"Woo..." Just as Jiang Hai was feeling deeply moved, a low whimpering sound reached his ears. When he reacted, he saw a pair of green eyes suddenly emerge from the lawn behind Qi Li. His heart skipped a beat.
He wasn't superstitious, nor did he believe in demons or monsters, but the presence of green eyes in the lawn and the whimpering sound left no doubt that a wild animal was nearby. Green eyes signaled the creature had night vision. While lions and tigers weren't found in North America, there were many creatures with night vision, like the North American gray wolf, jaguars, cougars, and bears.
However, the North American gray wolf had been extinct for some time. Even if there were any, they'd be found in Yellowstone Park, far from here. Jaguars were similar in that they had also disappeared long ago, though some might still exist in the Amazon jungle—definitely not in Boston.
Jiang Hai ruled out bears, too, since their size made it unlikely they could hide in the bushes without being seen. Based on what he'd heard, the only creature likely to possess night vision and be about the right size for Boston was the cougar, or mountain lion.
"I remember hearing about a mountain lion that came down from the mountains and was shot by the police," Jiang Hai recalled. He had overheard this during his trip to buy a fur coat. If his assumptions were correct, the pair of green eyes belonged to this very creature.
"Be careful." With that thought, Jiang Hai quickly sprang into action, his explosive strength propelling him forward in an instant.
Before Qi Li could react, Jiang Hai had pulled her into his arms. She froze for a moment. This was the first time she had ever been actively embraced by a man. Even during her previous relationship with An Changwu, she had never thought of being the one to throw herself into someone's arms.
The two had been dating for three years. In the first year, they walked half a meter apart; in the second year, they walked side by side. Despite her father's remarriage and her growing mistrust of men, she struggled to let anyone close. In the third year, they would hold hands while looking at their phones or shopping—things were nearly at the point of discussing marriage, but something had happened before they could talk about it. An Changwu was a truly unfortunate man.
But today, her "first" experience had happened in Jiang Hai's arms.
Jiang Hai was quick, pulling her close and then spinning her away, throwing her behind him. The next moment, a loud "bang" echoed, and Qi Li's backside met the hard ground. She winced in pain but had no time to complain.
Before she could speak, she saw a large beast slowly emerge from the bushes.
It resembled a lioness but was slightly smaller. Under the dim streetlights, it appeared both beautiful and eerie, with the telltale green eyes and sharp canine teeth, signaling it was no innocent creature. Jiang Hai, too, stood still, eyeing it intently.
"It's this thing." Jiang Hai's voice was low as he narrowed his eyes. His body instinctively tensed, and he spread his arms wide, trying to make himself appear larger. It might have seemed ridiculous to an onlooker, but in nature, it was a proven tactic for survival.
Despite not having formally learned such tactics, Jiang Hai felt they came to him naturally, perhaps linked to the tattoo on his body.
Sure enough, when the mountain lion saw his stance, it paused and eyed him warily. The two locked eyes, assessing each other for weaknesses and opportunities.
Jiang Hai then put his hand to his mouth and let out a sharp whistle.
The mountain lion was momentarily stunned, but as it heard sounds from the distant villa and residential areas, it realized the human was calling for reinforcements. The creature's frustration mounted, and in an instant, it crouched, then launched itself at Jiang Hai with its mouth open.
But it had chosen the wrong opponent.
Instead of retreating, Jiang Hai moved forward. His body folded, and he narrowly avoided the first strike. The mountain lion's attack was swift and brutal—its strategy was to first use its body to knock the opponent down, then its claws to embed themselves into the flesh, and finally, if successful, to bite the throat for a killing blow.
However, Jiang Hai was no ordinary man. With twice the physical fitness of an average person, his reaction speed matched the mountain lion's agility. He dodged the pounce, diving beneath the beast's belly.
Using the Rising Dragon Fist, he struck the mountain lion's midsection with force, sending it sprawling through the air and landing heavily on the ground.
But the mountain lion wasn't easily defeated. It clawed the earth twice, regaining its footing and preparing for another attack. Jiang Hai, however, knew he couldn't keep up this back-and-forth. His strength was an advantage, but agility, explosiveness, and speed were still his weaknesses. To win, he needed to exploit its weaknesses.
Before the mountain lion could rise again, Jiang Hai pounced, locking his legs around its belly and his hands around its neck, trying to subdue the beast.
Yet, despite the grip, the mountain lion fought back fiercely, rolling on the ground, trying to throw him off. Jiang Hai's hold on its neck was weakening as it struggled.
Qi Li watched, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before her. She had never imagined Jiang Hai could be so strong. Between his skills in farming, fishing, and even business, and now his ability to battle a lion with his bare hands, she realized just how little she knew about him.
Unknowingly, her feelings toward him had shifted, and she found herself drawn to him in ways she hadn't expected.
Suddenly, two loud thumps echoed through the air. Two massive dogs, ones Qi Li had seen outside Jiang Hai's room earlier, entered the fray.
These dogs were as large as the mountain lion, and in a one-on-one confrontation, they might have had the upper hand. With Jiang Hai's support, the mountain lion stood little chance.
As the mountain lion bared its teeth, Xiao Huang—the gray wolf—slammed a powerful blow to its head, raking its claws across its face. Blood poured from the gashes, flesh torn away.
On the other side, Xiao Bai, the pure black dog, bit at the mountain lion's hind legs. With a swift flick of its tail, the mountain lion tried to defend itself, but Xiao Bai still managed to tear a chunk of meat from its thigh.
The mountain lion roared in pain, its fear growing as the two dogs pressed their attack.