Hunting in the Mountains

Luo Xi, home alone, heard knocking from outside the door. Remembering her brother's parting instructions, she knew she must not open the door for anyone.

Terrified, she locked the courtyard gate from inside, then fled back to her room and shut the door tight.

Following the dirt road outside town, Luo Yi walked for about half an hour before reaching the foot of the Mountain.

Looking at the great mountain the nearby villagers called Yunling, he saw that its ridges stretched endlessly. It was one branch of the Yunlu Mountain Range, which extended for thousands of miles. From the foot of the Mountain, Yunling Mountain appeared steep, winding, and rugged, while everything above the mountainside was shrouded in thick fog.

At the same time, the hunters of the town had divided all of Yunling Mountain into three areas:

The forests near Yunling Mountain were called the "Outer Area." They contained small animals such as pheasants, wild rabbits, squirrels, foxes, and Sika Deer, along with some common birds.

The area from the foot of Yunling Mountain to halfway up the mountainside was called the "Inner Area." Tigers, leopards, wolves, wild boars, black bears, and other large carnivorous beasts lived within it.

The area above the mountainside, shrouded in thick fog, was called the "Core." Large numbers of demons and Evil Spirits roamed there, and more than a few martial artists who had achieved mastery had fallen in the Core of Yunling Mountain.

This time, considering that he had only just begun learning Basic Archery, he was worried that encountering a large carnivorous beast on his first hunt would be dangerous.

Therefore, Luo Yi planned to remain only in the Outer Area of Yunling Mountain and hunt some small animals.

"Luo Yi?"

Just as he was about to enter the Mountain, he heard someone behind him apparently calling his name.

When he turned around, he saw that it was Chen Liu, the hunter who had carried his former body home a few days ago. Chen Liu had a Hunting Bow on his back and was also preparing to enter the Mountain to hunt.

Looking at Luo Yi, who was carrying a Hunting Bow, Chen Liu said in shock:

"Luo Yi? Are you a man or a ghost? When I carried you down the Mountain that day, you had only one breath left. How have you recovered in just a few days?"

Looking at Chen Liu's astonished face, Luo Yi said gratefully:

"I have to thank you too, Brother Chen Liu. You carried me down from the Mountain that day and saved my life. If it hadn't been for you, Brother Chen Liu, even if I hadn't died then, I would have ended up feeding the beasts in the mountains."

Hearing Luo Yi's thanks, Chen Liu waved his hand to indicate that there was no need for formalities. Looking at Luo Yi's outfit, he asked, "Are you preparing to enter the Mountain to hunt?"

At Chen Liu's question, Luo Yi nodded.

"Want to join the village's Hunting Team? It will definitely be safer than entering the Mountain alone."

Hearing Chen Liu's invitation, Luo Yi remembered that his former body had encountered an Evil Spirit the first time he entered the Mountain. Relying on those few memories from his former body, entering the Mountain would be extremely dangerous for him as well.

He nodded. "Then thank you, Brother Chen Liu."

Seeing Luo Yi agree, Chen Liu smiled. "You don't have to be so polite, kid. Quite a few people in the village's Hunting Team have received kindness from your father."

"Back then, Uncle Luo taught me hunting skills too. Everyone will surely be glad to have you hunt with us."

Chen Liu brought Luo Yi to the place where the Hunting Team gathered in the Outer Area of Yunling Mountain. Since the two had arrived late, the other members of the Hunting Team had already been waiting for quite some time.

Seeing that Chen Liu was not only late but had also brought someone with him, some of them began grumbling under their breath.

When they realized that the newcomer was Luo Yi, a burly middle-aged man who led the group walked over.

He squeezed the muscles on Luo Yi's shoulder and said, "Xiao Yi, I heard your father say before that you liked studying and hated hunting. Why have you come with Liu Zi today?"

Looking at the strong middle-aged man before him, Luo Yi searched through his former body's memories and learned the man's identity.

"Wang Meng, captain of the Dongsheng Town Hunting Team, and a close friend of the former body's father. The two of them often went to the town's pleasure houses to listen to music and drink."

On the day the former body's father disappeared, he had not acted with the Hunting Team. He had chosen to enter Yunling Mountain alone. Otherwise, he might not have disappeared.

Now that he knew the identity of the man before him, Luo Yi smiled and said:

"Uncle Wang, Uncle Wang, stop squeezing me. Any harder and I'll fall apart. The Autumn Tax is due at the end of the month, and Luo Wei has cleared out everything in the house. I can only try entering the Mountain to hunt and earn some money."

After hearing Luo Yi's words, Wang Meng cursed outright:

"That Second Uncle of yours, Luo Wei, is truly a piece of work. He actually had the nerve to 'eat from an orphaned household,' even stripping his own elder brother's family bare. Once we return from hunting, I'll take some men to his house and help you get your things back."

Hearing Wang Meng, Luo Yi hurriedly waved his hands.

"No need to trouble yourself, Uncle Wang. When the time comes, I'll personally go to his house and take everything back."

Hearing how determined Luo Yi was, Wang Meng did not press him. He called over the two people standing in the distance, and the five of them entered the Outer Area of Yunling Mountain.

Having lived two lives, Luo Yi was entering the Mountain to hunt for the first time. His heart pounded faster, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the bow and arrows in his hand.

Wang Meng walked at the very front of the group. Seeing how tense Luo Yi looked, he remembered how he had nearly wet his pants the first time he went into the Mountain to hunt as a young man. He put an arm around Luo Yi's shoulder as the latter walked behind him.

He began explaining various hunting techniques to him.

First, he had Luo Yi memorize the habits and activity patterns of the animals that lived in Yunling Mountain.

After seeing that Luo Yi had memorized them, Wang Meng continued:

"After entering the forest, study the animals' tracks and movements to determine what kind of animal left them and when that animal is active. Only then can you find your prey."

"After discovering an animal, choose your position according to the wind direction so your scent won't be detected by animals with keen senses of smell. In the end, it comes down to your archery and whether you can hit your target. That determines whether you'll have anything to show for your hunt."

Listening to Wang Meng's constant explanations, Luo Yi felt that he had benefited immensely. He was extremely glad that he had chosen to hunt with the Hunting Team. Otherwise, with only his beginner-level archery, he would not even have been able to find the animals, let alone hunt any prey.

Just as Wang Meng was teaching Luo Yi hunting techniques,

Chen Liu, walking at the very front of the group, suddenly stopped and signaled that he had spotted prey. Everyone immediately froze in place.

Chen Liu slowly circled toward the downwind side, drew his bow, and shot at a wild rabbit wandering near the mouth of a burrow.

With the sound of the arrow splitting the air, the wild rabbit collapsed.

After picking up the rabbit's body and placing it in a specially made hunting bag that concealed the smell of blood,

Chen Liu laughed happily. "Today, thanks to Brother Luo Yi, we found prey not long after entering the Mountain."

"Xiao Yi, it's your first time hunting in the Mountain, so your luck must be good. With him along today, we'll surely have a good haul," Wang Meng teased with a laugh.

The group continued passing through the forest in search of prey. The sky gradually darkened, and Wang Meng looked at the sunlight filtering through the shade of the trees.

"It's about time. If we continue, we won't make it back to the village before dark."

After hearing Wang Meng, no one objected. Everyone ran toward the direction they had come from, and the group successfully returned to town just as darkness fell.

Wang Meng led everyone to the entrance of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, the most luxurious restaurant in Dongsheng Town. He said to the pageboy greeting guests at the door, "Little brother, I'd like to see Manager Chen."

When the pageboy saw that the visitor was Captain Wang of the Hunting Team, he hurried inside and called out the manager, who was tallying accounts behind the counter.

Seeing that it was Wang Meng, Manager Chen said with a smile, "Captain Wang, you haven't come by for several days. I wonder what good things you've brought me today?"

At Manager Chen's question, Wang Meng had the others take out the prey they had caught that day: three wild rabbits, two pheasants, and a squirrel in total.

Seeing that they were only a few small animals, disappointment flashed through Manager Chen's eyes. Ever since Old Luo had died, the Hunting Team had not brought in any big game.

Although he was disappointed inside, he spoke enthusiastically. "Forty-eight copper coins per wild rabbit, thirty per pheasant, and I can only offer twenty for the squirrel. How about it?"

Hearing Manager Chen's prices, Wang Meng nodded and had the others hand the prey over to him.

After receiving the prey, Manager Chen took out 224 copper coins and handed them to Wang Meng. The two then exchanged a few more polite pleasantries.