Not long after, Lu Wuyai brought back two wild rabbits, one large and one small. The small one weighed four to five kilograms. As for the large one, Lu Wuyai estimated it to be at least ten kilograms.
A ten-pound hare is a giant among its kind.
On the way back, Lu Wuyai also discovered some traces of wild animals at the foot of the mountain. There were many of them, and they looked like they were left by wild wolves. There was also a string of plum blossom footprints on the grass ahead.
Remembering the valley from yesterday, Lu Wuyai took the wild rabbit there.
There were no other animals or footprints in the valley. Lu Wuyai quickly cleaned the rabbit, placed its entrails behind the valley, and made a small noose, planning to return when it got dark.
Last night, when Lu Wuyai passed through this forest, he discovered that the snake's corpse was gone, and there were obvious drag marks on the ground.
"There seem to be quite a few animals hibernating in the nearby forest." Lu Wuyai licked his lips, feeling the darkness of the sky once more. He quickly dried the rabbit and ran up the mountain.
A few minutes later, Lu Wuyai arrived at a clearing halfway up the mountain and found Su Xi and the others coming down from the top. Each of them was carrying many wild fruits.
"Try it." Su Xi tossed a few wild fruits to Lu Wuyai. They tasted sweet and sour, not very good, but they quenched his thirst.
"Do you feel hydrated?" Su Xi asked, seeing Lu Wuyai's expression.
Lu Wuyai was taken aback and nodded. He even saw Su Xi squeezing the wild berries with both hands, storing a large amount of juice in a thermos.
"The fruit juice here is plentiful, and we plan to plant some on the rocky mountain." Tang Xin opened her backpack, revealing some small branches inside, intending to use the black stone to quickly cultivate some fruit trees when she got back.
“Okay.” Lu Wuyai said that he also felt that the wild fruit was very juicy and tasted much better than plain water.
As for cultivation, they have the black stone, so there's nothing to worry about.
As darkness fell, Lu Wuyai went to the waterhole again, filled a bucket with water, checked the trap he had set at dusk, and harvested two wild rabbits.
When we returned to the station, it was already nine o'clock.
Many people had already gone to bed. Lu Wuyai skewered the wild rabbit he had shot that day onto a stick and roasted it directly over the campfire.
A layer of stones was piled around the campfire to minimize light leakage and ensure the platform was quiet and safe at night.
Soon, the aroma of wild rabbit began to spread, and the women who were still half asleep immediately gathered around Lu Wuyai, staring intently at the rabbit.
"Who's on guard tonight?" Lu Wuyai asked instinctively.
"Song Xiaoyou and Moro said in unison. Besides them, the only other people awake were Su Xi and Su Xi, who were both staring longingly at the golden rabbit meat in Lu Wuyai's hand."
Lu Wuyai smiled, kept the ten-pound rabbit for himself, and distributed the other three rabbits to the four women.
"After eating and drinking to your heart's content, it's time to rest." Lu Wuyai propped his head up with his hands and looked up at the stars outside the window. Unconsciously, the image of the tiger coming down the mountain appeared in his mind again.
That night, soft snoring echoed halfway up the mountain, only stopping at dawn.
In the early morning, sunlight shone into the forest, and the sound of footsteps broke the silence.
Lu Wuyai and the others walked slowly across the grass, carrying their luggage. Their shoes were wet with dew, and they frowned from time to time, making the journey very uncomfortable.
"It's really not easy to get up this early, but the ground is covered in dew." Yu Mengrou shook her head. Her shoes were already soaked and very uncomfortable to wear.
Moreover, there was no place to rest nearby, and the area was overgrown with weeds, the blades of grass still damp with dew.
Not only Yu Mengrou, but everyone else also became irritable. Perhaps because the air was relatively cool today, a lot of water vapor condensed on the grass and tree branches.
“Have you noticed how much water vapor there is in this forest, and there must be plenty of water sources?” Lu Wuyai said.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at a rainforest, changed into jackets, and prepared to survive in the vegetation before them.
“Be careful, tuck your clothes in, and remember to wear your jacket,” Lu Wuyai warned again and again.
There are also many poisonous insects in the rainforest, and just what they know is enough to make people feel terrified.
"Just treat it as experiencing life, don't worry too much," Su Xi smiled.
Before officially entering the rainforest, Gu Yuxin gave everyone a sachet containing mosquito repellent powder, which could repel poisonous insects, snakes, and ants to some extent.
“Let’s go,” Lu Wuyai said.
Soon, all the women followed Lu Wuyai into the rainforest.
Perhaps because it was still early, the air in the rainforest wasn't as stuffy and humid as they had imagined, so they gradually quickened their pace, trying to leave before noon.
But half an hour later, they saw a huge snake skeleton lying in front of them. It was a venomous snake with three heads and three bodies.
Lu Wuyai stared at the snake bones before him, completely bewildered.
The skeleton of this large snake was exactly the same as that of the venomous snake they had shot before.
"Is it possible that it really is that kind of thing?" Lu Wuyai took a breath.
The other women also looked serious. After all, this rainforest was tens of thousands of meters away from the valley where the last water source had been found. Could some animal have dragged this venomous snake here?
“Perhaps it’s not the same venomous snake,” Lu Wuyai said. “Since they were able to encounter a venomous snake with three heads and three bodies, it means that there is no shortage of similar vicious creatures in this vast forest.”
“It shouldn’t be the same thing,” Gu Yuxin added. “Because these bones were eaten so cleanly, there wasn’t a trace of meat left. No living being could do that.”
Indeed, every bone of this venomous snake had been gnawed away, making it look exactly like a specimen in a museum.
They didn't stay there for long. After a brief observation, they continued on their way.
Along the way, the women saw a large variety of insects, a "specialty" of the tropical rainforest, in such numbers and quantities that they were enough to make one feel apprehensive.
As dusk fell, everyone finally emerged from the rainforest. Looking at the western sun, they felt as if they had entered another world.
“We’re finally out,” Lu Wuyai said.
Nothing unusual happened in the rainforest. Although there were many poisonous insects, everyone was careful and deliberately avoided them, so there was no danger.
"Let's rest there tonight," Song Xiaoyou said, pointing to a hill in front of them. It wasn't a high mountain, but a small hill at the foot of two mountains.
After a period of rapid travel, the sky became completely dark.
Li Ruisi sat under a large tree. To her, the pitch-black night was like a blind person trying to see an elephant. To this day, she still didn't know why Lu Wuyai and the others could see at night.
Soon, the tent was set up. Lu Wuyai let Li Ruisi go in and rest first, while the others were still busy.
Everyone was exhausted from the day. After a simple dinner, everyone except Lu Wuyai began to rest.
Lu Wuyai built a pile of stones in the forest, lit a campfire inside, and put his wet clothes and shoes on it to dry.
Although you may have a lot of luggage, accidents can happen at any time, so it is essential to air out your clothes in advance.
In the latter half of the night, the forest was very humid, so Lu Wuyai cut down more wood nearby and added it to the pile of stones.
As dawn broke, Lu Wuyai squatted beside the pile of rocks. The residual heat from the rocks still radiated, giving a warm feeling.
Lu Wuyai pondered for a while. When he opened his eyes again, it was already fully light. The women were folding clothes beside the pile of stones, their wet shoes completely dry.
At nine o'clock, the team set off again, continuing to venture deeper into the forest along the cliff.
On the way, Lu Wuyai checked the rations he carried and found that they could last for three more days without hunting animals.
As for fresh water, after yesterday's replenishment, it can still last for about a week.
"The day after tomorrow," Lu Wuyai said. "We're going back the day after tomorrow. We haven't been out for a long time."
The women also felt that the trip was taking too long.
Soon, the group continued on its way. The scenery along the way wasn't particularly beautiful, but it was full of life, especially after passing through the rainforest, where wild animals could be seen everywhere.
“That’s a deer,” Yu Mengrou said curiously, pointing to a huge wild deer in front of her.
The elk, also known as Beibei, has a face like a horse, antlers like a deer, hooves like a cow, and a tail like a donkey. It has a strong body and looks particularly calm when walking in the forest.
"The number of elk is really large."
Just as Lu Wuyai and the others were about to take a detour, the herd of deer seemed to be suddenly frightened and disappeared in a very short time.
Seeing this, the others became very alert. They quickly embraced each other and walked up the hillside from where they had come from.
Before long, several black cheetahs appeared in the forest. They strolled through the bushes and stopped at the foot of the mountain, seemingly drawn by the scent of the air.
Lu Wuyai discovered that these cheetahs differed from ordinary cheetahs except for their different fur color. Their limbs were extremely thick, their backs were like those of tigers, and their tails were like steel whips. They slapped the ground as they walked, making a dull sound.
Meow!
Suddenly, the black leopard at the foot of the mountain spotted Lu Wuyai and the others. Without saying a word, it charged straight toward the gentle slope.
Upon seeing this, Lu Wuyai and the others immediately opened fire, and bullets instantly formed a fire net on the gentle slope.
But to everyone's surprise, because the leopards were so fast, only a few were hit, while most rushed towards Lu Wuyai. This caused the others' expressions to change drastically, and the hairs on the backs of their bodies stood on end.
Lu Wuyai pulled an axe from his back and struck the charging cheetah like lightning.
The axe blade struck its opponent, leaving a deep wound. Blood splattered everywhere, even exposing the opponent's intestines. Black Panther seemed doomed.
But more leopards had already charged into the crowd. The women suppressed their fear and ran in all directions, trying to avoid the attacks.
Bullets can no longer pass through this forest, because they could easily hit other people.
Lu Wuyai rolled like a donkey to dodge the attacks of the two cheetahs, but his opponents were too fast, and they still pounced on him after a sharp turn.
Taking this opportunity, Lu Wuyai took off the pack on his back, took out the longbow, and used it as a long weapon, slashing it directly behind him.
The crossbow was heavy, making a dull thud as it cut through the air. Few cheetahs could stop it.
As for the woman, after a brief moment of panic, she finally found an opportunity to fire. No matter how fast the opponent was moving, the bullet's deterrent effect remained, though it was difficult to hit the target.
A few minutes later, after their attack failed, the Black Panther Party decisively chose to leave.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the chaotic surroundings, they still felt a chill on their backs.
Lu Wuyai told everyone to rest where they were. As for himself, he picked up the three black panthers he had just killed from the grass; two of them had been shot by the woman.
The body was cut into pieces, the bloodstains were washed away with nearby dew, and the fresh meat was wrapped in a rag that was carried with them to prevent the smell of blood from spreading.
After doing all this, the women calmed down, and the group hurried on their way.
But soon they saw several corpses not far away and felt a pang of pity. They were elk, and several black leopards nearby were still eating each other's carcasses.
Yang Guoguan pulled the trigger, killing the cheetah, then dismembered it again, taking the tenderest parts from its body.
The jungle is full of killing and bloodshed, where the weak prey on the strong.
After that, the group wandered around in the forest, or more precisely, they followed the pack of cheetahs.
It was probably because the enemy's pursuit of the deer was too long, giving Lu Wuyai and his men the opportunity to kill them one by one.
Around noon, they stopped in a wide-open wilderness forest, their backpacks already filled with black leopard meat of various sizes.
"Hmph, I just told you to attack me." Su Xi brandished the kitchen knife, cutting a piece of leopard meat into finger-sized pieces while recounting what had just happened.
Song Xiaoyou was applying medicine to Song Xiaoyou's thigh. The latter had a wound more than ten centimeters long, left by the cheetah earlier.
"Luckily, my face wasn't scratched," Song Xiaoyou said.
Yuri smiled, but then bit her lip, the stinging pain from her wound causing cold sweat to break out on her forehead.
Be patient, you'll be fine soon.
Here, Lu Wuyai was cutting branches in the forest, and Su Xi was digging soil to build a stove. Even during the day, they worried that the smoke would cause unnecessary trouble.
The stove consisted of two connected earthen pits. The smoke from the burning firewood would quickly dissipate into the pits instead of spreading throughout the forest.
This time, they killed a total of nine black panthers. Due to limited tools, they could only harvest the freshest parts of the bodies, but even so, their backpacks were still full.
"Su Xi, cut this leopard meat into small pieces, I want to grill it." Lu Wuyai said as he climbed down from the tree.
Su Xi blinked and couldn't help but swallow.
When they went out, they brought back an iron pot, which is now on the stove. Leopard meat is high in fat, and after being stir-fried, it releases a fragrant aroma.
“No need to refuel.” Xia Qingming stretched out his finger and licked his pink lips.
Lu Wuyai walked over and said, "I remember you didn't bring any chili peppers."
Upon hearing this, Su Xi ran over, grabbed her backpack, took out a package from a hidden compartment, opened it, and saw red chili peppers inside.
Tear the chili peppers into pieces and toss them directly into the oil used to fry the leopard meat. A pungent aroma immediately hits your forehead.
Cough cough cough.
The sudden pungent smell caused many people to cough.
After getting used to it for a short while, Lu Wuyai took out an arrow from the side of his backpack, pierced the cut leopard meat through the middle, and put it on the blazing fire to roast.
A few minutes later, sesame oil will seep out of the mirror, allowing people to lick their fingers.
"This leopard meat is really delicious," Lu Wuyai said. "Just by looking at the muscle fibers distributed on the leopard meat, you can imagine what it feels like to bite into it."
In the end, the lunch took two hours.
At two o'clock, mist began to appear in the forest. By the time Lu Wuyai and the others realized what was happening, visibility was only three meters.
"Don't move, wait for me to find you," Lu Wuyai shouted.
Ten minutes later, Lu Wuyai and the others gathered under a large tree. The fog was thicker than before.
“Wait where you are and keep walking,” Su Xi asked.
Lu Wuyai thought for a moment, but waiting there wasn't a solution, because the atmosphere in the fog was very oppressive, making it difficult to breathe.
Finally, Lu Wuyai and the others took out life ropes, tied them together one meter apart, and rushed out of the forest as fast as they could.
As darkness fell, they stopped at the edge of a cliff, watching the mist gradually dissipate under the moonlight, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Along the way, there were no man-eating animals or poisonous insects, but the feeling of not being able to see anything while keeping your eyes open was more terrifying than ever before.
Even now, everyone is still recovering.
"Don't be upset, go and rest. I'll set a trap." After saying that, Lu Wuyai walked to the side and set up some triggering devices in the forest not far away.
Half an hour later, everyone started collecting firewood, piled up a bunch of stones on the edge of the cliff, and started a fire to cook.
During this time, Lu Wuyai had some free time, so he sat on the cliff, gazing at the equally long cliff opposite him, and fell into deep thought.
After walking all day, we arrived at the edge of a cliff again when we entered the forest.
"Suddenly, I really want to go home," Lu Wuyai said with emotion.
Hearing this, the women also felt tired. They had originally planned to walk for a few more days, treating it as a life experience, but their spirits became somewhat sluggish.
"How about we go home tomorrow?" Su Xi said.
The other women didn't object; it was really tiring.
“Then let’s go back to Shiqiu tomorrow.” Lu Wuyai walked back from the cliff edge and said, “Get a good rest tonight, and we’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning.”
"Okay." Everyone made a gesture, their mood much better than before.
That night, the person on guard was Lu Wuyai.
In the latter half of the night, a fierce wind rose from the cliff, howling like a terrifying beast roaring in the abyss.
The next morning, Lu Wuyai took a nap. When he woke up, it was exactly 7:30, and it was already broad daylight.
After brushing their teeth with charcoal, they began to walk back along the cliff at a very fast pace. At dusk, they ventured deep into the forest and returned to the valley where they had originally found the water source.
There was still some fresh water, but the journey back was destined to be long, so the water consumed had to be replenished as much as possible along the way, and this was the only water source they found along the way.
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