69: Chapter 69 Evolution of the Male Lion
"Is this really a pride of lions that escaped from a circus?!"
"Could it be an invasion by an alien species?!"
"All the light equipment of the Assault Company didn't even cause him any harm... grenades, howitzers... what is that body made of? He's a monster, a demon!"
"Wuwuwu... the Captain Company Commander died such a miserable death!"
"I hope reinforcements arrive soon! Otherwise, the soldiers of the Assault Company will all be dead..."
"This massive pride of lions is simply a group of demons returned from hell!"
"Revenge! We must have revenge!"
"Eh... I don't know if it's an illusion, but the size of this man-eating pride seems to have grown a bit larger..."
The millions of citizens of Jianghai City in front of their screens had never seen such a bloody scene before.
While their hearts trembled, they also felt a deep hatred for the lion pride!
Before their eyes, dozens of Great Xia soldiers had died, and they were even being swallowed into the bellies of the Male Lions like lambs; this stirred up a collective hatred in their hearts!
Now, their only hope was that the helicopter reinforcements would arrive faster, so they could eliminate the lions and save the scattered soldiers.
Next, they noticed that the screen's camera was not locked onto the retreating soldiers, but was instead moving deep into the mountain forest.
It was then that they heard the voice of Reporter Wang Xiaoli.
This direction was actually heading toward Divine Phoenix Mountain!
"Is this group with the female reporter crazy?! Being hunted by lions and yet they still find their lives too long, going to provoke the Prehistoric White-Feathered Great Eagle!"
...
The dense forest on the outskirts of Divine Phoenix Mountain.
The female reporter, the cameraman, and two soldiers ran toward the depths of the forest. After fleeing continuously for over three hours, their physical strength was exhausted, and they found a place to rest.
Cameraman Xiao Li's lips were pale; only now did he have a chance to catch his breath.
"Sister Wang, why aren't we retreating toward the highway on the outskirts..."
Soldier Da Niu, who was standing guard nearby with his gun, spoke up.
"Our current position is at least fifty li away from the highway. If we retreat, it will take at least five hours..."
"And that lion pride won't let us withdraw in one piece."
Roars could be heard from the distance from time to time, along with the sounds of intense gunfire and explosions.
This meant that the Assault Company soldiers who had scattered into the forest were still being pursued by the lions.
Recalling the scene of the lions devouring people just now, and the demon-like red eyes of that monster-sized golden Male Lion...
They knew that the target of these Male Lions was them.
"If my guess is correct, these Male Lions can become even more powerful by devouring us humans. The pride won't give up on chasing us, and not long ago, they were even able to control a beast tide to attack us..."
Er Hu, who was also standing guard with a rifle to the side, looked deep into the distance. In this dense forest, he felt a deep sense of being watched, as if countless pairs of eyes in the mountain forest were staring fixedly at them.
"Many animals in this forest might be the eyes and ears of the lion pride. No matter where we go, that pride won't let us go!"
Soldier Er Hu looked at Reporter Wang Xiaoli, who was resting on a rock, with some admiration.
"Comrade Reporter, you're right. Only Divine Phoenix Mountain is our way out!"
"The Prehistoric White-Feathered Great Eagle is a powerful creature and must have the territoriality of a powerful being. The lion pride surely won't dare to step into it casually!"
"Furthermore, we received intelligence that some time ago, several young girls from Jianghai City went up Divine Phoenix Mountain and returned safely. It's possible the Prehistoric White-Feathered Great Eagle isn't a man-eater like the lions."
"Of course, this is all speculation; there are no facts to prove these points."
"Ah... it's all speculation? Then we might still die!" Cameraman Xiao Li's eyes widened.
He truly regretted coming to the outskirts of Jianghai City now.
"Alright, stop resting. This is our only chance to survive. Let's get moving!"
...
Meanwhile, not far away, the lion pride was also continuously hunting the Assault Company that had retreated into the forest.
Knowing that the two-legged beasts before them had attacks that could threaten them, the lions no longer charged straight ahead like blockheads. Instead, they reclaimed their hunting skills, choosing to lie in wait and launch burst attacks.
This caused heavy casualties among the Assault Company soldiers who had scattered and fled into the forest.
Even more terrifying was that monster Male Lion!
Originally, the most important reason they fled into the forest was to avoid the monster lion, using the tall trees to block its pursuit.
However, they didn't expect that those thirty to forty-meter-tall trees would be easily knocked down as the lion charged through.
The forest was suddenly filled with the sounds of violent collapses, and the ground rumbled and shook incessantly, as if a small earthquake were occurring.
Human running speed was no match for the lion pride. In the end, except for a few lucky ones, more than half of the hundred-plus soldiers ended up in the golden lion's belly.
The satisfied lion lay lazily on its side on the ground, its massive size crushing the surrounding shrubs into a flat mess.
It stuck out its scarlet tongue and licked its lips, its large red eyes full of satisfaction.
Since it had grown this large, it had never eaten so satisfyingly.
Logically speaking, no matter how large the monster Male Lion was, its belly shouldn't have been able to hold dozens of people...
But don't forget, for a beast that has reached this level, it's not just a change in size; even its cells have begun to change. The body's terrifying digestive and absorption capabilities are far beyond human imagination!
"Roar..."
A trace of confusion flashed through its large brown pupils. Why didn't these two-legged beasts taste as good as the ones it ate last time?
It really couldn't figure it out...
Moving its slightly aching fanged mouth, it felt that several of its fangs had become loose because of the explosion caused by that two-legged leader just now.
Dammit!
A flash of anger! Such weak two-legged beasts actually dared to attack and provoke it!
"Roar... Next time I see two-legged beasts, I'll swallow them directly!"
"Roar... To become even stronger! I must eat all the two-legged beasts!"
Thump!
Suddenly, a soft sound echoed within its body!
The Male Lion suddenly stood up from the ground, a flash of wild joy in its eyes. It felt that the powerful feeling from last time was back!
The blood within its body surged and rushed about, and a daunting, invisible aura swirled around it.
The shrubs within dozens of meters were pressed down as if by a giant invisible hand!
"ROAR!!!"
Several hours later, a thunderous roar shot straight into the clouds!
The golden lion, which was originally over eight meters long, had grown another size larger, now reaching nine meters in length!
Its overall aura was even more soul-stirring, causing a herd of elk several miles away to lose all strength in their legs and huddle weakly on the ground.
Its brown pupils flashed with a bright light!
The golden lion had evolved. Its body had become more powerful, and its wisdom had increased accordingly!
Looking into the distance, a cruel sneer appeared on the lion's face, which was surrounded by its mane.
It now had the confidence to hunt the lord of that mountain forest...