CHAPTER 129: THE RAMPAGING BEAST TIDE

Outside the eastern gate of the capital, Wang Yu and Edward stood among a group of eager hunters, all prepared to make a fortune from the emerging wave of winter wolves. They gazed at the unnatural blizzard forming above the distant forest.

"No matter how long I stay in this world, I'm still amazed by its wonders," Wang Yu mused to himself. Who could have imagined that the migration of magical beasts would create such remarkable phenomena due to magical resonance?

"The winter wolves will be pouring out soon. Led by the alpha, they'll spread out evenly in all directions to ensure the pack can find a suitable habitat across as wide an area as possible," Edward explained.

At the moment, Edward wasn't clad in his own suit of formidable armor that he used in combat. Instead, he had changed into leather armor like Wang Yu's. It would be more than enough to deal with a beast tide that wasn't supposed to be particularly destructive.

This change allowed Wang Yu and Edward to blend seamlessly with the group of hunters preparing for the winter hunt without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves.

"You seem to know a lot about these winter wolves," Wang Yu murmured. Edward was casually pointing out their weaknesses and characteristics in a manner that spoke to deep knowledge on the subject matter.

"Winter wolves originate from the north. The ones in this forest outside the capital likely migrated from there long ago. It must have taken them many years to grow to their current numbers.

"The north is barren, apart from the barbarians roaming the snowy plains. All adults—and even children—in the north must learn to hunt. Winter wolves are among our most common prey. They aren't considered powerful there—certainly not the kind of magical beasts that can easily turn the tables on a hunter."

Edward paused and suddenly added, almost like an afterthought, "Nobles and commoners alike share in the hunt."

Wang Yu observed Edward's expression with his ripples. There was a trace of nostalgia in his gaze, and it was clear that he was quite familiar with hunting.

After being ruthlessly overcharged for supplies brought in by enterprising merchants, the hunters dispersed. Since the wolves were spreading out in all directions, crowding together would only lead to infighting over the prey.

Wang Yu and Edward were above average in strength relative to the hunters. The two of them could afford to stray farther from the group and still handle a larger number of winter wolves with ease.

Edward glanced at the forest, then closed his eyes as he referenced his memories. After a brief moment of assessment, he began leading Wang Yu toward a particular part of the woods.

The snow was thick, but that posed no obstacle for Wang Yu and Edward. A thin layer of fighting spirit coated their bodies, allowing them to move without sinking into the snow. They left barely visible footprints behind as they arrived at what appeared to be a cliffside.

Upon closer inspection, Wang Yu realized it wasn't a true cliff but a narrow passage formed by two stone walls that extended deep into the forest. It was a perfect hunting spot.

"The wolves will spread out in all directions, but the only exit around here is this narrow path. They'll come down through here, making it easier for us to hunt them," Edward said with a grin, retrieving a bow from his back. Wang Yu had assumed it was just part of the armor, but it turned out Edward actually knew how to use the bow.

Edward chuckled. "I was a decent hunter back in the north. A few arrows is no problem for me. This passage is only wide enough for two wolves to run side by side. If I take one out, the other will have difficulty moving. Just remember not to use too much force—winter wolf pelts are quite valuable."

Edward spoke like an expert. Wang Yu nodded. He was more than happy to let Edward, apparently a professional, take the lead.

The alpha's howl rang out, followed by answering calls from pack leaders scattered across the forest. The blizzard swirling above the trees split into multiple currents and dispersed in all directions.

Edward crouched in the snow, bow drawn, aiming at the narrow gap between the stone walls. Wang Yu positioned himself slightly ahead of Edward. If they needed to keep the pelts intact, fighting barehanded would do just fine—after all, his hand-to-hand combat was just as strong as his swordplay.

One of the miniature blizzards was heading straight toward them. As it passed through the narrow passage, the swirling wind dissipated against the stone walls, revealing the wolves before they even came into sight.

Did Edward factor that in too? Wang Yu raised an eyebrow. As expected of a professional hunter—this meant Edward could shoot freely without worrying about wind disrupting his arrows.

Soon, a pack of white-furred wolves came into view, sprinting down the narrow passage toward Wang Yu and Edward.

Their eyes were wide open. Sharp fangs protruded from their jaws, and saliva dripped their maws as they charged forward ferociously.

"Not particularly dangerous?" Wang Yu muttered under his breath. "Are all northerners this tough...?"

Wang Yu was surprised—these wolves were significantly larger than the black wolves that had attacked him when he first arrived in this world. Their presence alone carried an intimidating aura.

"Something seems off..." Edward murmured behind him, a note of doubt in his voice, though his hands remained steady. A simple iron-tipped arrow shot forward at lightning speed, whistling past Wang Yu and piercing straight through the skull of the lead wolf.

A sharp, muffled sound echoed as blood sprayed from the wolf's head.

Its body toppled over, rolling sideways and tripping the wolf behind it, sending both of them crashing into the stone walls.

"Nice shot." Wang Yu nodded in satisfaction. Edward's archery was impressive—landing a precise headshot through such a narrow opening at that distance couldn't be easy.

However, before Wang Yu could step forward to intercept the remaining wolves and assist Edward in taking down more, something strange caught his attention.

"What's going on?" The slain winter wolf fell to the ground. Its carcass tripped the wolf running right by its side, causing it to crash headfirst into the rock wall. Blood gushed out from its head—but neither wolf had slowed down the rest of the pack in the slightest.

Behind them, the remaining winter wolves charged forward relentlessly. Whenever they encountered a fallen comrade, they simply leaped over its carcass. The passage was simply too narrow, and those behind were desperate to keep ahead of the rest of the pack. The result was a chaotic pileup. Wolves collided in mid-air and on the ground, all frantically pushing forward through the cramped corridor.

Even before the wolves at the front could break through, those at the rear began to press in tightly, creating a bottleneck. The wolves at the back even used the ones trapped at the forefront as stepping stones, climbing over them in a frantic bid to push forward.

Amid the chaos, some wolves lost their footing and plummeted from the growing pile of bodies. Those that crashed to the ground broke their bones and tore their muscles. Even then, the crippled wolves refused to stop. They writhed, struggling desperately to keep moving forward.

Before one of these fallen wolves could crawl much further, a second wolf tumbled down from above, landing heavily on its already injured body. The second wolf remained largely unharmed, its fall having been cushioned. It immediately sprang to its feet and bolted toward the tunnel exit.

The first wolf lost its life upon impact, but its carcass cushioned the fall of the many wolves that came tumbling down from the pile. Those wolves survived the fall unscathed and continued their frenzied charge forward. Their bloodshot eyes locked onto Wang Yu and Edward with unwavering intensity.

"Wang Yu, something's not right. Winter Wolves aren't supposed to behave like this. Their main goal should be migration, not battle—but for some reason, they're targeting us. I don't know what's going on. Stay on guard!"

Edward's voice was grave. The scene before him completely overturned his understanding of winter wolves. Were these truly the same creatures he thought he knew?

"They've all gone mad," Wang Yu replied, shaking his head. He glanced at the wolves that had first blocked the passage. They were now suffocating beneath the ever-growing weight of their own kind, their bodies crushed under the sheer mass of the relentless pack.

Yet the other wolves trampled their fallen kin without hesitation, hell-bent on breaking free from the gorge and reaching their targets—Wang Yu and Edward.

Wang Yu could tell that something was wrong at a glance. No natural beast would exhibit such suicidal behavior. Such crazed behavior didn't make sense—winter wolves certainly didn't reproduce enough to make up for the deaths the pack had already sustained.

The first of the wolves burst free from the narrow passage, its jaws gaping wide as it lunged toward Wang Yu. Its sharp fangs and claws were slick with the blood of its fallen brethren, making it appear all the more ferocious.

An arrow whistled through the air, piercing the wolf clean through its forehead. The beast died instantly, its carcass rolling across the snow before crashing into a nearby tree trunk.

Edward narrowed his eyes and swiftly drew his bow once again. His shots were precise and steady. Each arrow struck its mark and sent another wolf into the clutches of death.

But his efforts were insufficient. The wolves kept coming, their numbers barely dented. A normal pack would have reconsidered after witnessing the deaths it had already sustained, but these wolves felt no fear. They tore through the snow, racing toward Wang Yu with unrelenting bloodlust.

The first wolf to reach Wang Yu was met with an iron fist. His gauntlet-clad hand crashed down onto its skull, pulverizing the hard bone with a single devastating blow.

The force of Wang Yu's punch sent the wolf hurtling backward at the same speed it had been charging forward. These creatures were far stronger than the goblins he had encountered on his way to the capital, and their numbers were just as overwhelming—but Wang Yu had also grown since then.

Another wolf leaped toward his throat. Wang Yu swung a mighty hook, smashing the beast's face from the side. The impact shattered one of its eyes, sending the ruined eyeball flying out of its socket.

Without hesitation, Wang Yu lashed out with a powerful kick. His boot connected with the neck of another approaching wolf, instantly crushing its windpipe. Its lifeless body was sent soaring through the air.

The wolves howled in fury as they closed in on Wang Yu from all directions. Their numbers continued to swell. Edward kept firing, swiftly thinning their ranks, but he couldn't eliminate them all fast enough to keep Wang Yu from being surrounded.

Three winter wolves attacked simultaneously from different angles. Despite their madness, their natural hunting instincts remained intact. The knowledge of how to take down a powerful foe was ingrained in their very bloodline.

Edward didn't provide covering fire. Instead, he focused on reducing the numbers of those still approaching from a distance.

Two wolves lunged from the sides, their fangs clamping down onto Wang Yu's armored arms. They held on tight, refusing to let go and attempting to pin his arms in place.

The third wolf pounced straight for his throat, jaws snapping shut—only to be stopped by an invisible barrier. The protective shield conformed to the shape of the wolf's fangs, trapping its mouth in place.

Wang Yu flexed his arms, channeling raw strength. With a brutal downward smash, he slammed the wolves hanging onto his arms against the ground. Bones shattered, and the impact killed them instantly.

Then, with both hands, he grabbed the wolf clamped onto his neck and twisted. Its head spun a full 360 degrees before its lifeless body flopped to the ground.

Wang Yu turned his gaze toward the passage. More wolves were still pouring out, despite Edward's best efforts.

"Magicians really are the best against a group of enemies," Wang Yu murmured to himself. He channeled his mental energy into the Spellweaver's Tome, overloading it. Nearly half of the mana crystal's energy was consumed to enhance the next two spells.

"Stone Spirit! Earth Collapse!"

Countless blades of jagged stone surged throughout the corridor, tearing apart every living creature they encountered. Flesh shredded in an instant. Meanwhile, the rock walls on either side of the passage trembled violently under the force of Wang Yu's second spell and collapsed inward, burying the remaining winter wolves under an avalanche of rock.

Wang Yu shifted his attention elsewhere.

Explosions and agonized screams echoed from all directions. This was no isolated incident. The entire beast tide had been overtaken by chaos.

"Wang Yu, are you there? Something's wrong with the beast tide. There are heavy casualties everywhere. We need you to investigate immediately."

Hugin's voice came through the communication crystal, his tone solemn.

"Edward and I are already outside the city. These winter wolves have gone insane! Given the timing..."

"Investigate to the best of your ability. The Professor is heading outside as well. Be careful. Also—damn that Charles! I can't reach him at all. Is he with you?"

"He's not."

"Got it. Stay safe."

"Yeah."

Wang Yu had no idea what had occurred to the beast tide, but it was clear they had to be on high alert.

And just what had happened to Charles? No matter what, he wouldn't have ignored Hugin's summons.

"Wang Yu... look out. That's the pack leader."

Edward's voice snapped Wang Yu out of his thoughts. Atop the rubble of the collapsed passage, a monstrous winter wolf charged forward, its body wreathed in ice and snow, its size comparable to that of a full-grown bull. Its eyes held the same crazed bloodlust as the rest of its pack.