American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 210 Bloodstained Battle!

He held his breath, and the instant he finished aiming, he gently released his finger.

"Om-"

The bowstring emitted a deep and powerful thud! The broad-headed arrow, on which he had placed so much hope, carried a chilling killing intent and, like a black lightning bolt, flew precisely toward its target thirty meters away!
However, just as the arrow left the bowstring, the lone wolf, which had been feigning sleep, displayed the terrifying intuition of a top predator, almost like a sixth sense!
Without even opening its eyes, its entire body sprang up from the snow as if it were on springs!

"Pfft!"

A clear, muffled sound, like a sharp blade slicing into flesh, rang out!

The broadheaded arrow missed its soft hindquarters, but it didn't miss completely either. The three sharp blades slashed fiercely across the outer muscles of its left hind leg the instant it leaped and turned!

This was not a puncture wound, but an open cut! A gash several centimeters long appeared instantly. Although it was not deep, it was enough to sever a large number of capillaries and some muscle fibers.

Blood gushed out, staining its grayish-white fur a striking scarlet.

This was not a fatal wound, not even a serious one, but the sudden, intense pain instantly ignited the lone wolf's boundless rage!

"Aww-wow-!"

Instead of fleeing, it let out a furious and murderous howl, turned around abruptly, and locked its eyes, which seemed to be burning with golden flames, onto the human on the rocky platform who dared to harm it!
In its eyes, this two-legged creature was prey that had to be torn apart!
With a sudden burst of power from its four limbs, it charged towards the rocky platform where Lin Yu'an was, like a gray-black cannonball, without hesitation and with an indomitable and frenzied attitude!

"Well done!"

There was no panic in Lin Yu'an's eyes; instead, a burning, exciting fighting spirit flashed within them!
After shooting the first arrow, he didn't even look at the result before smoothly drawing an ordinary practice arrow and nocking it on the string with lightning speed.

It would be unwise to use his only two most precious broad-headed hunting arrows before the situation became clear. He needed to use cheaper ammunition first to probe and delay his opponent.

As the lone wolf scrambled across the steep slope with ease, the snow kicked up by its paws flying backward, the straight-line distance between them rapidly closing. The stench of a wild beast, a mixture of stench and bloodlust, seemed to be carried by the wind into his nostrils!
Lin Yu'an drew the bowstring taut, and the bow arm groaned slightly due to the immense tension.

He didn't rush to fire, but waited calmly. He knew very well that the rocky platform he was on was his greatest advantage.

This place offers a wide view and is easy to defend but difficult to attack. If a wolf wants to attack it, it must climb this three-meter-high rock wall, and in the process of climbing, it will inevitably expose huge weaknesses.

Lin Yu'an's strategy was simple: he needed to hold this high ground and make this arrogant lone wolf pay the price!
The lone wolf rushed to the bottom of the rocky platform, then suddenly stopped, the snow it kicked up crashing against the rock face like waves.

It looked up at Lin Yu'an on the platform, letting out a series of angry and suppressed roars, its white fangs gleaming coldly in the dim light.

It attempted to leap upwards, its hind leg muscles exploding instantly, propelling its entire body into the air, its sharp claws slicing through the rock face with a piercing "sizzle".

But the three-meter height, combined with the slippery rock face, rendered its attempt futile, and it fell heavily back onto the snow, aggravating its hind leg injury. It did not attempt a second time in vain.

It tilted its head back and stared intently at Lin Yu'an for a few seconds with its golden eyes, which were filled with both wisdom and rage.

It then made a clever tactical choice. Instead of insisting on a frontal assault, it suddenly turned around and ran quickly to the side and rear along the edge of the rock wall, trying to find a gentle slope that could take it around to the platform!

After finding a reasonable route, the lone wolf charged towards Lin Yu'an at high speed in an astonishing zigzag pattern!
"It's trying to flank us!" Lin Yu'an's pupils contracted slightly. He immediately realized that although he had gained a commanding position, he had also trapped himself on a small platform.

Once the wolf attacks from behind or the flank, he will be attacked from both sides and be in dire straits! We can't wait any longer; we must severely damage it before it finds its way up the mountain!

Instead of aiming at the wolf's body, which was moving at high speed and was almost impossible to hit, he quickly predicted the wolf's running route and aimed at a clearing about ten meters ahead of it, next to a large tree that it had to go around!
He loosened his grip!
"Whoosh!"

The practice arrow whistled as it struck the snow in front of the wolf with pinpoint accuracy!

"puff!"

A muffled thud! The arrow pierced deep into the snow, sending up a cloud of snowflakes!

The arrow has fulfilled its mission!

The lone wolf, which was running at high speed, was startled by the threatening arrow that was so close at hand. Its survival instinct made it suddenly stop to the side and try to turn around!
This sudden stop and turn, which disrupted its running rhythm, left its entire flank completely exposed to Lin Yu'an's firing range!
"It's now!"

Without pausing for a moment, Lin Yu'an immediately drew his second trump card—a broad-headed hunting arrow—from his quiver as he shot the first practice arrow.

Nocking the arrow, drawing the bow, aiming! The whole movement was fluid and seamless!
The lone wolf, blinded by rage, did not retreat after being forced to stop. The anger of its territory being invaded and the prey so close at hand caused it to lose some of its rationality and launch a second, even more frenzied attack!

But in the instant the wolf lost its balance due to the sudden stop, its old strength exhausted and its new strength not yet creating an opening, Lin Yu'an released his fingers!
"Om-"

The broadheaded arrow, with a dull yet deadly whistling sound unlike any practice arrow, hurtled out with thunderous force at a distance of less than thirty meters!

"Pfft!"

With a muffled thud, the broadheaded arrow failed to pierce the wolf's vital organs in the chest and abdomen as he had expected, because the wolf, with its astonishing reaction speed, suddenly exerted force with its waist and abdomen and twisted its body!
The arrow grazed the edge of its ribs, and with tremendous spin, it pierced the shoulder joint of one of its forelegs!
Three sharp blades swept past like a whirlwind, shredding its muscles and tendons!
"Ow—!"

A short, sharp scream!

The excruciating pain prevented the lone wolf from continuing its charge. After rolling on the snow, it struggled to its feet, but one of its front legs was temporarily unable to exert any force, and it could only drag itself helplessly on the ground at an odd angle.

Fresh blood was gushing from its shoulder blades, quickly staining the fur on its chest a warm, dark, and wet patch.

It knew it was no match for this two-legged beast; it possessed the ability to injure it from a distance! After staring at Lin Yu'an's cold gaze for a few seconds, the cunning predator made the wisest choice.

Without any further hesitation or probing, it tucked its tail between its legs, and on three legs, limping but still incredibly fast, it turned and fled madly back towards the forest it had come from!

"Trying to run?" Lin Yu'an's voice was full of disdain. "You destroyed my trap, stole my prey, and now you want to leave? Too late!"

He didn't immediately go down to chase after them. He calmly put away his bow, then turned around and didn't choose to descend directly from the three-meter-high platform.

Instead, he quickly and steadily made his way around the rocky platform along a gentler route that he had already observed while he was sneaking around.

For a professional hunter, conserving energy and avoiding unnecessary risks is far more important than saving a few dozen seconds.

After doing all this, he turned his gaze back to the "blood trail" stretching into the distance on the snow, composed of stumbling footprints and dripping blood.

He walked to the bloodstain, squatted down, dipped his finger in the frozen blood, and faced the camera with the confidence of a hunter in control. "Round one, it's over. It's badly injured, bleeding, and won't go far."

"Now, it's time for it to experience what the sword of Damocles hanging over its head is like."

Lin Yu'an, carrying the deadly flint spear and wearing snowshoes, began his final hunt.

He followed the "blood trail" formed by dripping blood and staggering footprints. This time, his pace was no longer leisurely, but steady, to conserve his energy.

As he moved quickly, he explained, “The advantage is in my hands now! The prey is badly wounded and knows for sure that I’m tracking it. Patience is no longer the priority; what’s needed now is sustained pressure.”

“I must constantly be within its range of perception, not giving it any time to stop, rest, or think of a solution, so as to completely crush its will.”

After tracking for about half a kilometer, he noticed that the pattern of the bloodstains began to change, and his eyes kept scanning back and forth between the bloodstains, the surrounding terrain, and the wind direction.

“Look here.” He crouched down and pointed to a pool of blood on the snow that was no longer dripping, but splattered.

"Initially, the blood was dripping, indicating that the wound was still covered by muscle. But now, the blood has become splattered and is brighter red."

"This indicates that the broadheaded arrow caused secondary cuts in its body during its running due to muscle movement, and it may have severed a major artery."

"This is crucial good news. Arterial bleeding means that it is losing life and strength at an extremely rapid rate and won't last much longer."

He continued forward and soon came to a steep slope.

On the snow, the wolf's footprints became more disordered, the drag marks were heavier, and bloodstains could even be seen on the surrounding tree trunks.

"It has lost its ability to maintain its balance and is definitely feeling dizzy and weak due to lack of blood."

After tracking for another ten minutes or so, he stopped again.

A large patch of compacted snow appeared on the ground ahead, and there was more blood around it.

"It lay here resting for a long time." He pointed to the area with the tip of his spear.

"But there was no body, which means that after resting for a while, it mustered up its strength and continued its escape. This guy's will to survive is terrifyingly strong."

A hint of respect for his opponent flashed in Lin Yu'an's eyes.

He continued following the increasingly dense and unsteady trail. This time, he increased his speed to its maximum.

He knew his prey had reached its limit; now it was time to apply the final pressure and bring it to a close.

Finally, after crossing a ridge, he smelled an increasingly strong stench of blood in the air.

In a clearing not far ahead, the lone wolf lay weakly in the snow, its back to him.

The injured hind leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, and the surrounding fur was stuck together with frozen blood and bodily fluids, making it look horrific.

Its breathing was heavy and rapid, each breath bringing out a small puff of white mist; it seemed to have lost all vigilance.

He immediately slowed his pace, using a huge spruce tree as cover, and quietly approached.

Lin Yu'an gripped the spear tightly with both hands, lowered his center of gravity, and approached it silently from behind with extremely slow and steady steps. Facing a dying beast, you never know what kind of frantic counterattack it might launch, but now, with his power enhanced by his cheat system—enough to kill the motorcyclist with a single full-force strike—dealing with a crippled wolf was more than enough; he had no intention of using an arrow to finish it off.

Ten meters, eight meters, five meters...

Just as he was less than two meters away from the lone wolf, tapped it with his spear, and prepared to deliver the fatal blow from behind, the lone wolf, which had been lying on the ground, suddenly sprang up from the snow and turned around!

There was no weakness in those golden pupils, only a cold and cunning killing intent!
"It's playing dead!" Lin Yu'an's heart sank!
Its previous weakness was all a facade! It was deliberately creating an opening to lure him into a range it believed was most likely to counterattack! However, Lin Yu'an was not flustered at all; on the contrary, he was somewhat excited! Not all hunters have the opportunity to achieve the Spear Hunter achievement.

The lone wolf clearly hadn't expected the human to be so cautious; it didn't approach immediately and kept a distance. But its surprise lasted only half a second before being replaced by an even stronger ferocity.

It let out a low growl, lowered its body, and revealed its white fangs. Despite its severely injured hind legs, the power of its forelimbs was still terrifying. Like an arrow released from a bow, it pounced fiercely towards Lin Yu'an's throat!
Lin Yu'an's eyes were as cold as iron. This was the most dangerous moment, and also the moment that would determine victory or defeat.

Instead of retreating, he took a step forward, his body sinking down, as steady as a rock.

He gripped the spear shaft tightly with both hands, but didn't foolishly try to take the wolf's charge head-on. Just as the wolf pounced, he pivoted on his right foot and spun half a step to the left!

This is an extremely exquisite dodging maneuver, like that of a matador!

The lone wolf's powerful pounce almost grazed his body! He could even clearly smell the strong scent of blood and wildness emanating from it, and feel the force of its sharp claws cutting through the air!
As he dodged, the spear in his hand moved! Using the centrifugal force from his spinning body, the spear in his hand transformed into a black whip, not thrusting forward, but lashing horizontally and fiercely at the wolf's airborne body!
"boom!"

A dull thud, like a baseball bat hitting a sandbag!
The sturdy birch spear shaft struck the lone wolf squarely in the weak waist and abdomen that had been stretched open by the attack!
"Ouch——!"

The lone wolf let out an extremely shrill howl in mid-air. The enormous impact shook its internal organs, and its pouncing posture was completely deformed.

It crashed heavily onto the snow beside Lin Yu'an, rolling and biting wildly!
Although the blow did not cause a fracture, it was enough to damage its internal organs and severely contused the muscles in its waist and abdomen, greatly affecting its balance and core strength.

Despite landing a successful blow, Lin Yu'an felt no joy. For a wolf enraged by a frenzy, such an injury would only make it more dangerous and unpredictable.

He immediately took two steps back, readjusted his spear-holding posture, and calmly observed his opponent.

After rolling around a few times, the lone wolf finally stopped. It raised its head, and for the first time, something other than ferocity appeared in its eyes as it looked at Lin Yu'an.

A hint of solemnity mixed with confusion and apprehension lingered in its eyes. It clearly couldn't understand why this two-legged creature possessed such terrifying combat skills and power.

It tried to stand up, but the sharp pain in its lower back and abdomen made its movements stiff and slow, and its hind legs even became slightly unsteady when it landed.

The lone wolf emitted a low, threatening growl, engaging in a silent standoff with Lin Yu'an.

It is evaluating, it is thinking.

Lin Yu'an was also assessing the situation. He gripped the spear tightly, adjusted his breathing, and lowered his center of gravity.

He knew that the wolf was not yet at its last gasp, but its explosive power and agility had been weakened by at least 30% by his attack just now.

Suddenly, the wolf moved!

Instead of launching a reckless straight attack, it began to circle around Lin Yu'an in a circle with a radius of about five meters, moving rapidly. Its injured hind leg and severe injuries to its waist and abdomen made its movements somewhat unsteady and stiff, but its speed remained astonishing.

Lin Yu'an instantly understood the lone wolf's thoughts; it was searching for its flanks and rear.

This is a classic tactic used by wolf packs when hunting: constantly moving to confuse their prey and find the weakest point in their defenses. Even for lone wolves, this tactic is ingrained in their genes.

He remained calm, pivoting on his heels and constantly rotating his body, keeping his spear pointed at the rapidly moving wolf, ensuring that he was always facing the lone wolf and giving it no chance to attack.

This was a contest of will and physical strength. The wolf was expending its already limited physical strength, and Lin Yu'an's spirit was also being rapidly depleted under intense pressure.

A few minutes later, the wolf seemed to finally lose patience. Its injuries prevented it from maneuvering for any longer.

It let out a roar, abruptly changed its rhythm, and in the instant that a feint to the left distracted Lin Yu'an, it suddenly lunged from the right, not at Lin Yu'an's body, but with lightning speed biting at the shaft of the spear in his hand!
"It wants to destroy my weapons!" Lin Yu'an instantly understood its intention!
But instead of retracting his spear, he turned the tables and thrust the shaft forward!
"Crack!"

The wolf's jaws, powerful enough to crush bones, slammed into the hard birchwood pole!

The instant it bit the spear shaft, Lin Yu'an released the spear shaft with his other hand and swiftly drew the sharp hunting knife from his waist!

He darted forward, seizing the golden opportunity when the wolf's mouth and nose were restrained by the spear, and with a flash of silver light, he plunged his hunting knife into the soft carotid artery area below the wolf's eye!
"puff--!"

The sound of a knife tip piercing flesh rang out!

"Ow—!"

A scream, shorter but more piercing than any before, rang out! The wolf never dreamed that this human had a second weapon!
The lone wolf released its grip and jerked its body backward, but it was too late! A scalding liquid, carrying the warmth of its own life, gushed from its carotid artery, staining its chest red.

Having succeeded in his attack, Lin Yu'an, after the lone wolf released its grip on the spear, stabbed it again near the wound, further injuring it.

The lone wolf soon tasted the flavor of its own blood.

A chilling sense of powerlessness it had never experienced before instantly extinguished its heart, which was burning with rage and ferocity.

The lone wolf knew it was going to die.

It did not attempt to escape again, because all the injuries combined—its hind leg torn by the broadhead arrow, its anterior scapular joint, its lower back and abdomen severely damaged by the spear shaft, and its carotid artery, which was now losing a lot of blood—made it extremely difficult to even stand.

It staggered back a few steps, meeting Lin Yu'an's cold gaze.

In its rapidly losing golden pupils, the image of this two-legged creature was reflected. It couldn't understand how this seemingly fragile creature could unleash such terrifying power.

In its mind, perhaps flashed its life of reigning supreme on this icy plain: the excitement of successfully hunting a snowshoe hare for the first time, the cunning of successfully challenging the majesty of a bear and stealing its prey, and the pride of driving out all competitors and occupying territory.

But all of this came to an end today in the face of this suddenly appearing, even more powerful predator.

The lone wolf, dragging its bleeding body, slowly but with great dignity, lay down.

The lone wolf did not howl like a defeated dog. Instead, it raised its head high, used its last bit of strength to straighten its spine, and gazed at its defeated opponent in the last few seconds of its life.

Lin Yu'an did not rush forward immediately, but stood quietly in place, watching its life slip away little by little, giving it its final respect.

He could read the language in those eyes; there was resentment, confusion, but more than anything, there was the pride of an apex predator that refused to yield even in the face of defeat.

He saw that the wolf's breathing was becoming weaker and weaker, and each breath brought out more blood foam.

Its once powerful body is gradually growing cold and limp.

A few seconds later, the proud head finally drooped limply, crashing heavily onto the snow stained with its own blood, and remained motionless.

Lin Yu'an then stepped forward and gently touched the wolf's dull eyes with the tip of his spear to confirm that its corneal reflex had completely disappeared.

"Alright, guys, the battle's over." He exhaled a long breath at the camera, white mist rising in front of him, his face displaying a confidence mixed with a complex emotion.

Instead of immediately dealing with the spoils, he squatted down and quietly examined the powerful opponent with whom he had just fought to the death.

“Look at its eyes.” He zoomed in, focusing the camera on the pair of golden pupils that had lost their luster.

"In its last few seconds before it died, I read something in it. It wasn't fear, nor hatred."

"It was a kind of...confusion. It didn't understand why it had lost. In its world, it was the sole king of this territory. It was intelligent, strong, and patient; it followed all the hunting laws etched into its genes over millions of years. But it still lost."

He reached out his gloved hand and gently stroked the lone wolf's rough but thick fur.

"What it lost to was not me as a person, but the most powerful weapon that the human species has relied on for survival for thousands of years—the creativity of wisdom and tools."

“In nature, competition among animals is fair; they compete in terms of strength, speed, endurance, and sharper teeth and claws.”

“Every time they hunt, it’s a fair and square battle based on instinct. Like this wolf, it finds my trap and eats my prey. In its own law, this is its due, because it is stronger than that fox.”

"However, the introduction of humans disrupted this balance."

“We don’t have the fastest speed, the strongest strength, or the sharpest claws. But we can think, and we can create weapons that transcend the rules of nature itself, such as the bow and arrow and the spear in my hand.”

"It spends its entire life learning how to become a top-tier wolf. Humans, on the other hand, can create a tool that can easily kill it in an afternoon."

His tone lacked the arrogance of a victor, instead carrying a deep sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep emotion) and respect for his opponent.

"Its failure was simply because it unfortunately encountered a predator from another dimension, one that was even more unreasonable. Although it is unfair, we humans have never been able to stand at the top of the food chain because of kindness and fairness."

"I respect it, and the greatest respect for prey is to make reasonable use of every inch of it and not to waste any resources."

Lin Yu'an looked at those golden eyes that had lost their luster, eyes that were once full of wisdom and arrogance, and said, "Now, you are mine."

--------

(I feel this chapter is pretty good. Readers who agree can vote with me to let me know how many people like it!)
(Readers who disagree are welcome to offer their valuable opinions!)

(End of this chapter)