Du Jianshan's eyes were like an eagle's, his feet firmly planted. He suddenly took a step to the side and fired a shot. A flash of light erupted, and the gunshot was deafening.
The wild boar, in pain, swayed, but its ferocity only intensified; its tusks gleamed coldly as it lunged forward.
"Retreat! Retreat to the top of the slope!" Du Jianshan roared, his voice extremely forceful.
Old Zhou's heart tightened, and cold sweat poured down his body. He took two steps back, and the stones under his feet rolled away, almost causing him to fall again.
"Damn it, this beast can still charge after taking two shots!" Old Zhou gasped for breath, his voice filled with fear.
Du Jianshan said coldly, "Wild boars have thick skin and tough muscles. If you don't hit a vital spot, it won't die! Stay calm!"
The words had barely left his lips when the wild boar roared again, charging with the force of a landslide. Du Jianshan's eyes turned cold, and he steadily held his gun, aiming it at the boar's forehead.
"Bang—!"
The bullet pierced the boar's forehead, causing it to pause briefly before collapsing with a thud, sending dirt and rocks flying.
The valley fell silent for a moment, with only white smoke drifting in the wind.
Old Zhou slumped to the ground, his heart pounding: "Jianshan, your hand is really steady! I almost peed my pants just now."
Du Jianshan holstered his gun, his eyes still cold and sharp, but his tone softened a bit: "Mountain prey always fights desperately. If you're afraid of it, it will bite you to death. You almost lost focus just now. If it had really attacked you, I wouldn't have been able to save you."
Old Zhou wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and smiled bitterly: "Sigh, this isn't the first time I've seen this, but when it really comes down to fighting, my legs still go weak."
Du Jianshan bent down to examine the wild boar's wounds. Only after confirming that it had completely stopped breathing did he breathe a sigh of relief: "This one is big enough, probably weighing two hundred pounds. When we get back, all the brothers in the team can get a share of the meat."
Old Zhou clicked his tongue: "Hey, this pig is worth a whole winter."
As the two were talking, a strange noise suddenly came from deep in the forest. "Rustle, rustle—" The leaves trembled, as if a wild beast was approaching.
Old Zhou immediately tensed up: "There can't be more, can there? Has this ravine really become a den of iniquity?"
Du Jianshan raised his hand, making a shushing gesture, and tilted his ear slightly, listening intently to any sound.
A few low groans could be heard from not far away, carrying a heavy atmosphere.
“It’s not just one,” Du Jianshan said in a very low voice, his gaze icy. “They’re in a group.”
Old Zhou's heart clenched: "Oh no! If the pigs really break out, we're afraid our firepower won't be enough to suppress them."
Du Jianshan slowly stood up, turned his gun towards the woods, and said in a low voice, "Don't panic. The pigs are most afraid of their leader. The one we just killed was probably the leader. If they charge out later, just aim at the one that runs the fastest. Don't worry about whether it's dead or alive. Just disrupt their formation."
"Okay—okay." Old Zhou licked his chapped lips, his palms sweaty.
The rustling in the woods grew closer, and suddenly with a "whoosh," a large group of wild boars rushed out, a dark mass of more than a dozen, their momentum like a torrent.
Old Zhou's heart sank: "So much?! We're doomed!"
Du Jianshan's eyes flashed with anger, and he shouted, "Fight! Don't retreat!"
Gunshots rang out, and flashes of light followed. Old Zhou, his hand trembling, fired two shots in quick succession. With a "thud," a piglet twisted its ankle and fell to the ground.
"Alright! Continue!" Du Jianshan's voice boomed, his forceful aura overwhelming the squeals of the pigs.
His marksmanship was lightning-fast; one shot after another, he felled two of the leading pigs. The herd of pigs suddenly paused, seemingly in a panic, and their charge slowed abruptly.
Seeing this, Lao Zhou mustered his courage, gritted his teeth, and fired another shot, hitting a wild boar in the shoulder, forcing it to scream and stray from the group.
"Hold on!" Du Jianshan's steps were steady, as if nailed to the mountainside. "They're afraid of chaos. If we disrupt them, they won't dare to surround us!"
Gunshots echoed through the valley, forcing the wild boar herd to stagger and eventually scatter with a rumble, fleeing into the depths of the forest.
The valley returned to silence, leaving only the strong smell of gunpowder and blood.
Old Zhou slumped to the ground, his chest heaving violently: "I...I'm still alive? They really got away?"
Du Jianshan glanced coldly around and reloaded his gun: "They may have escaped, but they'll be back soon. Pigs hold grudges, especially after their leader dies; they won't let it go."
Old Zhou's expression changed: "Then let's retreat quickly! If we keep fighting, we won't have enough bullets."
Du Jianshan shook his head: "We can't retreat. If we leave now, we'll be running right into their path. We have to hold the high ground and wait for them to disperse."
"Defend? For how long?"
"We must guard it no matter how long it takes." Du Jianshan's tone was cold and hard, his eyes fixed on the forest. "In the mountains, if you panic, it's a dead end."
Time passed slowly, and the wind whistled through the mountains. In the distance, the low growls of a herd of pigs could be heard from time to time, as if they were preparing for their next attack.
Old Zhou's throat was dry, and his voice was low: "Jianshan, do you think we'll be able to get back alive this time?"
Du Jianshan said calmly, "Whether you live or die depends on yourself. As long as you stay calm and steady with your gun, they can't do anything to you."
"But... I always feel like they're going to come around and attack from behind."
Du Jianshan said coldly, "If you're afraid of dying, keep an eye on what's behind you. I'll keep an eye on what's in front. Remember, don't wander off."
Old Zhou nodded, but his heart was pounding. The two men stood back to back, their eyes wary as they stared into the dark forest.
Suddenly, Du Jianshan's eyes sharpened, and he shouted in a low voice, "They're here!"
Another rumbling sound came from deep within the forest, pressing down like a landslide.
Old Zhou shuddered: "Again...again?"
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