Chapter 41 I’m the Mother Hen?
"Excellent." Qi Xia nodded. "I must survive here. If anyone obstructs me, the consequences will be severe."
This declaration struck fear into everyone present. Qi Xia's eyes bore the cold, unflinching look of a killer, leaving no doubt that he wouldn't hesitate to act.
Even Qiao Jiajin, who usually wore a perpetual smile, now looked solemn.
A question nagged at his mind—
What kind of person was Qi Xia?
With this shift in dynamics, everyone stood up and, like a flock of sheep, gathered behind the iron plate.
Seeing this, Qi Xia slowly released his grip. The middle-aged man and Specs, trembling with fear, supported each other.
Qi Xia knew he had achieved his goal. He was now the undisputed leader of this group.
"It can be explained in one sentence," Qi Xia replied with deliberate slowness. "The answer lies in the game of {Eagle Versus Chicken Tag}."
"Eagle... Versus Chicken Tag?" Everyone looked bewildered.
"All three roles are now filled," Qi Xia declared, extending his hand to point at the black bear looming nearby. "Eagle."
He then gestured towards the disheveled figures of the two men and five women. "Chicks."
Finally, he turned to Qiao Jiajin and declared, "Mother hen."
"Mother hen, huh? F*cking hell..." Qiao Jiajin said with a look of disgust, "Can’t you call it something else?!"
Everyone began to grasp the concept at this moment.
The iron plate on the ground was exceptionally heavy. To use it effectively against the Asiatic black bear, the best strategy was to roll it along the ground. However, the iron plate's limited area and poor maneuverability posed significant challenges. If the group dispersed, they would be in grave danger.
The optimal solution was for one person to maneuver the plate while the rest of the group lined up behind it.
As everyone pondered their next move, the Asiatic black bear had already closed in, its eyes fixed solely on Qiao Jiajin.
"It's coming!" Qi Xia alerted Qiao Jiajin.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Jiajin immediately shifted his weight backward, positioning his body at an oblique angle, and pressed his shoulders firmly against the iron plate.
In the next instant, the black bear swung its thick, solid forearms, striking the iron plate with ferocious force.
The loud bang resonated through the room as the bear's attack was deflected. Both the bear and Qiao Jiajin staggered back a step from the impact.
Fortunately, Qiao Jiajin had anticipated the impact and braced himself accordingly. Had he not, the force of the blow, while failing to penetrate the iron plate, might have flattened him entirely.
Seeing the precariousness of their situation, everyone quickly aligned themselves more closely.
Four men positioned themselves at the front of the line, while five women stood in the back.
The middle-aged man also clung to Qi Xia's clothes, following his lead without protest.
"Hey, Swindler Lad, how many more times do I have to keep this up for...?"
Qi Xia glanced at the distant clock on the wall and replied, "Don't worry, we only have seven minutes left."
"Seven..." Qiao Jiajin reiterated, stunned. "F*ck, this is just the beginning, isn't it?"
"The black bear's stamina isn't endless," Qi Xia reassured him. "I don't think it will keep attacking relentlessly. We just need to survive the initial onslaught and stay vigilant."
The black bear adjusted its stance and began sidestepping.
Qi Xia tugged on Qiao Jiajin's clothes, steering him to move the iron plate along the ground, mirroring the bear's movements.
This maneuver perplexed the black bear.
Despite its destructive power, it lacked agility. Unable to launch an immediate side attack, it was forced to lumber along, its massive body struggling to keep up.
But no matter where it moved, the iron plate remained squarely in its path.
The black bear growled incessantly, having circled its targets entirely without finding an opening to attack.
In fact, there was a straightforward method to counter the {Eagle Versus Chicken Tag} plan: if the {Eagle} abruptly changed direction, such as moving left after consistently going right, the last person in the {Chicken} team would likely be caught due to the inertia of the sudden movement.
This was a battle strategy everyone had devised after playing this game many times in their childhood. Qi Xia did not believe that the black bear before him would devise such a clever move in a short time.
‘Excellent... ‘Excellent…’ Qi Xia muttered to himself, ‘Just keep the deadlock going …’
Everyone lined up, gripping the clothes of the person in front of them. Despite the line's length, they maintained a safe distance from the black bear.
"Your method may really work..." Qiao Jiajin whispered. "It's just that I'm getting tired..."
"Hold on a bit longer," Qi Xia urged. "Six minutes will pass quickly."
"But I haven't eaten for a day and a night. I—"
"Brace yourself!" Qi Xia interrupted, shouting.
Qiao Jiajin immediately adjusted his center of gravity, lowering his entire body in preparation for the black bear's imminent collision.
The impact was significantly stronger this time, nearly toppling Qiao Jiajin along with the iron plate.
"This bear really doesn’t know when to quit!" the middle-aged man shouted nervously. "Hey you! Fella up front, hold on properly!"
"Why don't you give it a f*cking try?!" Qiao Jiajin retorted angrily, feeling pain coursing through his body as if his bones were on the verge of breaking.
The black bear, frustrated that its powerful attack had failed to break the defensive line, paused momentarily and then began to slowly retreat.
"What's going on?" Specs asked. "Did it give up?"
Qi Xia’s brow furrowed in concern. He had a troubling premonition.
Why was it retreating?
‘Not good!’ Qi Xia suddenly realized, his thoughts racing. Without hesitation, he crouched down and, along with Qiao Jiajin, pressed against the iron plate. He then turned to the middle-aged man and commanded, "Hey! You take over the guiding!"
The middle-aged man, though initially confused, understood the gravity of the situation. Realizing the iron plate symbolized the group's survival, he promptly mimicked Qi Xia’s earlier actions, gripping the clothes of those in front of him and guiding the direction of the iron plate.
As Qi Xia had anticipated, the black bear’s retreat was not a sign of surrender but a tactic to build momentum for a more powerful assault.
"It's preparing for a full-on charge," Qi Xia said, glancing at Qiao Jiajin beside him. “If we can withstand this onslaught, we should make it through.”
"That's easier said than done," Qiao Jiajin replied, shaking his head in frustration. "Our real problem is whether we can actually block it."
The black bear continued its retreat, now nearly pressed against the wall, its next move imminent.
The middle-aged man, observing the scene with mounting anxiety, swallowed nervously.
The black bear's previous attacks with its fists alone had been devastating enough. Now, with the added momentum from its run-up and the full force of its body weight, could the iron plate truly endure such a blow?
"Fat lou!" Qiao Jiajin called out sharply, “Make sure to give us a warning when it’s about to charge!”
However, the middle-aged man seemed to be deaf to the call; his eyes darted about as if lost in thought.
As the black bear prepared to launch its attack, scrabbling its front paws against the ground and accelerating, the middle-aged man abruptly made a decision. Without a word, he abandoned his post and bolted toward an open space in the rear.
"Hey… you—!" Qiao Jiajin’s curse was cut short as he heard the thunderous footsteps of the black bear. With no time to lose, he crouched down urgently.
Amidst the chaos, Specs hurriedly moved closer, gripping Qi Xia's clothes and shouting, "The direction is slightly off! Shift it a little more to the right!"
Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin exchanged alarmed glances. "It’s too late to adjust now! Hold on tight!"
As soon as the words left their mouths, it felt as if they had been struck by a speeding truck. Their bodies, along with the iron plate, were hurled through the air, soaring half a meter backwards before crashing heavily to the ground.
The collision caused the entire team to lurch unsteadily from side to side, and the iron plate was knocked askew, toppling and pinning both Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin beneath it.