Chapter 76: Seizing the Wolf's Throat
Another critical factor is the advantage in skills.
Zhang Liu recalled the various techniques for combating wild beasts that Anya had taught him the day before yesterday. When the wolf extended its claws, poised to viciously strike the opponent's upper body, Zhang Liu sidestepped the attack using the lateral movement technique Anya had instructed.
Location also played a crucial role.
Qin Ruyan, engaging with the wolf in the rain, hadn't considered this aspect. Simply standing beneath the large tree behind her allowed her to evade over 60% of the rain.
Wolves refrained from direct attacks.
They had evolved into cunning creatures. If they charged head-on toward prey positioned near a tree, evasive movements could lead to collisions, causing injury.
The hunter had transformed through years of forest hunting experience.
Once Zhang Liu positioned himself under the tree, the rain-soaked wolf had only two potential attack paths—left and right. Regardless of the direction, a brief visual blind spot emerged due to the tree, offering Zhang Liu a valuable chance to respond.
"Ooooww!" The wolf howled, its desperation evident from the cold and fatigue, having missed the wolf tribe it once belonged to.
The lone wolf, now solitary, would have summoned comrades for a coordinated attack if there were more wolves present.
This desperate howl startled Zhang Liu, who interpreted it as the wolf activating a comrade-calling skill.
Striking preemptively was imperative to rescue Qin Rushuang.
Anya's guidance echoed in his mind: "The weak point of canine family is the waist, not the head."
Zhang Liu took three steps forward, raising the spear like a wooden staff, ready for a direct strike.
As the lone wolf prepared to retreat in despair, the desperate howl fueled its ultimate ferocity.
"Ooooow!"
Without requiring assistance in sprinting, the hungry wolf, provoked by Zhang Liu's aggression, leaped to bite, fixating its fierce gaze on Zhang Liu's neck, ready to gamble for a satisfying meal.
Yet, it had to confront the oncoming wooden stick.
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Fate sealed its verdict at that pivotal moment.
It was a blind attack targeting the lone wolf's body, but Zhang Liu's strike landed on the wolf's nose this time.
There was one thing Anya, his 'teacher,' didn't mention.
The nose is also a vulnerable point for a canine family!
The wooden stick swung with all its might, whistling through the air, hitting the target forcefully, and then snapping mid-air.
The bone spear, once thought to be securely tied, instantly shattered, twirled through the air, and plummeted.
Intense pain prompted the wolf to shake its head mid-air, evading the potentially fatal blow for the second time.
However, the wolf's extensive experience in forest hunting enabled a swift response.
The wolf's hind legs remained grounded, providing powerful force for the front feet to strike.
While the right claw missed, the left claw sliced through the left side of Zhang Liu's chest.
The thin clothes offered no defense and were torn apart by sharp claws, leaving visible scars on the chest.
On closer inspection, the deepest part of the wound was half a centimeter deep—a deep wound, not just a scratch.
Blood flowed, yet Zhang Liu, overwhelmed by adrenaline, disregarded his injuries.
In the midst of the dark and rain-covered ground, there was no time to search for the fallen weapon.
At this moment, dozens of thunderbolts streaked across the sky, illuminating everything on the ground for three to four seconds.
The bone spear, resembling white snow amid the weeds, became visible.
Amidst the lightning's flare, Zhang Liu, leaning over to retrieve the weapon and prepare for another attack, heard another monstrous roar.
Unlike Zhang Liu, who needed weapons for lethal assaults, the wolf possessed deadly weapons—teeth and claws—ready at its disposal.
After the second round of fighting, Zhang Liu's approach shifted.
Initially, they confronted each other from a distance of over two meters.
Now, Zhang Liu was crouching to pick up something on the left side of the wolf, while the wolf adjusted its attack strategy on Zhang Liu's right side.
In terms of circumvention speed and re-equipping attack methods, Zhang Liu, an urban creature thrust into the primeval forest, couldn't match the agility of the four-legged wolf.
The wolf turned its head, aligning its position for the impending bite.
However, he couldn't accomplish this in such a short time and hastily twisted his upper body to assess the situation.
Yet, at this critical juncture, Zhang Liu had a sudden realization.
The most perilous place can be the safest!
This wolf was so large that, if it stood on its hind legs, it could easily reach the neck of an average adult.
In comparison, the head of a wolf is approximately half the size of his.
Opening its mouth, the bloody fangs were particularly striking under the lightning's illumination.
Leaping and attacking while standing on its hind legs, the wolf's target was Zhang Liu's neck for the third attack.
Concerning its most fearsome weapon, the teeth, the wolf consistently aimed for Zhang Liu's most vulnerable spot—his neck.
Unlike the prior two bites, this time, the wolf ensnared something into its mouth.
But not a tender neck!
He extended his fist, thrusting it directly into the wolf's mouth!
Not like a fool who offers his hand straightforwardly to face the fate of being bitten, upon contact, Zhang Liu promptly raised his fingers, pushing them forward into the throat.
Just as crocodiles exhibit formidable bite force, similarly, even a child can forcefully shut their mouth using the same principle.
While there was no doubt that wolves possessed potent biting power and that biting into flesh could tear apart the area bitten, Zhang Liu's fist was now partially lodged in the opponent's throat.
Unless the wolf was truly capable of holding such a large fist and biting Zhang Liu's hand deep into his throat,
Otherwise, he can just choose to remove the objects in his mouth and then launch a biting attack.
Shaking its head frantically, the wolf realized it couldn't dislodge the fist from its mouth.
With its entire body, the wolf hurled itself toward Zhang Liu.
From its perspective, retreating would expose his soft underbelly to the enemy, proving irrational.
Hence, the correct strategy was to knock down the opponent, raise its head, release its mouth, and launch a second attack.
This is the decisive point that determines victory or defeat.
The wolf's explosive power was indeed formidable!
Yet, in terms of standing on two legs, it was undoubtedly inferior to the two-legged monster Zhang Liu, accustomed to bipedalism!
This time, he was struck hard.
While Qin Ruyan certainly couldn't endure it, Zhang Liu could!
He applied force with his left fist, sending the wolf straight to the ground.
Zhang Liu then pressed his entire body against the wolf, repeatedly stabbing its stomach with the bone dagger he had retrieved with his right hand.
Here, the roles of hunter and prey were almost completely reversed!
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