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Chen tensed。 The pack was slowly tightening the semicircle； there were now wolves to the east； north； and west of the gazelles。 A line of mountains lay to the south。 Chen assumed that wolves on the other side of the mountain were waiting for the main body to drive the gazelles toward where they lay in wait； and the slaughter would begin。 Herds—men had said that wolves often employ this tactic。 “Papa；” he said； “how many wolves are there behind the mountains？ Enough to close the circle on all these gazelles？”
狼图腾（英文版） 2（9）
“There are no wolves behind the mountain；” the old man replied with a sly smile。 “The alpha male wouldn’t send any over there。”
“Then how will they close the circle？” Chen asked doubtfully。
“At this time； in this place； they can get more with a three… sided encirclement than a full circle。”
“Then I don’t understand what they’re doing。”
“One of the biggest and best…known snowbanks on the Olonbulag is on the other side of that mountain。 The grazing land here is a windward slope； and during a blizzard the snow is blown to the other side of the mountain； turning it into a basin with snow from a depth of waist… high to higher than a flagpole。 Pretty soon the wolves will drive the herd to the other side of the mountain。 As they press forward； they’ll tighten the circle。 What do you think it will look like？”
Everything turned dark for Chen； as if he’d fallen into a snowdrift that kept out all light。 If he’d been a Han soldier in ancient times； he was thinking； he could not have seen through this strategy； this trap。 Now he began to understand why the great Ming general Xu Da； who had driven the Mongols back onto the grasslands； had won every battle he fought south of the Great Wall but had seen his armies annihilated on the grassland。 He also understood why the other great Ming general； Qiu Fu； with his hundred thousand soldiers； had driven the Mongol hordes to the Kerulen River in Outer Mongolia； only to be ambushed。 When he was killed； his army’s morale plummeted； and all the Han soldiers were taken prisoner。
“In war；” the old man said； “wolves are smarter than men。 We Mon—gols learned from them how to hunt； how to encircle； even how to fight a war。 There are no wolf packs where you Chinese live； so you haven’t learned how to fight。 You can’t win a war just because you have lots of land and people。 No； it depends on whether you’re a wolf or a sheep。”
The attack was launched。 The wolf with the gray neck and chest led two large wolves on the western flank in a lightning assault on a hilly protuberance near the gazelle herd。 This； obviously； was the final gap in the three… sided encirclement。 By occupying this hill； the wolves pleted the encirclement。 This sudden action was like sounding the bugle for all three sides to charge。 The wolves； which had patiently lain in wait for so long； rose up out of the grass and charged the gazelles from the east； west； and north。 Never had Chen Zhen witnessed such a terrifying attack。 When men charge the enemy； they shout “Charge！”
or “Kill！” Dog attacks are acpanied by frenzied barking to intimi—date and instill fear。 But when wolves attack； they do so in silence—no shouts； no wolfish howls。 Warrior wolves！
The wolves flew out of the tall grass like torpedoes armed with the sharpest； most fearsome teeth and menacing glares； heading straight for the herd。
Stuffed from overeating； the gazelles were thrown into a panic。 Denied their primary weapon—speed—they were now little more than sheep； nothing but meat on the hoof。 Chen imagined their great terror。 Souls had probably already fled from most of them and were on their way up to Tengger。 Many merely stood where they were and quaked； others crumpled to the ground as if kneeling； their tongues out； their short tails twitching。
狼图腾（英文版） 2（10）
Chen was witness to the wolves’ intelligence and patience； their organi—zation and discipline。 Faced with a bat opportunity that came around only once every few years； they were still able to wait patiently； keeping their hunger and their appetite in check； then disarm the enemy—the herd of gazelles—with ease。
Now he understood how the great； unlettered military genius Genghis Khan； as well as the illiterate or semiliterate military leaders of peoples such as the Quanrong； the Huns； the Tungus； the Turks； the Mongols； and the Jurchens； were able to bring the Chinese （whose great military sage Sun…tzu had produced his universally acclaimed treatise The Art of War） to their knees； to run roughshod over their ter—ritory； and to interrupt their dynastic cycles。 They had the greatest of all teachers in military strategy； they had an excellent and remarkably clear model of actual bat； and they had a long history of struggle with crack lupine troops。 To Chen； these hours of exemplary bat tactics had proven more enlightening than years of reading Sun…tzu or Clausewitz。 He had been smitten by the study of history at a very young age； obsessed over solving one of the great mysteries of world his—tory： Where had the tiny race of people who had swept across Asia and Europe and created the Great Mongol Empire； the largest landhold—ing in the history of the world； learned their military secrets？ He had asked that question of Bilgee more than once； and this old man； whose educational level was low but whose erudition was broad； had gradually answered all his questions by enlightening him on the bat methods of wolves。 Chen felt a sense of deep veneration for the grassland wolves and for the people who worshipped the wolf totem。
The battle and the observation continued。
The moment had finally arrived when the herd of gazelles began to stir。 Only those older members with previous battlefield experience and the herd leaders had been able to resist the seduction of fragrant； mid…winter grass and had not eaten a quantity that would impede their speed； they immediately took off running toward the mountains； at the same time urging the rest of the herd to run for their lives。 But they didn’t have a chance； given their full bellies； the deep snow； and the angle of the slope。 It was a bloodbath； a punishment by the wise on the stupid and care—less。 In Bilgee’s view； this was a sacred cleansing of the grassland； a good and benevolent deed。
Ignoring those fallen gazelles who had eaten so much they could not run； the wolves went straight for the standing clusters of animals。 The larger wolves quickly brought down victims and bit through their throats； sending crimson streams gushing into the air and staining the snow。 The frigid air suddenly filled with the heavy stink of blood。 The gazelles； with their keen sight and smell； were so terrified by this strategy—killing the chickens to frighten the monkeys—they broke for the mountain。 Sev—eral large bucks led families of gazelles up to the top of the slope； where they stopped and ran around in circles； unwilling to go down the other side。 Obviously； the lead animals had discovered the danger in the white snowdrift； where not a single stalk of grass was visible； the older animals； who were familiar with the landscape； had seen through the wolves’ strategy。
狼图腾（英文版） 2（11）
All of a sudden； the closely packed group of gazelles turned and came back down； like a landslide； as a dozen or so large males weighed the dangers they faced。 They decided on the least risky choice by turn—ing to break through the encirclement。
The bucks knew that their fate hung in the balance。 In groups of four or five； shoulder to shoulder； they lowered their heads to create a phalanx of deadly horns and charged the wolves。 Other gazelles that could still run fell in behind them。
Chen knew the damage those horns could do。 On the grassland； herdsmen used them as leatherworking needles； so sharp they could penetrate cowhide； wolf skin would be no problem。 The counterattack worked as they tore a hole in the encirclement； through which a yellow flood poured。 Chen Zhen tensed； afraid that this rent in the line would ruin the wolf pack’s plans。
But then he discovered the pack leader standing near the break in the line； looking untroubled； like a man opening the dam to release floodwaters。 As soon as the gazelles that had maintained their running speed and kept their horns out in front had passed through the open dam； he led his troops in closing the breach。 Now the encirclement con—tained only gazelles that could not run fast； had no weapons； and were not very smart。 A ragtag pack of them； now that their leaders and more powerful males were outside the circle； terrified to face the charging wolves； ran up the slope and then down into the deep snowdrifts。 Chen knew at once how the pursued animals—with their pointed hooves； thick legs； and bellies filled with grass—would end up。
Both gazelles and wolves disappeared where the mountain met the horizon。 As a thousand gazelles ran for their lives； the blood… soaked encirclement area went quiet。 Seven or eight carcasses lay on the grassy slope； other injured members of the herd struggled weakly。 No more than ten minutes had passed from the moment the attack was launched until the batt