Chapter 40: Huang Family Village, Hunting

The next day, Su Yu rose early and hurried to Huzi’s house to borrow a two-stone bow. Indeed, it was a two-stone bow, which required a draw weight of two hundred and forty jin to pull into a full crescent. This meant one needed at least two hundred and fifty jin of raw strength just to lift and draw it; otherwise, it would remain immovable.

Su Yu was just barely capable of using this bow. Perhaps other families in the village owned such weapons, but only Huzi could take one from his grandfather to lend to him. As for the others, it was out of the question. An average adult man could lift one hundred and fifty jin with effort, but Su Yu possessed one and a half times the strength of an ordinary person. While two hundred and fifty jin was a stretch, he did not need to draw it to a full crescent every time; a half-draw would suffice. The power of a half-draw on a two-stone bow was comparable to a full draw on a one-stone bow—effective within fifty meters, after which the lethality dropped off.

Still, carrying the two-stone bow gave him peace of mind. If he were to level up during a critical moment, his strength would surely increase, making the bow easy to handle. If he didn't bring it, even with greater strength, he would be limited by the one-stone bow, which could not shoot beyond fifty meters even if the bow were snapped. Thus, the two-stone bow was a safeguard against any eventuality.

As for Huzi, he did not bring him along. They were heading to Huang Family Village; the Huangs might not mind, given the favor Huzi had done them, but the rest of the village might be different. It wouldn't do to stir up gossip about the Huang family’s daughter courting both of them.

"Be a good girl at home and stay with Heizi. Third Brother is going to Huang Family Village to hunt something delicious for you. I'll be back by tomorrow morning at the latest. Don't run off anywhere, you hear?" After patting his younger sister’s head and dropping her off at Huzi’s house to play with Su Qianqian, he departed the village under Huzi’s watchful gaze.

Su Yu had set off early, and by the time he reached Huang Family Village, the villagers had just finished breakfast and were gathering to await the arrival of the militia. Huang Hai was already waiting at the village entrance and led him over immediately upon his arrival.

"Su Yu, you're using *that* for hunting? Should I put in a word for you to get a rifle?"

For the Huang Family Village hunt, the militia had arrived and were distributing rifles to experienced hunters. If you didn't have a gun, it didn't matter; they would provide one for free, to be returned afterward.

"Uh… no need. I’m used to my bow. It would take time to get familiar with an unfamiliar gun, and I’d probably just miss my shots."

He did want to try a gun—even if he were only allotted four or five rounds, it would be a chance to grind his skills. But in the end, he decided it wasn't worth the risk. Missing his target would be humiliating, and it wouldn't just be his own reputation at stake, but the Huang family’s as well. It wasn't worth it.

As they chatted, they reached the large square in the center of the village. There were quite a few participants—over two hundred. Huang Family Village was not small, with a population of over a thousand, more than double that of Sanshui Bay.

The participants were all men. As they gathered, several militiamen approached, pulling a cart of wooden crates. They opened them to reveal rifles.

"I am Huang Yong from the village militia. I’ll skip the pleasantries and go straight to the rules."

"You may form groups freely. It is best if one experienced hunter leads several newcomers, though those with experience may act alone. Those who have their own guns should use them first. Those who don’t can register with me to receive one. Someone will take you to the firing range; once you pass the test, you can take the gun into the mountains. Each person will be issued ten rounds of ammunition."

"I’m not trying to make things difficult for you, but it’s a matter of safety. You wouldn't want to be accidentally shot, would you? With two hundred people entering the mountains, one mistake could cost a life. Therefore, anyone receiving a gun must undergo a marksmanship test."

"Those with your own guns who don’t want to draw one can head into the mountains now. When firing, be mindful of your surroundings; don’t shoot blindly and hit your own people. Also, remember to return before dusk. Have your team leader sign out, and you may begin."

While the militia captain explained the situation, Huang Shan introduced Su Yu to his uncle. Huang Jianmin, Huang Hai’s uncle, was an honest, hardworking man in his fifties. He was very warm toward Su Yu, thanking him for saving his older brother. Without Su Yu, his brother would surely have died, as even a half-hour delay would have led to fatal blood loss. It was Su Yu’s decisiveness that saved him.

"You’re too kind, Uncle Huang. Isn't your son participating?" Su Yu asked, a question he’d been pondering on the way. If he was bringing his nephew, why not his own son?

"My uncle had a son late in life. He’s only one, and he’s currently in middle school in the county town."

A man in his fifties with a son only fifteen or sixteen? Truly a late-life child. Su Yu didn't pry further.

"Even if that brat were home, I wouldn't bring him along," Huang Jianmin said. "But Su Yu, why are you carrying a bow? Are you sure you don't want to take a rifle?"

Su Yu politely declined, repeating the same excuse he had given Huang Hai. The man didn't press the issue. Before long, Huang Hai returned with a Hanyang 88 rifle. Huang Jianmin and Huang Shan, on the other hand, were carrying shotguns—old-fashioned "cannon-barrels." Only Huang Hai had gone to secure a rifle. Huang Jianmin went up to sign the register, confirming their group size and names.

Soon after, Huang Jianmin returned. "Let's go, into the mountains."

With a wave of his hand, Huang Jianmin took the dog leashes from Huang Shan. He held four dogs, and Huang Hai held another four—the remaining ones from the pack that had been gored by the wild boar the other day. That made eight dogs in total. Huang Jianmin’s four were large, while among Huang Hai’s four, only Dabao was a large black dog, with the rest being medium-sized.

The four of them entered the mountains, the eight dogs sniffing about.

"That's about it. Dashan, let the dogs loose," Huang Jianmin ordered. Huang Shan unclipped the leashes. The eight dogs shot off like arrows from a bow, sniffing as they went.

"Brother Su Yu, you walk in the middle to make sure you don't fall behind," Huang Shan said.

"That's right, stay in the middle," Huang Hai added. It was clear the brothers were keeping their promise to protect him. Su Yu didn't act coy; he smiled sheepishly and took his place in the middle. The four of them moved in formation: Uncle Huang in the lead, followed by Huang Shan, then Su Yu, and finally Huang Hai.

"Brother Huang, everyone else went west. Why are we heading north?" Su Yu asked.

Seeing his confusion, Huang Shan lowered his voice. "A while back, my uncle encountered that wild boar in the mountains, so he knows its general location. A boar like that usually has a fixed territory and shouldn't be wandering everywhere. My uncle suspects it was driven out of its lair, so keep your eyes peeled. Don't let some other beast swoop in and reap the rewards."