Chapter 12

Tightly hugging the young girl's delicate body, a special fragrance, like orchids or musk, was more intoxicating than the finest wine, making one drunk with desire.

Zhang Ke had never been kissed by a girl before, and in that moment, it felt as if electricity ran through his entire body. The girl in his arms was even more affected, her cheeks flushed, and her whole body trembling. In that instant, it felt as if she had been through several near-death experiences.

First, they encountered a pack of wolves, and then the bodyguards betrayed them, leaving them on the brink of being devoured by the wolves! Everything seemed bleak, but at that moment, someone stepped in and decisively saved her. However, she had misunderstood this person and even slapped him. The girl's heart was in turmoil, and she was determined to make amends, but after the kiss, she couldn't help but worry. How could she have such intimate contact with a stranger? What would her father, who loved her the most, think? And what about her fiancé?

In a panic, the girl suddenly lifted her head and glared at Zhang Ke, "Nothing happened just now, you must forget it completely! Otherwise, otherwise..."

"What can you do, my lady? Don't forget that your life is still in my hands! If I'm not happy, I'll throw you to the wolves."

The girl's eyes widened, and she said angrily, "I knew you weren't a good person. Dying in the wolves' mouths is better than being toyed with by you!"

Clearly, you were the one who toyed with me!

Zhang Ke had experienced what it meant for a woman's heart to be as unpredictable as the bottom of the sea. They were the most unreasonable creatures, except for the gentle and lovely Xiao Xue.

"Alright, with the enemy at the door, quickly hide behind me. Dealing with the wolves is my responsibility."

"I, I, I can't move!" the girl said shyly.

Zhang Ke shook his head helplessly, carried the girl inside, and then brought in the maid.

"Are you the carriage driver?"

Master Sun almost collapsed when he heard the wolf howls. Hearing Zhang Ke call him, he said with a mournful face, "Young master, I've been timid since I was a child and have never even killed a chicken!"

"I don't care if you've killed anything. This is Wang's knife; protect your young lady well!"

Without a word, Zhang Ke threw the knife into Master Sun's arms. Old Sun's face was as bitter as a bitter melon, muttering, "Why am I so unlucky? I didn't check the almanac before leaving, and now I'm risking my life!"

Just then, Qiao Fu shouted loudly, "Brother Ke, come quickly, the wolves are about to attack!"

Zhang Ke didn't have time to deal with them and turned to leave.

"Be careful!"

Zhang Ke turned around and met the girl's eyes, which were filled with deep concern. His heart warmed.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine!"

Zhang Ke hurried to the breach in the fort, where the gate had been stolen, and the walls on both sides had collapsed. The gap was over two zhang wide. Qiao Gui and the others had set up three bonfires in a triangular formation to block the gap. Qiao Fu and Qiao Gui were each crouched on one side of the wall, holding bows and arrows, ready to prevent the wolves from charging.

When Qiao Fu saw Zhang Ke, he chuckled, "Brother Ke, I saw everything just now. Do you have feelings for that girl?"

"What do you mean by 'that'? We might not even survive this. Quickly, tell me about the wolves."

Mentioning the wolves, Qiao Fu became serious, pointing to a shadow moving on the snow, with two eyes glowing with a bloodthirsty light.

"Brother Ke, did you see that? That's the alpha wolf, as big as a calf! It's always staring at us and pacing back and forth. I think these beasts can't wait anymore."

Zhang Ke frowned, having roughly counted at least twenty wolves outside. The pressure was immense.

"Can we take out the alpha wolf first? Without a leader, it will be easier to handle."

Qiao Fu nodded, nocked an arrow, and squinted, locking onto the alpha wolf.

Time passed, and the wolves' howls grew more urgent, increasing the pressure.

"It's no use. The alpha wolf is always more than a hundred steps away, and other wolves are blocking it. I can't hit it!" Qiao Fu said dejectedly.

Suddenly, Qiao Gui shouted from the wall, "Be careful, a wolf is coming!"

Zhang Ke looked and saw a black wolf crawling quickly toward the bonfire, less than three zhang away.

"Good timing!"

Zhang Ke grabbed a burning log and threw it like a javelin, hitting the wolf's neck. Sparks flew, and the wolf's fur caught fire. In pain, the wolf howled and ran back.

Woo!

Seeing the failure of the vanguard, the wolf king couldn't hold back. With a howl, the wolves received the signal to attack. Instantly, five or six wolves led the charge toward the fort.

Zhang Ke gritted his teeth, gripping the samurai sword in his hand, feeling a surge of bloodlust.

"Watch the wall, and cover the gap!"

"Got it!"

Qiao Gui and Qiao Fu responded, and the bowstrings twanged. Qiao Fu's arrow hit a wolf's neck. Encouraged by this success, Qiao Fu quickly nocked another arrow and aimed at the next target.

On the wall, the arrows kept flying. A large gray wolf targeted the triangular bonfires. It took a few steps back, then leaped with its hind legs, attempting to jump over the bonfires.

Zhang Ke licked his dry lips, his eyes fixed on the wolf.

The opportunity has come!

The blade flashed, slicing diagonally across the wolf's neck. A burst of red light, and the wolf's head was severed, its blood splattering all over Zhang Ke.

Another wolf tried to crawl through the gap in the bonfires, halfway in. Zhang Ke kicked a log, causing the embers to fly, and the wolf howled in pain.

Zhang Ke rushed forward, stabbing the wolf's throat and kicking it into the bonfire.

After killing two wolves, Qiao Gui and Qiao Fu were greatly encouraged, and their arrows flew, killing another two or three wolves.

Zhang Ke and the others fought desperately, unaware that someone was watching them intently from behind.

"Miss, this person is so fierce!" the maid said nervously. "Even more fierce than Master Chu and Master Wang!"

The girl's face darkened, "Don't mention those despicable beasts. One boasts endlessly, and the other is despicable and shameless. How can they compare to a young hero?"

"Miss, are you angry? But didn't Master say that warriors are illiterate and crude? I don't think these people are good. Especially the one with the knife, he agreed with Master Wang to feed us to the wolves! Can a great hero say such things? I think he's a bad person!"

"Xiu Mei, what do you know? That's called strategy. If he hadn't stabilized Master Wang, how could he have killed him so quickly? He's both wise and brave, using his mind, unlike those talkative scholars who write thousands of words but are useless!"

Xiu Mei tilted her head, wondering why the miss's words were different from before, as if she had changed.

"Miss, why do you always defend him?" Xiu Mei frowned. "Miss, are you in love at first sight? He doesn't deserve you!"

"Ah!" The girl was suddenly startled, wondering why she found him more and more appealing, her heart pounding, and feeling more upset by negative comments than by insults to herself.

Could Xiu Mei be right...

"Brat, if you dare to speak nonsense again, I'll stop your monthly allowance." The girl said angrily.

Even so, her eyes were still fixed on Zhang Ke.

Suddenly, a wolf leaped onto the wall, clinging to the bricks, arching its body, and pouncing at Zhang Ke like an arrow.

"Be careful!"

Her heart almost leaped out of her chest.

Zhang Ke turned around, and the wolf lunged at him with its mouth open. There was no time to dodge, so he quickly turned the blade and stabbed fiercely.

The wolf's claws hit his shoulder, tearing through his fur coat, and a few drops of blood appeared. At the same time, Zhang Ke's blade pierced the wolf's shoulder.

"Die!"

He turned sharply, all his strength focused on his arm, and the sharp samurai sword cut through the wolf's body like a knife through tofu.

"Hmph, how many more are there? I'll kill them all!"

Zhang Ke's blood was boiling, and he seemed possessed by a fierce spirit. Suddenly, Qiao Fu let out a cry. Looking over, he saw a large wolf's head on the wall, less than a meter from Qiao Fu, about to pounce.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!"

Zhang Ke rushed over, and his blade cut down fiercely. Blood splattered, and the wolf's front leg was severed at the root. It howled in pain and fell outside.

Qiao Fu, who had narrowly escaped, breathed a sigh of relief, "Brother Ke, you're amazing!"

Zhang Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead. The force of the previous strike had aggravated the wound under his ribs, causing pain. But now was not the time to retreat. He looked up and saw another wolf's head on Qiao Gui's side.

"Zhang Ke, there are too many wolves. Our arrows won't last. These beasts are stacking on top of each other, and more are getting in. We should use our knives and fight hand-to-hand!"

"No!" Zhang Ke's mind was still clear. Without long-range attacks, relying only on close combat, they would surely die.

"Listen, use as many arrows as you can. Any that get through are mine!"

"Brother Ke, can you handle it?"

"I have to!" Zhang Ke gritted his teeth.

Shadows moved on the wall, and a wolf jumped in. Two more wolves leaped over the bonfires and pounced at Zhang Ke. Facing three wolves at once, Zhang Ke's heart tightened.

This is a matter of life and death!

"Kill!"

Zhang Ke lunged at the nearest wolf, his blade slicing through the wolf's head, and blood gushed out. The other two wolves pounced, and Zhang Ke tried to pull his blade out, but it wouldn't budge.

It's stuck in the bone!

In that instant, Zhang Ke's mind went blank, and the two wolves' mouths seemed to grow larger.

"Woof, woof!"

Suddenly, Da Huang and Er Huang leaped out. Though smaller than the wolves, they seemed to forget the size difference, charging forward like fearless warriors.