The Entire Mountain Is My Hunting Ground

The moment Zhao Jun pulled open the door to the Li Family’s house, he knew what had happened.

A hen lay in front of the stove, blood seeping from its neck.

This was one of the hens the Tao Family had given to Zhao Jun and Li Baoyu when they returned from the Yongxing Brigade.

After they brought it back, Jin Xiaomei had been carefully raising it. Just as the weather warmed up for spring, the hen had started laying eggs.

Judging by its claws, the chicken was just a little over two years old—the prime age for laying eggs.

In the last couple of days, the two hens had just started laying in sync, contributing two eggs a day to the Li Family.

This was already a rare boon, and it had made Jin Xiaomei so happy she couldn’t stop smiling.

But unexpectedly, one of the hens had fallen prey to Black Tiger’s deadly jaws today.

Bursts of "AWOO, AWOO" came from the inner room. The sound was so loud that the Li Family didn’t even notice someone had opened the door and come in.

Zhao Jun went over for a look and saw the five members of the Li Family standing around Black Tiger, with only Jin Xiaomei holding a broom.

"Ah! Zhao Jun’s here." Seeing Zhao Jun enter, Li Dayong quickly gave Jin Xiaomei a tug.

Just then, Li Baoyu also saw Zhao Jun and hurried out of the inner room to meet him.

Zhao Jun held out the toolbox, and Li Baoyu immediately understood. He took it, pointed toward the inner room, and said with a tilt of his head and a pout, "I just let him out to pee, and he pounced on the chicken. When he came back, my mom hit him once, and he started howling like this."

Zhao Jun walked into the inner room and saw that Jin Xiaomei’s eyes were red. She was furious.

"Auntie, don’t be angry." Zhao Jun took the broom from Jin Xiaomei’s hand and set it aside. "When I get a chance, I’ll bring back a few more chickens for you and my mom."

"Xiaojun, there’s no need," Jin Xiaomei said. "It’s just... looking at him is so infuriating."

Hearing this, Zhao Jun glanced at Black Tiger and shook his head helplessly.

The instant Black Tiger saw Zhao Jun, however, it not only stopped yelping but even started wagging its tail furiously at him.

Looking at Black Tiger, one of its front legs in a splint, Zhao Jun was speechless. ’When this dog had four good legs, I never saw him do anything this impressive. But now that he’s lame in one, he’s become a terror.’

After a brief discussion, Zhao Jun and Li Baoyu decided to take Black Tiger back to Zhao Jun’s house, where he was tied securely to his doghouse.

Worried he’d get cold, Zhao Jun lined the doghouse with several burlap sacks. The nights in late April were still chilly, but it couldn’t be helped. The dog was just a real piece of work.

After settling Black Tiger, Zhao Jun went inside, ate breakfast, and then slung a satchel over his shoulder and headed for the mountains. He had a lot to do today.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanmin, who was at home reading a palm-sized comic book, suddenly sat up straight. Staring at an illustration of Wei Yan being executed by Ma Dai, Zhang Yuanmin slowly raised his head, looked at the ceiling, and muttered, "I can’t just sit by and wait to be slaughtered."

With that, he snapped the book shut, put on his clothes, and headed outside.

At that moment, Yang Yufeng was in the courtyard, tidying up the poles Zhang Yuanmin had recently cut from the mountains. Seeing him come out of the house and head for the gate, Yang Yufeng quickly asked, "Where are you off to?"

"Just going for a stroll," Zhang Yuanmin said as he walked out of the yard.

Seeing that he wasn’t dressed to go up the mountain, Yang Yufeng went back to her chores and paid him no more mind.

But unexpectedly, after leaving his house, Zhang Yuanmin took a roundabout path and ended up at Chen Dalai’s home.

Just as he reached the front door, Chen Dalai’s young son ran out, a schoolbag on his back.

"Uncle Zhang." The child was quite polite, knowing to greet his elders.

"Off to school?" Zhang Yuanmin greeted the child amiably.

If he hadn’t said anything, the boy might have just kept going. But as soon as the words left Zhang Yuanmin’s mouth, the little boy stopped, turned back, and said, "Uncle Zhang, my mom already lectured my dad. She told him not to hang around with you anymore."

"Huh?" While Zhang Yuanmin was still stunned, the little boy skipped away with his schoolbag.

Zhang Yuanmin stood at Chen Dalai’s door for a moment, then turned and left. But five minutes later, he reappeared in front of the house.

Pulling the door open, Zhang Yuanmin stepped inside. Seeing no one in the outer room, he called out loudly, "Elder Chen! I’ve come to see you."

In the inner room, Chen Dalai, who was sitting on the kang loading bullets, frowned. His wife whispered at his side, "I’m telling you, don’t get caught up in his nonsense. Get rid of him, and fast."

"Yeah, I know." Chen Dalai first agreed with his wife, then called out to the other room, "I’m in the back. Come on in."

"Ah, busy, are we?" Zhang Yuanmin said as he entered the inner room. He saw Chen Dalai’s wife nod at him, but he only offered a casual greeting in return.

After speaking, Zhang Yuanmin placed the string bag he was carrying on the edge of the kang, then took out two jars of Peach Cans.

Chen Dalai was taken aback to see Zhang Yuanmin bringing Peach Cans. He knew Zhang Yuanmin’s family was struggling, and on all his previous visits, he had come empty-handed.

"What’s all this for?" At his side, Chen Dalai’s wife knew Zhang Yuanmin had brought them a gift, but since he wasn’t saying anything, she couldn’t help but ask.

"Well, I’m visiting Elder Chen, so shouldn’t I bring a little something?" Zhang Yuanmin laughed, then turned to Chen Dalai and asked, "Been doing well lately?"

"Good, good." Chen Dalai quickly got up and motioned for Zhang Yuanmin to sit down, then said to his wife, "Hurry and boil some water."

"Alright, alright. You two chat for a bit."

Once Chen Dalai’s wife had left, Zhang Yuanmin stared at him with a smile, his gaze so intense it made Chen Dalai’s skin crawl.

"What are you staring at me for?"

"Heh heh." Zhang Yuanmin chuckled and asked, "Still hunting wild boars these days?"

The question instantly soured Chen Dalai’s mood. He had been counting on earning money by hunting wild boars for Zhao Guofeng. But then Zhao Jun had shown up, bringing six cartloads of boars into the village at once. The very next morning, Zhao Guofeng had come to settle the bill for the last boar Chen Dalai had hunted and told him that his services were no longer needed.

"Not anymore." No matter how foul his mood was, Chen Dalai still managed a reply.

Having spent two months reading his comic books, Zhang Yuanmin had become more cunning. Instead of getting straight to the point, he tried to bait Chen Dalai. "If you’re not hunting boars, then what are you living on? Your family’s in a tough spot too, aren’t they?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hearing this, Chen Dalai actually laughed. He looked at Zhang Yuanmin and said, "Between our two families, who’s really in the tougher spot? Isn’t my family way better off than yours? You’ve come to my house how many times in the last six months? Today’s the first time you’ve ever brought anything. What’s with the high-and-mighty act?"

Even after being berated like this, Zhang Yuanmin didn’t get angry. He just chuckled and said, "My family’s situation *was* bad before, but it’s good now! And why can’t you make money hunting boars anymore? Wasn’t it because of those seventy-odd pigs that me and my brothers brought in?"

Hearing this, Chen Dalai’s anger flared up. But a guest was a guest, and more importantly, this guest had brought gifts. So, Chen Dalai could only suppress his rage and ask, "So, you just came here to rub it in my face?"

"Elder Chen, what kind of talk is that?" Zhang Yuanmin’s expression turned serious, and he said, displeased, "I came to find you because I have a great opportunity."

Hearing this, Chen Dalai’s tone actually softened. He just asked, "What kind of opportunity?"

Zhang Yuanmin’s eyes widened as he grinned at Chen Dalai. "Hunting a Black Bear!"

The moment the words left Zhang Yuanmin’s mouth, Chen Dalai’s face fell. He pointed a hand toward the door and roared, "Get the fuck out!"