Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The master and apprentice ate a simple yet incredibly delicious lunch on the kang table, with pickled vegetables and flatbread made from the mixed flour that Wei Chen had brought. The golden, crispy flatbread, dipped in a thick and flavorful venison and mushroom broth, was the most rustic delicacy of the mountains.

At the dinner table, Wei Chen explained in detail the work of a purchasing agent at the steel rolling mill, as well as his future plans. "Master, once I've entered the factory and established myself, I'll take you to Beijing to enjoy a life of luxury! We'll live in a brick house in the city!" Wei Chen said, gnawing on a bone, his eyes sparkling.

"Enjoying life?" Zhao Gensheng scoffed, tapping the rim of his bowl with his chopsticks. "Don't try to sweet-talk me! Beijing? That place is crowded, has too many rules, and the air stinks! It's nothing like the freedom I have here in the mountains. The sky is blue, the water is clear, I can hunt whenever I want, and sleep whenever I want—even the Emperor himself can't stop me!" He took a big gulp of soup, his tone resolute. "I'm not going anywhere! I'm just staying here in the mountains, it's great!"

He looked at Wei Chen's young and energetic face, a fleeting hint of satisfaction and melancholy crossing his eyes. His tone softened slightly: "Young man, you need to go out and explore. Staying cooped up in this mountain valley, digging in the dirt your whole life, is a waste of your potential. Your master back then..."

He paused, as if recalling some distant, bloody memory. His eyes suddenly sharpened like knives, then returned to calm, though beneath that calm lay a lurking, overwhelming force. "...Never mind, let's not talk about it. Remember, once you're out there, be bold and fearless! Don't be afraid! We mountain people are tough! We earn our living through our own abilities, and wherever we go, we'll hold our heads high!"

He put down his chopsticks, staring intently at Wei Chen, and spoke each word with a resounding clang like metal striking metal: "But if someone is blind and takes advantage of their city background to bully you and make you suffer..."

He patted the scabbard of the hunting knife, its blade gleaming with a cold, dark blue light, which lay on the kang (heated brick bed). "Come back! Tell your master! This old man can still move! He can still go into Beijing and get revenge for you!"

These simple yet undeniably powerful words warmed Wei Chen's heart. He knew his master's past, the weighty significance behind his words, and the ruthless resolve to follow through. He nodded firmly, "Master, I understand!"

After finishing their meal and clearing away the dishes, the sun was already beginning to set. The agreed-upon 3 PM was drawing ever closer. "Master, I'm off then," Wei Chen said, standing at the courtyard gate.

"Hmm." Zhao Gensheng nodded, without saying anything more, and simply handed him a leather water pouch. "Fill it with spring water, drink it on the way."

He watched Wei Chen's young and upright figure, and as his apprentice was about to step out of the courtyard gate, he added in a low voice, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching Wei Chen's ears: "When you go into the mountains in the future... take it easy. Don't kill too many, just enough to get by. Things in the mountains also have a thing to do... leave some behind."

Wei Chen paused, a slight tremor in his heart. His master's words, seemingly a reminder to be moderate in hunting and not to overextend himself, carried a deeper meaning for Wei Chen—his master might have already subtly sensed that his hunting methods and efficiency far exceeded common sense. This was a reminder to him to know restraint, to know how to conceal himself, not to be lost in the power, and to have reverence for the mountains and forests that nurtured them.

"Understood, Master." Wei Chen replied calmly without turning around. With his back to his master, he raised his hand and waved, then strode along the winding mountain path toward the agreed-upon abandoned outpost.

Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on him. His silhouette carried the sharpness of youth, yet also a composure and decisiveness beyond his years.

Zhao Gensheng stood in the fenced yard covered with animal skins, watching Wei Chen's figure disappear completely into the depths of the dense forest.

The mountain wind rustled his graying temples. He stood there for a long time before slowly turning around, picking up the hunting rifle and a sharp machete leaning against the wall. With a few leaps, he silently disappeared into the dense forest behind the cabin.

As the sun gradually moved westward, the abandoned outpost stood alone at the foot of the mountain by the roadside, its dilapidated stone walls casting long, crooked shadows in the setting sun.

A few charred wooden beams pierced the sky from the collapsed roof, and wild grass stubbornly sprouted from the cracks in the walls and the piles of collapsed rubble, adding to the desolation.

Wei Chen sat with his back against a relatively intact broken wall, his figure almost blending into the shadows of the corner. He closed his eyes to rest, his breathing long and steady, the internal energy of the "Nine Heavens Sun Shooting Technique" flowing slowly through his meridians, nourishing his muscles and bones, and calming his mind.

Without a clock, time could only be estimated by the shadows cast by the sun and by feeling. He had arrived too early; the mountain wind rustled through the wild grass, and the occasional chirping of birds returning to their nests in the distance made the place seem even more desolate and quiet.

He wasn't anxious. In both his past and present lives, waiting had become an instinct ingrained in his bones. His current calm was more like gathering strength to welcome the upcoming turning point in his life.

After an unknown amount of time, the faint roar of machinery, utterly out of place with the silence of the mountains and forests, could be heard in the distance.

coming!

Wei Chen suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them before he instantly regained his somewhat "simple" calm. He quickly got up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and stood in a conspicuous spot by the roadside, his gaze fixed on the direction from which the sound came.

With a thought, Wei Chen brought out two large and five small wild boars from his backpack next to the dilapidated house. After thinking for a moment, he also took out five rabbits.

Dust billowed at the end of the dirt road, like a yellow dragon of smoke. Soon, a military green Liberation brand truck, like a steel behemoth, roared and bumped as it rolled over the potholes towards the outpost. The truck body gleamed metallically in the setting sun, and the two characters "Liberation" on the front were clearly visible.

The truck slowed down a few dozen meters from the outpost, finally screeching to a stop on the side of the road. The dust kicked up by the wheels slowly dissipated.

With a loud thud, Xu Damao jumped off the back of the truck, not caring that his brand-new leather shoes were immediately covered in dust.

His face wore a complex expression of urgency, tension, and anticipation. His eyes searched around like searchlights. When he saw Wei Chen standing by the roadside, he rushed over as if he had seen a savior.

"Brother Wei Chen! Are you getting impatient? The road is difficult to travel, so we were a little delayed!" Xu Damao's voice was urgent and fast, with panting breaths. His gaze swept over Wei Chen's shoulder and anxiously towards the dilapidated outpost. "Where are the supplies? Wild boar... are they all ready?" Beads of sweat still clung to his forehead, clearly indicating that he had been on tenterhooks the whole way.

"Brother Xu, everything is ready. It's right behind that house." Wei Chen pointed to the half-collapsed sentry post, his tone calm and reassuring.

At that moment, the truck's cab door opened, and a middle-aged driver in blue overalls, with a stocky build and dark skin, jumped out, curiously looking at Wei Chen and the dilapidated house.

Immediately afterwards, the truck's passenger door opened, and two men dressed in cadre uniforms with four pockets nimbly jumped out.

The leader was a man in his early forties, with a square face, a wide mouth, and a slightly plump figure. His face had the roundness of someone who had been sitting in an office for a long time, but his eyes were sharp and capable, exuding a leader's air.

The other one was slightly younger, around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, lean, with sharp eyes, and exuding a sense of competence in his movements.

Xu Damao quickly stepped aside, his face beaming with a broad smile, and enthusiastically introduced Wei Chen: "Brother Wei Chen, come, come, let me introduce you! This is Section Chief Jiang Dashan from the Purchasing Department of our steel rolling mill! This is Group Leader Liu Yuan from the Third Purchasing Group! Once you join the factory, you'll be working under Section Chief Jiang and Group Leader Liu!" He emphasized "in the future" and "under their command," implying that the job was already a done deal.

He then turned to the two leaders, bowing slightly, his tone respectful yet clearly tinged with a desire for credit: "Section Chief Jiang, Team Leader Liu, this is Comrade Wei Chen, whom I reported to Deputy Factory Director Li! He's incredibly capable! The wild boar is right behind us!"

Wei Chen immediately stepped forward, leaning slightly forward with a perfectly measured, slightly reserved yet respectful smile on his face, and extended his hand: "Hello, Section Chief Jiang! Hello, Team Leader Liu! I am Wei Chen." His handshake was firm and brief, carrying the sincerity of a mountain man.

Jiang Dashan looked the young man in front of him up and down, who was wearing a faded old jacket and looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. His eyes were scrutinizing and a hint of barely perceptible suspicion.

This kid? He can get a thousand catties of wild boar? A friendly smile appeared on his face as he shook Wei Chen's hand firmly, his voice booming: "Comrade Wei, hello, hello! Truly, heroes emerge from among the young! Deputy Factory Director Li has personally explained your situation to me!"

"Once the wild boar is brought back, you'll be part of our purchasing department! Welcome to our purchasing family! From now on, you'll be assigned to Purchasing Group 3, which is led by Group Leader Liu! Their group specializes in purchasing 'unplanned materials' for our factory, and your hunting skills are a perfect fit! Work hard under Group Leader Liu, and you'll have a bright future!" His words were impeccable, demonstrating both the leader's attention and highlighting Wei Chen's future position and importance.

Liu Yuan, standing beside him, also extended his hand, a smile on his face, but his gaze swept over Wei Chen like a ruler: "Comrade Wei Chen, welcome! From now on, we'll be comrades in the same trench. Our third group has heavy tasks, but also many opportunities, so let's do our best!" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a capable strength.

"Thank you, Section Chief Jiang! Thank you, Team Leader Liu! I will definitely learn from you and work hard!" Wei Chen said sincerely, with the youthful energy and flattery of a young man.

"The driver is Master Wang Aiwang from the transportation team!" Liu Yuan pointed to the driver next to him who hadn't said a word but was just smiling憨厚ly. "When we're doing fieldwork in the future, we'll definitely need Master Wang's car."

"Hello, Master Wang!" Wei Chen quickly greeted him.

"Alright, we can talk about the pleasantries later." Jiang Dashan waved his hand, his gaze already fixed on the dilapidated outpost, his face showing urgency again. "Xiao Wei, wild boar...?"

"It's right behind the house. Section Chief Jiang, Team Leader Liu, Brother Xu, Master Wang, this way please." Wei Chen immediately stepped aside to lead the way, guiding everyone around the collapsed wall to a relatively sheltered corner behind the outpost.