Chapter 2, Elimination of Pests

Wu Anguo further inquired, "Is it illegal to kill a tiger here?"

Seeing that the villagers were relatively organized, he leaped onto a large rock and spoke: "Dear elders and fellow villagers, allow me to say a few words. I am not a deity, nor do I possess any magical powers; I am merely a passerby. I can help you this once, but I cannot assist you again. You must help yourselves. Even monsters have lives; they fear pain just as we do, which is why they only come out at night when there are fewer people. Alone, we cannot defeat them, but together we can confront them. If we cannot overpower them, we can outsmart them. Young men, those who are brave, come with me to fight the monsters and eliminate the threat. Those who are cowardly should stay home and guard their wives." As soon as he finished speaking, the Northerners, who are easily stirred, had already surrounded him, with some men in their fifties demanding to join him in battling the monsters. The younger generation had been driven away by the elders to escape the disaster, and there were no younger men left in the village.

Wu Anguo insisted on finishing the water, lifted Zhang Wuge's water bucket, and Old Yang was so frightened that he repeatedly apologized, claiming he dared not trouble the benefactor. Ultimately, unable to refuse Wu Anguo, he had no choice but to carry water with him back to the village. After walking a short distance, they heard the sound of drums and gongs from the village, where the elders had already come out to welcome them, expressing their immense gratitude. By the time they sat down at Old Yang's house, the sun was already high in the sky. Old Yang asked the limping teacher to accompany the benefactor while he personally went to slaughter a sheep.

Wu Anguo followed the crowd to the Guandi Temple. Adapting to local customs, he borrowed some incense and bowed to Guan Gong, saying, "Lord Guan, please do not take offense; I will borrow your weapon for a while, and afterwards, I will offer you more wine and meat as rent." The crowd found his words amusing and laughed. After enduring so many months of hardship, they had not seen any manifestation from Lord Guan, and it was likely that everyone was quite dissatisfied with him. The large blade felt extremely heavy in his hand, weighing at least 60 pounds, forged from fine iron with a blade head, and the body had a sleeve fitted with a jujube wood handle, measuring over 2 meters in length. After enduring so many months of hardship, they had not seen any manifestation from Lord Guan, and it was likely that everyone was quite dissatisfied with him. The large blade felt extremely heavy in his hand, weighing at least 60 pounds, forged from fine iron with a blade head, and the body had a sleeve fitted with a jujube wood handle, measuring over 2 meters in length. He stepped out of the shop with the blade, and in a spacious area, he swung it a few times in the manner he had seen on television, prompting the elders to cheer in unison. Standing at 1.9 meters tall, with a bronze-colored square face, he appeared imposing with the dark, heavy blade.

In the history books, Wu Anguo has some understanding of this pathetic dynasty, where each emperor is more brutal than the last, and more incompetent as well. They possess the largest fleet in the world, yet choose to burn it. They have the most powerful firearms in the world, yet deny their soldiers the right to use them, ultimately handing over the entire country to the Manchus. He originally suspected he had arrived on another planet, only to realize he was still on Earth, and had come to the most brutal dynasty. "Heaven, had I known this would be the case, why didn't you let that tiger eat me?" Wu Anguo cursed in his heart, yet he did not consider who had just been fighting desperately with the tiger.

In the courtyard, Old Man Yang had already prepared lunch. Everyone was chatting, waiting for him to get up so they could start eating. When asked about the strange creature, Li Shanping said that it resembled the legendary Jiaolong, though its origin was unknown. In the morning, they had already skinned the creature, and the skin was extremely tough, requiring careful sawing. The meat had also been cut into large pieces, which were what they were about to eat. The remaining portions would be divided when Wu Anguo arrived. In the morning, they had already skinned the creature, and the skin was extremely tough, requiring careful sawing. The meat had also been cut into large pieces, which were what they were about to eat. The remaining portions would be divided when Wu Anguo arrived.

The crippled man, surnamed Li and named Shanping, was born into a scholarly family. During the Yuan Dynasty, when the imperial examination was not held, many scholars made a living by writing plays or serving as aides to others. Li Shanping was skilled in calculations and worked as an accountant in a rice shop in Beiping to make ends meet. Unexpectedly, due to repeated defeats, the Mongolian soldiers were short of personnel and forcibly conscripted him into the government to plan finances for the army. Li Shanping was unwilling to serve the Mongols, feeling it would disgrace his ancestors, and feigned illness in his legs, refusing to leave his home. This infuriated the commanding officer, who sent a pack of fierce soldiers to his door, breaking both of his legs and throwing him outside the city to be fed to wild dogs. Coincidentally, an old man named Yang, who was making furniture for a family in the city, heard about this incident and risked his life to harness a cart, secretly bringing him back to the village to hide. It was only after the Mongols retreated that he emerged to teach for a living.

"You young man, are you confused? Who has killed the tiger? We all in the village bow down to it. What kind of law is this?" Zhang Wu, finding Wu Anguo's question amusing, replied. However, Old Yang reacted quickly and, half in disbelief, asked: "What, has the tiger been killed by you?"

After the wine had flowed and the atmosphere grew warm, everyone began to discuss the village's second menace, the water monster. Li Shanping respectfully addressed Wu Anguo, saying: "You possess the ability to subdue tigers, surely you must have the skill to tame dragons as well. I hope you can show compassion for the old and young in this village and extend your assistance."

Upon arriving in the village, the news had already spread, and everyone came to watch. The villagers who accompanied Wu Anguo in battling the monsters became heroes, surrounded by the crowd, their words flying with enthusiasm as they described the situation at the time, portraying Wu Anguo as if he were a divine being descending from the heavens.

Wu Anguo took the longbow and examined it carefully. This bow was clearly not the short bow commonly used by the Mongols; its style resembled that of the English longbow, likely used by Western archers hired by the Mongol army. Although the bow was large, it did not require significantly more effort to draw than an ordinary bow. After drawing it back and forth several times, he found it very enjoyable. He thanked Yang Tiezhu and quickly sought someone to make a quiver of long arrows. Noticing Yang Tiezhu's gloomy demeanor and understanding his resentment over his severed arm, he encouraged him, saying, "I have heard that a skilled craftsman’s ability lies not in his hands, but in his heart. Both hands are essentially the same; some people are born without arms and can still write with their feet. Moreover, you have only injured one arm. If you lack the determination, even with both hands, you may not become a skilled craftsman. However, if you have that determination, a single left arm is sufficient." This was a sentiment commonly expressed in the twenty-first century, yet it struck Yang Tiezhu like a bolt of enlightenment, instantly lifting his spirits. He replied, "Thank you for the reminder, sir," and turned to assist Yang the carpenter in making crossbows, his demeanor noticeably less despondent.

In a moment, the meal was ready, and everyone took their seats, both guests and hosts. The food was simple, typical of a rural household, consisting of lamb and eggs, which represented all that Old Man Yang could offer. The wine, however, was aged Huadiao, exuding a particularly rich and fragrant aroma. One by one, the guests raised their glasses to toast Wu Anguo, who could not decline and finished each toast. He also poured two cups for himself, placing one in front of the teacher and lifting the other to toast him. The teacher, flustered, quickly straightened up in his chair, repeatedly expressing his reluctance.

With a thunderous roar, the tiger fell from the tree, spinning in mid-air, and landed with a thud on the ground, twitching a few times before becoming still. After a while, Wu Anguo regained his senses, took out his water bottle and lunch box from his backpack, and threw them one by one onto the tiger. Seeing that the tiger showed no reaction, he cautiously climbed down from the tree. He noticed that all his crossbow bolts were embedded in the tiger's right eye, with none left protruding. After a while, Wu Anguo regained his senses, took out his water bottle and lunch box from his backpack, and threw them one by one onto the tiger. Seeing that the tiger showed no reaction, he cautiously climbed down from the tree. It was evident that the tiger had been injured and had fallen from the tree, resulting in its death

After lunch, Wu Anguo called upon a slightly younger villager to harness a cart and went up the mountain to search for the dead tiger. Everyone had already seen the tiger's tail and was no longer afraid, so a few people immediately agreed. Then they listened to Zhang Wuge introduce the situation regarding the water monster. Although Zhang Wuge had little education, he spoke very clearly and quickly detailed the times and locations where the water monster frequently appeared. Wu Anguo pondered methods to eliminate the monster; being from the twenty-first century, he did not believe in ghosts or deities, which alleviated some of his concerns and made his thinking clearer than that of the villagers. He touched the precious crossbow at his waist and suddenly had an idea. He then asked if there were any blacksmiths or carpenters in the village. The villagers burst into laughter upon hearing him ask for blacksmiths and carpenters. It turned out that the men in this village all made a living by blacksmithing and woodworking during the farming off-season, and each was quite skilled. Among them, Zhang Wuge and Old Man Yang were particularly noted for their blacksmithing and carpentry skills.

Wu Anguo originally intended to explain that his killing of the tiger was merely a stroke of luck, but as he looked at the eager faces surrounding him, he found himself unable to utter any excuses. He thought to himself that having traveled from the 21st century to this era, he had essentially been given a second chance at life. Back at his workplace, they probably had already held a memorial service for him. Resolving to accept the situation, he finally agreed. The crowd, moved by his decision, bowed in gratitude.

At the command of Wu Anguo, everyone lit their torches and threw them out together. The surroundings instantly brightened as if it were daytime, and although everyone had prepared in advance, their eyes could not open immediately. Wu Anguo himself closed his eyes while issuing the command, likely waiting until the torches were thrown before opening them. The creature appeared to be a cross between a crocodile and a hippopotamus, with two horns on its head and a body over 6 meters long. Three crossbow bolts struck it, yet at such close range, they failed to penetrate. Startled by the firelight, the creature struggled against its bindings, which tightened further. In a swift moment, Wu Anguo drew a large bow from the tree and began shooting arrows from his quiver at the creature. The arrows, said to penetrate plate armor, flew with great force but seemed to merely tickle the creature, causing no harm whatsoever. The creature, resembling a crocodile and a hippopotamus, with two horns on its head and a body over 6 meters long, continued to jump up and down, attempting to pull out the giant crossbow embedded in its body. Wu Anguo knew that if the creature managed to pull out the giant crossbow, it would likely go on a rampage, and no one except himself would be safe. Seeing the creature jump and try to extract the giant crossbow, Wu Anguo shouted loudly, brandished his large knife, and leaped down from the tree. Using the momentum of his fall, he exerted all his strength and struck the knife into the creature's neck. With a crack, the blade sank over two feet deep. The creature lunged forward, propelled several meters away, blood splattering everywhere, and the previously embedded barbed crossbow bolts all came loose. After rolling a few times, it lost the strength to move. Blood gushed from its body, flowing directly into the river and turning the water red.

He also shared some Western stories with Li Shanping, including some rumors and unofficial histories circulating in the 21st century. He thought that since not many people in this era knew about the West, especially regarding the verification of Western history. Li Shanping was amused to hear about the French queen who did not wash her hands for three years and how young ladies would tighten their waists to the point of death. He was particularly interested in Wu Anguo's sleeping bag and tent, constantly flipping through them, unaware of what synthetic rubber was, thinking it was a specialty of the West. Wu Anguo found it difficult to explain. When it came to Eastern spices and tea reaching the West, they were as precious as gold. Having worked as a bookkeeper, Li Shanping couldn't help but feel regret; had he known earlier, he would have sent a ship full of spices to the West, which would have been delightful. Then he thought about the unknown waterways and felt useless, letting out a sigh. Wu Anguo, in turn, comforted him. The two of them chatted and talked, and before they knew it, it was midnight.

The people in the tree had long been so frightened that they were dumbfounded. After a while, it was only when Wu Anguo called them down that they trembled and descended from the tree, walking over to take a look. The monster was already dead. Everyone discussed the toughness of the monster's skin, and praised Wu Anguo for his great strength, claiming he could cleave the monster in one stroke. Wu Anguo picked up the knife, intending to cut open the monster to drag it back to the village, but he could no longer strike with the same force as before.

Wu Anguo said: I respect you, sir, not for any other reason, but for your proud spirit that refuses to be treated like a dog by the Mongols. After saying this, he downed his drink in one go, and the others followed suit, cheering loudly. The gentleman's eyes brimmed with tears as he said: With this praise from a benefactor, my life is not in vain. He raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp, a sense of heroism suddenly arising. He was no longer a down-and-out cripple, but clearly a bold and upright man.

After finishing the meal, Wu Anguo instructed the villagers to distribute the eel meat by household. Everyone happily took their share of the meat, which was rumored to cure all ailments and prolong life. They were reluctant to eat it right away, so they hung it on the wall to dry for future use. The remaining eels, along with the skins and tendons, had no immediate purpose, and everyone insisted they were treasures, urging Wu Anguo to keep them himself. Wu Anguo had no choice but to store them at Old Man Yang's house. The remaining eels, along with the skins and tendons, had no immediate purpose, and everyone insisted they were treasures, urging Wu Anguo to keep them himself. Wu Anguo had no choice but to store them at Old Man Yang's house.

Li Shanping, being meticulous in thought, stepped forward and said, "Esteemed guest, your demeanor is extraordinary, and you are not someone who has long resided in our village. It would be better for you to stay in the Guandi Temple for the time being and make plans after a few days." Wu Anguo, upon hearing this, found the suggestion quite agreeable and decided to stay in the Guandi Temple. He repeatedly stated that the villagers could refer to him as Wu Xiangong or Mr. Wu, but they must not call him 'Esteemed Guest'; otherwise, he would leave immediately. The villagers could not oppose him and had no choice but to comply. Thus, it was decided that he would stay in the Guandi Temple, and he reiterated that the villagers could call him Wu Xiangong or Mr. Wu, but must not refer to him as 'Esteemed Guest'; otherwise, he would leave immediately. The villagers could not oppose him and had no choice but to comply.

At this point, Wu Anguo had not slept for a day and a night. He excused himself and lay down on the kang at Old Man Yang's house, falling into a deep sleep. The others, seeing this, did not dare to disturb him. They kept their distance from the house, gathering around to discuss the heroes, recounting their stories again and again. The entire village was livelier than during the New Year. Those with quick legs hurried out of the village to find their children and grandchildren who had sought refuge with relatives outside the mountains.

The villagers were skilled, and by evening, the crossbows and arrows were already prepared. Wu Anguo sought the assistance of Mr. Li Shanping, a local scholar, to help distribute the tiger meat and bones among everyone, while the tiger skin was processed for sale. In that era, tiger bones and meat were rare and highly valuable. Everyone admired Wu Anguo even more for his generosity. Wu Anguo thought to himself that he was merely a traveler through time, arriving at this branch of history, with little control over his comings and goings. However, if the kind-hearted villagers relied on others for help in every matter, it was likely that in the future, another time would witness a situation where a dozen or so pirates could plunder over a thousand miles without anyone daring to resist. He reflected that the issues faced by the Chinese people were fundamentally spiritual, rooted in thousands of years of Confucian indoctrination that had harmed the nation.

Returning with the knife to Old Man Yang's house, the villagers who had gone up the mountain to find the tiger's corpse also returned. That dead tiger weighed a full seven or eight hundred pounds, leaving everyone panting heavily. Among them were those whose family members had been harmed by the tiger; at this moment, having avenged their great grievance, they could not help but shed tears of sorrow, feeling especially grateful to Wu Anguo. In the crowd was a young carpenter named Yang Tiezhu, whose skills were remarkable. He had been injured in the right arm by the tiger during the first expedition to hunt it, leaving him disabled. This time, the group initially did not want to take him along, but he insisted on following behind, saying he wanted to witness the fate of this monstrous creature that had caused so much harm. After returning, upon hearing about the benefactor's search for weapons, he approached Wu Anguo and called out, "Benefactor, follow me," leading him to his home. He opened a haystack and took out a long, black, horned staff, which, when strung, turned out to be a longbow. It was something he had picked up from the battlefield when the Mongolians retreated. He had been reluctant to destroy it because of the beautiful patterns on the bow. Originally, he had intended to learn the craftsmanship of those patterns, but unexpectedly, he had injured his arm. Now, as he presented this item, memories flooded back, and he could not help but shed tears.

Before Yang Laohan could respond, Wu Anguo heard the word "tiger" and shivered, suddenly coming to his senses. He then realized that he had been so lost in thought that he had neglected the two old men. He quickly said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. I was just thinking about the direction here and got a bit lost." He then asked Zhang Wu, "The tiger you mentioned earlier, is it the one with white fur and black stripes?"

"Damn it, you scared me so much I almost wet my pants," Wu Anguo, still filled with resentment, kicked the tiger again. After this fright, he gradually felt a bit hungry. Looking at the tiger's corpse, he thought that since he had already killed it, he was unsure how many years of imprisonment he would face for harming a nationally protected animal. So, he decided to go all the way. He took out his Swiss Army knife and, imitating the actions of characters from martial arts novels, made a cut in the tiger's throat and took a few big gulps of tiger blood, but he couldn't stand the metallic smell and vomited it out. He wanted to find a place to bury the tiger, but after dragging it a few times, he realized he couldn't move it. He had no choice but to cut off half of the tiger's tail as a keepsake, then gathered some branches to hastily cover the tiger and the book. After that, he carved a mark on a tree to find his way down the mountain.

Thinking that Yang Laohan's two sons would soon return with their wives and children, he realized that staying at Yang Laohan's house permanently was not a viable solution. He inquired if there was a place nearby where he could settle down for the long term. The villagers, though not wealthy, were very generous and suggested that while it was still summer, they could build him a large house in the village. Some of the more affluent families even offered to donate their land to Wu Anguo. However, Wu Anguo firmly declined their offers. In the end, everyone had to give up on the idea.

Wu Anguo nodded, having heard that killing a tiger would not result in punishment, and he immediately felt a sense of pride. He pointed with his hand and said, "It's buried over there on the mountain, not far from the road." Then he took out the tiger's tail and flaunted it in front of the two old men. The two old men carefully took the small piece of the tiger's tail, examined it closely, and with a thud, they knelt down in front of Wu Anguo, repeatedly bowing their heads, crying out, "Immortal Lord, you have come! Our village has been waiting for you like we wait for the stars and the moon, and you have finally arrived." The two old men carefully took the small piece of the tiger's tail, examined it closely, and with a thud, they knelt down in front of Wu Anguo, repeatedly bowing their heads, crying out, "Immortal Lord, you have come! Our village has been waiting for you like we wait for the stars and the moon, and you have finally arrived."

Currently, Wu Anguo and the teacher Li Shanping borrowed writing materials but found the brush too soft. They sought a goose feather and fashioned a brush. Then, they borrowed a carpenter's ruler from Old Man Yang, sketching and drawing until they produced a diagram of a crossbow mechanism, clearly an enlarged version of the repeating hand crossbow. They meticulously illustrated each component, marking the dimensions according to modern standards, using a tape measure from their bag as a reference. They instructed Old Man Yang to craft three based on the drawings, to which he responded affirmatively and took a group of carpenters to carry out the task. They also drew a large crossbow, with arrowheads featuring barbs, and indicated the string holes, sending Zhang Wuge to gather a team to make three arrows. They inquired among the others if there were any weapons such as bows, arrows, knives, or guns. The group exchanged glances, realizing that during the Yuan Dynasty, Han people were prohibited from owning weapons, and even kitchen knives had to be shared among several households. Although these families had been craftsmen, they similarly lacked the qualification to possess weapons. While the Ming Dynasty did not prohibit weapons, ordinary households did not have such items either. After much discussion, someone finally recalled that in the Guandi Temple, Zhou Cang possessed a large knife, which was said to be quite old and very heavy, thus only serving as an ornament.

Waking up at lunchtime, Wu Anguo finally came to his senses. Lying on the kang, he blankly pondered how he would live in this ancient time, unable to make sense of it for a long while. The knowledge he possessed from the twenty-first century would likely not provide him with any means of survival here. Spending his old age in this small village was not his desire. He thought to himself, let it be; who knows what arrangements fate has in store.

"How did you manage to escape?" Brother Zhang Wu and Old Man Yang asked together

"Little Master, what happened to you?" Seeing that Wu Anguo had very short hair, Zhang Wuge assumed he was a traveling monk. After asking a few times, Wu Anguo, lost in thought, did not hear him at all. "His uncle," Zhang Wu tugged at Old Man Yang's sleeve and nodded towards Wu Anguo, "this little master looks like he might have just escaped from the jaws of a tiger, completely frightened."

In less than half an hour this time, the path was found, likely because the tiger is accustomed to lying in ambush by the roadside. Following the path down the mountain, I arrived at Jianghuying, where I encountered the two old men mentioned earlier, frightening the old men and leaving myself in a state of shock.

At the water's edge, there were quite a few mosquitoes at night. Wu Anguo was afraid that the monsters would catch the scent, so he dared not apply mosquito repellent or similar substances, enduring the discomfort instead, and he did not dare to swat them. Upon hearing that he was not swatting mosquitoes, everyone else also held back. They all knew that success or failure hinged on this one moment, and surprisingly, not a single sound was made. Only the bleating of sheep mingled with the sound of water, creating a chilling and mournful atmosphere that was particularly frightening in the stillness of the night. Suddenly, the sound of water grew louder, rushing from afar, and the sheep, sensing the impending danger, bleated even more frantically. The crowd, tense and sweating in their palms, fixed their gaze on the river surface in the moonlight, feeling their hearts pounding as if they would leap from their chests. Only the bleating of sheep mingled with the sound of water, creating a chilling and mournful atmosphere that was particularly frightening in the stillness of the night. Suddenly, the sound of water grew louder, rushing from afar, and the sheep, sensing the impending danger, bleated even more frantically. The crowd, tense and sweating in their palms, fixed their gaze on the river surface in the moonlight, feeling their hearts pounding as if they would leap from their chests

Wu Anguo selected seven or eight individuals who appeared to be relatively strong, while the others were instructed to prepare for support. Then, Gao Lishan handed over the tiger skin to him and informed him to take it to the county for sale on another day. In the event that someone was injured this time, the money would be allocated for their treatment and future living expenses. The white tiger was a rare find, and selling it would yield at least a thousand taels of silver. With no worries on their minds, the morale of the group soared. Previously, the reason no one had stepped forward was that they were all not well-off, and they feared that if something happened, their families would be left without care.

In the night, the surface of the water shimmered, and a shadow darted ashore, likely lured by the long-awaited scent of sheep's blood. In the darkness, it was hard to see clearly, but two eyes, the size of lanterns, glowed with a faint green light as they swiftly approached the sheep. The sheep's bleating suddenly ceased, as it was devoured in one bite by the monster. Then came a long howl, emitted by the creature. Several large trees swayed violently as the monster tugged at them. The sheep's bleating suddenly ceased, as it was devoured in one bite by the monster. Then came a long howl, emitted by the creature. Several large trees swayed violently as the monster tugged at them.

Wu Anguo was taken aback and hurriedly reached out to support the two old men. After a long struggle of helping one up and then kneeling down to assist the other, he finally understood that this place had been deeply afflicted by tigers, and the two old men regarded him as a deity. He had no choice but to help the two old men sit down and thought to explain from the beginning. However, he found himself unable to explain where he came from. He could only say that he was from the Central Plains, that his ancestors had fled the Mongolian disaster during the Song Dynasty and had taken a ship to the South Seas, wandering through various places for many years, and had returned to take a look after hearing that the Mongols had retreated. The two old men listened with skepticism, and it was not appropriate for them to confront the deity in their hearts. Thus, they could only say that he was from the Central Plains, that his ancestors had fled the Mongolian disaster during the Song Dynasty and had taken a ship to the South Seas, wandering through various places for many years, and had returned to take a look after hearing that the Mongols had retreated. The two old men listened with skepticism, and it was not appropriate for them to confront the deity in their hearts. At that moment, Old Man Yang led the way to invite him to rest in the village, while Brother Zhang Wu ran back to the village to report the news of the tiger's death, forgetting to take the two water buckets.

That night, they stayed at the Guandi Temple, and Li Shanping also moved his bedding over to share with him. He was originally a down-and-out scholar, living in a thatched cottage behind the school, with few belongings, making it easy to move. The two talked in the evening; Wu Anguo asked him about matters of the time, and Li Shanping, believing that Wu Anguo had indeed returned from overseas, carefully explained various worldly affairs, the local geography, customs, and the situation regarding the court and the Mongols. It turned out that after the Mongols withdrew from the Central Plains, they remained unwilling to accept this and were always preparing for a southern invasion. The court, having experienced years of war, needed the people to recuperate, and had not made a decision on whether to send troops beyond the borders. Thus, even after establishing the nation for several years, the borders were still unstable with back-and-forth exchanges. It was now the ninth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, and Yunnan had not yet been pacified. Wu Anguo estimated that it should be around the year 1375; in another hundred years, the West would begin its grand Age of Exploration, and Chinese civilization would subsequently be caught up by the West, falling far behind.

After having dinner early, Wu Anguo called everyone together, led a sheep, and went to the riverbank while it was still light. He cut open the sheep's leg and spilled a lot of blood on the shore. Then he tied the sheep's four limbs and placed it in a clearing surrounded by trees, with the ropes tying the sheep connected in three directions to the crossbow mechanism. He set up the crossbow properly, also arranged in three directions around the sheep, leaving one side facing the river open. He cut the climbing rope from his backpack, which cost 30 dollars per meter and was claimed to withstand 20 tons of weight, into three segments, tying one end to the crossbow bolt's loop and the other end to a large tree. Once everything was prepared, it was already getting dark. Wu Anguo instructed the supporting people to retreat to the village, signaling with firelight; when they saw the firelight, they would rush out together. He divided the remaining six people into three groups, climbed up the trees, prepared torches, and waited for his command to ignite and throw them towards the sheep. He also found a large tree closest to the sheep, climbed up, and hoisted up his knife and arrows with a rope. In an instant, the riverside was silent.

After some commotion, the villagers who had come to assist also arrived, dozens of them carrying torches, surrounding the monster, poking and prodding it, everyone was extremely happy. The noise continued until dawn, at which point they pulled the ropes and dragged the monster back to the village. Wu Anguo intended to walk into the village, but the crowd would not allow it; they fashioned a soft sedan chair from branches and, without further ado, lifted him up, singing joyfully all the way back to the village