Chapter 350

Chapter 350: The Hunt

“Woof, woof!”

Suddenly, a loud barking echoed through the dense forest.

Moments later, several patrol dogs burst forth.

These patrol dogs were slender, quick, and exceptionally keen, skilled in searching for and capturing prey in the jungle—the best companions and helpers for hunters.

In the next moment, accompanied by heavy panting sounds, a robust black wild boar charged out.

This wild boar was not only extraordinarily large but also had two long tusks protruding from its mouth, gleaming with a silvery-gray metallic sheen, sharp as knives.

It was a first-tier long-tusked wild boar, a little tyrant of the forest. Its skin was exceptionally tough, impervious to blades and fire, and it possessed tremendous strength and wild ferocity.

Ordinary hunters would retreat in fear when encountering a long-tusked wild boar, not daring to test the power of its tusks.

The most frightening thing was that when one long-tusked boar appeared, it was often accompanied by a whole brood or even a group.

Following this long-tusked boar were a dozen smaller boars in various sizes.

They charged through the vines and small trees that blocked their path, pursuing the fleeing patrol dogs following their leader.

However, just as the entire boar group rushed out of the forest, an unexpected change occurred!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A volley of pitch-black arrows suddenly pierced the air, the triangular arrowheads gleaming with a dark golden light, covering over a hundred steps in an instant to collide with the wild boars.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Though the hide of the long-tusked boar was as tough as a warrior’s armor and remarkably resilient, these arrows evidently had special penetrating power and could pierce through upon impact.

Moreover, the archers ambushing the boar group exhibited exceptional skills, with less than one in ten arrows missing their target. On average, each wild boar was struck by three or four arrows, with the leading boar getting shot full of arrows like a porcupine.

They emitted painful howls, losing balance and falling to the ground, leaving deep tracks in their wake.

Crimson blood gushed from their wounds, rapidly staining large patches of soil.

In the nearby jungle, agile figures sprang forth.

They drew their longbows and wore battle knives on their backs, clad in leather armor that blended well with the foliage, exuding an aura of might.

“Roar!”

The bloodied wild boar leader let out an angry and unwilling roar, struggling to rise from the ground, its eyes bloodshot as it charged at the hunters, bracing for a desperate fight.

Whoosh!

Another arrow shot in like lightning, hitting the wild boar leader’s left eye and instantly piercing through its brain without hesitation.

The wild boar leader collapsed with a thud, falling silent.

“Good!”

The hunters called out in unison, some even whistling in approval.

“Brother Xiao’s archery is incredible!”

“First in Datian Village!”

“Not just first in Datian Village, but the best for ten miles around!”

“That’s right, that’s right…”

“Alright.”

A burly middle-aged hunter chuckled, “Enough with the boasting; let’s get these wild boars taken care of.”

“Understood!”

A group of hunters stowed their longbows and hurried over, laughing and joking as they began to process the spoils.

Magical beasts were treasures in their own right, and the long-tusked wild boar was no exception. The hide could be tanned into leather boots and armor, the bones served as materials for alchemy, and the meat was a potent supplement for Qi and blood, with medicinal dishes made from the boar’s organs…

A long-tusked wild boar weighing several hundred pounds could fetch a handsome sum of spirit stones in Wancheng.

Especially now, with the harsh winter approaching, these wild boars were at their peak, well-fed and robust, making them even more valuable.

The hunters worked together, using ropes to hoist the carcasses of the wild boars upside down from the trees.

As they drained the blood, they meticulously scraped the mud-caked hair clean.

Some hunters took hearty swigs of the still-warm pig’s blood, feeling invigorated.

While they were busy, the hunter named Xiao swiftly moved through the bushes and soon stood before Wang Chen, bowing respectfully, “My Lord, all the prey has been secured!”

“Well done.”

Wang Chen nodded, “Tell everyone to pick up the pace; we’ll scout ahead shortly.”

This respectful hunter was Xiao Hong, the captain of the newly established Datian Village guard team.

The guard team consisted of fifty members, mostly young villagers, with many being martial artists and a few even cultivators.

After some training, Wang Chen had led them into the mountains for hunting.

After several successful outings, Wang Chen mostly refrained from interfering in the guard team’s hunting activities, allowing them to act freely while providing only necessary assistance in tracking prey.

Unless they encountered insurmountable magical beasts, he would not intervene in battles.

As the saying goes, it’s better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish; if the hunters became habitually dependent on Wang Chen, the rules and systems he had established would surely crumble once he left!

“Understood!”

Xiao Hong’s respect and admiration for Wang Chen were genuine and heartfelt, without a trace of pretense.

Xiao Hong had originally been a hunter in Datian Village, his skills unmatched in the village.

However, being an outsider, he had faced exclusion from people like Huang Deqi, remaining alone despite being of an age to settle down.

The arrival of the new village chief, Wang Chen, had changed everything. The arrogant Huang Deqi had fallen, and the three major clans had lost their backing. Xiao had been appointed as the captain of the guard team…

Just two days ago, a matchmaker from the village had approached him, saying that several families were interested in him.

They wanted to take Xiao Hong as a son-in-law.

No dowry required!

Lately, Xiao Hong felt as though he were living in a dream.

To ensure this wonderful dream didn’t slip away, he poured all his energy into leading the guard team in hunting magical beasts in the mountains.

Xiao Hong’s admiration for Wang Chen stemmed from the latter’s provision of a batch of demon-hunting bows, armor-piercing arrows, and leather armor purchased from Wancheng, as well as a dozen storage bags for the cultivators in the guard team.

These excellent weapons and equipment had significantly boosted the combat strength of the guard team, making it easy to surround and hunt the long-tusked boar group.

It was something he would have never dared to dream of before!

While other village chiefs sought ways to amass wealth for their own cultivation, Wang Chen did the opposite; he didn’t exploit the villagers but instead provided substantial spirit stones to support the village.

Xiao Hong sincerely hoped that Wang Chen would remain the village chief for a long time.

Filled with immense emotion, Xiao Hong returned to the hunters to help process the prey together.

Once the wild boars were prepared and stored in the storage bags to keep them fresh, the guard team rested for half an hour, ate some dry rations to regain their strength, and then continued deeper into the mountains.

According to their plan, they aimed to store a large supply of game before winter, ensuring that every villager in Datian Village had meat to eat.

With Wang Chen, a Purple Palace cultivator, leading the way, everyone felt brave and confident.

Several patrol dogs raced ahead, skillfully weaving through the trees, using their keen sense of smell to search for prey.

Today was destined to be anything but ordinary!