Chen Lan seized the opportunity without hesitation and ordered thirty more whole mandrake plants from the system. As soon as they were removed from the system's warehouse, she threw them directly into the fire to burn.
The moonlight in the sky began to grow hazy, suggesting it might snow again. Chen Lan felt they couldn't wait any longer.
So, she spoke, "Brother Mingxuan, Er Zhuang, time is about right. The medicine has begun to take effect. Now it's our turn to act together. Let's try our best to lure the wolf pack towards the fire."
Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang immediately responded, "Understood! We've been ready for a while! The final battle can begin at any moment."
Thus, the three of them, with perfect coordination, pressed the launch button simultaneously. In the blink of an eye, they eliminated over a dozen wolves locked onto by the infrared sights. As soon as the arrows were fired, they unhesitatingly dropped their bows and crossbows. Holding a short knife in one hand and an electrified baton with its power switched on in the other, they charged towards the few wolves lunging at them.
A fierce battle between humans and wolves was inevitable. Under the potent effects of the super anesthesia, the three individuals armed with advanced weapons quickly ended this life-or-death struggle. Even the two robust wolves that had been locked in a prolonged, indecisive battle with Da Xiong were eliminated by the three of them working together.
At this point, the solitary moon hanging halfway in the sky above the birch forest became even more indistinct, leaving only a faint halo. The light within the birch forest dimmed considerably. Silence enveloped the surroundings, broken only by the whistling of the biting cold wind.
Now, only three people and a Da Xiong stood facing each other in the desolate birch forest. The ground was littered with the carcasses of wild wolves, and a strangely eerie atmosphere permeated the air.
The medicinal soup in the iron pot continued to bubble and steam vigorously. Da Xiong appeared to be on the verge of collapse, yet it stubbornly held on, refusing to fall.
Small snowflakes began to drift down from the dark night sky. Thus, the three people and the bear stood watching each other from a distance. As their hearts pounded with anxiety, unsure of what to do, they saw Da Xiong suddenly turn, pick up a wolf by its mouth, and walk back in the direction it had come from.
Watching Da Xiong's receding figure, the three breathed a long sigh of relief. The weight on their chests finally lifted. They knew that Da Xiong had helped them immensely; it could be considered their savior. They truly didn't know how they would have dealt with it if they had actually fought it. Now that it had left on its own, returning to its slumber, it was the best outcome. Everyone was happy.
Xu Mingxuan put away his dagger and electric baton. While he gathered the dead wolves into piles, he said, "Lan'er, stop looking. It's getting late, and the weather has changed again. It's started snowing! Lan'er, while the snow isn't heavy yet, we need to leave this birch forest quickly. You gather all the wolves first! We need to finish up quickly and set off to meet Qingsong and the others on the road. We don't want them all to arrive here later, that would be too much trouble, and many would be in trouble."
Chen Lan glanced at the increasingly dim birch forest and the still steaming iron pot. She realized he was right and sped up her actions.
At this moment, Er Zhuang asked, "Sister-in-law, should we pour out the soup in this pot?"
Chen Lan replied without hesitation, "Don't worry about it. Let it continue to simmer like this. We can come back for it tomorrow, and maybe there will be more surprises waiting for us!"
Although Er Zhuang's heart was filled with doubt, he still believed Chen Lan's words, thinking, "Sister-in-law has never been wrong. If sister-in-law says there will be a surprise, there will definitely be a surprise."
Otherwise, Chen Lan always said that Er Zhuang was the smartest among the people in the valley. He understood things clearly, was adaptable, and never got bogged down in trivialities! He was also very adaptable, never overthinking things, and only believing in the final outcome.
So, Er Zhuang asked no further questions and diligently worked alongside Xu Mingxuan, moving and carrying things under the dim moonlight.
The three of them didn't have time for a thorough search now, and they didn't know if any wolves had escaped. The visibility in the birch forest was decreasing rapidly. Therefore, they hastily gathered all the wolves they could see, without bothering to count how many they had hunted this time. They only retrieved their carbon steel arrows. Chen Lan, without a close inspection, collected all the wolves into the system's warehouse, then picked up the axes and crossbows left on the ground and stored them in the system's warehouse as well.
The three were efficient workers. They quickly packed up their belongings, put on thick hats, scarves, and masks, wrapping themselves up snugly. Wearing the leather gloves Chen Lan had specifically bought for each of them, they set off on their sleds against the biting cold wind. Sledding downhill was fast, and they sped far away in the blink of an eye.
Fortunately, the snow wasn't too heavy, but it was pitch black everywhere. Fortunately, with Chen Lan's system as a cheat, they sledded towards the farm for an unknown amount of time. They had already started to sweat when they saw scattered torches moving in the distance ahead.
Er Zhuang said happily, "Sister-in-law, Brother, it must be Qingsong and the others coming to pick us up. Should we continue forward, or should we take out our things now and wait for them here?"
Xu Mingxuan replied, "Er Zhuang, let's go a bit further. You and I will go ahead to meet them. Let your sister-in-law follow behind us slowly. Once we confirm it's Qingsong and the others, we'll speak loudly to signal your sister-in-law, and then she can take out the things. It won't be too late."
Er Zhuang asked hesitantly, "Brother, will this work? So many things with just the three of us, won't that seem a bit unbelievable?"
Xu Mingxuan said, "Er Zhuang, why worry if it's unbelievable or not? They can't see anything anyway, and they all know your sister-in-law has great strength. Plus, we've hunted so many more wolves. They'll be overjoyed! In this cold weather, they'll have meat to eat and wolf hides for bedding. Er Zhuang, think about it, wolf hide bedding! What a rare thing! I believe they'll be smiling in their sleep all winter. Who will care about trivial matters? Just relax! I have this much confidence. For a mouthful of meat, even if they have doubts in their hearts, they absolutely won't say anything. Have you forgotten about the incident last year when the neighboring farm hunted two wild boars?"