try to keep them from getting close. Build up the fires in front of you and do your best to avoid confronting them." Gu Wenheng had to attribute his knowledge to what he’d read in books.

He didn’t need to explain any further. Many people were already covering their mouths, trying to suppress the bile rising in their throats.

Unlike the wolves, which were cautiously maintaining a standoff, the hyenas showed no such hesitation. They swarmed into the area where the group had been resting earlier, dragged away the bandits’ corpses that lay there, and began to tear them apart right in front of everyone.