A Tyrannosaurus Rex had appeared on the Dawa Plains, affecting not only the Green Tribe. If it were left to roam freely, the entire plains would be in danger.
Upon receiving the news, Chen Xiao immediately sent orcs to monitor the Tyrannosaurus Rex from a distance. They worked in pairs, with one person continuing to observe if there were any changes and the other returning to report. The shifts changed daily.
After Ji Mo Ling finished breakfast and followed Chen Lan to the council hall, Chen Xiao and the tribe's elders were listening to a report on the Tyrannosaurus Rex's movements. The two of them found seats at the back and sat down to listen.
The Tyrannosaurus Rex had killed seven orc hunters from the Green Tribe, but it was also injured. It stayed within the Green Tribe's territory to recover, reducing its activity range. It was unlikely to move for the time being.
After hearing the report, Chen Xiao waved for the orc to go rest, then expressed his view: "In my opinion, we should take care of it while it's still injured. If we wait until the Tyrannosaurus Rex fully recovers, it will cost us much more to kill it."
"We agree with the chief's view. This matter indeed needs to be handled quickly." The tribe's eldest woman, who was also the previous chief and now 115 years old, spoke on behalf of the elders. "However, if we rely only on our own tribe, the casualties may be significant. Since this benefits the entire plains, why not form an alliance with other tribes?" In short, they suggested cooperating with other tribes to reduce their own losses.
"An alliance can share the risk, but we would also have to share the benefits." Chen Xiao already had a plan. "If we can kill it at a small cost, why involve other tribes?" The Tyrannosaurus Rex was valuable in every way—its meat was edible, its hide could be used for clothing, and its bones could be made into weapons. However, it was so powerful that no one usually dared provoke it.
Seeing the confidence in the chief's expression, the elders exchanged glances, signaling their willingness to hear more. If the tribe could reap all the benefits, none of them would want to share with other tribes.
"Ling, how much of that knockout powder do you have left?" Chen Xiao had already heard from Chen Lan about their journey through the Zhimu Forest, and when considering hunting the Tyrannosaurus Rex, he thought of Ji Mo Ling's powder.
After being addressed, Ji Mo Ling thought for a moment and replied, "There's not enough left to completely knock out a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it could make it unsteady and weaken its strength."
Everyone in the room perked up at this. The Grand Elder asked, "How long would it take to take effect?"
"It's hard to say," Ji Mo Ling replied, noting that she had never tested it on a Tyrannosaurus Rex. "Inhaling it at close range works faster than ingesting it, but scattering the powder could accidentally harm our own people."
"Is there a way to prevent our people from being affected? Like covering their noses and mouths?" Chen Xiao asked, thinking that if they could solve the issue of collateral damage, they could use the quicker method.
Ji Mo Ling shook her head. "Using a wet cloth to cover your nose and mouth won't work. Unless they can hold their breath for over ten minutes or stay upwind."
"It's safer to trick it into eating the powder. Our people can retreat first, and once the powder takes effect, they can approach." After some discussion, the elders decided that using food as bait was the better option.
The chief thought for a moment and then agreed with the elders' plan. They began discussing the specific steps and personnel for the operation.
By the afternoon, a team led by Chen Lan and Ji Mo Ling, consisting of ten brave orcs, set out for the Tyrannosaurus Rex's temporary resting place. They successfully met up with the orcs assigned to monitor it and were led to a concealed spot on a hillside.
One of the orcs who had been watching for most of the day pointed to the massive creature lying by a small waterhole in the distance. "That big guy hasn't gone out to hunt today. It hasn't moved much all day."
Chen Lan nodded in acknowledgment and nudged Ji Mo Ling with her elbow. "Should we wait until it goes out to hunt before sneaking the meat over?"
Ji Mo Ling was busy estimating the weight of the Tyrannosaurus Rex's massive body. Upon hearing Chen Lan's question, she turned to measure the distance and angle between them, considering the possibility of an "airdrop," and grinned mischievously. "It looks like it's sleeping soundly. Who knows how long we'll have to wait? Why not wake it up for a meal now?"
"You mean we should transport the meat over while it's asleep?" Chen Lan looked around at the orc warriors, contemplating which of them was fast enough to drop the meat and retreat safely.
"I'll go," Li, who had accompanied Chen Lan through the Zhimu Forest, volunteered.
The other orc warriors quickly expressed their willingness to go as well.
"No need," Ji Mo Ling interrupted before Chen Lan could respond, waving off the eager volunteers. "I can do it."
Everyone looked at her in surprise, their eyes wide.
"Ling, it's not appropriate for you to go. It would be safer for the warriors to go in beast form," Chen Lan objected, unwilling to let her go into danger alone.
The orcs also disagreed, looking at her with concern. Such a dangerous task couldn't be left to a noble woman. If word got back to the tribe, they would lose face.
Seeing everyone so on edge, with two orcs even hiding the prepared meat behind their backs, Ji Mo Ling laughed. "Don't be so nervous. I'm not going to get close to it. I just want to throw the meat from here."
"From here?!" Chen Lan looked at her, then at the distant Tyrannosaurus Rex. "It's several hundred meters away. If you miss, the meat will be wasted."
Ji Mo Ling patted Chen Lan's shoulder and reassured her, "Trust me." While she couldn't guarantee accuracy at the same height, the terrain here was elevated, and with the right angle and her current strength, she was confident she could hit the target.
The drugged meat was wrapped in leaves and packed in a large net woven from vines, weighing about 100 kilograms. Ji Mo Ling grabbed the vines with both hands, using her right foot as a pivot, and swung the meat around several times before releasing it.
Everyone watched as the meat traced a graceful arc through the air, landing directly on the Tyrannosaurus Rex's head. Along with the scattered meat came a pained roar from the giant beast!
When the enraged Tyrannosaurus Rex lifted its head and looked around, it failed to spot any attackers, as Chen Lan and the others had wisely ducked out of sight the moment it was hit.
Snorting in frustration at having its sleep disturbed, the Tyrannosaurus Rex sniffed at the object that had hit it. It was raw meat! Being strong but not particularly bright, the beast, already hungry, decided to eat it. Although the portion was too small to satisfy its hunger, it would do as an appetizer.
The Tyrannosaurus Rex quickly swallowed the meat whole. Since it was already awake, it decided to go hunting and stomped off in the opposite direction from where Chen Lan and her group were hiding.
"Follow it, but not too closely," Ji Mo Ling said, patting her chest to calm her pounding heart. Despite its terrifying roar and earth-shaking steps, they still had to take it down today. "When I say so, everyone will move in to finish it off quickly."
"Yes!" The orc warriors were filled with excitement. Hunting a Tyrannosaurus Rex would be a major achievement in their lifetime.
After cautiously following the beast for nearly fifteen minutes, Ji Mo Ling finally noticed the effects of the powder starting to show. The Tyrannosaurus Rex began shaking its head, and its steps became unsteady. "It's time. Now!"
At her command, the orc warriors howled and transformed into their beast forms: three gorillas, one lion, one tiger, four large dogs, and one wolf. Four of them leapt at the Tyrannosaurus Rex's hind legs, attempting to bring it down. Two jumped onto its back to attack its spine, two targeted its front limbs, and the last two aimed for its throat.
Though the dazed Tyrannosaurus Rex regained some awareness due to the pain of its wounds, realizing it was being attacked by "tiny insects," it immediately flew into a rage. Roaring, it lashed out in every direction. However, its strength had clearly diminished. While it managed to shake off most of the attackers, two remained clinging to its back and left hind leg.
The orc warriors who were thrown off suffered no serious injuries, just dizziness from the impact. After shaking it off, they quickly regrouped and resumed their relentless assault. This time, they concentrated all their efforts on the hind legs, eventually bringing the colossal beast down.
With its hind legs severely injured and its balance compromised, the Tyrannosaurus Rex could no longer stand. Combined with the effects of the knockout powder, it was too weak to fight back. In the end, the mighty ruler of the food chain was subdued, its throat fatally bitten.