The sun had long since risen in the east, clearing away the fog. The village of Mi Mangbo Shanbo. Groups of young people from the village gathered at the village committee entrance, chatting and laughing, their faces beaming with excitement. Behind them followed boys and girls, chattering away, clearly showing their great interest in the hunt.

These boys and girls mostly carried a bamboo basket on their backs. Some of the adults were going hunting in the mountains, so they naturally weren't part of the group. But that didn't stop them from ingeniously going into the water, as if they wanted to compete with the adults.

The stream is teeming with aquatic life: blue crabs, blue shrimp, Wei River whitefish, and grass carp. Although they aren't very big and only occasionally drift downstream, it's enough for some people to enjoy a treat now and then.

These boys and girls are the main force in catching them.

The boys took Er Mao as their leader. Today, Er Mao was wearing shorts, barefoot, with a bamboo basket tied around his waist. He was also wearing a short vest. This was considered standard attire for going into the water. The other boys, like Xiao Pang and San Hao, who were also half-grown, were dressed similarly.

The young girls, however, were much more reserved. Dressed in bright, colorful clothes, they exuded youthful energy, their braids neatly combed and quite pretty. Ya Ya was among these girls; like a little angel, she was the youngest but very popular.

She came with Zhao Laoliu. It's the weekend, and school is closed for the day. Zhao Laoliu feels at ease letting Yaya stay with these boys and girls.

However, Zhao Laoliu was actually one of the hunters. So Yaya was entrusted to Li Yun and Lan Hua's care, for which Zhao Laoliu was very grateful. The hunt would take several days, and as a single father, he really couldn't take care of his daughter.

"Ya Ya, come join our team!" Little Fatty shouted as soon as he saw Ya Ya.

The girls weren't having it.

“Ya Ya is a girl, how can she join the boys’ team? If she’s going to join, she should join our girls’ team! We’re no worse than the boys!” Zhao Qin, the most fiery member of the group of girls, retorted with her hands on her hips.

She was one of the older girls among the younger ones. She was very respected.

"Yes, we're better than the boys!"

"Let's see who catches the most!"

The boys immediately objected and started shouting.

“Let’s compete!” Er Mao readily accepted the provocation.

"Yaya, listen to Aunt Li Yun and Aunt Lan Hua. Stay at Taoyuan Xiaozhu for a few days. Dad and the uncles are going hunting and will be back in a few days!" Zhao Laoliu was very happy to see how popular his girl was. He quickly gave Yaya these instructions.

Ya Ya was very well-behaved and nodded. She stayed with the other girls, looking excited with her face flushed.

Only then did Zhao Laoliu feel relieved enough to reunite with everyone.

"Sixth Brother is here?" Zhang Guodong greeted Zhao Laoliu when he saw him. He had just arrived, but he noticed that the number of people who had come far exceeded the number of hunters.

"Guodong, thank you so much for taking care of Yaya." Zhao Laoliu's first words were gratitude towards Zhang Guodong and the others for helping look after his daughter. This gratitude came from the bottom of his heart. He seemed to have been quite moved lately.

"Sixth Brother, you're too kind. Actually, Ya Ya is very cute, and Li Yun and the others like her a lot too. But Sixth Brother, I've never heard that you're such a good shot!" Zhang Guodong said with a smile.

Indeed, it was quite surprising. Zhao Laoliu was a skilled farmer, and his stonemasonry and carpentry skills were also excellent. Now he was even participating in a hunt? Zhang Guodong thought to himself. Don't let Zhao Laoliu's honest and simple appearance fool you; he's quite a capable man with many skills!

Zhao Laoliu smiled sheepishly.

"Guodong, you're wrong. Lao Liu's marksmanship is terrible; he doesn't know how to use an air rifle." A voice rang out from behind.

But then Zhao Sanshun arrived, with a beaming smile on his face.

"three

"Is Third Uncle also planning to participate today?"

Everyone greeted him respectfully.

"Oh? So Sixth Brother knows how to use a bow and arrow?" Zhang Guodong was even more surprised. You have to understand that hunting with a bow and arrow is much more difficult than using a gun these days.

In the past, when hunting in Qinglang Mountain, apart from Lin Yue who had some training, the skills of the others were terrible. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they were just lucky.

And it happened at a specific time, under someone's guidance.

"I...I don't know how to use a bow and arrow!" Zhao Laoliu blushed and hurriedly denied it. "That's just something I don't know. It's not presentable."

"Haha, don't underestimate Lao Liu's 'little thing'. He can't shoot or shoot arrows, but he's good at setting traps!" Uncle Zhao said.

"A trap?" Zhang Guodong asked with a hint of unease.

Zhang Guodong understood the importance of hunting traps. It was a highly technical and experienced skill. Waiting for prey with simple tools, without using a single shot or arrow, was just as effective as using firearms.

"Old Liu is one of our best at trapping wild boars. He made his own traps, and he can catch them just by digging them. Isn't that amazing?" Zhao Sanshun praised him generously.

"Impressive!" Zhang Guodong said admiringly. A wild boar is such a large and ferocious prey. The most common traps are dug pits, a trick hunters use most often.

The fact that the actual objects were made to serve as traps for catching wild boars is truly remarkable.

"Alright, alright. Wangquan. Qiangzi. Has everyone who participated in the hunt arrived? How many people are there in total?" Zhao Sanshun asked Zhao Ci, Zhao Qiang, the leader of the village's hunting team, pointing to an elderly villager. Zhao Wangquan, although in his late forties, was very experienced in hunting.

He used to accompany Uncle Tiaozi, Xu Wentao, into the mountains to collect medicinal herbs, and he was very familiar with this area.

With three generations working together, this combination is quite strong.

“Third Brother. Everyone’s here. Seven guns, one for Qiangzi, one for Zhang Guodong, one for me, one for Guixi, one for Changfu, and one for Feng. Third Brother, let Zhang Guodong take your air rifle. Also, Sixth Brother, take Chuncheng and the other eight to handle logistics. Fifteen people in total, that should be enough!” Zhao Wangquan said slowly, carrying an air rifle that he had polished until it gleamed.

"Okay, that's enough. Everyone else, you can leave! Jixing Village has two hunts a year. It's our tradition, and we can't abandon it. This time, we have new recruits. Wangquan and Qiangzi, you two need to take care of Guodong, teach him how to hunt and how to shoot, and pay extra attention to safety!" Zhao Sanshun gave special instructions.

He then took a brand-new air rifle from his wife and handed it to Zhang Guodong. It came with twenty-five air rifle bullets in a wooden box.

To keep seven guns in Jixing Village for hunting, Zhao Sanshun had to go through a lot of haggling and pleading with the township government before finally obtaining permission from the armed forces department to use air rifles on a limited scale. These guns could not be taken out of Jixing Village and could only be used for hunting twice a year; otherwise, they could not be used without special circumstances.

Given the national ban on guns and their sale, it goes without saying how precious this gun is.

"Don't worry, Uncle, I'll teach you!" Zhao Qiang nodded and said.

Of the seven armed men, Zhang Guodong is probably the only one they don't trust.

However, little did they know that Zhang Guodong possessed numerous real guns, was incredibly strong, and had a remarkable grasp of firearms, making him a very quick learner.

"Actually, I've handled guns before. With a few practice sessions, I should be able to master it!" Zhang Guodong said modestly. Touching the air rifle felt very different.

This is a hunting gun, not a killing gun.

"Oh? That's great! If you've brought everything, let's go!" Zhao Sanshun and the others exclaimed in surprise. They thought to themselves, "They're definitely rich; they've probably practiced target shooting or something."

With that in mind, they felt even more at ease.

The terrain in these mountains is complex, and it's late summer. If people who don't go to Jixing Village go into the mountains, there's a risk that people from other villages might also enter. Randomly firing guns could injure people.

After giving some instructions, Zhao Sanshun announced the start of the hunt, and the team set off.

A group of fifteen was no small number. As they crossed the stone bridge, they saw Li Yun at the bridgehead, carrying a backpack. Zhang Guodong had forgotten everything.

After saying goodbye to Li Yun, Zhang Guodong and the others headed into the mountains.

"Uncle Wangquan, I heard there are wolves and bears in these mountains?" Zhang Guodong asked curiously on the way. Actually, he knew. There were quite a few animals in these mountains.

However, since this was nominally his first time participating in a hunt, he restrained himself somewhat. He simply pretended not to know and asked more questions.

“Yes, there are. But they’re not easy to find here. We usually hunt in the wooded areas near the mountains. The terrain there isn’t too complicated, and there are more rabbits and pheasants!” Zhao Wangquan said.

“Guodong, I heard you keep two big guys at your Peach Blossom Abode. If you bring one along, hunting will be much easier!” Zhao Qiang said.

Big Black and Big Green? Zhang Guodong didn't plan to bring them.

Hunting is all about the fun. Big Black and Big Blue are experts in this field.

Catching wild game is easy. But does that even qualify as hunting?

“My husband wouldn’t let them go into the mountains!” Zhang Guodong said humorously.

Everyone burst into laughter.

In the city, some people treat their dogs as full-time pets, rushing to large veterinary clinics for even the slightest illness, treating them with more care than people would. In reality, this stifles their wild instincts. If they were given regular exercise and freedom to roam, they wouldn't need such pampering, wasting money.

Everyone assumed that Zhang Guodong's family member was the one who was reluctant to let Dahei and Daqing go into the mountains.

Zhang Guodong didn't explain, just smiled.

Amidst laughter and chatter, they had already climbed the mountain. Once inside, this was where their abilities and endurance would truly be tested. Zhang Guodong, returning to the mountains after several months, felt a distinct difference.

The mountains were a sea of ​​green, stretching as far as the eye could see. Hunting here would be no easy task.

Moreover, everyone was dressed identically in long pants and rubber shoes. In this sweltering heat, the challenge was immense.

"At this time of year, you can't go without long pants in the mountains. There are plenty of insects and snakes, both day and night, so you have to watch your step, the trees, and your surroundings, as there could be dangers!" Qiangzi and Zhang Guodong said as they walked together.

He was passing on his hunting experience in the mountains to Zhang Guodong. If it were just the others, without Zhang Guodong as a "burden" and a novice, their pace might have been even faster. But once they entered the mountains, everyone's pace noticeably slowed down. Everyone enthusiastically explained things to Zhang Guodong, one after another.

Zhang Guodong couldn't refuse this enthusiasm, so he could only accept it. He would occasionally cooperate by asking questions and seeking advice.

Of course, this made the journey much more lively. Everyone was chatting and laughing. It didn't feel like a hunt; it felt more like a tourist trip.