sbdcsierra Chapter 111 Testing
Chapter 111 Testing
After a hearty meal, He Mancang and his group packed up their prey and prepared to descend the mountain.
Before leaving, He Mancang specifically reminded Li Xiangyang, "Brother, things haven't been peaceful on this mountain lately, you two need to be careful."
Li Xiangyang nodded and watched them leave.
Once their figures disappeared into the woods, Wang Ergou rubbed his hands excitedly: "Xiangyang, don't you think we're lucky? We got half a bear as soon as we entered the mountains!"
"You're just lucky," Li Xiangyang admitted with a smile, then his smile faded. "Let's go, it's time to head deeper."
The two continued on their way, as the snow deepened and the cold wind grew increasingly biting.
As the sun began to set, the light in the woods dimmed.
"We need to find a place to spend the night." Li Xiangyang looked up at the sky. "It's very cold in these mountains at night. We need to find a sheltered spot where we can also observe our surroundings."
"This..." Wang Ergou tightened his leather jacket, his eyes filled with panic. "Do you think something might come over tonight?"
Li Xiangyang pointed to the bearskin sleeping bag and wolfskin rug on his back: "With the scent of these things, most wild animals won't dare to approach. Besides, we still have guns, right? And the black cat is much more alert than a human when it's on watch."
Wang Ergou breathed a sigh of relief and followed Li Xiangyang to a mountain hollow.
There are several fallen old trees there. The pits created by their roots not only block the wind, but more importantly, they provide a wide view.
The black cat nimbly leaped onto a piece of dead wood and warily looked around.
"This is it." Li Xiangyang put down his backpack. "First, clear the snow away and lay down tree bark and dry grass."
The two got busy, and although it was Wang Ergou's first time spending the night in the wild, he was able to help.
He cut pine branches to lay on the ground and found dry tree bark to line the bottom, working very efficiently.
It was completely dark, and the air was bitterly cold.
Under the protection of the wild animal hide, Li Xiangyang dared to gather firewood and start a small fire with a flint and steel.
The firelight illuminated their faces, casting swaying shadows on the tree trunk.
The howls of wolves echoed intermittently in the distance, but no one dared to approach.
"This beast hide really works!" Wang Ergou added a piece of firewood to the fire, marveling at its effectiveness.
"Wild animals in the mountains are extremely sensitive to smells," Li Xiangyang said, pulling out a piece of dry rations and sharing it with Wang Ergou. "They'll usually avoid anything that smells stronger than themselves."
“We’ll have to take turns keeping watch tonight,” Li Xiangyang added a piece of firewood to the fire. “You go to sleep first, I’ll wake you up at midnight. Remember, you can’t fall asleep while on watch, and you have to be alert for even the slightest noise.”
"Don't worry, I've remembered everything you taught me." Wang Ergou, nestled in his sleeping bag, his eyes shining, "Xiangyang, do you think we'll run into that elk tomorrow?"
"Don't think too much," Li Xiangyang leaned against the tree trunk. "Whatever happens, happens. Remember, in the mountains, survival is more important than hunting."
The firelight dimmed, and the night wind howled.
Wrapped in a bearskin sleeping bag that reeked of wild beasts, Wang Ergou slept soundly and soon began to snore evenly.
Li Xiangyang leaned against a tree trunk, holding a gun in one hand, occasionally adding a couple of pieces of firewood to the fire.
In the firelight, one could see a few pairs of eerie green eyes occasionally flashing in the darkness not far away.
"Awoo..." The howls of wolves echoed from afar.
The black cat's tail stood up slightly, its gaze fixed intently in one direction.
Li Xiangyang looked in that direction and, by the dim light of the fire, could vaguely see three or four wolves wandering among the shadows of the trees.
But the wolves kept their distance, as if testing the waters, or perhaps intimidated by the scent of wild beasts on the ground.
Li Xiangyang remained calm, only tightening the gun around his chest.
He knew these animals in the mountains too well; as long as he didn't push them too far, there was no need to cause any unnecessary trouble.
Sure enough, the wolves dared not approach rashly.
Somewhat bored, Li Xiangyang added firewood several times. He glanced at the sky; it was almost midnight.
He gently nudged Wang Ergou: "It's your turn to keep watch."
"Hmm..." Wang Ergou sat up groggily and yawned.
"Don't make a sound," Li Xiangyang whispered. "There are wolves lurking in the shadows over there."
Wang Ergou suddenly snapped out of it, and his hand unconsciously reached for the gun.
“Don’t be nervous,” Li Xiangyang said, pressing his hand down. “They won’t dare come any closer. The scent of wild beasts is the best protection. Remember, as long as they don’t push forward, don’t make any rash moves. Don’t cross any lines.”
Wang Ergou nodded, but his hands were still trembling slightly.
"When adding firewood to the fire, be quiet," Li Xiangyang continued, "Ignore the wolves over there. But don't let your guard down. If they dare to advance, fire a shot into the snow in front of them."
"I understand." Wang Ergou swallowed hard. "You can sleep peacefully now."
Li Xiangyang lay on his side in the bearskin sleeping bag, his ears perked up.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Wang Ergou; quite the opposite, he was very relieved at that moment. What he was truly worried about was the time approaching dawn.
Li Xiangyang's choice to have Wang Ergou keep watch for the rest of the night was naturally a test.
After all, once the excitement wears off, he's prone to getting sleepy.
If the other party is really asleep, then we won't be able to cooperate in the future.
Of course, the biggest reason Li Xiangyang dared to do this was because he had Xuanmao as an accomplice.
This cat is much more sensitive than a human; if something really happens, it will react faster than anyone else.
Through the slit of his eyelids, Li Xiangyang could see Wang Ergou sitting upright.
"Good heavens!" Wang Ergou muttered to himself in a low voice, "There are quite a few wolves here."
Li Xiangyang heard the black cat fidgeting with its tail, indicating that another pack of wolves was watching.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid," Wang Ergou said, as if trying to bolster his courage. "Xiangyang is right, these beasts wouldn't dare come any closer."
"This is really something new," Wang Ergou muttered to himself. "Back in the village, I always thought people's boasts were just made up. I never thought I'd actually run into one. I just wonder what tomorrow will bring..."
Li Xiangyang fell asleep listening to Wang Ergou's rambling; it sounded like he was chanting a sutra.
As for testing...
We'll have to wait until almost dawn to find out.
Hopefully, this kid won't let me down.
Otherwise, finding a good partner to go hunting in the mountains is not so easy.
In his previous life, Li Xiangyang often went into the mountains with Sun Yongliang.
However, his hobby was not hunting, but shooting, and his future achievement was being transferred to be an instructor.
He can train several sharpshooters a year, and the higher-ups often send him to participate in various competitions...
Whether or not you ask him to go hunting has no impact on his achievements.
So unless absolutely necessary, don't drag him into this suffering.
As the night deepened, Li Xiangyang, lost in thought, drifted off to sleep.
Wang Ergou's voice gradually faded, but his spirits remained undiminished.
He would occasionally add a couple of pieces of firewood to the fire, and every now and then he would glance around.
The black cat squatted to one side, its tail swishing back and forth, as if it were cooperating with Wang Ergou to keep watch.
As dawn approached, Wang Ergou, who was on night watch, yawned widely and quickly slapped himself.
"I can't sleep, I absolutely can't sleep," he muttered to himself. "Xiangyang trusts me so much, if I fall asleep, I'll never have the face to go hunting with him again."
Wang Ergou stretched and added another piece of firewood to the fire.