Chapter 277 - 100: Targeting the Alpha Wolf

Explosion is certainly inevitable.But according to Hua Yun, it can’t be as blindly executed as before.

"Now, while we still have some energy left, let’s observe the situation from above, find the head wolf, and kill it first."

Hua Yun said, carefully watching the hidden wolf pack.

Chen Wen calmed down and started observing the movements of the wolves.

"Generally speaking, the head wolf is quite special. Back in our hometown, the simplest way to identify the head wolf is by its posture."

Seeing that Chen Wen wasn’t very familiar with the wolves, Hua Yun shared her insights.

"The one with its tail held high is usually the head wolf. Also, look at the head; most wolves have drooping heads, but the head wolf usually holds its head high to assign tasks, observe the pack, and assert its status."

Chen Wen nodded slightly upon hearing this.

He roughly knew how to identify the head wolf now.

Under the flashlight’s illumination, Chen Wen and Hua Yun quickly locked onto three targets.

"This silver-gray wolf might be it, along with this gray-white wolf I shot, and this bluish-gray wolf."

Hua Yun summarized Chen Wen’s and her findings, and began analyzing: "I feel this silver-gray wolf seems like it."

Hua Yun said.

But just as she was about to shoot the silver-gray wolf.

The silver-gray wolf suddenly raised its head and howled.

Two gray wolves beside it quickly returned to its side, hiding behind obstacles.

Now Hua Yun was completely certain.

She drew her bow and nocked an arrow, taking advantage of the silver-gray wolf not yet hiding.

An arrow shot out!

With a snap.

The arrow grazed past the silver-gray wolf and hit a rock.

"What a pity! Just a little bit more and it would have been hit!"

Hua Yun regretted dearly.

But at this moment, shooting an arrow became much more difficult.

The silver-gray wolf cautiously hid behind the cover, showing no intention of coming out.

Hua Yun could only see its shadow flickering, but she never had a clear shot.

While Hua Yun focused on shooting the silver-gray wolf, Chen Wen was also observing.

He suddenly noticed that the silver-gray wolf seemed to have the urge to retreat.

But it did not recoil; instead, it occasionally turned to look at the injured gray-white wolf.

Could the one hit by the arrow be the head wolf?

Chen Wen suddenly had a thought.

Though he felt it might not be possible.

Didn’t Hua Yun say the one with its head held high was the head wolf?

This one hung its head like a dying old dog, hardly showing the demeanor of a wolf king.

But adhering to the principle of rather wrongfully killing than letting it go.

Chen Wen slowly gripped his axe, focusing on the gray-white wolf.

Hua Yun noticed Chen Wen’s action and asked, "Have you discovered something?"

"Hmm, but I’m not sure if my discovery is correct, you focus on your task."

Chen Wen did not interfere with Hua Yun’s judgment.

She grew up in Meng Province and started surviving on the prairie, encountering wolves far more often than Chen Wen did.

Since Chen Wen didn’t speak, Hua Yun didn’t ask further.

She held her breath, seizing the moment of the silver-gray wolf’s relaxation.

Suddenly shot another arrow.

Missed again!

Hua Yun felt a bit frustrated.

Tonight, for some reason, she felt in poor form, her aim easily distracted.

If Chen Wen observed Hua Yun, he would surely have pointed out why Hua Yun was in bad shape.

She was in exhaustion.

She had the night watch in the first half of the night, and was awakened in the latter half, leading to almost no rest for her.

Considering they had little rest while traveling along the way.

This meant, once the situation stabilized a bit, relaxation led Hua Yun to be engulfed in drowsiness.

But at this moment, Chen Wen did not pay mind to Hua Yun.

After Hua Yun’s second shot, he suddenly widened his eyes.

The wounded gray-white wolf seemed particularly scared of the bow and arrow.

It let out a low growl.

Ordinarily, this growl was normal.

But after it howled, the surrounding wolves moved slightly closer towards it.

This action seemed insignificant.

But in Chen Wen’s eyes, it was key evidence revealing its identity as the wolf king!

Would ordinary wolves, after a howl, have others move closer to show a protective stance?

Chen Wen was fairly certain the gray-white wolf was the wolf king!

He conveyed his suspicion to Hua Yun.

Hua Yun was taken aback and immediately shone the flashlight at the gray-white wolf.

Upon being illuminated, the gray-white wolf seemingly sensed something amiss, barred its teeth and snarled, leading the pack to hide behind a tree.

"Hey, it really might be it!"

Hua Yun exclaimed, "How did you figure it out?"

Chen Wen shared his earlier inference, provoking Hua Yun to exclaim in admiration.

"It’s so... detailed!"

Hua Yun praised, "Amid such chaos, you managed to pinpoint such a detail, impressive!"

The compliment I’ll accept, but keep your trouble with details to yourself, okay?

Chen Wen mentally retorted.

"So what do we do now? This wolf is cunning."

Chen Wen asked, "It keeps hiding behind the tree, and the wolves are clustered around it."

"Simple, force them to disperse!"

Hua Yun cut a strip off her rabbit fur hat with a dagger, and took out a glass bottle from her pocket.

This glass bottle was exchanged with the distinctive rock ’n’ roll medic Renia back at the first town.

Used for storing grizzly bear fat.

Hua Yun usually applied this fat on her face.

Upon witnessing, Chen Wen asked, "What do you mean?"

"Fire attack! No more delays!"

Hua Yun’s tone was quite firm, but Chen Wen was terrified: "Sis! I’m calling you sis! Please don’t! A fire attack? In such a high-latitude forest? Even with snow, if something catches fire, it could consume the whole forest!"

"If the forest burns down, at worst we rot in jail, but if we’re surrounded by fire, we’d be dead without a trace!"

Hua Yun didn’t expect Chen Wen to react so vehemently.

She said helplessly, "Without the fire, it’s nearly impossible to shoot the head wolf."

"As for igniting the forest, I feel it’s unlikely, the surroundings are covered in snow, haven’t you noticed? It’s starting to snow."

This wasn’t enough to convince Chen Wen, he still shook his head.

Pines and spruces in such high latitudes are rich in oils.

If they were really ignited, no one could predict the extent of the fire.

In short, Chen Wen strongly disagreed with this approach.

Seeing no way to convince Chen Wen, Hua Yun asked, "Do you have any alternative plans?"

Chen Wen hesitated for a moment and said, "I have a plan, but we might need the Golden Eagle and the Snowy Owl to cooperate."

This statement made Hua Yun pause, looking at the Golden Eagle and the Snowy Owl.

Facing the North American gray wolves, what role could these two little ones play?

It would be extremely difficult for them to even harm the North American gray wolves.

But Chen Wen thought otherwise.

The Golden Eagle, for instance, the larger ones can hunt wolves.

Although that’s coyotes and foxes, clearly, they can’t hunt gray wolves.

But they, along with the Snowy Owl, could act as harassment units, disturbing the wolves, leading them to reveal weaknesses.

If the wolves exposed a weakness, whether through Hua Yun’s bow or Chen Wen’s own stealthy attack, it could bring a decisive outcome.

Therefore, Chen Wen’s plan was simple: "Let the Golden Eagle and Snowy Owl harass the head wolf, making it unable to tolerate them."

"While it’s distracted, I’ll go down, seize the chance to strike with my axe, and you’ll find an opportunity to shoot from above."

"No matter which of us lands a blow, that wolf will surely have no burial place!"