The night deepened gradually.

The valley was silent, and the rain had stayed away this day – it was time to take turns keeping night watch.

As Lin Yu’an took the first half of the night shift, the flames of the bonfire were burning brightly when a howl, seemingly very close, was carried over by the mountain wind.

“Awooooo—”

Lin Yu’an’s heart jumped to his throat, and he immediately shook Stan and Old George awake from their sleep.

“Wolves!” he said in a low voice.

Old George and Stan snap to attention, wide awake.

They grabbed their guns beside them and listened closely. A few seconds later, another howl sounded from a different direction.

“They’re here.” Old George’s expression turned exceedingly serious.

“Looks like the flavor of our cooked meat travels further than mere blood – these creatures have been drawn by our feast!”

The rich aroma of boiled lamb and the warmth of the bonfire lingered.

But the air inside the cave grew weighty with every approaching wolf howl.

“Awooooo—”

The howls drew closer, one after another, as if invisible enemies lurked all around.

Stan quickly stood up, stoking the bonfire into a brighter blaze, flooding the cave with light, while the darkness outside seemed to deepen.

He checked his revolver’s magazine and said in a grave tone, “There might be quite a number of them.”

“Don’t panic.” Old George’s voice was remarkably calm.

“Let’s set up a defensive position first, Lin, turn on your headlamp and direct it toward the shadowed area to the left of the entrance. Remember, don’t shine directly, use the edge of the light.”

“Stan, use your Red Eagle to cover the defense within ten meters. If they get close, shoot directly!”

The orders were given, and the two immediately moved into action.

Lin Yu’an and Stan took positions on either side of the cave entrance, using rocks as cover. Lin Yu’an directed his headlamp’s beam into the distance.

Old George positioned himself in the center-rear, where the view was best, and set up the Remington 700, searching for targets.

With the dim light, they finally saw their incoming adversaries.

About fifty meters out from the entrance, moving green points flickered in the dark on the slight slope.

Those were wolves’ eyes! Lin Yu’an quickly counted, at least seven or eight light points! They formed a loose fan shape, soundlessly creeping toward the entrance!

“Hold your position. Let them come a bit closer.”

Old George’s voice was very low, as if whispering beside the ear: “They’re clever, probing us. Avoid firing the first shot unless absolutely necessary.”

Time seemed to freeze, with only the “crackling” of the burning bonfire and the steady breathing of the three men in the cave.

Outside, there was the slight “sifting” sound of wolves’ paws treading on the gravel, and the excited panting noises they made.

The atmosphere was tense to the utmost degree.

At last, a slightly larger wolf could no longer hold back. It quickened its pace, attempting to bypass the headlamp’s beam and rush into Stan’s defense zone from the right.

“Now! Stan, shoot at its feet!” Old George shouted.

Stan hesitated not a moment – his hand cannon had long since targeted the spot. Instantly, the Alaskan weapon spat fire. “Bang!”

The bullet didn’t hit the wolf but precisely struck the ground before it, sending dirt and gravel flying.

That wolf jumped at the sudden explosion and impact, whimpering, and immediately tucked its tail and retreated.

The gunshot served as a deterrent, momentarily halting the wolves’ advance.

But they didn’t withdraw; instead, they regrouped, lingering and watching from afar, seeking new weaknesses.

“They’re waiting!”

Old George analyzed: “Waiting for us to relax or our fire to die out. It’s a test of patience.”

He looked over at Lin Yu’an and said, “Kid, your shotgun is our ace!”

“Remember, unless a wolf gets within twenty meters, don’t hastily fire. Each shot is a solid line of defense!”

“Understood.” Lin Yu’an nodded.

The next hour turned into a prolonged standoff.

The wolves made several attempts to harass and probe from different angles, but each time, Stan’s precision warning shots pushed them back.

They played the game like seasoned chess players, resolving each attack with minimal loss.

Yet, the patience and cunning of the wolves exceeded what they had imagined.

After another failed probe, the wolves suddenly changed tactics.

The largest lead wolf let out a short and high-pitched howl.

Immediately, three wolves, like soldiers receiving orders, charged from three completely different directions at once!

Instead of probing, they increased speed to their utmost, becoming three gray streaks, diving straight for the entrance!

“They’re coming!” Stan shouted, quickly aiming at the one rushing from the right-front.

Old George’s muzzle was steady, trained on the wolf in the middle.

“Lin! Left one’s yours!”

“Bang!”

Stan fired first, his shot precisely hitting the front leg of the wolf on the right side. The wolf stumbled, fell, and let out a painful cry.

“Bang!”

Old George’s Remington 700 also roared out! The wolf charging in the lead rolled over and was killed on the spot!

On the left side, the wolf had already breached the twenty-meter perimeter! Its mouth was wide open, ready to pounce into the entrance!

At that moment, Lin Yu’an exhibited stunning composure! He wasn’t the least bit flustered, steadily raising his shotgun, pulling the trigger!

“Boom!”

The shotgun’s noise was starkly different from the rifle’s, deep and fierce roaring!

The 00 buckshot formed a deadly fan, enveloping the wolf at close range in an instant.

The wolf, mid-air, seemed to collide with an invisible wall, swung by immense force, hurled to the ground, breathless.

Three shots, three wolves down!

This lightning-speed, seamlessly coordinated fatal counterattack totally shattered the wolves’ will.

The wolf king let out a series of mournful cries, after which the few remaining wolves, turned, tails tucked, vanished headlong into the darkness.

Inside and out of the cave, silence returned.

“It’s over,”

Old George set down his gun, exhaling deeply, although his tense body hadn’t completely relaxed.

Stan leaned against the rock wall, a face full of excitement post-battle: “Well done! We coordinated like we were one!”

Lin Yu’an felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest, blood boiling all over!

Looking at his companions, a unique bond forged from battle arose within him.

They were no longer mere hunting partners but comrades who could trust each other with their lives.

“Don’t get complacent.” Old George interrupted their excitement.

“No one can say for sure if they’ll be back, tonight won’t be an easy rest for anyone.”

He glanced at the three wolf bodies on the ground, saying: “Drag them in and cover the bloodstains with dirt. Leaving them here will only attract more trouble; who knows if the scent will bring bears.”

“Then one of us will keep watch, two hours each, until dawn.”

For the rest of the time, one stayed vigilant with a gun, and the others together dragged the three wolf corpses into the cave depth.

The weariness from battle and the fatigue of keeping watch drifted in, but none complained.

They sat around the bonfire, drinking hot water, recalling those thrilling seconds that passed, dissecting their shots.

George patted Lin’s shoulder: “Lin, today you truly hunted in Alaska, becoming a bonafide Alaskan hunter!”

“You possess an exceptional gift as a hunter—calm, decisive, trustworthy. I’m proud to battle alongside you!”

Throughout this night, the bonfire did not die.

At the entrance, three figures took turns guarding this small patch of warm fortress.

The camaraderie among them, through shared combat and long vigil, was tempered into something indestructible.

They knew, from now on, they could rely wholeheartedly on each other on this rugged land!

————

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep