Chapter 493 - 159: [Big Cat] (8000)
Chapter 159: [Big Cat] (8000)
Chen Yan crawled out of the rock cave, hunching his back. The howling wind and snow hit him in the face, bringing a sense of suffocation. He held his breath, listening carefully to the sounds carried by the fierce wind.
"Cluck, cluck... cluck, cluck..."
Upon hearing this sound, Chen Yan’s expression turned even more grave.
He recognized it. It was the roar of the hunting beasts he had seen in the village of the Fierce Beast Race.
These hunting beasts, resembling porcupines in appearance and size, made very peculiar noises, not actually emanating from their throats.
These beasts had tympanic membranes growing behind their ears, similar to amphibious animals like frogs, and while hunting, they would vibrate these membranes, making the "cluck, cluck" sound, much like frog calls.
(Are there Fierce Beast Race monsters nearby?)
Chen Yan immediately became alert.
During his last vengeance, all his guns and ammunition were depleted. Currently lacking some means of attack, he had, however, made plenty of talismans through the Sealing Spirit Technique, so even though he was on guard, he was not overly worried.
After swiftly running out of the cave, Chen Yan moved toward the woods in the direction the sound came from, quickly bypassing it and approaching from the windward side, climbing up a peculiar tree.
Just as he climbed up, he saw several brown figures darting through the forest.
These creatures were like porcupines in body shape, with tusks protruding from their mouths and ears standing erect. Their tympanic membranes behind the ears vibrated as they pranced through the forest, occasionally stopping to make "cluck, cluck" calls.
More and more brown figures emerged from the forest, eventually exceeding a dozen!
But looking into the forest, no Fierce Beast Race monsters seemed to be accompanying them, causing a sudden realization to dawn on Chen Yan.
These hunting beasts were wild?!
Not domesticated by the Fierce Beast Race but wild hunting beasts from the forest!
Chen Yan immediately curled up his limbs—these wild hunting beasts seemed to be pack animals, and a sudden appearance of more than a dozen did not warrant engaging in a fight with so many wild creatures.
He quietly waited on the strange tree. He observed the dozen or so hunting beasts rushing out of the forest, varying in size, reaching the vicinity beneath the tree. They began rooting around restlessly, with some emitting low anxious grunts.
They shook their heads, swinging their tusks about.
Chen Yan noticed their large nostrils, raised heads, striving to sniff something, likely having caught his scent.
Finally, after one hunting beast clucked a few times, it made its way toward the rock cave, followed by a swarm of seven or eight others.
Soon, as he lay on the tree trunk, Chen Yan saw a hunting beast entering his distant rock cave. Following a series of roars, the other beasts also found their way inside, and a sound of tearing ensued from within the cave.
But quickly, the hunting beasts emerged from the cave, glancing around uneasily as if they hadn’t found their target, appearing very agitated.
Chen Yan noticed one of the beasts that had exited the cave was holding a piece of canvas in its mouth, realizing that these creatures had shredded his backpack hidden in the cave, feeling helpless.
He could only sigh inwardly, hoping the supplies he carried weren’t destroyed by these beasts.
But eventually, his hopes were dashed.
A hunting beast dragged a backpack out of the cave, nibbling on it, breaking open a package of dried beef, which instantly elicited excited growls.
Immediately, a pack of hunting beasts pounced on the beef package, scrambling to tear it apart...
The hiking backpack was also shredded, and the beef package, energy bars, dehydrated vegetables inside... all were torn into by these creatures, and the shredded packaging allowed them to eat excitedly.
Chen Yan furrowed his brow as he watched, yet still did not move.
At this moment, a roar suddenly echoed from the rocks on the ridge!
The sound traveled with the wind, and the hunting beasts gathered around the backpack, tearing at the food, instantly raised their heads in alert, looking toward the ridge.
Chen Yan squinted his eyes to see, feeling a thumping in his heart.
A lithe beast gracefully leapt down from the rocks on the ridge, stepping onto the stones with supple agility, its body crouching low yet moving with remarkable nimbleness.
This creature seemed like some feline species, larger than a leopard but smaller than a tiger.
Its coat was pure snow-white, devoid of any mottled fur, easily camouflaging it against the icy snow on the ridge, easily deceiving one’s eyes if not observed closely.
Before Chen Yan could clearly see, the white big cat suddenly leaped through the air, pouncing from above!
Its forepaws struck the nearest wild beast to the edge of the ridge, and rolling on the ground while holding the prey in its embrace, its powerful forelimbs pinned the hunting beast, which roared wildly. Opening its mouth filled with fangs, the big cat bit down on the throat of the beast!
The hunting beast kicked its four hooves frantically, struggling with all its might while blood gushed out.
Around them, the hunting beasts seemed frightened, quickly scattering. However, they soon turned back, gathering from a distance and roaring fiercely at the white big cat, furiously vibrating the tympanic membranes behind their ears, emitting threatening "cluck, cluck" sounds.
The white big cat firmly locked its jaws on its prey’s throat, only releasing after a few spasms left the creature still. It then lifted its head, coldly gazing at the dozen hunting beasts feigning ferocity.