Volume One: Planet of Ten Thousand Beasts Chapter 32: Parting Ways

Bullets struck the gray wolves like they were hitting solid trees, failing to inflict significant damage. Instead, the attacks only enraged the beasts, causing them to bolt forward even faster, appearing as mere shadows in the dark night. The team had two snipers whose rifles could deal serious harm, but the wolves were moving too quickly to target effectively; unless a vital spot was hit, the beasts would not go down.

Boom—
Boom—

Two more deafening explosions rang out. Three or four wolves were blown apart. Wolves are wolves, after all; no matter how high their intelligence, it cannot compare to that of humans. Just as wolves knew to flank them, the humans had anticipated their path and planted landmines along the route.

Li Juxu seized the opportunity and shot down another wolf. By now, the pack was less than 30 meters away, and even without night-vision goggles, their massive frames were clearly visible. Most striking were their sizes, comparable to oxen, and their emerald eyes, which glowed with a cruel, cold-blooded light.

"Throw the grenades!" Shark calmly ordered. A dozen grenades were tossed, and the shockwaves sent seven or eight wolves flying. Some were severely wounded, others lightly, but only one was killed instantly; the wolves' physique was simply too formidable.

"Incendiary grenades!"

Flames suddenly erupted from the explosions, engulfing an area of ten meters. Startled, the wolves screeched to a halt, though three were still caught in the fire. They ran about like headless flies, wreathed in flames. The team seized the chance and opened fire wildly. Stone gripped his submachine gun, spraying bullets as if they were worthless. It was a pity it wasn't a Gatling gun; otherwise, they wouldn't have been in such a desperate situation.

Fearing the fire, the wolves were forced to circle around, buying the team about a dozen crucial seconds. Li Juxu fired continuously; at close range, aiming became easier. He took down four wolves in a row and blew off the hind leg of a fifth. Though it didn't die, its threat was significantly reduced.

Bang—

The folding shield was struck as if by a truck. The shield held, but the person behind it was sent flying over three meters, tumbling across the yellow sand. A wolf darted through the gap like a bolt of lightning and bit off half of a team member's body.

Crunch—

The crisp sound set teeth on edge, followed by the member’s agonizing scream.

"Stone!" Shark roared. Stone dropped his submachine gun and leaped high into the air. With a flash of light, a heavy machete appeared in his hand. Muscles bulging in his arms, he swung down with all his might onto the wolf’s neck.

Squelch—

The machete buried itself halfway before hitting bone. Just as the wolf turned to bite Stone, another brilliant blade flashed like lightning and vanished in an instant. It was Shark. Though his physique was far less imposing than Stone's, everyone knew his strength was terrifying and second to none.

Bang—

The wolf's head hit the ground. The headless carcass stood for a full second before collapsing, blood spraying from the neck. More wolves continued to crash through the sandbags and shields. While the barriers remained intact, the people behind them were sent soaring; in the face of such impact, human strength was negligible.

Puff—
Puff—
Puff—
...

Li Juxu fired several more shots, killing three wolves and wounding two. The others set aside their guns and drew machetes and daggers; the distance was too short, and no one dared to risk hitting a teammate. Another scream rang out as the short scout was bitten in two by a wolf; the bite force of these beasts was truly horrific.

"Watch out!" Shark shouted. By the time Li Juxu felt the rush of wind, it was too late to dodge. A wolf leaped at him from the air, jumping at least four meters high. Its gaping maw was large enough to swallow his entire head and still have room to spare. Just as despair washed over him, a force from behind shoved him—it was Lin Lu, who had knocked him out of the way.

Li Juxu rolled across the ground, and as he stood up, he saw Lin Lu being besieged by two wolves. A surge of rage ignited within him, yet his mind became eerily calm. Kneeling on one knee, he raised his muzzle. In a split second of stillness, a tongue of fire erupted, and the head of the wolf behind Lin Lu exploded.

As for the wolf directly in front of him—the one that should have attacked him—Lin Lu had grabbed its forelimbs and was holding it back with sheer force. Li Juxu had no time to marvel at her strength; he shifted his aim, aligned his sights, and pulled the trigger in one fluid motion.

Puff—

The bullet pierced the wolf’s throat, snuffing out its life. A massive force slammed into his back, sending Li Juxu stumbling forward. As he regained his footing, he saw another female member swatted away by a wolf’s claw. He realized everything in an instant: the wolf had been ambushing him, and the woman had pushed him aside, only to suffer the consequence herself. After swatting her away, the wolf continued its charge without slowing down, its speed and momentum chilling to the bone.

Li Juxu had shed his initial panic; he was utterly calm now. Everyone was locked in combat, and the only person he could rely on was himself. He knew his weaknesses—his strength and agility were lacking—and the only thing that could save him was his Breaker-002B. There was no time to adjust his posture. He shifted the muzzle, and just as the wolf’s claws brushed against his scalp, he pulled the trigger.

Puff—

The bullet entered through the jaw, tore through the mouth, and lodged deep in the brain. The kinetic energy sent the wolf flying over half a meter into the air. Li Juxu didn't even have time to catch his breath before firing another shot. The bullet passed behind Lin Lu and severed the left forelimb of the wolf ambushing Shark, who seized the chance to crawl out from beneath the beast. Li Juxu shifted his aim, but before he could fire, a tall, thin member had half his head bitten off by a wolf. The man had been very quiet; Li Juxu hadn't even spoken to him yet.

A liquid flowed from the top of his head down to the corner of his eye. It was warm at first, but turned cold in the blink of an eye. Li Juxu realized he was wounded; his scalp burned with pain, though he didn't know how serious it was. He dodged the wolves' attacks while desperately searching for a chance to fire.

Shark, Stone, and the others were all creating openings for him. They had long since realized his physical limitations and had taken on the role of meat shields.

Puff—
Puff—
Puff—
...

The pace of the slaughter was too fast; he had to be careful not to hit his own people. The pressure on Li Juxu was immense, but he knew this was no time for complaints. Every shot had to be perfect; a miss could mean a death. His night vision played a vital role here, allowing him to see every detail with absolute clarity.

They were all experienced hunters, and their cooperation was seamless. One by one, the wolves were shot down. The wounds on everyone’s bodies began to multiply. When the last wolf was head-shotted, everyone collapsed to the ground, exhausted. But they were back on their feet almost immediately; the temperature was too low, and within a minute, the heat generated by the intense battle had faded, replaced by a bone-chilling cold. A second reason for their haste was the sound of dense, approaching footsteps—a second wave of gray wolves had arrived.

Everyone’s face turned ghastly pale. Their stamina was completely spent; they could barely walk, let alone fight. Yet Shark remained unnaturally calm. He found his backpack, divided half of the "Scorpions" and handed them to Lin Lu, speaking only three words:

"Split up and run!"