Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo turned his head to look.

The man was dressed in thin clothes in late autumn, with only a yellow mink vest and shorts covering his torso.

His bare arms and thighs revealed thick, muscular muscles. Faint scars and bulging veins ran across his dark skin.

He looks like a bandit no matter how you look at him.

Moreover, this guy was carrying a large, nine-ringed steel cleaver and reeked of alcohol.

If it weren't for her pretty and delicate face, and her black hair tied in a high ponytail, which indicated her female identity, almost everyone would have mistaken her for a scoundrel.

Most importantly, this person had no trace of blood energy, but his deep and imposing aura revealed extraordinary strength.

Liu Xingmo recalled the rumors he had heard at the tavern and asked, "Are you Tie Yuanying?"

The burly, imposing woman laughed loudly: "That's right, it's me!"

"Oh, it's an honor to meet you." Liu Xingmo stood up, took a bottle of wine from the carriage, and handed it to the woman. "It's homemade, take it and have a drink."

The woman took the bottle, bit off the cork, and then took a big gulp. She downed most of it, let out a burp, and commented in a slurred voice, "This tastes too sweet... not a drink for a hero."

"Oh? A hero? No wonder you possess the legendary innate physique of martial arts, someone who can rival Liu Yizhu." Liu Xingmo, displeased, muttered sarcastically, "Now that you've returned after completing your studies, you've probably solidified your title as the number one genius of Black Dragon Stronghold, haven't you?"

"Hahaha! Well said!" Tie Yuanying laughed heartily, then stretched out her thick arm and slapped the young man next to her hard on the back. "You lad, you have good taste! This old lady likes you very much."

What the hell is "This old lady"? Is this a clever use of the term "This old man"?

Also, can't you tell that it's ostensibly praising but actually criticizing?

When one plan failed, Liu Xingmo devised another: "May I ask where you work? A martial arts genius like you would be in high demand everywhere, wouldn't you?"

"I have no respect for those places, fighting and squabbling over trivial things worth a few dollars all day long." Tie Yuanying downed his orange wine in one gulp. "I've opened my own security escort agency! You two should come and support me sometime!"

The woman slammed the bottle on the ground, clasped her hands in a gesture of respect with a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry), and then got up and left.

She found another campfire, sat down, and made herself known to the people there.

What a strange guy.

Su Mali, who had been silent all along, spoke up: "Xingmo, this person is not simple. You need to be careful."

"Don't worry, I won't bother her unless it's something to do. It's just that she said our wine wasn't 'heroic' enough, which made me mutter a few words involuntarily."

"No, I feel this person has great ambition. That's very rare in an ancient town like Black Dragon Village. That's something to note."

"Every trade in the village has its own rules; it's not a place where newcomers can act recklessly," Liu Xingmo muttered to himself. "A security escort agency? She's probably the only one there. In this world, power and influence matter; what good is fighting ability?"

"Perhaps you are right."

After the two finished eating the roasted meat, they chopped up the remaining parts of the venomous snake and fed them all to Bao Hei.

Next, he used the residual heat of the campfire to heat a pot of water, brought it into the carriage, and quickly wiped his body down.

Then, spread out the quilt and bedding, and crawl into bed.

It must be said that Sumali's learning of alchemy gave her a warm energy within her body that helped maintain her body temperature.

Liu Xingmo held his wife in his arms and fell into a deep sleep in the warm, sturdy car, amidst the campsites nestled in the towering mountains.

Ah, this is how life should be lived...

The next morning, the entire camp awoke from its indigo blue hue, accompanied by the melodious howls of wolves.

The sun hasn't risen yet, and the moon is still in the sky.

The faint light of dawn barely illuminated the mottled stones beneath my feet. A thin layer of frost covered the ground, silvery and shiny, making a crisp sound when I stepped on it.

Liu Xingmo got up and took out peanuts from the storeroom. These were roasted in a large pot by the shopkeeper and could be eaten directly.

Bury it in the soil, light a campfire, and cook a pot of hot wild vegetable soup.

At this point, the peanuts were dug out, their shells already roasted until crisp. A machete was used to cut around the shell, breaking off the broken pieces, and two peanut kernels, each about the size of a child's head, were extracted.

Liu Xingmo gave one to his wife, then held the other one and started munching on it.

The aroma of nuts with their oiliness fills your mouth, and when you're tired of chewing or feeling a bit bored, take a sip of wild vegetable soup.

After a good breakfast, I felt refreshed and full of energy.

As for Baohei, he could only eat the dried fish he had stored away. There were no fish in the stream that ran through the camp.

Today we'll continue hunting.

The robust old turtle, carrying its owners, strode into the quiet mountains on its four strong legs.

Liu Xingmo held his gun, remaining vigilant at all times.

This time, following yesterday's path, we explored even further.

Sometimes we would encounter other teams along the way, exchange greetings, and then pass each other by.

Liu Xingmo paid special attention to whether there were large insects burrowing into the soil or tree holes to hibernate.

This is a specialized skill that many hunters use to make a living.

Liu Xingmo dug out several larvae, but they were not qualified to become contracted beasts, so he had to fry them and eat them.

Three days of the ten-day hunt have passed in the blink of an eye.

It wasn't as relaxing as a picnic; some people still encountered danger.

Hunting, in essence, is a life-or-death struggle between hunter and prey.

Those with ability are naturally more casual.

For example, Tie Yuanying wandered alone in the jungle.

She doesn't need a contracted beast; with just a large cleaver, she can unleash a blade of energy several meters long to slay all insects, fish, birds, and beasts.

She caught a lot of goods and carried them to the camp to sell. She rescued many people and brought them to the camp for treatment.

Gradually, this tough woman made a name for herself and received a lot of applause at the bonfire party at night.

The only problem was that she often went to Liu Xingmo's place to ask for drinks.

Liu Xingmo generously gave it away, considering it a way to establish a good relationship.

If we get into trouble in the woods, we might be able to count on this guy to lend a hand.

On the other hand, Liu Xingmo was also paying attention to the situation of Baohei.

With his years of experience in finding rivers and catching fish, he discovered a hidden pool in the mountains.

Where there is water, animals will gather.

While guarding this place, they even encountered large wild animals.

Not to mention raccoons and badgers, even deer came to drink water. They were all left over from the previous rounds of expulsion.

Liu Xingmo had Bao Hei lie at the bottom of the pool, not attacking, but waiting for the animals to come to drink, then quietly releasing the misfortune.

Gradually, all the luck that Bao Hei had accumulated over the past few days was divided into good and bad, taking away the bad luck and leaving the good luck behind.

On the morning of the fourth day.

Liu Xingmo asked Bao Heifa to perform divination.

The old turtle's eyes gleamed with golden light, and then it found its direction and ran wildly.

Several images flashed through Liu Xingmo's mind, but they were all dark and blurry, and he couldn't make sense of them.

It's alright, when the time comes, the truth will come out.

What good products will appear?