Chapter Thirty-Three: Another Group of Hunters

Qi Yang let out a long sigh, spat the cigarette butt from his mouth onto the floor, and said, "Let's put the matter of the spy aside for now! At the end of the day, they are just rats! The most important thing for us right now is... regarding the yellow weasel! You just asked me, what about this yellow weasel?"

I gathered my thoughts and recounted our encounter with the pure white yellow weasel perched on a tree branch watching the moon, as well as the discovery of the yellow weasel mud statue.

I even mentioned the line of Manchu script on the altar table before the statue: "The debt is cleared, and the mountain awakens."

Strangely enough, the moment I spoke those words, a shrill wolf howl echoed out of thin air outside the room...

Awoo~

Looking out the window, under the eerie blue night sky, a wolf stood atop a mountain peak, its head raised, letting out a fierce roar.

"Huff! The debt is cleared... and the mountain awakens. What does this mean?" Qi Yang muttered to himself. "Could it be that someone actually dares to mess with yellow weasels in these old woods?"

Old Master Chen squinted in thought and said, "When we first arrived at the Greater Khingan Mountains, we did encounter some strange things, especially those bizarre rabbits and hedgehogs. At first, I thought something else was playing tricks, but now it seems... that wasn't the case!"

"You mean this yellow weasel is the cause?" Qi Yang narrowed his eyes.

"Yes! It might very well be this yellow weasel, but it’s strange. Although I intended to hunt those weasels, I never actually took any action! Logically speaking, it shouldn't be targeting us," Old Master Chen said, bowing his head.

I nodded instinctively. Even though one yellow weasel had spotted us while we were setting up the ice cellar trap, we hadn't had the chance to act yet; surely that yellow weasel wouldn't hold a grudge against us over that!

Just then, Qi Yang looked at us sharply. "There is another possibility!"

I quickly asked, "What possibility?"

Old Master Chen suddenly lifted his head, looked at Qi Yang, and said, enunciating each word, "I think I know! There must be other hunters in these woods, and they are the ones hunting the yellow weasels! That is why... the yellow weasel is coming after us!"

"Exactly!" Qi Yang nodded heavily.

Hearing this, I began to understand.

These "other hunters"... they must be the same ones who fired at us before.

Damn it!

Weren't these hunters supposed to be on the perimeter, trying to trap us inside the Greater Khingan Mountains?

And now, are they planning... to come in and finish us off directly?

Old Master Chen squinted for a long time before saying, "Let's sleep for now. Tomorrow, Sanqi and I will go and take a look."

Qi Yang looked at Old Master Chen thoughtfully. "Old Chen, it seems your troubles are getting quite significant!"

Old Master Chen glanced at him and said, "Worry about yourself first! You've lost an arm; your troubles are no smaller than mine."

Qi Yang smiled bitterly and said nothing.

At night, the moonlight shone through the window, dappled and seemingly beautiful.

I lay in bed, with Dahan standing at the head of the bed, looking rather forlorn.

It had been several days since it had been outside.

For an eagle, being trapped in a small, confined space for a long time is always painful. Although it obeyed my commands and stayed here quietly, I knew.

An eagle!

Its dream was to soar through the blue sky and perch on the edges of cliffs...

I reached out and stroked its head.

"Chirp!" Dahan let out a soft cry at me.

"As expected of the Lin family of eagle trainers, your eagle is magnificent!" Qi Yang looked at me briefly, then gazed at Dahan with admiration, making no effort to hide his praise.

I felt nothing, as I had heard praise for Dahan from so many people that I had become numb to it.

I may not have many great talents, but when it comes to eagle training, it is like second nature to me!

Since I was five, my parents taught me the basic techniques of eagle training, how to use the eagle whistle to communicate with them. You could say that the term "eagle training" had been a part of my life since I was very young.

"Ao Ying" (the taming of eagles).

What many considered the most difficult part was, for me, just another day.

I said nothing. Old Master Chen was likely exhausted; he lay on the bed and was asleep before long, snoring thunderously.

I sighed and turned over, preparing to sleep.

But just then, Qi Yang whispered to me.

"Sanqi, if one day you find that everyone is lying to you, do not be sad, do not be grieved, because... hunting has always been this way, and this world is the same... and it has always been this way."

Hearing this, I froze. I turned my head to look at Qi Yang, just about to ask something.

But I found that Qi Yang’s snoring had begun right after those words. I opened my mouth, but in the end, I said nothing. Did he say that because he didn't want Old Master Chen to hear?

Was he... talking to me just now?

I instinctively pondered his words: What if one day everyone is lying to me?

What did that mean?

I never figured it out. I poked his back with my finger, but unfortunately.

No matter how much I poked him, Qi Yang not only ignored me, but his snoring became even louder, as if he and Old Master Chen were competing...

Damn!

What on earth is going on?

If everyone is lying to me, don't be sad, don't be grieved; because hunting is like that, and the world is like that, and it has always been like that!

I thought for a long time without finding an answer. Sleepiness eventually took over, and before long, I let out a long breath, turned over, and fell into a deep sleep.

...

I had a dream.

In the dream, I saw those blood-sucking grass parasites again, and the yellow weasel squatting on a branch, staring fixedly at the moon;

Finally, Bai Qi, who was likely the spy, appeared in my dream.

She stood directly opposite me, head bowed, the corners of her mouth curled into a strange, eerie smile, giggling at me. Suddenly, her fingers, which resembled fox claws, plunged into my heart...

I opened my eyes instantly.

All I saw was the ceiling.

"Huff, huff, huff!" I gasped for air, feeling as though my entire body was soaked in sweat.

I reached out an arm to wipe the sweat from my forehead, cursing inwardly, "What a damn nightmare!"

I reached out to pull the quilt I had kicked off back over me, preparing to drift back to sleep.

Suddenly.

I felt a cold draft blowing against my neck from the window, making it feel itchy...

I assumed the window wasn't closed properly and instinctively turned my head to look. The moment I saw the window.

My head felt as though it were about to explode, and every hair on my body stood on end at that moment.

I saw, pressed against the window, a shockingly large, furry human face... smiling at me, a smile so incredibly eerie...