Chapter 13: Madam Zhou, Your Husband Has Taken Down a Wild Boar!

“I now have at least a five hundred jin strength!”

Zhou Chen lifted the horn bow in his hand and gently pulled it back until the string reached a full moon’s curve. He bent forward slightly as the bow creaked under the heavy tension.

“I need to earn some money to get a better bow!”

Although the horn bow he held wasn’t bad by ordinary standards, it was insufficient for a martial artist like him.

Especially since his martial skill was the Yi Archery Technique, which required a fine bow to unleash its full power.

Moreover, once his archery reached mastery, he could train on his own without extra enhancement points.

But practicing Yi Archery necessitated both bow and arrow.

A good bow was particularly crucial.

Putting away his bow and arrows, Zhou Chen didn’t rush to the back mountain. Instead, he wandered around the village.

At this hour, most of the men had already started their day’s work.

Most were out fishing.

Some were doing other chores.

Soon, Zhou Chen spotted two idlers—Wild Dog and Er Mazi.

“Brother Chen!”

When Zhou Chen saw them, Wild Dog and Er Mazi noticed him too and hurried over, bowing and greeting him with deference.

They still vividly remembered the lesson Zhou Chen had taught them before.

“I’m planning to hunt a wild boar today,” Zhou Chen said straightforwardly. “Are you free to help me carry? I’ll share some meat with you later!”

Yesterday, when he led Zhang Long and the others into the mountains to track the fierce tiger, he had already discovered signs of wild boars. With his tracking skills, he was confident he could find one.

“Free? Of course we are!”

“Brother Chen’s giving us face. Even if we’re busy, we’ll make time!”

Wild Dog and Er Mazi agreed at once; they had witnessed some of Zhou Chen’s abilities.

If they really managed to bring back a wild boar, their status in the village would rise tremendously.

Besides, hunting a wild boar was far more thrilling than idling around the village.

And there was meat to be had.

Though there might be some risks, they didn’t care about those.

“Good!”

Zhou Chen nodded. The two went back to fetch their gear, then followed him into the mountains for the hunt.

“Isn’t that Brother Chen? Why is he hanging out with Wild Dog and the like?”

“Looks like they’re going hunting. Wasn’t Brother Chen always a lone wolf before?”

“Brother Chen once killed a wolf, right? Maybe he found a big prey this time and needs help!”

The women washing clothes by the stream cast curious, somewhat surprised glances at Zhou Chen and his companions.

Wild Dog’s face lit up with excitement.

“Brother Chen, did you find the lair of the wild boars?”

“Almost!” Zhou Chen replied as they entered deeper into the forest.

Suddenly, Zhou Chen raised his hand and loosed an arrow. Wild Dog and Er Mazi flinched and looked up. Several dozen steps away, a grey wild rabbit had been struck through its hind leg.

The arrow pierced the leg and was lodged into a nearby tree trunk. The rabbit screamed in agony but was unable to escape, like meat on a chopping block.

“Brother Chen’s archery is truly divine!”

Wild Dog and Er Mazi immediately showered him with praise, though they suspected the shot might have been lucky, hitting the rabbit’s leg by chance. But of course, they wouldn’t voice such doubts.

Zhou Chen said nothing. Wild Dog swiftly picked up the rabbit and arrow, tied the rabbit’s leg, and placed it in the carrying basket.

Next, Zhou Chen consecutively shot two more wild rabbits and two wild chickens—always hitting the rabbits’ hind legs and the chickens’ wings.

At that moment, Wild Dog and Er Mazi were utterly convinced, their eyes filled with admiration.

Zhou Chen’s archery was truly miraculous.

If he said he’d shoot your hind leg, he wouldn’t hit your front leg.

If he said he’d shoot your wing, he wouldn’t hit your chest.

Zhou Chen took charge of shooting, while Wild Dog and Er Mazi gathered the prey.

Zhou Chen felt quite satisfied.

After about half an hour,

Zhou Chen arrived at the spot where he had found signs of wild boars the day before. Following the tracks and scent, he spent another half hour and finally located the wild boars.

Along the way, he also caught several small game such as wild rabbits and wild chickens.

“Brother Chen, there are two—no, a whole litter of wild boars!”

Wild Dog stared ahead at the wild boars fixated on them, swallowing nervously as his legs wobbled.

There was a large male and female wild boar and seven or eight piglets as big as medium-sized dogs.

The male boar was muscular, covered in a layer of mud that resembled armor. Its two curved tusks looked like sabers. It pawed the ground with its hind hooves and glared fiercely at the three, growling angrily.

The female boar shielded the piglets behind her, also staring intently at them.

“Roar!”

The male boar bellowed and charged at Zhou Chen like a tank, unstoppable and overwhelming, ready to crush anything in its path.

Wild Dog and Er Mazi trembled with fear in their legs.

Facing a wild boar up close, they truly understood its terror.

Whiz! Whiz!

Zhou Chen bent his bow and loosed two arrows in one fluid motion. Both arrows pierced the male boar’s eyes instantly, embedding deep into its skull.

“Roar!”

The male boar howled in pain but, propelled by momentum, continued its charge.

The female boar followed closely behind, also charging.

Zhou Chen shot two more arrows simultaneously, hitting the female’s eyes.

Though struck by two arrows, neither boar died immediately. They fell, struggled, and tried to stand.

But blinded, they stumbled after a few steps and slammed into a large tree.

Zhou Chen knew they were finished.

Seeing the piglets scattering, he began hurling stones one by one.

With the incredible speed and strength of his Thunderlight Ruyi Hand technique, Zhou Chen threw dozens of stones in an instant—faster than shooting arrows.

The stones struck the piglets’ legs and foreheads.

The scattered piglets hadn’t run far before being knocked down, some dead on the spot, others unconscious.

In short, the entire Peiqi family of wild boars was wiped out by Zhou Chen!

Wild Dog and Er Mazi gaped, dumbfounded.

It was brutally efficient!

This combination of stone-throwing and archery was simply unbeatable!

“Brother Chen, you’re truly a god! How did you train this?”

Wild Dog and Er Mazi turned stiffly, their eyes burning with eagerness. If they mastered these skills, they could walk tall in the future.

“Nothing special, just practice!” Zhou Chen said coolly, feigning nonchalance.

“Shoot more, that’s all.”

The two large boars lay on the ground, twitching.

Zhou Chen checked the seven piglets; four were still alive. He tied their legs and placed them in the carrying basket.

Wild Dog and Er Mazi stepped forward to help but looked at the two large boars in confusion.

“Brother Chen, how are we going to carry these back?”

“You only need to carry one,” Zhou Chen said, eyeing the boars. The male was nearly four hundred jin, the female a bit over two hundred.

“You two carry the female.”

Wild Dog and Er Mazi nodded. Carrying the male would be too difficult for just two people, especially on mountain paths.

But what about the male boar?

Before they could ask, Zhou Chen grabbed the male boar’s two legs and hoisted it up.

“Whoa!”

Wild Dog and Er Mazi gaped in shock. Was this divine strength or martial arts?

“Brother Chen, have you cultivated martial arts?”

Wild Dog swallowed nervously, amazed.

“No, just a bit stronger than usual,” Zhou Chen said lightly.

Wild Dog: “…”

Er Mazi: “…”

A ‘bit stronger’ indeed!

Keep in mind that Zhou Chen was also carrying the little piglets, each weighing about twenty jin.

“Let’s go!”

Zhou Chen urged.

“Alright!”

The two hurriedly lifted the female boar, carrying the rabbits and chickens, following Zhou Chen. Soon, they were out of breath and flushed red.

They looked at Zhou Chen’s tall, mountain-like figure carrying the piglets and hoisting the large boar, their eyes filled with even deeper reverence.

“We must cling tightly to Brother Chen!”

After more than an hour,

The two, carrying the wild boars, trudged wearily behind Zhou Chen back to the village.

Upon arrival, their bent backs straightened immediately, heads raised high, nostrils flared, faces full of pride.

“My heavens, Brother Chen killed two wild boars!”

Amidst the exclamations, many villagers were stirred, rushing out to see the spectacle.

“Madam Zhou, your husband caught wild boars!”

…