Chapter 176: The Mischievous Child (Part 2)

Wu Qingsong wasn’t sure how to judge the young wolfboy.

In his previous world, it wasn’t unusual for kids this age to harbor strange ideas or behave oddly. It was just part of being a teenager. However, this world was different. Particularly in a harsh environment like that of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan, the repercussions of such youthful rebellion could be serious.

He had always admired how Nina conducted herself and found it hard to believe that she could have a brother like this.

After a moment of silence, he tried to lighten the mood. “They challenged me to a duel because of you. You must be quite popular with them, huh?”

“Stop joking,” Ram said, sighing deeply as she watched the young wolfboys walk away.

“I don’t like them,” Liuli said.

“Don’t be silly,” Wu Qingsong responded, tousling her hair. “We’re family. It’s okay if they don’t understand, we can’t afford to be as ignorant.”

Late at night, when Liuli and Ling were asleep, Ram revisited the conversation.

“They actually resent you and were looking for an excuse to embarrass you.”

“Resent me?”

“It’s probably because Nina has spoken highly of you, hoping they would learn from you,” Ram sighed softly. “Ah! It’s our fault, we’ve protected them too much.”

“Learn from me?” Wu Qingsong touched his nose. As someone who had been in their shoes, he understood how annoying the “child from another family” praised by elders could be to youngsters. Yet, he had never anticipated becoming such a target himself.

“Daryl is exceptionally talented,” Ram explained. “No one his age can match him, and not many adults can defeat him one-on-one. Even Nina wasn’t as skilled with a sword at his age.”

“That makes sense,” Wu Qingsong nodded.

He was curious, however, about what Nina could have praised him for that these youngsters would want to emulate.

Swordsmanship? That was non-existent.

Skills in business and innovation? Perhaps. But would such topics really appeal to these kids? Could they even grasp the significance of these skills?

Wisdom? That seemed too abstract.

Other aspects, Wu Qingsong thought, were unlikely to be shared by Nina with them. For instance, his somewhat dubious talent for awakening the latent potential in beastwomen. If these young wolfkin knew what he had done with Nina, the day might not have involved just a roadblock for a duel, but a direct assault instead.

Reflecting on their attire, which nearly all mimicked Nina’s, it was clear that at least four of the ten young wolfkins led by Daryl and wielding two-handed swords deeply admired her.

The nature of this world was still to worship the strong, especially for these youngsters. They idolized powerful warriors. In that context, Wu Qingsong, who seemed neither imposing nor particularly robust, found it hard to impress them.

“Forget it, they’re just kids. They’ll understand when they’re older,” Ram said, somewhat melancholic. “Nina was about their age when she took up the banner of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan.”

“Why not let them take some responsibility then?” Wu Qingsong suggested. “Like the young soldiers in Orgrimmar. You saw how eagerly they handle their duties?”

“Nina always felt he could become a strong warrior capable of leading the Silver Moon Wolf Clan. She wants to provide him a stable environment to grow up in, without these issues disturbing him,” Ram sighed again. “I’ll find a chance to talk to her about it. You’re right, Daryl can’t go on like this.”

The next morning, with no sign of Nina’s return, Wu Qingsong and the others decided to set off. The journey would take at least three to four months, and any delay at the start could lead to further complications down the line.

But as they were about to depart, several wolfkins ran hurriedly into the valley.

“Miss Ram! Uncle Bernar!” 

The arrivals were clearly known to them. 

“Is Princess Nina here?”

“What’s happened?” Ram asked.

“There’s a squad, a squad of raiders advancing into the mountains, heading toward our village!”

“How many are there? Have the villagers started evacuating?” Ram asked urgently.

This area was deep within the Tecks Mountains, how had this hunter group managed to get here?

“There are about a hundred, well-equipped, and they look dangerous,” the breathless wolfman reported. “The villagers have begun evacuating, but with families and reluctance to leave their livestock, I’m afraid they might get caught.”

Ram glanced at Wu Qingsong.

“We’ll go help,” Wu Qingsong said.

“Isn’t Princess Nina here?” the wolfman asked anxiously.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it,” Ram assured him.

“But…” the wolfman looked around the valley, noting that aside from elders and teenagers, only a few houndmen could truly be considered warriors.

“Lead us to them, we’ll take care of it,” Ram insisted again.

Though she wasn’t the combat leader of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan, she had enough authority. Despite reservations about Wu Qingsong and his group’s capability to deal with over a hundred raiders, the wolfman ultimately chose to trust them.

“I’ll go with you,” said Bernar.

He was aware of Wu Qingsong’s capabilities and had witnessed Liuli’s formidable transformation. He had sufficient confidence in Wu Qingsong, but he also knew the importance of keeping Wu’s abilities secret. Under such circumstances, he could at least organize the villagers to join the chase after Liuli had defeated the raiders, ensuring no survivors escaped.

The group set off immediately.

The wolfpeople, familiar with the local mountains and trails, led them along less-traveled paths. These routes were challenging for Ling and Liuli, but they managed to get ahead of the raiders and intercept them before they could reach the villagers.

Perhaps out of fear that smoke might draw the attention of the Silver Moon Wolf Clan, the raiders did not set fires, but they doggedly pursued the signs left by the villagers. By the time Wu Qingsong and his team arrived, they were only about a mile from the villagers.

“Let’s go down!” Wu Qingsong ordered.

Ling and Liuli, carried by the houndmen, only added to the doubts of the wolfman who had come to alert them, unable to grasp where Ram and Bernar’s confidence came from, or why they insisted on including the two girls who seemed to be a burden.

His frown deepened, but just then, shouts and chaos erupted from the valley below, and a volley of arrows rained down from the hillside on the raiders, disrupting their formation.

“What’s this?” the wolfman said, startled.

“Damn it!” Bernar didn’t hesitate and charged down the slope. “It’s Daryl and the kids!”