Chapter 51: More than enough to handle the upcoming trouble

The next day, before dawn, Li Xiangyang stepped out of the house with his tools.

The dark cat was already waiting in the courtyard. Seeing him emerge, it gracefully leaped onto his shoulder.

Entering the mountains this time, his objective was crystal clear in his mind.

Ordinary prey was no longer enough; he needed to find something of genuine value.

However, the mountain forest was not his backyard, and every step was fraught with the unknown and danger.

Therefore, despite his inner urgency, he still forced himself to steady his mindset.

The biting cold wind howled, and the accumulated snow in the mountains was deeper than usual.

Treading through knee-deep snow, Li Xiangyang made his way deeper into the mountains, leaving a trail of deep footprints.

His pace was slow, testing the depth of the snow with every single step.

In this kind of weather, a moment of carelessness leading to a fall into a snow pit could easily become a matter of life and death.

The dark cat led the way ahead, occasionally glancing back at him.

It knew this mountain forest like the back of its paw and always managed to find routes with shallower snow.

After walking for about two hours, Li Xiangyang's trouser legs were thoroughly soaked through by melted snow.

He was forced to stop and retrieve spare straw leg-wrappers from his backpack to change into them.

Experience had taught him that in weather like this, soaked trousers would sap away body heat and rob a person of their mobility.

As the sun rose, they had already penetrated deep into the mountain's heart.

The trees here grew denser, and the snow was even thicker.

Li Xiangyang's breath formed white clouds in the freezing air, and he could feel the muscles in his legs trembling incessantly.

Suddenly, the dark cat halted in its tracks, all the fur on its body standing on end.

Li Xiangyang instantly grew alert, slowing his pace as he looked in the direction of the cat's gaze.

In a clearing ahead, he spotted a few faint traces on the snow's surface.

These were signs of animal activity, but what exact creature they belonged to required careful identification.

Li Xiangyang squatted down, cautiously examining the marks.

Judging from the size and shape of the prints, they should belong to a roe deer.

Yet, he did not rashly give chase.

In weather like this, recklessly pursuing prey could easily lead one into a dangerous situation.

He needed to judge how fresh these tracks were and the likely direction of the animal's movement.

Right at that moment, the dark cat pricked up its ears, its eyes locked onto a distant patch of bushes.

Following its line of sight, Li Xiangyang saw the bushes slightly rustle as a grayish-brown shadow flashed past.

It was not a roe deer, but a massive male sable.

This creature was exceptionally rare deep in the mountains, and its pelt was extraordinarily precious.

Catching it, however, would be no easy task; male sables were not only alert but also agile in movement, and the slightest carelessness would let it slip away.

Li Xiangyang did not act rashly.

He knew that at times like this, patience mattered more than anything else.

He slowly crouched down, observing the sable's movements.

Meanwhile, the dark cat silently circled around to the other side, forming a flanking posture.

Time ticked away second by second, the cold wind stinging Li Xiangyang's cheeks.

Yet he remained utterly motionless, like a carved statue.

Finally, the sable seemed to let down its guard, beginning to intently forage for food in the snow.

Li Xiangyang slowly raised his hunting rifle.

At that exact moment, the dark cat let out a subtle chirp, causing the sable to turn its head to look.

In that split second, Li Xiangyang pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

The gunshot echoed through the valley, startling a flurry of snow from the trees.

The sable collapsed to the ground on cue, its bright red blood staining the surrounding white snow.

Only then did the dark cat pace leisurely over, looking rather proud of itself.

Li Xiangyang chuckled and stroked its head: "I couldn't have done it without you."

After stowing away the sable, Li Xiangyang did not rush to leave.

Since he was already here, he might as well bag more game.

However, his physical exertion was massive, and he needed to rest first to replenish his energy.

Finding a wind-sheltered spot, Li Xiangyang sat down against a large tree and took out his dry rations from his backpack.

The dark cat crouched beside him, its vigilant gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

In these remote, deep mountains, a single moment of carelessness could turn one into prey for other predators.

After a brief rest, they continued searching for traces of game.

With their previous success, Li Xiangyang's mindset was much more relaxed, though he dared not lower his guard in the slightest.

In the mountains, any oversight could spell disaster.

The sun gradually tilted westward, and the sky began to dim.

Li Xiangyang knew that in this weather, he had to leave the deep mountains before dark, or he would easily lose his bearings.

Still, he wanted to bag a bit more prey.

The dark cat seemed to understand his thoughts, leading him along a small stream heading upstream.

The stream was already frozen over, but the sound of flowing water could still be heard beneath the ice.

Places like this often drew animals to drink, leaving behind tracks.

Sure enough, at a spot where the ice was relatively thin, Li Xiangyang discovered several fresh animal prints.

Judging by the shape of the hoof prints, they belonged to a few snow hares.

To his pleasant surprise, however, right among those prints was a set of larger hoof marks.

"Roe deer," Li Xiangyang muttered in a low voice, "and more than one."

The dark cat emitted a soft meow, as if confirming his judgment.

Its tail stood slightly erect, displaying an excited state.

Li Xiangyang carefully observed the surrounding terrain.

The ground here dipped slightly, forming a small hollow.

Beneath the snow, there should still be some withered grass, making it a favorite spot for hares and roe deer.

Still, tracking them directly was unwise.

At this point, the best approach was to find a concealed spot and wait for the prey to come to him.

Li Xiangyang selected a large tree and sat down with his back against the trunk.

The dark cat leaped onto a thick branch, occupying a superior vantage point for observation.

Waiting was a form of torment.

The cold wind relentlessly pierced his collar, and Li Xiangyang could feel his fingers gradually losing sensation.

Yet he dared not move, nor even take a deep breath, fearing he might startle any potential prey.

Suddenly, the dark cat's ears twitched.

Li Xiangyang held his breath, his eyes fixed firmly in the direction of the stream.

Under the moonlight, a roe deer cautiously walked toward the water hollow.

It raised its head from time to time to look around, vigilantly observing the movements in the surroundings.

Behind it followed two other slightly smaller roe deer.

Li Xiangyang's finger slowly curled around the trigger, but he held his fire.

Patience was a hunter's most fundamental virtue; he was waiting for the optimal opportunity.

Sure enough, after a moment, the largest roe deer seemed to relax its vigilance, lowering its head to begin pawing at the withered grass beneath the snow.

The other two lowered their heads as well.

Right now!

Aiming at the largest one, Li Xiangyang gently squeezed the trigger.

"Bang!"

The gunshot shattered the silence of the night sky.

The large roe deer collapsed to the ground on impact, while the other two leaped away in a panic, but due to their fright, they collided with one another.

Li Xiangyang hurriedly fired a second shot, which struck its target squarely as well.

Two roe deer lay motionless in the snow, while the third had long since vanished without a trace.

"We really hauled in a good harvest today," Li Xiangyang said with a smile.

The meat from these two roe deer alone would be enough to trade for a tidy sum of money.

Yet he also knew it was getting late and time to head back.

Using a rope, he bound the two roe deer together and carefully wrapped the sable's carcass.
Though this trip had been grueling, the harvest far exceeded expectations.

Only when he hoisted the game onto his back did he realize his legs felt somewhat weak.

A whole day of trekking and waiting had consumed too much of his physical stamina.

The dark cat seemed to sense his fatigue, slowing its pace significantly as it walked ahead, frequently turning back to look at him.

"Don't worry," Li Xiangyang panted, "I won't drop dead."

As night fell completely, they finally emerged from the deep mountains.

The distant lights of the village reflecting on the snow gave Li Xiangyang a touch of warmth.

Today's harvest should be more than enough to handle the troubles ahead.