Volume One, Chapter 20: The Gray Wolf

That day, Lin Xiao arrived early in the forest. On a relatively smooth path trodden by wild beasts, he began selecting a suitable spot. A suitable spot meant one that was easy to dig yet sturdy enough to bear the weight of the prey.

After some searching, Lin Xiao took out a pickaxe borrowed from the team headquarters and started digging. The frozen ground of the northeastern winter was tough to break through, each strike revealing a pale patch of earth. Fortunately, this path faced the sun and was sheltered from the wind.

As time passed, the soil was dug out, and a pit gradually took shape—not too big, not too small—just enough to hold a medium-sized wild animal. Once the pit was ready, Lin Xiao gathered some hard branches nearby, sharpening each into a pointed wooden stake. After careful sanding, they became razor-sharp.

He arranged the stakes neatly at the bottom of the pit, forming a bed of spikes waiting for unwitting prey. Then, he collected twigs and leaves to conceal the pit’s opening, camouflaging it perfectly with the surrounding environment. Only the keenest eye of a seasoned hunter could detect the subtle traces of disguise.

Having set the trap, Lin Xiao hid quietly in the nearby woods to wait.

After an unknown length of time, a gluttonous wild boar ambled down the path, sniffing the ground in search of edible roots and fruits, completely unaware of the lurking danger.

When the boar stepped onto the trap, there was a sharp snapping sound as the branches broke. The boar, caught off guard, fell into the pit. A pitiful scream echoed through the forest as the boar was pierced by the sharp stakes at the bottom, thrashing violently and letting out agonized roars.

Its limbs flailed wildly against the spikes, only deepening its wounds as blood flowed, staining the earth red.

Hearing the commotion, Lin Xiao hurried from his hiding place, gripping his hunting rifle and cautiously approaching the trap.

Upon seeing the trapped boar, a flicker of delight crossed Lin Xiao’s eyes, though he remained vigilant.

Injured wild boars often became more ferocious, and any lapse could bring danger.

Lin Xiao edged closer slowly, eyes fixed warily on the boar’s every movement, rifle aimed steadily.

The boar sensed his approach, turning its head with a glare full of anger and pain, growling lowly and attempting to attack, but the stakes held it firmly, rendering its efforts futile.

Waiting for the boar’s struggles to weaken, Lin Xiao took aim at its vital spot and pulled the trigger decisively.

The loud bang echoed as the bullet struck true. The boar shuddered violently before collapsing in the pit, powerless to resist.

Once he was certain the boar posed no further threat, Lin Xiao lowered his rifle and fetched a thick rope. He tied one end to a nearby tree, threw the other into the pit, and looped it around the boar’s body.

With great effort, he hauled the massive boar out of the trap.

Looking down at the fallen beast, Lin Xiao felt a surge of satisfaction.

He tied the boar’s hind legs with the rope and began dragging it homeward.

Half a day had already passed from digging the trap, plus the time waiting for the catch. By the time Lin Xiao reached home, darkness had fallen.

Winter nights in the northeast came early. Yet, as always, Lin Xiao’s mother, He Yulan, stood at the doorway waiting for him.

By the moonlight, she saw a dark figure descending the mountain and broke into a cold sweat.

At that moment, Lin Xiao struggled forward like a laborer, bent over, pulling the boar.

As he drew nearer, He Yulan judged it didn’t seem like a wild animal because, to her knowledge, wild beasts wouldn’t move so slowly. Thinking this, she called out shakily, “Xiao, is that you?”

“It’s me, Mother. Your son, Lin Xiao,” he replied, pausing to catch his breath.

Hearing the familiar voice, He Yulan hurried out.

“Mother, look what I got!” Lin Xiao said, sitting in the snow, panting.

Tears streaming, He Yulan struck her son twice hard. “You reckless child, you scared me to death.” Then she embraced him, weeping.

This was a mother’s love—not caring what the catch was, only that her child had returned safely.

“Alright, Mother, don’t cry. You’ll ruin your looks,” Lin Xiao teased, trying to cheer her up.

He wiped her tears and continued, “Look, this wild boar is quite fat, isn’t it?” He chuckled.

He Yulan’s smile returned, brightening the cold night.

As they cleaned the boar, they chatted idly.

“Son, how did you catch such a big boar this time?” He Yulan asked, pulling off the boar’s hair.

“Easy. I made a trap on a wild animal path in the mountain—dug a pit and nailed wooden stakes at the bottom. That foolish boar just fell right in. Then I finished it off with a shot.”

“You dug a pit in frozen ground? How did you manage that?” He Yulan questioned.

“It was tough, but manageable. At least the effort wasn’t wasted.”

Mother and son worked, exchanging bits of conversation until late into the night.

The next morning, before Lin Xiao had risen, Zhao Hu came by with the official permit. He called out excitedly from outside the fence, “Lin Xiao, the permit’s arrived!”

Lin Xiao, deep in sleep, jolted awake at Zhao Hu’s voice, feeling as if in a dream.

Meanwhile, He Yulan was quietly preparing breakfast, careful not to wake her son, knowing how much he had sacrificed for the family.

Hearing Zhao Hu’s call, she rushed outside.

“Brother Hu’s here. Lin Xiao’s still sleeping. Come in quickly,” she invited.

“You lazybones, it’s nearly midday, and you’re just getting up?” Zhao Hu teased as Lin Xiao dressed.

Lin Xiao smiled sheepishly but said nothing.

“He went up the mountain yesterday to hunt a wild boar and came back late. Plus, he slept late, so I thought I’d let him rest,” He Yulan explained hurriedly.

Zhao Hu’s expression turned serious upon hearing Lin Xiao had hunted a boar. “Is that true? Wild boars aren’t like other game. If threatened, they’ll chase relentlessly and can be deadly.”

Excited, Zhao Hu pressed, “How did you take it down? Tell me!”

Lin Xiao had little mood to talk about the hunt; his mind was on the permit.

“I’ll tell you about the boar later. Brother Hu, please tell me about the permit first.”

Zhao Hu briefly described the process of obtaining the permit, then asked when Lin Xiao planned to start work.

Lin Xiao looked at him and said, “I intend to start tomorrow. The preliminary preparations are nearly finished. I was short on meat for the feast, but the boar came at just the right time. While patrolling the mountain, I found wolf prints and droppings. The wooden house isn’t safe anymore.”

“I plan to set up wooden caltrops around the house to deter wild animals and dig a cellar inside to store grain and provide shelter in danger. I can run, but Mother and my sister can’t.”

“That’s true. Wolves have been active nearby more and more lately. Alright, you get ready at home. I’ll go back to the village to arrange things. Tomorrow morning, I’ll bring people to start the work.”

With the time set for repairing the wooden house, Lin Xiao felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted.