The Game Heroine's Cannon Fodder Leopard Cub - Chapter 16

Yi’an didn’t notice Nora’s strange expression, her thoughts interrupted by the faint sound of footsteps approaching from the distance.

Her ears instantly perked up, her nerves on high alert as she strained to pinpoint the source of the sound.

Seeing Little Leopard’s sudden shift from languid to alert, Nora immediately sensed something was wrong. She swiftly drew the dagger from her waist, her grip tightening instinctively. The cold touch of the metal offered a sliver of reassurance.

Pressing herself against the rock wall, she suppressed her breathing to minimize any disturbance to Yi’an.

Yi’an twitched her ears, her eyes narrowing slightly. The footsteps were remarkably light and deliberate, but the crunch of snow betrayed the intruder’s approach. It was closer than she’d initially thought.

During daylight, Yi’an and Nora could have handled this situation with ease.

But now, under the cover of night, while Yi’an’s vision remained unaffected, the environment posed extreme danger for Nora, a human.

Therefore, Yi’an decided to ambush the intruder at the cave entrance, waiting for absolute certainty before striking.

She crouched low, her breathing slowing to an almost imperceptible level, and crept toward the cave mouth. Without turning back, she gently tapped the rock wall with her tail, signaling Nora to stay put.

Outside the cave, the icy chill of the snow seeped into Yi’an’s paw pads, but she couldn’t afford to dwell on the discomfort. She crouched at the cave entrance, her entire body blending seamlessly into the snow-white surroundings. Even her breathing was reduced to a barely audible whisper, leaving only her bright eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.

Soon, the sound of footsteps grew increasingly distinct.

Yi’an held her breath and slowly extended her head in the direction of the sound, her gaze swiftly locking onto a massive figure.

At the edge of the flat plain, deep footprints were pressed into the snow. As the footsteps drew closer, the figure gradually materialized—a colossal White Bear, entirely snow-white!

Yi’an narrowed her eyes, a chill running through her. Those eyes… they were bl00d-red.

Secretly scrutinizing those crimson orbs, she quickly noticed something amiss. These weren’t ordinary eyes!

The eyes lacked pupils, as if they had been forcibly gouged out and replaced with two crystal-clear, crimson spheres.

An instinctive dread surged through her.

The White Bear’s size far exceeded that of ordinary bears, and though its gait was slow, it exuded an overwhelming sense of menace. What made the situation even more precarious was the complete emptiness of the plain beyond the cave, leaving her nowhere to escape.

Moreover, she had a foreboding sense that the approaching creature harbored ill intentions.

The night sky over the Morong Highlands was pitch-black, devoid of starlight or moonlight. Human vision was severely limited here, making it nearly impossible to see anything clearly.

In other words, despite Nora’s agility, her disadvantage in such darkness was glaringly obvious. The slightest misstep could prove fatal.

Yi’an immediately understood. She glanced at the familiar figure inside the cave, then crouched low and slowly crept along the cliff face toward the White Bear.

Inside the cave, Nora heard a faint rustling sound, her heart tightening instantly. “Little Leopard?” she whispered, but received no response.

Clutching her dagger, her knuckles whitening slightly, she felt an overwhelming urge to rush out of the cave. But her reason told her that leaving the shelter in the pitch-black night would be suicidal.

As she wrestled with her inner conflict, the sudden clash of battle shattered the night’s tranquility. Nora’s nerves snapped taut, her heart nearly stopping…

Just meters from the White Bear, Yi’an suddenly leaped into the air, her claws gleaming as she lunged for its neck. But before she could strike, the White Bear swung its massive forepaw in a sweeping arc.

Yi’an remained calm. Though the White Bear was bulky, it couldn’t be completely defenseless. She had anticipated its counterattack.

While the White Bear was focused on its forward assault, Yi’an swiftly twisted her body to evade the sweeping paw. The moment she landed, she sprang up again, lunging for its hind leg. This time, the White Bear couldn’t dodge.

Snap! Her sharp teeth pierced through the White Bear’s thick fur, sinking deep into a major artery. The pain drove the bear into a frenzy. It reared up on its other hind leg and kicked out violently at the Little Leopard.

Sensing the danger, Yi’an braced her hind legs and pushed off with explosive force. Her teeth released their grip as she leaped nimbly to the side. The instant she moved, a torrent of bl00d erupted from the White Bear’s hind leg, staining the surrounding snow crimson.

Yi’an landed smoothly, not even glancing back as she accelerated her assault.

She darted around the White Bear with swift, elusive movements, making every strike miss its mark. Her claws repeatedly slashed at its flanks, and though the thick fur absorbed most of the blows, the wounds accumulated. Bl00d gurgled from the gashes, staining the bear’s pristine white fur in mottled patches of red.

As expected, the White Bear was enraged by this incomprehensible guerrilla warfare.

It reared up on its hind legs, standing upright like a human, and began flailing its massive forepaws wildly, smashing everything around it without restraint.

Though Yi’an dodged with all her might, the sheer force of the bear’s paw struck her, sending her tumbling to the ground. She rolled several times before managing to regain her footing.

Suppressing the agonizing pain that felt like her limbs were about to shatter, Yi’an swiftly adjusted her stance, her gaze locked on the White Bear. Seizing the moment it was distracted, she lunged straight for its head. Sensing the danger, the bear tried to retreat, but its bulky frame couldn’t match Yi’an’s agile movements.

With a precise strike, her claws sank into the bear’s eye socket. A sickening thwack echoed as bl00d gushed forth like a fountain.

The unbearable pain drove the White Bear to unleash a thunderous roar. It violently shook its head, flinging Yi’an away.

After tumbling through the air, Yi’an landed firmly on all fours, skidding a few steps before coming to a halt.

The White Bear panted heavily, bl00d continuously seeping from its eye socket and trickling down its white fur, making its appearance even more grotesque.

Yi’an crouched low, panting heavily but remaining vigilant.

To her surprise, the White Bear didn’t launch another attack. Instead, its violent aura gradually dissipated. With a low growl, it turned and lumbered away.

Yi’an watched its retreating figure with icy eyes until the massive form vanished completely into the snowy landscape. Only then did she slowly relax her tensed claws.

She lowered her head. Two bl00d-soaked “eyeballs” lay silently in the snow, emitting an eerie glow.