In this chaotic world of vying for power, I can become stronger by marrying a wife.

After leaving the house, Su Ming headed straight for the mountains behind the village.

The snow in the mountains and forests was very thick; when you stepped on it, it was up to your calves.

Su Ming's sharp, hawk-like eyes scanned his surroundings, and it was clear that his observation skills and gaze had improved by several levels!

It must be the changes brought about by the sharpshooter skill.

As he walked, Su Ming suddenly stopped.

The ground in front of us was slightly higher than elsewhere. At first glance, it seemed no different, but upon closer inspection, we could see that the snow cover here was not deep, as if it had been disturbed.

Su Ming picked up a branch, swept away the snow, and sure enough, he saw an animal trap underneath.

He frowned slightly, tapped the center of the bear trap with a branch, and the trap snapped shut with a loud bang.

"Luckily, after awakening the Sharpshooter skill, my observation and eyesight have improved, otherwise I would have lost a leg here today." Su Ming felt a wave of fear.

In the dead of winter, losing a leg in the mountains is practically a death sentence.

Given the family's circumstances, even if they managed to escape back home, they would only be waiting to die!

"Tsk tsk, you're quite clever. I thought I was going to crush one of your dog legs!"

A mocking voice came from behind.

Su Ming turned his head and saw a burly man with a fierce face, carrying a worn-out hunting knife, looking at him with a mocking expression.

Upon seeing that the visitor was Zhao Hu, Su Ming immediately understood.

A few days ago, the government forced marriages, and the process was completely random.

Su Ming was lucky; he drew lots and married Li Yueru, a poor young lady from a wealthy family, while Zhao Hu married an old widow in her fifties from the village, who was short and ugly with a pockmarked face.

Once Su Ming dies, Li Yueru will be ownerless, and he will have another chance!

That's why he waited patiently in the shadows for Su Ming to trigger the trap!

"You think you're worthy to crush my legs?" Since the other party had ill intentions, Su Ming naturally didn't hold back and directly took out the slingshot from his waist.

Seeing this, Zhao Hu chuckled: "This broken slingshot might be good for bullying little kids, but trying to scare your grandpa? Ridiculous!"

Su Ming took out a pebble, his eyes already fixed on Zhao Hu's foul mouth that spewed filth.

If he dares to utter another word, we'll knock out a few of his teeth first.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a gray hare suddenly darted out.

The two men spotted the rabbit at the same time, and greed gleamed in their eyes.

With heavy snow blocking the mountains, every household is tightening their belts and waiting for spring.

Although a wild rabbit may not yield much meat, on such a freezing day, a bite of its meat could potentially save a life.

Not to mention that rabbit pelts can be exchanged for money to buy food and the like.

Zhao Hu was panting with excitement. He had spotted rabbits when he came up the mountain before, but the heavy snow had blocked the mountain and made it difficult to move around, so it was impossible to catch the swift wild rabbits.

He went to great lengths to set up the trap, specifically to catch the wild rabbit, and today he finally got his!

Zhao Hu gripped his hunting knife tightly and confidently moved over, completely ignoring Su Ming beside him.

In his view, how could Su Ming, a country bumpkin who knew nothing, possibly know more about hunting than him, an old hunter?

Besides, he didn't see Su Ming carrying any weapons, assuming he was just on the mountain collecting firewood and digging up some tree roots to eat.

Zhao Hu crouched low and moved cautiously. The wild rabbit moved like the wind on the snow. If it was startled, it could disappear without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Seeing that the distance was close enough, Zhao Hu drew his hunting knife, aimed at the rabbit, and was about to throw the knife like a throwing knife when...

A loud "humming" sound was heard.

A black afterimage tore through the air and vanished in a flash.

Zhao Hu didn't even see what was moving before the wild rabbit in the distance suddenly froze, falling straight down in the snow, motionless.

He stared blankly at it and saw a black dot pierce through the rabbit's eye socket with perfect precision, leaving only a bloody hole without any other wound.

Zhao Hu was taken aback and looked suspiciously at the slingshot in Su Ming's hand.

How can a broken slingshot that's difficult to use even for shooting birds have such great power?

Before he could think it through, the allure of the smell of blood and the aroma of meat instantly overwhelmed Zhao Hu's reason.

The greed in his eyes suddenly blazed like a red-hot ember.

Zhao Hu was nearby, so he rushed over in a few steps and picked up the wild rabbit that was still twitching slightly.

The rabbit was quite heavy and plump, enough for him to have a hearty meal.

"Kid, you're in luck."

Zhao Hu wore a malicious grin. "Since you helped me catch the rabbit, I won't hold it against you."

"Get lost already. If I'm in a good mood, I might even share some of your intestines or offal with you."

Su Ming raised the slingshot in his hand and looked at him calmly with the gaze one would give a dead man.

"lay down."

Those two seemingly casual words felt like a slap across Zhao Hu's face.

"What if I don't let go?"

Zhao Hu looked at the slingshot in Su Ming's hand with disdain.

"You think you can hurt me with this toy that only little kids play with?"

Su Ming didn't waste any more words.

Om-!

A pebble, accompanied by a whooshing sound, arrived first despite being launched later.

"Ouch!"

Zhao Hu felt a numbness in his wrist, and the hunting knife fell to the ground with a clatter.

Before he could react, three more shrill screams rang out.

hum!hum!hum!

The pebble hit his two knees and the back of his other hand with pinpoint accuracy.

Zhao Hu screamed in agony, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to his knees in the snow, clutching his legs and howling in pain.

"Grandpa, spare me! Hero, spare me! I was wrong, I'll never do it again!"

Zhao Hu was utterly terrified. This was no ordinary slingshot; it was a death warrant from the King of Hell!

It hits exactly where you point it, and with incredible force; even through thick cotton pants, it hurts terribly.

Su Ming glanced at him coldly, without the slightest pity. The tendon on the slingshot tightened, and another series of stones shot out.

The stones struck Zhao Hu with astonishing force, even through his thick cotton-padded clothes.

Zhao Hu felt countless fists and feet beating his body, making him howl in pain.

"Help! Murder! Su Ming has murdered someone!"

Zhao Hu had lost his previous arrogance. He covered his head with his hands, stuck out his buttocks, and frantically moved across the snow like a maggot, desperately trying to escape down the mountain.

After being hit countless times, Zhao Hu finally escaped the slingshot's range. Turning his head, he saw that Su Ming hadn't chased after him, but his cold eyes were still fixed on Zhao Hu.

Zhao Hu screamed, scrambled to his feet, and limped desperately down the mountain.

"He really wants to kill me..."

Having finally escaped down the mountain, Zhao Hu clutched his wound, still shaken.

If I hadn't escaped quickly, I probably would have lost my life on the mountain.

When did Su Ming become so ruthless?

After confirming that he was safe, he gasped for breath. The pain in his body and the humiliation of being trampled down the mountain like a dog by Su Ming made Zhao Hu clench his fists, plotting how to get revenge.

Remembering Su Ming's amazing slingshot skills, he dared not confront him head-on again. His eyes darted around, and he thought of a centurion he had made friends with a few days ago. He smiled slyly.

"I can't handle you! Do you think the Centurion can't handle you?!"

After chasing away Zhao Hu, Su Ming carried the wild rabbit and continued deeper into the mountains.

With the marksman skill, this frozen, snow-covered mountain became a huge treasure trove in Su Ming's eyes.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's; no living thing that flashed past his sight could escape the deadly pursuit of his slingshot.

In less than an hour, his harvest had piled up into a small mountain: three plump wild rabbits, a colorful pheasant, and most surprisingly, a muntjac weighing over ten kilograms, which was a rare delicacy.

They also gathered some herbs for treating colds before heading down the mountain laden with their load.

"Squeak—"

Su Ming pushed open the door, and a blast of cold air rushed in, making the room feel even more desolate than the outside.

"Cough...cough cough..."

Li Yueru was curled up on the bed, the thin blanket unable to cover her trembling body. Her coughs were intermittent, and her face was flushed red, clearly indicating that her condition had worsened.

Hearing the noise, she struggled to sit up. "Husband...you're back."