Volume One: Planet of Ten Thousand Beasts Chapter 34: The Storm

The slope of the rock exceeded 75 degrees, making it treacherous to climb. With a wolf’s natural agility, it was nearly impossible for them to follow. Li Juxu, Xiaomei, and Lin Lu huddled together, gasping for air. Their hearts pounded like thunder—thump, thump, thump, thump…

After resting for ten minutes, Xiaomei and Lin Lu stood up to survey the rocky mountain. Li Juxu, however, required twenty minutes before he felt even a modicum of strength return to his limbs. The disparity in their physical conditioning was immediately apparent. The wolf pack remained at the base of the mountain, refusing to leave. Furious, Li Juxu raised his sniper rifle to take aim, but Lin Lu stopped him.

"Check how much ammunition we have left!"

"Sixty-three rounds!" Li Juxu tallied the count and felt a surge of dread. The number of gray wolves at the base seemed to exceed sixty-three.

"There are eighty-six wolves. Two are severely injured and can be ignored," Xiaomei said, as if reading his thoughts.

"Only two magazines left for the submachine gun, thirty-some pistol rounds, and two signal flares," Lin Lu stated calmly. As a qualified hunter, she knew she had to be aware of her surroundings and the state of her equipment at all times.

"Can we fire a signal flare?" Li Juxu asked.

"Do you think there’s anyone nearby?" Lin Lu countered. Li Juxu fell silent. He had wanted to ask about Shark and the others, but Lin Lu’s avoidance signaled that she, too, believed their prospects were grim.

"There is another problem: we have no food," Lin Lu added.

"What are the traits of these gray wolves? Will they linger for long?" Li Juxu asked.

"Unless they see us dead, they will not leave voluntarily." Lin Lu’s words extinguished his final shred of hope.

"Dawn is breaking!" Xiaomei noted. Li Juxu realized the sky was gradually brightening. He couldn't help but shrink into his collar; whether it was the altitude or the sudden stillness, he felt colder than before. The sweat from his exertion chilled against his skin, causing his body to tremble uncontrollably.

"Let’s sleep for now and regain our strength!" Lin Lu had no immediate solution, but she knew that whatever plan they chose, it required physical stamina. Without it, they would be as helpless as newborn calves and would never make it out of the desert, even without the wolves.

They had discarded their cold-weather gear to escape. Finding a wind-sheltered spot, the three leaned against each other and closed their eyes. For the first thirty seconds, Li Juxu remained preoccupied with the pack below, thinking that if he survived this ordeal, he would spend every last cent on strengthening serums. He still blushed at the memory of being carried on Xiaomei’s shoulders during their frantic flight. Then, his thoughts blurred, and he drifted off.

He did not know how long he had slept before Lin Lu shook him awake. He opened his eyes to see the blazing sun hanging high; the temperature had already climbed, and his face felt scorched and raw.

At the foot of the mountain, the pack lay on the blistering sand, still waiting. Xiaomei returned after a quick scout. What had been unclear in the shadows of the night was now starkly visible in the harsh light, and the sight only deepened their gloom. The mountain was an isolated monolith, shaped like a pen rest in a scholar’s study—low, small, and composed of a single massive rock. It was scrubbed clean by the relentless winds, devoid of even a single grain of sand.

"We have to risk leaving," Lin Lu said, her voice steady despite the visible worry in her eyes.

"Why?" Li Juxu asked, still groggy from sleep.

"The rock is dark in color," Lin Lu explained.

"Does that matter? Bad feng shui?" Li Juxu asked foolishly.

"In two hours, the sun will be at its peak. The temperature on this rock could exceed 100°C." Lin Lu said coolly.

Li Juxu’s face paled instantly. 100°C would roast them alive.

"Prepare yourself. In ten minutes, I’ll open fire from this side. You and Xiaomei descend from the back. If you can escape, you’ll inevitably draw away some, if not most, of the pack, giving me a chance to leave," Lin Lu instructed.

"Why must you play the hero in front of me?" Li Juxu frowned.

"So you’ll remember me. Perhaps you’ll get so emotional that you’ll agree to be my boyfriend," Lin Lu teased with a smile.

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Li Juxu asked.

"No!" she answered crisply.

"I don't believe it," Li Juxu shook his head. "You’re so beautiful; the line of men chasing you would probably stretch from the Southern Heavenly Gate to the eastern road of Penglai."

"The entire settlement doesn't even have that many people," Lin Lu laughed, clearly pleased.

"Here, have some candy." Li Juxu fumbled through his pockets and produced a box of chocolates. They were crushed, but their flavor remained intact.

"You’re a smart one." Lin Lu didn't stand on ceremony, taking three pieces. There were nine in total, three for each of them. They ate slowly, but even the slowest meal eventually ends. As the final chocolate vanished, Lin Lu’s expression turned solemn. She picked up her submachine gun and tucked the remaining magazines into her belt. She stared at the wolves below, her tone calm.

"Xiaomei, do not get bogged down in a fight. If there is even a sliver of a chance, run—save who you can."

Xiaomei’s large eyes welled up. She didn't speak, just nodded heavily.

"Young man, anything you want to say?" Lin Lu clicked the safety off, her eyes sharpening.

"If we make it out alive, and you still can't find a boyfriend, I’ll take care of your food and board," Li Juxu said.

"I thought you were going to say you’d marry me. You’re terrible at comforting people." Lin Lu pursed her lips, her voice turning cold as she uttered two words: "Xiaomei!"

"Let’s go!" Xiaomei pulled Li Juxu toward the other side of the mountain.

"Wait, something's happening—" Just as Lin Lu took aim, Li Juxu shouted. Lin Lu and Xiaomei looked at him in confusion.

"What is that?" Li Juxu pointed north. A patch of black had suddenly appeared in the cloudless sky, and it was expanding rapidly, closing in on them.

"It’s a storm. A sandstorm!" Lin Lu’s eyes widened, shimmering with the light of hope.

"We’re saved!" Xiaomei couldn't help but press her palms together, though she didn't know who she was thanking.

"Heaven never shuts all doors!" Li Juxu was equally overjoyed. Although Lin Lu had acted heroically by offering to sacrifice herself, he knew their chance of survival had been less than ten percent—a desperate gamble. They had lost their bearings, and even if they found the right direction, they couldn't outrun the wolves in the desert.

Lin Lu had known this too, but she had been forced to take the risk. Now, with the sandstorm arriving, the gamble was unnecessary. All three instinctively believed the storm would save them—until it approached with such terrifying speed that their expressions shifted to horror.