'My brother-in-law has really made something of himself...'
Xiao Qiaoniang stared at the wild rabbit dangling from Bai Yuan's waist, too stunned to speak.
Just this morning, she had run into Hunter Zheng. Even an old hand like him had returned empty-handed, yet Bai Yuan repeatedly brought back game. This was clearly not just luck.
Bai Yuan smiled, untied the wild rabbit from his waist, and handed it to Xiao Qiaoniang.
"Sister-in-law, feel free to use both rabbit legs this time."
Xiao Qiaoniang's face immediately flushed red. Her younger brother-in-law was indirectly calling her stingy. Though she was a farmer's wife, she was perceptive and knew exactly what he meant.
She took the game and turned toward the stove.
Before long, Xiao Qiaoniang brought out a pot of fragrant wild vegetable soup.
A glistening, golden sheen of oil floated on the surface, looking exceptionally appetizing.
Before Xiao Qiaoniang could even pick up the ladle, Bai Yuan snatched it and authoritatively served one of the rabbit legs into her bowl.
Xiao Qiaoniang stared at the plump rabbit leg in her bowl, a mix of emotions welling up inside her.
'In this world, besides those from wealthy families, who would ever care about a woman's feelings?'
No man had ever been so good to her.
"Brother-in-law, you're so good to me."
Bai Yuan served himself a bowl as well, mumbling an affirmative "Mhm" with his mouth full of rabbit meat.
The wild vegetable and rabbit soup, made without salt or rice, was bland. It couldn't be called delicious—at least not to Bai Yuan, who was used to eating takeout. More importantly, it wasn't very filling.
He resolved to hunt a few more animals, sell them in the city, and trade them for some sorghum flour.
'Life is getting better and better.'
Bai Yuan and Xiao Qiaoniang held their bowls of wild vegetable soup, eating with relish.
...
「Early the next morning」
Bai Yuan headed out the door.
With the experience from the last two times, Bai Yuan was much bolder now.
After two days of exploring, aided by his Tracking Technique, he had basically determined the wolf pack's territory. As long as he avoided those areas, he would be safe.
Bai Yuan walked alone through the vast, snowy mountains, his body half-crouched, a bamboo arrow already nocked on his bowstring, ready to be fired at any moment.
SWOOSH!
SQUAWK... GURGLE!
A brightly feathered pheasant was pierced by the bamboo arrow. It flopped a few times and then went still.
Reinforcement Points +1
Bai Yuan satisfyingly picked up the pheasant and tied it to his waist.
"Add point!"
[You have chosen to practice Archery. By drawing your bow three hundred times and lifting stones one hundred times daily, your Archery grows more exquisite.]
Bai Yuan had discovered from grinding games in his previous life that while the Tracking Technique was useful at the initiate level, mastering it required a great deal of effort.
Since reinforcement points were hard to come by, he naturally had to spend them where they mattered most.
The calluses on the joints of his right index and middle fingers had become a thin, translucent layer, and his vision grew sharper.
The sharp eye required for archery complemented his Tracking Technique. With his keen powers of observation, details he had previously overlooked gradually became apparent.
After that, it was as if Bai Yuan had turned on a cheat code.
Reinforcement Points +1
Reinforcement Points +1
...
In just half a day, his waist was already laden with game.
A pheasant, two wild rabbits... he was even carrying a small roe deer on his shoulder. This was enough meat to feed him and Xiao Qiaoniang for a month.
Bai Yuan was delighted. With the problem of hunger solved, a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders.
He looked at the reinforcement points on his panel.
"Add points!"
[You continue to practice Archery. You begin to focus on training your eyesight, achieving perfect accuracy against targets within fifty yards.]
[You practice Archery. Your speed at nocking and firing an arrow is finally under two breaths.]
[You have practiced Archery for two and a half years and have finally made an achievement.]
[Name: Bai Yuan]
[Occupation: Hunter]
[Skills: Tracking (Initiate), Archery (Proficient)]
[Reinforcement Points: 0]
Bai Yuan's Archery skill had finally reached the Proficient level.
It seemed he had a talent for hunting, reaching the Proficient level in just two and a half years. He figured it was also because hunting skills were easier to learn at the beginning and became harder later.
Although his Archery skill was now Proficient, it seemed his luck had run out.
Bai Yuan searched all over Mentougou until the sun began to set in the west, but found nothing else.
Before he knew it, he had ventured deep into the mountains.
If he didn't head down the mountain soon, he would have to travel through the mountains at night.
Mentougou at night was a completely different world from the daytime. On the dark, snowy ground, a single misstep could land you in a hole. A light injury meant spraining an ankle and resting for half a month; a serious one meant falling off a cliff and losing your life.
But just as Bai Yuan was about to head down—
"Well, if it isn't Ah Yuan."
There stood Zhao Si Hu, bare-chested and flexing his bulging arms, staring at Bai Yuan with ill intent from the nearby snow.
Bai Yuan's brow furrowed slightly.
He hadn't wanted to provoke Zhao Si Hu right now.
Zhao Si Hu had once studied martial arts at a Martial Arts Hall, and Bai Yuan didn't yet understand the nature of the Martial Dao in this world.
In his predecessor's memories, a Martial Artist from a Martial Arts Hall had once shattered a ten-inch-thick stone slab with a single punch.
Such terrifying power was something even the master of Long Arm Fist from his previous life couldn't achieve. That was already in the realm of the superhuman.
Zhao Si Hu crossed his arms, like a cat toying with a mouse.
'This is deep within Mentougou. It's perfectly normal for someone to die here.'
'It's Bai Yuan's own fault for not knowing the rules. He should have known to get off the mountain before dark and never to enter the deep mountains.'
'But that's alright. He can learn all about it in his next life...'
Zhao Si Hu pulled the dagger from his Deer Skin Boots, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
He preferred the thrill of butchering Bai Yuan with his own hands over simply shooting him dead.
A bloody image of tearing Bai Yuan to shreds flashed through his mind.
The reason Zhao Si Hu had been expelled from the city's Martial Arts Hall was precisely that he had tortured and murdered one of its servants.
"Go to hell."
The smile on his lips grew more unhinged.
In his eyes, Bai Yuan was just a useless loafer. No one would care if he died.
As for that Miss Xiao of the Bai Family... Zhao Si Hu let out a lecherous smirk.
Once he killed Bai Yuan, he would make his way to the Bai Family's home.
Although Zhao Si Hu looked brawny and clumsy, he was incredibly fast, pouncing toward Bai Yuan like a ferocious tiger.
Bai Yuan's gaze was sharp, fixed on Zhao Si Hu. His fingers twitched, tapping with a steady rhythm.
'Patience... Patience... Patience...'
He waited until Zhao Si Hu was less than one zhang away from him.
Nock, draw, release—all in one smooth motion!
SWOOSH!
A bamboo arrow, like a striking bamboo viper, shot toward Zhao Si Hu's right eye.
PFFT...
A soft sound.
"Ugh..."
Pain, then nothingness...
Zhao Si Hu stared in disbelief at the crimson that had suddenly enveloped his entire world.
'Such a fast arrow.'
'Him? How is this possible?'
THUD!
Zhao Si Hu's eyes gradually lost their focus. His body collapsed limply onto the snow, and the blood that gushed from his eye socket stained the white ground a shocking red.
The bamboo bow in Bai Yuan's hands had shattered, its pieces scattering to the ground.
HUFF... HUFF...
He gasped for air, fighting back the nausea churning in his stomach.
'This isn't a game.' It was his first time seeing such a bloody scene, and it was a struggle just to keep his composure.
Zhao Si Hu was dead.
Bai Yuan was highly adaptable and quickly regained his calm.
'To survive, I'll have to do things like this many more times.'
His gaze fell upon the hardwood bow that had fallen to the side...