It was said that wild boars, especially when facing danger, would charge at their enemies with all their might, disregarding everything. If one were truly hit, it would surely result in death or severe injury. Their sudden burst of power could even split a tree as thick as a bowl in half.
Chen Lan found the thought of this situation terrifying, her scalp prickling with unease. It seemed the only option was to wait for an opportunity to shoot its eyes or temples, those being the weakest points of a wild boar's body.
With this thought, Chen Lan couldn't help but recall the packet of powder her eldest son, Jiayao, had given her from the system's warehouse. She walked to the side, covered her nose and mouth with her scarf, and took out a brown paper packet from the pocket of her thick cotton coat – in reality, from the system's warehouse.
This was what her eldest son, Jiayao, had given her the night before they left. He had said it was a new anesthetic he and his two uncles had developed, and its efficacy was much better than the previous one.
Chen Lan picked up six carbon steel arrows and rubbed them against the snow, then held her breath and carefully opened the brown paper packet. She dipped the tips of the six carbon steel arrows repeatedly into the powder within the packet.
Seeing Chen Lan's actions, Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang also covered their mouths and noses with their scarves and took the paper packet. They, like Chen Lan, prepared their own six carbon steel arrows. Qingsong and Daye, though unaware of the reason, trusted that Xu Mingxuan's actions must have a purpose. So, without asking any questions, they also followed Xu Mingxuan's example.
Chen Lan merely smiled at their actions, saying nothing. She then carefully put away the powder and began to intently watch her target, waiting for the right moment.
On the surface, Chen Lan revealed nothing, but inwardly, she thought that as long as the wild boar in front of her looked up to face her for fifteen seconds, she could perfectly complete this hunting mission. Once the mission was accomplished, there would be no time to delay; she had to quickly lead the hunting team back to the valley, as they still had several days of travel ahead. Otherwise, it would be a big problem once the Songhua River thawed.
The chestnut grove was silent. Everyone held their breath, quietly waiting for the opportunity.
The group of wild boars opposite them continued to shake their heads, wag their tails, and grunt as they rooted through the snow. The wild chestnuts that had fallen in autumn seemed to be their stored winter food. Their snouts, like iron plows, dug into the snow, and they certainly didn't miss the earthworms and insects, high-protein food sources.
The long wait was a great test of willpower. Chen Lan found that her mission target had finally eaten its fill and was preparing to rest. The moment that wild boar lifted its head, Chen Lan, who had been waiting impatiently, quickly pressed the launch button. Immediately after, the others also pressed their launch buttons before the wild boar could react.
At this, there were sounds of wild boars falling to the ground one after another. Then, a deathly silence fell upon the surroundings of the chestnut grove. Chen Lan never expected that the new anesthetic powder Jiayao had developed for her would be so effective. That strong wild boar, without even a chance to let out a cry, met its end here.
Everyone else disregarded everything else. Hunting so many wild boars was a cause for celebration, so they immediately surged forward, excitedly running to examine their spoils and to retrieve their six carbon steel arrows.
Xu Mingxuan, Chen Lan, and Er Zhuang did not follow. Although the hunting mission was now complete, the most crucial task was to find a way to safely transport these prey back to the farm.
So, Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang discussed it and decided to use local materials to make sleds for carrying the goods. Chen Lan volunteered, saying she would be responsible for cutting branches.
With that, before Xu Mingxuan could react, Chen Lan turned and left the chestnut grove with her bow and crossbow. She quickly went to the nearby mixed forest, took out a chainsaw from the system's warehouse, and began working with practiced ease.
Not long after, Chen Lan returned, carrying an axe and a bow and crossbow in one hand, and dragging a large bundle of branches with the other. She walked to where the wild boars had fallen. Everyone was still caught up in their excitement, tidying their arrows and talking animatedly.
Chen Lan placed the bundle of branches on the ground and handed the axe to Xu Mingxuan. She then took out several iron nails and two daggers from her pocket and placed them in Xu Mingxuan's pocket. Afterward, she took back her six carbon steel arrows from him and continued to roam the surroundings.
Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang, along with Qingsong and Daye, were all bewildered by Chen Lan's actions. However, Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang quickly came to their senses and immediately organized people to start building the sleds.
Making sleds was a minor task for men who were used to manual labor. Furthermore, with experienced hands like Xu Mingxuan, Er Zhuang, Qingsong, and Daye, along with a group of young helpers, there was no need for Chen Lan, a woman, to worry about it.
Not much later, when Chen Lan returned carrying several pheasants and rabbits, the four large sleds were already completed. Everyone was working together, lifting the wild boars onto the sleds.
The wild boar Chen Lan hunted was the largest, estimated to weigh around five to six hundred catties. Seeing them struggle, Chen Lan placed the pheasants and rabbits she was carrying on the snow, and without even putting down the bedding and luggage on her back, she quickly stepped forward, grabbed two legs of the wild boar, and easily lifted it onto the sled.
Watching Chen Lan's performance, the young men from the valley, Xu Mingxuan, and Er Zhuang were unfazed. However, Qingsong and Daye were different; they stood there, dumbfounded. When they came to their senses, they gave Xu Mingxuan a thumbs-up.
Xu Mingxuan, enduring a hint of pride, cast them a glance and said with a smile, "Qingsong, Daye, it's getting late. Let's pack up quickly and leave here. The smell of blood here is too strong, and it might attract wolves. We need to be fast. Fortunately, the wind has stopped lately; otherwise, it would be truly unsafe."
Qingsong and Daye agreed, thinking it made sense. So, everyone wasted no more time. They divided into four groups, with three people per group pulling a sled, and quickly left the chestnut grove.