NABC Chapter 98 Will Make You Restless
Chapter 98 Will Make You Restless
Chen Fei noticed that his hand was on the pistol at his waist, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the handle.
This is a sign of nervousness.
well.
Chen Fei's tail lightly swept across the ground.
My psychological defenses have begun to crumble.
Next, we need to strike while the iron is hot.
He accessed the sound library, found the previously saved "equipment malfunction noise" entry, and slightly adjusted the frequency and intensity.
This time the noise was clearer and more regular than last night's, but it couldn't be too regular; it had to make Marcus think that this was a typical symptom of equipment aging.
Chen Fei chose a moment when Marcus was drinking water and pushed out the simulated sound.
The sound traveled with the wind towards the camp and precisely entered the satellite equipment's receiving channel.
Marcus was putting a compressed biscuit into his mouth when he suddenly stopped.
He listened intently, then suddenly stood up, strode to the equipment, and put on the headphones.
Chen Fei could see his brows furrowing even more, his fingers rapidly tapping on the screen, and him muttering something under his breath.
it's useless.
Chen Fei chuckled to himself.
Even if you disassemble the equipment, you still won't be able to find the problem.
Marcus listened for about five minutes, then took off his headphones and scratched his hair in frustration.
He picked up the satellite phone, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed.
The call connected, and Chen Fei could hear a muffled voice on the other end, which was probably Morris.
Marcus spoke into the phone, his tone hurried, pausing occasionally as if explaining something.
Chen Fei turned his hearing up to the maximum and could barely make out a few keywords.
"Device malfunction", "Strange noise", "Kale syllables", "Unable to determine".
Marcus calmed down a little after Morris said something on the other end of the phone, but his brow remained furrowed.
He hung up the phone, sat in the folding chair, rested his chin on his hands, and stared blankly at the equipment.
Chen Fei knew that Morris must have told him to observe further or send someone else to check.
But that's exactly what Chen Fei wanted.
Delay the time.
As long as Marcus's attention remained focused on the equipment and was constantly bothered by these strange noises, he had no time to notice other anomalies on the grassland.
Chen Fei changed his position, lay down on the ground, and began to groom his mane.
The mane of a sub-adult male lion has not fully grown in yet; it is only a short ring of black down around its neck, unlike the thick and magnificent mane of an adult male lion.
But that's enough to protect his neck, at least enough to provide some defense when playing with other cubs or encountering small predators.
He licked his mane, pondering his next move.
You can't make any big movements during the day, because human vision is very sharp during the day and you're easily spotted.
Therefore, the daytime interference should be milder, mainly consisting of equipment noise, with occasional slight animal calls, so that Marcus would think it was just the effect of equipment aging combined with the surrounding environment.
At night, they intensified their efforts, adding more human syllable fragments, and even simulating the voices of Maurice or Kenneth, to completely break Marcus.
The main idea is to proceed gradually, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water.
After licking his mane, Chen Fei felt even hungrier.
He looked up at the sun, which was already halfway up the sky, and the temperature on the grassland began to soar.
It's time to find something to eat.
You can't keep doing things on an empty stomach. Health is the foundation of everything. Even if you're just trying to develop, you need to have enough physical strength.
Chen Fei carefully emerged from behind the bushes, keeping his body low to the ground, and moved away from the camp.
His movements were light and stealthy, like a black shadow moving through the grass.
Lions have a unique gait; when walking, they tuck their paws in and rely solely on their paw pads to make footsteps quieter, making it easier to ambush prey.
Although Chen Fei doesn't need to launch a sneak attack now, it's still very necessary for him to hide his whereabouts.
He walked in the direction where he had seen the zebra herd yesterday.
Zebra herds usually stay near water sources. When it's too hot during the day, they will hide in the shade of trees to rest, and come out again in the evening or early morning to forage and drink.
Chen Fei walked slowly, observing his surroundings as he went, and sniffing the air.
Besides the zebra's scent, he also smelled the antelope's scent, and a faint hint of a lion's scent.
It's another lion.
Chen Fei paused, looking warily in the direction from which the scent was coming.
That was the scent of an adult lioness, very faint, so it must have been quite far away.
Most lions on the grasslands live in groups, but there are also some solitary female lions or sub-adult male lions that have been driven out of their pride.
Chen Fei didn't want to encounter other lions, especially adult female lions, who have a strong sense of territory and might attack unfamiliar male lions.
He took a detour, avoiding the direction from which the scent was coming, and continued towards the location of the zebra herd.
After walking for about an hour, Chen Fei finally saw the herd of zebras.
There were probably several dozen zebras gathered under a sparse grove of trees. Some were lying down to rest, some were standing and swishing their tails to shoo away mosquitoes, and a few foals were playing around their mothers.
Chen Fei lay prone in the distant grass, observing the movements of the zebra herd.
Hunting zebras requires patience and composure.
Zebras are fast runners and highly alert; they will scatter and flee immediately if they detect danger.
Moreover, zebras have very powerful hooves; being kicked by one is no joke, and can result in injury or even death.
As a sub-adult male lion, Chen Fei can only choose to target the old, weak, sick, or disabled if he fights alone.
His gaze settled on an elderly zebra lagging behind the group.
The zebra's coat was already turning white, and it was walking with a somewhat unsteady gait, indicating that it wasn't in good physical condition.
It is it.
Chen Fei took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, and then lowered his body, approaching the zebra herd step by step.
The distance was getting closer and closer: fifty meters, forty meters, thirty meters.
The zebra herd hadn't spotted him yet, and the foals were still playing around.
Chen Fei's heart began to race, his blood surged through his veins, and his lion-like hunting instincts were aroused.
He could feel his muscles tensing, and his claws extended involuntarily, the barbs on his fingertips gently scraping across the grass.
Ten meters to go.
Chen Fei stopped and gathered his strength.
Then, he suddenly kicked off with his back leg, and his body shot out like an arrow.
"roar--"
He let out a short roar.
The zebra herd instantly erupted into chaos.
The startled zebras scattered and fled, their hooves clattering loudly on the ground, raising clouds of dust.
The old zebra was a beat slow to react; just as it was about to lift its leg and run away, Chen Fei pounced on it.
Chen Fei gripped the zebra's neck tightly with his forepaws, his sharp canines biting into the zebra's throat.
The zebra let out a mournful neigh and struggled desperately, trying to shake off the lion on its back.
Its body shook violently, and its hooves kicked wildly.
Chen Fei held on tightly, pressing his body against the zebra and using his weight to suppress it.
Lions have a very strong bite force, especially when they bite the throat, they can instantly sever the trachea and carotid artery of their prey.
Before long, the zebra's struggles grew weaker and weaker, its breathing became more and more rapid, and finally it collapsed to the ground, no longer moving.
Chen Fei released his mouth, panting heavily, and licked the blood from the corner of his lips.
No energy points were used.
Successful.
He shook his head to shake off the dizziness caused by the strenuous exercise.
Hunting is physically demanding, especially when you're hunting alone.
He lowered his head and began to gnaw on the zebra's internal organs.
After hunting, lions usually eat the internal organs first, because they are nutritious and easy to digest.
The aroma of warm blood and internal organs filled Chen Fei's nasal cavity, completely arousing his appetite.
He gnawed away, the sound of his teeth tearing through his muscles ringing out clearly on the quiet grassland.
Just as he was enjoying his meal, the cry of a vulture came from afar.
Chen Fei looked up and saw several vultures circling in the sky, eyeing the zebra carcass on the ground with predatory intent.
"Damn, they came fast."
Chen Fei cursed inwardly and sped up his eating.
He knew that the number of vultures would increase, and if he didn't eat quickly, his hard-won prey would be stolen.
He wolfed down his food, almost swallowing it whole, while keeping a watchful eye on the sky.
Sure enough, more and more vultures gathered around, some landing on nearby tree branches, others landing directly on the ground, gradually approaching the zebra carcass.
Chen Fei let out a low growl, revealing his sharp canines, intimidating the vultures.
The vultures hesitated for a moment, then stopped, but did not leave, only lingering in the distance.
Chen Fei knew he couldn't stay here forever; there were too many vultures, and once they went berserk, they would even provoke lions.
He sped up, gnawed off the last piece of meat, then grabbed a large piece of zebra leg and ran off.
Upon seeing this, the vultures immediately swarmed over and pounced on the zebra carcass, beginning a frantic struggle for it.
Chen Fei didn't look back. He ran wildly and found a secluded earthen slope, where he hid and continued to enjoy his spoils.
As he ate, he observed his surroundings to make sure no other predators came to steal his food.
After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Fei lay on the earthen slope, basking in the sun, and let out a satisfied burp.
Comfortable.
This is the correct way to develop in a passive, unassuming way.
Hunting, eating, sleeping, and occasionally engaging in psychological warfare—life couldn't be more pleasant.
He licked the blood off his paws, then closed his eyes and began to doze off.
It's too hot on the grassland during the day to be active. The best way to rest is to sleep and conserve energy, so we can move around in the evening or at night.
Chen Fei was sleeping soundly, but his ears remained alert, and any slight movement would wake him up immediately.
This is the lion's instinct, and also the vigilance developed after struggling on the edge of life and death after crossing over.
Chen Fei was awakened by a soft sound of footsteps, not knowing how long he had slept.
He suddenly opened his eyes, his body tensed instantly, and looked in the direction from which the footsteps were coming.
There was a small antelope, probably only half a year old, with its head down, foraging for food in the grass not far away.
The little antelope looked very young and wasn't very alert; it didn't notice Chen Fei hiding behind the earthen slope at all.
Chen Fei's eyes lit up.
Even though I've just had a full meal, there's no reason to let go of prey that's delivered to my door.
Moreover, this little antelope looks very tender, much tastier than the old zebra from before.
He lowered his body and slowly approached the little antelope.
The little antelope was still focused on grazing, occasionally raising its head to look around, but its gaze did not fall on the slope.
Chen Fei moved very quietly, making almost no sound.
The distance is getting closer and closer, only five meters away.
Chen Fei lunged forward.
The little antelope was terrified and turned to run away, but it was too late.
Chen Fei grabbed its hind leg with his front paws and pulled hard, causing the little antelope to fall to the ground.
Chen Fei pounced on it and bit its throat.
The little antelope struggled a few times, then stopped moving.
Chen Fei picked up the carcass of the antelope, found a more secluded cave, and hid his prey.
He had discovered this cave before; it was well-hidden and dry, making it suitable for storing food.
Food on the grasslands is hard-won and should not be wasted. If you can't finish it all at once, you should hide it and eat it when you're hungry again.
After finishing all this, Chen Fei returned to the earthen slope to continue resting.
As the sun slowly sets in the west, the temperature on the grassland begins to drop, and the wind becomes cooler.
Chen Fei opened his eyes, stretched, and moved his stiff body.
Night is about to fall, it's time to stir things up again.
He looked toward the human camp, where the tents in the distance were already lit up, like a lone star suspended in the grassland.
Marcus should still be at the camp; his equipment hasn't been repaired, or rather, the problem hasn't been found.
Chen Fei licked his lips, a sly glint in his eyes.
Tonight, it's time to add some spice to Marcus's life.
He stood up, shook the sand off his body, and walked towards the camp.
They continued to stay close to the ground, moving stealthily.
After walking to the bushes 200 meters from the camp, Chen Fei lay down again, activated his camouflage, and set his night vision to the maximum.
The tent was brightly lit, and Marcus's figure moved around inside, looking as if he was packing things up or checking equipment.
Chen Fei checked the time; it was a little past eight in the evening.
It's still early. The routine communication time is 10 o'clock, so we can warm up a bit now.
He accessed the voice database and found a clip of Maurice's voice.
Morris's voice was very steady, with little variation in his tone no matter what he said. Using his voice to stir up trouble would definitely be effective.
Chen Fei tuned the voice simulation to the frequency of the satellite equipment, selected a tone that Morris usually used, and pushed it out.
The sound was very soft, just enough for Marcus to hear, but not too clear.
Marcus inside the tent stopped what he was doing, listened intently, then frowned, walked over to the equipment, and put on his headphones.
Chen Fei could see his expression change from confusion to surprise, and then to doubt.
He must be wondering why Maurice would contact him at this time, especially with such a poor signal.
Chen Fei suppressed a laugh and continued to imitate Morris's voice, saying ambiguous things such as "Equipment... malfunction... Caution... Safety" and similar phrases.
Marcus spoke a few words into the headset, seemingly in response, but received no reply.
Because the source of the voice was not Morris at all, but Chen Fei, this "artificial AI".
Marcus listened for about a minute, then took off his headphones, his face full of confusion.
He picked up the satellite phone, intending to dial Morris's number, but hesitated and put it down again.
It's past 8 p.m. now. According to the time zone, it's probably already late at night for Morris. It's not appropriate to call at this time.
Moreover, he wasn't sure if what he had just heard was Maurice's voice; what if it was just a hallucination caused by equipment malfunction?
Chen Fei was secretly delighted to see Marcus looking so conflicted.
It will make you conflicted, make you doubtful, and make you unable to eat or sleep.
That's the allure of psychological warfare.
He stopped the simulation, quietly lay down behind the bushes, and waited for the routine 10 o'clock communication time.
During this time, Marcus kept pacing in front of the equipment, occasionally putting on headphones to listen to it, and occasionally checking the display screen, appearing very anxious.