amaotonovel Chapter 411 Determined to Have a Meat Meal
Chapter 411 Determined to Have a Meat Meal
At the same time, Li Xiangyang leaped forward, rushed to the side of the lynx in a few steps, and fired a shot at it.
The shot missed without a doubt, but in that instant of pause, Wang Ergou, who had been waiting for his chance, swung a stone and smashed it hard against the lynx's head.
The lynx cried out in pain, but instead of retreating, it pounced on Wang Ergou even more fiercely.
"boom!"
Li Xiangyang fired again. This time, the bullet hit its target precisely, passing through the lynx's side and instantly knocking it down on the snow, its blood staining the ground red.
The lynx twitched a few times, then finally stopped moving.
"Phew—" Wang Ergou breathed a long sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. "That was close! Thank goodness you reacted quickly."
"Yeah, that's incredibly fast." Li Xiangyang walked over and patted Wang Ergou on the shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing, just quite a fright." Wang Ergou picked up the shotgun that had been thrown away and checked it. "The gun isn't broken."
Li Xiangyang crouched down and carefully examined the lynx's carcass.
This was a fairly large adult lynx with glossy fur and clear spots. Although it was dead, its green eyes still exuded a fierce aura.
“This lynx pelt is quite nice; it’ll fetch a good price.” Li Xiangyang stroked the lynx’s fur. “Let’s go, let’s take it back.”
Wang Ergou nodded and helped Li Xiangyang lift the lynx, preparing to walk back.
"Oh right, where's our badger?" Wang Ergou suddenly remembered.
"You know, even if there's anything left, it's just a wreck, worthless. Besides, it's getting late, don't bother looking anymore."
As soon as Li Xiangyang finished speaking, a gust of cold wind blew in.
The cold wind, carrying snowflakes, lashed against Wang Ergou's face, which was red with cold. Gazing at the churning clouds in the twilight, he said regretfully, "What a pity, but that's all we can do..."
The two men carried the lynx back the way they had come. Two deep footprints and a trail of blood were left in the snow.
Along the way, they checked several more traps and caught a few wild rabbits.
"I'm really lucky today. Although the badger is gone, lynx pelts are much more valuable than badger pelts," Wang Ergou said with a smile as he walked.
“Indeed, lynx pelts are in season during winter.” Li Xiangyang nodded in agreement.
As the two were talking, the sky gradually darkened.
The winter sun sets early, rising briefly before disappearing into the west, at which point a rosy glow appears on the horizon.
"Oh no, it's getting dark." Li Xiangyang frowned and quickened his pace. "We need to hurry down the mountain; the deep mountains on a winter night are no joke."
Wang Ergou also became nervous. In the winter forest, once it gets dark, not only does the temperature drop sharply, but all sorts of dangers will also follow.
The two carried their prey, their feet barely touching the ground, but the mountain path was rugged and the snow was thick, so their progress was not as fast as they hoped.
The last rays of sunlight disappeared from the sky, and darkness quickly enveloped the entire mountain forest like a tidal wave.
"Something's not right. It seems we've gone astray." Li Xiangyang suddenly stopped and looked around warily.
The two were originally returning by following the footprints they had come from, but at some point, the footprints on the ground were covered by the newly fallen snow, and they unknowingly walked into an unfamiliar forest.
"What are we going to do?" Wang Ergou's voice was filled with anxiety. "The temperature drops at night, and even though we're dressed warmly, we won't be able to withstand the cold all night."
Li Xiangyang pondered for a moment and said, "Let's find a place to shelter from the wind and figure out a way to start a fire."
The two groped their way forward in the darkness, and by the faint moonlight, they finally found a hollow surrounded by mountains on three sides, which could shelter them from the biting cold wind.
“That’s enough. Put down the prey and let’s start the fire.” Li Xiangyang said, and began to collect dry branches from the vicinity.
Wang Ergou also got to work quickly, and soon he had piled up a small pile of firewood.
Li Xiangyang took out the matches he carried with him, carefully lit a few dry grasses, and then gradually added more firewood until a warm flame was finally lit.
The firelight illuminated their tired faces and dispelled some of the biting chill.
"Luckily, I brought some dry food." Li Xiangyang took out two cornbread cakes and handed one to Wang Ergou. "Have some to tide you over."
The two sat around the fire and began to wolf down their food.
In the cold mountain forest, even a hard, dry flatbread tastes exceptionally delicious.
“After we finish eating, we’ll take turns keeping watch,” Li Xiangyang said. “Although there’s a fire, the wild animals in these deep mountains will inevitably be attracted by the firelight and the scent of their prey.”
Wang Ergou nodded, swallowed the last bite of his flatbread, picked up his hunting rifle and placed it on his lap, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily.
As night deepened, the sounds in the mountains and forests became increasingly clear.
The wind rustled through the treetops; occasionally, the roars of beasts echoed in the distance, sounding particularly eerie in the silent night.
Li Xiangyang leaned against a large tree, curling up to conserve body heat, but he still felt waves of cold.
He gripped the shotgun tightly in his hand, his eyes constantly searching for potential dangers in the darkness.
"You get some sleep first, I'll keep watch," Li Xiangyang said to Wang Ergou.
Wang Ergou nodded wearily, found a relatively comfortable spot, and closed his eyes.
Not long after Wang Ergou fell asleep, Li Xiangyang suddenly heard a faint sound, like something crunching on the snow.
He immediately became alert and listened carefully.
The sound grew closer, accompanied by low, labored breathing.
"Ergou, wake up!" Li Xiangyang whispered to Wang Ergou. "Something's coming."
Wang Ergou jolted awake and immediately grabbed his hunting rifle.
By the light of the fire, the two could vaguely see several pairs of eerie green eyes gleaming in the darkness not far away.
"A pack of wolves!" Wang Ergou gasped.
Li Xiangyang's expression was solemn as he slowly raised his hunting rifle and aimed at the pair of eyes at the very front.
"Don't fire, assess the situation first," Li Xiangyang whispered, stopping Wang Ergou from pulling the trigger. "Firing might trigger a mass attack."
The wolf pack seemed to be assessing the two's strength, and slowly surrounded them in a semi-circle.
By the flickering firelight, the two could see at least five or six gray wolves. They weren't large, but their numbers made up for it.
"It seems they're attracted by the scent of their prey's blood," Li Xiangyang quickly considered his options. "Let's make the fire bigger first."
The two quickly added more firewood to the fire, and the flames crackled and shot high, temporarily forcing the wolves back a few steps.
But this was only temporary; the wolves quickly adapted to the firelight and approached the two again.
"It seems they're determined to have some meat," Li Xiangyang said calmly. "We need to find a way to get rid of them."