Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

Gu Dayong spoke calmly, his finger pointing steadily at the person lying in the stubble field.

Zhou Rui then understood why the Siberian tiger had stopped there and was dealing with the hunters.

If tiger cubs were carried into the educated youth's accommodation area by wolves, it would be a disaster.

Thinking of this, Zhou Rui felt sweat break out on his back again.

"Stop talking, save him first, check how Shuanzi is!" Uncle Guai suddenly became anxious, clearly he knew the injured hunter.

Gu Dayong quickly squatted down, and Zhou Rui followed, stepping on the prickly wheat stubble to get closer.

A sweaty hand gently rested on Zhou Rui's shoulder. He turned around and saw Gu Jiacheng standing behind him, his face flushed and pale in turns, his body radiating heat. It turned out that he was the one who had emptied the entire magazine in one go.

"Jiacheng, are you alright?"

Gu Jiacheng opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time. The feeling of being on the verge of death just a few seconds ago was still stuck in his chest.

The flashlight beams around them grew denser, and the hunters and militiamen on night watch who had heard the commotion all rushed over, filling the entire threshing ground with a noisy din.

"My goodness, this mountain god is enormous!"

"What a waste of this tiger skin, with so many bullet holes, otherwise it could have been sold for a lot of money."

"Hey, this little tiger hasn't even opened its eyes yet. Should we kill it or keep it?"

"Nonsense. Sending them to the city zoo will at least get them some money to supplement the team's income."

"I heard that all the animals in that zoo are kept in iron cages, and city dwellers can get a glimpse of them for five cents..."

"Stop making a fuss." Old Man Guaizi regained his strength and stood up. "Didn't you see Shuanzi is injured? Hurry up and lend a hand to carry him to the farm hospital."

"Oh, I see, Mr. Kidnapper."

As soon as the young men bent down, Gu Dayong stretched out his arm and stopped them firmly.

"Don't move him. Shuanzi has broken several ribs. You can't carry him like this. You need a stretcher."

Gu Dayong is a veteran from the battlefield. Although he doesn't know how to treat illnesses, he does know some basic hygiene knowledge.

He knew something was wrong with him just now. The force of the tiger's turn caused Shuanzi to spit out two mouthfuls of blood.

After a noisy and chaotic night, several injured men were lying on the hospital beds at the farm hospital, but thankfully they all survived.

Even the most dangerous case only resulted in three broken ribs and internal organ damage; the patient could get out of bed after two months of rest.

Three power lines were strung outside the farm's office area, and several 100-watt light bulbs illuminated the open space as bright as day.

Hundreds of educated youth, awakened by the noise, crowded around the circle, craning their necks to look into the center, gasping in astonishment.

"My God... this tiger is taller than a person when it stands up!"

"Yes, he looks even stronger than a cow."

"I've heard that soaking tiger bones in alcohol can cure rheumatism?"

"That's true. But the tiger wasn't killed by anyone from our farm, so we don't know how to deal with it yet."

"I heard there was also a tiger cub, which was taken to the hospital for a check-up."

"I saw it, it's so cute, it looks exactly like a kitten."

Zhou Rui sat on the cement steps outside his office, the 100-watt light bulb overhead casting a long shadow over him.

He lowered his head and pinched the spikes on the soles of his feet hard with his fingertips.

I ran barefoot for miles through the stubble field just now, and more than a dozen sharp thorns pierced my flesh.

He had been so focused on the tiger that he hadn't noticed any pain until now that his tense nerves had relaxed, and he could feel the pain in his foot.

He and Gu Jiacheng didn't even bother to glance at the tiger corpse surrounded by hundreds of people.

Both of them knew that tonight's events were far from over; the wolf pack was still lurking in the shadows, and even the slightest relaxation could lead to trouble.

Gu Shaofeng and Liu Qingguo weren't around, so it was easy to guess that they were chatting idly among the educated youth, while also observing the female educated youth who had just gotten up.

"Ruiwa, you were the one who stopped the tiger with the first shot, weren't you?" Gu Jiacheng suddenly leaned close to his ear, his voice low and certain.

Zhou Rui abruptly stopped pulling out the thorn: "How do you know it wasn't someone else?"

"Back then, the kidnapper and my dad fired first, but they both missed," Gu Jiacheng said quickly.

"I had just changed to a new magazine and hadn't even had a chance to aim. Shuanzi, who was standing right in front of the tiger, was so scared that he couldn't move his fingers at all."

"You're the only one in the entire arena who can lock onto the trajectory of a bullet the instant a tiger leaps into the air."

Zhou Rui twitched the corner of his mouth, not denying it.

"And I just examined the tiger carcass, and the bullet hole that pierced the tiger's belly is the same caliber as your Mauser rifle."

Gu Jiacheng stared into his eyes. "We've teamed up many times. I can recognize the gunshot wounds on you even with my eyes closed."

No sooner had the two finished speaking than Gu Shaofeng rushed out of the crowd, his face full of annoyance.

"You two are here. What a pity, that tiger ran too fast, I didn't even get a chance to fire a single shot. I won't get any credit for killing the tiger!"

"Hehe..." Gu Jiacheng suddenly chuckled and patted the gun in his arms.

"What are you laughing at?" Gu Shaofeng glared at him. "Are you gloating?"

"Zhou Rui fired the first shot, and the next five bullets all hit the tiger's vitals." Gu Jiacheng's voice was filled with barely concealed excitement.

Gu Shaofeng's eyes lit up suddenly. He rushed forward and snatched the gun, his fingertips tracing the still-smelling barrel, his eyes fixed on some top-secret treasure.

"What are you doing? Our guns are exactly the same. Your movements are giving me the creeps." Gu Jiacheng frowned and tried to snatch it back.

"It's different. This gun has been stained with the blood of the tiger. From now on, even the wolf pack will have to go around it."

Gu Shaofeng's voice was trembling, and his eyes were glued to the gun. If Zhou Rui and Gu Jiacheng hadn't been standing in front of him, he would have just stuffed the gun into his clothes and carried it home.

Just as Zhou Rui was about to make a joke, a cold, deep voice suddenly called out from behind him: "Zhou Rui, come in."

He turned around abruptly and saw Gu Dayong standing at the office door, the light leaking through the crack in the door illuminating his face in half-light and half-shadow.

"Uncle, aren't you in a meeting? What do you need me for?"

"Stop talking nonsense, come in and we'll talk. It's important."

Zhou Rui pulled the last thorn out of the sole of his foot, wiped the blood off his fingertips on his trouser leg, and stood up.

As soon as I stepped into the office, I saw a half-crispy topographical map spread out on the table, and Uncle Guai and several militia captains were smoking around the table.

"Have a seat." The thug nodded to Zhou Rui as he looked at the two people who had entered.

He learned tonight that the tiger had been shot and pinned to the spot by Zhou Rui, and after inquiring with Gu Dayong, he began to take it seriously.

"Young comrade, where are your shoes?" Unlike others, Wang Houtian noticed Zhou Rui's bare feet and the bloody mud on them at first glance.

"Oh, it got lost while chasing the tiger." Zhou Rui said in a flat tone, as if it had nothing to do with him.

"Zhou Rui, come here and take a look. These are the places we marked where the wolf pack might be hiding. We'd like to ask you what your thoughts are."