Suddenly, a deafening neighing sound came from the herd of wild horses, so loud it was like thunder from a flat plain, echoing across the entire grassland.
The sound was so loud that even Zhuang Rui and the others, who were hundreds of meters away, were somewhat shocked. Could a horse really make that sound? Even the horses beside Zhuang Rui showed signs of unease.
"This is the lead horse. It seems I underestimated it. It's much better than the Crimsonblood breed..."
A solemn expression appeared on Batel's face. If he was originally 60-70% confident of capturing this lead horse, now that he heard this neigh, his expectations immediately dropped to 30%.
Because Batel noticed that when the lead horse reared up and neighed, a look of fear and unease appeared in his own bloodshot eyes—a reaction only the weak show when they encounter the strong.
"I see it! Oh my god, what a beautiful horse..."
The moment the neighing sound rang out, Zhuang Rui used his binoculars to search for the source of the sound. Finding the lead horse was not difficult, because no other horse dared to approach within five or six meters of it.
This was a wild horse, its body a deep, bright red like a date, with very short hair except for some fluffy hair on its neck. Its eyes were as black as glue. It stood there motionless, staring at the wild wolves running towards it from afar.
The lead horse was much taller than the wild horses around it. Zhuang Rui estimated it to be about 1.8 to 2 meters tall. Standing there bathed in the moonlight, it looked like a celestial horse, majestic and awe-inspiring.
"This... I'm afraid even a mixed-breed Dutch horse wouldn't be as magnificent as this one, would it?"
Zhuang Rui had once watched horse racing in Hong Kong, where the horses used were all crossbreds from the Netherlands or England. These horses were characterized by their tall stature and handsome appearance, but compared to the one in front of him, it was as inconspicuous as a mongrel.
Just as Zhuang Rui was observing the lead horse, the wolves approached the herd. Behind the first wolf, two more wolves followed, forming a triangle as they ran toward the lead horse.
It seems that the wolves of the grasslands also know how to use tactics, understanding the principle of capturing the leader first. As long as this horse is defeated, the entire herd of wild horses will collapse without a fight.
The two were only a few dozen meters apart. In just over ten seconds, the wolf that ran out first reached the lead horse, let out a low growl with a menacing tone, and then leaped up and pounced on the lead horse.
Seeing this, the wild horses around the lead horse became somewhat agitated, but the lead horse remained very calm, and when the wolf pounced, it suddenly raised its front.
Seemingly aware of the power of the horse's forelegs, the wolf nimbly turned and changed direction in mid-air, its body now positioned near the lead horse's rump, extending its sharp claws to grab at the horse's rear.
When wolves hunt, they often cut open the prey's abdomen or rear end, tearing out its intestines and causing it to bleed to death, especially when the prey is much larger than themselves.
This wolf clearly had that in mind, and its tactics were quite successful, as its claws had already gripped the lead horse's rump.
Chapter 1139 Horse Neighing and Wind Howling
Just as the wolf's claws were about to grab the red horse's rump, the red horse suddenly moved sideways with an agility that was completely out of proportion to its size, much like a dance move in freestyle equestrianism, causing the wolf's claws to miss.
But the story didn't end there. Just as the wolf was falling, the red horse's two hind hooves suddenly sprang up with lightning speed and kicked the wolf in the waist.
Although one is herbivorous and the other is carnivorous, their strength is exactly the opposite. After the horse's hoof touched the wolf's waist, the wolf only had time to let out a miserable "whimper" before its entire body was kicked into the air and sent flying more than ten meters away.
Although this wolf wasn't very big, it still weighed about 30 to 50 pounds. The fact that Red Horse kicked it so far shows just how strong Red Horse was when he was angry.
After rolling several times on the ground, the wolf couldn't even whimper anymore; it was clear that the kick had broken its bones and killed it instantly.
As the saying goes, "a head of bronze, a tail of iron, and a waist of tofu," which describes the wolf. A wolf's head is extremely sturdy; even if a pack of wolves attacks it, it usually won't suffer much damage. Its tail is also a powerful weapon, often delivering a fatal blow to its prey when it's not paying attention.
However, the wolf's weak point is its waist. Even if a seven or eight-year-old child hits it with a stick, let alone a kick from Red Horse, it would probably be seriously injured and fall to the ground.
So, with a single kick from the red horse, the wolf that pounced first was instantly killed. The speed of the two actions was so fast that Zhuang Rui, who had been observing with binoculars, almost couldn't react. How could the outcome be decided in the blink of an eye?
"So... who is the prey and who is the hunter?"
Seeing this, Zhuang Rui was truly shocked. In nature, it is not uncommon for the weak to bully the strong, just like a rabbit can use its hind legs to kick an eagle to death. However, the probability of these things happening is very small and can almost be ignored.
Now, a vivid scene unfolded before his eyes: the red horse's powerful kick had directly killed this hunter at the top of the grassland's food chain, almost overturning Zhuang Rui's understanding of horses.
Zhuang Rui's previous impression of horses was that they were hardworking, docile, and quiet, but he never imagined that horses could have such a violent side.
"On the vast grasslands, no wolf dares to provoke a herd of horses. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, so if a horse gets angry, it will not only kick, but also bite..."
Batel, standing to the side, was also looking at the red horse with shining eyes, making no attempt to hide his affection. When wild horses encounter a small pack of wolves, they usually charge and scatter them. Those that cannot outrun the herd are naturally trampled to death.
But now this red horse actually fought a wolf one-on-one and won easily. Batel had lived on the grassland for twenty or thirty years and this was the first time he had ever seen such a thing.
Just as Zhuang Rui and the others were marveling at the red horse's magnificent appearance, the two prairie wolves behind it, seemingly unaffected by the death of their companion, split up and ran to the red horse's side. Moreover, a last wolf also ran out from the grass more than a hundred meters away.
Batel hadn't taken his binoculars, and it wasn't until the remaining two wolves darted up to the red horse that he noticed them, exclaiming in alarm, "Oh no, this horse's probably in for a beating..."
"No way? Brother Batel, with that red horse's height and agility, it could kill them all with one kick..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head dismissively. The wolf from before couldn't even hold its own for a single round, and now there's only one more wolf, so Red Horse probably won't take it seriously.
"Do you really think prairie wolves are that useless?"
Batel glanced at Zhuang Rui and said, "No, we need to hurry over. If Red Horse is injured, it could be an opportunity for us..."
There's a saying that goes, "Three wolves can subdue a tiger, and five wolves can tame a bear." This means that three wolves together can challenge a tiger and are very likely to win, while five wolves together can even make a powerful bear retreat.
While this statement may be a bit of an exaggeration, it illustrates a point: the combined fighting power of a single prairie wolf is not simply two.
The reason why wolf packs have been able to roam the grasslands for thousands of years is mainly because they have a very complete hunting method when hunting for prey, just like humans deploying troops in battle, advancing and retreating in a well-organized manner.
Just as Batel finished speaking, the two wolves pounced on the red horse from both sides. One wolf attracted the red horse's attention from the front, while the other wolf circled around behind the red horse and began to pounce with its black claws.
Just as Batel had predicted, the red horse was caught between a rock and a hard place. Every time it tried to raise its hind legs to strike the wolf behind it, the wolf in front would pounce, leaving the red horse constantly dodging and in a sorry state.
The two wolves kept harassing the red horse, leaving it no chance to neigh and call to its companions. The other wild horses, out of their natural fear of carnivores, did not dare to go forward and instead retreated quite a bit.
If Red Horse had any human sense, it would have started cursing long ago. Not for its companions not helping, but for its own carelessness. If it had called its hundred-plus men to charge forward earlier, it would have trampled ten wolves, let alone three, and wouldn't be in such a predicament.
Fortunately, the red horse's powerful kick earlier prevented the two wolves from pressing too hard. Otherwise, the red horse could have killed one of the wolves, even at the cost of injury. The two wolves' purpose was clear: they were waiting for their companion to arrive.
Batel took the bundle from Chi Xue, took out a bundle of rope, slung it over his shoulder, and looked at Zhuang Rui and the others, saying, "You all stay here, I'll go over by myself. Don't leave your heads behind, otherwise you'll startle the horses and they'll probably scatter..."
Horses don't actually have very good eyesight; they mainly rely on their hearing and sense of smell. So, if a herd of horses gets into a frenzy on a dark night, it will be very difficult to gather them back together.
"Brother Batel, let me go with you..."
Zhuang Rui looked at the red horse in peril and felt very worried. It would be such a pity if such a magnificent horse were to perish at the hands of wolves.
However, his spiritual energy could save lives but not kill them. Being so far away, Zhuang Rui could only worry helplessly and couldn't help Hong Ma, since Hong Ma wasn't injured at the moment.
"Come with me?"
Batel glanced at Zhuang Rui and said, "If you can ride a horse into a herd of wild horses like me, then you can come along..."
After speaking, Batel climbed onto Chi Xue's back, gently squeezed his legs together, and Chi Xue galloped towards the herd of horses.
Zhuang Rui and the others hid in a slightly low spot. When they were about 300 meters away from the herd of horses, Chi Xue suddenly accelerated, while Batel turned to the side, his entire body hiding on the other side of Chi Xue.
"Hey, Brother Batel, with such a big body, you did a really nice job..."
From the direction of the herd, only one lone horse was running towards them, while from Zhuang Rui and the others' direction, Batel was stuck to the other side of the horse like putty, which made Zhuang Rui almost shout out in delight.
Sure enough, Batel's move concealed his presence very well. The wild horses standing on the perimeter did not panic when they saw a companion arrive, nor did they make any warning noises.
As for the red horse, it was already too busy taking care of itself to notice whether there was a person hiding behind the horse running in the distance.
Red Horse was in a bad situation because a third wolf had already rushed in front of it. Red Horse, who was already struggling to deal with two wolves, was now in even more danger. Several times, it almost got its buttocks scratched by the wolf behind it.
The red horse began to get agitated. From birth until now, it had always been the king of horses. Unexpectedly, a careless mistake today had put it in great danger. The red horse was now planning to break out of the encirclement.
Suddenly, a rapid sound of hooves came from the left side of the red horse, directly towards it. The red horse thought that its mare lover had come to rescue it, and it slowed down its movements.
The red horse was a beat too slow in its dodge and immediately felt a sharp pain in its rear end. It had been struck by a wolf's claw, the venomous claw tearing several deep wounds into the red horse's rump.
"Law...law!"
The red horse was enraged. Before the wolf could escape, its hind hooves shot out with lightning speed, kicking the wolf that had successfully ambushed it five or six meters away.
But Red Horse's misfortune didn't end there. Just as he managed to protect his back, a wolf slashed his thigh, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward.
This red horse was truly formidable. Because it had pinned the wolf down when it fell, it opened its mouth wide, revealing its white, gleaming teeth used for chewing grass, and actually bit the wolf's neck.
With a push from its forelegs, the red horse threw the wolf away as it stood up. However, Zhuang Rui could vaguely see through the binoculars that a piece of flesh seemed to have been torn from the wolf's mouth.
"This...this really is a case of a desperate horse biting someone?"
Zhuang Rui was dumbfounded. He suddenly remembered the warhorses of the protagonists in some historical novels, which would help their masters on the battlefield by kicking or biting the enemy's horses. So this was all true?
After the wild horse abandoned the wolf, the last wolf finally broke down, tucked its tail between its legs, and darted back the way it came.
"Restore... the law!"
The red horse didn't chase after it, but instead raised its head and neighed loudly. For a moment, the clear sound echoed across the entire grassland, truly a scene of horses neighing and the wind howling in the middle of the night.
Chapter 1140 Taming
The night was cool and still, and the bright moonlight shone on the vast grassland. As the breeze gently swayed, it was as beautiful and serene as a traditional Chinese ink painting.
A loud neigh broke the silence. The penetrating sound, swaying with the grass, was like the pulse of the prairie, carrying far and wide, becoming the only sound in the world for a moment.
Despite being scratched on its forelimbs and rump by wolves, the red horse stood firmly in place, proudly holding its head high.
After letting out a deafening neigh, the red horse turned its head and looked at the surrounding herd of horses like a king surveying his subjects. Every horse it saw lowered its head, showing its submission.
Even Crimson Blood, which was slowly running under Batel's control, was shocked by the neigh. No matter how Batel urged it, it stopped more than a hundred meters away from Red Horse and refused to move forward.
"Luffy..."
Red Horse finally spotted the lone Crimson Blood in the distance and let out another neigh. The herd of wild horses immediately stirred, and all the horses stomped their forelegs, making a "clop-clop" sound.
"Oh no, the horses are running away..."
When Batel peeked under Chi Xue's belly and saw this, he was immediately alarmed. The wolf attack earlier that day had greatly disturbed the herd, and if they ran away again, there would be a long chase ahead.
Thinking of this, Batel flipped himself onto the horse's back, squeezed his legs together, shouted, and charged straight at the red horse. Batel was only doing this because the red horse was injured; otherwise, he would never have dared to be so careless.
Seeing that there was a person suddenly appearing on the horse that was previously empty, the wild horses became even more restless. However, since the lead horse did not give the order, none of the horses dared to run first.
"Eighty meters, sixty meters, forty meters, twenty meters..."
As the distance drew closer, Batel freed his hands, untied the rope from his shoulders, and tossed it over his head, revealing a noose that circled above his head.
As he got closer to the red horse, Batel felt his heart pounding faster. Last time, he had seen the horse from a distance through binoculars, but now that he was up close, Batel realized that the horse was far more magnificent than he had imagined.
The red horse had a tall, compact build and well-proportioned muscles. Its beautiful lines were something that Batel, who had been training horses for over twenty years, had never seen before. As for the scratches on the horse's body caused by wolves, they were not very noticeable because of the red horse's color.
When Red Horse saw Batel charging towards him, he didn't react at all. His clear eyes were fixed on Batel opposite him, occasionally striking him lightly.
However, if Battul could read the meaning in Red Horse's eyes, he would be extremely angry, because it was a kind of contempt.
"Whoa, get ready!" When he was only five or six meters away from the red horse, Batel finally made his move. The rope in his hand flew straight towards the red horse's neck after drawing a beautiful arc.
From the time he was breastfeeding, Batel sat on horseback in his mother's arms, and by the age of five or six, he dared to ride his pony everywhere. His equestrian skills were so good that few could match him on the vast grassland.
This guy who uses lasso to lasso horses has been practicing for over twenty years. Especially during his time in the army, Batel evolved this lassoing skill into a killing technique, and he was unfailingly accurate. Even Peng Fei admired him greatly.