209: Chapter 208 The Appearance of the Wolf Pack

After daybreak, the brilliant sunlight poured down unreservedly, as if spreading a golden velvet carpet over the earth.

The snow around the Shelter had long since melted away, leaving only a few damp patches on the ground that shimmered with a delicate and charming light under the sun's caress, like stardust scattered across the floor.

Lu Fan slowly woke from his slumber and stretched comfortably. The fresh, pleasant morning air instantly seeped through his nasal passages and into his lungs, invigorating his spirit.

The image of the Taro and chili peppers he had planted with his own hands suddenly surfaced in his mind, so he headed toward that small 'vegetable patch' with great interest.

Arriving at the patch, he gently removed the bamboo baskets covering the seedlings.

He saw that the Taro leaves were slightly yellowing, and the chili pepper plants also looked a bit wilted, swaying gently in the light breeze as if telling him of their struggle for survival.

Lu Fan slowly squatted down, inspected them thoroughly, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's fine, it's fine. Although they don't look very energetic, the root systems are still firm and won't affect future growth. They probably got a bit frostbitten from the snow earlier. With more sunlight and frequent watering, they'll regain their vitality soon."

As he spoke, he reached out and pulled the weeds that had just sprouted nearby.

Returning to the Shelter, Lu Fan and An Lan shared a simple breakfast together.

After finishing the meal, a strong desire for exploration quietly welled up in Lu Fan's heart.

While packing his simple gear, he said to An Lan, "An Lan, I'm going out for a stroll to see if I can find any more treasures."

Just as Lu Fan was about to set off, Da Hei, who had been lying quietly in the corner, suddenly stood up. He instantly became restless and began growling incessantly in one direction.

His barks were sharp and urgent, piercing the morning silence. The fur on his neck stood up like steel needles out of anger and alertness, his tail wagged stiffly, and his entire body radiated an aura of facing a formidable enemy.

Both Lu Fan and An Lan were very confused. They looked at each other, seeing worry and bafflement in each other's eyes.

"What's wrong with Da Hei?" An Lan's voice carried a hint of unease as she instinctively moved closer to Lu Fan.

"I don't know, but something is definitely happening."

Lu Fan frowned with a solemn expression, his eyes locked onto the direction Da Hei was staring at, trying to find the reason for Da Hei's abnormal behavior.

At that moment, Da Hei could no longer restrain himself and lunged in that direction. His speed was like a bolt of black lightning, and he vanished from sight in an instant.

Lu Fan's heart tightened. He knew Da Hei wouldn't act this way for no reason; he must have encountered danger or discovered an extremely unusual situation.

"Something might have happened to Da Hei!"

Without time to think, he turned and rushed to the corner where the gear was kept, quickly grabbed the Explosives, skillfully slung his Bow and Arrow over his shoulder, and followed the trail where Da Hei had disappeared.

Seeing this, An Lan followed closely behind without hesitation.

They sprinted through the dense jungle, branches and vines constantly whipping against them, causing sharp pain, but they couldn't care about that now.

Relying on his keen observation, Lu Fan kept a close eye on Da Hei's footprints on the ground and the traces of broken branches, racing all the way.

"Lu Fan, what do you think happened to Da Hei?"

An Lan asked breathlessly, her voice mingled with the gasps from running, every breath feeling like a strain on her exhausted body.

"I don't know, but it's definitely urgent. Stay alert and protect yourself!" Lu Fan shouted without looking back, his voice echoing through the thick jungle.

His heart rate accelerated rapidly, and images of Da Hei in potential danger kept flashing in his mind. He quickened his pace, creating a whistling sound of wind.

As they ventured deeper into the jungle, the surrounding atmosphere became increasingly eerie.

The originally noisy chirping of insects gradually disappeared, as if cut off by an invisible curtain, leaving only their hurried footsteps and heavy breathing, which sounded particularly abrupt in the silent jungle.

Suddenly, a low roar came from ahead. The sound was powerful and full of deterrence, making one's eardrums ache; it was certainly not something an ordinary beast could produce.

Lu Fan and An Lan looked at each other, both seeing shock and tension in the other's eyes.

Lu Fan instinctively gripped the Explosives in his hand and signaled An Lan to stop with his other hand.

He cautiously moved forward, each step extremely slow, for fear of making any sound that might alert the unknown danger ahead.

[Wolf Pack Discovered]

Lu Fan peered through the dense foliage and saw a pack of wolves spreading out in a fan shape in the clearing ahead.

They were lithe and agile, their fur shimmering with a cold luster in the dim light. Their eerie green eyes radiated bloodthirsty light as they watched the front intently.

Directly opposite the wolf pack, Da Hei stood tall with his fur bristling, confronting an exceptionally sturdy wolf—presumably the pack leader.

Lu Fan understood most of the situation instantly. He surmised that this was the wolf pack Da Hei had belonged to before.

After being defeated previously, Da Hei had been forced to leave this group. Now, the competitive Da Hei seemed to want to challenge the new Alpha Wolf again to reclaim his former status.

While Lu Fan was thinking, the wolves' keen sense of smell detected Lu Fan and An Lan's scent.

They quickly turned their heads, locking their gazes on the two people. That gaze seemed to carry physical weight, making it hard to breathe.

Then, they began to move slowly in unison, the circle of encirclement gradually shrinking, surrounding Lu Fan and An Lan.

Sensing the danger, Da Hei turned without hesitation and ran quickly to stand in front of Lu Fan and An Lan.

His body was tense, his muscles bulging with power. A low growl emanated from his throat as he demonstrated his defiance to the wolf pack, showing he would never allow them to harm his masters behind him.

The tense atmosphere was like an invisible net, tightly enveloping everyone.

Every wolf crouched low, front paws on the ground, poised and ready to launch an attack at any moment.

Their tails sometimes swayed side to side as if testing the waters, and sometimes hung stiffly down, showing their inner alertness and excitement.

The air seemed to be ignited by this tension, and a thrilling battle could break out at any second.

"An Lan, don't panic. Back up slowly and keep us back-to-back."

Lu Fan tried his best to make his voice sound steady and calm, but he couldn't help feeling a bit frightened inside; after all, this was a whole pack of wolves.

His eyes never left the wolf pack as he slightly turned his body to let An Lan stand behind him, forming a defensive posture.