Chapter 380: Wolf Attack

9:20 PM, Suburbs—Shantytown, Abandoned Courtyard.

“According to our investigation, this used to be the family home of the suspect, Fang Hongding. However, because he was deeply involved in gang activities, he rarely returned. His brother made money from the dog business, moved their parents to the city, and left this place abandoned.

“Later, after Fang Hongding was arrested for drug trafficking and served his sentence, he stayed here for a while before moving to Z City for work. But in recent years, residents of the shantytown have seen Fang Hongding returning frequently. They’ve also reported hearing strange dog-like sounds coming from inside the house… but when they checked, they never found any dogs,” criminal investigator Liu Hongqiao reported his findings, standing outside the courtyard.

“Additionally,” officer Li Xin chimed in, “Fang Hongding has always been single—there’s never been any record of him having a girlfriend.”

“However, his bank transactions raised some red flags. While working at Z City Zoo, he deposited 500,000 yuan over five years. But two years ago, there was an additional deposit of 200,000 yuan in his account. After further investigation, we found that both deposits came from Jiang Huiying’s account. But what’s strange is, right after receiving the money, Fang Hongding withdrew it all.”Officer Guo Qiang added, “Given all this, Fang Hongding is highly suspicious.”

All three senior investigators turned toward Xiao Yu, who had been standing silently, deep in thought.

Was it suspicious? Sure.

But suspicion alone wasn’t enough.

Xiao Yu stared coldly at the courtyard before him. His keen nose had already picked up something.

The scent of wolves.

It was strong. Overpowering.

He could also faintly detect the scent of a man. But it was already fading, likely gone within the last five hours.

“Let’s check it out.” Glancing at the padlocked gate, Xiao Yu’s voice was icy. “Break it down.”

With a powerful snip from his bolt cutters, Li Xin broke the lock.

The four officers stepped into the abandoned yard. The place was filthy, overgrown with weeds, and littered with junk.

They searched, but found nothing unusual.

The group stepped inside the house. It was spacious, with two main rooms, an outhouse, and a kitchen. Though worn and neglected, there were clear signs that someone had been living there.

The kitchen showed traces of recent use, and in one corner of the room, a pile of cow and pig bones had been left to rot. Xiao Yu crouched down, his eyes narrowing as he examined them. The bones were stripped clean, and the bite marks left behind weren’t human. They were from canines.

Xiao Yu stood up. His nose twitched, leading him to a large storage room.

On the surface, it looked normal, but his eyes locked onto the floor. There was a large iron plate. Scrape marks around the edges revealed that it had been moved.

“Open it.”

Liu Hongqiao and Li Xin crouched down and lifted the heavy iron plate.

The moment it was raised, a wave of rank, animalistic stench poured out from below. It wasn’t the smell of decay, but something else—the pungent, musky odor of wild predators.

Guo Qiang took the lead and climbed down.

The others followed.

As soon as they reached the bottom, they found a switch on the wall.

And what they saw left them speechless.

Lined up in the center of the underground chamber stood five life-sized mannequins. Each one had a full-sized photograph taped over its face.

Cao Xude. Lu Shun. Xing Chuyang. Gan Yuzhen. Fang Jie.

The five members of the Brotherhood.

A chilling silence filled the room as the officers processed the scene.

Xiao Yu stepped forward, his gaze locking onto the mannequins’ necks. They were torn to shreds, deep gashes and bite marks covering them.

Lowering his gaze, Xiao Yu inspected the floor.

There he found paw prints, wolf feces scattered animal bones and sanimal training tools—whips, sticks and heavy-duty leather gloves.

This wasn’t just a hideout. This was a training ground.

The wolves had been conditioned to attack specific targets. The mannequins weren’t just random, they were practice dummies.

Just then, Xiao Yu heard the faintest, ragged breath.

Xiao Yu froze. His senses sharpened instantly. Something was behind him.

Turning sharply, his eyes locked onto two massive figures emerging from the shadows.

Two grassland wolves stood at the entrance of the basement, their fur bristling, muscles coiled like steel cables. Their glowing amber eyes gleamed with cold intelligence as they locked onto their prey.

Lips curled back, saliva dripping from their jaws, they snarled, revealing rows of dagger-like fangs.

A low, guttural growl rumbled from their throats.

Someone gasped behind him.

Guo Qiang and the others froze in terror. Their blood ran cold under the wolves’ vicious glares.

Li Xin instinctively took a small step back.

The wolves’ eyes flashed.

Their growls deepened and then one lunged.

A deafening snarl echoed through the basement as the first wolf sprang forward, aiming straight for Liu Hongqiao’s throat.

The second wolf targeted Xiao Yu. Its instincts had locked onto the biggest threat in the room.

The beasts moved like black lightning, their powerful legs propelling them forward in an instant.

But Xiao Yu was faster.

With explosive force, he drove his leg forward, his thigh slamming into the wolf’s lower abdomen.

The sheer impact—amplified by Kodiak Bear’s Strength—was enough to obliterate a steel plate, let alone a living creature.

The wolf let out a strangled yelp as it was launched into the air, its body crashing against the far wall with a sickening thud.

Before the dust settled, Xiao Yu’s ears caught the faintest whistle of air.

A foul stench of blood and raw meat filled his nose. A flash of white fangs appeared just inches from his throat.

His fist smashed forward, connecting squarely with the second wolf’s snout.

The wolf’s nose caved inward, half of its face collapsing under the devastating impact. Its entire body lifted off the ground, sent flying backward from the sheer force of the blow.

But Xiao Yu wasn’t finished.

As the wolf’s body soared through the air, he moved instantly, swinging his leg like a battle axe.

His strike came down on the wolf’s spine midair, a dull, bone-crushing snap filling the room.

The wolf’s spine shattered. When it hit the floor, it was already dead.

Xiao Yu lifted his boot and crushed the lifeless body beneath him.