The Evolutionary Path of the Lion

Chapter 89 Crazy Improvement

The old scar at the corner of its split lip gleamed coldly in the morning light, trembling gently with the rise and fall of its chest, like a worm lurking beneath its flesh. It slowly raised its head, a deep, suppressed groan rolling from the depths of its throat. The extremely low frequency of the sound vibrated slowly along the ground, carrying an undeniable command—a short, abrupt signal for the hyena pack to retreat.

The entire hyena column immediately retreated in an orderly fashion. The hyenas in the front row took small steps backward first, their movements so precise as if they were being guided by invisible threads. The hyenas behind them followed closely, always facing Chen Fei, not daring to relax for a moment. It wasn't until they had retreated to a point fifty meters south of the ridgeline that the entire group stopped in their tracks, their rough paws grinding against the soil, creating a soft, chaotic rustling sound.

They neither crossed the ridgeline nor completely escaped; they remained in this buffer zone, neither too close nor too far, maintaining a stalemate.

Chen Fei slowly suppressed the surging, scorching air in his throat, letting the warmth sink into his abdominal cavity along the muscles of his limbs. The moment the air returned to its place, a dull, aching sensation spread through his muscles.

[Host: Chen Fei]

[Identity: Sub-adult male lion]

[Energy Points: 943↑]

Good guy.

This kind of stressful standoff, adding so many points at once!

The single leg on its left side shifted slightly, its head tilted to the south, and its chin tapped twice. Its yellow-green eyes held a tentative gaze, and its crippled right forelimb gently dug at the ground. Every movement silently reminded the other that it was only temporarily retreating and had no intention of leaving.

Chen Fei's gaze was fixed intently on Split Mouth, and the hyena leader stared back directly. The morning light, like a thin veil of pale gold, stretched across the fifty-meter-wide open space. Their gazes met precisely, creating an invisible tension in the air. He clearly saw his own small yet imposing reflection imprinted in Split Mouth's contracting pupils.

As my gaze swept down across the entire southern area, the heat that had just subsided in my throat was suddenly aroused, like a spark falling into dry grass, instantly igniting a wildfire. Fifty hyenas were densely packed south of the ridgeline, a dark mass huddled together, like the murky waters of a receding tide, their formation intact and stable, showing no sign of disintegration.

Chen Fei lay sprawled on the ground, his belly pressed against the cool grass, his claws unconsciously digging into the damp soil. His mind raced, quickly weighing the pros and cons: a hyena could reach speeds of up to sixty kilometers per hour at full sprint, and a mere fifty meters would be covered in the blink of an eye. If the hyena suddenly attacked, his limp, caused by his missing leg, would significantly slow the pack's pace, and neither the older nor the younger lionesses would have time to quickly establish a defensive line.

But the man with the split mouth remained motionless.

It stood in the very center of the tribe, like a black stone firmly nailed to the wasteland. The old scars on its lips gleamed coldly, and its body was taut and stiff. Only its eyes were fixed on itself, with an unyielding anxiety and forbearance pressing down in its depths.

Chen Fei gently tapped the ground with the tip of his tail, calmly assessing the situation. The hyena pack's failure to drive them away, yet their insistence on staying, could only mean two things: waiting for reinforcements, or waiting for one side to collapse first. But reinforcements were no longer possible; the reconnaissance results had already been finalized. The fifty hyenas before him represented the entire fighting force that Split Mouth could mobilize, far more than just the advance squad.

Therefore, the only answer left is the latter.

It was patiently waiting, hoping that Chen Fei's side would back down first, or that any of the lions in the alliance would give out in the long standoff. As soon as the defenses showed the slightest crack or the slightest sign of fear, these cunning hyenas would immediately counterattack, and this time, they would show no mercy whatsoever.

He turned his head to look at his companion beside him. His one-legged stump was still trembling slightly, but his limbs were firmly rooted to the ground. When he felt the gaze return to him, there was no wavering or cowardice in his eyes. The old lioness lowered her tail even further, her muscles tense, silently accumulating the strength to fight at any moment. The young lioness pressed her ears back against her neck, trying her best to catch every movement and sound in the wind.

All three companions withstood the pressure.

But a stalemate of attrition has no end. Prolonged tension will cause muscles to remain sore and stiff, and breathing to gradually become disordered and unbalanced. Even a momentary lapse in concentration or a slight shift in the center of gravity will be accurately detected by the battle-hardened Lizard. Pointless exhaustion is meaningless, and Chen Fei will never passively fall into this tug-of-war.

A scorching heat surged from deep within his limbs, flowing up the muscle lines. Four streams of scalding heat, like rushing streams, converged into the deep pool in his throat, colliding violently with the lingering warmth and instantly boiling over. A burning sensation spread throughout his throat, as if he were holding a red-hot iron. The scorching heat continued to churn and vibrate, climbing up his trachea to his nasal cavity and then rushing into his skull. His temples throbbed, and his entire head was enveloped in a muffled buzzing, with layers of soreness and distension building up.

Chen Fei slowly closed his eyes, and images from a documentary flashed through his mind: the roar of an adult male lion was enough to shake the entire air, a super-powerful sound wave of 114 decibels, comparable to the close-range roar of a rock stage, causing herbivores within a two-kilometer radius to be startled and migrate. That male lion was far larger than himself now, but it did not have his unique heat aura.

Two seconds later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his hind legs exerted force, and his strong body stood firmly upright on the grassland.

The one-legged creature suddenly turned its head, its yellow-green pupils contracting sharply, and a low whimper escaped its throat, a mixture of astonishment and unease.

Chen Fei didn't look back. His steps were steady and heavy, each step landing firmly and powerfully. His heavy feet crunched over the grass, making a soft, rustling sound. He calmly passed his companions' defensive line, stepped over the raised line, and onto the dew-covered southern grass. The cool dew soaked his soft skin, and a refreshing chill spread through his limbs, but it did nothing to slow his pace.

Behind them, the wilderness fell into a deathly silence, broken only by the soft rustling of the wind through the grass. The silence lasted a moment, then the sound of a single footstep slowly rose, the muffled thud of the missing forelimb landing, creating a staggered rhythm with the other three limbs. The steps were slow yet incredibly firm, following closely behind. Then, the old lioness's steady, heavy gait, followed by the young lioness's light and agile steps, the three staggered footsteps forming an unbreakable shield.

The front of the hyena line was instantly thrown into chaos.

Several hyenas in the front row frantically dodged left and right, some looking up warily, others digging frantically in the ground, their nostrils flaring as they desperately sniffed their surroundings. There was no trace of the intimidating scent a lion pride should have in the air; the lack of information amplified their unease. Their claws scratched restlessly at the ground, their bodies trembling slightly, and panic swept through the entire pack like a plague.

Only the split-mouthed creature remained standing in place, like a cold, black stone sculpture.

Its gaze was fixed on Chen Fei, who was approaching step by step. Its head was slightly lowered, its neck taut, its nostrils flared to their limit, greedily searching for every scent in the wind. Only the damp chill of the morning grassland and the pungent, fishy smell of the hyena pack remained in the air. Chen Fei's presence seemed to have been completely swallowed by the morning mist, leaving no trace. A flicker of confusion crossed its eyes, quickly replaced by a deeper, colder vigilance.

Chen Fei abruptly stopped thirty meters away from the gap.

This distance was the optimal choice he made after careful consideration. Too far, and the long winds of the grasslands would continuously weaken the roaring sound waves, greatly reducing their deterrent effect; too close, and if the cleaving beast launched a desperate, all-or-nothing attack, he would only have two seconds to react and retreat—the risk was too high. Thirty meters—neither too far nor too close—allowed the sonic deterrent to reach its peak while leaving ample space for maneuver; it was the perfect, golden distance for a standoff.

He slowly lowered his weight, his hindquarters slightly drooping, his tail stretched out close to the ground, and his hind leg muscles suddenly tensed. A tremendous force surged up his waist, abdomen, and spine, converging entirely in his trembling throat. The heat there had already reached its peak, and the intense resonance made his jaw tingle.

"roar,!!!"

The moment the roar that shook the wasteland burst forth from his throat, even Chen Fei himself was momentarily dazed.

It wasn't about the volume, but rather the addition of a completely different, unfamiliar texture to this roar. The last time he used thermal resonance, he simply relied on airflow to vibrate his throat, resulting in a rough and brutal roar, supported entirely by brute force. But now, the thermal flow, its density increased by 30%, repeatedly compressed and settled in his throat, bursting forth with a unique low-frequency resonance that intertwined and merged with the vibration of the throat itself, forming a double-layered, heavy tremor.

Beneath the powerful roar lay a deep, muffled rumble, like distant thunder rolling in the mountains, clinging firmly to the ground and spreading outwards, its coverage far exceeding that of an ordinary roar. Wherever the sound waves passed, the grass trembled and swayed slightly.

The moment the roar subsided, the pack of hyenas behind Split Mouth completely collapsed.

The hyenas in the front row retreated frantically, their escape chaotic and hasty. Those in the back row had no time to dodge, colliding and piling up on each other. Chaotic howls, the dull thuds of bones colliding, and panicked whimpers mingled together. The middle of the column was suddenly broken up, the taut formation instantly shattered, and the hyenas scattered and fled like headless beasts, many running a few steps before abruptly stopping, looking around in bewilderment and fear.

In just five or six seconds, the once orderly and disciplined battle formation was completely thrown into chaos. Sharp, piercing screams of terror exploded one after another, tearing apart the tranquility of the morning. The usual ferocity and arrogance vanished, leaving only a panicked flight driven by extreme fear. The mournful cries drifted away on the wind.

Chen Fei stood quietly, his tail tip slowly sweeping the ground as he gazed at the chaotic scene before him. The violent tremor in his throat gradually subsided, leaving only a faint, lingering heat.

[Host: Chen Fei]

[Identity: Sub-adult male lion]

[Energy Points: 961↑]

The energy points fluctuated slightly, increasing by eighteen. This is not a battle result from defeating the enemy, but rather an exclusive reward for awakening a new ability.

He focused intently on the depths of his throat, where a faint yet clear resonance lingered, like the lingering sound of a plucked string. A completely new perception emerged: the resonance of sound.

This is not simply a matter of increasing volume; rather, it relies on heat to construct a controllable resonant system in the throat. He can freely adjust the heat density and vibration frequency, switching the timbre, pitch, and frequency band of his roar at will. Theoretically, he can accurately replicate and imitate any sound he has ever heard, whether it be the sound of wind, the roar of a beast, unusual noises, or even human language.

After quickly processing this new trump card, Chen Fei's lips twitched slightly, and his tongue lightly licked his gums, the lingering burning sensation in his throat clearly perceptible. The long-planned Marcus Project had now gained a crucial bargaining chip, and the previously narrow window of opportunity had quietly expanded.

Chaos engulfed the entire scene, but Kuroko's self-control far exceeded expectations.

Behind it, its horde scattered and fled in disarray. Yet, it only retreated one step slowly and steadily, its foot landing softly and firmly, without the slightest sign of panic or loss of composure. This was not an instinctive dodge born of shock, but a rational retreat based on a calm assessment of the situation. Even amidst the raging sonic waves, it remained clear-headed, understanding that a rash attack would inevitably lead to defeat; its retreat was merely a means to stabilize its own lines.

Chen Fei silently kept this forbearance and rationality in his heart. This hyena leader with the split mouth was far more troublesome and cunning than it appeared on the surface.

Forty seconds later, the hyenas that had scattered and fled managed to regroup amidst a series of low, menacing growls. The process of regrouping was chaotic and disorganized, yet they still managed to piece together a complete formation. They dared not advance further, nor did they dare to retreat completely; the front ranks collectively retreated, eventually stopping at a distance of sixty meters, ten meters more apart than before. The chilling roar they had just witnessed had made them instinctively widen their danger zone.

Chen Fei slowly took five steps forward, his feet rustling across the grass, the sound clearly reaching the ears of the person opposite him.

The hyenas instantly retreated ten meters in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if forced by an invisible pressure.

He took another five steps, and the other person immediately retreated eight meters.

This wasn't a chaotic rout, but a highly unified collective avoidance. The hyena pack precisely followed his advance, constantly recalibrating their safe distance. The pack, led by Slit-Mouth, had designated the area around his roars as an absolute no-go zone, etched with an instinctive fear they would never easily cross.

Chen Fei slowly stopped.

Deliberately driving them away is pointless; only by completely expelling these potential threats from this territory can we solve the problem once and for all and prevent future harassment.

With a slight thought, the carefully suppressed aura was instantly dispelled.

A powerful and domineering aura of a male lion suddenly burst forth, mixed with the beastly aura of a one-legged lion and two female lions, weaving together a thick, oppressive net that enveloped the entire southern wasteland and continued to spread southward with the long wind.

A chorus of low, hoarse whimpers erupted from the hyena pack, their bodies instinctively curling up and retreating. Their belated olfactory perception finally overlapped with the terrifying roar they had just witnessed.

The deep-seated fear erupted completely, and unease and apprehension spread rapidly throughout the tribe.

Its mouth gaped open and closed wide, repeatedly sniffing the scents in the wind.

At this moment, it finally caught the extremely oppressive scent of the pride of lions. Conflicting perceptions collided in its mind: the previously undetectable aura suddenly surged, the eerie state of concealment clashed with the current overwhelming pressure, and none of the clues could be pieced together to form a reasonable answer.

The man with the split mouth stared intently at Chen Fei, remaining locked in a stalemate amidst the jumbled information for a long time.

A moment later, it raised its head and emitted a long, deep cry, the sound waves smooth and heavy, which traveled back to the tribe behind it.