Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The midday sun, like a blazing fireball hanging overhead, relentlessly scorched the earth. The dirt road, baked white by the heat, emitted waves of heat carrying the earthy stench of dust. The poplar leaves drooped listlessly on both sides of the road, and the cicadas' desperate chirping created a grating background noise.

Wei Chen rode his bicycle along the dirt road leading out of the city. Sweat streamed down his resolute face, dripping onto the scorching handlebars and evaporating instantly. The back of his dark blue work clothes was already soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his skin.

His physique is far superior to that of ordinary people, and this heat does not make him feel truly tired, but riding on an empty dirt road under the scorching sun still looks a bit "foolish".

Occasionally, farmers would pass by on the road, driving donkey carts or pushing wheelbarrows, all drenched in sweat and struggling to walk. Wei Chen slowed down, pedaling at a leisurely pace. He wasn't in a hurry, so he decided to rest first.

The towering city walls of Beijing had long since disappeared into the distance, replaced by rolling farmland and scattered villages. Ahead lay a grove of mixed trees, not dense, but enough to provide shade.

Without hesitation, Wei Chen turned his bike around, leaving the dirt road and riding along the forest path. The shade of the trees instantly enveloped him, the cool, fragrant air dispelling the heat from his body. He parked his bicycle beside a dense thicket of bushes and looked around. The woods were quiet, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind and the distant chirping of cicadas.

After confirming that no one was around, Wei Chen's mind stirred slightly.

The transition in space was like pressing a mute button. The heat, the cicadas' chirping, and the smell of dust vanished instantly, replaced by the comfortable, temperature- and humidity-controlled environment of the hunter's cabin and its eternal tranquility. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows lay the vibrant yet ethereal and unchanging scenery of the forest.

"Phew—" Wei Chen let out a long sigh of relief, took off his sweat-soaked work shirt, and wore only a vest. The cool air enveloped his skin, and every pore opened up.

Without delay, he went straight to the weapon rack and took down the hunting bow that had been with him for a long time. At the same time, a thought flickered in his mind.

"rhubarb!"

A yellow figure darted out from the corner of the living room like lightning, letting out an excited whimper, and instantly appeared at Wei Chen's feet, affectionately rubbing its head against his trouser leg.

It was his pet dog, Dahuang.

Compared to the skinny little puppy he was when he was first adopted, Da Huang has completely transformed. He is now strong and well-proportioned, with a shoulder height almost reaching Wei Weichen's waist, and powerful muscles bulging beneath his glossy yellow fur.

Its eyes are bright and alert, full of intelligence, and its tail wags powerfully, showing its abundant energy and absolute loyalty to its owner.

After several days of hunting together, it leveled up to level 5, and its overall qualities were greatly improved. It also developed a tacit understanding with Wei Chen that was almost telepathic, and it could understand Wei Chen's various commands.

"Come on, let's get to work!" Wei Chen rubbed Da Huang's fluffy head, and Da Huang immediately understood, letting out a low "woof" sound in its throat, its sharp eyes scanning the outside of the window, entering a state of alert.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the familiar scent of the forest rushed out. As usual, I went to hunt "monsters," though these monsters were merely prey.

In a clearing in the woods, a flock of brightly colored pheasants were leisurely strolling and foraging; in the bushes not far away, several plump gray rabbits were peeking out; further away by the stream, several dazed-looking roe deer were drinking water; and at the edge of the open grassland at the edge of the horizon, the figures of several strong wild boars and several yellow cattle could be vaguely seen, and even a flock of honking domestic geese were mixed in.

"It's starting." Wei Chen's lips curled into a slight smile, like the most precise machine starting up. His movements were swift and silent, as if he had blended into the forest. Big Yellow was even more at home. With its enhanced sense of smell and speed after the upgrade, it could always find its target first, either whispering warnings or silently circling around to drive it away.

Nocking the arrow, drawing the bow, aiming, releasing the string! The movements were fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation. The arrow flew away with a sharp whistling sound, precisely piercing the neck of a pheasant that had just been startled into flight. The pheasant fluttered to the ground.

"Woof!" Big Yellow barked briefly, then darted out like an arrow, accurately snatched its prey, quickly brought it back to Wei Chen's feet, put it down, and then looked around warily again, searching for its next target.

Wei Chen kept moving, his figure swiftly traversing the forest. His senses, like an invisible spiderweb, covered his surroundings; with every heartbeat and every breath, he became one with his environment. The "Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique" granted him not only power, but also an intuition to discern the movements of his prey.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The arrows seemed to have eyes, each shot accompanied by the fall of their prey. Running hares were pinned to the burrow entrance, roe deer drinking water were pierced through the heart by arrows, and even the tough-skinned wild boars were as fragile as paper before Wei Chen's arrows infused with true energy, their vital points instantly pierced, and they collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Big Yellow perfectly played the role of both herdsman and scavenger, driving the pheasants and rabbits that tried to escape into Wei Chen's shooting range, and then carrying back the prey that he shot down.

This was an efficient and silent harvest. Wei Chen was like a tireless hunting machine, working in perfect harmony with his partner to eliminate the "monsters" in sight one by one. Sweat soaked his vest again, and his muscles were slightly hot from the high-speed movement, but he only felt exhilarated.

With each draw of the bow and each successful hit, a subtle warmth flowed through his body. It was his experience points increasing, and the "Nine Heavens Sun Shooting Technique" slowly and steadily expanding his meridians.

After an unknown amount of time, when the last bull that tried to charge was shot through the head with an arrow and fell with a thud, the entire area fell completely silent. Only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard.

At that moment, a surge of energy, far more powerful and scorching than ever before, burst forth from the depths of Wei Chen's dantian like a flood bursting its banks! This heat instantly swept through his limbs and bones, washing over every meridian and every cell!

The muscle fibers became stronger with each tremor, and the bones made a faint crackling sound, as if they were being strengthened and reshaped. The five senses were instantly elevated to a new level, and even the trajectory of water droplets rolling down the leaves in the distance could be clearly seen.

His mental energy surged like a rising tide, its tentacles seemingly reaching farther and more subtle places. His spatial perception of the hunter's hut became even clearer.

It's been upgraded!

Wei Chen stood still, eyes closed, concentrating on the earth-shattering changes in his body. A surge of immense power coursed through him, giving him the illusion that he could split mountains with a single punch. He slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting glint of light flashing within them.

With a thought, a pale blue attribute panel unfolded before my eyes:

Name: Wei Chen (Hunter)

Level: 6 (12/6000)

Cultivation Technique: Nine Heavens Sun-Shooting Technique

True Essence: 21 years [Increased by 6 years!]

Skill: Piercing Arrow (Piercing)

Pet: Dog (Big Yellow) (Level 5)

Life Skills: Fishing

"21 years of true essence..." Wei Chen clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking slightly. Feeling the surging torrent of power within him, he truly could no longer use ordinary reference points to measure the limits of his strength.

Without using true energy, could he kill a bull with a single punch using only this repeatedly tempered body? He felt this was no exaggeration. It was a powerful confidence stemming from a leap in the essence of life.

More importantly, the range of his mental exploration has increased to 21 meters, which is even more significant in reality.

Big Yellow seemed to sense the sudden increase in its master's aura. It moved closer, rubbing its wet nose against Wei Chen's hand, making affectionate purring sounds, and its eyes were filled with dependence and trust in the stronger one.

"Good buddy, you've gotten stronger too." Wei Chen smiled and patted Da Huang's head. Da Huang's size, speed, strength, and especially its almost supernatural sense of smell, are far beyond what an ordinary mongrel can match.

After collecting the scattered prey into his backpack, where time stood still, Wei Chen, having sold over 999 prey, returned to the hunter's cabin with Da Huang.

After taking a cold shower and changing into clean clothes, I enjoyed a hearty lunch in the kitchen of the space, which contained braised pork and white rice.

Time is relatively still in space. When he reappeared in that forest clearing, the sun in the real world was already setting in the west, and the golden afterglow gilded the forest with a warm edge.

It was past five in the afternoon. Wei Chen estimated the time and took out his bicycle. He didn't ride it immediately, but first cautiously sensed his surroundings.

The woods remained silent and deserted. He slipped out of the game world, retrieved his bicycle, and returned to the dirt road. The setting sun cast a long shadow as he hopped on and pedaled furiously towards home. He had to get back before dark, avoiding any potential questioning or attention along the way.

As he hurried along, just as the last rays of dawn were swallowed by the gray twilight, Wei Chen finally saw the familiar outline of Xiaowei Village. Smoke rose from the village chimneys…

No, today seems different. The air is filled with a richer, more concentrated aroma of food, thick with oil and grease. The threshing ground outside the village office is also much livelier than usual, with many people and the faint sound of chatter.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he focused his mind and took out two items from his backpack: two neatly folded bolts of dark blue cotton cloth, and two bulging bags of cotton in thick burlap sacks. He had bought these at the ghost market last time and had kept them in his backpack.

He carefully rolled up the cloth, tied the cotton sacks tightly, and then stuffed them into the two large wicker baskets on either side of the back of the bicycle. The baskets were deep, and the cloth and cotton filled the entire space.

Wei Chen then gathered some dried grass he had picked up along the way and a few handfuls of fresh grass he had gathered from the woods, haphazardly covering the basket with it to create a simple camouflage. From the outside, all that could be seen was a pile of hay, completely concealing the precious cloth and cotton hidden beneath.

Seeing the figures in the distance, Wei Chen quickened his pace. He deliberately took a detour, approaching his own yard via a secluded path behind the village.

Looking into the distance, the courtyard gate was tightly shut. He stopped the car, activated his super hearing, and listened carefully inside the courtyard. There was no familiar sound of his mother, Wang Xiulan, clattering the spatula while cooking, nor the chattering of his younger sister, Wei Ran.