Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The three leading boars were killed instantly! But the remaining unattacked sow and the dozen or so half-grown wild boar piglets had their ferocity completely ignited!

They did not retreat; instead, stimulated by the smell of blood, they became even more frenzied, their eyes red, and they scattered, attacking Wei Chen from different directions! Especially the adult sow, whose tusks gleamed coldly, roared as she charged!

Wei Chen's eyes turned cold. He no longer pursued precise strikes, but instead pushed his speed to the limit! He transformed into a blur of motion, weaving through the trees!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Arrows rained down like a storm! Each brief pause was accompanied by the hum of the bowstring and the dull thud of an arrow piercing flesh! He used trees and rocks as cover, constantly changing positions to prevent the wild boars from forming an effective encirclement.

A half-grown wild boar had just leaped over a bush when it was pierced in the head by an oncoming arrow. Another wild boar cub, attempting to flank, was pinned to a tree trunk by Wei Chen's arrow as he turned around.

The only remaining adult sow was the fiercest, dodging two arrows in succession, its tusks almost piercing the hem of Wei Chen's clothes!

Wei Chen executed a sharp backflip, twisting his body in mid-air. With the bowstring fully drawn, a heavy arrow infused with internal energy whistled as it precisely pierced the sow's exposed throat, exposed by her head tilted back and howling!

"Pfft!" Blood spurted out! The sow's screams stopped abruptly, and her huge body crashed to the ground.

The battle ended in just a few minutes. The ferocious boar offensive crumbled. Eleven wild boar carcasses lay scattered on the ground—including the four large ones (one male and three females) and seven half-grown ones.

The remaining, smaller piglets, already terrified by the successive deaths of their leader, scattered and fled into the depths of the dense forest, disappearing without a trace.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the mountain hollow a blood red. The strong stench of blood mixed with the mud and the stench of wild boar filled the air. Wei Chen stood on the ravaged battlefield, slightly panting, sweat soaking the back of his coarse cloth shirt. The muscles in his arm holding the bow trembled slightly from the intense exertion, but his eyes remained as sharp as ever.

He didn't immediately prepare the prey, but instead cautiously looked around and listened intently. Only after confirming that no other large predators had been attracted by the smell of blood did he approach the prey.

First came the largest male boar. He pulled the arrow from its eye socket, looked at its massive, mountain-like body, and mentally estimated its value. Then came the other three sows. Finally, the seven half-grown boars.

He took out his hunting knife and began to bleed the animals one by one. Wild boar blood was much more pungent and viscous than deer blood, and there was a much larger quantity. The sharp blade precisely cut open the carotid artery, and warm blood gushed out like a stream, seeping into the brown soil and forming dark marks.

The air was thick with an overwhelming stench of blood. Only after completing all this did his thoughts stir. Inside his backpack, a brand new compartment lit up, clearly marked with his loot—Wild Boar 11.

By this time, the sun had completely sunk behind the western mountains, leaving only a dark red ember on the horizon. Dusk fell swiftly in the deep mountains, and a chill began to permeate the air. The light in the forest quickly dimmed, and a few long howls of wolves echoed from afar, as if responding to the heavy aura of death emanating from this mountain hollow.

Wei Chen didn't linger any longer. He took one last look at the blood-soaked valley, turned, and sprinted towards Baoyuquan Village. His figure was like a ghost disappearing into the twilight.

With a few leaps, he disappeared into the vast, dense forest. Behind him, only a completely transformed forest, filled with the aura of death, remained, silently telling the story of a hunting legend that had just ended, a legend belonging to one man, in the deepening night.

While Wei Chen was fighting a life-or-death battle with a herd of wild boars in the deep mountains and dense forests, he reaped amazing rewards.

In the morning light, the gates of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill in Beijing slowly opened.

Xu Damao rode his gleaming Forever brand bicycle into the factory gate with great spirit. The wheels made a pleasant, soft sound as they rolled over the cement ground.

He specially wore his most presentable blue khaki overalls, and his hair was styled with hair wax and combed meticulously. As a projectionist in the propaganda department, showing movies in the countryside was his duty, but every time he returned from his journey, he could enjoy a few days of quiet "office work" in the studio, organizing film reels and wiping down the equipment, which was both relaxing and respectable.

But today, Xu Damao's mind wasn't on those film canisters that smelled of vinegar. He parked his bicycle in the shed in front of the factory office building, locked it, straightened his collar, took a deep breath, and then stepped onto the concrete steps of the office building. The air still held the coolness of last night's dew, mixed with the faint smell of machine oil drifting from the distant workshop.

The factory manager's office was on the third floor at the east end. The corridor had been cleaned thoroughly, and the terrazzo floor was gleaming. Xu Damao didn't dare to knock on the door directly, but instead turned into the room next door with a sign that read "Secretary's Office."

Xiao Wang, the secretary of Deputy Factory Director Li, is a young man with black-rimmed glasses and a somewhat serious appearance. He is hunched over his desk organizing documents.

"Secretary Wang, good morning!" Xu Damao greeted him with a broad smile, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, conveying just the right amount of warmth. He deftly pulled a freshly opened pack of "Daqianmen" cigarettes from his work jacket pocket, took one out, and handed it to him with both hands.

Secretary Wang looked up, his gaze sweeping across Xu Damao's face from behind his glasses before settling on the snow-white filter cigarette. His serious expression softened slightly as he reached out and took the cigarette. "Master Xu, so early? Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing serious," Xu Damao said, lighting a cigarette for himself and striking a famous match to light Xiao Wang's first, then his own, his movements as efficient as a projectionist's. "I just got back from showing a movie in the countryside, and I was thinking about Director Li... Director Li has just been promoted, he must be incredibly busy. I have a small matter to discuss, but I don't dare to bother you directly. I wanted to ask you first if Deputy Director Li is free right now? I have some work-related thoughts I'd like to share with the leadership." He spoke flawlessly, adopting an extremely humble posture.

Secretary Wang took a drag of his cigarette, exhaled a wisp of smoke, and pondered for a moment: "Deputy Factory Director Li just arrived and is reviewing documents. Why don't you wait outside for a bit? I'll check on things once he's finished with what he's doing."

"Okay! Thank you, Secretary Wang!" Xu Damao nodded repeatedly, left the secretary's office, and sat down on the long wooden bench against the wall in the corridor outside the door. He stood up straight, not daring to relax in the slightest, but his ears were perked up, trying to catch any slight movement from inside the heavy wooden door at the end of the corridor.

Time seemed to stretch out, and every tick of the second hand on the wall clock was exceptionally clear. He rehearsed the upcoming conversation in his mind, thinking about how to flatter Wei Chen in a natural and impressive way, and how to package Wei Chen's promise of "wild boar" as his own achievement and connections.

After waiting for more than an hour, with people passing by in the corridor giving the ramrod-straight-sitting projectionist curious glances several times, the secretary's office door finally creaked open.

"Master Xu," Xiao Wang poked his head out, "Director Li is free now, you can go in. Be mindful of the time, the boss has a meeting at 10:30."

"Thank you, Secretary Wang! Thank you so much!" Xu Damao felt like he had been granted a pardon. He quickly stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette, straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and his face instantly filled with a respectful smile. He gently pushed open the red lacquered wooden door that symbolized power.

The deputy factory director's office was much more spacious and impressive than when he was the logistics director. The large, Soviet-style desk was covered with a thick, dark green velvet cloth. Against the wall was a row of wooden filing cabinets painted dark brown, their glass doors gleaming.

Li Huaide, the newly appointed deputy factory director, dressed in a crisp gray Zhongshan suit, stood with his back to the door in front of the bright glass window, gazing at the rows of chimneys and bustling workshops outside. Hearing the door open, he slowly turned around.

Xu Damao felt an invisible pressure bearing down on him. He immediately bowed deeply, almost at a ninety-degree angle, his voice loud and clear, tinged with just the right amount of excitement: "Director Li! Good morning! Congratulations on your promotion, Director Li! I knew it! With your abilities and qualifications, this position was rightfully yours! Our logistics department... no, all the employees of our factory have been waiting for this day! With you at the helm, the Hongxing Factory ship will surely sail smoothly and make great strides!"

His words were clearly carefully prepared and repeatedly polished; he spoke quickly and clearly, and his flattery was both loud and clear without being overly sycophantic.

Li Huaide's face remained expressionless. He simply waved his hand casually, walked behind the large desk, sat down, picked up the white enamel mug on the desk, took a sip of tea, and then spoke calmly: "Comrade Da Mao, sit down. We're all doing revolutionary work, just with different roles. The factory's development depends on the efforts of all the employees." His voice was steady, carrying the calm tone characteristic of someone in a position of authority, and his gaze calmly scrutinized Xu Da Mao.

"Yes, yes, yes! Director Li, you're absolutely right!" Xu Damao sat down, half his bottom resting on the edge of the hardwood chair opposite the desk, his back still ramrod straight, his hands neatly placed on his knees, his smile undiminished. "But the leader is so important! You see, when you were in charge of logistics, the food in our workers' canteen was among the best in all the industrial and mining enterprises in Beijing! When the workers talked about you, who didn't give you a thumbs up? They all said that Director Li... oh, Director Li, had our workers' stomachs on his mind! Now that you're in charge of everything, everyone's enthusiasm is even higher!"

Hsu Ta-mao was eloquent, praising Li Huaide's "achievements in improving people's livelihoods" the most important to him. He talked about how the canteen food was improved and how the workers' enthusiasm for work was high. His words were full of admiration and trust.