Li Yuemin, hiding behind the door, seized the moment to trigger the mechanism, pulling the door shut before raising his crossbow to fire at the wolf.
"Awoo!"
The black wolf let out a pained howl and collapsed instantly. Li Yuemin leaped onto the beast, grabbing it by the throat as he reached for the short blade at his waist to deliver the finishing blow.
"Grunt... grunt..."
This adult black wolf was massive, weighing nearly a hundred pounds—as much as a grown man. In its agony, it thrashed and rolled, desperate to shake Li Yuemin off its back. Within moments, beads of sweat as large as peas were streaming down Li Yuemin's forehead. He felt dizzy from the violent shaking, yet he gritted his teeth, refusing to let go. He knew that if his grip faltered now, he would be done for.
"Go to hell!"
Finally, having secured a firm grasp on the knife, Li Yuemin roared and drove the blade deep into the wolf's throat with all his might.
"Squelch, squelch."
After seven or eight stabs, the wolf let out a feeble whimper and stopped breathing altogether.
Not long after the black wolf died, the commotion outside quieted down. Wild wolves have a keen sense of smell; even through the wooden door, they could detect the scent of blood wafting from the house. Sensing danger, they retreated to the edge of the courtyard, eyeing the house with cautious vigilance.
Li Yuemin did not waste a second. He hurried to reload his crossbow. He then adjusted his strategy, tossing a large, succulent piece of bear meat into the center of the courtyard.
The wolves waiting outside saw the meat appear as if out of nowhere, and their eyes lit up. After a moment, seeing no immediate threat within the yard, they crept forward cautiously, one after another, and began to tear into the meat.
*Twang!*
As the wolves were distracted by the meal, Li Yuemin fired an arrow, aiming true.
"Awoo!"
Perhaps driven by the desperate need to protect his family, Li Yuemin unleashed a burst of strength he hadn't known he possessed. The arrow punched clean through the wolf's skull.
"Awoo!"
The other wolf, terrified by the sight, began to tremble. Too panicked to finish the meat, it turned and fled toward the entrance. Li Yuemin did not pursue it. He knew that if he rashly ran out to chase it, he might lead a whole pack to surround him. Besides, the fleeing wolf would carry word back to the pack; once they realized the danger of this place, they would likely weigh the risks and withdraw.
With that thought, Li Yuemin walked over to the gray wolf he had just shot. The beast had a tenacious will to live; despite the hole through its skull, it was still drawing faint, ragged breaths. Li Yuemin showed no mercy, raising his short blade to drive it straight through the heart.
"Help! Help! The wolves are here! The wolves are here!"
"Hmm?"
Li Yuemin had just finished dealing with the wolves in his yard when he heard Li Guolin’s desperate cries. It turned out that the wolf that had fled had panicked and run straight into the front yard where Li Guolin and Song Mengyao were hiding. Initially, Li Yuemin had no intention of interfering, preferring to watch from the sidelines.
"Li Guolin, look at that pathetic, cowardly mess you’ve become! Why can’t you act like a real man for once, like Li Yuemin? I’m telling you, the Li family’s future rests on you carrying on the bloodline. If you don't want the family line to end with you, get out there and fight!"
"It's just one wolf! I’ll fight it to the death!"
Song Mengyao’s goading lit a fire in Li Guolin. He grabbed a heavy cleaver from the corner and charged out the door, swinging it at the wolf.
*Clang! Clang!*
"Awoo!"
Following a miserable howl from the beast, Li Guolin’s excited shout rang out: "Wife! Wife! Who says only Li Yuemin can hunt? I’m not half-bad myself, goddammit!"
"Damn, that’s ruined it."
Li Yuemin’s heart sank. He had hoped that Li Guolin would get bitten or simply scare the wolf away. He never expected Li Guolin to unleash such sudden potential and kill the creature outright. Wolves are notoriously vengeful; if a scout doesn't return, the pack usually sends a large, strong male to observe the area and wait for a chance to strike back. As long as Li Guolin had kept it quiet and hidden the carcass, it might have been fine. But if he made a scene…
"Guolin, well done! You’re a real man!" Song Mengyao stroked the carcass of the dead wolf and showered Li Guolin with praise.
"Haha! Tomorrow, I’m going to hang this wolf skin outside so everyone can see. It’ll drive Li Yuemin mad with jealousy!" Li Guolin boasted proudly.
"Heh."
Li Yuemin could only sneer to himself. He knew that Li Guolin’s actions were no different than playing with fire. But he didn't care. If Li Guolin wanted to bait the wolf pack, let him; they had brought this upon themselves.
"Wuwuwu, Brother Yuemin, are you hurt? Let me see!"
When the cellar lid opened, Zhang Chuntao caught sight of Li Yuemin covered in blood and shivered in terror. She threw herself into his arms, asking anxiously.
"Chuntao, this isn't my blood—it's that beast's. Look." Li Yuemin soothed her, gently stroking her head. He then helped his blind mother up and brought Chuntao and Li Yuejin to see the two wolf carcasses.
"Wow, Brother Yuemin! You hunted two wolves all by yourself without even needing Huzi’s help? You’re amazing!" Seeing his impressive haul, Zhang Chuntao gazed at him with undisguised adoration. The gluttonous Li Yuejin, seeing the fat wolf bodies, had his eyes light up with excitement. Having long envied Song Mengyao’s mink scarf, he grabbed Li Yuemin’s arm and began to pester him: "Brother, I want to eat roasted wolf leg, and I want to use the fur to make a little wolf-skin hat!"
"Heh, we can eat the meat, but no one touches these two hides." To their surprise, Li Yuemin shook his head and gestured to the skins, his tone serious. "I plan to make a trip to the Black Market. I'm going to trade these for something even more valuable."
With that, ignoring his family’s confused expressions—he didn't want to overcomplicate things with explanations—he turned back, pulled Zhang Chuntao into his arms, and returned to the room for some sweet affection.
"Brother Yuemin, be gentle... why are you so forceful all of a sudden?"
"Heh, maybe I’m just still fired up from the hunt. Be a good girl, just bear with it for a moment, it’ll be over soon..."
*Coo, coo...*
Having spent half the night awake, Li Yuemin watched the pale yellow sky of dawn break. Eager to get to work, he didn't sleep in. He rolled off the *kang*, dressed quickly, ate a few bites of dry rations, and packed his belongings before heading out toward the nearby Black Market.
The Black Market, also known as "Before Dawn," was a place of abundant goods. Whether the supply and marketing cooperatives had them or not, "Before Dawn" had it all. In his past life, he had read in the newspapers that the county’s largest Black Market was located in an abandoned old kiln factory. At the time, the market was thriving, run by several petty leaders. Among them, one named Brother Guang had left a particularly deep impression on him.
Brother Guang, whose real name was Zhou Jinguang, was clever, bold, meticulous, and daring. In an era full of opportunities, he had successfully seized his moment to get rich. Later, he opened a coal yard and became a "coal boss," enjoying immense success. He was known for his ironclad reputation—a "straight shooter" in the underworld—and he had connections on both sides of the law, along with plenty of reliable muscle.
His current Hanyang Rifle was far too dilapidated and held him back during hunts. He had heard that Brother Guang had a particular fondness for furs. Since he had quality goods on hand, he figured he might as well go there and test the waters. If he played his cards right, he might just forge a connection with a coal boss and open up a new path for his future.
"Young man, do you need grain coupons? You look familiar, I can give you a better price."
"Young man, looking for a watch? I’ve got top-shelf goods here."
The Black Market was a chaotic mix of people, with hawkers calling out one after another. Li Yuemin, carrying the wolf hides and bear meat, wound his way through the crowd until he was drawn to a young man wearing toad-style sunglasses. The man was sitting on an old bamboo chair, legs crossed, leaning back. Despite his dark skin and slight build, there was an air of untamable defiance about him. At his feet stood a wooden sign with "High Price Paid for Mountain Goods" scrawled on it.
Seeing the man, Li Yuemin felt he looked quite like the middle-aged Zhou Jinguang he had seen in the old newspaper. He set down his bag full of meat and spoke politely:
"Hello. You must be Brother Guang, right? I have some mountain goods I’d like to sell."