211: Chapter 211: The Plan to Lure the Enemy Deep

The wind and snow were heavy. Shen Xiaochuan stood behind a steel plate on a high slope. He held a communicator in his hand, and the red dot on the screen remained motionless. That was the target locked by the Cold Domain Perception Scroll.

"Goudan, are you in position?" he asked in a low voice.

Panting and the sound of wind came through the headset, "I'm here, just entered the slope, Avalanche Zone Point Three. We threw the heat source packs, and it moved."

"Follow the plan," Shen Xiaochuan said. "Don't run too fast; make it feel like you guys can't hold on."

"Understood."

Goudan paused for a moment, "It's out! It's charging straight at us!"

Shen Xiaochuan looked down at the screen. The red dot began to move at a very fast speed. He stared at the ambush circle on the map—it hadn't entered the range yet.

"Blast the first snow slope!" he ordered.

Boom!

A loud bang echoed in the distance, and the accumulated snow collapsed. The red dot paused for a second, bypassed the falling rocks, and continued the pursuit.

"Retreat further, pull it toward the middle," Shen Xiaochuan said.

There was no reply from Goudan's side, only the sound of footsteps and panting. He knew they were running for their lives. Light armor couldn't withstand a single strike from the Giant Wolf; they could only rely on their route to survive.

"Second concussion grenade, prepare."

"Thrown!"

Another explosion rang out, the side slope collapsed, and dust rose. The red dot blurred for a moment but soon reappeared. It was only two hundred meters away from the ambush circle.

"Almost there..." Shen Xiaochuan held his breath.

The five members of Goudan's squad scattered and retreated. Someone intentionally tripped, scrambled up, and continued running. Another person dropped an armguard, the metallic reflection attracting the Giant Wolf's attention. These were all arranged by Shen Xiaochuan—it had to look real, but they couldn't actually die.

"One hundred meters..." he counted.

The Giant Wolf charged into the entrance of the ice valley. Its four-meter-tall body appeared massive within the valley. Its silver-white fur fluttered, and its left front claw hit the ground half a beat slow, as if from an old injury.

"It's injured." Shen Xiaochuan's heart tightened. "Now is the time."

"Sixty meters... fifty meters..."

Goudan and the others passed the ambush centerline, which was the safe zone. flamethrowers were on the high ground on both sides, and obsidian traps were buried beneath the ice layer at the bottom of the valley. They were just waiting for the Giant Wolf's paws to step in.

"Thirty meters..."

The Giant Wolf accelerated, its tail flicking, and ice shards clattered against the ground. Fearing its prey would escape, it began a full-force sprint.

"Twenty meters... ten meters..."

The last team member jumped over the marker line and tumbled into the bunker. In the feed, that person rolled on the ground panting, their face covered in ice crystals.

"It's in!" Goudan shouted, "It's in!"

The red dot entered the main pressure zone. A System prompt popped up: [Target has entered the trap coverage area, immediate trigger suggested].

Shen Xiaochuan pressed the button.

Click!

A mechanical sound came from beneath the ice. Six obsidian spikes popped out, stabbing upward with chains attached. Two pierced the hind legs, the chains tightened, and the Giant Wolf's movement stiffened.

Simultaneously, firelight flashed brilliantly from the high ground on both sides.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Twelve flamethrowers fired in unison, flames erupting to form walls of fire that sealed the retreat. The high temperature melted the ice layer, water vapor steamed up, and the entire valley floor was illuminated by the firelight.

The Giant Wolf stopped, its front claws slamming the ground as it let out a heaven-shaking roar. Even the high slope was trembling.

"Success!" Goudan looked up, "It's locked down!"

Shen Xiaochuan didn't speak, staring at the screen. The infrared display showed the Giant Wolf's body temperature was very high, and its limb muscles were contracting violently; it was trying to break free.

The obsidian chains were pulled taut, emitting creaking sounds, and the cracks in the ice surface grew larger.

"Its strength is too great; it won't hold for long." He grabbed the communicator, "Everyone pay attention, the trap can only trap it for one minute, prepare for phase two."

"Received! Firepower group in position! traction net is ready!"

Shen Xiaochuan crouched down to check the backup System. The flamethrowers could still burn for three minutes. The obsidian trap had a weight limit of fifty tons; he had just measured that this wolf's impact force was close to sixty tons.

"It's over the limit," he said in a low voice. "It needs reinforcement."

He opened the Faith Mall and found Cold-Resistant Alloy. There were eight tons in stock, which was enough. He placed the order, selecting 'Immediate Delivery to Frontline Supply Point'.

Three seconds later, the supply crate landed nearby. Two guards rushed out, welding the alloy plates onto the fixed stakes and reinforcing them with melting guns.

"Just hold on for another thirty seconds." Shen Xiaochuan stared at the Giant Wolf.

The beast struggled frantically. With every burst of power, the ice layer cracked in a circle. The chains embedded into its hind legs, blood flowing down mixed with ice shards, but it didn't care. The fur on its neck stood on end, clearly about to exhale cold air.

"It's about to use a skill." Shen Xiaochuan ordered, "All equipment switch to anti-freeze mode, personnel close your eyes!"

As the words fell, the Giant Wolf looked up and spat out a stream of extreme cold air. The temperature plummeted, the flames froze instantly, the fire walls turned into ice pillars and shattered with a crash. The blood on the chains also froze, which actually jammed the joints.

"Good! While it's stiff!" Shen Xiaochuan pressed the button, "Activate Stage Two Trap—Electromagnetic Interference Net!"

Buzz!

An electric net descended from the sky, covering the Giant Wolf. Current surged through it, its body twitched, and the breath attack was interrupted. Electric sparks danced on its fur, illuminating its face.

"It's working!" Goudan shouted, "It can't move!"

Shen Xiaochuan didn't let up. He knew this kind of exotic beast wouldn't fall so easily. He looked at the screen and found the Giant Wolf's pupils contracting and its heart rate accelerating—it was about to erupt.

"Everyone, retreat five meters," he ordered in a low voice. "It's about to break free."

Three seconds later, the Giant Wolf's muscles bulged, and with a low growl, it forcibly tore its two hind legs out of the chains. The obsidian spikes snapped, fragments flying everywhere, clanging against the steel plates.

It stood upright, covered in frozen blood, its left front claw dragging on the ground, its gaze even more ferocious. It turned its head toward the high slope, as if it could see Shen Xiaochuan.

"It's locked onto you," Goudan warned.

Shen Xiaochuan didn't move. He still had one last card—the traction net. As long as he could pull the Giant Wolf down, he could set up the third wave of traps.

"It's going to charge." He stared at the screen.

The Giant Wolf kicked off with its hind legs, the accumulated snow exploding, and its body shot toward the high slope like a cannonball. Its speed was even faster than before, clearly intending to destroy the command point.

"Release the nets!" Shen Xiaochuan roared.

Two giant traction nets were thrown from the high grounds on both sides, connected to steel cables and winches. The nets unfolded in the air, heading to cover the Giant Wolf's head.

But the beast was too clever. It turned mid-way, using its tail to swipe away one net. The other net brushed past its back, only catching a few hairs before being immediately snapped.

"So close..." Goudan slapped his thigh.

The Giant Wolf had already rushed to the bottom of the slope, looking up at Shen Xiaochuan. It didn't charge again but instead slowly crouched down, as if gathering power. The fur on its neck stood up, and frost patterns began to form on the ground.

"It's going to use its ultimate move." Shen Xiaochuan calculated the distance, "Everyone, get into the bunkers, close the covers!"

He himself didn't move. He had to see the Giant Wolf's next move clearly to decide whether to use the final resort—the self-destructing incendiary bombs.

The Giant Wolf's breathing became heavy, each exhale carrying white mist. Its eyes were fixed deathly on the high slope. Suddenly, its left front claw scratched the ground, seemingly as a probe.

"Its leg injury is affecting its balance." Shen Xiaochuan suddenly understood, "It doesn't dare to jump up, fearing it won't land steadily."

He immediately grabbed the communicator: "Goudan, take two people and circle around from the west side, make some noise, and lure it to turn around."

"Understood!"

A few minutes later, an explosion came from the west. Goudan threw a concussion grenade, intentionally exposing their position. The Giant Wolf indeed turned its head, its body following, and its left front claw hitched when it landed.

Now is the time!

Shen Xiaochuan pressed the final button.

Boom!

Three high-explosive mines at the top of the slope detonated simultaneously. The shockwave flipped the Giant Wolf over. It used its right claw to brace itself, but its left claw didn't react in time, and its body tilted, falling into an ice pit.

"Hit!" Goudan shouted, "It's down!"

Shen Xiaochuan immediately ordered: "All flamethrowers, maximum power! Reset the obsidian traps, prepare for secondary binding!"

The firelight rose again, this time spraying directly at the abdomen. The Giant Wolf roared and struggled, but having been blown off balance, its movements were slow. obsidian spikes popped out from the side, one piercing the shoulder blade, and chains wrapped around its front limbs.

It was pinned to the ground.

"Success..." Goudan leaned against the bunker panting, "We really trapped it."

Shen Xiaochuan stood on the high slope, looking at the Giant Wolf in the firelight. The beast was still moving, but every struggle pulled at its wounds, becoming slower and slower. The flames melted the ice, and blood dripped down its fur, burning small holes into the snow.

"It won't last long," he said.

But he didn't dare relax. This wolf was only trapped, not yet defeated. He still had a scroll in his hand—'Battle Intent Activation', which could boost the whole team's combat power for ten seconds. But it would cause weakness for three minutes after use, so he had to wait for the optimal moment.

He looked toward Goudan's side. All five people were alive, hiding behind the bunkers and observing. No one was injured; the mission was accomplished.

"Goudan." He connected to the channel, "You guys retreat to the safe zone first and stand by."

"You're not leaving?"

"I have to watch it," Shen Xiaochuan said. "If it breaks free, this is the first place it'll come."

Goudan was silent for two seconds, "Okay. Then be careful."

The communication cut off. The wind and snow grew heavier, the flames flickering in the wind, illuminating his face fitfully. He touched the copper gear pendant on his neck; it felt slightly warm.

faith points were still rising. Three points per second, very steady.

Shen Xiaochuan stared at the Giant Wolf, his finger resting on the detonator, and whispered, "Come on, let's see if you can break free, or if my traps can completely subdue you."