Deep into the Mountains in Search of Survival

Qin Meng exhaled a long breath, finally finding a moment to look at this so-called home.

Three mud-brick huts; the walls were built from earthen blocks, riddled with cracks, and the thatch on the roof was sparse.

Inside the house, there were two dilapidated wooden beds, a wobbly wooden table, and a few earthenware jars.

In the kitchen, Shen Qiuyue stood before a rice jar that had hit rock bottom. She used a wooden bowl to carefully scoop out half a bowl of yellowed millet, her face etched with worry.

"Dilapidated house, rotting beds, empty rice jar—bare walls!" Qin Meng sighed helplessly. He had to head into the deep mountains as soon as possible to find a way to earn money and support the family.

For lunch, the wild vegetable porridge was so thin one could see their own reflection in it.

The only bowl that was slightly thicker was placed in front of Qin Meng.

As for the bowl in front of Shen Qiuyue, it was almost entirely clear broth.

"Eat quickly, and once you're done... get some good rest." Shen Qiuyue kept her head down, her voice very soft.

Qin Meng did not refuse. He downed the bitter porridge in a few gulps. The warm food hit his empty stomach, bringing a hint of warmth.

He knew this was the last meal in the house.

"I'm going out for a while." Qin Meng put down the bowl and stood up.

Shen Qiuyue's hand trembled, and her chopsticks nearly fell. She looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with unconcealable panic. "Your body hasn't recovered yet. Where are you going?"

"To the mountains to try my luck." Qin Meng replied after a brief moment of thought.

In the memories he had integrated, the beasts in this world were larger and more ferocious. Among them were many exotic beasts and monsters with awakened bloodlines. Without exceptional skills, it was extremely dangerous for an ordinary hunter to enter the forest.

Sure enough—

"No!" Shen Qiuyue stood up abruptly and grabbed his arm. "You can't go into the mountains! Things haven't been right this year. Several hunters from the fort have already perished, and even Elder Wang said that a beast tide is likely coming this winter."

"Mengzi, I beg you, don't go..." Her voice trembled, laced with a sob.

Just then—

"Bang, bang..." A violent pounding on the door suddenly erupted.

"Qiuyue, open up! I know you're in there!" A shrill, duck-like voice shrieked.

"It's Qin Lai." Shen Qiuyue's face turned as pale as paper in an instant.

Qin Meng's eyes turned cold. He pressed down on her icy hand. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

He pulled the door open and walked into the courtyard.

The broken courtyard gate was kicked open, and three men barged in.

The man in the lead was a burly, middle-aged fellow; it was Qin Lai. Behind him followed two thugs with vicious expressions and hostile glares.

Qin Lai swaggered into the courtyard, spotted Qin Meng, and grinned. "Yo, Qin Meng, you little brat have a tough life, haven't you? Still not dead yet?"

His gaze immediately latched onto Shen Qiuyue standing behind him. He reached out to grab her arm. "Sister Qiuyue, I don't think you two can pay back those fifty taels of silver. How about—"

Slap!

His wrist was seized in mid-air by Qin Meng.

Qin Meng's fingers were ice-cold, but his grip was shockingly strong. Qin Lai struggled, but he couldn't break free.

"Let go, you consumptive ghost..." Qin Lai was furious, but the words stuck in his throat.

A ring-pommel saber was already pressed against the side of his neck. The chill of the blade made his Adam's apple bob.

The courtyard fell silent.

"Kid, you're courting death!" The two thugs behind Qin Lai were about to move.

"Back off!" Qin Meng's wrist dipped slightly, and the blade pressed half an inch into his skin.

"Stand down..." Qin Lai squeezed the words through his teeth, cold sweat breaking out.

The murmurs of the neighbors began to buzz:

"They agreed on seven days; who demands debt halfway through?"

"Exactly, this Qin Lai has no integrity. He's bullying honest people!"

Qin Lai's face turned livid. His eyes darted around, and he suddenly forced an ugly smile.

"Fine... Qin Meng, you're ruthless."

He stared at the blade inches from his face, enunciating each word:

"Two days of the deadline have passed, leaving five."

"I'll give you five more days. If the silver isn't there after five days..."

He lowered his voice, his eyes filled with malice. "I'll come back to tear down this shack and take the girl."

"The money will be repaid." Qin Meng slowly withdrew the blade and coldly spat out the three words.

Qin Lai touched the bloodstain on his neck, spat viciously, and turned to leave. His eyes, filled with resentment, were like poisoned needles.

The courtyard gate closed again, and Shen Qiuyue's legs went weak; she could barely stand.

Qin Meng supported her and led her back into the house to sit down.

"Something's not right. That guy's eyes were off." Qin Meng frowned. Would a scoundrel like Qin Lai really lend money out of kinship?

When things are abnormal, there must be a demon at work!

Shen Qiuyue grabbed his wrist. "Mengzi, we still have a little money left at home. You—you should run. Go as far as you can and don't worry about me..."

"I'm not running," Qin Meng interrupted her. "And I will never let Qin Lai take you away."

"As for the money, I'll find a way."

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over the empty rice jar. "Hunting. It's the fastest way to make money, and the only path available right now to get cash quickly."

Shen Qiuyue looked up, her eyes filled with despair. "But the prey in the mountains isn't easy to catch. What if you run into tigers, leopards, or wolves..."

"I'll just stick to the outermost perimeter. I won't go deep." Qin Meng's tone was firm.

With his comprehension of blade techniques, his enhanced physical fitness, and the rich hunting experience from his previous life, he had a certain degree of confidence that he could resolve their predicament through hunting.

"I'll be back before dark," Qin Meng added, offering comfort.

Shen Qiuyue looked into his dark, calm eyes. The muddiness and violence of the past were gone, replaced by a bottomless resolve.

She bit her lip and suddenly stood up, rushing into the storage room. A moment later, she emerged clutching a dusty hunting bow and an old quiver.

"This is what my brother used back in the day," her voice choked with emotion. "I was afraid you'd sell it, so I kept it hidden. The bowstring is rotten, but the bow itself is still good."

Qin Meng took the bow.

It was made of hard elm, the grip smooth to the touch.

As he stroked the bow body, a strange sense of familiarity flooded his entire body.

"Do you have any hemp rope?"

"Yes." Shen Qiuyue brought him some hemp fibers.

Qin Meng sat on a stone bench, his fingers flying. With skillful twisting and winding, in less than the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, a uniform and sturdy bowstring was formed.

Shen Qiuyue watched from the side, her eyes dazed.

This composed, focused man was so unfamiliar that it made her heart tremble, yet a faint, glimmering hope began to stir within her.

He tightened the bowstring and tested the draw weight. It was acceptable.

He pulled out an arrow, nocked it, turned his body, and drew the bow.

"Twang—whoosh!"

The arrow pinned itself into a wooden post used for drying laundry by the courtyard wall, the fletching vibrating with a low hum.

Shen Qiuyue covered her mouth.

Qin Meng remained expressionless, drawing another arrow and pulling the bowstring.

The second arrow, the third, the fourth...

Every arrow bit into the wood. The final arrow, without a hair's breadth of deviation, split the shaft of the one before it.

At that very instant, several lines of pale golden text flickered before Qin Meng's eyes:

[Learned unranked martial skill: Chain Arrow]

[Chain Arrow - Novice (1/100)]

[Martial skill progress: 1%]

[Special effect: None.]

As the text slowly faded, Qin Meng lowered his bow, having reached a conclusion.

This system truly incorporated every skill he possessed into its framework.

He slung his bow over his shoulder, checked the seven or eight arrows remaining in his quiver, and wrapped the ring-pommel saber in a piece of rag, tucking it under his arm.

"Lock the door at home. Don't open it for anyone," he said, walking to the entrance. He looked back at the worried Shen Qiuyue. "Wait for me to return."

Shen Qiuyue chased him to the door, her eyes blurred with tears. "Mengzi, be careful. Come back alive. Otherwise, I, Shen Qiuyue, will not live on alone."

"Don't go deep into the mountains."

"Alright!"

With that, he pushed open the courtyard gate, his figure disappearing into the dappled light and shadows of the afternoon.

As the gate closed, Shen Qiuyue leaned her back against the wooden planks. Thinking of Qin Meng's gaze, his tone, and the fierce courage he displayed while drawing his bow, she choked back a sob.

"He is different. He is truly different."

Luming Fort was not large, but it housed many residents and served as a military garrison.

The original Qin Meng had been a drunkard and a gambler who beat his wife, leaving him with a notorious reputation. In this isolated garrison, such scum was the most despised of all.

Yet, he walked with his back straight, ignoring the strange looks as he strode through the fort.

Luming Mountain lay only seven or eight miles west of the fort, its ridges undulating with deep forests and hidden ravines.

In years past, herds of deer gathered here—green deer, spotted deer, and red deer. Occasionally, even a white deer, a beast of good omen with fur like snow, would appear, which the villagers regarded as a mountain spirit.

Every spring and summer, when the vegetation was lush and the stags sought their mates, their calls would echo for miles, continuous day and night. The mountain was named Luming, or "Deer Cry," for this reason. The garrison at the foot of the mountain took its name from the mountain, becoming Luming Fort.

Qin Meng's pace was brisk; he reached the foot of the mountain in half an hour.

The silhouette of the forest rose in the distance like a crouching giant beast.

Qin Meng touched the cold hilt of his saber and weighed the hunting bow on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the depths of the mountain forest.