Chapter 26: Into the Mountains to Hunt Wild Boars Tomorrow

Nan Fangjue ignored him; he was used to his way of thinking, always suspecting everyone.

He washed his face, warmed his feet, tidied his cot, and lay down fully clothed.

Lin Sinan didn’t leave, remaining seated, watching him.

Nan Fangjue closed his eyes and said,

“Stop being suspicious and go to sleep. We’re going into the mountains tomorrow to hunt wild boars.”

“Ah, tomorrow? Let’s postpone it.” He looked reluctant.

“Reason.”

Nan Fangjue wanted to hear his opinion.

“Let’s wait a few more days, until we put up barbed wire on the wooden stakes before entering the mountains.” Lin Sinan had his reasons.

“Why delay?”

Nan Fangjue frowned.

The time for the hunt was ripe. If they couldn’t get barbed wire, would the troops have to stay in Wild Boar Village indefinitely?

“Because of Wen Yanyan. If you go back, she’ll drug you again.”

Lin Sinan didn’t want to return to the troop; he preferred to stay outside.

“Are you crazy? Go to sleep!”

Nan Fangjue yelled at him.

“So, are we still going into the mountains tomorrow?”

Lin Sinan persisted.

“Yes.”

Nan Fangjue wouldn’t change his mind.

“You’re so stubborn; you won’t turn back until you hit a wall.”

Lin Sinan finally left.

…

The next morning, the troops entered the wild boar forest to carry out the hunt as planned.

Before setting off, Nan Fangjue held a mobilization meeting.

“Remember, when you see a wild boar, don’t rush. Aim carefully and try for a one-shot kill. This will minimize the boar’s suffering and ensure our safety, as injured boars will attack and flee more frantically.”

“Also, our target isn’t a vicious enemy, but a rapidly breeding beast. We’ll only kill adult male boars, sparing the females and young.”

“Captain, how can we tell the difference from so far away?”

The soldier’s question wasn’t a joke; wild boars’ thick fur makes it difficult to distinguish between sexes.

“By weight. Any boar visually estimated to weigh over 150 kilograms and showing aggression towards humans can be killed.”

“Yes!”

Nan Fangjue continued.

“Although we’ve done reconnaissance and marked boar habitats and dens with white cloth strips on trees, we can’t guarantee we’ve caught them all. So, don’t underestimate them. Be vigilant, and be prepared for sudden attacks.”

“Another point: don’t act alone. Stay together, prioritize safety, and avoid injuries. If anyone returns injured, it’s because their training is insufficient. My title of ‘cold-blooded instructor’ isn’t for nothing.”

He made his expectations clear: he didn’t want to see a single injury; safety was paramount, and every soldier must return to camp unscathed.

“Understood?”

“Understood!”

The soldiers responded in unison, their voices so powerful they scared the village dogs into barking.

“Good, let’s go.”

The impromptu mobilization meeting ended, and the operation to hunt wild boars officially commenced.

---

Wen Yanyan had been busy and happy these days; her mushroom-gathering team had grown.

Four more people joined, making it five, including her. There was Sister Dahua, Sister Ping, Sister Huang, and Sister Li. They went up the mountain and down together every day.

Over the next few days, Wen Yanyan collected a lot of mushrooms. After drying, she had several pounds.

But that wasn’t what made her happiest. She was most pleased with her weight loss progress.

One day, tired from mushroom hunting, they sat on the mountain chatting.

“Yanyan, are you dieting?”

Huang Shuying stared at Wen Yanyan.

“Yes, I’m too fat, and it’s not pretty.”

Wen Yanyan didn’t hide it, but her face reddened; she was easily embarrassed, just as she had been in her past life.

“Oh, Yanyan cares about beauty now. It seems Nan Tuan has had a big influence on you.”

Sister Ping joined the conversation.

They had become close over the days of mushroom hunting and enjoyed joking with each other.

Wang Dahua also said,

“Yanyan looks much better now that she’s lost weight and learned to dress up. She was too young and naive before.”

“Yanyan was just a little overweight. Actually, she’s quite pretty, and those… you know… who else has them?”

Sister Li, usually quiet, always made a striking comment.

What?

Those… you know…?

Wen Yanyan’s face burned. Although she knew how impressive they were, being talked about like this in public was embarrassing.

“Oh my, I hadn’t noticed, but yes, they are quite… impressive. Big and perky, like two white rabbits. Nan Tuan is lucky.”

Huang Shuying said, covering her mouth and laughing.