"Alright, he's really dead now."
Looking at the horrifying sight of the flowing blood, Xiao Weizi felt a chill run down his spine: "Brother, should we carry it back quickly? This thing must weigh three or four hundred pounds, right? The whole village could get a piece of meat."
Du Jianshan frowned: "Don't rush. The smell of blood on wild boars can easily attract jackals and leopards. We need to remove the intestines first to reduce the weight, and then hang them on the tree to dry. We can carry them when it gets dark."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Weizi's expression immediately changed: "You're going to spend the night in this forest?"
Du Jianshan glanced at him and laughed: "Scared? When a hunter goes hunting, isn't it always a life-or-death struggle? What's staying up all night?"
Xiao Weizi said with a pained expression, "But I'm really scared. That wild boar almost killed me just now. If a pack of wolves really comes in the middle of the night, I'm afraid we'll..."
Du Jianshan interjected, "If you're scared, go back. I can handle this pig all by myself anyway."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Weizi panicked: "Hey brother, that's not what I meant. I'm just a chatterbox. We're going up the mountain together, how could I leave you behind?"
Du Jianshan laughed and scolded, "Alright, come and lend a hand. Cut the belly cleanly, don't get all smelly."
——
The two got to work, the sounds of knives cutting through flesh and the stench of wild boar intestines echoing through the woods. Little Wei wrinkled his nose: "Ugh! This smell is awful."
Du Jianshan, however, remained focused, and with a swift motion, he sliced ​​out the pig intestines one section at a time: "Remember, hunting isn't just about pulling the trigger. Knowing how to bleed and gut the animal is the real skill."
Xiao Wei nodded, holding his breath: "I'm learning, I'm learning."
After they finished preparing, the two hung the wild boar meat on a tree branch and built a simple thatched shed.
As night fell, the forest filled with the chirping of insects. Beside the fire, glistening chunks of meat sizzled in the flames, releasing a fragrant aroma.
Xiao Wei took a bite, his mouth was greasy, and he immediately grinned: "Ah, this is what hunting tastes like!"
Du Jianshan took a sip from his gourd of wine, but his gaze drifted into the depths of the forest: "Be careful, this forest is not peaceful. The wild boar is just an appetizer; the real battle is yet to come."
Xiao Wei was stunned: "What do you mean?"
Du Jianshan lowered his voice: "I heard from the old folks that there's a big black-spotted tiger deep in this forest that eats wild boars. If we get its food tonight, we might get targeted."
Xiao Wei jumped to his feet: "Huh? A tiger?!"
Du Jianshan chuckled and stuffed the tin can back into the cloth bag: "I know a little bit. I learned it from the old hunters in the mountains when I was young. Black powder looks ordinary, but if you really don't know how to handle it, a little too little or too much won't do. If you mess it up, you might blow yourself up."
Wang Tieniu scratched his head and chuckled twice: "No wonder the town bans its sale, they're afraid something might happen. But to be honest, if you really want to survive in these mountains, you really can't get by without gunpowder."
"Hmm." Du Jianshan nodded and put away the flint and tinder. "The beasts in the mountains are most afraid of this sound. We rely not on strength, but on courage, eyesight, and a little skill."
As they talked, the two men tidied their baskets, neatly arranging their provisions, water bags, and hunting forks. The firewood in the hearth burned brightly, casting a red and black glow on their faces.
Wang Tieniu stared at the fire and hesitated, "Uncle Du, are we really going into that black pine forest this time? I heard there are some with piercing eyes and white foreheads there..."
"You heard that too?" Du Jianshan's tone turned serious, and his eyes flickered. "I went to that forest once twenty years ago. I haven't set foot in it since."
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