"Roar—!"
Regardless of how thick-skinned a beast may be, its eyes are always its weak point. The wild boar roared in agony, thrashing its head to shake him off. But Zhou Yang knew full well that if he were thrown, his only end would be becoming pig dung. Gritting his teeth, he drew his knife and stabbed down again and again.
Soon, the boar’s eyes were nothing but bloody pits. It turned sideways, trying to slam him against a tree, but Zhou Yang would not grant its wish. Fueled by an adrenaline rush, he scrambled to the other side of the boar and grabbed its head, actually forcing it to stagger!
Taking advantage of this, he pulled out an arrow he had brought along, jammed it deep into the boar’s eye, and twisted it twice. Only when he snapped the shaft with a *crack* did he scramble away to a safe distance.
One had to admit, a wild boar’s vitality is truly stubborn. Even with its brain turned to mush, it continued to thrash about wildly. It took a long while before its body finally went limp. Even then, it wasn’t quite dead, lying on the ground and gasping violently.
Zhou Yang, having kept his distance, knew the beast was finished. He picked up a stone and approached slowly, making as little noise as possible. Amidst the boar’s dying wails, he struck several more times until it stopped moving entirely.
Once it was all over, he collapsed on the ground, exhausted, his face filled with the relief of having survived a brush with death.
That was a close one... If this had been a fully grown boar, his rebirth would have been for nothing.
After resting for a full half-hour, Zhou Yang stood up, his limbs still trembling slightly. He looked at the massive boar carcass on the ground, and a system prompt popped up in his mind.
【Congratulations to the host for killing prey. Hunting rating in progress.】
【Prey: Wild boar, weight 120 kg, male, danger level: High】
【Hunting Rating: B+ (Host killed large prey with an ordinary hunting knife; performance excellent; bonus points awarded)】
【Points earned: 50+15】
Looking at the system prompt, Zhou Yang’s lips curled into a smile—weary, yet satisfied. He looked down at his hands; the webbing between his thumbs was numb from the impact, and some cracks were oozing blood. The life-and-death struggle had drained his stamina, but for now, the joy of victory dulled the pain.
He walked slowly to the carcass and crouched down to examine it closely. The boar was immense, its tusks as thick and curved as scimitars, and its bristles as hard as steel needles. Even in death, it radiated an intimidating aura.
"Well, at least it wasn't for nothing."
He muttered to himself and reached out to touch the boar’s tusks; they felt cold and rough. This boar was worth quite a lot. Not only would it provide plenty of meat, but the tusks and hide would fetch a good price, enough to keep his family comfortable for a good while.
The points he’d earned gave him some initial capital. If he saved up a bit more, he could trade for a decent hunting rifle, or spend a few days as a Mountain Forager using the system's detection function, which should yield plenty of results.
Standing up, Zhou Yang surveyed his surroundings. Satisfied there was no other danger, he began to think about how to transport the behemoth home. The boar’s weight was far beyond his ability to carry; he certainly couldn't move it alone.
He checked the System Mall. He could buy a transport vehicle, but the price tag of several thousand points made him quickly close the interface. A manual handcart wasn't expensive, though—just 20 points. Counting the boar, he had earned nearly a hundred points today, so it wasn't a painful expense.
The problem was that even with a cart, the mountain paths were treacherous; it would take forever to get it home. With no other choice, he buried the carcass well and headed back to the village to get help.
Along the way, Zhou Yang took red cloth strips from his basket and tied them to nearby branches as markers, then walked briskly in the direction of the village.
Before long, the dilapidated thatched hut from his memories came into view. The roof was covered in thick, matted thatch that had grayed over years of exposure to the elements, with clusters of stubborn weeds swaying in the breeze along the edges. While thick enough to keep the wind and rain out, the roof inevitably leaked during the rainy season, leaving the *kang* damp and causing his father’s back to break out in sores.
Looking at the house, which wasn't large but was sturdy despite the leaks, Zhou Yang took a deep breath, barely containing the surge of emotion in his chest. However, when he pushed open the creaky wooden door and saw his father—who looked so much younger than he remembered—tending to the fire for the *kang*, his eyes could not help but redden.
His father had the standard look of a mountain man: dark, weathered skin etched with wrinkles. He wasn't tall, but his shoulders were broad, his arms thick, and his knuckles prominent and covered in calluses. Ever since Zhou Yang had taken over the role of Mountain Forager, his father had spent his life farming and laboring, never knowing a day of rest. Even now, in his early forties, his hair was already turning gray, a sight that made Zhou Yang’s heart ache.
"Dad." Zhou Yang called out, his lips trembling.
"Back so early?" Zhou Daniu looked at him. Seeing his son return empty-handed, covered in dust and grime, his usually stern face showed a flicker of concern. "Did you run into something? Why are you hurt like this?"
"I keep telling you to be careful when you go up the mountain, but you never listen! If you can't find anything, just let it go. It’s not like you’re going to starve to death if you miss a few meals!"
He scolded him, but his eyes were red as he checked his son for injuries. "Go inside and have your mother take a look!"
"Dad, I caught a big one." Zhou Yang wiped his eyes and grinned foolishly. "A wild boar, over a hundred pounds. Help me go get it!"
"Over a hundred pounds? You killed it?" Zhou Daniu was stunned.
That was a wild boar! His grandfather had been a Mountain Forager his whole life, and even he would have detoured to avoid one! His son hadn't even brought a rifle—how had he managed to kill it?
Seeing what his father was thinking, Zhou Yang urged him anxiously, "Don't worry about that for now, let's just go get it!"
"Alright!" Zhou Daniu was a mountain man, after all; he didn't fuss, but ran to the yard to grab the cart.
"Mother, I’m going up the mountain with the boy—we caught something!"
"Alright, watch yourself on the road!"
Zhou Yang didn't have time to go inside and see his mother; he could only catch a glimpse through the window of her silhouette sitting on the edge of the *kang*, mending clothes.
After lingering for a few seconds, Zhou Daniu arrived with the cart. Without further delay, the father and son hurried toward the mountain.
About half an hour later.
"Son, you’ve got talent!"
Zhou Daniu cleared away the branches covering the carcass and looked at the boar. His face, which rarely smiled, couldn't keep from beaming now. It wasn't just because the family would have food; he was proud of his son.
Bringing home such a large boar would make their family famous in the village. In Shaoguo Village, whoever could bring home good game had a say in things and could find a good wife. Not bringing a rifle, but managing to kill a boar this size—that was true skill!