Reborn in 78, I made my fortune by working in the mountains, supporting three families on my own.

Yes!

We went through all the hardships to get into the mountains just to make money. With the benefits right in front of us, what's there to be afraid of?

One of the young men suddenly stood up and shouted, "Brother Huang is right! We'll all listen to Brother Lei! The bold get rich, the timid starve. Since we've chosen this profession, why should we be afraid of a bunch of beasts? We'll just fight them head-on!"

With one person taking the lead, the others quickly followed suit:

"Yes! If we die, we'll be like birds flying into the sky. At worst, we'll fight the wolves!"

"These damn savages, do they really think we're easy to bully? Dare to charge forward, we'll take them all down too, and skin them for money!"

Zhao Lei saw this and realized that Huang Hongbo was indeed capable of leading the team; he had managed to bring back the low morale with just a few words.

Seeing that the people of Huangshi Township had rekindled their fighting spirit, he felt a little relieved.

He walked up to Qin Bowen and his group and asked, "Bowen, Zongbao, Uncle Changlin, Brother Dashan, how are you guys? Are you scared?"

Qin Bowen held his hunting rifle tightly, his brows furrowed.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't afraid at all; this was the first time he had ever encountered such a dangerous situation as being surrounded by wolves.

I've only been hunting for a month now, and I usually just follow behind my brother-in-law to pick up and carry the game. I've never faced such a dangerous situation before.

Wang Zongbao, standing to the side, also felt a tightness in his heart, but since he had become engaged to Qin Qiaocui, he had gained more of the responsibility that a man should have.

He gritted his teeth, suddenly stood up from the ground, and pounded his chest loudly: "Brother Lei, I'm not afraid, as long as I can make money!"

Zhao Lei looked at him, his eyes full of approval: "Not bad, you're a real man."

Qin Changlin was an experienced hunter who had encountered wolf packs before. He remained calm in the face of the current situation and even offered Zhao Lei some advice.

"Lei Zi, wolves always choose to ambush us in the dark at night. Let's build a few more campfires now, firstly to keep warm, and secondly to light up the surroundings. Most importantly, wild animals are afraid of open flames. If we spread the firelight over a wider area, we can see them in time even if wolves pounce. Otherwise, our hunting rifles will be no different from fire pokers."

Zhao Lei nodded: "Uncle Changlin, you're right."

As the militia captain, Qin Dashan possessed courage and boldness far exceeding that of ordinary people. He didn't say much throughout the entire process, but his resolute eyes were enough to show that he was already prepared for battle.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered Qin Bowen, the youngest of the three, and walked over to his brother, putting his arm around his shoulder:

"Hey bro, are you scared?"

Qin Bowen shook his head: "No, it was just that the scene was too exciting."

"Then why are you shaking?"

"I'm just a little excited."

Qin Dashan comforted him, "Don't worry, I and your brother-in-law are here to protect you. Zongbao, from now on you have to call him brother-in-law too. The three of us men are here, and we will never let that beast hurt you in the slightest."

Zhao Lei stepped forward and said, "Bowen, a boy has to go through trials and tribulations to grow into a man. If you get through this life-or-death situation today, you will definitely mature quickly. Don't be afraid, your brother-in-law will protect you."

Qin Bowen gritted his teeth and nodded emphatically: "I understand."

"Alright, before it gets completely dark, everyone split up and go gather more firewood nearby to light all the fires."

Qin Bowen nodded in response and immediately pulled Wang Zongbao to pick up the withered grass and dry thatch on the ground.

In addition, the eleven-person hunting team all divided up their tasks and got busy.

Qin Changlin, along with two young hunters from Huangshi Township, dismantled a half-grown wild goat on the spot and roasted it on a wooden frame.

The remaining people dispersed in twos and threes to cut and collect firewood in the surrounding area to store fuel for the campfire that night.

Time passed slowly, and the rich aroma of Qin Changlin's roasted goat wafted throughout the valley.

The wolves hiding in the surrounding hills were all attracted by the aroma and stood on the distant rocks, staring at the camp with longing.

Meanwhile, Zhao Lei and his group carried bundles of firewood back to their campsite by the puddle.

After the flames leaped up, people finally felt a little relieved.

In an unfamiliar environment, light and warmth can bring people a sense of security, and people started chatting, which eased the atmosphere considerably.

Zhao Lei tossed a bundle of firewood to Huang Hongbo and said, "Brother Huang."

"What's wrong, Brother Zhao Lei? What happened?"

"I had a feeling tonight wouldn't be peaceful; these wolves are incredibly patient."

"Yes, how to move the game tomorrow is also a problem, it's really worrying us."

Zhao Lei pointed around, "We're setting up camp by the puddle. The area near the water is generally safe, and the view is definitely much wider, but there's no cover to block our way. What if wolves rush in..."

"You have a point, but what about our prey if we're so close to the cliffs? It's too late to move them now, and we're not willing to give up such a large catch."

Hearing this, Zhao Lei suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"Hey! You reminded me, we can pile up the prey carcasses to use as partial cover!"

Huang Hongbo looked at Zhao Lei with surprise: "Got it! I know what to do, don't worry! I'll get everyone to help build it up now."

"Alright! I'll leave it to you, Brother Huang!"

By this time, it was almost completely dark.

Zhao Lei instructed Qin Bowen and Wang Zongbao to light the outermost pile of firewood.

After discussing it, Zhao Lei and Qin Changlin finally built three defensive fortifications near the waterlogged camp.

The outermost edge is fifty meters away, forming an arc with four bonfires.

Why fifty meters away?

Because finding a suitable distance gives them enough time to react, and also keeps them within firing range!

A wall of firewood was built 20 meters down the middle, but it is not lit now.

Because they didn't have much firewood to begin with, the purpose of this wall was to keep the wolves away.

At the same time, this distance is also the effective killing range!

Finally, there are the body shelters in the camp.

As a last resort, one can take cover to ensure a safe firing area before being attacked by the wolf pack.

This is the limit that Zhao Lei and his team can achieve.

After all, time, tools, and manpower are all limited.

"If there are only about twenty wolves, these three defensive fortifications will be sufficient."

Zhao Lei murmured to himself, hoping that tonight would pass peacefully...

suddenly!

A flash of light appeared, and the dry grass and tobacco leaves were ignited.

The flames licked at the dry grass and leaped upwards, instantly sending thick smoke billowing up.

The wolf pack on the hillside did indeed stir.

A few stood up and took a few steps back, their claws crunching on the gravel, but they quickly stopped and remained crouched in place, not going far.

While the thick smoke can have a deterrent effect, it cannot truly drive away the hungry wolves.

really.

Not long after, the wolf on the hillside suddenly raised its neck, its mouth pointing to the sky, and let out a short, low howl.

Awoo!

The sound pierced through the wind and reached the ears of everyone in the mountain valley clearly.

The entire hunting party became alert and looked around.

Several people had already drawn their guns.

Zhao Lei immediately realized this wouldn't do!