“We’ve buried all the snares, and we’ve also checked the animal trails we marked yesterday.” Li Laiwang brandished his hunting knife. “The wind is blowing right tonight, so we’re guaranteed to have plenty of game.”

"Okay." A rare smile appeared on Du Jianshan's lips. "Don't forget, we have to deliver twenty catties of pork to the supply and marketing cooperative before tonight, otherwise the team's New Year's goods distribution will all be ruined."

Li Laiwang nodded, "Don't worry, Brother Jianshan, I'm fine with not sleeping tonight."

As dusk fell, the woods grew quiet; apart from the occasional bird call, even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

The two moved silently, their footsteps barely making a sound on the thick layer of pine needles. They circled around to a low-lying area, a waterhole frequented by wild boars, where the bark of the nearby trees showed signs of recent scraping.

"It's still fresh." Du Jianshan squatted down and touched the muddy ground, his fingers slightly damp. "The big one, I estimate it weighs at least 300 jin."

Li Laiwang's eyes lit up, "If we really catch him, everyone in our team can get a big piece of meat!"

"Don't be too happy yet," Du Jianshan said in a low voice. "The air pressure is low today, and the animals are on alert. We'll have to wait a bit longer."

The two hid on the spot and waited.

As night gradually fell, the forest, like a black cloth, enveloped everything. Moonlight dappled the treetops, and occasionally a night bird would fly by, fluttering briefly before falling silent again.

After about half an hour, Li Laiwang suddenly tugged at Du Jianshan's sleeve, "Brother, there's movement."

Du Jianshan pricked up his ears, and sure enough, he heard a heavy "humming" sound coming from afar, along with the faint sound of branches breaking.

"Here it comes," he said softly.

Sure enough, a large, dark creature slowly appeared in the moonlight-drenched open space. It was an adult male wild boar with long, curved tusks, alert eyes, and constantly sniffing the air.

“That’s it.” A glint flashed in Du Jianshan’s eyes. “Lead it to the east and wait for me to make my move.”

Li Laiwang nodded and quietly slipped out from the side, clutching a piece of fried bran cake he had brought from home. It smelled delicious and was specifically meant to attract wild boars.

Sure enough, the wild boar smelled it, its ears twitched, and it slowly moved eastward.

Just as it lowered its head to sniff the cake, Du Jianshan suddenly leaped out, the rope flashing out like lightning, tightly wrapping around the boar's neck. The wild boar roared angrily, struggling violently, its four hooves kicking the ground, its nostrils flaring, seemingly about to break free.

"Hold on!" Du Jianshan shouted through gritted teeth, the other end of the rope already tied to the tree, using the tree trunk for leverage.

Li Laiwang also pounced forward, trapping the boar's hind leg from the side. With a flash of his hunting knife, he plunged it deep into the wild boar's shoulder blade.

"Awooo—!"

With a scream, the wild boar struggled wildly, as if trying to turn the sky upside down. Du Jianshan's face was splattered with mud, but his eyes grew colder, and his hands tightened like steel hoops.

"Keep your head down!" he roared.

Li Laiwang pounced on the wild boar and pinned its head down. The wild boar finally exhausted itself, kicked its four hooves, and collapsed to the ground.

The two sat on the ground, panting heavily, and remained silent for a long time.

"Well done." Du Jianshan patted Li Laiwang on the shoulder. "We'll have meat tonight."

"Haha—that's why following Brother Jianshan means you get to eat meat!" Li Laiwang laughed like a child.

"Alright, stop having so much fun. Once we've finished packing and loading, we need to get to the supply and marketing cooperative before dawn." Du Jianshan stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Our village can't fall behind on this New Year's goods trip."

They cleaned the wild boars, tied them to bamboo frames, and carried them down the mountain, one on each side.

Upon reaching the village entrance, several houses already had their lights on. The old Party Secretary, Wang Dazhu, was standing in front of the ancestral hall smoking his pipe when he saw them approaching and hurried to greet them.

"Jianshan, Laiwang, what's going on here—"

"The pigs are here." Du Jianshan put down the bamboo rack. "Three hundred and twenty catties."

Wang Dazhu's eyes lit up. "Great! This is the first New Year's gift for our village this year—a fantastic start!"

The villagers nearby also gathered around, marveling at the sight.

"Jianshan truly lives up to his reputation as the village's tiger!"

"Laiwang is a capable kid, he's got a lot of energy!"

Du Jianshan smiled but didn't say anything. He just looked towards the eastern horizon, where the sky was already turning a pale white.

The night's hard work brought joy to the entire village.

"Well, last night I went for a walk in Beilinggou and came across a lone wild rabbit. I caught it with a dart. I marinated it overnight and braised it this morning." Du Jianshan grinned, his face full of pride.

Several newly arrived young men, their mouths watering, cautiously approached the bunk. Du Jianshan glared at them: "What are you looking at? The rabbit meat is right there, grab a piece and eat! This is your first time coming down the mountain with us, have some of our hunted meat and share in the joy!"

A tall, thin boy hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently tore off a piece of meat, whispering, "Brother Du, my name is Li Dazhi, and I'm from Shiya Village."

“Li Dazhi? Good, I’ll remember that.” Du Jianshan patted him on the shoulder. “From now on, come with us when we run in the mountains. Be brave. There are a lot of rules in the mountains. Don’t just think about food.”

"I'll remember, Brother Du." Li Dazhi nodded, his face showing some excitement.

On the other side, a dark-skinned young man tore off a large piece of rabbit meat, crunching it loudly, and grinned, "It's so delicious, even better than the meat my mother makes."

"That's right, with Brother Du's skills, he could open a restaurant in the county." Old Zhao chimed in from the side, taking a sip of corn soup from a rough porcelain bowl and wiping his mouth. "You guys remember this, hunting in the mountains isn't just about your legs, you also need a keen eye. Brother Du can spot rabbits in a second, you guys are still green."

“Old Zhao is right.” Du Jianshan nodded. “You can’t rely on passion alone. In some places in the mountains, you can’t even find a bone fragment if you step on it.”

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became more serious.

"We'll rest tonight and set off early tomorrow morning. Our target is that old forest at Houya Ridge." Du Jianshan said, pulling a tattered map from under his bedding and spreading it out on his lap. "We don't usually dare to go into that forest. I heard that someone saw a roe deer and a badger there recently."

"Brother Du, those badgers are tough to deal with." Old Zhao frowned. "Last time we saw the badger king, it almost scratched our ankles off."

"What are we afraid of! As long as we form a good formation and don't run around, even the most cunning badger can't escape our trap." Du Jianshan pointed to the map with bright eyes and said, "This ridge is their usual route. I'll take two young men to set the trap ahead of time. Old Zhao, you take the men to surround them from the west, and the rest of you will stay in the center and wait for my whistle to act."

"Understood!" everyone replied in unison.

"Those who have eaten their fill, go sharpen your knives and crossbows. Make sure you have salt, dry rations, water pouches, and that—Zhao Laosi! Take your newly made insect repellent ointment too!"

"Alright!" Zhao Laosi laughed and took out a few small earthenware jars from his backpack, handing them to everyone. "Put some on your neck and trouser legs, so you don't get bitten by leeches later."

Night had fallen, and the mountain wind rustled the tent flaps. Everyone gathered around the fire, chatting and laughing.

"Brother Du," Wang Tieniu licked his fingers, "how come you're so good at mountain climbing? What did you do before?"

Du Jianshan lowered his head and poked at the fire, remaining silent for a few seconds. "Back then... I served in the army, specializing in reconnaissance. Once, I was trapped deep in the mountains for three whole days, surviving on a dagger and two grains of dry rations. After that, I knew that mountains can nourish people, but they can also devour them."

The crowd fell silent, the firelight flickering on their faces, and no one spoke.

“So you newcomers must stick close to the team.” Du Jianshan’s voice was deep and firm. “The mountain doesn’t recognize people, but you have to recognize the mountain.”

"Yes!" Li Dazhi looked up, his eyes shining.

The next morning, before the fog had completely dissipated, everyone set off with their dry rations and tools.

"Walk slowly, don't break any branches." Du Jianshan walked in front, carrying a long wooden cane, his eyes like an eagle's.

The forest was filled with the chirping of birds, and every now and then a squirrel would leap from the branch to the ground. The mountain path was rugged, slippery, and difficult to traverse, but no one complained.

When they reached the halfway point of the mountain, Old Zhao suddenly whispered, "Brother Du, the grass over there moved a little."

Du Jianshan waved his hand, and everyone crouched down. He crept closer, concealing himself with leaves, and parted the grass to reveal a small gray badger rooting in the ground.

“That’s it,” Du Jianshan said in a low voice. “It should be the baby badger from that den.”

"Should we arrest them?" Wang Tieniu asked, eager to try.

“No.” Du Jianshan shook his head. “The smaller one is here, and the larger one is definitely not far away. We can’t alert them. Let’s continue setting up the trap as planned.”

The group nodded silently and walked around the patch of grass. Soon they came to a hollow in the hillside, the perfect spot to set a trap. Du Jianshan bent down and skillfully buried the trap among the fallen leaves.

"Tie Niu, Da Zhi, you two come with me to the crossroads on the east side of Bu." Du Jianshan called to the two men, while the rest joined Lao Zhao.

On the way, Wang Tieniu asked in a low voice, "Brother Du, do you really think that badger will come from this side?"

“It has a habitual route.” Du Jianshan smiled. “Wild beasts may be wild, but they also have their own nature.”

"What if we catch them? Kill them?" Li Dazhi hesitated.

“We’re not cruel,” Du Jianshan said calmly. “We hunt for food, not for killing. If we kill a badger, we need to use its whole body. Badger oil can be used in medicine, badger skin can be made into boots, and badger meat can be made into preserved meat. Aren’t they all valuable?”

Li Dazhi nodded, as if he understood something.

In the afternoon, a whistle broke the silence of the woods.

"It's starting!" Du Jianshan squatted down, tightened the rope in his hand, and stared intently at the area where the traps were set.

Suddenly, a gray shadow darted out of the bushes like lightning, heading straight for the ambush area.

"Retract!" Du Jianshan gave the order, and the three of them pulled the lasso sharply. With a "snap," the gray figure struggled twice and fell to the ground.

"It's it!" Wang Tieniu rushed forward to see, and saw that it was an adult badger with exposed fangs and fierce eyes, which was twisting wildly even though it was caught in a trap.

"Don't get too close!" Du Jianshan waved his hand, then stepped forward and slit its throat, ending its struggle.

The crowd gathered around, their faces beaming with excitement.

"This is top-quality badger, it's really something!" Old Zhao exclaimed in amazement. "We've made a fortune this time."

Zhao Youcai grimaced and clutched his waist, struggling to sit up. His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Du...Du Jianshan, you went too far! In the dead of winter, the ground was as frozen as stone. My old bones almost broke!"

"Hmph," Du Jianshan sneered disdainfully, "Weren't you just shouting that I caught that deer by luck? Why don't you say it again?"

"I just spoke a little too quickly... Brother, don't take it to heart." Zhao Youcai smiled apologetically, patting the snow off his clothes. "You did a great job, you're awesome, I admit defeat, okay?"

Du Jianshan didn't reply. He turned around and picked up his old rifle, saying, "The deer in the mountains have become very clever these days. They run away as soon as they hear any noise. Being able to shoot one isn't about having good eyesight. It's about you spending all day squatting in the woods, watching the wind and following the animal trails. Can you do that?"

"I can't do that." Zhao Youcai shook his head, stood up and stretched a few times. "I'm not very bright, my eyesight is bad, and I'm most afraid of deep forests. We're better off going beachcombing, catching clams or digging for oysters, that's more reliable."

Du Jianshan glanced at him and said, "With your skills, you could capsize even while beachcombing."

Zhao Youcai chuckled: "That's because you're protecting me."

As the two were talking, they suddenly heard a few chaotic bird calls coming from deep in the woods, as if they had been startled. Du Jianshan immediately squatted down, pressed his ear to the ground, and frowned: "No, the noise coming from the south... sounds like wild boars."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Youcai shrank back behind Du Jianshan in fright: "No way... These days, wild boars are so hungry they'll even gnaw on tree bark. If we run into them, they'll probably eat the bones too."

Du Jianshan ignored him, pulled the safety off his shotgun, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "The opportunity has come."

Zhao Youcai almost collapsed to the ground: "You really want to go? We're not in charge of this forest! What if there's a whole litter of wild boars? If you fire your old gun, they'll all charge at you. Wouldn't that be suicide?"

"If I don't go, who will?" Du Jianshan said without turning his head. "The family behind our mountain just had their vegetable garden destroyed by wild boars a couple of days ago, and they even ate two of their chickens. Didn't you listen to Old Liu from the village? This forest needs to be cleared out, otherwise how will we celebrate the New Year?"

Zhao Youcai opened his mouth, but ultimately kept it silent. He knew that Du Jianshan never took back what he said.

"Let's go, don't be so scared you wet your pants," Du Jianshan said softly, already stepping onto the south slope.

Zhao Youcai muttered quietly, "If I weren't quick on my feet, I would have been dragged into a pig's belly by you today."

The mountain forest was deep and secluded, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, making it somewhat slippery. Du Jianshan crouched down as he made his way forward, constantly scanning his surroundings and stopping from time to time to test the wind direction with his hand.

“The wind is blowing from the southwest,” he said in a low voice. “We’ll take the route from the northeast; it has a keen sense of smell, so we’ll have to go around it.”

"This wind is making my face numb," Zhao Youcai complained. "Why don't you go around by yourself, and I'll stay here and watch the house for you?"

Du Jianshan turned to look at him: "Say it again?"

"I...I just said my face was numb from the wind..." Zhao Youcai shrank his neck and obediently followed.

After circling around for a while, the two finally stopped behind a patch of overgrown bushes. Du Jianshan gently parted a clump of thorns in front of him, and a strong, fishy smell wafted out.

"See that?" he whispered.

Zhao Youcai peeked out and, sure enough, in a depression not far ahead, a gray-black wild boar was rooting in the ground, followed by two smaller ones, snorting white vapor from its nose and occasionally flicking its ears.

"Aren't we all family..." Zhao Youcai gasped, "You really dare to touch us?"

Du Jianshan didn't answer, his gaze fixed intently on the large boar. He slowly raised his hunting rifle, his eyes as focused as an eagle's, his finger on the trigger.

“Youcai, prepare a rope for me. I’ll shoot it dead, so don’t let it break free.”

Zhao Youcai frantically unpacked his backpack and pulled out a rope: "You...you can really hit the target with one shot?"

"Shut up."

"good……"

"Bang--"

The moment the shotgun fired, the entire forest seemed to tremble. The wild boar let out a miserable cry, its front legs buckled, and it collapsed heavily to its knees, but then it struggled frantically, letting out angry roars.

"The two younger ones ran away!" Zhao Youcai roared.

"Big one, don't let it get away!" Du Jianshan had already thrown down his hunting rifle and pounced on it, pinning the wild boar down on its back like a cheetah, while his machete slashed fiercely at its neck.

The wild boar roared and struggled, spraying blood everywhere.

Zhao Youcai's legs trembled with fear: "I told you to slow down, this thing isn't quite dead yet!"

"Here! A rope!"

Zhao Youcai's hand trembled, and he threw the rope over. Du Jianshan quickly grabbed the wild boar's neck and pulled hard, finally killing the huge creature.

He plopped down in the snow, covered in blood, panting heavily: "Now... the village will have New Year's goods."

Zhao Youcai looked at him with admiration in his eyes, his mouth opening and closing for a long time before he finally managed to utter, "Du Jianshan, you're a real man."

Du Jianshan waved his hand: "Stop with the nonsense, hurry up and tie it up for me, it'll be hard to walk on the road when it gets dark."

"Ugh—this thing must weigh around 300 pounds, right? You're trying to kill me with exhaustion!"

"If you're not tired, who will be?"

"Then give me more meat."

"Okay, I'll share the pig's head meat with you later."

"Damn, I knew you were my brother!"

The two of them chatted and laughed as they pulled the wild boar up, tied it with a thick rope, used a tree trunk as a carrying pole, and carried it down the mountain, one in front of the other.

The mountain wind howled, and the snow fell lightly, leaving two deep footprints in the forest, as well as a string of red marks left by wild boar blood, which were particularly eye-catching against the white snow.

Zhao Youcai said breathlessly, "Du Jianshan, how exactly did you train? Your marksmanship and skills are comparable to those of us back in the army."

Du Jianshan just smiled and didn't say anything, his eyes gazing at the village not far below the mountain, a hint of contemplation in his eyes.

"I didn't learn these skills for myself," he said calmly.

"What's the reason for that?"

"So that in the future, no one in our village will go hungry."

Zhao Youcai was stunned for a moment, looking at his blood-stained yet clear and resolute profile, and felt a strange shock in his heart.

"Let's go home."

"Brother Jianshan, this sandstorm is really fierce. Last night I heard sand grains hitting the window on the kang (heated brick bed), making a whooshing sound, like hail." Li Gui muttered as he tightened his belt.

Du Jianshan grinned and said, "The stronger the sandstorm, the more the mountain shape changes. Let's go early and come back early, before the sun gets too high and it gets too hot on the mountain."

Wang San looked up at the mountaintop and said, "This time, the badger dens will probably have to be moved. We'll probably have to re-explore our familiar hunting dens as well."

"Let's start by looking at the Black Pine Ridge area. There's a waterway there, and no matter how strong the wind is, the aquatic animals can't leave."

The three walked along the mountain path, the sand still clinging to their feet, making a squeaking sound as they stepped on it. Du Jianshan walked in front, occasionally squatting down to examine the footprints.

“There are rabbit footprints here, fresh ones,” he said, pointing to a mark on the sand.

Li Gui leaned over and took a look: "Yes, the hind footprints are deeper than the front footprints, so they went northeast."

Du Jianshan nodded: "Let's not rush to catch up. Let's go around the area according to plan first and get a clear understanding of the terrain."

The wind was still howling on the mountain, making it hard to open one's eyes. Du Jianshan squinted as he studied the mountain's terrain, occasionally pulling out his notebook to sketch a few lines. The old locust trees on the ridge were leaning even more severely, and several new sand gullies had appeared in the pine forest, as if they had been blown out by the wind overnight.

“Look over there!” Wang San suddenly whispered, “There’s a new crack in the rock.”

The three of them rushed over to take a look. The crevice in the rock was the place where they used to often stake out. The rock that used to block it was now half a foot wide, and there was a faint animal smell coming from below.

Du Jianshan touched it: "There's a chance. Let's come back here tonight and maybe we'll run into a badger or a weasel."

“There’s also Goat Cliff over there, do you want to go take a look?” Li Gui asked.

"Let's not go there. Let's explore this mountain valley first and get down before noon. We can then discuss our strategy when we get back."

The three of them walked around most of the area, examining several old hunting dens. Some were buried in sand, while others were completely unrecognizable. On the way back, Du Jianshan said as they walked:

"The mountain shape has changed quite a bit this time, so we have to find new badger dens and the routes that wild animals take are different now. But there are advantages too, like those cracks in the rocks that we never had the chance to go into before."

Wang San said with a smile, "This is the job of us mountain herders. When the earth shakes or the mountains change, we have to change accordingly."

Back in the village, the sun was just above the treetops. Du Jianshan, wiping his sweat, asked, "Where's Ahua? Didn't she say she went to the beach?"

Wang San said, "I just saw her coming back from over there carrying a harpoon and a small bucket in her hand."

When Du Jianshan arrived at his doorstep, he indeed saw Ahua squatting by the well washing a bucket, with several crabs still jumping around in it.

"You're back?" Ahua looked up and smiled. "Look at me, I've had a great day."

Du Jianshan walked over and asked, "Where did these come from? These crabs are so big, you rarely see them even when you're out beachcombing."

Ahua handed the bucket to him: "The usual spot. The beach has shrunk a bit due to the wind, and the tide has risen closer to the reef area. Places that we usually can't step on are now safe to walk on. I braved the early tide today and found a bunch of crabs hiding in the crevices of the rocks. I almost touched a few eels too."

"Great job, Ahua, this is even better than what we had on the mountain." Du Jianshan praised her while smiling at her. "Tell me, what's become of that beach?"

"What used to be flat sandy beach has now been replaced by several reefs, and the waterway has also turned a corner. There's a small bay to the east, which is good for catching sea urchins and sea cucumbers. But you have to go early, because it will be flooded when the tide goes out."

"Alright, I'll draw a map tonight, and you can take me to see it tomorrow. We need to adjust our beachcombing route."

At this moment, Du Jianshan's mother poked her head out of the house: "You two are back? Come in and have some hot food. The breakfast you had this morning probably wasn't enough."

"Mom, I'm coming." Du Jianshan called out as he turned around, then said to Ahua, "After you finish eating, take a rest. We need to have a small meeting this afternoon to decide on the route for our mountain and sea excursion."

After lunch, Du Jianshan set up a small table in the yard and invited Wang San, Li Gui, Ahua, and several experienced mountain and sea hunters from the village.

"Let me first tell you about the situation on the mountain." Du Jianshan spread out the map he had drawn that morning. "There are rocky crevices in the Black Pine Ridge area, which are new hunting spots. The badger dens on the west slope are basically buried by sand, so we have to change our route. We can set traps at the old badger den, but it's not advisable to stay there for too long."

Wang San added, "There are rabbit footprints near that new crevice, which may be an escape route. We can try setting two traps tonight."

"What about beachcombing?" Du Jianshan asked Ahua.

Ahua took out her little map: "I marked all the newly appeared reefs. The new bay at the far east is good for early tide beachcombing. Today I also found crab holes behind that sand dune, probably a whole nest of them."

An old seaman from the village came over to look and said, "Hey, this place used to be deep water, but now you can walk on it?"

“Yes,” Ahua nodded. “I guess the sandstorm has shifted the sand belt and changed the terrain. We need to hurry these days, and if the wind gets stronger again, it might cover everything up again.”

Du Jianshan stood up and tapped the table: "Then let's do it this way. We'll split into two groups. One group will keep an eye on the new cracks and rabbit trails in the mountains, and the other group will keep an eye on the new bays and reefs by the sea. We'll take turns. The people in the mountains will stay at night, and the people by the sea will go during the day."

Everyone nodded in agreement, some rubbing their hands together in anticipation: "This is an opportunity. Although the sandstorm is fierce, it has also brought new hunting spots."

“You guys keep watch on the mountain tonight, and Ahua and I will go to the beach again tomorrow morning,” Du Jianshan said.

Ahua smiled and nodded: "I'll prepare extra salt and baskets, just in case there's a big harvest and we can't hold onto it."

Everyone burst into laughter.

That evening, Du Jianshan, along with Wang San and Li Gui, went up the mountain again, set up makeshift shelters by the cracked rock, and prepared to lie in wait. The mountain wind was still howling, and dark clouds were faintly visible rolling in the sky.

"It might rain tonight," Li Gui said, looking up at the sky.

“Rain is even better; the animals will be more active.” Du Jianshan nodded. “You two guard one side, and I’ll handle the gap in the middle.”

They stood guard quietly, as time passed by, with the occasional cry of a mountain bird startled into flight in the distance.

Suddenly, Wang San whispered, "There's movement."

Du Jianshan immediately made a gesture, and everyone held their breath. A rustling sound came from the crevice in the rock, and then a grayish-yellow figure slowly poked its head out—it was a weasel!

Du Jianshan gently raised his hunting rifle, but didn't pull the trigger. He watched as the weasel looked around, then slowly crawled out of the crevice and disappeared on the other side of the ravine.

He lowered his gun and said in a low voice, "Remember this time. It will be deployed every day at this time."

The three continued to keep watch until dawn, when they packed up and went down the mountain. On their way back to the village, they saw Ahua standing on the rocks by the sea, waving to them.

Du Jianshan looked at the reddish sky in the distance and grinned: "Once this sandstorm passes, new roads will open up between the mountains and the sea, and our lives will get better."

"Silly boy, what nonsense are you talking about!" Du Jianshan laughed heartily. "We're brothers in the same boat. We can't forget the newcomers when someone has something to eat. Eat! Only when you're full will you have the strength to go up the mountain and down to the sea!"

As he spoke, he took another bite of the rabbit leg, wiped his greasy hands on his pants, and shouted to everyone, "Old Wu! Bring out your gourd of wine, we have meat and wine today, let's calm the brothers down!"

Wu Laosan was the oldest in the squad, his beard was white, but his body was still ramrod straight. He pulled a worn-out bamboo gourd from under his bunk, poured out some cloudy wine with a gurgling sound, and said with a grin, "You're such a sweet talker, buddy. Come on, let the newcomer share in the good fortune!"

"Hey, hey, hey, no, no, I can't drink." Wang Tieniu quickly waved his hand, "I can't hold my liquor, I get dizzy as soon as I drink."

"You're not giving Old Wu any face," Chen Manzi joked from the side. "We mountain folk aren't afraid of a little bit of alcohol. Come on, if you don't drink a drop, you'll have to stand guard tonight."

"Then...then I'll have a little." Wang Tieniu gritted his teeth, took the cup, and carefully sipped it, almost choking. "Cough...what kind of liquor is this? It's as hot as fire!"

Everyone burst into laughter. Du Jianshan patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. Get used to it slowly. From now on, we'll be out in the wind and rain every day, so you'll have to get used to this spiciness sooner or later."

“By the way, Brother Du,” Ding Xiaohai, who had been gnawing on a rabbit leg, suddenly spoke up, “Are we going to Qingniuling tomorrow or taking the detour through Beiwa?”

Du Jianshan frowned and glanced at the sky: "The wolf packs have been active in Beiwa lately, so it's probably not very safe. Let's go to Qingniu Ridge instead. There's less prey there, but it's safer."

"Didn't it snow on Qingniu Ridge a few days ago? The mountain roads were icy and slippery, like skinned eels. Our canvas shoes are all worn out," Chen Manzi muttered.

“Then you’ll have to find Old Wu. He’s really good at repairing shoe soles.” Du Jianshan pointed to Wu Laosan, “He’s known as the ‘Shoe Sole Blacksmith’.”

"That's right, these shoes were repaired by Lao Wu." Ding Xiaohai lifted his foot, revealing a neatly patched piece of rubber on the sole. "They're very sturdy; they don't hurt when you kick stones."

Old Wu waved his hand with a smile: "It's all old-fashioned craftsmanship. If anyone's shoes are torn, come to my place tonight, and I'll mend them for you."

"This is the power of the collective." Du Jianshan slapped his thigh. "No one can fall behind. We'll set off at five o'clock tomorrow morning. Eat well, sleep well, brothers. We're going to fight a great battle, hunt some pheasants and rabbits, and have extra dishes for dinner!"

"Brother Du, when can we finally hunt a wild boar?" Wang Tieniu's eyes lit up.

"You're still thinking about wild boars? Do you know how fierce wild boars are?" Ding Xiaohai glared at him. "A few years ago, that guy from the third team was knocked into a ravine by a wild boar and lay there for half a year without getting up."

“I’m not afraid, I’m strong.” Wang Tieniu rubbed his arm defiantly. “I’m a blacksmith, my arms are thicker than a person’s legs.”

"Alright, Tie Niu, start with pheasants first. Don't rush to be a hero," Du Jianshan laughed. "We do hunt wild boars, but only after you learn how to lay traps, track them, and seal their mouths. That's not something one person can do alone; it requires the entire team to work together."

“I understand, I will learn!” Wang Tieniu nodded vigorously.

"That's more like it." Old Wu handed him the last piece of rabbit leg. "Eat up, you'll be full for tomorrow's journey."

As night deepened, the firelight flickered in the camp. Some people had already lain down, some were repairing tools, and some were braiding hemp rope. Du Jianshan took out a hand-drawn map, spread it on his lap, and beckoned a few people over.

“Tomorrow we’ll go into the mountains from here.” He pointed at the map with his cigarette butt. “This path is narrow, but it can bypass the landslide on the main ridge. Then we’ll set up a few traps in this forest and establish an ambush point.”

"How many guns should we bring?"

"Same as always, two spears and three crossbows. Xiao Hai, you're in charge of the crossbows. Don't use that arrow shaft with the tip sticking out again."

"Don't worry, Brother Du, I've already peeled it and moistened it with chicken fat, it's very smooth."

"Old Wu, take the first-aid kit and an extra packet of herbs, just in case you fall and twist something, you'll need to treat it immediately."

"Okay, I'll prepare it tonight."

"Tie Niu, you come with me. Tomorrow is your first time entering the mountains. You won't be allowed to fight, you'll only be allowed to observe. Learn how to find traces, identify footprints, and recognize animals by their sounds."

"Brother Du, don't worry, I have sharp eyes and ears."

The group gathered around the fire, discussing tactics; the atmosphere was tense yet warmly tacit. Suddenly, a creaking sound came from outside the woods.

"Don't move!" Du Jianshan immediately raised his hand and lowered his voice, "There's movement."

Everyone drew their weapons and held their breath.

The sound grew closer, like someone trudging through the snow. Suddenly, a tall, thin man wearing a straw raincoat emerged from the woods, panting, and shouted, "It's me, Old Zheng! Hurry, someone from the village has come to report that bear paw prints were found in Lingnan Gully this morning!"

"A bear?" Ding Xiaohai's expression changed. "A big one?"

“At least three hundred catties.” Old Zheng swallowed. “He also caught a sheep by the edge of the woods and chewed the sheep bones to pieces.”

"Brother Du, if we don't take care of this bear, it'll probably come out again tonight."

Du Jianshan stood up: "Change the plan. Tomorrow morning, we'll split into two groups. Tie Niu, Xiao Hai, and I will go to Lingnan Gully to check on the bears' whereabouts, while the rest of us will continue to Qingniu Ridge."

"This is too dangerous..." Wang Tieniu's voice lowered.

"Afraid?" Du Jianshan turned to look at him.

Wang Tieniu gritted his teeth and said, "I'm not afraid! I'll go with you."

"Hey, don't underestimate the Tianshan Mountains. When the snow comes, snow rabbits, deer, and even wolf packs will come out to roam. As long as we seize the opportunity, we're sure to have a good harvest." Old Zhang nodded, his tone full of confidence.

“But the wind is strong and the roads are slippery on the snowy mountain, there are quite a few dangers.” Ah Hu frowned.

Du Jianshan interjected, "That's true, but we've been through a lot too. Winter in the Tianshan Mountains isn't just a good time for hunting; you can also make money by hunting in the mountains and by the sea. As long as you keep an eye on things, you won't have to worry about not having work."

"You mean beachcombing?" Ah Hu asked, somewhat puzzled.

Du Jianshan smiled and said, "Haven't you heard? This area is near the big river and small bay at the foot of the mountain. In winter, the tide recedes very far, exposing a lot of shellfish and sea cucumbers. Some people come here specifically to go clamming and dig up things to supplement their income. We earn money by hunting and clamming, and together we can actually make a decent living."

Old Zhang nodded: "That's good. This way we won't be afraid of the cold in winter, and we'll have food to eat."

"Let's get this straight, I'm not going to be idle. Whoever can keep up, we'll go hunting in the mountains together. If you don't know how, you'll have to learn how to go beachcombing from me, so you don't go back hungry." Du Jianshan's voice was firm and powerful.

Ah Hu scratched his head: "Brother Du, you make it sound so easy. I'd be willing to work with you, but I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with you when you're hunting."

"Don't be afraid, we'll take it slowly. First, practice logging and setting traps, okay? If the prey gets away, we'll use traps so we don't have to chase it to death." Du Jianshan patted Ah Hu on the shoulder with an encouraging smile.

As dusk fell, the three sat down around the fire, the firelight illuminating their faces.

“This winter will definitely be different,” Du Jianshan said in a low voice. “With our group working together, we’ll be able to get by sooner or later.”

"If we can hunt down a big mountain deer and sell it for a good price, then we can really make money," Ah Hu said excitedly.