From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him-Chapter 46 - 47: Facing Off

Many averted their eyes from the brutal scene ahead, some even lowering their heads to stare at the ground.

"Everyone, keep your eyes forward," Ancient Wen Heng gritted out. At this critical juncture, he fought back his nausea, not daring to relax for a second as he stared intently ahead.

He tilted his head slightly. "Qianqian, stay right behind me."

"Okay," Jin Qianqian replied, daring only to look at Ancient Wen Heng’s back. She added pointedly, "Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself."

Ancient Wen Heng pressed his lips together and said no more, pinning his hopes on the circle of fire to repel the starving wolves.

"Help me!" Cries for help suddenly rang out from beyond their circle. Everyone’s heart clenched, and their eyes were involuntarily drawn toward the sound.

"It’s those bandits from before! They’re surrounded by wolves." To prevent their escape, they had all been tied up securely.

Even knowing these men were wicked, at this moment, people could only feel a mix of pity and helplessness.

Hearing the agonized screams, panic mounted in everyone’s hearts. Some even covered their mouths and began to cry with muffled sobs.

"Quiet, all of you! If you keep making such a racket, you’ll draw the wolves right to us!" Gu Sanbu didn’t want their panic to affect the villagers holding the front line, so he quickly shouted to silence them.

"They’re getting closer!" Not long after the cries for help fell silent, the wolves that had been eyeing them like prey began to saunter toward the bonfires.

The wolves bared their sharp fangs and lolled their long, blood-red tongues. They strutted about as if surveying their own territory, completely disregarding the humans who stood in opposition with weapons in hand.

Ancient Wen Heng and the others scrambled to add more firewood to the blaze, hoping the wall of fire would halt the wolves’ advance.

"AWOOO!" A series of howls echoed from the distance. The wolf pack, which had been in a standoff, suddenly grew agitated. Some, unafraid of the flames, took a running start and leaped through the fire wall, eliciting a barrage of screams from the crowd.

’I never thought I’d live through a day so harrowing,’ Jin Qianqian thought. ’First, I hurt someone in broad daylight, and now I have to face these wild animals.’

The people, who had been huddled together, descended into chaos trying to evade the wolf that had suddenly broken through.

Pushing and shoving one another, they quickly collapsed into a heap.

With one hand, Ancient Wen Heng gripped Jin Qianqian tightly. He now had to prevent more wolves from getting in while also making sure he wasn’t attacked from behind.

Jin Qianqian spun around, pressing her back against Ancient Wen Heng’s. "You watch the front. I’ll watch our backs."

Ancient Wen Heng felt the warmth on his back. "Be careful, then."

Seeing that the people around them were too preoccupied to notice, Jin Qianqian passed the electric baton she had found earlier into Ancient Wen Heng’s hand. "This is better suited for close-quarters combat than a blade."

"More importantly, this thing doesn’t leave a wound. We won’t have to worry about arousing suspicion, even if we can’t clean up afterward."

As this thought crossed her mind, Jin Qianqian narrowed her eyes and glanced at the restless ox-cart behind them. ’On that cart are plastic buckets that don’t belong in this era. If I can find a chance to retrieve them, it would eliminate a potential problem.’

But there was no time to dwell on it. Where one wolf broke through, a second and a third soon followed.

Ancient Wen Heng was soon confronted by one himself. Seeing the sharp-toothed maw lunging at him, he shoved Jin Qianqian forcefully out of the way, gripped his machete, and met the attack head-on.

But the cunning wolf twisted its body in mid-air, dodging his strike.

The moment it landed, it was already poised to strike.

Ancient Wen Heng knew it had singled him out. Gu Yuanlei, who had been standing beside him, had vanished, leaving a wide circle of space for Ancient Wen Heng and the intruding wolf.

Jin Qianqian gripped her own machete, trying with all her might to keep her hands from shaking.

The wolf shot Jin Qianqian a disdainful glance before its eyes, glinting fiercely, locked back onto Ancient Wen Heng. It seemed to have marked him for revenge.

It gave Ancient Wen Heng no time to breathe. The wolf bent its hind legs, stretched out its forelegs, and launched its entire body through the air, straight for him.

Jin Qianqian bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry out and distract Ancient Wen Heng. She quickly swapped the machete in her hand for the dark, black electric baton.

Seeing the sharp claws, Ancient Wen Heng could only roll swiftly across the ground, narrowly dodging the direct blow.

Just then, Gu Yuanjin raised his machete and slowly closed in, hoping to land a fatal blow while the wolf was distracted.

But he underestimated it. The cunning wolf was not so easily caught off guard. Just as his machete was about to strike, the beast nimbly dodged aside.

However, this only enraged it further. Its attacks grew fiercer and more frantic with each passing moment.

Several times, Jin Qianqian tried to get closer, but Ancient Wen Heng always moved to block her path, keeping her at a distance.

After several exchanges, just as the wolf’s claws gashed his arm, the electric baton in Ancient Wen Heng’s hand finally made contact with the animal’s body. The wolf collapsed, convulsing from the shock.

Ancient Wen Heng and Gu Yuanjin gave it no chance to recover. Swinging their machetes, they both struck at its body.

Once the threat was completely neutralized, the two brothers shared a look and a grin before quickly rejoining the greater battle.

Just as Ancient Wen Heng felt his hands go numb and his strength fail him, he suddenly heard the thundering of horse hooves.

Soon, someone shouted, "Someone’s coming! We’re being rescued!"

The words had barely faded when everyone saw a volley of arrows rain down upon the wolf pack. The hyenas and wolves that had been tearing into their victims quickly scattered.

As the sound of hooves drew nearer, a large group of riders on tall horses came into view. They were young men dressed in magnificent clothing.

"So there really are wolves," said the leader, Bai Jinglie, pulling on his reins. "It seems the report was true."

"Young Master Bai, we would only dare bring you a report if it were absolutely true," said a fawning, middle-aged man in the uniform of a Government Official. "What do you say? Shall we have the men take action and capture all these wolves?"

Bai Jinglie glanced around in disgust. "Then have everyone move quickly. And remember, don’t damage the pelts."

"These people are pathetic. So many dead and injured from just a handful of wolves. It was definitely the right call not to let them into the city." The stench in the air was making Bai Jinglie uncomfortable, and he fanned a hand in front of his nose. "Hurry up and find the alpha. I have to claim it. When I get back, I’ll show my good brothers and let them marvel at the great deeds of Mr. Bai."

But his men had just arrived; how could they possibly know where the alpha was hiding? They could only guess that any wolf that looked particularly large and strong was the one.

"There’s no way to tell! And they’re constantly moving." Even with all the bonfires along the main road, the cover of darkness made it impossible to tell them apart.

"Hey, you lot!" the official shouted. "Does anyone here know where the alpha wolf is? Point it out for us, and Mr. Bai will grant you a reward!"