Chapter 494 - 159: [Big Cat] (8000)_2
In this moment, Chen Yan even felt a hint of disdain in the eyes of the white big cat.
A dozen Hunting Beasts restlessly stomped in place, pacing back and forth, occasionally opening their mouths to roar lowly at the white big cat. Yet, despite their agitation, they seemed reluctant to advance.
The white big cat had already snorted and then bit into the prey’s throat, dragging the corpse, cautiously retreating to a rock, and in this posture, pulling the prey bit by bit backward and upward, towards the ridge.
Not until it had climbed ten meters up to a rock platform on the ridge did the white big cat stop retreating. Looking down at the dozen Hunting Beasts gathered at the ridge’s base, it let out a disdainful roar.
Then, it began to tear fiercely into the carcass.
The Hunting Beasts below let out mournful, angry howls, but could only watch helplessly as their companion’s body was torn apart by the white big cat, pacing back and forth restlessly.
Two of the largest Hunting Beasts attempted to climb the ridge, but their bulky bodies were not suited to jumping and walking on the rocky terrain, and after two tries, they retreated.
The white big cat had already ripped into the prey’s abdomen, pulling out the tender insides with its teeth, feasting as it lay there...
The dozen or so Hunting Beasts below howled woefully for over ten minutes before finally dispersing unwillingly, quickly disappearing back into the Forest Monster, vanishing without a trace.
The white big cat lay on the rock, feasting on its spoils.
Chen Yan didn’t descend from the tree, quietly watching from a distance.
Soon, the white big cat appeared sated, laying on the rock with narrowed eyes, but its gaze precisely fixed on Chen Yan in the distant trees.
It stretched its head and let out a howl, "Awoo."
Its snow-white face was stained with blood, even bits of meat clung to its whiskers.
Being full, the white big cat jumped back from the rock, landing at the mouth of Chen Yan’s rocky cave, pacing towards the edge of the Forest Monster, occasionally raising its head to watch Chen Yan hiding in the trees.
It paced back and forth a few times, and Chen Yan noticed that every time the white big cat reached the edge of the Forest Monster, it would immediately stop and turn back.
(Does it seem afraid to enter the forest?)
Chen Yan felt a doubt arise in his heart.
The white big cat lifted its head and let out a few "Awoo" calls towards Chen Yan, but after a few calls, it finally shook its head, walked over and sniffed the torn and shredded climbing pack that was dragged out and shredded by the Hunting Beasts, then shook its head again.
Soon, the white big cat bounded back onto the rocky ridge, its snowy figure leaping on the ice-covered rocks, gradually disappearing beyond the ridge...
Chen Yan didn’t come down from the tree; he remained waiting quietly in the tree.
Only after two hours did Chen Yan feel his body growing increasingly stiff, the chill in the wind gradually penetrating his cold-weather clothing, making his limbs begin to feel wooden.
Chen Yan knew he couldn’t remain hiding in the tree any longer. Moreover, he had carefully observed that the group of Hunting Beasts in the forest seemed to have gone far away and had not returned, and the white big cat on the ridge probably had also gone far.
Finally, Chen Yan cautiously jumped down from the tree, warily scanning the surroundings, slowly walking out of the forest and to the cave entrance.
He first checked his backpack.
The climbing pack was filled with supplies, but much of it was destroyed.
Two large bags of dried beef were mostly eaten by the Hunting Beasts, leaving only some meat scraps. The dehydrated vegetables were torn open, leaving ragged packaging and bits of vegetables contaminated with saliva from the Hunting Beasts on the ground...
After a glance, Chen Yan dismissed the thought of collecting these leftovers for himself.
Two packs of energy bars had also been torn open, and only four intact ones remained, which Chen Yan carefully put into his pocket.
He crawled into the cave and found the pack containing firewood intact... those Hunting Beasts might lack intelligence but seemed to have keen noses, for they hadn’t touched the pack with the firewood.
Some comfort came to Chen Yan upon seeing the alcohol stove was not destroyed and the solid alcohol fuel was mostly untouched—one was gnawed, but the Hunting Beasts apparently found it unpalatable after chewing one and gave up.
Moreover, the solid alcohol, even if chewed, wouldn’t affect its usability for burning.
Chen Yan emerged from the cave, helplessly looking at the scant remaining food.
Six and a half days left, and relying solely on this wouldn’t be enough.
Suddenly, an idea struck him; he looked up to the ridge, ten meters above, where the corpse of the prey killed by the white big cat lay on the rock platform.
Though partly eaten by the white big cat, most of the corpse remained.
Chen Yan thought for a while and climbed up the ridge rock.
Upon reaching the rock, he finally breathed a sigh of relief—the Hunting Beast was sizeable, larger than a domesticated pig.
The throat had been bitten through, the abdomen torn open, and the entrails eaten, though some of the abdomen’s flesh had been consumed.