Chapter Nineteen: The Return of the Lion

Chapter 19: The Return of the Lion King

Thus, the hyenas were summoned back once again by their queen.

As subjects, it was only natural to obey the call of their ruler. Each hyena had to follow the queen’s orders without question. Any rebellion would be met with death and consumption.

Now, these hyenas were called back by the queen, but Lisa and Elsa were terrified beyond measure and dared not confront them again.

Helplessly, with the queen herself stepping into the fray, the hyenas could no longer retreat.

And so, this pack of hyenas once again surrounded Lisa and Elsa, encircling them in the center.

“Oh! Oh! —”

To boost morale, the hyena queen let out several howls toward her subordinates, seemingly to rally their spirits.

Upon hearing their queen’s calls, the dozen or so hyenas immediately reddened their eyes with renewed ferocity.

Once more, they charged recklessly at Lisa and Elsa.

Lisa and Elsa did not dare to slacken and prepared to engage in another fierce battle.

Two lionesses against more than a dozen hyenas—on this patch of land, they fought again for survival and sustenance.

Who was right or wrong no longer mattered; what mattered was that each side sought to annihilate the other to ensure their own survival.

Watching the battle resume, Chu Ye slipped quietly from the bushes and climbed up a large tree to hide.

This time, Chu Ye had no other options. The tactics used earlier couldn’t be repeated.

Whether the two lionesses could still overcome the dozen hyenas, Chu Ye had no confidence.

However, he sensed that his mother and aunt would struggle to win, for this time, Nira herself had taken command.

She was the hyena queen—the strongest and most cunning among the entire pack.

“What should I do? If Mom and Aunt can’t defeat these hyenas, they’ll be finished. And if they fall, what about the nine cubs? They’ll be doomed too.”

For a moment, Chu Ye felt a burning anxiety, for the situation was truly dire.

---

With the queen leading the charge, the hyenas had become even more savage than before. This time, they fought with a desperate resolve to kill the two lionesses.

Chu Ye bounded anxiously atop the tree, pondering what else he might do.

Meanwhile, the other lion cubs cowered trembling in the bushes, seemingly sensing the danger that loomed over their future.

“Where is the lion king? Why hasn’t he returned yet?”

Chu Ye suddenly remembered that the lion king had left at dawn to patrol their territory and still hadn’t come back.

“Could it be that Gik has encountered trouble? Has something happened to him?”

Chu Ye dared not think further. If the lion king had been defeated by a rival, the pride would be doomed. The nine cubs would soon be killed by a new ruler.

Although Chu Ye could evade the new lion king’s pursuit for now, he could not live forever up in the tree. Returning to the ground would be perilous.

Standing high in the tree, Chu Ye was deeply worried—concerned both for his mother and aunt’s safety and for Gik’s fate. His heart was on the verge of collapse.

“What can I do? Should I just resign myself to fate?”

He racked his brain for solutions.

“No, maybe I should go find lion king Gik. He’s the only one who can save the pride. If he doesn’t come back, Lisa and Elsa are doomed.”

Seeing the battlefield’s grim state only deepened Chu Ye’s anxiety.

Though Lisa and Elsa still fought desperately, their bodies were riddled with wounds. Under Queen Nira’s command, the hyenas had unleashed astonishing ferocity.

Moreover, five or six of them had just fed on the carcasses of their fallen comrades, seemingly bolstering their strength.

After nearly ten minutes of battle, Lisa and Elsa were reduced to defending themselves, unable to strike back.

The dozen hyenas, led by Queen Nira, pressed forward like an impenetrable wall, overwhelming the two lionesses.

The situation was critical, and Chu Ye’s worry reached a fever pitch. He considered seeking out Gik to bring him back.

But then he thought it futile. The pride’s territory was vast—at least dozens of square kilometers.

In such an expansive savanna, how could one possibly find a single lion? Though large, a lion was like a tiny ant against the endless grasslands.

“No, if I go searching, I might not find the lion king and could lose my own life. It’s the dry season; predators eager to prey on cubs are everywhere. I’m too weak. Leaving this place is dangerous. I could easily fall victim to other hunters.”

Chu Ye weighed the risks and concluded that searching for Gik was hopeless and perilous.

---

“Roar! —”

At the moment of utmost tension, a powerful lion’s roar echoed from the south.

A majestic male lion, his long mane flowing, charged toward them from afar.

It was none other than Gik.

Hearing the roar, Chu Ye turned quickly. Seeing Gik bounding toward them filled him with indescribable excitement.

The lion king had returned, an unstoppable force.

The hyenas froze upon hearing the lion’s roar.

They had been moments away from defeating Lisa and Elsa, ready to drive them off or kill them.

But fate intervened—Gik returned, roaring as he charged at the hyena pack attacking his two lionesses.

Seeing the massive lion approaching, the hyenas were terrified, scattering in all directions.

“Oh! Oh! —”

Though Queen Nira was frightened, she did not flee.

Instead, she summoned the hyenas that had fled, calling them back to continue the fight.

Those who had intended to escape reluctantly returned at her command.

Chu Ye was baffled by the queen’s resolve.

Logically, Nira should have led her pack to retreat in such a situation. Why continue the battle? Was she not afraid of the lion king?