Night in the Mountains

The moon hung high in the branches, its light like flowing silk.

Unbeknownst to them, the sky had darkened, and the Milky Way hung overhead.

In this mountain hollow, a bonfire had also been lit.

Everyone sat around it, using it to ward off the autumn night's chill.

The mountain night was completely different from a city night; without light pollution, it was pure and untainted, much like Lu Xun's "Autumn Night."

Coincidentally, there were also jujube trees here, but not just two.

The autumn night in the mountains was beautiful, but the only thing that caused unease was that when one casually looked in any direction, the darkness and mystery of the dense forest would always bring to mind unpleasant things.

Especially since strange sounds would occasionally emerge from within, like the cries of some animal.

Lin Yuan poked the firewood in the bonfire with a stick, his eyes fixed on the flames, seemingly lost in thought.

At this moment, Han Housheng spoke, "There have been wild boar tracks nearby. Everyone needs to be extra vigilant tonight."

"Uncle Han, how many wild boars are there on this mountain?" Han Fei asked.

Han Housheng shook his head, "I don't know the exact number. Since the beginning of the year, we've found many wild boar tracks in this area. In any case, the number is definitely not small."

"Then it's likely a pack. Wild boars are social animals," Lin Yuan chimed in.

Han Housheng nodded.

"Does that mean there's a boar king?" Xun Ruobing asked.

"Yes, a wild boar pack will always have a leader, so these boars are not easy to deal with," Han Housheng said with some seriousness.

He then looked at the wealthy young men like Xun Haotian, his expression earnest. "If you just want to see wild boars from a distance, I can secretly take you to have a look, as I've taken your money. But if you have other intentions, I suggest we all speak openly tonight. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, I can't bear the responsibility alone."

"I believe you've all researched what kind of creatures wild boars are beforehand."

Han Housheng's words undoubtedly brought a more solemn expression to Xun Haotian and the others' faces, diminishing their initial reckless disregard.

They had indeed researched the ferocity of wild boars in the wild online beforehand.

Zhao Youjia glanced at Xun Haotian, seemingly waiting for him to make a decision.

Then, Xun Haotian spoke, "Brother Han, you're right. In fact, we didn't just come here to see them; we also have the intention of hunting wild boars."

Han Housheng breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

What he feared most was these people not being upfront, acting rashly, which would truly lead to death.

"Alright, then let's discuss the plan. Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go first," Han Housheng said, seeing that no one else was speaking. He began by introducing himself and his brother.

"My brother and I, Han, have had strength since childhood. When I was young, I learned a saber technique from my grandfather called the [Taiping Saber Technique]. My ancestors learned it in the army when they joined the Taiping Rebellion, and it has been passed down through generations."

He then untied a cloth bundle he carried and showed everyone a pudao.

This type of saber was between a great saber and a single saber, with a slightly longer hilt. It was a two-handed saber, allowing one to fully utilize their strength.

"Three strikes," Han Housheng said, holding up three fingers. "If facing an adult wild boar, I can barely manage three strikes. If those three strikes don't finish it, I might have to turn and run."

After speaking, Han Housheng pointed to his brother.

"My brother, Han Shusheng, although he didn't practice saber with our grandfather like I did, he has a skill that will be of great help in this operation. That is his excellent accuracy with throwing. Last time, he used a javelin to scare off a wild boar, causing it to fall into a trap we had prepared."

Han Shusheng showed a proud expression and took out a javelin about a meter long from behind him. A rope was tied to the tail of the javelin, making it easy to retrieve and attack again if the first throw missed.

"Not only am I good with a javelin, but my tree-climbing skills are also famous in our village. I can climb a tree and find an opportunity to shoot the wild boar."

After the Han brothers finished, Xun Haotian and the others also stopped holding back.

Xun Haotian stood up, walked to a nearby tree, and opened a black cloth bag, revealing the weapons inside.

"Speaking of which, like Brother Han, I also use a saber. Since childhood, I've practiced the [Xinyou Saber Technique] founded by Qi Jiguang back then. I've practiced for about ten years and have gained some insights."

Lin Yuan looked at the Tang saber in his hand. He had naturally heard of the [Xinyou Saber Technique]; it was a technique Qi Jiguang had created by combining the strengths of Chinese and Japanese saber techniques specifically to deal with Japanese pirates.

After Xun Haotian finished his introduction, Zhao Youjia followed suit and revealed a compound bow.

The appearance of this weapon undoubtedly made the Han brothers' eyes light up.

They understood the advantages of bows and arrows. What was most effective against wild boars? It had to be ranged weapons.

"How's your accuracy, little brother Zhao?" Han Housheng immediately asked.

Zhao Youjia smiled confidently. "Within twenty meters, if it's an inanimate object, about the size of a wild boar, I can hit it a hundred out of a hundred times. If it's a living creature, the hit rate is around 50%."

Han Housheng nodded. "That should be sufficient."

"What about you two?" Han Housheng looked at Liu Shan and Xun Ruobing.

Liu Shan gave an awkward smile. When the others were introducing themselves, he had been racking his brain for any skills he could boast about, but he couldn't think of anything.

"Um... does being able to run count?"

Han Fei, sitting beside Lin Yuan, couldn't help but snicker. Although he tried to suppress it, Liu Shan still noticed.

"You little brat, what are you laughing at? I think you're the same, you can't do anything either."

Han Fei was rebuked and suddenly remembered that he didn't seem to have any outstanding skills either.

He could only brace himself and say, "I can climb trees. I can grab some stones then and throw them at the wild boars."

Liu Shan chuckled, "That's it? You have the nerve to offer that? Even if your stones hit a wild boar, it'll just be like a tickle. What good is that?"

Han Fei was provoked by his mockery and got a little agitated. "At least I can be of some use. What about you? What can you do besides run? Don't tell me you're counting on the wild boars getting tired chasing you when you run."

"Yeah, so what if I am? I've already thought out the tactic. I'll attract the wild boars, and they'll chase me at full speed. Then I'll find a sturdy tree, make a sharp turn, and the wild boars won't be able to brake in time and will crash into the tree and die."

Only Liu Shan could come up with such a ridiculous idea.

Xun Ruobing was laughing so hard her stomach hurt. "Liu Shan, I seriously suggest you go on a stand-up comedy show. With that mouth of yours, you'd win the championship with ease."

"Right, you reminded me. I do have a mouth. I can also try to persuade the wild boars to surrender, get them to willingly offer their necks for slaughter."

"..."

"Alright, it's my turn," Xun Ruobing cleared her throat and said, "I know a little bit of medicine. If any of you get injured, I can provide simple treatment promptly so the injuries don't worsen."

This was clearly a very beneficial skill. After all, no one could guarantee they wouldn't get hurt, and having someone who knew medicine nearby might play a crucial role at a critical moment.

Finally, only Lin Yuan was left to introduce himself. Everyone turned their attention to him.

To the others present, Lin Yuan undoubtedly felt somewhat mysterious. Even Han Fei, who had played with him since childhood, couldn't quite figure out his childhood friend now.

Besides the few skills he displayed today, several observant individuals had already noticed some strange things about Lin Yuan along the way.

For example, everyone else was more or less tired after the journey, and their originally clean clothes were now quite dirty.

But Lin Yuan was still the same as when they first set out. He was too clean, almost unnaturally so.