In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

What a display of power and skill!

Er Mazi has always been at odds with Qin Shaolang. Now that he is sick, it is already kind of Qin Shaolang not to kick him while he is down, but he actually took the initiative to send him soup and meat!

This is no longer a simple matter of winning people's hearts; this is downright annihilation!

The hunters were already disoriented because of Er Mazi's fall, and they were also worried about their companion's injuries. At this moment, what Qin Shaolang brought was not just medicine, but a life-saving straw, a timely fire in the snow!

"I...I understand!" Li Hu nodded emphatically, his face full of admiration. "Rest assured, Master Qin, I will handle this matter perfectly!"

Watching Li Hu's hurried departure, Chu Wu, who had been listening to everything, also came over. His expression as he looked at Qin Shaolang was now almost one of worship.

"Brother Qin, your move was truly... truly amazing!" Chu Wu exclaimed. "A bowl of meat soup and a jar of herbs are enough to make those hunters grateful to you. At the very least, they will never cause us any more trouble."

"I just don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble," Qin Shaolang said calmly. "Our target is the tiger, not a bunch of poor hunters. Why not solve the problem with minimal cost?"

Chu Wu chuckled. "That's the principle, but there aren't many people who can think of it and actually do it. At least I can't."

Qin Shaolang remained noncommittal.

Soon, the large pot of meat broth was simmering and filled with a fragrant aroma, and the herbs were also boiled down to a rich broth.

Li Hu, accompanied by several of his soldiers, packed the goods into earthenware jars and marched proudly toward the village.

Qin Shaolang then called Chu Wu, and the two of them, carrying bows and arrows and weapons, prepared to set off.

"Li Hu can go alone; we'll go into the mountains."

"Aren't you going to wait for news from Li Hu?"

"No need to wait." Qin Shaolang's tone was very certain. "He brought goodwill with him, and he will surely bring back goodwill as well. What we need to do now is to hurry up and take care of that beast."

After saying that, Qin Shaolang took the lead and walked towards the mountains and forests.

Chu Wu followed closely behind, now filled with confidence in every decision Qin Shaolang made.

The two remained silent on the way and soon arrived at the observation point from the previous day.

They carefully concealed themselves and looked down at the spring.

Upon seeing this, both of them perked up.

The white-browed tiger was actually lying on a large rock not far from the spring, squinting its eyes and looking lazy.

Its posture was relaxed, as if it was waiting for something.

Qin Shaolang raised his hand, making a gesture for silence.

Chu Wu understood and even softened his breathing.

"It's waiting for us," Qin Shaolang said in an almost inaudible voice.

"It's taken the bait."

Chu Wu's heart pounded. He lowered his body, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement, and leaned close to Qin Shaolang's ear.

"Brother Qin, it's taken the bait! This beast really thinks meat pies will fall from the sky! Shall we go for it now?"

In his view, the white-browed tiger had completely let its guard down, lying there lazily, practically a sitting duck. If not now, when?

Qin Shaolang remained unusually calm, merely shaking his head slightly and raising his hand to make a "calm down" gesture.

"No rush, let's wait a bit longer."

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable calmness.

Chu Wu was stunned, his face full of confusion. The opportunity was fleeting; what were they waiting for? What if this beast ate its fill and then ran away? Wouldn't their trip have been for nothing?

Just as Chu Wu was extremely anxious, the white-browed tiger below moved.

Instead of feasting on the spot as Chu Wu had expected, it carefully stood up, sniffed the piece of pork soaking in the spring water, and only after confirming that there was nothing wrong with it did it pick it up in one bite.

But what happened next almost made Chu Wu's jaw drop.

The white-browed tiger, carrying the meat in its mouth, didn't eat it. Instead, it turned and disappeared into the dense forest to the side, vanishing without a trace in a few leaps.

The area around the spring has returned to a desolate silence.

"This...this..." Chu Wu was completely dumbfounded. He turned to Qin Shaolang, his voice trembling slightly, "Brother Qin, it...it took the meat! Has our plan failed?"

This was completely different from what he had expected! This beast, instead of eating it on the spot, actually knew to pack it up and take it away!

Instead of showing any frustration, Qin Shaolang revealed a playful smile.

"No, this just shows that it's completely hooked, but it's more cautious than we thought. This beast is much smarter than Er Mazi's gang."

Chu Wu was even more confused. This was considered a trap? The meat had been taken, and they couldn't even see the tiger anymore.

Qin Shaolang patted him on the shoulder and patiently explained.

"Think about it, if it had eaten it on the spot, it would mean it was either starving or stupid. But it didn't; it took the meat back to its den, which it considered safe. What does that mean?"

Qin Shaolang paused, then answered his own question.

"This shows that it believes the meat is safe, but it doesn't believe the place is safe. It's still testing the waters and observing."

"Our goal isn't to feed it a piece of meat, but to cultivate a habit in it." Qin Shaolang's gaze was profound, as if he had already seen through the tiger's thoughts. "We want it to believe that this spring, at this time every day, will refresh a completely safe and free lunch. When something happens repeatedly, and each time it brings benefits without any danger, even the most cautious creature will lower its guard."

Chu Wu was stunned. He felt like he wasn't listening to a hunting plan, but rather some kind of military strategy.

How could one calculate the psychological state of a wild beast to this extent?

He had fought alongside generals before, and he had never seen a general analyze the enemy in such detail.

"Then... what do we do next? Are we just going to sit here and wait?" Chu Wu asked.

"No, that's enough for today." Qin Shaolang stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and said, "Let's go back. We'll come back at the same time tomorrow to deliver it again. Remember, everything must be exactly the same as today."

After saying that, Qin Shaolang quietly left the observation point with Chu Wu, who was full of suspicion.

Their task today was simply to throw down a piece of meat and watch the tiger carry it away.

What kind of hunt is this? Chu Wu was filled with doubt, but he chose to believe Qin Shaolang.

……

The next day, Qin Shaolang again only brought Chu Wu and Li Hu with him.

Before heading into the mountains, Li Huxing rushed over to report on the situation in the village.

"Master Qin, you're truly amazing!" Li Hu's face was full of admiration, and his voice was louder than usual. "Yesterday, when I delivered the meat soup and herbs, the hunters' families were all stunned! Several of them were holding the bowl of soup, their hands trembling, and they burst into tears on the spot!"