A rustling sound came from the bushes in the distance, accompanied by a faint, low breathing sound.

Du Jianshan's eyes lit up immediately. He lowered his body and stared intently at the dark figure over there.

"Hmph—" A fat, black shadow poked its head out, its nose rubbing against the ground, heading straight for the smell of bran near the pit.

“They’re here…” Du Jianshan’s lips curled up.

The wild boar's heavy breathing grew closer and closer, finally—

"thump!"

A muffled thud!

"Hit!" Du Jianshan jumped up and ran straight to the trap entrance with a torch.

The wild boar had plunged headfirst into the pit, struggling incessantly, sending dirt and wood chips flying everywhere, its screams growing louder and louder.

"Don't waste your energy!" Du Jianshan stood at the edge of the pit, holding a torch and shining it down. "There are barbs tied at the bottom, and sharpened deadwood stakes are stuck in the four corners. The more you move, the deeper they will be driven!"

"Hmph!" The wild boar turned its head fiercely and glared angrily, its eyes bloodshot.

"Still glaring at me?" Du Jianshan sneered, pulled out a spear made of three short wooden sticks from his waist, stepped on the edge of the pit, and plunged the spearhead down!

"Awooo—!!"

The wild boar let out a miserable cry and kicked wildly, but its strength was waning.

Du Jianshan's eyes were cold and stern. He fired three spears in quick succession until the wild boar gradually stopped moving. Only then did he let out a long breath and put away the spear shaft.

Just then, footsteps could be heard in the distance.

"Brother Shanzi!" Wang Tieniu ran over carrying a cloth bag. "I heard the noise, so I came over right away. How's that?"

"Dead." Du Jianshan wiped the sweat from his face and took a breath. "Quite fat, at least 120 pounds of meat."

"My God!" Wang Tieniu stepped forward for a look, and his eyes immediately lit up with excitement. "Our village is really in luck this time!"

"Don't be too happy yet," Du Jianshan frowned. "Look at that nose... This isn't the one we chased yesterday, it's a new one."

"What? Not that old black guy?" Wang Tieniu was taken aback.

“No.” Du Jianshan’s gaze sharpened. “Old Hei has an injury near his eye, but this one doesn’t.”

Wang Tieniu gasped: "So that means—there's something else in the woods?"

"It's very likely that there's more than one."

The two exchanged a glance, and the air grew heavier.

The man's voice was shrill and nasal; when he yelled it out, it startled all the commune members working in the fields.

"Make him do the work for you during the day, and then hang him up with meat at night! Are all Uyghur girls this 'passionate' and unrestrained? Are you specifically targeting educated youth? Do you want them to take you back to the city to enjoy a life of luxury?"

The moment those words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze instantly. Under the blazing sun, the group of people stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the patch of land that had just been turned over.

The girl standing at the other end of the ridge suddenly stopped wielding her shovel.

That was Ayina, with dark skin, regular features, and a headscarf wrapped around her head, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat. Her gaze darkened, she gently put down the hoe, and a fire ignited in her eyes.

"Say it again." Her voice wasn't loud, but it was as clear as if it were being cut by a knife.

"Oh, you dare to rebel?" The speaker was Liang Cuihua, a notorious shrew in the village. She wore a tattered blue apron, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at Ayina's nose. "Haven't I made myself clear enough? You're an outsider, you're not even Han Chinese, what right do you have to expect the men in our village to do your work points? You're just seducing them! Everyone knows the ways things are over there."

"Liang Cuihua!" Du Jianshan roared, jumping over from the edge of the field, his face flushed with anger. He swung his shovel and slammed it into the ground. "Try swearing again!"

"What? You dare to hit someone for this woman?" Liang Cuihua rolled her eyes, sat down on the ground, and started throwing a tantrum. "Help! Look at this! The educated youth is protecting a wild woman and is going to beat up the respectable women in our village! This is outrageous!"

"Shut up!" Du Jianshan's eyes blazed with anger. "I called Ayina here. My shoulder injury hadn't fully healed, and she helped me dig the ground voluntarily! What do you mean she was keeping me hanging? You've got your mouth open just to throw mud at me, haven't you?"

A few of the commune members couldn't help but chuckle, but no one dared to say a word.

“Your shoulder is bad? Didn’t you carry a goat back the day before yesterday? You can hunt, but you can’t dig? Who are you pretending to be lame for?” Liang Cuihua continued to shout at the top of her lungs.

"I endured that through gritted teeth!" Du Jianshan roared. "Why don't you go up the mountain and fight? Do you dare to leave that forest? You think you can stand up for others?"

"I don't need to go up the mountain, I can just guard the doorway! I think you're blind, completely bewitched by this vixen—"

"Enough!"

Ayina suddenly spoke, her voice low and steady, like a knife slicing into the silence of the earth.

She removed her headscarf, revealing a full head of fine black hair, and looked coldly at Liang Cuihua. "You can insult me, I accept it. But if you dare to utter another word that humiliates my people, I will fight you to the death."

"Oh, threatening people now? Look at her! She's threatening me!" Liang Cuihua shook her head, her mouth opening and closing. "You call yourself an ethnic minority? What are you doing in my village? Fleeing from famine? You dare mention ethnicity? Have you no shame?"

"Liang Cuihua!" Zhao Tieniu couldn't take it anymore and jumped out, shouting, "What nonsense are you talking about?! Ayina came here as a laborer assigned by the commune. She works more than you, eats less, and never complains of being tired. Which eye of yours saw her fleeing famine?"

"She's no worse than you!" a tall, thin male commune member chimed in. "She works from dawn till dusk every day, and she's truly hardworking. If everyone in our team worked like her, would we ever go hungry?"

"Isn't she better than you?" another female commune member snorted. "You left home at five in the morning, while she was already at the fields at four-thirty. Don't you feel bad about scolding her? If it weren't for her fighting spirit as a young woman, would you have the nerve to sit on the ground and throw a tantrum?"

Liang Cuihua was stunned for a moment, her face instantly turning bright red. She jumped up, pointing at the crowd: "You're all protecting her, what, are you all infatuated with her flirtatious charm?"

“If you say the word ‘flirtatious’ again, I’ll tear your mouth apart.” Du Jianshan’s voice was frighteningly low, and his eyes lashed at Liang Cuihua’s face like a whip.

"You, you're all crazy!" Liang Cuihua exclaimed angrily, wiping her face with her hand and turning to run towards the village at the top of her lungs. "I have to go find Captain Zhao to reason with you. I have to show everyone who you're protecting!"

“Go ahead!” Ayina said coldly. “I’ll go with you and let the commune judge. Let’s see if your mouth is foul or if I don’t deserve to live.”

Liang Cuihua's figure disappeared at the end of the ridge, and only then did the air begin to catch its breath.

Zhao Tieniu sighed: "Shanzi, you know what kind of person she is. She always picks on the weak and criticizes the capable."

“She can stir up trouble if she wants,” Du Jianshan said through gritted teeth, “but I can’t bear to involve Ayina.”

Ayina's face was still ashen. She retied her headscarf and said in a low voice, "I don't want to cause you any trouble. I'll go talk to Captain Zhao about this today."

"No." Du Jianshan looked down at her. "You're doing this honestly and openly, there's nothing to be afraid of. We're not working on this site today, I'll go with you."

“I’ll go too.” Zhao Tieniu scratched his head. “I heard everything clearly. We’ll be your witnesses, and we’ll be the ones to testify about who’s right and who’s wrong.”

Ayina nodded, a hint of gratitude flashing in her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

The three walked toward the team headquarters, and many commune members secretly watched them and whispered among themselves along the way.

Captain Zhao Zhenxing was sitting in front of his office, smoking a pipe. When he saw the group enter, he frowned and asked, "What's going on? Weren't you supposed to be working in the fields? What's all this fuss about?"

Du Jianshan recounted the whole story in detail, clearly stating every word, including how Liang Cuihua insulted Ayina and how she threw a tantrum and sat on the ground.

After hearing this, Zhao Zhenxing slammed his hand on the table: "That shrew! Is she having another episode?"

Liang Cuihua stormed in at that moment, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Captain Zhao! You have to be the judge! This educated youth is getting involved with this woman from out of town, which is affecting the atmosphere of our village. She even threatened me and said she would beat me!"

"Shut up!" Zhao Zhenxing stood up, pointed at her nose and cursed, "Do you think I'm deaf? If you said those kinds of swear words on the street, the police would arrest you right away!"

"She...she's not from our village!"

"She's not from your village, but she's a laborer in our production team, officially assigned by the commune!" Zhao Zhenxing said coldly. "What you said today wasn't just insulting, it was ethnic discrimination! If I don't give you a major demerit, my Zhao surname will be worthless!"

Liang Cuihua was stunned: "Captain Zhao, I was just confused by anger, I spoke too quickly, I didn't mean it that way..."

"Quick-tongued? So according to you, anyone who's quick-tongued can verbally abuse others to death?"

Zhao Zhenxing turned to Ayina, his tone softening: "Girl, don't be afraid. I'll write a report about this. The commune will investigate her if they find out. We all see how hard you work. If you feel wronged, I'll help you apply for a transfer."

Ayina shook her head: "I'm not afraid of working, and I don't want to leave. I just hope that no one will treat me like I'm not human again."

Du Jianshan clenched his fist: "She won't be bullied anymore. I'm here."

Zhao Tieniu grinned: "We're all here! Anyone who dares to be so foul-mouthed isn't just a shrew, they're a criminal!"

Zhao Zhenxing nodded: "Okay! Shanzi, Tieniu, take her back to rest first. Tomorrow morning I will read a notice over the loudspeaker, calling out Liang Cuihua's name."

Liang Cuihua cried out, "Captain Zhao, please forgive me this time! I just blurted it out..."

"If you're so quick to talk, get out there and get to work! If you dare to say another word, I'll make you move to the back of the hill so you don't cause trouble for the villagers!"

The door was slammed shut, and the wind died down.

Sunlight streamed into the courtyard, and Ayina stood under a tree, silent for a long time.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Du Jianshan coughed lightly: "No need to thank me. Don't do the work alone anymore. With me here, who dares to bully you? They'll have to ask the hoe in my hand if it's okay."

Zhao Tieniu chuckled, "That's right! Me too, and the other commune members! We're not afraid of her throwing a tantrum, we're just afraid of her being so mean!"

In the distance, a mountain breeze swept across the wheat fields, creating a golden wave.

"Who made Du Jianshan help this woman dig the ground to earn work points?"

"Make him do the work for you during the day, and then hang him up with meat at night! Are all Uyghur girls this 'passionate' and unrestrained? Are you specifically targeting educated youth? Do you want them to take you back to the city to enjoy a life of luxury?"

These words are like a rusty knife, laced with discrimination and insult, piercing straight into people's hearts.

Alimihan, who was standing at the edge of the field, suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with anger. She was still holding the hoe that she had just dug out half a sweet potato, and she was trembling with rage: "Say that again!"

"What? Can't I say anything?" The woman retorted, her face full of disdain—it was Shi Fenglan, the village's notorious gossip, who had always disliked Alimihan. Hands on her hips, her tongue sharp as a knife, "Oh, you don't like hearing this? You're an outsider, coming to our team to eat and take work points, living here all alone, and you're not even proper! If it weren't for your seductive looks, who would even bother with you?"

Du Jianshan, who was carrying an old tree branch to pile firewood at the edge of the field, turned pale upon hearing this.

"Shut up!" He picked up the firewood and walked over. "If your mouth stays this filthy, do you believe I'll sew your mouth shut with a cow rope?"

"Oh ho, you're protecting her now?" Shi Fenglan wasn't afraid. "Du Jianshan, who do you think you are? You think you're a cadre just because you've hunted a few wild boars? Educated youth have to follow the rules! This isn't a place for you to flirt!"

"You dare to talk about rules?" Du Jianshan sneered. "Alimihan is more capable and more sensible than you. What makes you think you can compare? She came to help our village repair foundations and clear wasteland. She never slacked off or avoided work, and she earned her work points clearly. On the contrary, you, Fenglan, are always carrying a broken bucket around in the fields. At most, you wash radishes. You're always stirring up trouble."

"I...you!" Shi Fenglan choked, her face turning red as she glared at Alimihan. "She still has the nerve to steal my man? If she hadn't come, wouldn't that dog from the east end of the village still be working for me every day?"

"This is called dogs biting dogs." Zhang Ergou suddenly jumped out from the roadside behind, crunching on a sweet potato. "One of you chased people away, and the other didn't bother you when they came. Fenglan, have you no shame? If you keep causing trouble, I'll have the dogs bite you!"

"Zhang Ergou, shut up! You bachelor, look at yourself!" Shi Fenglan turned and scolded, "You're always freeloading, who cares about you!"

"Alright, Fenglan!" Zhao Tieniu walked over at this moment, his face serious. "You've gone too far. We're a production team, not a place for bickering! If you're really not convinced, we'll have a mass meeting tonight and we'll put it all out on the table and reason it out."

Alimihan finally calmed down, slowly stood up, and said in a soft but firm voice: "I'm not here to seduce anyone. I was assigned by the state to support the countryside. I earn work points just like everyone else, and I never slack off. If you really have any objections, go talk to the brigade secretary."

She looked at Shi Fenglan as she spoke, "You're talking nonsense like this, which not only hurts people's feelings but also chills everyone's conscience. You didn't eat the meat I brought, right? Then your child shouldn't come over for lunch this afternoon."

"Oh, look at you, threatening me now!" Shi Fenglan rolled her eyes and looked around. "Listen to this, these are outsiders, always trying to strangle us with food!"

The few members who were watching remained silent, and some even buried their heads in the ground, clearly standing on Alimihan's side.

Du Jianshan gave Feng Lan a cold look. "You deserve to not get any. Last time you secretly cut the corn husks that others were drying, and the team leader turned a blind eye. If you talk nonsense again today, I'll go to the brigade to report you and see if Team Leader Zhao will still protect you!"

"How dare you!" Shi Fenglan screamed, her eyes filled with resentment.

"What wouldn't I dare?" Du Jianshan threw the firewood on the ground. "You think there's no one here to deal with you?"

"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Zhao Tieniu frowned. "If you keep making a scene, things will really get out of hand. Fenglan, go back and rest. Your mouth has already caused trouble today."

Seeing that everyone was siding with Alimihan, Shi Fenglan rolled her eyes, snorted, lifted her clothes, and walked back, muttering to herself, "A bunch of idiots... they've gone mad from eating meat... they won't even have anyone to turn to when they cry later..."

The area finally quieted down.

Du Jianshan turned around, looked at Alimihan, and hesitated for a moment, "Are you... alright?"

"It's nothing." Alimihan pursed her lips, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm used to it."

"Use up my ass!" Zhang Ergou was furious and jumped up. "Brother Shanzi, why don't we go to the brigade meeting and make Fenglan admit her mistake in public? Otherwise, she'll keep framing people every day!"

Zhao Tieniu stopped him with one hand, "No need to make a big fuss. Everyone in the village has seen it all, and they all know who is right and who is wrong. Besides, Alimihan earns her own living and doesn't rely on a man, so we should respect her."

“Well, I’m telling you,” Zhang Ergou said with a sneer, “if she comes to cause trouble again, I don’t care if you guys do anything about it, I, Zhang Ergou, will be the first to throw her into the pigsty!”

These words made the commune members chuckle, and even Alimihan couldn't help but lower her head and smile, a smile that was somewhat forced but also carried a hint of warmth.

Du Jianshan looked at her and said in a deep voice, "From now on, you dig the ground, and I'll carry the firewood; you cook, and I'll protect the pot. Anyone who dares to say another word about you will have to get past me first."

In the firelight, the brown bear roared and pounced on nothing, its body suddenly tilting to the side, a large chunk of flesh on its neck torn open, blood spurting out!

"Got it!" Wang Tieniu exclaimed, but before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, the beast, as if it were unharmed, roared and pounced again!

"Damn it! This is bad!" Du Jianshan didn't have time to reload the second shot. He threw the homemade gun aside and rolled on the ground, barely avoiding the brown bear's sharp claws!

"Brother Shanzi!" Wang Tieniu was so frightened that he rushed forward with his machete.

"Don't come any closer!" Du Jianshan roared as he rolled over. "You're no match for it!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the brown bear, having missed its target, turned around and charged at Wang Tieniu with incredible speed, its massive body moving like the wind through the forest!

"It's got its eye on you! Get out of the way!"

Wang Tieniu's legs were so weak he could barely take a step, but seeing the bear pounce, he gritted his teeth, hid behind an old elm tree, and raised his knife to block it.

"Awoo!"

The bear's roar shook the entire forest. The old elm tree was violently struck by it, its bark flying off and its branches and leaves falling in a flurry!

"Damn it!" Wang Tieniu was so shocked that he fell to the ground, almost dropping the knife from his hand.

"Get out here! It's going to bite you by circling the tree!" Du Jianshan roared, already drawing his machete from his waist, and charged forward like a leopard.

Xiong Gang hunched his shoulders, intending to peer around the tree, when suddenly a whooshing sound came from behind him!

Du Jianshan roared, "Take this!"

"puff!"

A knife slashed into the brown bear's hind leg, and blood gushed out like a ripped sack! The bear let out a miserable cry, its hind legs buckled, and it collapsed to its knees!

"While it's down! Iron Bull—go!"

"Alright!" Wang Tieniu gritted his teeth and pounced forward, slashing at the bear's head with all his might. But as soon as the blade struck, the recoil almost split his hand open!

"Its hide is too thick! Use a pitchfork!"

Du Jianshan pressed one hand on the brown bear's back and reached behind his waist with the other hand—but found nothing.

"Where's the pitchfork?! Wasn't it stuck under the tree just now?"

"You left it on the ground! I'll go get it!" Wang Tieniu staggered over.

The brown bear, writhing in pain, sprang up, turned sharply, and swung its paw across Du Jianshan's shoulder!

"hiss--"

Du Jianshan was sent flying by the blow, crashing into a tree with a muffled groan, his face turning deathly pale instantly!

"Brother Shanzi!!" Wang Tieniu's eyes turned red. He rushed back like a madman, holding an iron fork, and plunged headfirst into the brown bear's side!

"Ughhhhhh!!"

The bear screamed repeatedly, struggling to stand up, but its hind legs were useless and an iron fork was stuck in its belly. It could only roll around on the ground desperately!

Du Jianshan gritted his teeth and forced himself to get up. His face was covered in blood, and his shoulder was bright red, but his eyes revealed a fierce look!

"Press down its head! Don't let it turn around!"

"We can't control it! It's too strong!"

"Damn it, let's go for it!" Du Jianshan roared, pulled out his leg straps from his waist, and swung them at the bear's mouth!

The leather strap wrapped around the brown bear's jaw, and he pounced on it, tightening the belt with all his might: "Die!"

"Awoooooo—!"

The bear let out a mournful howl, kicking wildly with its four paws, its massive body struggling incessantly.

"Wang Tieniu, stab it in the heart!"

"I can't find it—it flips too fast!"

"Don't panic! Go to your left rear rib, count down to the third rib, and then go inwards for about three inches!"

How did you know?

"You've killed more bears than you've eaten meals! Do as I say!"

Alright!

Wang Tieniu took a deep breath, raised the iron fork, and stabbed it into that spot!

"puff!"

This time, the fork went all the way in, penetrating nearly halfway!

The brown bear froze, let out a low growl that sounded like a mournful cry, then churned with blood and foam, convulsed twice, and finally went still.

The entire forest fell into a deathly silence.

Only the heavy breathing of the two echoed through the mountains and forests.

"Damn it..." Wang Tieniu slumped to the ground, his face covered in mud and blood, his head tilted back as he gasped for breath, "This bear... almost killed me..."

Du Jianshan sat down against the tree, took a breath, and said, "This beast weighs at least six or seven hundred pounds... In a one-on-one fight, we've escaped with our lives."

“That’s right…” Wang Tieniu looked down. “Hey? My pants are all wet? Did I pee my pants from fright?”

"Come on, you were the one who got swatted by a bear's claw and fell into a puddle." Du Jianshan rolled his eyes. "But if you really peed your pants from fright, I'll accept it. A city person would have fainted from fright by now."

Wang Tieniu chuckled twice, then his expression suddenly changed: "How's your injury? That last blow..."

Du Jianshan raised his hand and saw that his clothes on his left shoulder were torn and bleeding profusely. It seemed that the bone had been cracked. He gritted his teeth and said, "It's not broken... but it's dislocated."

"You'd better hurry back! Otherwise, what if you ruin your arm?"

Du Jianshan shook his head: "No rush, let's deal with the bear first. If we leave it here, the wild dogs will drag it away."

"You can still move?"

“I can’t move, but I can give orders.” Du Jianshan glanced at him. “You’re strong. Go find some thick wooden poles and we’ll build a makeshift stretcher.”

"Alright!" Wang Tieniu didn't waste any words and turned to go into the woods.

Before long, he carried back a few thick wooden poles and some bark and vines, and with some effort, he built a frame. He then rummaged through his basket and found some salt and strips of cloth.

"You little rascal, you're still carrying salt on your clothes?"

“Do you think I’d dare go up the mountain with you without bringing salt?” Wang Tieniu laughed. “Didn’t you say you’d process the game on the spot? Applying some salt can help prevent spoilage.”

Du Jianshan nodded: "Alright, don't skin it, just carry the bear back. Old Li will make dried meat."

"Can the two of us lift it?"

"Tie the bear's leg to a tree trunk, one end can drag on the ground, we can walk slowly. If it really doesn't work, go back and call someone."

After packing up, the two stumbled down the mountain. Du Jianshan's left arm was dislocated, and he was in so much pain that his face turned pale, but he gritted his teeth and endured it without even groaning.

Halfway up the mountain, they ran into Li Sixi and Zhou Shuanzhu, who were hurrying up to catch up.

"Hey, hey, hey! What happened to you two?" Li Sixi was stunned when he saw the blood and bear carcass on the ground. "You killed a bear?!"

"Nonsense, otherwise my shoulder wouldn't be in this state," Du Jianshan said casually. "Come on, lend a hand."

"Oh my goodness..." Zhou Shuanzhu was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses. "What a feat this must be! Killing a brown bear! No one in our village has dared to touch one in ten years..."

"Let's talk about it when we get back to the village, it's getting dark." Du Jianshan sighed. "Staying alive is the most important thing."

Several people worked together to drag the bear back to the village, where a crowd had already gathered at the entrance.

"Get out of the way!"

"What did you hit?"

"This isn't... a brown bear?! Am I seeing things?"

"It really is! It's a bear! Oh my god—"

There was an immediate uproar!

Du Jianshan's lips were pale. He glanced around, his eyes calm as still water: "Don't shout. Find the captain first. Quickly weigh the bear, put it on the scale, and record it."

"Did you all hear that!" Wang Tieniu shouted at the top of his lungs, "Brother Shanzi dislocated his shoulder, yet he still commanded the fight against a whole bear. Anyone who dares to renege on their promise, I'll be the first to object!"

Upon hearing this and looking at the bear carcass, the commune members were immediately filled with fervor.

Our village is going to become famous!

"That's real skill!"

"Du Jianshan, you've done a great job this time!"

"From now on, we'll have to listen to him when we hunt!"

Amid the clamor of the crowd, Du Jianshan looked up and glanced into the distance. The night was deep in the mountains and forests.

He said calmly, "Stop arguing. We still have to go up the mountain tomorrow to see if there are any cubs in the bear den. If there are, that'll be real trouble..."

Everyone was startled, then responded in unison, "We'll listen to Brother Shanzi!"

Du Jianshan nodded, but his heart sank.

The gunpowder exploded, thick smoke billowed up, and Wang Tieniu's old-fashioned homemade gun almost bounced off his shoulder. The recoil was so strong that he leaned back and fell on his butt.

"roar--!"

The brown bear let out a deafening roar, as if a bomb had been lit, its body jerked violently, and blood gushed from its back, creating a gaping hole. But this wound was not fatal to this bear, which weighed over a hundred pounds.

Its body paused for a moment, but that pause was only momentary.

"Brother Shanzi—watch out!!"

Wang Tieniu roared hoarsely, watching helplessly as the brown bear roared again and pounced on Du Jianshan.

"Tie Niu! Lie down!"

Du Jianshan let out a low growl, rolled sharply to the side, and swung his homemade gun almost skimming the ground—

"Bang!"

The second shot!

This time it was a head-on engagement. The flashlight illuminated the brown bear's outstretched fangs, and the bullet struck the side of the bear's forehead at close range. The smell of gunpowder, blood, and the stench of wild beasts assaulted the nostrils all at once!

The brown bear swayed, its front paws slamming heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of fallen leaves and dust.

"Not dead yet... This beast is really tough!" Du Jianshan gritted his teeth.

"Ah...it, it's going to pounce again!"

Wang Tieniu got up, backed away while picking up stones from the ground and throwing them like a madman.

"Bang! Bang!"

Several stones hit the brown bear like they hit a wall; they did nothing but provoke it.

"Don't panic! Don't run!"

Du Jianshan roared, his eyes catching sight of the unused long fork not far away. He gritted his teeth, lunged forward, rolled over to the fork, and grabbed it.

"You beast! Come here!"

He stood up backwards, gripping the iron fork in both hands, his body slightly crouched, as calm as a mountain wolf ready to pounce at any moment.

The brown bear seemed to have its bestial instincts aroused by the human's madness. It opened its blood-red maw and approached step by step. The pool of blood on its chest stained its chest fur, making it look even more ferocious and terrifying.

"Brother Shanzi! I...I'll add more medicine! You hold on!"

Wang Tieniu knelt on the ground, his hands trembling with fear as he reached for the gunpowder pouch in his pocket, but his fingers were shaking so badly that he couldn't manage to put it in.

"Don't panic! Don't panic! It's injured!"

Du Jianshan spoke coldly, his eyes fixed on the brown bear.

This is a standoff where whoever retreats first dies.

"Come on, you bastard!"

He suddenly took a step forward and thrust his long fork out fiercely!

"Sizzle—!"

The long fork struck the brown bear squarely in the chest, the three-pronged hunting fork digging deep into the fur and flesh!

"roar--!!"

The brown bear roared in pain and pounced on Du Jianshan like a madman, smashing him to the ground with tremendous force, sending his fork flying.

"Brother Shanzi—!!!"

Wang Tieniu finally finished loading the gunpowder, hurriedly inserted the fuse, and a burst of flame shot out—

"Bang!!"

Another shot!

This time, it hit the brown bear right in the neck!

The brown bear could no longer hold on; it swayed and collapsed to the ground with a thud, causing the ground to tremble.

"call--"

The surrounding mountains and forests seemed to fall silent all at once.

Du Jianshan was panting heavily as he looked at the enormous creature lying in front of him. Cold sweat poured down his face, and his palms were raw and bleeding.

"Dead...dead?"

Wang Tieniu, carrying a gun, rushed over, his steps trembling. "Brother Shanzi, are you alright?"

"Damn it, I almost died." Du Jianshan stood up, looked at his arm, and saw that his sleeve had been torn by a bear's claws, with blood seeping through.

"Your arm is bleeding!" Wang Tieniu exclaimed.

"Just a superficial wound." Du Jianshan gritted his teeth. "Your two shots were well-placed. If it weren't for you, I might really be minced meat in a bear's mouth today."

Wang Tieniu wiped his sweat and slumped to the ground.

"My... my legs are weak. Brother Shanzi, you're pushing yourself too hard!"

"We have to fight, no matter what." Du Jianshan said as he bent down to examine the bear carcass. "This bear weighs at least 300 pounds. We've hit the jackpot today."

"How are we going to get this thing back? By the two of us? We'd have to carry it half the night!"

"Call for help." Du Jianshan stood up and whistled.

Not far away, Xiao Hei and Er Hu had already been attracted by the gunshots. They rushed out of the forest with hunting forks in hand, and were dumbfounded when they saw the large brown bear on the ground.

"My goodness!"

Erhu's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Brother Shanzi! You really killed it?!"

"Nonsense." Du Jianshan sneered, "Go down the mountain and call some people to find a cart. Bear hair, bear gallbladders, bear paws, they're all treasures. I'd feel bad if I threw any of them into the mountains."

"Alright! I'm off!"

Erhu ran off in a flash, without even looking back.

Xiao Hei squatted down, blinking as he looked at the brown bear's head. "Brother Shanzi, how... how did you kill it? That bullet hole in its head... that's really brutal."

"Tie Niu's shot."

"What?!" Xiao Hei stared at Wang Tieniu, wide-eyed. "You hit him?!"

"I...I guessed."

Wang Tieniu smiled sheepishly, "I didn't even aim, I just pulled the trigger with my eyes closed."

"You can hit it even with your eyes closed?!" Xiao Hei exclaimed, mouth agape. "Your marksmanship... is amazing!"

"Stop flattering me," Du Jianshan sighed. "We're just lucky today, we're unlucky."

He looked up at the darkening sky and said coldly, "How many things can this mountain attract in one night? Quick, prepare the bear blood, and we'll also need to pick out some bear bones later."

Xiao Hei did as instructed.

...

By the time Erhu arrived with the villagers, it was almost dark.

"Shanzi! You really killed a bear?!"

"Damn it! What a bear!"

"This thing can probably be exchanged for a few hundred dollars, right?!"

"They have bear paws and bear gallbladders! These are rare items that you can't buy even with a ticket!"

"How many years has it been since we've seen this thing in our village? The last time was before Liberation when Uncle Li ran into it, and he said he got crippled by it."

For a moment, everyone gathered around the bear carcass and discussed it animatedly.

Du Jianshan waved his hand: "Alright, alright, stop talking and not doing anything! First, push the cart up, tie it up tightly, and we have to haul it back to the village tonight."

"lift!"

Seven or eight men worked together to turn the brown bear over, tie it up, and put it on the vehicle.

Wang Tieniu turned and glanced at the woods. "Brother Shanzi, tell me... how did this bear get into this area?"

Du Jianshan squinted at the depths of the forest and said in a deep voice, "It's probably not a coincidence. The forest on the other side of the mountain has been heavily logged, and the animal trails have changed. This bear came around from the other side of the ridge."

"What if... there's another one?"

His tone turned serious, and the crowd erupted in an uproar.

"You mean...you have companions?"

“Bears usually travel in pairs, especially during mating season.”

"Oh dear, we'll have to be careful then."

Du Jianshan nodded: "Next time we go up the mountain, we have to bring dogs and lookouts. Keep a close eye on things, so we don't get caught red-handed like this again."

"Okay! I'll do as Brother Shanzi says!"

"Brother Shanzi needs to drink a bowl of bear soup tonight to boost his courage!"

"Yes! Let's stew bear paws tonight!"

"Let Old Xu from the cookhouse make us a pot of spicy stew!"

Amidst a burst of laughter from the crowd, they dragged their catch down the mountain into the night.

In the darkness of the forest, from a certain direction, a deep, guttural roar echoed from afar…

Du Jianshan listened for a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said in a low voice, "I'm afraid... there really is another one."

He turned to Wang Tieniu and said, "Let's go up the mountain again first thing tomorrow morning."

Wang Tieniu shuddered in fright: "Brother Shanzi, this courage... Didn't we just escape with our lives today?"

Du Jianshan smiled faintly: "If we really want to save the lives of everyone in the village, we have to clean up the mess as soon as possible, otherwise, entering the village at night will be a disaster."

"Yes, you're right."

Wang Tieniu gripped his hunting rifle tightly, looked up at the star-studded night sky, but his heart felt heavier than the night itself.

There's never just one bear in the mountains...