"Hold on a minute, Brother Ethan. I'll make a bet with you too," Political Commissar Ren chimed in, realizing there was an opportunity to score some good gear. "If you can shoot down a leaf with that pistol, I'll give you a horse."
"Ah, Brother Ren, you're not qualified to make a bet with me just yet," Ethan replied smoothly. "You still owe me for the short sword!"
"Exactly! That's what I'm betting on," Ren said eagerly. "If you win, I'll give you a horse. If you lose, my debt is cleared. I keep the sword, and we're even. How about it?"
These guys are practically begging to give away their horses, Ethan thought, amused.
He nodded. "Alright, it's a deal." He turned to Victor. "Now that the commander and the commissar have placed their bets, what about you, Battalion Commander? You guys just put two horses on the line. If you lose, explaining two dead horses is just as hard as explaining three. Why don't you make it a set?"
Victor laughed, pointing a finger at Ethan. "You little rascal. I was trying to be a good guy and not rob you blind, but since you're insisting on giving your gear away, I won't hold back. Fine, I'll take that bet. If I lose, you get a horse. But if you lose—haha—sorry, but I'm keeping that armor-piercing fruit knife of yours."
"Deal! No problem!" Ethan snapped his fingers cheerfully and raised his pistol.
For an ordinary person, hitting a target 300 meters away without a scope was incredibly difficult. Doing it with a handgun was considered physically impossible. Every soldier present, along with the two seasoned guides, firmly believed Ethan was going to lose.
However, some things in this world operate far beyond the realm of common sense.
Ethan didn't spend much time aiming. He simply pointed the barrel toward the distant tree.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He fired ten shots in rapid succession. The entire process took less than three seconds.
Silence fell over the plateau. The soldiers pulled out their binoculars and focused on the red-leaf tree in the distance.
Ten shots. Ten leaves severed perfectly at the stem.
"Holy fck! No fcking way!" Ryan was the only one capable of speaking, cursing repeatedly in sheer disbelief. The rest of the men were completely petrified.
"Well, Commander?" Ethan asked, blowing the smoke from the barrel of his pistol with a smug smile.
"Yes! Exactly! Brother, if I don't look up to you, who else is there?!" Ryan practically salivated as he stared at the weapon. "Brother Ethan, my good brother... about that gun..."
"Stop right there," Ethan interrupted, quickly tucking the pistol back into his waistband. "There is absolutely zero chance you are getting your hands on my gun!"
He pointed proudly at the white, red, and gray horses tethered nearby. "Haha, I'll be taking those three off your hands when I head down the mountain this afternoon."
"What? You're leaving this afternoon?" Ryan asked, his eyes widening. "Come on, going back down alone is way too dangerous. We can finish setting up the base in three days at most. When the transport helicopter arrives to drop off supplies, you and the two guides can just fly back. How easy is that?"
"Haha, the mountain might be dangerous for you guys, but for me? It's just a stroll in the park," Ethan replied confidently.
Since Ethan insisted on leaving, Ryan had no choice but to accept it. During lunch, the commander deliberately didn't drink, afraid that the alcohol might dull his senses and lead to an accident on the way down.
After the meal, Ethan handed his machete to Ryan and the fruit knife to Victor, leaving behind a few extra bottles of premium liquor for the officers. Under the awe-struck gaze of the entire military unit, he gave a casual wave. With the wolf cub tucked into his coat, he grabbed the reins of the three massive warhorses and began his descent, Blackie and Whiskers trailing closely behind.
He walked until he was completely swallowed by the thick fog. Once out of sight, he immediately transferred the three horses, the dog, the cat, and the wolf cub into his Ring Space. He scooped up some Spiritual Water, feeding the animals one by one, before stepping back out. Unburdened, he practically flew down the treacherous mountain paths.
That evening, at the edge of the forest at the foot of the Immortal Mountain, a large crowd of villagers—men and women, old and young—stood holding torches and steel pitchforks. Suzie and Natalie, who was holding Missy, stood at the front of the anxious mob.
"Suzie, please listen to me. You really can't lead everyone into the mountains," Natalie pleaded, her voice tight with worry. "The Immortal Mountain is too strange. The fog starts just a short distance in, and the deeper you go, the thicker it gets."
"Besides, the mountain range is massive! Even if you mobilized thousands of people, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Please, don't let the villagers risk their lives for nothing!"
"But he's been gone for two days! What if something happened?" Suzie argued, staring worriedly into the dark, imposing forest. "What if he's hurt in there, waiting for us to rescue him? What are we supposed to do?"
"It's already getting dark," Natalie continued patiently, though her eyes betrayed her own fear. "Once night falls, the wild beasts come out to hunt. Going in now is practically a death sentence. Even if we organize a search party, we have to wait until tomorrow morning and have the old hunters lead the way. Don't forget, Ethan is my friend too. I'm just as worried about him as you are."
"Please be safe..." Suzie whispered softly toward the dark mountains, knowing Natalie was right. She sighed helplessly and was just about to turn and tell the villagers to disband.
Suddenly, a massive, shadowy figure emerged from the treeline.
Suzie gasped. It was a giant tiger. And riding casually on its back was a very familiar figure. Trailing behind the tiger were three large warhorses. Sitting majestically atop the saddles were Blackie, Whiskers, and a tiny wolf cub. Dragged behind the horses on makeshift sleds were two massive wild boars.
"Ethan! Sob... You... why are you riding a giant tiger?!" Suzie screamed, tears of relief and excitement flooding her eyes. She wanted to run to him, but the terrifying sight of the apex predator kept her frozen in place.
"Dad! Dad!" Missy cheered from Natalie's arms, completely unafraid of the beast, struggling to get down and run to him.
"Good heavens... Uncle Ethan, are you a god?!" one of the villagers whispered in awe as the crowd collectively turned to stone.
Ethan smoothly leaped off the tiger's back. He issued a firm command for the animals to stay put, then strode confidently toward the crowd.
"You idiot! You were gone for two days! You nearly scared me to death! Waaah!" Seeing him approach, Suzie threw caution to the wind, practically throwing herself into his arms. She buried her face in his chest, crying and weakly punching his shoulder.
Ethan's heart warmed at her reaction. He was just about to wrap his arms around her when he caught sight of Natalie standing nearby. Her face was stained with tears as she clutched Missy tightly.
A sharp pang of guilt hit his chest. He gently pushed Suzie back. "Alright, alright, I'm back, aren't I? Look at you—the dignified Village Secretary crying in front of the whole village. It's ruining your authoritative image."
Suzie, who usually cared deeply about her public persona, quickly wiped her eyes. She gritted her teeth and whispered fiercely, "This is all your fault! Just wait until we get home. I'll deal with you then."
Ethan chuckled and walked past her. When he stopped in front of Natalie, he instinctively reached out and gently wiped a tear from her cheek. But the moment his fingers brushed her skin and he saw her face flush red, he froze. He suddenly remembered they were both adults standing in front of the entire village.
To cover his awkwardness, he quickly scratched the back of his head and reached for Missy, who was squealing with excitement. "Oh, my little darling! Don't cry. Daddy's back!"
Kids were easy to distract. A few comforting words, and she was giggling again. "Daddy! Where did you find the big cat, the piggies, and the horses?"
"Haha, that's not a cat, sweetie. That's a tiger! Do you want to try riding him?"
"Yes! Yes!" Missy clapped her tiny hands together, completely oblivious to fear.