Chapter 152: Chapter 140: Gotta Catch One to Report Back
Gu Ning clung to Seth’s back, the wind whipping past so fiercely she could barely breathe.
The young wolf’s breakneck pace made her heart pound, just as intensely as riding on Barto’s motorcycle. She could only grip his back fur tightly, pressing her body low to lessen the dizzying rush of speed.
Fortunately, Seth was steadier than Barto’s motorcycle. Despite his speed, the ride wasn’t bumpy at all.
Jite and the other three young wolves flanked her, forming a protective circle.
Once they were clear of the East Wall Construction Site, Mutant Species started to appear.
Sniffing their scent, these Mutant Species bared their fangs and charged at them.
Jite’s group didn’t let the Mutant Species get close. The four young wolves took turns attacking, ensuring at least two always remained by Gu Ning and Seth’s side.
Beastman soldiers were also patrolling and clearing out the area, which eased the pressure on them considerably.
Soon, they discovered the real pressure wasn’t coming from the Mutant Species.
"Stupid dog, sit tight and don’t move!"
Barto spotted several figures in the sky. He barked at the restlessly squirming Cook behind him, slammed on the brakes, and raised the gun slung across his chest, aiming at the Bird Clan Orcs tracking them from above.
The Bird Clan Orcs, clad in Military Department combat uniforms, hovered overhead for a moment before diving at Gu Ning and her escorts.
Barto focused his aim, but before he could pull the trigger, a bullet pierced the Bird Clan Orc’s head, and it plummeted from the sky.
Immediately after, two muffled shots rang out, and two more Bird Clan Orcs fell lifeless into the snow. Only one managed to dodge, but was hit in the shoulder. It flew away unsteadily, only to be taken down by a final headshot.
Seeing things had gone south, the remaining Bird Clan Orcs who hadn’t yet closed in immediately flapped their wings and vanished into the clouds.
Astonished, Barto lowered his gun. He scanned the area, but after finding no sign of their helper, he had no choice but to race to catch up with Gu Ning’s group.
Jite and the others glanced back, then moved in closer to Gu Ning. Seth, catching the unfamiliar, bloody scent of a Mixed Breed in the air, quickened his pace.
Gu Ning was buried deep in Seth’s fur. The incredible speed prevented her from sitting up, and the massive bodies of Jite and the other wolves blocked her view. She could only rely on the grating roars around them to know that Mutant Species were attacking.
"Who fired those shots?!"
Leighton glanced back at the young lions in the back seat. Each held a gun, but their faces were just as bewildered.
"Don’t you fucking dare have a misfire in my car," Leighton said. Seeing them all crammed together, he knew there was no way they could have made such an accurate shot.
Mingxi dispatched two Mutant Species, then shifted his aim. His gaze drifted into the distance, paused for a moment, then he pointed his rifle toward the sky.
"Brother, was that him?" Ming Ze asked quietly.
Mingxi nodded slightly.
"Where are they going?" Ming Ze asked, watching the wolf pack ahead. "I thought the target was with... W? How did it end up with the wolf pack?"
Ming Ze was filled with questions.
He exchanged a look with Mingxi and saw the same confusion in his brother’s eyes.
’Could it be that W has started cooperating with the Wolf Clan, or made some kind of deal?’
The two brothers wondered.
"The target is ours," Mingxi said softly.
’It doesn’t matter if W is working with the wolf pack or if those wolves have already taken the target. And regardless of whether it’s a Mixed Breed or a female, we’re the ones taking it.’
"This is getting tricky."
Feng Xiao nudged the corpse of his subordinate with his foot, his expression grim.
Wind Blade briefly inspected the fatal headshot wounds. "Pinpoint accuracy. Crystal Stone Bullets," he said, then spat on the ground. "It’s Advanced Mercenaries."
Feng Xiao stared in the direction their target had fled. "That fox must really have a death wish, hiring mercenaries to deal with us."
’There’s an elusive mercenary watching us, maybe more than one. The police are on our tail too. Our aerial advantage is gone.’
Wind Blade said, "What should we do? Any farther and they’ll be in the West Wall’s territory."
We have people in the West District, but most of the Military Department’s forces are concentrated there. It’ll be hard to make a move.
Feng Xiao said, "We have to capture someone to complete our mission. If we can’t get the Mimic Mixed Species, then we’ll just grab that other one."
...
In the distance, Barto could see the defensive line the Military Department had set up at the West Wall Construction Site.
He hadn’t even had time to breathe a sigh of relief when a massive, bestial shadow pounced.
Barto swerved the motorcycle sharply, dodging the first beast’s attack, but another one pounced and knocked him to the ground.
Two spotted hyenas in their beast forms latched onto him and Cook, dragging them toward a secluded spot.
Cook erupted, grabbing the hyena by its jaws, and in the blink of an eye, flipped the massive dog onto its back.
Meanwhile, Barto shot the other hyena in the stomach and broke free from its jaws.
But a moment later, something dragged him down into the deep snow.
"WOOF!"
Seeing Barto disappear, Cook began digging frantically in the snow. After a moment of clawing, the gray-black back of something was exposed. He bit down hard and dragged a rat-like Mutant Species out of the snowdrift.
He grabbed the Mutant Species by the neck and shook it violently.
Just then, several more spotted hyenas pounced on him from behind.
"You idiot, I’m over here!"
Gunshots rang out, temporarily halting the hyenas’ attack.
Cook frantically looked around for Barto, then spotted him a short distance away. Barto’s head emerged from the snow, and he fired his gun, driving back the hyena Beastmen.
"Let’s go!"
Barto ran to the motorcycle, and Cook, in perfect sync, rushed over to help him lift it.
"Get on—"
Before Barto could finish, a massive shadow fell over them.
...
...
"Who goes there?"
Gu Ning’s group was stopped outside the West Wall Construction Site.
Seth and the others skidded to a halt, kicking up a flurry of snow.
"Awooo."
Seth howled at the guards. "Use your words," one of them snapped.
’...There are members of the Wolf Clan right here!’
Feeling Seth finally come to a stop, Gu Ning straightened her stiff body.
The entire journey had left her nearly numb from the biting wind.
"What team are you with?"
The Guard Captain approached, frowning as he sized up the pack of wolves in their beast forms. He spotted the Mixed Breed on Seth’s back and said, "Go back the way you came. No Mixed Breeds allowed here."
At his warning tone, Jite and the other wolves snarled, baring their teeth.
Jite nudged Seth with his head, and they exchanged a look.
’I definitely sent someone ahead of us. The boss should’ve gotten the message and smoothed things over with the guards by now. It’s impossible that they’d still be stopping us.’
’Seeing that most of the Beastman soldiers patrolling this sector were from the Wolf Clan, Jite realized the Military Department’s Wolf Team was deliberately targeting them. The boss probably never even got the message.’
"Take it and get lost."
The Guard Captain saw the wolves had no intention of leaving. Noticing members of the Wolf Team heading their way, he cursed his bad luck and tried to hurry the group along, hoping to prevent a fight from breaking out right there.
Gu Ning saw the two groups of Beastman soldiers closing in and sensed the imminent conflict.
This place didn’t seem any safer than the area around the East Wall. A grim, murderous aura hung in the air. Even at this heavily guarded gate, she could still occasionally spot the figures of Mutant Species.
The cold air, tinged with the faint scent of blood, filled Gu Ning’s nostrils, making her uneasy.
Jite and the young wolves took a few steps back. He nudged Gu Ning’s leg with his nose and gave a low whine.
Gu Ning couldn’t understand him, but she got the message. She lowered herself and gripped Seth’s fur tightly.
The next second, Seth charged forward, carrying her straight through the checkpoint and toward the defensive wall.
