Chapter Thirteen: Escape

Jiang Yu and the others vaguely noticed that behind the white wolf, numerous packs of wolves were gradually emerging. This new group was different from the ones that had attacked them earlier. The previous wolves were clearly ordinary, but these wolves were not only twice as large as the earlier ones, they also seemed to have gained a form of intelligence.

It was as if they had mutated.

They resembled some kind of aberration, yet lacked the ferocity of true mutants.

Facing a wolf pack that could attack them at any moment, Jiang Yu and the others remained vigilant.

"Captain, shall we engage?"

The wolves merely stared at them, showing no intention of advancing. Yet, a stalemate was no solution—one side had to make the first move.

"Wait a little longer."

Without fully understanding the strength of their opponents, Xiao He was unwilling to take unnecessary risks. If these wolves were tougher than they appeared, the situation would turn unfavorable.

Yu Zhou looked at Xiao He and said, "Maybe we should just attack. No matter who strikes first, eventually we have to confront them. We’ve already wasted enough time here. If we don’t find any clues about the aberration enhancements today, we’ll have to make another trip tomorrow."

It wasn’t that they couldn’t return another day; Yu Zhou simply wished to resolve the matter sooner, avoiding any unforeseen complications later.

Xiao He couldn’t deny the logic in Yu Zhou’s words.

"Alright. Get ready. We attack. If things go wrong, we retreat quickly—our safety first."

"Understood."

Once prepared, Xiao He and Yu Zhou led a group charging directly toward the wolf pack, with Jiang Yu and the others following closely behind.

Seeing them move, the wolves dropped their cautious stance. The lead wolf let out a signal howl, and the entire pack sprinted toward them.

Jiang Yu gripped her dagger, moving swiftly to stab the wolf lunging at her. The blade penetrated its body and was withdrawn without hesitation, blood spurting from the wound.

Without glancing at the fallen wolf, she immediately struck another, killing two wolves mere seconds apart. Her attacks were relentless, and she sometimes moved to assist teammates who found themselves surrounded.

"Howl!"

The lead wolf howled again—not a call to retreat this time.

Jiang Yu noticed the white wolf move.

"Captain, watch out!"

The white wolf charged straight at Xiao He and Yu Zhou, who were at the forefront. Engaged in a fierce fight with the surrounding wolves, they hadn’t noticed the white wolf’s approach until it was right before them.

They dodged swiftly but still sustained minor injuries.

"Captain!"

Everyone’s attention shifted to the two leaders. They hastily dispatched the wolves encircling them to provide support.

"Don’t get distracted."

The two remained alert, eyes locked on the white wolf. Up close, they sensed the dangerous aura radiating from it. Exchanging a glance, they attacked from left and right in perfect coordination.

Their combined efforts finally wounded the white wolf.

Furious, the white wolf let out a roar and intensified its assault. At first, the two thought they could handle it, but as time passed, they grew weary.

"This can’t go on!"

They were stuck—unable to defeat the wolf, yet retreating would endanger those behind them.

"Captain, I’ll help you."

Without them realizing, Jiang Yu had joined the fray. With her aid, the tide turned swiftly.

Together, the three overwhelmed the white wolf. Realizing it was losing, the wolf tried to escape.

Wily, it summoned its companions to hold Jiang Yu and the others back, buying itself time to flee.

"Trying to run?"

Jiang Yu quickly cleared the wolves before her and blocked the white wolf’s path.

She suspected that some energy had altered the wolf, making it stronger and mutated—perhaps even more valuable for research than the aberrations they’d seen.

The white wolf snarled, startled that Jiang Yu had caught up.

She gave no chance for escape, swiftly engaging the wounded wolf in close combat. Though alone, it didn’t take long for her to subdue it.

Only when the white wolf ceased struggling did Jiang Yu relent.

Not long after, the rest of the battle ended. Xiao He and the others arrived, relieved to see their comrades unharmed. They initially thought the white wolf lying beside Jiang Yu had been slain, but upon closer inspection, it was still alive.

"Jiang Yu, why didn’t you kill it?"

Xiao He couldn’t comprehend Jiang Yu’s actions; she often did things that puzzled him.

"Captain, this white wolf must have mutated from some energy influence. I think it should be handed over to experts for study."

Looking down at the barely breathing wolf, Xiao He realized she was right. Not only this wolf, but the others that had clearly mutated should be taken back for examination.

Why hadn’t he thought of that?

"Alright. Place this white wolf with the others. We’ll bring them all back when we return."

Since they still had to investigate the anomalies ahead, they didn’t arrange to transport the wolves immediately.

After gathering the wolves in a concealed spot, they pressed onward.

The journey was calm until the two leaders at the front suddenly stopped and signaled silence to those behind.

Xiao He’s group cautiously crouched, nerves taut as they observed the area ahead.

Jiang Yu, trailing behind, didn’t know what they had spotted, but the entire team’s atmosphere turned tense.

Yu Zhou nudged Xiao He, whispering, "What now? Retreat?"

Xiao He read his lips and nodded quietly, "Retreat."

He signaled the team, who immediately began withdrawing along their path, every movement careful to avoid noise.

Suddenly, a phone rang sharply, startling everyone and alerting whatever lurked behind them.

"What are you standing there for? Run!"

Xiao He and Yu Zhou cursed silently, unsure whose phone had gone off—timing couldn’t have been worse.

Jiang Yu glanced back mid-run; her pupils contracted sharply, every hair on her body standing on end.