Chapter 10: Spring Hunt (4)

Chapter 10 Spring Hunt (4)

"You feeling confident?" Zheng Yuanzhi had a water flask strapped at his waist, a bow and arrows slung over his back, and his high ponytail tied neatly behind his head. He looked fresh and full of energy.

Chen Shuoan looked like he was heading to his own funeral.

"No, but I have the resolve to face death."

Qin Zhonglian overheard this and strode over on his long legs, sneering at Chen Shuoan: "That's about all you've got. You're all talk when it comes to pushing around the weak. Today, let's see who can shoot more prey. Loser calls the winner 'Daddy'! You got the guts to take that bet?"

Though Chen Shuoan lacked skill, he'd been running his mouth for years.

He raised his chin and copied Qin Zhonglian's smug attitude, saying, "Heh, does Duke Zhenguo know his son's out here calling random folks 'Daddy'?"

Qin Zhonglian's handsome face went green with rage. He couldn't stand this little punk even more now and snapped, "You better remember those words. We'll see who's laughing in the end!"

With that, he turned his back on Chen Shuoan and pouted at the still-closed hunting ground gates.

Chen Shuoan saw the look on Qin Zhonglian's face—like he wanted to drink his blood and chew his bones—and shook his head. Still too young—when he hits my age, he'll get it.

Chen Shuoan turned to Zheng Yuanzhi, who was enjoying the drama, and said, "You see, people's prejudice is like a mountain. I've been reformed for a while now."

Zheng Yuanzhi snapped out of it and said seriously, "Ahem, yeah, you're right."

Qin Zhonglian, who'd been eavesdropping, twitched his ears. Feeling Chen Shuoan's eyes on him, he snorted coldly.

When the stone gates opened, the crowd surged forward. The men filed in one by one with dead-serious faces—like lining up for Monday morning flag-raising.

Chen Shuoan gripped his bow tightly, feeling this was more nerve-wracking than the night before the college entrance exam.

No big deal, he told himself. A 0.5mm gel pen was his weapon in the exam room, and this bow was his weapon on the hunt!

Chen Shuoan stared at the red welts the stupid heavy bow had left on his hand.

His face was blank.

Maybe he wouldn't even need this weapon.

————

The hunting grounds were eerily quiet and deep. Towering trees blotted out the sun, and the temperature inside was much lower than outside.

Occasionally, shrill bird cries echoed from high above, sounding close yet far, sending chills down your spine. Plants grew wild, with weeds as tall as a person. Get close enough, and you could see bugs resting on the leaves.

Zheng Yuanzhi shoved through the vines and fought his way out of the tangled woods.

Chen Shuoan stayed put, sandwiched in the middle of the group. The guy who never shut up now kept his mouth shut about Zheng Yuanzhi's obvious wrong turn.

Because one more word and he'd get sent to the front to be bug chow.

As the dead weight holding everyone back, he had no right to talk.

Silence is golden, baby.

I don't like talking.

Chen Shuoan brainwashed himself into believing it.

"Further in is the inner zone of the hunting grounds. More predators, more danger. Do we keep going?" Zheng Yuanzhi turned around and asked.

Chen Shuoan was stunned—how could the guy who got them this lost actually know the difference between inner and outer grounds? Guess you really can't judge a book by its cover.

Li Wei popped his head out from behind Chen Shuoan and said excitedly, "Let's go in! I think the outer area's boring."

You only live once, man—no respawns!

You're really gonna risk your life over "boring"?!

Chen Shuoan, being a college student from the 21st century who had taken safety education courses, had a different take: "I think the outer area's pretty good too. Let's not go picking fights with white tigers or brown bears. We could just grab some pheasant eggs and get a protein boost for dinner..."

His voice faded under everyone's staring eyes.

Zheng Yuanzhi laughed heartily and patted Chen Shuoan on the shoulder, saying, "Did you see any watchtowers on the way here?"

Chen Shuoan was baffled and honestly shook his head.

"The outer grounds stretch 30 kilometers with 5 watchtowers for safety. The inner grounds are even safer—a tower every 4 kilometers. If you're in trouble, just fire the flare you're carrying."

Zheng Yuanzhi suddenly stopped, alarmed: "Wait, you didn't know? You didn't bring a flare?"

Chen Shuoan looked puzzled. That thing that looked like bamboo rice was a flare?

Seeing Zheng Yuanzhi's worried face, he realized it was a lifesaver and nodded quickly: "I brought it."

He'd just thought it was some kind of compressed biscuit.

Heh heh, close enough. Chen Shuoan was so embarrassed his toes were curling.

Zheng Yuanzhi was now seriously worried about Chen Shuoan and warned him, "Don't lag behind. Stick with me."

"Okay." Chen Shuoan looked sincere, his eyes as determined as if he were joining the Party.

The group followed Zheng Yuanzhi onward.

Sure enough, the inner and outer grounds felt like night and day.

If the outer area was dead quiet, the inner area was a brewing storm.

It was a weird feeling—you never knew how many seconds away danger was.

Nobody spoke; everyone looked grim.

Zheng Yuanzhi, at the front, suddenly stopped.

Everyone froze.

Zheng Yuanzhi turned back with an awkward grin: "Uh, sorry guys, I don't think I've been here before."

Unknown territory meant danger. Even with backup, nobody dared to move.

Zhang Chenggong glanced at the darkening sky and said, "The sun's about to set. Going forward is creepy enough, let alone on a path we don't know. If it goes fully dark, even the gods couldn't save us out here."

Li Wei thought a second and nodded: "Yeah."

Seeing no one object, Zheng Yuanzhi turned to lead everyone back.

"Wait." Chen Shuoan, quiet the whole way, suddenly spoke.

He stuck out his hand like a dramatic stop sign, telling them to wait.

Chen Shuoan trotted over to a bush, crouched down so only his fluffy head peeked out, then stood up holding a chicken nest with several white eggs inside.

"Speak of the devil—we're not handing these eggs over. I'll keep them for tonight and make us some roasted eggs." Chen Shuoan couldn't help but brag about his hawk-like eyesight, which he'd had ever since he got dropped into this book.

The young masters ate eggs and meat all the time, but the thought of these being "ill-gotten gains" made their mouths water—they were in it for the thrill.

After all, no matter how big or small the prey you caught, you had to hand it over to the Supply Office to earn points.

Li Wei, who often bent the rules, got excited at the mention of this. He trotted over to Chen Shuoan and sucked up to him, "Brother Chen, how many can I get?"

Boss Chen waved his hand generously, unconcerned, "Everyone here gets a share!"

He had the vibe of a CEO handing out year-end bonuses.

They laughed and made their way back along the same path, the setting sun casting a golden glow on each of them, making their silhouettes shine brightly.

The joy of young men was that simple.