Idelos took a deep breath. "Are you sure the one cooperating with that guy isn’t one of our enemies?"
Deviant said, "Don’t worry about that. Before I sign the contract, I’ll be sure to find out the identity of the one who beat me to it."
...
Gu Ning got dressed in her outdoor gear and went out with the little fox and Cook.
The weather had been nice for two days, but now it was snowing heavily again outside.
According to Zone 19’s usual seasonal patterns, the snow would continue for at least another month.
But she wouldn’t be staying here that long.
Gu Ning opened her satchel to check its contents, making sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She let out a puff of cold mist, put on her mask, and walked out of the building.
Outside the building were many Wolf Clan guards. As soon as they came out, two wolves in their beast forms walked toward them.
Cook excitedly charged into the snow and rolled around a few times, completely unlike the wary and guarded way he had been the past few days.
But when he saw the two young wolves walk up to Gu Ning, he immediately returned to her side and shook the snowflakes from his coat all over them.
The two young wolves both turned to look at Cook, their attitude tolerant of the happy, twice-deformed little dog.
Gu Ning watched the two young wolves obediently lie down in front of them, and she reached out to pat their heads.
She wasn’t familiar with these two, but they had become a familiar sight after she’d seen them standing guard downstairs so often these past few days.
They always maintained their beast forms, calm and steady, and would silently guard and follow whenever she or Barto went out.
Gu Ning’s gaze swept over the nearby guards; they were almost all from Alex’s pack.
’It’s strange. I don’t recognize most of these wolves, but I just know they’re Alex’s subordinates.’
The young wolf closest to Gu Ning gently nudged her hand, then turned its head back, indicating that if she wanted to go out, she should ride on its back.
The snow outside was too deep. She and Barto would be buried if they tried to walk in it.
Barto didn’t stand on ceremony and jumped directly onto the wolf’s back.
Gu Ning paused for a moment, then climbed up as well, sitting behind Barto.
"To the conference building," Barto said, helping Gu Ning get settled before patting the wolf’s head.
The young wolf flicked its tail and started carrying them toward the construction site across the way.
"Stupid dog, keep up," Barto shouted at Cook, who was running around in the snow.
Seeing Cook frolicking in the snow, Gu Ning suddenly remembered something. ’Cook grew up in the North Ice Field of the 12th District. That place must be even colder than Zone 19. He’s probably used to colder regions, which is why seeing the snow makes him so happy.’
’If I get the chance, I’ll have to take Cook back there for a visit.’
"Well, that’s a sight to see. A fox riding a wolf."
A vaguely familiar voice pulled Gu Ning back from her thoughts. She followed the sound and saw several Beastmen standing in the middle of the construction site’s entrance. The Beastman in the center was something of an acquaintance; he was the one who had led people to storm Alex’s residence last time, nearly exposing her identity. She had even scratched him up good.
’What’s he doing here?’
Gu Ning pressed closer to Barto, watching the Beastman warily.
"Get lost, you mangy dog. Don’t come looking for trouble," Barto cursed bluntly.
Leo sneered and didn’t move. He spoke to the young wolves that were surrounding them and baring their teeth. "There’s a limit to how you wolves protect your own, isn’t there? One Mixed Breed is one thing, but three?"
"You," Leo said, pointing at Gu Ning. "Get down. I’m not finished settling the score with you from last time."
Gu Ning’s heart skipped a beat. This dog was blocking their way, and he really was here to settle the score with her.
She glanced at the pack of wolves protecting them tightly, and her courage returned. She straightened her back, no longer afraid of him.
Leo said, "Get down. I won’t hit you. Let’s have a nice chat."
’The old lion had told him to get on good terms with the Wolf Clan, so he figured he’d start with this little Mixed Breed. But as for shaking hands and making peace before settling the score from last time? They could dream on.’
Gu Ning remained seated on the wolf’s back, not moving. She didn’t believe for a second this dog could have a "nice chat" with her.
"Not budging?" Barto glanced up at Gu Ning behind him, then patted the head of the wolf they were on, signaling it to back up.
’He had already smelled a certain approaching wolf on the wind. The wolf pack could handle these few dogs. Best to avoid Gu Ning getting hurt.’
"Cook," Gu Ning whispered in the fox’s ear.
Barto looked over. Cook had already rushed in front of the young wolves, barking ferociously at the group of dogs.
Seeing this, Leo and his group were stunned for a moment.
If not for the wrong scent, they would have thought he was a Wolf Clan Mixed Breed.
"What’s a dog like you doing hanging around with wolves?" Leo said, sizing up the devolved little dog before him. "Move it, little pup. Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong, or I’ll beat you up too."
"WOOF!" Cook pawed at the snow a couple of times with his front paws and barked at them even more fiercely.
His barks could be understood by both the dogs in front and the wolves behind.
Gu Ning understood, too.
’Cook is cursing him out.’
"Cook, come back," Gu Ning whispered, tugging on the fur on Barto’s arm.
"It’s fine." Barto had an expression like he was watching a good show. "Did you see that?"
Gu Ning: "?"
Barto snuggled closer into her arms and said, "Cook isn’t afraid of wolves, and he isn’t afraid of dogs."
Gu Ning thought to herself, ’What’s so strange about that? Cook isn’t just unafraid of wolves and dogs; he wasn’t even afraid of those vicious Beastmen in the Underground Arena. I’ve almost never seen him afraid of anyone.’
"He’s a Mixed Breed," she whispered in the little fox’s ear.
Barto’s ears twitched. "I’m a Mixed Breed too, and I get scared. Don’t be fooled by how irritable and impulsive Dwarf hybrids are. When they meet someone stronger, they still get scared and back down."
Gu Ning: "Is Cook special?"
Barto: "I don’t know. Maybe his devolution made him stupid, so now he’s afraid of nothing. No matter how strong the opponent is, he still dares to rush in and fight."
Gu Ning: "..." ’Isn’t that just another way of saying Cook is stupid?’
The corner of Barto’s mouth quirked up. He squeezed her hand. "It’s you."
Cook used to be afraid and would hide. After meeting Gu Ning, he became fearless.
’But this trait of his... if it can lower his mutation rate... ’
"WOOF!!!"
Up ahead, Cook had already charged in to fight the group of dogs. But just as he rushed in, he was dragged out of the fray by Seth and the other wolves who had just arrived from behind.
Gu Ning breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Seth. As the dogs and wolves started fighting, she quickly called out to Cook, "Cook, come back!"
The next second, a massive wolf... no, a dog-like shadow, pounced from above her.
The young wolf carrying them deftly dodged this dog, only to be pounced on from both sides by two other dogs and pinned to the ground.
Both Gu Ning and Barto rolled into the snow.
Before Gu Ning could even react, she was dug out.
She rolled over in the snow and came face-to-face with a giant dog’s head.
"..." ’Is that... a husky?’
Gu Ning was all too familiar with huskies. A friend of hers used to have one and had even left it in her care for a while. It had been an absolute nightmare.
She had walked that husky twice a day, morning and night, but it would still be bouncing on her bed like it was at a disco in the middle of the night.
The husky in front of her was basically an enlarged version of that one. The only differences were that its eyes were fiercer and its fur was a bit darker.
Having spent so much time with the Wolf Clan, Gu Ning felt no fear of the big dog. Instead, it just brought back painful memories of being tormented by a husky.
She slapped the dog’s face as it sniffed all over her.
"Awooo..." Leo wanted to be fierce with the little Mixed Breed, but the sound that came out stunned even himself.
’Crap.’