Mongolian gazelles were extremely strong runners. By the time Yang Yongqiang recovered, they had already vanished from sight.
Li Long stood up, ejected the cartridge, put the safety on, and put away his gun. He slipped the ejected cartridge into his pocket and strode forward.
Two Mongolian gazelles lay beside the road ahead. One was already stiff and dead, while the other was still twitching.
Nighttime was no time to dress them properly. Li Long went over, slit both gazelles open with his knife, drained their blood, and carried them back to the Jeep.
Yang Yongqiang hurried over to help. He was about to load the gazelles into the vehicle when Li Long quickly said:
"Not yet. Let them freeze a little first."
Yang Yongqiang followed Li Long's example and set his gazelle down, then took bags out of the vehicle and slipped the gazelles inside.
Although the Jeep often carried game like this, it was still best to keep it clean. Li Long's solution was to use bags.
The outdoor temperature was now more than twenty degrees below zero. In less than ten minutes, the gazelles were cold through and stiff. Li Long and Yang Yongqiang lifted the bags into the back, then drove on.
Yang Yongqiang was even more excited now. He said with some agitation:
"Brother Long, you're a great shot! Ah... I regret taking that job now. How great would it be if I'd stayed with the team and followed you around every day, catching fish and hunting!"
"I'm not that free," Li Long said with a smile. "In summer, I have to take people into the mountains to weave Taibazi, collect fritillaria, and help the pastoralists with their work. In autumn, I have to oversee the haymaking, harvest wheat, and help my brother harvest watermelon