"We've arrived at Qiranzi! Everyone get ready to rest! We'll spend the night here!" A sharp shout signaled, and the group's arduous journey came to a temporary halt. This was a mountain ridge with gravel and rocks, offering a commanding view and making it an ideal place to spend the night.

The fifteen men walked without stopping for almost half a day, covering a distance of more than ten kilometers. Zhang Guodong and Zhao Qiang, the younger and stronger, were doing well, only slightly sweating and feeling warm from the walk. However, the older men, such as Zhao Wangquan, were experiencing a decline in physical strength and were panting heavily.

With half a day already gone, the sun is already below the horizon. If we continue walking, we'll miss the best place to spend the night.

After shouting, Zhao Qiang, who was walking beside Zhang Guodong, threw his bag on the ground and carefully placed the air gun away. He didn't dare point it at anyone.

The others did the same, carefully placing their air rifles because they were already loaded with bullets. Unfortunately, they hadn't encountered any prey along the way; this was the outer edge of the mountain, unsuitable for hunting.

"Guodong, how are you?" Zhao Qiang asked Zhang Guodong with a concerned smile. "This mountain road is very difficult for city dwellers. I need to get more exercise!"

"It's alright. But the road is really difficult to travel!" Zhang Guodong wiped his sweat and sighed.

This short distance would normally be a breeze for Zhang Guodong, barely breaking a sweat—it's like a leisurely stroll. After all, he has such a strong physique. But now, he's wearing a lead apron, weighing 500 kilograms, and walking on loose soil, if he doesn't control himself properly, he'll step into a hole.

To put it bluntly, if there's a loose or unstable path, taking one step across it might cause it to collapse.

As a result, Zhang Guodong had to control the weight of his steps the whole way, afraid of collapsing the road. This was no easy task, and it was impossible not to break a sweat.

Of course, this journey has made Zhang Guodong more accustomed to wearing such heavy armor, indicating that his strength has been constantly being honed and improved.

Speed! Precise control of power!

This is probably the greatest test!

After putting his backpack down, Zhang Guodong plopped down on the ground. The ground was uneven, with gravel and pebbles, making it uncomfortable to sit on.

Zhao Qiang and the others didn't sit down immediately. Instead, following Zhao Wangquan's instructions, some started setting up the pot, while others gathered firewood. This pot, which they had brought with them, was about a meter in diameter and quite deep; it would be enough to feed fifteen people if they cooked a large meal.

As for firewood, there may be nothing else in these mountains, but dry firewood is plentiful.

However, when lighting firewood, it must be surrounded by stones. This serves two purposes: firstly, to gather the firewood so that it burns concentratedly at the bottom of the pot, and secondly, to prevent firewood from splashing out and accidentally starting a forest fire.

The people of Jixing Village, or rather, the people living near the Qinling Mountains, have a natural affection for the mountains and forests. They haven't been blinded by short-sighted profit and cut down the trees in the mountains.

Zhang Guodong glanced around to see if anyone, except Zhao Wangquan, was idle. He felt a little embarrassed sitting and watching. With his young arms and legs, and strength that was no less than anyone else present, it wouldn't be right for him not to lend a hand.

"Sixth Brother, what are you doing?" Zhang Guodong quickly noticed that Zhao Laoliu and the others were picking some leaves and piling them on the ground.

The leaves are long and narrow. They seem to be everywhere. However, Zhao Laoliu and his men only picked the very tender tips.

"This is called tender scallion. If you stew these tender shoots, the soup will be very delicious!" Old Zhao Liu said with a憨厚 smile, picking up the tender leaves. "It's used as soy sauce!"

"Soy sauce? These grass leaves are really amazing!" Zhang Guodong exclaimed, turning his head to look. He also started picking them. Looking around, he realized that there seemed to be quite a few such plants.

Sometimes we might not bring any seasonings and just use what we have on hand.

"Old leaves won't do. They'll make the soup too bitter. Only the tender yellow-green leaves at the top will do!" Zhao Laoliu said hurriedly when he saw Zhang Guodong picking the old leaves as well.

"Oh, I see." Zhang Guodong awkwardly put down the tender ginger leaves in his hand, then picked out the tender ones. He was really embarrassed now. "Sixth Brother, since these herbs are so magical and can be used as a condiment, doesn't anyone pick them to sell?"

"Yes, but these tender shoots must be picked and cooked immediately. Once they wilt, they're no good!" Zhao Laoliu said. "Also, although we don't lack them in the mountains, if we really want to sell them, this kind of herb for seasoning is very scarce and too scattered!"

"Moreover, the price isn't high, and few people eat it, which is true. Now there are all kinds of soy sauce and dark soy sauce available, and they're easy to buy. People from other places won't choose these unknown herbs. If the price can't go up, that would be an even bigger problem."

In a short while, Zhang Guodong had also gathered a large handful. Seven or eight people gathered together. This was more than enough to make a pot of soup. Basically, they could be washed clean with very little water in a small basin and then thrown directly into the pot.

Cut the potatoes. We brought these with us. Besides game meat, the only vegetables available in the mountains are wild greens. Bringing potatoes along makes this stew always look delicious.

In Northeast China, there's a dish where castrated pork is stewed with glass noodles, potatoes, and cabbage, then simmered over high heat for a very delicious flavor. The meat is so juicy and flavorful.

If you then serve baijiu (Chinese liquor), the atmosphere at the meal will really liven things up.

Zhang Guodong hadn't expected that this eight-person support team would be so well-prepared. No wonder they were carrying significantly more supplies than the seven of them. It seemed to consist mainly of drinking water and food ingredients.

"Fire! Set up the pot!"

The ingredients were all thrown in, and after the blue smoke from the bottom of the pot dissipated, it started crackling and bubbling away. Everyone smiled as they watched. The increased exercise had really whetted their appetites.

"Let's set up the tent before it gets dark!" Zhao Wangquan reminded everyone.

"Uncle Quan, is the soup still a bit too much? Shouldn't we have some drinks after you finish?" A younger member of the family chuckled. "I saw you brought a few bottles of baijiu, Uncle Quan."

"You little rascal, you've got a sharp eye! Alright! We'll drink in a bit, but you'd better be careful, or you won't have anything to drink in the days to come!" Zhao Wangquan said with a laugh and a scolding, before agreeing.

The others burst into laughter. Drinking heartily. Eating heartily. It sounded wonderful.

Once the makeshift tent is set up, people start belting out songs—it's rough and unrestrained, but it's cathartic. One person gets up, and the others will join in with a few lines, opening their throats as well.

Even the honest and simple-minded Zhao Laoliu and Fandun started howling. However, they were just shouting loudly; there were no lyrics.

"Guodong, why don't you shout a few lines too? Shouting on the mountaintop is so cool, I guarantee you've never experienced anything like it!" Zhao Qiang invited Zhang Guodong.

This made Zhang Guodong a little restless.

However, he was tone-deaf and wanted to shout, but lacked the energy. These people all had much better voices than him. This was perhaps just Zhang Guodong's psychological effect. Previously, Zhang Guodong mostly preferred to quietly appreciate what he heard, a habit he hadn't changed much.

Zhang Guodong refused. However, he relaxed a bit and, influenced by their jokes, said:

"I'll scream it out loud and outshine everyone!" "Really?" Zhao Qiang didn't believe it. The others were also a little skeptical, but they weren't entirely sure. Don't city people all go to karaoke bars? They're supposedly all about screaming for fun there.

It made people's voices hoarse from shouting for a while. But it also helped to exercise their voices.

The crowd cheered, but Zhang Guodong refused to sing. Finally, he opened his mouth and let out a deafening roar. The sound was truly earth-shattering, incredibly piercing!

Zhao Qiang and the others never expected that Zhang Guodong's shout would cause them to lose their hearing instantly, their ears ringing.

It was as if all that could be heard around us was a buzzing sound!

"Ah, what's going on?" It took Zhao Qiang and the others a long time to regain their hearing, and they looked at Zhang Guodong as if he were a monster. Zhang Guodong felt a little uneasy.

He hadn't expected it. His voice had changed so much that the volume of the sound momentarily caused everyone to lose their hearing; this was a big deal.

"I'm truly impressed! What you just said is true. If that sound were played at a high register, it would definitely stun someone!" Zhao Qiang, a former soldier, spoke without restraint and said what he meant with a wry smile.

"You flatter me, you flatter me, hehe!" Zhang Guodong said modestly, his face unusually flushed. "Zhao Wangquan sighed at this moment, somewhat helplessly.

Zhang Guodong hurriedly asked what happened.

“It’s evening now, there’s a good time to hunt around the grain fields. There are usually quite a few wild rabbits here. It’s fine for Qiangzi and the others to sing a few lines, but your shout was too loud and scared all the rabbits away!” Zhao Laoliu chuckled.

"Huh?" Zhang Guodong was stunned. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. How could this be?

Indeed, he was startled by his own voice. He hadn't expected it to be so high!

Zhang Guodong, skeptical, scanned his surroundings. Sure enough, there wasn't a single rabbit left. He'd just seen a rabbit stop and prick up its ears. Now, it was all gone.

Perhaps they've entered the cave as well.

"What should we do then?" Zhang Guodong asked awkwardly. He had to ask everyone for advice. He had said he wouldn't yell, but they insisted he yell, and now look what happened. He yelled and ruined what was supposed to be a promising part of the hunt.

"Let's just leave it at that, hehe! Let's take a break. A few of us will go for a walk on the ridge and see if we can find an opportunity, otherwise we'll have to eat our savings for tomorrow morning's food!" Zhao Qiang chuckled.

"Will this work?" Zhang Guodong asked hesitantly.

Looking at the sky, it would soon become hazy. Visibility would usually be obstructed at this time, right? Would you be able to see clearly? Zhang Guodong was very doubtful. He believed it would be possible with an infrared camera.

But using an air gun with an infrared sensor is just for fun.

Zhao Qiang smiled mysteriously, then stood up and called over Zhao Laoliu.

Zhao Laoliu turned around and went to his bag to get some things, including some wooden and iron tools and wire. The wooden tools were very simple to make, and at first glance, their purpose was not obvious.

"Uncle Xigui, Xiaofeng, me, Guodong, and Sixth Brother, let's go and see who got hit the most!" Zhao Qiang said.

Zhang Guodong hadn't expected him to be included. He was considered a "newcomer," right? Perhaps Zhao Qiang was deliberately showing him off; otherwise, bringing a newcomer along would just be a burden.

He also felt that everyone had taken great care of him along the way.

There were five people in total, but only Zhao Laoliu didn't have a gun. However, this hindered his hunting. This ridge was quite wide and involved many winding paths.

The five men divided up the area. Zhang Guodong went to the largest section. Before leaving, Zhao Qiang gave them a few more instructions, mainly reminding them of their shooting stance and emphasizing the importance of safety.

An air rifle is still a gun, after all; its power is not significant for humans.

Go hunting, but don't hurt anyone. We won't be able to explain it to Uncle Sanshun when we get back. The day before they left, Zhao Qiang and the others had actually met once. Zhao Sanshun specifically instructed them to ensure Zhang Guodong's safety.

Zhang Guodong's importance to Jixing Village is self-evident.

Zhang Guodong smiled inwardly, but humbly accepted the criticism. He parted ways with the four men, picked up his gun, and walked forward. Of the five, Zhao Laoliu was the most unusual.

Zhang Guodong was very curious, so he used his mental energy to scan the direction Zhao Laoliu was heading. He saw that Zhao Laoliu didn't set up the traps immediately, but instead squatted down and looked around, spending a long time figuring out the terrain of his area before patiently choosing a few spots to set up the traps.

In addition, Zhao Laoliu took out some food from his person and scattered it in front of the trap.

"It's definitely a bit different!" Zhang Guodong muttered. He knew that if it were just a trap, it would be set up along the rabbit's usual route. But Zhao Laoliu clearly had added bait. However, he couldn't tell what the bait was.

Seeing Zhao Qiang, this guy actually sat down on the ground after Zhou threw a punch, and started smoking. An air gun was resting on his knee. He wasn't in a hurry at all.

Is this okay?

Uncle Xigui first looked for rabbit burrows. The terrain on this mountain ridge is high, and rabbits usually like to build their burrows here. Rainwater is not easy to flood the burrows, and there is less danger. So he easily found many burrows.

The proverb says a cunning rabbit has three burrows, but despite having so many, many of them actually lead to the same nest. Distinguishing the correct path requires experience.

Well, he's definitely a veteran. He went straight to the rabbit's den, setting up an ambush. He hid not far away, gun pointed in that direction—he'd prepared an ambush.

The youngest of the five was Xiao Feng, a young man in his late teens. But he was also a skilled hunter.

To become a good hunter at such a young age shows that he has a high level of talent in this area.

Zhang Guodong noticed that Xiao Feng's ears were twitching constantly, as if he were alertly listening to his surroundings. His hearing was impressive! He was actually using his hearing to determine if there was prey nearby?!

Sure enough, none of these four were simpletons. Zhang Guodong secretly admired them.

"Uncle Quan, who do you think will have the biggest harvest out of the five people?" Over here, by the fire, a deep iron pot wafted with a fragrant aroma, and someone couldn't help but ask.

"It must be Brother Qiang!" Fan Dun said in a simple voice. He was in the logistics team this time. He could eat a lot, and no one was more suitable to be a porter than him.

"I also choose Qiangzi!"

"I choose Uncle Xigui!"

"I choose Fengzi!"

The crowd suddenly split into several groups. Amidst the laughter and joking, Zhao Qiang and his three companions surprisingly had supporters. But Zhang Guodong alone had no one optimistic about him.

This was a very awkward situation. Zhang Guodong, though far away, could hear it all and couldn't help but smile wryly. He was waiting for the rabbit to come to him, but he was getting bored. He couldn't help but listen to his surroundings, overhearing the conversations of the people around him.

Alright.

Zhao Wangquan smiled slightly and said, "I choose Xiao Zhang!"