Having already taken out my crossbow, I sensed something was amiss. Top was perched on a branch, howling—could it be that Top wasn't afraid of the wild boar at all, but something else lurking nearby?
Thinking about this, I felt it was highly likely, so I decided to observe more closely first. Anyway, the wild boar was right there; it couldn't possibly run away anytime soon.
I crept up a tree, my crossbow always pointed towards the wild boar. I peered out from the tree for a long time, but I still couldn't see anything wrong.
The wild boar was still the same wild boar, now seemingly having drunk its fill of water, grunting and rooting in the mud by the stream.
Top is a smart monkey, and I'm sure it wouldn't make random noises, but I had no idea what was hiding nearby.
Just then, I noticed the wild boar starting to walk into the stream. Wild boars usually carry parasites, and bathing in water is one of their favorite pastimes.
The stream was crystal clear, and I still couldn't see anything unusual nearby.
But at this moment, Top cried out even louder because of his nervousness, as if reminding the wild boar that the water was dangerous and that they should get ashore quickly.
The wild boar naturally heard Top's call, but how could a giant beast weighing over 400 pounds possibly care about the warning of a mere monkey?
The wild boar paused briefly to glance in Top's direction before continuing to roll around in the creek, which was no deeper than its calves.
I was also very puzzled at the moment. What danger could there be in such shallow and clear water? Why was Top so nervous?
The wild boar rolled around in the water for a while, then got up and climbed onto a dirt embankment covered by weeds.
Just then, an astonishing scene unfolded: the earthen embankment that rose above the water actually began to move!
To be more precise, a huge head suddenly sprang out from the hidden grass and bit the wild boar's head.
Upon seeing this, I was suddenly startled. It turned out that the high mound wasn't a embankment at all, but a giant python lurking in the stream.
The python's markings and colors closely resembled the surrounding terrain, and with some weeds covering its body, it looked just like a ditch if it didn't move.
I don't recall ever seeing such a large python before. Even the largest python in science documentaries, the green anaconda, is only a small brother to it.
At this moment, the wild boar, whose head was being tightly bitten by the python, let out a miserable cry. It still tried to use its huge size to keep retreating and resisting, attempting to break free from the python's restraint and control.
But the next second, the python, whose body was as big as a water bucket, rolled around the wild boar's rough body twice.
I was already terrified just seeing the python's head. Now, seeing its body, I'm speechless with shock. Judging by its size and length, it must be an enormous monster.
The only type of python that comes to mind when I think of one is the Titanoboa, a prehistoric giant python that lived millions of years ago!
As the largest species of snake, adults can weigh over a ton, and it's no exaggeration to say they can swallow a sub-adult elephant whole.
To the Titanoboa, the large wild boar before them was nothing more than a newly grown rat.
The boar grunted and squealed at first, but as the Titanoboa tightened its grip, a series of cracking sounds came from the boar's bones.
Soon, the wild boar's bones were crushed by the Titanoboa's terrifying constricting force, and the wild boar was suffocated as the air in its body was expelled little by little, leaving it powerless to kick its legs.
After a while, the wild boar became completely still, and then the Titanoboa prepared to devour its prey.
I couldn't sit still any longer. These two were excellent prey. All I had to do was hunt the Titanoboa and I would gain a windfall.
When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.
I held back no longer. I aimed my crossbow at the spine, three inches below the snake's head, and pulled the trigger.
"Whoosh!"
A whooshing sound rang out as the crossbow bolt pierced most of the Titan Python's body. The ferocious force made the python's body tremble, and then it began to desperately release the wild boar, struggling violently in the stream.
At that moment, the python's tail lashed out in the air with a whooshing sound. I dared not approach rashly; this dying python was the most dangerous, and its tail could very well injure me severely.
Just to be safe, I aimed for the Titanoboa's seventh inch (the area between its neck and its groin) and fired again. This is usually where a snake's heart is located, and an attack there would cause even greater damage.
Another crossbow bolt struck with precision, and the python once again arched its massive body, its tail whipping up a two-meter-high wave in the stream.
Although the Titanoboa was unwilling, it still couldn't resist the hypnotic power of my crossbow, and soon it fell asleep just like the big wild boar.
Seeing that the python had stopped moving, I slid down from the tree and came to the two giant beasts. Looking at my two prey, I was still a little dazed.
Before this, Top and I had already finished all the food, and we even dug up some grass roots in the meadow to fill our stomachs.
Now, suddenly acquiring two large prey, with nearly a thousand pounds of meat, feels like a beggar on the verge of starvation suddenly transforming into a wealthy landlord. How could that not be exciting?
I need to process their meat quickly; the smell of blood is too strong and might attract other predators at any moment.
I haven't had wild boar meat in a long time. Today I have a pot, so I can try making a good twice-cooked pork dish!
There's too much meat today, and the weather here isn't cold enough, so it will ferment and spoil over time. Therefore, I need to set up a smoking rack to dry and preserve the meat.
I cut down some shrubs and built two rows of Y-shaped racks by the stream. Then I laid straight wooden strips on top of them, and a rack that could smoke a lot of meat was finished.
First, I scraped off all the pig hair with a cleaver. Then, I took out a small knife with a rounded blade from my leather sheath. This kind of knife was specially made for skinning pigs.
I peeled the entire wild boar skin off its back; now I can keep the skin for later use.
My Nepalese kukri is perfect for opening wild boars. To save as much time as possible, I started opening the boar's back with a swing of the knife.
The heavy blade structure allowed each strike to penetrate deep into the spine. Soon, with my not-so-skilled knife work, I split the wild boar in two from its back.
I've set aside the internal organs except for the heart and liver for now. I'll retrieve them if there's time; otherwise, I'll leave them.
I asked Top to watch the smoking campfire for me. I sliced the meat into large pieces and then put them on a rack to smoke.
As for the most tender part of the wild boar: the tenderloin, I plan to use it to make a pot of stir-fried crispy tenderloin.
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