12dz Chapter 208 Searching for Traces in the Mountains
Chapter 208 Searching for Traces in the Mountains
"Alright, you two, hurry up and get going. It's not like it's heavy work. I can handle things here."
Seeing the two dawdling, Wang Ergou chased them away.
After saying goodbye to Wang Ergou, Li Xiangyang and Li Xiaoyun walked slowly along the village road.
A gentle spring breeze carries a hint of warmth.
"Xiaoyun," Li Xiangyang said softly, "you've had a tough time these past few days."
Li Xiaoyun shook her head: "What's so hard about it? I'm actually very happy." She lowered her head slightly, her voice soft, "Being able to work with you, even in the livestock shed, makes me feel fulfilled."
"Really? Then in a few days, I'd like to take you for a drive in the mountains."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiangyang reached out and gently grasped Li Xiaoyun's hand.
Her hands were a little cold, but very soft.
Li Xiaoyun's eyes lit up: "Really?" Then she added worriedly, "But isn't it dangerous in the mountains?"
“I’m here,” Li Xiangyang said with a smile. “Besides, there’s Xuanmao and Xiaohu; they can sense danger in advance. I’d like to take you to see the scenery in the mountains. It’s springtime now, and the mountains are especially beautiful.”
As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the educated youth settlement.
The moon quietly climbed to the treetops, casting a layer of silvery light upon the earth.
“Then…you should go back now,” Li Xiaoyun stopped at the door. “Ergou is still waiting for you.”
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Okay, you should get some rest. Remember to close the doors and windows."
Li Xiaoyun smiled and agreed, and watched Li Xiangyang leave before going inside.
Her heart was pounding like a deer's.
Li Xiangyang hurried back to the livestock shed and saw Wang Ergou meticulously adding fodder.
"Ergou, how's the situation?"
“Everything’s fine,” Wang Ergou said, pointing to the livestock in the trough. “Look, they’re eating very steadily. This remedy really works.”
Li Xiangyang observed carefully for a while and found that the livestock were indeed eating much more leisurely than before.
They occasionally raised their heads to chew, their expressions serene, completely unlike their previous eagerness.
“Then we’ll take turns keeping watch,” Li Xiangyang said. “You go and rest first, I’ll keep watch for the first half of the night, and also make sure we have enough supplies.”
Wang Ergou shook his head: "Forget it. I'm not sleepy anyway, and I'm just killing time. I'll do it."
Li Xiangyang couldn't refuse him, so he had to agree: "Okay, I'll go back and take a nap, and I'll come back to relieve you in the middle of the night."
As night deepened, only the sounds of cattle and horses chewing grass and occasional noises remained in the livestock shed.
Wang Ergou leaned against the wall, staring intently at the trough.
At midnight, Li Xiangyang arrived on time to relieve the shift.
After explaining the situation, Wang Ergou yawned and went back to rest.
Li Xiangyang sat in Wang Ergou's old spot, checking the fodder and water by the moonlight. He touched the neck of the nearest old yellow ox and whispered, "Get well soon, Ergou and I are waiting to go into the mountains."
The old ox lazily looked up at him and continued to leisurely chew its grass.
Wang Ergou arrived just as dawn was breaking.
The two checked the livestock together and found that they were all normal, which put them at ease.
"Looks like it's really worked!" Wang Ergou said excitedly. "Can we go into the mountains now?"
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Yes, let's prepare three more days' worth of fodder and water, and have Doctor Qian prescribe some more medicine. Then we can go into the mountains without worry."
Wang Ergou rubbed his hands together and said, "Then I'll go prepare now." He then turned to run outside.
"Hey," Li Xiangyang called out to him, "Don't rush, feed the livestock first, then go prepare."
Wang Ergou then remembered the important matter and scratched his head sheepishly, "I was too hasty."
After the two of them finished their work and made sure all the livestock were full, they began to prepare for going into the mountains.
After the two finished dealing with the livestock, Li Xiangyang began packing his belongings.
This time he plans to go deep into the mountains and stay there for at least two or three days.
Li Xiangyang pulled out several thick clothes from the closet and carefully inspected them to make sure they were not damaged.
The temperature difference between day and night is significant in the mountains this season, so getting your clothes torn is no joke.
After packing his belongings, Li Xiangyang slung his Type 63 automatic rifle over his shoulder and checked the bullets one last time.
Just then, Wang Ergou came running up, panting, "Everything's ready here."
"Let's go." Li Xiangyang called out, and shushed the people in the yard.
Xuanmao and Xiaohu immediately darted out from the corner and followed behind the two.
The mountains and forests are lush and green, and occasionally you can hear birds singing.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou tread lightly, carefully observing the marks on the ground.
After walking for about an hour, the black cat in front of us suddenly stopped and raised its tail.
Li Xiangyang immediately squatted down, gesturing for Wang Ergou to lie down as well.
Little Tiger pricked up his ears warily, his nose twitching incessantly.
“There’s something there,” Li Xiangyang said softly, his eyes fixed on the bushes ahead.
Wang Ergou gripped the gun tightly and held his breath.
Suddenly, the bushes trembled.
A huge wild boar charged out!
"Ergou, to the left!" Li Xiangyang shouted in a low voice.
Wang Ergou immediately understood and moved to the left.
The two men surrounded the wild boar, encircling it.
This is their usual hunting method, which ensures safety and prevents prey from escaping.
The wild boar seemed to sense the danger and turned to run away.
But it was too late.
"boom!"
A gunshot rang out, and the wild boar fell to the ground.
"Excellent marksmanship!" Li Xiangyang exclaimed.
The shot hit the vital point perfectly, cleanly and decisively.
Wang Ergou grinned: "Compared to you, I'm still a bit lacking."
After dealing with the wild boar, the two found a secluded spot and used a rope to hoist it up.
We'll pick it up when we get back; it's not time to return yet.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou continued their journey deeper into the mountains.
The trees deep in the mountains are taller and denser than those on the outskirts, and the light is much dimmer.
The two walked one after the other, seemingly casually, but their eyes were actually constantly observing the ground and their surroundings.
After walking for about an hour, Li Xiangyang suddenly stopped and squatted down.
“Look at this,” he said, pointing to a dent in the ground.
Wang Ergou leaned closer to look and saw several shallow dents in the ground. "This is..."
“A roe deer.” Li Xiangyang gestured with his hands to indicate the size and shape of the hoof prints. “These are the front hoof prints; you see, they’re slightly longer here and spread out in a V-shape. The hind hoof prints are smaller and parallel.”
He pointed to the grass stalks next to the hoof prints and said, "Look at these grasses again. Some are broken, some are leaning. The broken sections of the grass stalks are still very fresh, which means the roe deer passed through here no more than two hours ago."
"Brother Xiangyang, does that mean it's still nearby?" Wang Ergou's eyes lit up.
“Hmm.” Li Xiangyang nodded. “Roe deer are most active in the morning and evening. It’s morning now, so they usually find a secluded place to rest.”
As he spoke, he stood up and carefully observed the surrounding terrain.
The terrain ahead gradually rises, with dense trees and shrubs covering the hillside, making it a perfect place for the roe deer to rest.
The two bent over and groped their way forward along the trail of the roe deer.
The hoofprints on the ground became clearer and clearer, and from time to time, one could see the tender grass that the deer had nibbled on.