Section 9, The Bear Without Wounds

Suddenly, several shouts filled with intense excitement came from outside the room

In the chief's wooden cabin, the old priest Wu Xing and the hunting captain Yong Gang sat there in a daze. Opposite them was the furious village chief Fu Song.

When the others from the village arrived, the grizzly bear had already been lifted off the sled and was lying on its back on the ground. Several male villagers were skillfully skinning the thick bear hide alongside the two brothers.

"I will not say such things without reason. I can prove it to you." Tian Hao calmly looked at the other party, and at the moment their eyes met, he added, "Give me one day. Before I return, do not sell these women."

Head, leader ... cough ... cough cough ...

The sudden sound abruptly awakened Fusong, who had been lost in thought. When he looked up, he saw Tianhao standing in front of him, respectfully presenting a sharp and exquisitely crafted boning knife.

A man who goes out hunting must be well-fed. Without strength, it is naturally impossible to speak of hunting. In fact, when calculated, the energy expenditure is far greater than that of the villagers who rely on meat soup to get by in the village.

In other words, Ahao did not rely on hand-to-hand combat to kill the bear. There is something else at play.

The violent bear is one of the most ferocious and brutal beasts in the mountains and forests. Not only is it incredibly strong, but it is also agile in its movements, with sharp claws. When encountered by chance, even a hunting team of more than twenty members would avoid it. How much more so for two young individuals who are weak and outnumbered

No one spoke in the room anymore, and the atmosphere was filled with regret and a heavy silence. The flames consumed the firewood, crackling with a "popping" sound.

"It wasn't done by Tiankuang." Yonggang sat cross-legged, forcefully breaking a brittle branch and stuffing it into the fire. The deep confusion in his eyes as he gazed at the flames revealed his thoughts: "If Tiankuang really had the ability to take down a raging bear, then this time out hunting, Tianfeng and Xuping wouldn't have been injured."

To hunt a violent bristle bear without sustaining injuries, one must forcibly crush its throat bone. Yonggang is recognized as the strongest man in Rock Fortress, yet even he finds it difficult to accomplish this. Moreover, what Tianhao and Tiankuang brought back is a male bear, which is far more robust than an ordinary violent bristle bear. Especially in winter, when food is scarce, these beasts are more aggressive than during other seasons

... ...

Tian Hao hesitated for a long time while holding the knife. He noticed that the eyes of the old priest and the hunting captain were similarly filled with approving glances. Only then did he step forward slowly, using the blade to cut through the thick fur of the giant bear's throat, gently slicing open the tender yellow layer of fat.

He did not know that this object was called a "lever"; he simply found it fascinating: several pieces of wood, seemingly nailed together at random, could actually be easily moved by two young people

Wu Xing smiled bitterly and shook his head to deny his thoughts: "In this season, the wild creatures in the mountains are only ferocious wolves and violent bears. It is of no use to bring more people. Moreover, the village does not even have enough food to ensure that you can go hunting outside."

Distributing meat, based on the unit of "household"

However, how did Tianhao actually hunt this bear

Handing a knife directly to a young person is, in this village, an unprecedented occurrence. Tian Hao felt somewhat surprised; he had searched through the fragments of the host's memories and understood that the act of distributing meat, though seemingly simple, actually represents a ritual process

The old priest and the hunting captain paid no attention to Ping Jun's sarcastic remarks

An adult grizzly bear weighs over 500 kilograms. If it is supplemented with a certain amount of grass stems and tree bark, it would be enough for the entire clan to eat for several days. For the current situation of extreme food shortage in the Panshi Village, this is undoubtedly a tremendous piece of good news

The food supplies in the clan are scarce, and for several consecutive days, the Panshi Village has been in a state of semi-hunger. Such an abundance of fresh bear meat is undoubtedly a sumptuous feast for the people. At this moment, they joyfully picked up pieces of meat from the ground and hurried back to their respective huts. Soon, amidst the howling wind and snow above the village, a tantalizing aroma of meat began to waft through the air.

The leader need not dismember every single prey; it suffices to cut the throat of each prey. On one hand, this is to ensure the integrity of the prey's fur, but more importantly, it serves to demonstrate one's identity and power

Tian Hao did not participate in the discussion between the old priest and the hunting captain. He silently observed the women who were bound.

Tian Hao squatted in front of the sled, greeting the onlooking villagers alongside his second brother, Tian Kuang, as they dragged the enormous dead bear into the clearing in the village. His distinctly angular brows, set against his bronze skin, gave this young man, just over sixteen years old, an air of calmness and composure that few of his peers could match.

You all saw it, Ahao did not lie. He and Tiankuang indeed hunted a bear

... ...

The value of a doctor is self-evident

... ...

Perhaps it was because he had run too fast, the sentinel who rushed forward was panting and coughed for a while. After catching his breath, he could no longer contain his excitement and shouted repeatedly: "A bear, a bear... Ahao, and Akuang... they... huff... they have hunted down a bear, a whole ferocious bear!"

They exchanged a glance, and from each other's eyes, the old priest, the leader, and the hunting captain simultaneously perceived the shock and joy contained within each other's hearts

In Yonggang's eyes, there was a hint of regret and bitterness: "I must bring them back, I will go right now"

This is also a question that the village chief Fusong and the old priest Wuxing are contemplating

Yonggang does not understand what method Tianhao used to hunt this ferocious bear

Fusong did not take the knife as usual. He solemnly reached out to pick up the dull back of the knife, returned the handle of the boning knife to Tianhao, and displayed a gentle smile on his face: "You can divide the meat today!"

Leave this matter to me! His voice was slightly deep, yet carried an undeniable determination: I can procure enough food to see the people in the village through this winter

You should not have let them go. There are only two people, entering the mountains at a time like this... sigh...

If it were an ordinary prey, it would be one thing, but this is a ferocious bear, a creature that occupies a high position in the food chain of the cold continent

We also did not expect that Ahao and Akuang would leave the village. Both the elder and I thought that Ahao was merely speaking casually, and it was only when the sentry at the village gate relayed the news that we realized they had actually left.

Ping Jun suddenly raised his head, his hunched back straightening a little due to the jolt. After a brief moment of surprise, disbelief gradually emerged in his eyes, mixed with sarcasm

The leader Fusong stood up in confusion and walked to the door, pulling it open. He saw a sentry stationed at the lookout tower of the stockade running wildly towards him from a distance

The sky had darkened, and torches were lit in the open space at the entrance of the village, surrounded by dozens of villagers who had rushed over upon hearing the news. In the center, on a sled made of white birch wood, lay a bear with its eyes tightly shut, bound with flexible vines. From the bear's tongue, which hung limply from its mouth, it was evident that it had been dead for some time. However, through the coarse and prickly bear fur, one could still faintly sense a trace of the residual warmth that had not yet completely dissipated from the body of this deceased beast.

No one expressed any objections. There is no fairer distribution than this. Even the leader, Fusongcheng, could not help but smile and nod in agreement.

According to the customs of the village, the distribution of meat must be carried out by the leader wielding the knife. Only in this way can all the game be fairly allocated to each individual. In this harsh world, one cannot survive alone. Relying on the collective strength to obtain food together is the only rule for survival

Fusong noted that there were no damaged wounds anywhere on the bear's body. Even the bear's mouth and the anal region remained intact

Yonggang paused for a moment and said, "Let me take the remaining men out once more. If luck is on our side, we might be able to catch quite a few prey."

Leader

The violent bear is one of the most fearsome beasts in the Mysterious Mountains. Its hide is extremely tough, making it difficult for even the strongest spear thrower to penetrate. The only weakness is the patch of white fur in the shape of a 'V' on its chest, which is also the most vulnerable area of its entire body

Everyone was immensely surprised. Although the Rock Fortress was considered a "lower-class stronghold" among the tribes, Fusong was also one of those low-ranking leaders without a surname. However, when it came to the matter of "dividing the meat," Fusong rarely entrusted it to others. In memory, the old priest had assisted in the division twice, and the hunting team leader Yonggang, who held the title of "Captain of a Hundred," had also divided it once.

It is already late at night, and the fire in the chief's cabin is still burning brightly

Even a child can understand these... This winter, it seems we are truly struggling to get through. The elderly witch murmured, her voice older than ever, filled with sorrow.

The old priest had a discerning gaze, his eyes directly gliding over the massive bear carcass on the load, surveying the few birch logs pressed beneath it with an expression of surprise and wonder

He divided the portions very carefully and meticulously. Among dozens of equal-sized pieces of meat, the best fat and offal were allocated to families with men and children. As for himself, he only took a portion mixed with a large amount of bones and scraps of meat

Yonggang tied his hair up with a rattan rope, his brow furrowed. He gazed at the flickering flames in the fire pit and said slowly and in a low voice: "... I did not see the wound"

The mountain range outside of Panshi Zhai is called Youmang

It is already too late

The old priest appeared even more aged and frail than usual. He smiled wryly and shook his head repeatedly: "It is almost dark now; if we leave the camp, there are wild beasts outside, and it would only lead to certain death... It is better to wait until dawn tomorrow; I will go with you then."

This statement was completely unexpected, causing Wu Xing and Yong Gang to abruptly cease their conversation, simultaneously raising their heads and looking at him in disbelief

The overcast sky envelops the mountains, as the sun gradually descends from above, twilight and darkness are about to dominate the entire land

Fusong took a deep sniff of the aroma wafting from the pot, and even his voice seemed to slightly change in tone. It was evident that he was in high spirits and very pleased

The leader Fushong sighed deeply: "I always thought that Ahao was a useless slacker. It now appears that he must have spent all his time studying medical principles... a healer, a healer indeed!"