Chapter 207: The Gray Wolf King (Please Subscribe and Support)

The procession had reached a desolate plain, where dilapidated houses lay scattered, and lone wolves roamed among them. Suddenly, with a thunderous crash, one of the houses collapsed under the weight of a few birds. Along the crumbling road, groups of the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled were being herded by a military escort.

“Move quickly! Move faster...” the soldiers urged the exhausted refugees mercilessly.

Suddenly, without anyone noticing when it appeared, a yellow-eyed gray wolf emerged not far from the group, lifting its head and staring fixedly in a certain direction.

“Brother, where exactly are we heading?” Tianming asked Shaoyu with a cheerful grin.

“You should call me ‘Big Brother,’ little brother,” Shaoyu replied with a light tap on Tianming’s shoulder. “You’ll understand once we arrive.”

“Are you not planning to return home this time?” Tianming inquired.

“Home... that’s no longer our home,” Shaoyu shook his head, a trace of sadness in his voice. “Our true home lies far to the south.”

“To the south?” Tianming questioned, puzzled.

“You don’t seem to know much about what’s going on around here,” Shaoyu said with a disdainful glance.

“What do you mean by that?” Tianming leaned closer and shook his fist playfully. “Are you calling me stupid?”

Shaoyu turned his head away. After spending so much time with Tianming, he feared he might lose his own wits. These past days, Tianming had incessantly pestered him with endless questions, never giving him a moment’s peace.

“Except for the Qin Kingdom, ordinary people across the world have lost their homes,” came a lazy voice from the carriage. Ying Zheng had unified the six states and swept across the lands, a great emperor in stature but not in benevolence. His grand constructions—the Great Wall among them—had plunged the people into endless labor. Rome was not built in a day, yet he was impatient, trying to accomplish in decades what should take centuries. Overreaching only leads to downfall.

“Why is that?” Tianming asked curiously.

“Because of that tyrant, Ying Zheng,” Shaoyu replied with anger.

“Shaoyu, be careful!” Xiang Liang, who was driving the carriage ahead, warned.

“One day, I will overthrow that tyrant and bring freedom to the people,” Shaoyu vowed, clenching his fist defiantly, ignoring Xiang Liang’s caution.

“Just you?” Tianming scoffed.

“With the Xiang clan and the heroes from all corners, we stand strong,” Shaoyu declared proudly.

“The Xiang clan?” Tianming thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Never heard of them.”

“That’s because you’re ignorant. How could anyone within the seven states not know the name of the Xiang clan of Chu?” Shaoyu rolled his eyes in disbelief.

“Then how did your Chu get defeated by Qin?” Tianming countered.

“That debt will be settled, sooner or later. The Xiang clan is the strongest,” Shaoyu said with firm conviction.

...

“This stretch ahead is barren for several miles—everyone stay alert,” Fan Zeng instructed Xiang Liang as they observed the increasingly desolate surroundings.

Suddenly, a few indistinct black shapes flickered past nearby.

“Hey, look over there,” one of the Xiang guards pointed to the distance, calling to a comrade.

“There’s nothing there,” the other guard said doubtfully.

“Look carefully.”

“There’s something there.”

“The horses seem frightened,” the guard stroked his mount anxiously.

“Uncle Liang, the situation is not good,” the same guard rode up to Xiang Liang and reported.

“What’s the matter?” Xiang Liang asked, turning to face him.

“Look behind us,” came the reply.

Heeding the warning, Xiang Liang quickly turned. Countless dark specks were rushing toward them.

“What is that?” Fan Zeng asked.

“Wolves! Many wolves,” Xiang Liang identified grimly.

Tianming noticed the tension too. “Strange, why suddenly so many wolves?”

“This used to be the most desolate borderland between Chu and Wu states, with no towns around. The wolf packs here are the strongest creatures,” Shaoyu explained.

“The Gray Wolf King,” Gai Nie slowly opened his eyes, weakly murmuring.

“You’re awake,” Xiao Xie said calmly.

“Mm,” Gai Nie nodded kindly at Xiao Xie. Though he had been unconscious for some time, he still sensed what was happening around him. He knew Xiao Xie was their ally.

“Uncle, you’re awake!” Tianming entered the carriage, his face alight with joy.

“Tianming, go and gather everyone,” Gai Nie instructed.

Tianming lifted the curtain and told Shaoyu, “Shaoyu, Uncle wants everyone to come.”

“Got it,” Shaoyu nodded and signaled the nearby guards.

“Master Fan, Uncle Liang, the young lord requests your presence,” a guard rode ahead to inform Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang.

They slowed their horses and moved to the front of the carriage.

Seeing them arrive, Shaoyu hurriedly said, “Mr. Gai has something to say.”

“Forget it. I’ll speak instead. Gai Nie, you should rest,” Xiao Xie interrupted, noticing Gai Nie’s frail state. Then he addressed the group: “Our opponent this time is the Gray Wolf King.”

“The Gray Wolf King! The notorious leader of the Black Night Assassins,” Xiang Liang exclaimed in surprise.

“That’s right. He’s now a member of the Flowing Sands organization,” Xiao Xie confirmed.

“I heard he once served King Han. After Han was destroyed, he vanished. Didn’t expect to see him here,” Fan Zeng stroked his white beard, astonished.

“Can someone command these wolves?” Tianming asked, shocked.

“With our current strength, we cannot defeat the Gray Wolf King,” Gai Nie frowned. Even in his prime, when encountering a wolf pack on the plains, he would avoid confrontation if possible.

“Then why hasn’t he attacked yet?” Tianming wondered.

“He’s waiting for the perfect moment!” Murong Feng explained.

“What moment?” Tianming asked, more confused.

“Wolves are most active at night. Since he calls himself the Black Night Killer, the best time to strike is after dark,” Shaoyu added, his disdainful gaze fixed on Tianming, as if silently chiding him for his ignorance.

Tianming scowled, unwilling to admit it. “Hmph! Actually... I’ve known that for a while.”

“If we can escape this plain before nightfall, we have a chance to survive,” Gai Nie said firmly. “Wolf packs have their territories. We must speed up and leave this area. The carriages are too slow—we must abandon some, harness four horses per carriage, and keep only the food, water, and weapons. Everything else must be discarded.”

“Though fierce, wolves fear fire. We can use it to keep them at bay. Everyone must fight to the death if we want to survive,” Gai Nie declared resolutely.

Everyone hurriedly followed his orders, grasping their weapons and quickening their pace.

As night fell, the wolves gradually surrounded the carriages. Surrounded by the pack, the horses neighed loudly and then refused to move any further.

“Woof...” The chilling howls echoed all around.

“They’re coming,” Xiao Xie murmured, slowly opening his half-closed eyes.

“Brother Xiao, can you stop being so relaxed now?” Tianming looked at him reclining leisurely on Murong Huang’s lap, silently cursing his calm demeanor.

“To remain so at ease now means either you have no worries or absolute confidence in escape,” Gai Nie thought, scanning the scene once more. Murong Feng and Murong Huang, the two sisters, showed no sign of tension either. The latter seemed the more likely.