"Wait." He suddenly raised his hand, and the three of them stopped at the same time. On the tips of the grass ahead, there was a glistening dew, a tiny circle. Gently brushing the dew aside, a wet ring was revealed. He bent down and pointed in the air with his index finger: "Iron ring. The person left in a hurry, and their hands were oiled. The dewdrops were separated and haven't closed up yet, which means they just left."

Zhang Jianjun held his breath: "Then he can't have gone far."

"So we can't rush it." Du Jianshan's eyes were like two black flames. "Let's go, follow the rules. Let's clean up the mess on the mountain and give people a good thrashing. Today's job is like slaughtering a pig; the knife must be precise, and the mind must be steady."

"That's all talk," Old Zhou sneered. "When it comes to running in the mountains, it's all about skill. If we hadn't acted quickly today, they might have jumped out and stolen the credit."

"Go back and hand the pig over to the team first." Du Jianshan tucked the pole into his shoulder. "We'll check the remaining footprints tomorrow. We have rules in the mountains: you can share some meat, but you can't compromise on the rules."

The three of them lifted the pig again, their feet crunching through the frost. When they reached the stream halfway up the mountain, it was getting darker, and the sound of the water was clear. Xiao Shuan grinned and said, "After we divide the meat, sister-in-law, stew some pickled cabbage and vermicelli, and save two pieces of pork hock to make a braised dish for Mom in a couple of days."

“Leave a piece of liver for the blacksmith; he didn’t charge us for making a dart shaft last time,” Old Zhou chimed in. “We have to repay that favor.”

“I remember them all.” Du Jianshan saw them smiling and lifted the weight off his shoulders a little more. “Let’s go, we’ll head to the village before dark. Xiao Shuan, go back and report to the team that we saw shoe prints from the outer village at the north entrance of the ditch, and tell the team leader to send someone to keep an eye on them.”

“Alright, I’m fast.” Xiao Shuan put down his load, took out the whistle from his waist, and whistled it. “I’ll run ahead and tell my sister-in-law the good news so she can boil water.”

"Go on," Old Zhou waved his hand, "watch your step."

Xiao Shuan took off running, his figure skipping and hopping in the twilight, quickly disappearing into the hazelnut grove. Du Jianshan and Lao Zhou adjusted their loads on their shoulders and continued moving towards the lights below the mountain. In the distance, smoke from the village chimneys hung low, shadowy figures moved at the courtyard entrances, and the cries of children and the barking of dogs carried on the wind. Lao Zhou grinned, "I can smell steamed potatoes! It's making my mouth water."

“We’ve got people and meat today.” Du Jianshan smiled, but the smile was faint. “If we can get through this, we can hope for a good harvest in the fields next year, and we also need to take charge of the hunting grounds. Anyone can go up the mountain, but the rules must be as strict as this pole; if it’s crooked, it won’t hold us back.”

The two men descended step by step, their footprints, deep and shallow, etched into the mountain path like simple words nailed into it. When the first dim light appeared on the dirt road at the village entrance, they both breathed a sigh of relief. Someone called out from afar, "Has Jianshan returned yet?"

"You're back," Du Jianshan replied, hoisting the load onto his shoulder. "There's a pig; let's divide the meat."

"Is it in China?" Du Jianshan didn't blink.

"It got scratched!" Old Zhou gasped. "There's a bloody gash on the back of my leg, and it's still throbbing!"

The wild boar, in pain, jerked its way off the ground, its body like an unyielding stone wheel, dragging its injured leg down the slope. Bushes were knocked down, kicking up fallen leaves and dust. Scarface, the hunting dog, chased after it, barking incessantly, occasionally circling around to the side and biting its short leg.

"Don't let it get into the fir grove!" Du Jianshan yelled. "Xiao Ma, block the way to the left. Lao Zhou, come with me to the right and force it into the depression!"

"Okay!" Little Ma, carrying a bamboo pitchfork, stepped over a clump of yellow elms, slipped, and almost fell. "This slope is terribly steep, and the ground is covered with mud that it has churned up!"

"Step on the tree roots!" Du Jianshan reached behind his back and pulled out a rope lasso. As he chased after them, he whispered, "Its right leg is injured. Turn left. Wait for it to turn again and it will be an open space. Xiao Ma, watch my hand signals before you go in."

"Scarface, watch out!" Old Zhou shouted, and the hunting dog, hearing this, lowered its strength and only harassed the hound from the side, not daring to confront it head-on.

Ahead lay a shallow ditch, its damp mud carrying the chill of late winter. On the opposite bank stood a leaning fir tree, its exposed roots forming a makeshift foothold. The wild boar pounced at the ditch's edge, paused briefly, probed with its front paws, and then leaped across. Its right hind leg gave way, causing its rear to lurch forward, slamming into the fir roots. The tree trunk shook, and pine needles rustled down.

"Opportunity!" Du Jianshan hissed. "Little Ma, spear it in the ribs!"

Little Ma, his face flushed, charged forward, his bamboo fork poking at the wild boar. Just as he was about to stab it, the boar suddenly turned its head, its tusks flashing white, and the earthy smell filled the air. Startled, Little Ma's legs went weak, and the bamboo fork veered off course, only managing to make a shallow cut on the thick skin.

"Back off!" Du Jianshan took half a step forward, kicked the little horse away from the front line, and swung the hemp rope into a circle, aiming it at the gap in the back of the wild boar's neck. The wild boar struggled and swung, the rope loop grazing its mane and not securing properly.

"I'll do it!" Old Zhou, carrying his machete, swung it from the side and smashed it down on the boar's right shoulder. The back of the blade was heavy, and the blade pierced an inch deep. The boar roared in pain again, its shoulder slumped, and it slammed Old Zhou against the fir tree. Old Zhou felt a sweet taste in his throat and coughed up half a mouthful of blood.

"Watch out!" Xiao Ma's face turned pale, and he frantically tried to grab Lao Zhou's arm.

Scarface seized the opportunity to bite down on the dog's hind leg, his jaws locked. The wild boar kicked hard, pulling the dog back three steps, but it still wouldn't let go.

"It's going to charge down the slope!" Du Jianshan's eyes turned cold. He lightly touched the tree root platform with his toes, using the momentum to get close to the boar. His left hand held the rope back, while his right hand gripped the machete tightly against the bloodline on the boar's foreleg. "Watch out, don't cut me off!"