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Chapter 314: Chapter 256: You Should Be Careful (Subscription Wanted!)_1
Everyone got out of the car and checked their equipment. This hunting trip was not expected to end until dusk, and they planned to eat lunch in the woods. As such, some of the bodyguards carried water, barbecue tools, shovels, pots, dishes, and condiments.
Of course, in case they didn’t manage to catch anything, they couldn’t possibly starve. While the bodyguards might go hungry, it was unthinkable to let their bosses go without food, hence, they had enough dry food for everyone to share a meal.
"Let’s go, we’re off," Mu Jian announced loudly when everyone was ready.
The group headed towards the forest.
Two bodyguards led the way with two Dogo Argentino dogs, followed by another person with a Pitbull. All the dogs were extremely agile and fierce, capable of fighting off wolves, and they were extraordinarily intelligent.
Upon entering the forest, Qi Tian stayed close to a fighter, noticing his very cold expression, he braved himself and asked: "Hey, bro, have you ever hunted before?"
The fighter didn’t respond.
Albeit expecting no response, Qi Tian continued to try and build rapport. Just like courting a girl, you wouldn’t win her over by giving up after being ignored once. However, if she ignored you every time, it would make no sense to keep wasting time, the simple truth being she’s just not that into you, and it’s not because you’re not trying hard enough.
"Hey bro, where are you from?" Qi Tian asked again, wearing a big grin.
The fighter finally spoke, his words making Qi Tian’s face stiffen. Looking Qi Tian in the eye, he said coldly, "Mr. Qi, please refrain from interrupting my job. Thank you."
"Well...I was just trying to lighten up the mood," Qi Tian murmured in a low voice.
His unsuccessful attempt at humour left a bitter taste in his mouth.
The fighter didn’t respond, just kept moving forward.
Qi Tian could only watch the fighter and rack his brains for ways to befriend him, thinking it would be a failure to give up so quickly.
Chai Ren, who was walking at the front, suddenly complained, "Jianzi, how come we haven’t spotted any game despite walking for so long? You didn’t exhaust the area, did you?"
"What the hell are you talking about? We’ve only covered a bit more than a kilometer. Do you think I could’ve emptied this huge forest on my own? There are plenty of migratory animals here," Mu Jian snapped back.
"Hehe, I just want to fire the first shot," Chai Ren chuckled.
"Well, you’re in luck. There’s a wild turkey up ahead. Take your shot," Mu Jian pointed out a turkey about forty meters away.
Chai Ren shook his head and said, "No, it’d be a waste of bullets. These creatures don’t taste good, either. For my first kill, I want something bigger, at least bigger than your dog."
"There are plenty of wild boars around this time of year. You’ll have your chance," said Mu Jian.
Chai Ren scoffed and said, "But I want to hunt a wolf."
Hunting pigs? Somehow, it seemed pretty low, even if they were wild boars.
"Get lost. It’s already good enough if you can shoot a pig, and you’re dreaming of a wolf. Why don’t you try hunting a bear?" Mu Jian rolled his eyes.
"If there’s a bear, I will," Chai Ren grumbled.
"Boss, there’s something ahead," one of the bodyguards suddenly reported. The dogs, however, didn’t bark; they were trained and intelligent enough to know it wasn’t time to make a noise. They simply stared in that direction, awaiting their master’s command.
Just then, four shadows appeared about fifty meters ahead. Everyone was instantly on guard; the soldier was the only one who didn’t bother holding his gun, which seemed unprofessional. But nobody doubted his proficiency.
They were filled with an intense sense of confidence.
A closer look revealed four adult wild boars.
Upon seeing this, Chai Ren instantly became excited. He quickly loaded his gun and took aim, saying, "Finally, it’s my turn. Watch my perfect shooting technique.
"I’ll be waiting. It’ll be fun if you miss," Mu Jian sneered. He held his gun while looking on with a smile. Although there were four wild boars, as a seasoned shooter who often hunted for fun, he wouldn’t have bothered with this if it weren’t for Chai Ren’s visit. Shooting at a shooting range was more fun to him than hunting in the forest; besides, playing with his daughter was even more enjoyable.
Chai Ren aimed his gun at the head of a wild boar that was rooting in the ground. Because the trees shielded the rest of them, this was the only boar that he could aim at directly. Considering the short distance and the absence of wind within the forest, there was no need to adjust the gun’s scope.
"Bang..."
A gunshot echoed through the forest. There was no silencer attached.
Upon hearing the sound, the wild boar fell and started convulsing while the other three scattered in fright, putting up a pitiful display of ’every man (or, in this case, boar) for himself.’
"Perfect," Chai Ren said with satisfaction as he tucked his gun away.
"Let’s get moving. Keep going," Mu Jian ordered.
With that, he headed towards the fallen boar.
"A great start." Chai Ren grinned, nodding approvingly at the still trembling, two hundred pound wild boar in front of him.
Chai Ren continued without delay, without stopping for pictures or playing around. They ignored the boar completely and carried on.
They had no intention of bringing it back, or make it their lunch, it was just for fun. They left the boar there, untouched, for other wild animals to eat.
The group moved forward slowly, sometimes hacking their way through the challenging terrain. This task was taken up by two bodyguards at the front.
While passing a large tree, Qi Tian’s expression changed and he shouted aloud.
"Watch out."
This sudden cry put everyone on alert, carefully watching their surroundings. Mu Jian and Chai Ren turned to look at Qi Tian, expecting to spot a dangerous animal - but there was nothing there.
Only Qi Tian’s eyes were stuck wide open, staring at one of the fighters, as if he’d seen a ghost. The two bodyguards standing behind Qi Tian were also agape.
A snake had suddenly sprung out from a tree, lunging at a fighter’s neck. Although Qi Tian didn’t know what type of snake it was, he knew that a snake that would attack a human is not one without venom- especially in this jungle.
By the time Qi Tian had shouted a warning, the snake was already mid-air, to the right side of the fighter.
The typical human reflex would render Qi Tian’s warning too late. He had been prepared to see the snake bite the fighter, but the next moment, he saw the fighter grabbing the head of the snake, and with a swift twist -- the snake was dead.
The fighter dropped the snake that was now spasming on the ground, without even giving it a glance. The fighter then continued walking as if nothing had happened, so casual and at ease. A skill Qi Tian admitted he could never master.
Is this the level of mental and physical agility one could expect from a human? Now, Qi Tian was confused.
"What’s up? The fighter just killed a snake?" Mu Jian asked. He thought to himself: It’s just a snake, what’s all the fuss about?
"That...that..." Qi Tian didn’t know how to portray the ’thriller’ scene he just witnessed.
It felt like watching an American blockbuster.
Was this cold-blooded killer?
"What do you mean, what?" After a little hesitation, Mu Jian shook his head and said, "It’s just a snake. Don’t imagine them as food. Not tasty." Having travelled the world, Mu Jian had tasted almost everything. In his opinion, eating a snake, like the boar, held no interest at all.
Qi Tian opened his mouth to respond, but decided against it, choosing instead to continue on with the group.
Qi Tian had now designated the fighter as an ’extreme danger’.
After a few steps, however, the fighter suddenly turned around and pulled out his weapon.
"Bang..."
The fighter shot towards the ground near Qi Tian’s foot without hesitation, causing Qi Tian to instinctively step back.
"What are you doing?!" Qi Tian’s man immediately asked, pointing his gun at the fighter.
"You’re the one who needed to be careful." The fighter responded calmly, putting his gun away.
The sudden gunshot drew the attention of everyone again.
They all turned to see a snake, shot in the head, writhing near Qi Tian’s foot. Qi Tian was startled once again at seeing another snake - a bite from one of them would undoubtedly worsen their situation. Although they had brought several types of anti-snake venom serum, getting bitten was not an enjoyable experience.
"Thank you."
Qi Tian managed a wry smile as he said his thanks. He had already witnessed the fighter’s physical skills and now his shooting skills. To be able to eliminate such a small, moving target with a single shot, was a feat Qi Tian admitted he couldn’t accomplish.
Moreover, Qi Tian couldn’t figure out how the fighter had sensed the danger behind him; he finally chalked it up to the fighter’s extraordinary hearing. What else could it be? Witchcraft?
Qi Tian’s guess was surprisingly accurate. The fighter’s sensory data was transmitted to the Command Room for detailed analysis. The Command Room typically does not relay general data back to the fighter, like a flock of wild geese flying over the jungle, but the data about a snake attacking a human would definitely be relayed back. Whether or not the fighter took action depended on him, as long as it wasn’t a threat to the protected target. The fighter could make his own decision. Right now, he was just following the basic principle of reciprocity.
"Everyone, be careful, the snakes in this area are quite aggressive." Mu Jian warned, after encountering two snakes in such a short period, it was necessary to be cautious.
PS: Tomorrow, I’ll finish with this part. I don’t know if you guys like this kind of plot. It feels like I’ve been dragging it out for so long without the protagonist making an appearance. Hehe.
Tang Qing: "...MMP."
