1940s: I supported my wife and sister-in-law by hunting.

Just as the father and son were talking, a wolf howl came from not far away, sending chills down one's spine.

"It's a pack of wolves!"

Someone gave a low shout, and everyone instantly went on high alert, raising their guns, loading them with bullets, and cocking them with a click. They aimed their guns at the surroundings and followed closely behind Wang Changfa and Uncle Liu, hurrying towards the direction from which the wolf howl came.

"These bastards are starving and have come out to hunt! Everyone, keep up the pace and chase them! Today we'll take care of them all, leave no one alive!"

Uncle Liu led the charge forward.

The fat man was so scared he almost lost his mind. He gripped the axe in his hand, his heart pounding in his throat, and he didn't dare to breathe.

He talked a good game before, but when it came down to it, he was completely useless.

I thought going into the mountains would just be a matter of hunting rabbits and roe deer, easily getting some meat to eat, but who would have thought we'd run into a pack of wolves!

In these deep mountains and forests, how can a person with two legs outrun four? If he gets surrounded, he'll lose his life here!

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. His legs went weak and his steps grew heavier and heavier, and he gradually fell behind the group in front of him.

"Shanzi! Wait for me! Shanzi! Don't leave me here alone!"

Chen Gaoshan glanced back at him, frowned, but didn't dare to stop. He could only wave to signal him to catch up.

The group followed the trail, and before they knew it, daytime had turned into night, and the forest was completely dark.

Along the way, they encountered three rabbits, shot and killed them, bled them out and removed their internal organs, then covered the blood with snow to prevent attracting more wild animals.

The whole rabbit skin, along with the processed rabbit meat, was placed into the basket.

The group had been chasing for a whole day, but still hadn't seen the group of thugs.

Liu Chunlei looked up at the sky.

"These slugs all have territories; they can't escape this forest. They're clearly playing hide-and-seek with us, trying to wear us down. We men have plenty of time to deal with them. Let's find a sheltered hollow to build a shelter, make a fire, rest, and recharge before we go back to fighting."

Led by Lao Liu, they found a sheltered spot in a low-lying area surrounded by mountains on three sides.

Compared to other parts of the forest, the wind and snow here were much less intense, and the permafrost was not as solid.

The group grabbed their shovels and swept away the thick snow, revealing the dry leaves underneath, which felt much softer underfoot.

He and Fatty chopped some firewood, piled it on the cleared ground, took out matches to light the dry wood, and soon started a bonfire.

The ground-baked food wasn't so damp anymore.

They brought out a thick layer of leaves and spread them on the ground. With a campfire for warmth and leaves to keep out the cold, this was the only way they could make do for the night in this desolate wilderness.

Chen Gaoshan sat by the campfire and took out four large cornbread cakes from his basket.

He placed the flatbread over the campfire to roast it, then took some salt from his cloth bag and sprinkled it on the flatbread.

Running through these mountains in the forest is strenuous and freezing. If you don't eat salt, you won't have any strength at all and simply can't endure it.

Using the melted snow water from the canned food, he and his father quickly finished their flatbread, filling their stomachs before taking turns keeping watch at night.

Wang Changfa had an old pocket watch in his pocket, which he used to keep track of time. They agreed that each person would keep watch for two hours at a time, taking turns to relieve each other.

"Listen up, Lao Liu, you're on the first half of the night shift with Shanzi and Sanpangzi, and Lao Nian is on the second half with me!"

"Fatty, I'm emphasizing this: you absolutely, positively mustn't doze off! That green-skinned bastard is as cunning as a demon; he only bites when people are sound asleep and relaxed, especially on the neck and back. You all need to be on your guard, or it could be fatal!"

The fat man nodded repeatedly in fright.

After Wang Changfa finished speaking, he lay down on the dugout covered with leaves, pulled his thick fur coat over his head, and fell asleep as soon as he touched the ground, exhausted from running all day.

Chen Gaoshan added more firewood, making the fire burn even brighter.

He glanced sideways at the three fat men huddled to the side.

That bastard, he deliberately came up to him, offering his own wife in exchange for a spot to go into the mountains; he practically delivered himself to his doorstep.

He kept the grudge against the ice hole and his concern for his wife in his heart.

Keeping him around is always a problem. If I don't get rid of him, I won't be able to sleep soundly even when I get home.

It's not that he's heartless; Fatty San brought this upon himself, so he has no one to blame but himself.

The fat man lying to the side had no idea that Chen Gaoshan was staring at him.

He could hear strange cries of wild animals coming from the forest from time to time. He huddled by the campfire, trembling all over, and was filled with remorse.

If he had known it would be this dangerous to go into the mountains, he would never have come!

He stayed at home honestly, relying on his wife Qiu Yanzi and her pimping to exchange for food. Although it was not honorable, at least he could eat his fill and stay warm, without having to suffer like this or risk his life.

He must have had nothing better to do than go hunting in the mountains. Now he's in this dangerous old forest, completely helpless.

He vowed to himself that once he survived this ordeal, he would never set foot in Black Tiger Forest again; this experience had terrified him beyond belief.

His mind was filled with wild thoughts: what if some sly fox sneaked over in the middle of the night and bit off his face?

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, but he was too tired from traveling all day, and leaning against the fire to warm himself, he eventually drifted off to sleep.

Less than fifty meters from the camp, seven pairs of eyes were fixed on the figure by the fire.

It was that pack of starving sly sly sly stalks that had been lurking around the camp for a long time. They were drooling with envy at the prey that was being offered to them by the fire, but they remained motionless, patiently waiting for the perfect moment. They were just waiting for the alpha wolf to give the order, and then they would pounce on them all at once and tear them to pieces.

The night passed neither too quickly nor too slowly. Chen Gaoshan and Uncle Liu's night watch shifts came to an end, and it was finally Sanpangzi's turn.

Chen Gaoshan stood up and patted Sanpangzi on the shoulder.

"Hey Fatty, stay alert! Don't close your eyes! If you hear anything, call us immediately! Don't try to fight it out!"

After saying that, he lay down next to Chen Laonian on the quilt covered with leaves, but he didn't dare to sleep soundly. He squinted, keeping an eye on the movements around him, and was even more wary of that unreliable Sanpangzi. Who knew if that kid would do something to him from behind?

Just as Chen Gaoshan was in a daze, half asleep and half awake, a scream that broke out in the camp exploded!

"Ah—! It's terrible! The shrews are here! Help! Get up quickly!"

Chen Gaoshan squinted, not having slept soundly at all. When Sanpangzi screamed, he almost reflexively sat up and reached for the Type 38 rifle next to him.

The three fat men were terrified and, in their panic, grabbed a torch from the ground and waved it wildly.

The commotion startled everyone, and they grabbed their guns and huddled together, aiming at the wolf pack.

Old Chen held the gun in his hand.

"Fatty! Hold onto that thing tight. If I don't tell you to run, stay where you are! When dealing with a horde of sluts, never scatter or run with your back to them! These bastards have been starving all winter and are insane. They can tell you're a coward at a glance. If you back down, they'll eat you alive!"