Chapter 4
1121 Words
On this particular morning, the sky was overcast, with ominous yellow clouds suggesting an impending storm.
Creeeak~
The wooden door creaked open, and a man dressed in a raincoat and wide-brimmed hat carefully stepped outside, gently closing the door behind him.
The man raised his gaze to the sky, his rugged and weathered face unmistakably that of Liu Shan.
“This weather... I wonder if there will be a good harvest today. I must ensure that Cui Qing and Yun’er are not left wanting.”
Liu Shan sighed softly, then adjusted the bow and quiver on his back and began to ascend the mountain at a brisk pace.
As Liu Shan departed, the closed door quietly reopened, and Liu Yun cautiously stepped out, carefully shutting the door behind him.
Liu Yun looked at his father’s anxious retreating figure, his eyes growing moist. “Father, I no longer wish to be a compliant child... I truly do not want to be.”
“Mother, I will not let Father suffer any longer. I hope you can forgive me.”
Liu Yun glanced back at the door, wiped his tears with his sleeve, and then followed the mountain path upward.
Perhaps due to his sincerity, Liu Shan soon spotted a grazing sika deer on the mountain.
Liu Shan’s heart leapt with excitement; such luck was rare in his usual hunting endeavors.
However, Liu Shan did not let his guard down. Relying on his years of hunting experience, he approached the deer stealthily, moving within bowshot range.
Liu Shan nocked an arrow, drawing the bowstring almost to its limit, the arrow aimed directly at the deer’s flank.
Thwack!
The bowstring released, and the arrow shot through the forest like a streak of light.
Simultaneously, the sika deer, alerted by the sound, lifted its ears and swiftly evaded the incoming arrow. The projectile struck a nearby tree trunk, quivering but remaining lodged.
Startled, the sika deer bolted forward.
Seeing this, Liu Shan remained composed, his face hardening with resolve. Without hesitation, he drew and fired two more arrows in rapid succession.
One arrow soared close to the deer’s head, causing it to swerve and leap backward. At that moment, the third arrow struck through the deer’s neck.
Thud!
The sika deer collapsed, struggling briefly before becoming still.
The mountain teemed with game but also harbored countless dangers. For instance, the tiger, the king of the mountain, was a familiar sight to Liu Shan from his years of hunting.
If the prey was not promptly taken down the mountain, the scent of blood could soon attract scavengers and predators.
Thus, Liu Shan, upon seeing the deer downed, wasted no time. He hurried over to examine it.
Looking at the deer, Liu Shan’s face softened with satisfaction. “Ah, today Cui Qing and Yun’er can enjoy a hearty meal.”
Turning his gaze to the arrows lodged in the tree from his previous shot, Liu Shan walked over and, with a firm grip, extracted them.
For a hunter, these arrows were invaluable, and no waste was permitted.
“Ah, I’m truly getting old; it used to take just one arrow.”
Liu Shan shook his head and sighed, then returned to the sika deer.
The arrow in the deer’s neck was securely lodged, so Liu Shan did not attempt to remove it immediately. Instead, he hefted the deer’s large thigh onto his back and began to drag it down the mountain, though it was arduous.
Before he had covered much ground, a thunderous tiger’s roar resonated through the valley.
The sound was alarmingly close, just a few hundred paces away, sending chills down Liu Shan’s spine.
“An... a tiger...”
Liu Shan, pale with fear, peered toward the source of the noise. Although the grass concealed it, he could distinctly hear the rustling.
Liu Shan quickly placed the sika deer on the ground and took cover behind a nearby tree.
Moments later, a large, striped tiger leapt from the high grass and pounced on the fallen deer, tearing into it with ferocity.
“Damn it... that beast is eating my son’s food!”
Liu Shan’s fear gave way to a glimmer of resolve. He readied his bow, aiming at the tiger’s body, drawing the string taut.
Breathing heavily, Liu Shan knew this might be his only chance, and missing it could be disastrous.
“Die!”
Liu Shan gritted his teeth and released the arrow.
Whoosh—!
The arrow flew straight toward the tiger’s belly, seemingly on course to pierce its body.
But at that moment, an inexplicable gust of wind deflected the arrow slightly, causing it to strike the tiger’s leg instead.
Roar!
The tiger roared in pain, its gaze shifting to Liu Shan. Its gaping maw revealed sharp, menacing teeth, its countenance fearsome and fierce.
“Did I... miss?”
Liu Shan trembled, realizing that with such a beast focusing on him, escape was nearly impossible.
He had no choice but to fight for a chance at survival.
“Come then, I’m not afraid of you!”
Shaking, Liu Shan readied his bow again.
Before he could make a move, the tiger leaped several yards and lunged at Liu Shan.
In his panic, Liu Shan fired an arrow, but it missed the tiger entirely.
The tiger, undeterred, pounced directly on Liu Shan, its powerful paw smashing a nearby tree trunk like a twig.
Liu Shan instinctively tried to dodge but lost his footing, tumbling into a hidden ravine and nearly losing consciousness.
The tiger, showing no sign of retreat, hesitated momentarily before leaping into the ravine after Liu Shan.
“Yun’er, Cui Qing, I fear I may not make it…”
As Liu Shan gazed at the approaching tiger, his consciousness began to fade.
Thud—!
With a dull thud, a white figure struck the airborne tiger, sending it sprawling.
Liu Shan, struggling to see the source of the white figure, felt his strength waning, and his eyelids grew heavy.
A slender figure landed beside Liu Shan—it was indeed Liu Yun.
“Father!?”
Liu Yun, seeing his father bloodied and unmoving, quickly carried him out of the ravine and onto a flat area.
Meanwhile, the tiger, shaking off the impact, stood unsteadily and glared at Liu Yun with fierce, predatory eyes.
Seeing this, Liu Yun carefully placed his father against a tree.
“Father, do not worry. I will deal with this ungrateful beast and then take you down the mountain.”
Liu Yun rose and locked eyes with the hungry tiger.
“Today, for harming my father, I will strip your hide from you!”
Liu Yun’s gaze hardened, a shadow of grim determination flashing through his eyes.
- Writer
