“Run away on its own?”
Bolin was a bit confused.
“Its weakness is also its strength—its irritability, its territoriality, and… its protectiveness over its young.”
Lei Luo’s gaze once again fell upon the two little ones nestled beside their mother.
He paused, looking at the two knights’ puzzled expressions, and continued to explain, “If we can use something to enrage it, and make it feel that this thing poses a huge threat to its young or its territory, will it not chase after it regardless of everything?”
Aed pondered, “You mean… lure it?”
“Exactly.”
Lei Luo nodded, “And we need to use something that can run fast enough and also provoke enough anger from it to lure it. Isn’t it fast? Then let it chase a fast-moving target.”
“What kind of target can outrun it? And also enrage it?”
Bolin still felt this was too risky.
“Horses.”
Lei Luo uttered two words, “Ordinary horses might not work, but what if they were two horses with their tails set on fire?”
“Horses with their tails on fire?!”
Aed and Bolin were both startled; this idea was simply… insane!
Horses are naturally afraid of fire, and with their tails set ablaze, they would undoubtedly be terrified and gallop wildly.
And the burning flames and the sight of them running madly would definitely be a huge provocation for an Ironclad Rhinoceros with strong territorial instincts and in a berserk state!
“Find two of our discarded old horses, and tie dry branches soaked in grease to their tails.”
Aed and Bolin gasped.
This plan… was too audacious!
Using frightened horses to draw fire, and then seizing the opportunity to steal the young!
This was practically probing the edges of a third-tier magic beast’s rage!
“My Lord, this is too dangerous!”
Aed couldn’t help but dissuade him again, “What if the Ironclad Rhinoceros doesn’t chase the horses, or realizes halfway, then we…”
“There are naturally risks.”
Lei Luo admitted, “But the rewards are equally immense. Two Ironclad Rhinoceros young, if raised from a young age, their future value is immeasurable.”
He pointed in the direction where the Ironclad Rhinoceros had just charged, “Its attack pattern is very direct. For moving targets that invade its territory, especially those carrying something as highly threatening as fire, its first reaction will inevitably be to expel and destroy.”
“As for the timing,” Lei Luo observed the position of the sun, “wait until it enters a resting state again, or when its attention is diverted by other things. We must act quickly, once we succeed, retreat immediately, and never linger in battle.”
“Understood, My Lord!”
The two responded in unison.
“Good, let’s retreat first and prepare. Aed, you take people to select the horses and prepare the kindling. Bolin, you take people to choose the retreat route, ensuring nothing goes wrong.”
Lei Luo ordered, “The operation time is set before dusk, when the light weakens, it will be easier to conceal.”
“Yes!”
Everything was ready, and time quietly arrived at dusk.
The afterglow of the setting sun draped a golden veil over the land.
Two old horses, prepared to act as bait, were led behind a small slope further ahead, their tails already tied with dry kindling soaked in grease.
Two knights, holding torches, nervously awaited orders.
In the center of the Valley, the Ironclad Rhinoceros seemed to have eaten and drunk its fill, and lay down again, with the two Xiao Rhino nestled beside it, dozing off.
Everything looked very calm and beautiful.
Lei Luo took a deep breath, suppressing the churning emotions in his heart.
The sound of wind, the sound of water, and the occasional calls of unknown birds in the distance.
Aed and Bolin gripped their weapons tightly, their palms already covered in sweat.
They knew that what was coming next would be a high-stakes gamble, a race against death.
The setting sun completely sank below the horizon, and the sky rapidly darkened.
In the Valley, only the faint Moonlight and starlight provided weak illumination.
The Ironclad Rhinoceros’s massive body was like a lurking shadow, with only its occasional heavy breathing proving its existence.
The two young ones clung tightly to their mother, no longer moving.
“Now!”
Lei Luo whispered, a sharp glint in his eyes.
The two knights, already prepared, immediately brought their torches close to the dry kindling on the horses’ tails.
Sizzle!
Sizzle!
The grease-soaked dry kindling instantly ignited, sending up two plumes of orange-red flames!
“Giddy up!”
The two knights simultaneously slapped the horses’ hindquarters with force!
The two old horses cried out in pain, coupled with the burning sensation from their tails and their fear of fire, they instantly unleashed the last of their life’s potential!
They let out terrified whinnies, charging madly towards the diagonally front, which was the other end of the Valley, regardless of everything!
Their burning tails dragged two twisted lines of fire behind them, appearing exceptionally dazzling in the dim Valley!
“Moo!!!”
Almost at the instant the flames flared, the previously lying Ironclad Rhinoceros suddenly sprang up!
Its blood-red eyes instantly locked onto the two moving flames charging deep into its territory, as well as the piercing whinnying of the horses!
Berserk!
Furious!
A terrifying aura instantly erupted from its body, like a tangible shockwave, causing Lei Luo and the other two, who were hiding in the distance, to feel a surge of fear!
Without any hesitation, the Ironclad Rhinoceros furiously pawed the ground with its four hooves, letting out a deafening roar, and chased after the two burning, frightened horses like a black lightning bolt!
Its speed was extreme, its heavy body leaving a deep furrow on the ground, dust rolling, its momentum terrifying!
It was completely drawn by the two moving flames, wanting only to completely crush these two invaders who dared to intrude into its territory and threaten its young!
“Go!”
Seeing the Ironclad Rhinoceros’s massive figure instantly disappear around the corner of the Valley.
Lei Luo made a decisive move, being the first to rush out from their hiding place!
Aed and Bolin followed closely, the three of them like arrows released from a bow, rushing straight towards the spot where the Ironclad Rhinoceros had just been lying!
Their target was precisely the two Xiao Rhino, who, due to their mother’s sudden outburst, appeared somewhat flustered and were aimlessly circling in place!
The distance was not far, only less than three hundred meters.
They could hear the desperate whinnying of the frightened horses and the furious roars of the Ironclad Rhinoceros from afar, as well as the sounds of heavy impact and shattering, clearly, one of the two unfortunate old horses had already met its demise.
But they had no time for sympathy, they had to seize every second!
The Xiao Rhino also seemed to sense the approach of unfamiliar presences; they uneasily made low “hmm hmm” sounds, trying to find their mother’s figure.
Perhaps feeling threatened, one of the slightly larger Xiao Rhino even mimicked its mother, lowering its head and charging at Lei Luo, who was in the lead, with its still-soft single horn!
Lei Luo was prepared; he nimbly dodged to the side, avoiding the Xiao Rhino’s charge, while simultaneously extending his right hand as fast as lightning, grabbing the relatively soft flesh behind the Xiao Rhino’s neck, and with a flash and a lift, the Rhino young was in his arms!
Almost simultaneously, Aed also lunged at the other Xiao Rhino.
This one seemed a bit more timid, only restlessly pawing the ground.
Aed stepped forward and pressed down, and the calf-sized Rhino young was pinned to the ground, then lifted onto his shoulder and ran.
“Done!” Aed whispered.
“Quick, retreat!”
Lei Luo tossed the Rhino young in his arms to Bolin.
The group turned and ran.
From around the corner of the Valley in the distance, an even more violent, even more deafening roar came!
The theft of the young had been exposed.
“Moo—!!!”
The sound was filled with boundless rage and madness!
The Ironclad Rhinoceros was back!
And its speed was even faster than before!
The ground began to shake violently, as if an earthquake was coming!
The three of them could even feel the burning and tyrannical aura coming from behind them!
“Faster! Even faster!”