Ch 72: My Wolf Husband

Xuancheng was under complete lockdown. While the soldiers rested, the commanders tirelessly formulated detailed plans to repel the enemy. Scouts at the front closely monitored the enemy’s movements.

Today, the sky brightened later than usual. The morning light barely peeked through the thick, dark clouds before being swallowed up again.

A scout came stumbling back from the barbarian camp near the border river, disheveled and terrified, as if he had seen a ghost. He could barely string a sentence together.

“The barbarian… the barbarian camp…”

An anxious general quickly ordered a soldier to douse the scout with a bucket of cold water. The splash jolted the scout back to his senses.

“What happened at the barbarian camp? Speak!”

The scout, his pupils dilated with fear, trembled uncontrollably on the ground. It was unclear whether it was from fear or the cold.

“The barbarian camp… it looked fine last night. They were setting up camp and cooking meals, but this morning… when our scout team was about to change shifts, we saw… they all… they all turned into living corpses! Vines were growing out of their bodies, wrapping them alive! The entire camp, full of them!”

At first, the others found it hard to believe. Such a story was difficult to accept.

With a pale face, Jiang Zhao asked, “Where are the other scouts?”

“The others… the others were killed by a group of withered vine ghosts that quickly rushed up the hillside. They… they’re all dead!” The scout was only alive because a cavalry officer had used his own body to shield him, sacrificing himself to ensure the message was delivered. The vine ghost had pierced the officer’s heart, splattering blood all over the scout, which now dripped onto the ground, mixing with the cold water.

Everyone present felt their skin crawl. Even the most battle-hardened veterans had never encountered anything like this.

The scout could no longer speak. The guards hurriedly wrapped him in thick blankets while the military doctor administered acupuncture.

Jiang Zhao felt as if he had swallowed rusted iron, but he gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

“Prepare the entire army for battle! Defend Xuancheng to the death!”

In the small courtyard by the eastern gate of the city, the white wolves that had been guarding the area suddenly leaped up, their muscles tense as they assumed the most ferocious attack posture, growling and snarling at the walls.

Lin Shuishi’s heart had been pounding with an overwhelming sense of unease. When he saw the wolves’ sudden change in behavior, he quickly grabbed the firewood axe by his bed and got ready to defend himself, pressing low against the inner side of the courtyard wall.

It wasn’t long before Lin Shuishi felt the ground beneath him begin to tremble, the vibrations traveling through his feet, signaling that danger was approaching.

At the sound of a horn, the soldiers who had been resting and switching shifts all rushed to the gates with their weapons. Lin Shuishi, standing on the back of one of the white wolves, peered over to the eastern gate. The gate was now heavily guarded by fully armored elite soldiers, with all the heavy crossbows positioned along the walls, along with barrels of oil and firestones.

Lin Shuishi was alarmed. The barbarians were launching a counterattack? But how could they move so quickly? The city had newly produced a large number of crossbows, and the armored soldiers of the barbarians couldn’t get close to the city! Crossbows had a range of a thousand meters and could easily penetrate the enemy’s armor. He and Fuli had investigated before, and there weren’t many armored soldiers among the barbarians. Were they insane?

Among the remaining white wolves was the young white wolf’s uncle. Although it usually had a playful nature, it was an undeniable leader among the wolves! Its physique was large and strong, nearly matching Fuli in height when standing, with sharp fangs and limbs as strong as steel.

Its blue eyes no longer held their usual lazy, easygoing look, instead radiating a fierce and menacing aura.

Only then did Lin Shuishi realize that wolves, indeed, were wild animals, and white wolves were truly the kings among beasts.

The white wolf decisively dashed out, nimbly dodging the soldiers as it leaped up to the city walls, lifting its head to gaze out over the horizon.

The white wolves, usually hidden in the mountains, had revealed themselves in broad daylight, displaying such ferocity and strength that they instantly drew attention. Lin Shuishi could almost hear the sound of people gasping in shock.

But these white wolves exuded an imposing presence, and their intelligent, almost spiritual, blue eyes made them seem almost divine. In this region, the legend of the wolf god was well known, and there were even recent stories of wolves returning lost children to their families. So, no one dared to show disrespect, keeping their distance and watching from afar.

The soldiers had no time to pay attention to the wolves, as from the high city walls, they could already see a black mass of “people” approaching from the horizon near the border river.

Human vision was limited, but the white wolf’s wasn’t. Its blue eyes clearly saw the shriveled faces of the “vine ghosts” in the horde, still stained with fresh blood that had yet to dry.

Lin Shuishi felt the white wolf beneath him tense up before it suddenly turned and raced back into the city, carrying Lin Shuishi with it. The other three white wolves followed closely, leaping over the city walls and searching for a way out, but the white wolf sensed that the strange scent surrounded them on all sides. A lone wolf could still manage to break through, but not with Lin Shuishi on its back.

The white wolf paused, stopped in its tracks, and then returned to the small courtyard within the city. Lin Shuishi, though aware of the grave danger, still believed it was just the barbarians laying siege to the city.

“Run if you can! If you stand out too much, you’ll become a target. The barbarians breaking through the city won’t be an easy task; we’re not at the point of life or death yet.”

But the white wolves remembered those things all too well! After all, when Fuli was shot with arrows, it was these wolves that helped carry him back to the den in the Eastern Mountain’s snow valley. The battle that night was brutal—”vine ghosts” filled an entire gorge.

Lin Shuishi watched as the wolves huddled together, rubbing heads and faces, communicating in their own way. Just as he was about to say something, one of the fastest white wolves leaped over the courtyard wall, bounded off the city wall, and disappeared in an instant.

The remaining white wolves formed a protective circle around him, staying on high alert.

With a battle on the horizon, no one had time to spare for others, but Lin Shuishi still heard a knock at the door. He quickly calmed the white wolves and opened the door, only to find Dongsheng standing there with a solemn expression, accompanied by two or three dozen men.

“Brother Dong? What are you doing here? Isn’t there a battle going on?”

Dongsheng no longer looked like the young hunter who once roamed Dongshan Mountain searching for people. After experiencing the fires of war and wielding swords, he had become calm and authoritative.

He hesitated when he saw the white wolves—such fierce beasts instantly reminded him of the giant white wolf he and his father had encountered in the forest. The divine beast, towering and awe-inspiring, had torn out the bear king’s spine with raw power, a sight that would send shivers down anyone’s spine.

But fortunately, the wolves in front of him weren’t as massive. People from Rehe inherently revered wolves, and as Dongsheng shook off his surprise, his old, somewhat naive demeanor returned.

Seeing the soldiers behind Dongsheng cautiously raising their weapons, Lin Shuishi quickly gestured for them to relax. “Everyone, take it easy! These are my wolves; they won’t hurt anyone!”

Dongsheng snapped out of his thoughts and called his comrades inside, though they kept their distance from the wolves, careful not to get too close to Lin Shuishi and provoke them.

“Shuishi! The barbarians have attacked, and I’ve heard their rattan armor is even tougher this time. But General Jiang told us not to worry, just to defend the city.”

“Then why did you come here?”

“Well, in the chaos, the Rear General ordered someone to protect you. They know we’re childhood friends, so they sent me over and said to act as necessary. Don’t worry, Brother Dong’s got your back!”

Lin Shuishi was stunned for a moment, feeling a warm glow in his heart. Dongsheng was like a kind-hearted older brother, someone he could consider family in this strange world.

“Brother Dong, is everything okay back home?” Lin Shuishi asked nervously amidst the chaos of war.

Dongsheng waved his hand dismissively. “No worries, the General has already sent everyone to the capital for safety.” He had more to say, but in these dire times, it was clear that if the city of Xuancheng fell and the barbarians were to march into the capital, nowhere would be safe.

He still treated Lin Shuishi as a young child, even though his heart was uneasy with the large, intimidating white wolves around. Without hesitation, he ordered his men to guard the courtyard walls, waiting for the right moment to act after the battle.

He spoke while scratching his head, not daring to get too close to Lin Shuishi. However, the white wolves were familiar with Lin Shuishi, as they often came down from the mountain to guard the hillside behind his yard in Rehe Village. They approached Dongsheng, sniffed him, and seemed to recognize his scent, their demeanor visibly softened as if they remembered an old neighbor.

Dongsheng remained still, not daring to move until the white wolves lost interest in him. Only then did he relax and anxiously ask Lin Shuishi.

“Shuishi, you… uh, where’s your man? It’s not safe to wander around at this time of year.”

“He had some important business and went back to Dongshan.”

Dongsheng became worried. “Oh no, when did he leave? If he returns and gets caught in a battle outside the city, it could be disastrous.”

Lin Shuishi quickly calculated the time and felt relieved. “Luckily, he left this morning, so he shouldn’t be back too soon. He’ll be safer that way.”

Without dwelling on it, he grabbed Dongsheng and asked about the military situation. However, Dongsheng, with his limited rank, didn’t know much.

They hadn’t spoken much before a sudden uproar erupted from the city walls. Some soldiers, overcome with fear, even tumbled down from the gate tower!

The reason was that the barbarian army had finally approached, and the city defenders could now see their current state.

The tall barbarians, who had been fiercely fighting just a few days ago, no longer looked human. Their faces were pale, their skin dried out, and their entire army was covered in vine armor. The armor gleamed as if it had absorbed the last bit of blood and flesh from the bodies it encased, glowing with an eerie green hue.

On the other side of the border river, masses of “vine ghosts” were madly rushing toward Xuancheng, a vast black mass with no trace of humanity.

However, after a brief commotion, everything fell silent.

It was so quiet that only the heavy breathing of the soldiers and the distant sound of vines scraping against each other could be heard.

“Squeak, squeak, rustle, rustle…”

All the soldiers, whether tall or short, fat or thin, young or old, seemed to act on instinct. They all turned around, facing the hinterland of the Central Plains behind Xuancheng. Some looked towards the imperial capital, others towards their hometowns, and they all deeply kowtowed.

After the long bow, they each went back to their tasks, tightening crossbows, setting up caltrops, and lighting firestones…

A young soldier who had tumbled down from the gate tower, still without a beard on his chin, wiped his tears and snot, trembling as he climbed back up to his post on the wall.

He might not have the lofty ambitions of the generals and captains, but his father, mother, younger brothers, and sisters were all behind this city.

Even if he were to die and be trampled into the mud, he had to hold the line. No matter what, even if the iron hooves broke through, he had to die before his family did!

Jiang Zhao, draped in a blood-red cloak, stood alongside Zhao Xing atop the main city tower. The scholar’s frail body was like a reed toughened by the scent of blood. He gripped the command flag and shouted.

“Ready the crossbows!”

The twenty-man crossbow teams strained at their levers. With all the arrows in place, Jiang Zhao waved the command flag firmly.

“Fire!”

A fierce wind swept the rain of arrows, roaring like a waterfall, scattering in all directions.

Lin Shuishi could only see the small patch of sky above the courtyard, unaware that the most brutal battle had already begun.