Stockpiling for an Exiled General Through My Store's Back Door

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Retreat, Retreat, Retreat

Hearing Ling Qianjun say that the wolves were coming and to quickly climb a tree, Hua Buwan didn’t dare to delay. She found a tall, massive tree nearby and scrambled up it as fast as she could. Only when she reached the highest branches did she feel safe. When she was a child visiting her grandparents in the village, the area was surrounded by fruit trees. The kids would learn to climb them to pick fruit to eat. Over time, they developed excellent tree-climbing skills, no different from little monkeys. She never expected that this childhood pastime would become a life-saving skill today. Otherwise, she would have been left standing on the ground, helplessly watching the wolf pack lunge at her. That would have driven her mad.

Historical rumors had mentioned that Ling Qianjun once suffered a wolf attack and was later thrown into a jackal’s den. She wondered if this was that very moment. Hua Buwan’s heart pounded wildly—THUMP, THUMP, THUMP! Fortunately, Ling Qianjun quickly climbed up after her.

Without Hua Buwan, Ling Qianjun would indeed have been malnourished and weak. His wounds wouldn’t have healed, especially since he had been severely injured during the assassins’ ambush. By the time the wolf pack arrived, he would have had to look after his equally frail family members, leaving him unable to even fend for himself.

”How many wolves are there?” Hua Buwan asked, looking at Ling Qianjun. She didn’t dare to look down, terrified that her limbs would go weak and she might accidentally slip.

”Twenty-eight,” Ling Qianjun replied while observing the situation below. From time to time, he glanced at the adjacent tree where the Ling family members were. Seeing them perched on the thick branches, clinging tightly to the trunk with both hands, he noted that they were too scared to look down, just like Hua Buwan.

”What? That many?” Hua Buwan shuddered at the number. She could already smell the metallic scent of blood drifting in the air, and her ears were filled with the screams and agonized cries of others.

HOWL! A wolf paused beneath their tree, tilting its head up to stare at them. Initially, the pack only attacked those who hadn’t climbed up. But as they realized many had taken to the trees, they cleverly began to look up as well. The moment they spotted someone hiding in the branches, they would vocalize to alert their companions.

Hearing the howl, a chill ran down Hua Buwan’s spine. She couldn’t resist looking down. To her horror, she saw a wild wolf with eerily glowing eyes take a running start from a distance, sprint toward their tree, wrap its paws around the trunk, and frantically try to climb up. Its fangs glinted coldly in the night, stained with fresh blood. Saliva dripped from its jaws, making it look as though it was absolutely determined to get them. The instant it locked eyes with Hua Buwan, the wolf seemed injected with adrenaline. Growing even more agitated, it bared its teeth and clawed its way a few inches higher.

”Oh my god!” Hua Buwan was on the verge of tears. She hurriedly snapped off a long branch nearby to use as a weapon. If the beast actually got close, she would stab it right back down!

”Back off! Get back!”

Torn between terror and morbid curiosity, Hua Buwan gripped her makeshift weapon and couldn’t help but peek downward again. Fortunately, she saw that the wolf couldn’t maintain its grip. SWOOSH! It slipped down the bark and hit the ground with a heavy THUD. Seeing the predator fail to climb, Hua Buwan’s eyes lit up. Her fear receded significantly.

Beside her, Ling Qianjun reassured her, ”Don’t worry. Wolves can’t climb trees.”

”Good, that’s good.” Hua Buwan relaxed, finally having the presence of mind to look around. Wolves were also attempting to scale the tree where the Ling family was hiding, but they too plummeted halfway up. The two trees they had chosen were exceptionally tall, completely out of the wolves’ reach.

However, some people were not so lucky.