RPS – Chapter 60 Wolf Pack (1)

The continuous drizzle outside did nothing to dampen the spirits of Li Feng and the others. In fact, the gloomy weather gave them an even better excuse to openly and guiltlessly rest at home and truly settle in for the winter. For some reason, staying indoors and listening to the sound of the rain felt especially comforting—whether napping or chatting around the brazier, everything was just effortlessly cozy and natural.

Having barely moved all day, they didn’t feel particularly hungry. Aside from the two children, Bao Bao and Mo, who still needed three proper meals a day, the four adults were completely unbothered. In fact, just snacking by the fire almost made them full. They especially ate a lot of roasted sweet potatoes, enough to kill any hunger. But sweet potatoes can be quite dry when eaten in excess, so Li Feng kept an eye on their portions to avoid any stomach discomfort.

They had spent the whole day in the main hall—adults and children alike—sitting on a fur blanket spread over a grass mat, gathered around the brazier with blankets over their laps. It was as if they’d moved the entire bed out here. Though it was freezing outside, it was wonderfully warm inside. The only annoying part was having to go outside halfway through, especially for bathroom breaks—the temperature difference was brutal. To Li Feng, it felt like walking from fire straight into ice. A bathroom should definitely be built inside the house, not out in the backyard where one had to trudge all the way there. Among them, only little Bao Bao had it best—Li Feng had set up a basin filled with sand, dug from the riverside and dried, right in the room. When Bao Bao needed to go, he could just use the basin; cover it with sand afterwards, take it outside, and no smell at all.

Bao Bao, in the warm, sleepy atmosphere of the room, dozed sweetly in the arms of his two dads who took turns holding him. Surrounded by warmth, he slept so soundly he’d sometimes smile in his dreams, smacking his lips, making the idle adults poke and play with him for ages. Though he slept a lot, there were always times he’d wake up, and those were the best—everyone would walk back and forth across the big grass mat, taking turns to pet him, kiss him, or make him laugh. Sometimes they’d even play peek-a-boo, popping out from one side only to vanish and reappear on the other, making Bao Bao turn his little head around and around trying to find them.

The group played around the hall like that, though it was mostly Mo and Nuo doing the antics. The room itself was quite spacious and empty, with no furniture or things to hide behind. But since Bao Bao was still young and couldn’t turn his head quickly, it didn’t matter. Mo and Nuo had plenty of fun anyway, running around made them even warmer. Of course, they all wore fur socks made by Li Feng. Shoes weren’t ideal for running around on grass mats or fur rugs, but they also couldn’t go barefoot. So Li Feng had everyone sit down with him around the brazier and made fur socks for everyone. With those on, no one would feel cold.

Now that everyone had their own pair, the room didn’t feel chilly at all. Li Feng figured that without the brazier, it would be freezing in here no matter how well-prepared they were.

After all the running around, Mo and Nuo finally got tired. While Bao Bao excitedly bounced on Li Feng’s leg—though not really bouncing, just kicking and pressing with his feet—Li Feng laid him down on the blanket to let him play on his own. Bao Bao had learned to crawl, though he couldn’t crawl for long. Wrapped up into a round little bundle by Li Feng, he tried hard to crawl forward, but the fur rug wasn’t smooth, and he himself looked like a fluffy little fox ball. Even if he could crawl, he couldn’t make much headway.

So he moved inch by inch like a little turtle. He managed two whole shuffles before collapsing to rest, lying there with his big dark eyes staring at them. Instead of crying, he babbled “ya-ya, ee-ee” with his little mouth wide open. Li Feng and the others couldn’t help but gush—this was peak cuteness, the kind that made your heart flutter. He was absolutely the most adorable little bun ever.

Can you imagine it? A soft, chubby little face with baby fat, smooth and fair, big round eyes like black grapes, long thick curling lashes, pink lips with a hint of drool. Dressed in a red, fluffy fox-fur outfit that made his cheeks look even fairer—like a freshly steamed bun. On his head was a white rabbit-fur hat, and on his legs and feet, matching fox and rabbit-fur booties. Even the cuffs had been sewn with rabbit fur by Li Feng—warm and stylish.

This round, roly-poly little bun crawled clumsily on the plush blanket, occasionally pausing to rest. He’d look up at you with a baby smile, showing four tiny white teeth, a pink tongue, and gum. Then he’d slowly crawl over and place his soft little hands on your leg. How could you not be charmed?

Time slipped by unnoticed in the joy of snacking, chatting, and playing with the baby. With no sun and no clock, and such overcast weather, they couldn’t even guess the time. Having stayed indoors all day, it was impossible to estimate the hour. It was only when they felt a bit hungry again that Li Feng got up to make dinner. It was cold, and there wasn’t anything particularly fancy to cook, so he pulled out some wild chickens they’d prepped a few days ago and decided to make mushroom stew with chicken. A bit of noodle-thickened soup on the side would do. He thought about making noodles or flatbread but gave up on that idea as soon as he stepped into the dining area and felt how cold it was. This would do—after all, they still had sweet potatoes. Worst case, he’d toss some into the soup and call it sweet potato stew. Or maybe boil some mixed grains—though at the moment, all they had were sweet potatoes and taro. No corn or anything else. Still, it was more than enough for now.

Since Li Feng was cooking, of course Li had to help—how could he let Li Feng cook alone in this cold weather? Anyway, Nuo and the others would be doing the dishes after dinner, and Li Feng hated washing dishes.

Given the cold, they no longer used the kitchen in the courtyard. They cooked right in the dining room now, just as they’d planned when building the house. There was a stove there too, though they hadn’t used it much. Most of their cooking was done in clay pots, or on stone slabs when frying was needed. The stove was mostly unused.

With the ingredients ready and nothing too complicated to make, dinner was prepared quickly. To stay warm, they moved a small stone table to the middle of the main hall and sat around it. With grass mats and fur rugs beneath them, it was perfectly cozy. Li Feng took Bao Bao from Nuo’s arms, and the whole family sat down to eat.

There was mushroom stewed chicken, sweet potato noodle soup—and if that wasn’t enough, they could always roast some meat or sear it on the stone slab. They had a brazier right in the room; everything was convenient. The mushroom chicken soup was rich and fragrant, and the meat was tender and juicy. They ate until their mouths were greasy and their stomachs were full. After dinner, they all lay lazily on the fur blankets, utterly content and at ease, like a bunch of pampered old masters.

Nuo stubbornly refused to get up and wash the dishes, snuggling deep into the warm bedding. Even though there was hot water for washing, he didn’t want to step outside into the cold. But if the dishes waited until tomorrow, they’d be even harder to clean. Still, there was no getting out of it—they couldn’t cook, or what they did make wasn’t edible. So if they didn’t cook, they had to wash.

Since Nuo had to go out, Bu of course followed. The two lifted the grass mat and stepped outside. The moment they hit the cold air, they shivered in unison. They’d been sweating inside from the hot meal, but outside it was freezing—pure torture. Poor them, having to wash dishes in such weather.

But honestly, it wasn’t that bad. They just needed to step out briefly to pour out the water. The big water vats were now inside the dining area so they wouldn’t freeze and were easier to use. Still, after washing the dishes once, they needed a second rinse, which meant going outside to dump the dirty water—no drainage or plumbing in this home yet.

Li Feng and the others looked at the two people shivering together and burst out laughing in the room. “Hey, hurry up and put the felt curtain down—it’s freezing!” After all, the baby couldn’t be exposed to the cold.

At first, Li Feng thought they would simply let the curtain down and be done with it. Unexpectedly, they did let it down—only to quickly dash back into the room. Li Feng was surprised. “What’s wrong?” Why did Nuo’s expression suddenly change?

“There are wolves outside,” Nuo said quickly. Then Bu also rushed back in and shut the barred door tightly.

Li Feng held the baby tightly. Hearing Nuo’s words left him dumbfounded. Wolves? Wolves had come down the mountain at this time? And it was still raining outside! Shouldn’t wolves be staying up in the mountains? Why would they come down? His mind was blank now. He completely forgot that wolves didn’t care about whether it was rainy or sunny—they just needed food. Weather conditions didn’t matter to them. In fact, this kind of weather didn’t bother them at all.

Li and Bu swiftly went back to their rooms and brought out weapons—sharpened wooden spears, stone axes and knives, and even some powdered poisonous mushrooms. This mushroom powder had been collected, dried, and ground by Li Feng as a precaution. He’d hidden it carefully so that Mo wouldn’t accidentally touch it. Of course, Li and the others knew where it was. Now they’d brought it all out—though whether it would be useful was another matter.

After all, poison only worked if ingested, and with the rain outside, scattering the powder probably wouldn’t have much effect. Heaven really wasn’t on their side—or maybe the wolves just had impeccable timing.

“How many are there outside?” Li asked Bu calmly, his eyes ice-cold. In the dim firelight, they even gleamed faintly, filled with bloodlust and the determination to protect his home and loved ones.

“Roughly a dozen.” Bu had stayed outside a moment earlier just to get a clearer look. The wolves were gathered outside their fenced courtyard. Maybe because the fence was tall and covered in thorny vines, they hadn’t immediately charged in. Instead, they sat outside, their green eyes glowing in the dark as they stared at the house. Once they saw Nuo and the others come out, they began howling loudly.

Now, the wolves’ howling echoed non-stop. It seemed the entire pack had descended upon the whole village. If there were over a dozen at their door, the other homes likely weren’t spared either. They had originally planted many thorn vines and brambles near the village to keep wild animals out. But the village wasn’t fully sealed—they still needed a way in and out. The wolves must have come through the only entrance not blocked by thorns.

Holding the baby, Li Feng sat with Mo beside him, listening to the discussion. “Can’t we just stay in here? They might not find us. There’s only one door into the room—we can defend more easily from inside. Out there…”

Out there was wide open space, nowhere to hide. If surrounded by the wolves, their chances of survival would be near zero. There were only four adult men in their home, while outside were more than ten wolves. The odds were clearly against them.

“No, we have to go out. The animals are all still outside—they’re our food supply for the whole winter. We absolutely can’t let the wolves get to them.” Li shook his head, eyes fixed on the main door, as if he could already see the wolves beyond the thick felt curtain and gate.

“It’s fine! We still have sweet potatoes, corn, soybeans—if we ration it, we can make it through. And we’ll still be going out to hunt, won’t we?” Li Feng grabbed Li’s arm, anxiously trying to convince him not to go. Going out now was a death sentence. They didn’t even have proper weapons—just wooden spears and stones. How could they fight a wolf pack with just that and their bare bodies?

Besides, they didn’t even know how many wolves were really out there. They had plenty of grain at home. They could survive without meat. As kids, they had gone years barely eating meat, and they still survived. Their current supplies were enough to last the winter.

“No. The other villagers must be fighting too. We can’t hide in the house. If the wolves get in here, it’ll be even more dangerous. You stay here with the baby—don’t come out.” Li turned and gave instructions to Li Feng. He was determined to go out. He was a hunter, a warrior, a man. At a time like this, he had to fight—even at the risk of his life. Whether to protect their food or to protect the tribe and their loved ones, they had no choice. It was their duty.

The village was definitely in danger. They should’ve set up guards day and night. But with such terrible weather, no one expected wolves to descend the mountain. And no one knew how many there actually were. Hopefully, not too many. Hopefully, the village could hold out.

“No! If you go, then I’ll go too. Let Mo stay with the baby in the room—we can block the door with the stone bed. The wolves won’t be able to get in. They’ll be safe.” Li Feng handed the baby to Mo, then walked to Li’s side. They didn’t have time to waste. They had to strike fast—otherwise, even if they went out later, the animals might all be dead.

Li’s hand, which was about to lift the curtain, paused. “No. You can’t go. Stay here and take care of the baby.” Then he and Bu went out. Li Feng tried to follow, but the door slammed shut in his face. It was somehow locked in a way he couldn’t open. Nuo too was left behind. Though they were men, in Li and Bu’s eyes, they were first and foremost their lovers. Their instinct was to protect them—so they left them inside.

Li Feng was furious and started kicking the door. The gate had been built very solidly, incorporating modern features on both sides. There were door hooks on the walls inside and out, and a thick log used as a crossbar that was wedged into the ground and locked into both walls. There was no way to open it from inside.

“You bastard, bastard—Li, you bastard! You actually dared to lock me in! Just wait till you get back!” Li Feng was fuming with worry. But his concern far outweighed his anger. He wasn’t truly angry—just frustrated and powerless, which turned into rage and despair.

“Li Feng, don’t worry too much. Even if you went out, it wouldn’t help. You’re weaker than me, and they didn’t even let me out. If we went, we’d just slow them down—we’d be a burden.” Nuo pulled Li Feng to sit down and tried to comfort him.

But… was that really comforting? Li Feng frowned. Harsh as it sounded, it was true. What could he really do out there? He was supposed to be a man, but he didn’t even have the strength of a woman. He really would just be a burden. Still, the worry and frustration gnawed at him.

“I know. But they didn’t have to go. If we just blocked the door with the stone bed, it’d be fine.”  The house was sturdy, and the windows weren’t big—not large enough for a wolf to squeeze through. They’d be safe inside.

“They had to go—because the rest of the tribe is waiting for them. They’ll meet up soon.” Nuo’s voice trailed off toward the end, even he didn’t sound convinced anymore. Could the rest of the tribe even make it through the wolves to regroup? Maybe the chief’s household was in a better position—there were more people there, after all.

“Did the wolves come around this time in previous years too?” Li Feng pulled Nuo to the window of a nearby room, trying to peer outside. His voice trembled a little. Li was out there fighting several wolves—his arms covered in blood, though whether it was his or the wolves’, who could say? On the ground nearby were two or three wolves—one was writhing with a spear through its belly, and two others had crushed skulls and lay motionless.

But there were still several wolves circling Li and Bu. The two of them stood back-to-back, safer that way. They also kept close to the wall to expose as little of themselves as possible.

“No, never. They only come down after heavy snow has buried the mountain paths. I don’t know what’s going on this year…” Nuo stared intently outside, answering in a low voice.

Li Feng began to wonder— Was it because they had livestock that attracted the wolves? After all, wild beasts usually attacked villages for food. In the past, no wolves came this early. That was likely because they barely had enough to feed themselves—there was nothing left over for wolves. And normally, wolves didn’t eat human flesh. Human meat was likely less appealing than herbivores like cattle or sheep—probably tasted worse. Unless they were desperate, wolves wouldn’t attack villages and eat humans, right?

If it really was their animals that drew the wolves here… Then he was to blame. And if something happened to Li and the others… He’d hate himself forever. Maybe he’d die of guilt. Li, please… don’t let anything happen to you.