Chapter 718 Northeast Journey 4
Liu Pingan held the hunting rifle steadily with both hands. His hands were as stable as a rock, without the slightest tremor. He squinted one eye and carefully aimed at the wild boar through the scope on the gun. His heartbeat was steady and powerful, as if every beat had a steady rhythm. His eyes revealed a calmness and confidence like a veteran, as if he was not facing a ferocious wild boar, but an ordinary prey.
Just as the wild boar pounced on the hunter again, its huge body rushing towards the hunter like black lightning. The hunter closed his eyes in despair, as if he had foreseen his impending tragic fate. Liu Ping'an decisively pulled the trigger.
"Bang!" A deafening gunshot echoed in the forest. The sound was like thunder, startling the birds in the forest and causing them to fly up. The leaves were also rustling. A puff of green smoke came out of the muzzle of the gun, and the smoke rose in the air, as if it was a signal for battle.
In the deep mountains and forests covered with white snow, so quiet that you can almost hear the sound of snowflakes falling, a thrilling hunting and chasing is quietly taking place.
Liu Pingan held the hunting rifle steadily, which was emitting the vicissitudes of time and the cold light of metal, and locked his eyes with the wild boar in front of him, which was running towards him with all its might. The wild boar had messy hair all over its body, but it was savage. Its two long fangs were like sharp daggers, flashing a frightening light in the sun. Every time it stepped on the ground, it made a sound like a heavy hammer hitting the ground, shaking the snow to fall.
At this critical moment, Liu Ping'an decisively pulled the trigger. In an instant, the bullet was like a meteor with a hot tail flame, streaking through the icy air with an unstoppable momentum, making a sharp whistling sound. The bullet seemed to have eyes, accurately hitting the wild boar's fat and thick buttocks. The wild boar screamed in pain, shaking the earth and seemed to tear the sky apart. The sound echoed in the mountains and forests, startling a group of jackdaws perched on the branches.
The wild boar, which was originally so aggressive and rushed around like a chariot out of control, suddenly trembled in mid-air, as if it was grabbed by an invisible hand. Then, it fell heavily to the ground like a huge rock rolling down from the top of the mountain, raising a cloud of dust that spread like golden smoke under the sunlight.
However, the wild boar's vitality was beyond imagination. It struggled to stand up, and blood continued to flow from its injured buttocks, leaving a shocking red mark on the white snow. It let out a shrill howl, which was full of anger, unwillingness and pain. The originally swift and fierce attack was instantly disrupted. Its fat body staggered a few times on the snow, and every step seemed so heavy and difficult, as if it was carrying a heavy burden. Then, it dragged its injured hind leg and ran wildly towards the depths of the forest in a panic, raising a cloud of flying snow foam, which was like fine silver needles, dancing freely in the air.
"We can't let it run away. This wild boar is enough for us to eat for several days, and it can also improve the food for everyone!" Liu Ping'an's eyes were shining with excitement, and that light was like the twinkling stars in the night sky, full of desire for prey and expectation for harvest. As he spoke, he pulled the bolt skillfully, and the action was done in one go, as if he had practiced it countless times. With a crisp "click", the bullet was reloaded. Then, he waved his hand, and the powerful arm drew a firm arc in the air, leading Chen Dahu and Chen Xiaohu to chase in the direction of the wild boar's escape.
The three of them ran through the snowy forest, one foot deep and one foot shallow. Every step they took sank deeply into the snow, and then they pulled themselves out with great effort, splashing crystal snowflakes. The white air they exhaled quickly dissipated in the cold air, just as their hot breath was instantly swallowed up by the cold world.
The surrounding trees swayed in the strong wind, making a "woooo" sound, which sounded like ghosts and wolves howling, and seemed to be playing an exciting movement for this exciting chase. The branches danced wildly in the strong wind, whipping them from time to time, but they were unaware of it, and they only wanted to catch up with the wild boar.
Chen Dahu was a burly man, like a moving hill, but his steps were very agile. He followed closely behind Liu Ping'an, taking each step firmly and powerfully. From time to time, he used the wooden stick in his hand to push away the branches in front of him. The wooden stick in his hand was like a flexible whip, sweeping away the branches that were in the way one by one. He muttered, "This wild boar runs pretty fast. I'll catch it! We must make it our meal today!" His tone was full of unwillingness to admit defeat and determination to get the prey.
Chen Xiaohu was relatively thin, but he was more agile, like a nimble deer. He moved freely in the woods, his eyes fixed on the bloodstains left by the wild boar in front of him. The bloodstains were particularly eye-catching on the white snow, like a red ribbon, guiding the direction they were going. He shouted loudly: "Brother, Brother Ping'an, look, this bloodstain is still fresh, it can't run far! Let's work harder, we will definitely catch up with it!" The voice echoed in the mountains and forests, full of confidence and vitality.
As they went deeper into the forest, the terrain became more and more rugged. Under the snow under their feet were all kinds of protruding rocks and tree roots, like hidden traps, which could easily cause them to fall. Their shoes had long been soaked by the snow, and the cold feeling went straight up along the soles of their feet, but they didn't care about that, they just wanted to catch up with the wild boar.
Suddenly, there was a "crashing" sound from the front. It turned out that the wild boar had knocked down a bush in panic. Under the impact of the wild boar, the bush's branches and leaves flew across, making a crisp breaking sound. Liu Ping'an was delighted, as if he saw the dawn of victory. He quickened his pace, taking bigger and faster steps. At the same time, he reminded the two people behind him: "Be careful, the wild boar may be in front, don't let it get hurt! This wild boar may become more crazy after being injured, we must be extra vigilant!" The voice floated in the wind, with a hint of tension and concern.
As the three of them shuttled through the mountains and forests like nimble hunters, carefully bypassing a dense pine forest that looked like a green curtain, the scene before them finally cheered them up - the injured wild boar was lying weakly under a sturdy tree. The tree stood in the snow like a silent giant, with heavy snow hanging on its lush branches and leaves, and occasional snowflakes falling like the sigh of time.
The wild boar looked miserable at the moment, gasping for air. The heavy breathing was particularly clear in the silent forest, as if it was struggling to run out of life. The blood on its body was like a series of hideous red centipedes, which had already dyed a large area of the surrounding snow red, and it was particularly dazzling on the pure white snow, as if it was a cruel mark left on it by fate.
Its originally fierce eyes also became dim at this moment, but when it sensed the approach of Liu Ping'an and others, a trace of vigilance and ferocity flashed in its eyes. It struggled to stand up, but its injured hind legs seemed to be bound by invisible shackles, making it very difficult to stand up every time. Its fat body twisted on the ground, trying to stand up with the help of its body, but its injured hind legs could not support its weight at all. Just as it stood up a little, it fell back heavily, raising a cloud of fine snow dust.
Liu Ping'an looked stern, his eyes revealing determination and courage. He quickly picked up the hunting rifle that had been with him for many years. The gun body flashed a cold metallic luster in the sun, as if it was his most loyal partner. He steadily aimed at the wild boar's head, his finger gently on the trigger, the posture was professional and skillful, as if he had practiced it countless times. His eyes were fixed on the wild boar, and his mind had already rehearsed all kinds of scenes after the shooting, just waiting for the critical moment to pull the trigger and end the chase.
However, just as he was about to exert his strength, he suddenly heard Chen Xiaohu's anxious and nervous voice: "Brother Ping'an, wait a minute!" This voice was like a thunder, exploding in the silent forest, causing Liu Ping'an's hand to pause slightly. He turned his head in confusion and looked at Chen Xiaohu, his eyes full of questions.
Chen Xiaohu looked nervous, with beads of sweat on his forehead, and he had obviously just made a major discovery. He pointed to a cave not far from the wild boar that seemed to be deliberately hidden by nature, and said, "Look, there is a cave over there. The wild boar might have escaped from it. Could there be other wild boar companions or cubs inside?" His voice was trembling, and he obviously realized the seriousness of the matter.
Liu Ping'an's heart shuddered, as if a chill ran straight up from the soles of his feet. He knew very well that wild boars were very protective of their cubs. If there were really cubs in the cave, firing a gun rashly would be like poking a hornet's nest, which would probably anger the sow inside. At that time, the angry sow would attack back with her cubs. The three of them would be trapped in this complex forest, like a turtle in a jar, and extremely dangerous.
He slowly put down his hunting rifle, his eyes revealing a trace of solemnity. After thinking for a moment, he lowered his voice and said calmly: "Big Tiger, Little Tiger, let's not rush to shoot, let's observe the situation first. This forest is full of dangers, and if we are not careful, we may fall into an irretrievable situation. Big Tiger, go around and see if there are other ways out to prevent the wild boar from escaping. If it wants to escape, we will have a plan to deal with it; Little Tiger, you and I will slowly approach and see what is going on in the cave. Be careful not to disturb the things inside."
Chen Dahu nodded. His burly body was like a small mountain, but he was more agile than an ordinary person. He walked carefully to the side, taking each step lightly and cautiously, scanning the surroundings vigilantly, not missing any slight movement. He held the wooden stick tightly in his hand, as if it was a sharp blade ready to be unsheathed at any time, ready to deal with possible dangers at any time.
Liu Ping'an and Chen Xiaohu crouched down, like two cheetahs lurking in the grass, and approached the wild boar and the cave step by step. Their footsteps were so light that they made almost no sound. They carefully avoided the branches and snow on the ground with every step, for fear of alerting the wild boar. When they were only a dozen meters away from the wild boar, the wild boar seemed to sense the breath of danger. It suddenly raised its head, and its originally dim eyes instantly became extremely fierce, as if burning with two balls of angry flames.
It let out a deep roar, the sound was like thunder, echoing in the forest, shaking the branches around it slightly. Its eyes flashed with a fierce light, as if it wanted to devour the enemy in front of it. Its front hooves kept digging the ground, the hard hooves rubbed against the ground, making a "rustling" sound, raising a piece of small snow particles, as if it was venting its anger. Its huge body squatted slightly, ready to attack at any time, as if it would rush forward without hesitation if anyone dared to get closer.
Liu Pingan clenched the hunting rifle in his hand, and the cold gun body made him feel a little relieved. He confronted the wild boar, his eyes showing calmness and determination, as if telling the wild boar that he would not retreat easily. At the same time, his eyes were fixed on the cave, not missing any slight movement. At this moment, a faint "humming" sound came from the cave, the sound was like a baby crying, but with a hint of weakness and fear, as if something was struggling inside.
Liu Ping'an's heart moved, and he became more convinced that there might really be wild boar cubs in the cave. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He summoned up his courage and shouted to the wild boar: "You beast, don't move. We won't hurt your children. As long as you surrender, we will only take your life and not destroy your cave! If you insist on resisting, not only will your life be in danger, but your children may not be saved either!" His voice echoed in the forest, with a hint of majesty and advice, hoping to calm the angry wild boar down.
The wild boar seemed to understand Liu Ping'an's words, and its roar gradually became lower, but it still stared at them vigilantly, not letting down its guard. Seeing this, Liu Ping'an winked at Chen Xiaohu, and the two slowly approached the wild boar. Just when they were only a few steps away from the wild boar, the wild boar suddenly attacked, kicked its hind legs hard, and pounced on Liu Ping'an. Liu Ping'an reacted quickly, dodged to the side, and pulled the trigger at the same time. With a "bang" sound of a gunshot, the bullet hit the wild boar's head again, and the wild boar's huge body fell heavily to the ground, splashing a cloud of snow dust.
After confirming that the wild boar was dead, Liu Ping'an and Chen Xiaohu walked towards the cave carefully. When they entered the cave, a pungent smell hit them in the face. With the weak light coming in from the cave entrance, they saw several little wild boars huddled in the corner, shivering. These little wild boars were covered with fur, and their eyes were not fully open yet, looking very cute.
"Brother Ping'an, what should we do with these little wild boars?" Chen Xiaohu looked at the little guys and felt a little sorry. Liu Ping'an thought for a moment and said, "We can't leave them here. They won't survive without the protection of the sows in this deep forest. Let's take them back and see if we can find a suitable place to raise them."
So Liu Ping'an and Chen Xiaohu found some hay, carefully wrapped the little wild boar, and held it in their arms.