Chapter 10: It really is a wolf!

Zhao Dong broke out in a cold sweat. "That won't do!"

There were so many people in the settlement, half of them elderly or children. If they were really attacked by a pack of wolves, there would be nowhere to hide!

"Yangzi, have we caused a massive disaster?!" Zhao Dong asked, looking back toward the direction of the village.

Everyone was frugal; after dark, no household could bear to keep a kerosene lamp lit, so they all went to sleep early. People in a deep sleep had the lowest level of defense. If they were ambushed by wolves at this time... wouldn't they just be waiting to die? Zhao Dong could already envision a scene of carnage and blood.

Zhang Yang dragged the dead wolf past him and suddenly let out a laugh. "What are you looking at? Thinking about Sister Cuilan next door, or Du Shujun from the educated youth dormitory?"

"Yangzi! We've caused a disaster! It's all over! No, no, let's go back to the mountains right now and kill all the wolves!" Zhao Dong said with a pale face.

Zhang Yang glared at him. "Are you out of your mind? Just the two of us? With one gun and one crossbow, we’re going to wipe out a pack of wolves? You really have quite the imagination!"

Zhao Dong grabbed him tightly. "But we can't just walk away like this!"

"This exploded wolf head, plus this pool of wolf blood, should be enough to deter the pack for a while." Zhang Yang’s expression turned serious. "But it's not a long-term solution. We truly need to go back and warn everyone to prepare early."

Wolves had strong offensive capabilities, but their jumping ability was limited. If every household reinforced their fences, they could resist a wolf attack to some extent. Seeing that Zhao Dong still hadn't regained his composure, Zhang Yang patiently analyzed the situation for him.

"Don't take everything on yourself. Strictly speaking, we didn't cause this disaster. The pack was likely drawn here by wild roe deer."

"The roe deer couldn't find food in the mountains and tried to get closer to the village, which is why they ran from the deep mountains to the location we saw earlier."

"We killed the roe deer and left a trail of blood, which attracted the pack. Otherwise, you wouldn't see wolves in this area."

"But even if we hadn't killed the deer, the pack would have followed the migration of the deer and gradually approached the village. That is why the mountain patrol exists."

Zhang Yang took a deep breath. He suddenly felt the gun in his hand grow heavier. He had originally only wanted to ensure his family's survival, yet he hadn't expected that just after borrowing this weapon from Zhang Minde, he would run into wolves. The pack threatened the lives of everyone in the settlement.

As the person holding the gun, he now shouldered the responsibility of protecting everyone.

"Let's go, let's take this news back!"

Zhang Yang finally persuaded Zhao Dong, and the two of them worked together to carry the wolf down the mountain. A wolf was a more significant matter than a roe deer, and with the hidden threat of the pack, Zhang Yang didn't dare bring it back to the settlement just like that. Instead, he pulled Zhao Dong along to find Zhang Minde first.

In the middle of the night, Zhang Minde was sleeping in a daze. He opened his door to find two people covered in frost, and that wasn't all—he also saw a black-gray, headless creature...

"What is this?!" Zhang Minde’s sleepiness was scared away instantly. "You encountered a wolf?!"

"Yes, Uncle Lao De!" Zhao Dong’s expression was a mix of tears and laughter as he looked at Zhang Minde as if he were a savior. "Please, tell us what to do!"

Zhang Minde was confused. "What should you do about what?"

Seeing him babbling, Zhang Yang took the lead. "Uncle, we were lucky this time; we didn't run into the whole pack, just this one straggler. But this wolf called for help, so there must be others like it in the mountains."

Zhang Minde paced behind his back, circling the dead wolf on the ground. "There were wolves a few years ago, but back then the patrol team was large and had plenty of ammunition. Once their alpha was killed, the pack scattered. This winter came early, and there's less food in the mountains, which is why they've approached the settlement. This is indeed dangerous!"

Zhang Yang followed up on Zhang Minde's words and explained how he had cut off the wolf's head.

Zhang Minde immediately looked at him with admiration. "Well done! Leaving the carcass there to deter them should keep them from coming near for a while!"

Zhang Yang didn't dare take the credit. "Uncle, this is only a stopgap measure. The pack might still attack the village later. So, please, tomorrow morning, could you speak with the brigade leader and have him notify every household?"

Zhang Minde nodded solemnly. "I understand! Alright, it's getting late. You two take this wolf back."

"Perhaps it would be better to leave it with you," Zhang Yang said, voicing his concerns. "I am not a qualified patroller, and running around with a gun is inherently dangerous. If the brigade leader finds out, not only will we be punished, but I fear you might be implicated as well."

Zhang Minde looked at Zhang Yang with even more appreciation. This young man was truly impressive! Bold yet cautious—he was perfect material for the mountain patrol! He had just recommended Zhang Yang to the brigade leader that day, and the brigade leader had said he would look for an opportunity to test Zhang Yang's abilities. He hadn't expected that opportunity to come so soon.

"Do as I say! Carry the wolf back! Tomorrow morning, the brigade leader will come to your house to see it himself!"

...

The leader of the production brigade that managed the nearby villages was named Zhang Haiquan. Going back two generations, he and Zhang Yang’s family were distant relatives. But since Zhang Yang’s father had passed away early, the two families hadn't kept in touch, and the relationship had grown distant. Zhang Haiquan was nearing forty; in terms of seniority, he was Zhang Yang’s cousin. But since he was going to Zhang Yang’s house on official business today, he naturally didn't mention their kinship.

"Zhang Yang, open the door, the brigade leader is here!" Zhang Minde shouted at the door.

Zhang Yang was already up; hearing the commotion, he rushed to open the door. "Hello, Brigade Leader!"

Zhang Haiquan had heard that this kid was a troublemaker, so his impression of him wasn't very good. But seeing him in person now, he suddenly felt that the boy was a bit different from the prickly youth he had seen before. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was different. Perhaps it was because he had seen blood and his fighting spirit had been ignited, changing his temperament? In any case, he looked much more energetic than the others. He looked far more capable than the group of people in the surrounding militia squads.

Zhang Haiquan thought silently, following Zhang Yang to the woodshed. Before he even entered, he smelled the pungent stench of a beast. When he saw the headless dead wolf on the ground, he was shocked. It really was a wolf!

Zhang Haiquan immediately stepped forward to examine the carcass. After looking it over twice, he only found a bullet hole in the wolf's rear right leg.

"How did you kill it?" Zhang Haiquan asked in surprise.

Zhang Yang scratched his head. "Mostly by smashing it."

"Smashing it to death? Are you bragging?" Zhang Haiquan stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him sternly. "No lying!"

Zhang Yang calmly recounted the process of killing the wolf. Just as he mentioned using the butt of the hunting rifle to smash the wolf’s head until its brains spilled out, a soft cry came from outside the door.

"Mother!" Zhang Yan shouted.

Zhang Yang ran out to look and discovered that Li Huifang had secretly followed them and overheard what he had said to the brigade leader. No mother could bear to see her son in danger. Upon learning how perilous the situation had been, she lost her breath, her vision went black, and she fainted.