Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen held his breath, drew his bow, and nocked an arrow, his muscle memory and mental perception perfectly combined. The bowstring trembled slightly, the arrow left the string, tracing an almost invisible shadow in the moonlight, and precisely pierced the most vulnerable part behind the wild boar's ear. The enormous creature only had time to let out a short, muffled groan before collapsing to the ground with a thud, its limbs twitching a few times before it lay still.

[Experience Points +50] A faint notification, visible only to him, flashed at the edge of his vision. At the same time, a faint light appeared beside the boar carcass, revealing a pair of complete boar tusks and several silver coins.

Wei Chen walked over and skillfully picked up the fallen items. As for the wild boar meat, he transferred it to his game backpack with a thought—one of his important sources of meat.

Every arrow hit its mark, and various animals were collected into the backpack. Some of each common animal in the real world were kept, and the rest were sold to the system for gold coins.

Having completed his "daily task," Wei Chen finally felt a little relieved. He put away his bow and arrows and strolled towards his "hunter's hut."

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the interior was a modern renovation, completely different from the original appearance of the outside world. Warm lights automatically turned on, and a constant temperature system kept the room at the most comfortable temperature. He walked straight into the spacious bathroom, turned on the shower, and the warm water washed away non-existent fatigue and dust, as well as the slight sluggishness left from the day's interactions with people.

Lying in the jacuzzi, Wei Chen closed his eyes to rest, but his thoughts were far from calm. A lot had happened today: the factory's commendation, Li Huaide's generous reward, his mother's understanding and righteousness, the decision regarding the quotas… He needed to carefully consider each event and plan for the future.

The two permanent positions brought him not only resources, but also a heavy responsibility and a choice. His return to his hometown needed careful planning. His "secret deal" with Section Chief Jin and his long-term cooperation with Brother Tiger in the Ghost Market were his hidden foundations, which he had to maintain cautiously.

After soaking for about half an hour, completely relaxing, Wei Chen changed into clean casual clothes and glanced at the time displayed on the antique-style clock in the room—it was past midnight. Time to get down to "business."

With a thought, he returned to the cramped storage room in the real world. His mental energy spread silently like mercury, confirming once again that his mother and sister were still fast asleep. The entire courtyard was almost devoid of waking voices, with only the sounds of snoring and murmurs in their sleep.

He gently pushed open the door and went to the east courtyard wall. The quiet alley outside the wall was a "side path" he often took. Like a weightless fallen leaf, Wei Chen silently flipped out of the window, landing without even stirring up much dust. The night wind carried a chill, but he was completely unaware. The aura within him, which had become increasingly refined due to the "game world," circulated slightly, dispelling the cold.

Having discerned his direction, he moved swiftly and disappeared into the thick darkness of the night. Without riding a bicycle, he relied solely on his legs and his agile leaps and bounds, moving faster than a galloping horse yet lighter than a cat, leaving no trace on the snow and passing through alleys without a sound.

The biting night wind howled in his ears, and the icy air filled his lungs, yet it only made his mind clearer. This extraordinary ability was his greatest secret, and one of the keys he relied on to survive and secretly plot in this era.

Before long, he had left Nanluoguxiang and arrived at the edge of a deserted shantytown near the steel rolling mill area. The houses here were low and dilapidated, with few residents, mostly homeless people or extremely poor families, making it even more desolate in the dead of night. Following his memory, he turned into a narrow alley that could only accommodate one person at a time, at the end of which was an inconspicuous, even somewhat crooked, wooden door.

This is the "secret base" that Jin Aiguo mentioned—an abandoned courtyard that nominally belongs to the street but is actually "borrowed" by several core members of the security department. It is used to handle some "unsuitable for public disclosure" supplies and occasionally serves as a place for the brothers to have a snack and a drink when they are on night shift.

Wei Chen stopped in front of the door, his spiritual energy probing inside. There were three people in the courtyard: two were talking quietly in the main room, and one was standing guard behind the door, breathing steadily but alert. It was Chen Bo, Jin Aiguo's confidant and a veteran of the security department, a man of few words but absolutely reliable.

Wei Chen didn't knock on the door directly. Instead, he went to the side and stepped into a partially collapsed mud wall. He landed silently. Then he walked to the window of the main room and gently tapped the window frame three times in the agreed-upon rhythm.

The talking inside immediately stopped. A moment later, the door creaked open a crack, revealing Uncle Chen's weathered but sharp-eyed face. Seeing that it was Wei Chen, a knowing look flashed in his eyes. He nodded, opened the door completely, and stepped aside to make way, but said nothing. He simply pointed to the side room in the corner of the yard, which was filled with miscellaneous items.

Wei Chen understood and, without saying a word, went straight to the door of the side room. He first focused his senses to sense his surroundings, confirming that no one else was watching except the three people in the courtyard. Then, with a thought, he took out the three deer he had already obtained from the game world and stored in his spatial storage. The heavy deer carcasses fell onto the ground covered with dry grass, making a dull "thump-thump" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet night.

Each animal weighed over 400 pounds, and their massive size was evident even in the dim light; their muscles were full and their fur glossy, clearly indicating they were top-quality specimens. A strong, distinctive stench of wild beasts from the mountains, mixed with a faint smell of blood, permeated the air.

Uncle Chen followed, and by the dim light of the kerosene lamp shining from the room, even with his vast experience, he couldn't help but gasp and whisper, "Good heavens! It's huge!"

He crouched down, touched the venison; it was icy cold to the touch, clearly having been quickly processed after slaughter. "Young Wei, your skills... really are something else!" He gave a thumbs-up, a rare smile spreading across his face. "Boss Jin's waiting inside; he'll be overjoyed when he sees this!"

Wei Chen smiled and said in a low voice, "Uncle Chen, I'll trouble you to handle this. According to the old rules, what should be kept will be kept, and what should be distributed will be distributed."

"Don't worry!" Uncle Chen patted his chest, lowering his voice even further. "I know the rules. Come on in, Boss Jin has prepared some wine and said he wants to have a couple of drinks with you."

Wei Chen nodded, but didn't go inside immediately. Instead, he took out two oil paper packets from his pocket (actually from his spatial storage) and handed them to Uncle Chen: "These are some milk curds and dried meat from Inner Mongolia. Let the brothers have a taste. Have some to tide you over during your night shifts."

Uncle Chen took it; it felt heavy in his hand, and the oil paper package emitted a rich aroma of milk and meat. He knew this wasn't venison, but rather another thoughtful gift from Wei Chen, which warmed his heart even more, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out: "You're always so considerate, kid. Go in quickly, don't keep the boss waiting."

Wei Chen then turned and walked towards the main room. Inside, a kerosene lamp with a glass shade was lit, making the room brighter than outside. Jin Aiguo was sitting with another middle-aged man, who was stocky and had a simple face, at a worn-out small square table. On the table were a dish of peanuts, a dish of pickled cucumbers, two white porcelain wine cups, and a bottle of unlabeled white wine.

The middle-aged man was also one of Jin Aiguo's confidants. His surname was Liu, and everyone called him Big Liu. He was an officer in the security department, strong, and honest.

Upon seeing Wei Chen enter, Jin Aiguo's eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily, lowering his voice to say, "Our hero has arrived! Come on, sit down!" Da Liu also stood up with a simple smile to greet him.

Wei Chen sat down in the empty space. Jin Aiguo personally poured him a cup of wine. The wine was clear and fragrant, clearly a fine wine. "Come on, let's have one! To celebrate our Officer Wei's promotion! And thank you for getting the brothers this good stuff!" Jin Aiguo raised his cup.

"Jin Ke, you flatter me." Wei Chen also raised his glass, and the three of them clinked glasses lightly and drank it all in one gulp. The liquor was strong, a fiery sensation rushing straight to the throat, which then dissipated into warmth.

"I spotted those three big guys outside." Jin Aiguo clicked his tongue, his eyes gleaming. "You always manage to surprise us! This time we've really satisfied our cravings! Venison, so nutritious! Perfect for giving the brothers a boost this winter!"

Da Liu rubbed his hands together, his face full of excitement: "That's right! I've never eaten a whole venison before in my life! Wei Chen, you're amazing!"

"It's all thanks to the brothers' help," Wei Chen said modestly, then poured wine for the two of them. "If you need anything in the future, as long as it's within my power, Jin Ke and Brother Liu, just let me know."

These words were spoken frankly, and Jin Aiguo found them pleasing. He liked young people like Wei Chen who were capable, well-mannered, and grateful. "Alright! With you saying that, I know I haven't spoiled you for nothing!" Jin Aiguo patted Wei Chen's shoulder, his tone much more affectionate. "I heard about the factory's commendation for you. Level 3 clerk, sixty-two yuan, good! You deserve it! However, the taller the tree, the more the wind will blow against it; you need to be more careful in your actions in the future."

"I understand, thank you for reminding me, Jin Ke." Wei Chen nodded.

The three chatted for a while over simple food and drinks, mostly about the factory and the compound. Jin Aiguo and Da Liu did most of the talking, while Wei Chen listened, occasionally chiming in. The atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious. Wei Chen knew that after this "meat-sharing" incident, his position within the security department's small circle was even more secure. These resources were sometimes far more effective than empty promises.

About half an hour later, Wei Chen got up to say goodbye, making an excuse that he had to go to work the next day. Jin Aiguo didn't try to keep him, but simply asked Da Liu to see him out, adding, "Be careful on the road. I know what's going on with the venison, I'll make sure it's handled perfectly. You'll get your share."

"I trust Jin Ke to handle things." Wei Chen smiled, thanked him again, and then followed Da Liu out of the courtyard, quickly disappearing into the night.

After leaving the "secret base," Wei Chen didn't go straight home. He checked his direction and headed towards a more remote area in the south of the city. That was one of the secret bases of Tiger, the notorious "ghost market" boss in Beijing, and also the place where he made his deal with "Tiger."