Volume One, Chapter 13: Encountering a Wolf

The cold wind howled, sending snowflakes swirling chaotically before their eyes. Lin Xiao and her mother pulled the sled along the narrow path, treading unevenly as they made their way toward the mountainside.

Upon reaching the edge of the mountain, they found a spot that offered both a broad view and good concealment, where they hid themselves. They observed their surroundings in silence, ears straining to catch even the slightest sound.

Time slipped by quietly, each second seeming to stretch endlessly. The only sounds were the fierce wind roaring past their ears and the occasional crisp snap of tree branches breaking under the weight of the snow.

He Yulan furrowed her brows, a trace of anxiety flickering in her eyes. She couldn't help but speak, “We’ve been waiting so long. Could the nearby roe deer have been scared off by wolves? Maybe we should just head back instead of wasting time here.”

“Mother, don’t worry,” Lin Xiao reassured her while keeping her gaze fixed ahead. “Let’s wait a little longer. The deer might arrive any moment. And if they don’t show up soon, we can move over that way and see if we have better luck.”

Yet more time passed, and still, there was no sign of the deer.

He Yulan’s feet were nearly numb from the cold; she urged again, growing impatient.

After weighing the situation, Lin Xiao decided to heed her mother's advice and shift their position.

They followed the winding path toward the riverbank. Just as He Yulan was about to lose hope, sharp-eyed Lin Xiao suddenly stopped, lowered her voice, and said excitedly, “Mother, listen! There’s movement by the river!”

In the distance came faint sounds, as if animals were moving through the snow.

Lin Xiao immediately perked up, gripping her hunting rifle tightly and staring unblinkingly in the direction of the noise.

Gradually, several roe deer appeared in her sight. They lowered their heads, foraging for grass roots buried beneath the snow.

Having gained insight from a previous hunt of a young deer, Lin Xiao was more familiar with their habits.

He held his breath and slowly lowered his rifle, carefully raising his crossbow to aim at one of them. His hands trembled slightly from nervousness and cold, but he forced himself to steady them.

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, one deer seemed to sense danger, lifting its head and warily scanning toward Lin Xiao’s hiding spot.

His heart tightened; his finger froze on the trigger, not daring to make a sound.

After a moment, the deer saw nothing amiss and resumed foraging.

Seizing the moment, Lin Xiao took a deep breath and decisively pulled the trigger. One deer fell with a thud, struggling wildly on the ground, while the others, startled, vanished instantly into the depths of the forest.

“I got one! I got one!” He Yulan’s excited voice cracked as it echoed loudly through the silent woods. Her eyes sparkled, her face glowing with uncontainable joy.

“Mother, let’s try to get a few more today. We should aim to catch all the ones we saw earlier.”

With that, Lin Xiao eagerly ran toward the fallen deer. Seeing it lying on the ground, twitching faintly, a sense of accomplishment and joy swelled within him.

He knew well that although the other deer had been frightened away, they wouldn’t have gone far, given their habits.

He quickly turned back to where his mother was hidden, his gaze resolute. “Mother, stay here. I’ll go check over there and come right back.”

Gripping his rifle tightly, he moved cautiously yet briskly toward the direction the deer had fled.

The snow creaked underfoot with every step. He tread carefully, wary of startling the watchful prey again.

Soon, he spotted a deer hiding behind a large tree, only half visible as it cautiously scanned its surroundings.

Lin Xiao crouched quietly and raised his rifle, locking onto his target.

He drew a deep breath, calming his heartbeat, then gently squeezed the trigger.

Bang! The bullet whistled through the air. Though he had aimed for the deer's head, the shot struck its rear instead.

The deer yelped in pain and limped away, struggling to escape.

Lin Xiao refused to let his catch slip away. He swiftly cycled the bolt and took aim again.

This time, adjusting his aim, he calmly pulled the trigger once more.

Bang! The shot was precise, hitting the deer’s head. It collapsed instantly, motionless.

Having dealt with that one, Lin Xiao resumed his search for the rest. Following the scattered footprints in the snow, he found two more deer huddled closely by a thicket, looking up alertly.

They sensed danger and were about to bolt.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao raised his rifle and fired at the leg of one deer. It immediately buckled and fell.

The other, panicked, dashed forward recklessly.

Taking advantage of its movement, Lin Xiao quickly repositioned, aimed, and fired decisively.

This shot struck a vital spot; the deer took only a few steps before collapsing in the snow.

Lin Xiao considered finishing off the injured deer with a bullet, but with only one round left, he didn’t want to waste it.

Instead, he raised his rifle and used the stock to strike the deer forcefully.

Looking at the few deer successfully captured, a satisfied smile appeared on Lin Xiao’s face. He hoisted his rifle and headed back to his mother’s side.

Together, they loaded the deer onto the sled, preparing to return home.

Suddenly, a commotion rose from the woods. “Something’s wrong—someone’s hurt!” Lin Xiao grasped his rifle and ran toward the noise.

Ahead, a group of people hurried anxiously, one injured person struggling to keep up.

As they met, the group gasped, “Wolves! Wolves are chasing us!”

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao stepped forward, shielding the wounded villager behind him, and urged the others to find places to hide quickly.

At that moment, a massive wolf burst from the trees, eyes fierce, baring its fangs as it growled lowly at them.

Lin Xiao stood firm, gripping his rifle, ready to confront the beast.

The wolf lunged suddenly. Lin Xiao responded calmly, sidestepping as he raised his gun to shoot.

Bang! The wolf collapsed on the spot, twitching briefly before falling still.

Those in hiding emerged, overwhelmed with gratitude, hailing Lin Xiao as a hero and offering to help pull the sled.

On the way back to the village, they encountered Captain Zhao Hu and his men searching for the missing villagers.

The group lowered their heads like children caught in mischief.

Seeing the injured man, Zhao Hu hurried over and asked, “What happened?”

One villager nervously recounted the entire ordeal.

It turned out that these villagers, envious of Lin Xiao’s youthful hunting skills, had secretly ventured into the mountains to try hunting themselves, only to be confronted by wolves.

“You’re courting death! Without the skill, you still try to hunt in the mountains? If it weren’t for running into Lin Xiao by chance, would you even have made it back alive?” Captain Zhao Hu scolded the trespassing villagers sternly.

Then he quickly checked on the injured man, Wang Dadan.

“Dadan” wasn’t his real name but a nickname the villagers had given him because of his daring nature. Since childhood, he had been bold, always eager to try things others feared, earning him this reputation throughout the village.