The pain from the wound wasn't as intense as before. Zhou Rui removed the towel from Zhuang Rui's mouth, but the thick roll of towel had been bitten through by Zhuang Rui.
Zhuang Rui was about to raise his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead when he discovered that he was actually holding a small, fair hand in his palm. "Fair and fair" might not be the right word, because the small hand was already bruised and covered with finger marks from Zhuang Rui's grip.
"this……"
Zhuang Rui followed the little hand upwards. Qin Xuanbing's tears hadn't been wiped away yet. When she saw Zhuang Rui looking at her, Qin Xuanbing quickly pulled her hand back, refusing to meet his gaze.
"Hey Wood, come on, take this medicine. Uh, there are two bottles of glucose here, drink them too. Hey, let me help you."
Liu Chuan came over with anti-inflammatory medicine and glucose water. When he was about to hand it to Zhuang Rui, he saw that Zhuang Rui had become a one-armed hero. So he simply opened the cap of the glucose water and prepared to feed it to Zhuang Rui.
"Cough...cough, get away from me, give me the bottle, I can do it myself."
This wasn't feeding, it was practically force-feeding. Liu Chuan had never served anyone before. However, he often gave the pets in the shop injections and medicine, so he was probably using those methods now.
"Let me do it. How many pills should I take at once?"
Qin Xuanbing's voice rang out from inside the car.
"Two...two grains..."
Liu Chuan was a little stunned. Could this young lady actually know how to serve people?
Qin Xuanbing took the medicine bottle from Liu Chuan, poured out two pills into her palm, and put them to Zhuang Rui's lips.
Zhuang Rui's brain was a bit overwhelmed. Counting from just now, he had offended Qin Xuanbing three times already. Why was she being so nice? Could it be that she wanted to wait until he recovered before punishing him with "dripping wax and whipping"? While Zhuang Rui was thinking wildly, he swallowed the medicine at the corner of his mouth. Just as he was thinking about something wicked, he couldn't help but lick the white palm at the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue.
Qin Xuanbing withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted, but she didn't say anything. She just rolled her eyes at Zhuang Rui and then sat back down next to Bai Mengyao.
"She's not angry with me!" Even though Zhuang Rui was unfamiliar with women, he could tell at this moment that Qin Xuanbing wasn't angry, and his mood immediately improved. He picked up the glucose water next to him and gulped it down.
"Sigh. I guess my silly brother has no chance."
Bai Mengyao shook her head, glanced at Bai Meng'an who had been thrown into the trunk by Liu Chuan and was fast asleep, and thought helplessly to herself that Bai Mengyao was a very smart girl. Ever since Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing got into the Hummer, she had been keeping an eye on the two of them.
Zhuang Rui's behavior was relatively normal, and perhaps he really didn't have any feelings for Qin Xuanbing. However, Qin Xuanbing, who was usually indifferent to people, actually helped Zhuang Rui several times, which made Bai Mengyao feel something was off.
Especially when Qin Xuanbing extended her hand for Zhuang Rui to grasp, this gesture of helping him divert his attention further solidified Bai Mengyao's judgment: Qin Xuanbing, the famous goddess of Hong Kong, must have fallen for this seemingly ordinary man!
In fact, Bai Mengyao didn't really care whether Qin Xuanbing could become her sister-in-law. Her desire to bring the two together was mostly just for fun. However, now that she saw Qin Xuanbing actually developing feelings for Zhuang Rui, she also developed a strong interest in Zhuang Rui herself.
"Lei Lei, drive the car over to the campfire and stop."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was temporarily safe, Zhou Rui began to deal with the nasty grassland wolves. Although driving the Hummer would prevent the tires from being damaged, it would also make it impossible to lock onto the target. Therefore, he ordered the car to be stopped in order to attract the wolves to surround it.
The campfire had mostly died down, and apart from the lights on the Hummer, the surroundings were pitch black. However, the rustling sounds coming from the grass indicated that the wolf pack had not gone far and was still looking for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the people in the Hummer.
After the car came to a stop, Zhou Rui opened the sunroof and pointed his gun at the dark area around the parking space, while Liu Chuan sat in the passenger seat, holding his five-round Remington pistol, guarding the front of the Hummer.
"Da da da... bang bang..."
Gunshots rang out one after another, and several prairie wolf carcasses were left in front of and behind the vehicle.
"That feels good, you blockhead, let me fire a few shots at you."
As Liu Chuan loaded bullets into Remington's gun barrel, he joked with Zhuang Rui.
"Tch, if you're so tough, throw away your gun and learn from me, grab a knife and go for it."
Zhuang Rui curled his lip, saying dismissively that the effects of the alcohol had worn off by now. Thinking back to what had just happened, he felt a little scared.
After several attempts to break through the firepower of Zhou Rui and Liu Chuan, the wolf pack failed and left behind more than ten wolf carcasses. The grassland became quiet. Zhou Rui refused to abandon the off-road vehicle, and the wolf pack, having suffered heavy losses, was naturally unwilling to give up. A stalemate ensued, with neither side able to defeat the other.
After the brief but thrilling adventure, Qin Xuanbing was clearly exhausted. She relaxed and leaned against Bai Mengyao, dozing off. Bai Mengyao's attention was completely drawn to the pack of wolves outside the car. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her anymore, Zhuang Rui quietly lowered his head and stared intently at his injured left arm.
Since absorbing the spiritual energy from the sandalwood root carving, Zhuang Rui's eyes have regained much of their spiritual energy. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have been willing to use spiritual energy to heal himself. Even so, he carefully controlled the amount of spiritual energy, only about a quarter of the total amount, and allowed it to enter the wound on his arm.
"Uh, that feels so good?"
The moment the spiritual energy seeped into his skin, a cool sensation surged into Zhuang Rui's heart. The burning pain immediately disappeared. Through the gauze on his arm, Zhuang Rui saw that the previously raw and bleeding wound had scabbed over at a speed visible to the naked eye. He tried to lift his left hand slightly and found that his left arm, which had been unable to move before, could now move. However, if the range of motion was too large, his arm would still hurt.
"If I use all the spiritual energy in my eyes, this wound will probably heal immediately. I must find a way to absorb more spiritual energy in the future."
This was the first time Zhuang Rui had personally experienced the benefits of spiritual energy, and he valued it even more. In the past, he would casually look for antiques to increase the spiritual energy in his eyes, but now, his desire for spiritual energy had reached its peak.
Relying on finding bargains in the antique market to increase spiritual energy is far too slow. Zhuang Rui secretly made a decision: after returning from Tibet, he would immediately go back to Zhonghai and absorb the spiritual energy from the items in the pawnshop first.
Although the spiritual energy in his eyes could heal injuries, it obviously had no effect on replenishing blood. Zhuang Rui, who had lost blood in his arm, persisted for a while before falling asleep on the sofa. Meanwhile, the standoff between the man and the werewolf outside the car continued.
Chapter 74 The Battle of the Wolf and the Mastiff (Part 1)
"Da da... da da da..."
The crisp sound of a gunshot startled Zhuang Rui from his sleep. When he sat up, he found that dawn was breaking outside the car window.
Liu Chuan was driving a Hummer, chasing after the wolf pack. Zhou Rui, who hadn't slept all night, had bloodshot eyes. He leaned half his body out of the car and used his gun to precisely shoot down the fleeing wolves.
In modern times, human activity has gradually reduced the living space of grassland wolves. Large wolf packs of hundreds of people, like those before liberation, have completely disappeared. The wolf pack that Zhuang Rui and his group encountered, with over a hundred grassland wolves, was already the most powerful wolf pack in the Nagqu Grassland. However, they were unlucky enough to encounter Zhuang Rui and his group, who were well-equipped and had plenty of ammunition.
From ancient times to the present, the wolves of the grasslands have been sworn enemies with all creatures on the grasslands, especially the war between humans and wolves, which was extremely cruel. Humans and wolves used cruelty to attack cruelty, cruelty to retaliate against cruelty, and cunning to fight cunning. If Zhuang Rui and his group hadn't been traveling in a Hummer, and if they hadn't had guns, they would probably all be skeletons by now.
"Liu Chuan, turn around!"
After Zhou Rui shot the last prairie wolf in his sight, he retreated back into the vehicle. A pungent smell of gunpowder immediately filled the Hummer. Seeing that Zhuang Rui had woken up and his complexion was similar to usual, only a little pale due to excessive blood loss, Zhou Rui breathed a sigh of relief. Judging from this, Zhuang Rui had not been infected by the bacteria in the wolf's fangs.
"Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
Just to be on the safe side, Zhou Rui still asked a question: Generally speaking, after being bitten by a wolf, unlike being bitten by a dog, the rabies virus contained in a dog's teeth may remain dormant in the human body for several years or even more than ten years before recurring. However, if a person bitten by a wolf does not have symptoms such as fever or elevated body temperature within a day, there will generally be no further problems.
"It's okay, it's just that I still can't use my left arm."
Zhuang Rui flexed his left hand and said to Zhou Rui.
"That's good. Once we get to Nagqu, we'll go to the hospital for the injection."
Zhou Rui was completely relieved.
Liu Chuan had just chased the wolf pack in his car for several kilometers. Now, returning to their starting camp, he discovered that the wolf carcasses shot during the night had vanished. They must have been eaten by the surviving wolves. These animals are not only cruel to their enemies but also show no compassion for their own kind; dead or wounded wolves often quickly become food for the pack, especially in the cold winter. ...
The grassland was incredibly beautiful in the early morning. The sun peeked shyly out from behind the distant mountains, as if it hadn't fully woken up yet. Dewdrops still clung to the tender petals of the early-awakening wildflowers, bitter bean flowers, and wild chrysanthemums. The grassland shifted between darkness and light, appearing both real and illusory.
The distant mist creates a hazy atmosphere. The verdant meadows of early spring, with their rounded, undulating hills, reveal their tender bosoms. Under the caress of the rising sun, they are lush and enchanting. If it weren't for the pungent smell of wolf blood, this would be a beautiful scene straight out of a poem.
The temperature on the grassland in the early morning was around three or four degrees Celsius. It wasn't too cold. After being cooped up in the air-conditioned car all night, the group got out to get some fresh air. However, the strong smell of blood made it impossible to camp there any longer. Liu Chuan loaded the case of Luzhou Laojiao liquor, which still had seven or eight bottles left, into the car, while Zhou Rui was already changing the tires on the off-road vehicle with his tools.
The two tires that were bitten out by the wolf's teeth were completely destroyed. The wires inside the tires were bitten through and couldn't be repaired. Fortunately, Zhou Rui had brought two spare tires with him before he set off. Otherwise, he would have had to abandon the car here and wait until he got to the city to buy tires before he could drive it away.
"Brother Zhou, do you think the wolf pack will come back? I've heard that wolves are very vengeful..."
Zhuang Rui held a Type 56 submachine gun in his right hand and stood guard beside Zhou Rui. He was afraid that the wolf pack might launch a counterattack, and if the group was not prepared, they would definitely suffer a great loss.
"It's alright. I shot the wolf king this morning. Otherwise, the wolf pack wouldn't have scattered, and this wolf pack wouldn't exist anymore. It would only be divided into several smaller wolf packs."
While Zhou Rui was busy with his work, he replied casually that the unit he used to serve in also had the word "wolf" in its name, so he knew a great deal about the habits of wolves.
"Xiao Zhuang, you're quite good. You have guts and know how to assess situations. If you train in the army for a few years, you'll definitely be a formidable fighter."
Zhou Rui casually tossed the discarded tire back into the trunk of the SUV, clapped his hands, and looked at Zhuang Rui, who was holding a gun with one hand, and gave him a rare compliment.
"Brother Zhuang is amazing! He was a hero who saved the damsel in distress yesterday, hehe."
Bai Mengyao skipped over, followed by Bai Meng'an, who had just woken up from a hangover. At this moment, Bai Meng'an could no longer maintain his gentlemanly demeanor. Looking at the messy campsite and the dark brown wolf blood all over the ground, he stared in astonishment, listening to the chattering beside Bai Mengyao recounting what had happened the day before.
"Oh, how did I get so drunk? This kind of opportunity is rare even in Europe, a pure wilderness hunt."
Bai Meng'an angrily blamed herself, regretting that she had missed the big event yesterday. Zhuang Rui, who was listening nearby, rolled his eyes. The event was indeed big, but try facing three starving wolves on the grassland alone.
"Zhuang Rui, come here for a moment."
Lei Lei's voice came from beside the Hummer. Zhuang Rui looked in the direction of the voice and saw Lei Lei waving at him.
"What is it, Miss Lei? Please let me know if you need anything."
Zhuang Rui slung the gun over his right shoulder and walked over. Since last night, Zhuang Rui's personality had become more cheerful than before. In the face of life and death, he was more able to let go of many things.
"Come here a bit."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was still three or four meters away from her, Lei Lei stomped her foot and walked over herself.
"Xuanxuan needs to pee. Could you please go and check around? She's worried there might be wolves."
Lei Lei leaned close to Zhuang Rui's ear and whispered something.
"I?"
Zhuang Rui exclaimed in surprise, his mouth opening even wider than Bai Meng'an's.
Zhuang Rui can't use his left arm, so he's practically crippled. Everyone else here has perfectly fine arms and legs, and Zhuang Rui can't understand why Qin Xuanbing sent him out to keep watch.
"Hey, what are you yelling about? What did my wife say to you?"
After Liu Chuan put the case of liquor in the car, he casually opened a bottle and carried it in his hand. In his left hand, he also had a bag of Dezhou braised chicken that he had just torn open and was enjoying it. Anyway, on the grassland, as long as you don't drive and drift, there is no danger of overturning.
"It's alright, it's alright. Lei Lei said you were an invincible hero yesterday, and she'll repay you with her life when we get to Nagqu."
"Go on, you two brothers are no good either."
Zhuang Rui muttered nonsense as he walked toward Qin Xuanbing, who was waiting at the front of the car, with Lei Lei's laughing and cursing voice coming from behind him.
"Xuanbing, this... well..."
Zhuang Rui walked up to Qin Xuanbing, unsure of what to say. After fighting side by side yesterday, he felt that the barrier between him and Qin Xuanbing had disappeared, but something else seemed to have mixed in, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable in front of her, unlike before when he felt completely at ease.
"Pfft..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's silly expression, Qin Xuanbing couldn't help but laugh. She had felt a little shy at first, but now she felt natural.
"You stay here and keep an eye on things, don't let anyone get close."
Qin Xuanbing pulled Zhuang Rui along and led him into the bushes behind the Hummer.
"Okay. Don't worry, I'll be watching over you."
Zhuang Rui was lost in thought when this sentence suddenly popped into his head.
"I'm not telling you to look at me, I'm telling you to watch out for wolves and people around you."
Even though Qin Xuanbing was usually very generous, she couldn't help but blush when she heard Zhuang Rui's words. She stopped in her tracks in anger and walked into the waist-high grass.
"Look at that foul mouth of yours, buddy..."
Zhuang Rui realized he had misspoke, so he lightly slapped his face with his right hand and quickly chased after him.
"Xuanbing, don't go in yet, let me take a look around first."