Volume One, Chapter Four: Hunting Traps and Spirit Tempering

"Mm!" Blackie nodded eagerly. "Let’s hurry then." The two of them broke into a jog, heading toward the big gully at the west end of the village.

Lin Hu’s plan was to set traps in familiar territory, using them to sap their opponents’ strength in a war of attrition. Once at the riverbank, they could just make out little fish swimming in the water, and every few steps a toad would leap in with a splash.

"Here will do," Lin Hu declared after surveying the trench. The willow branches were abundant, the weeds thick—a difficult place for a chase, but ideal for counterattacks with a slingshot. As long as the others fell into the traps and lost their fighting strength, they’d be at his mercy.

"You set the bird traps," he instructed. "I’ll handle the big ones!" Lin Hu held a steel animal trap, thinking to himself just how vicious this thing was—a rabbit would lose a leg if it stepped on it, and if a person got caught, crippling would be the best outcome.

"Damn it, after all these years of being bullied by you lot, today I’ll have you on your knees, begging me for mercy!"

When setting animal traps, you had to consider whether you were after large or small game. For small animals like wild rabbits, the sensitivity needed to be high, since their weight was light and wouldn’t trigger much force. For larger animals like foxes or wolves, you’d want to reduce the sensitivity to avoid false triggers from wind-blown branches or small animals.

But today, Lin Hu was setting these for people—no room for small mishaps. By adjusting the spring tension and the hook position, he reduced the trap’s sensitivity.

"Finally, one is ready!"

But at that moment, a familiar notification chimed in his mind.

[You have skillfully set an animal trap, awakening the talent: Hunting Trap.]

Immediately, a skill window appeared before his eyes.

[Skill: Hunting Trap (Novice)]
[Proficiency: 5/100]
[Effect: None]
...

"Damn, is that even possible?" This unexpected boon made Lin Hu exclaim in surprise.

"What’s wrong, Huzi?" Blackie, busy with the bird trap, nearly caught his own hand at the shout.

Though delighted, Lin Hu didn’t stop to study the panel. "Blackie, leave the bird trap for now—I’ll finish up in a bit. Did you already set the fish basket in the river here?"

"Yeah, are you hungry? The fish should be piled up by now."

Lin Hu jerked his chin. "Go fetch the basket. Since those idiots can’t find us, we’ll need some bait to draw them in."

"Right!" Blackie ran off, searching for his marker.

Lin Hu, meanwhile, enthusiastically continued setting the animal traps.

...

[You have skillfully set a large animal trap. Hunting Trap proficiency +4.]

[You have skillfully set a large animal trap. Hunting Trap proficiency +3.]

All three animal traps were set, each one earning him proficiency, just as expected. But Lin Hu noticed a pattern: the first trap gave 5 points, and the next two each gave one less.

"Does that mean the first time always gives the most, and it decreases each time? Will it stop giving points altogether at some point?"

Puzzled, Lin Hu hurried to set the bird traps.

[You have set a bird trap for the first time. Hunting Trap proficiency +5.]

[You have skillfully set a bird trap. Hunting Trap proficiency +4.]

...

[You have skillfully set a bird trap. Hunting Trap proficiency +1.]

When all the traps were finally in place, Lin Hu had figured out the rule: the first of any kind gave 5 points, then each subsequent one gave one less, and after five, each gave a single point.

"Good. Better than nothing. This is a skill I can grind—just have to bend my back and set more traps!"

Just then—

"Huzi, I’ve brought it all over!" Blackie came trotting over with a basin full of fish, water sloshing as he ran.

"Well, I’ll be damned," Lin Hu gaped.

With the water pouring out in a rush, tiny loaches and fish tumbled about in the basin. Many slipped out through cracks on the sides, but Blackie didn’t care at all.

Lin Hu hurried over to help. "Hey, this is premium wild-caught fish and loach—don’t let them escape, what a waste!"

"What are you talking about, Huzi?" Blackie was puzzled. "I’m sick of eating these things. One basket’s haul is five or six pounds, and you’re telling me it’s precious."

Lin Hu just shook his head and didn’t explain. He grabbed dry branches and grass, stacked a few bricks, and built a makeshift grill.

By this time, Blackie had already skewered several strings of loaches and fish with willow twigs.

"Let’s start grilling," Lin Hu said, pulling a box of matches from his pocket and striking one to light the fire.

And so, the two began their feast. The little loaches writhed on the flames, fish skin sizzled, and sparks leapt onto Blackie’s hand, making him shake it in pain. "Damn, this stings like hot peppers!"

"Idiot, flip them over!" Lin Hu smacked the back of Blackie’s head. "Did you bring the salt?"

"Sure did." Blackie dug into his pouch, producing a handful of salt, black with bits of dirt, which he sprinkled liberally.

Lin Hu eyed Blackie’s grimy hands and the earthy salt, speechless. "Next time, at least use a bag for the salt, will you?"

"Dirty or not, it won’t make you sick," Blackie grinned.

Golden fish oil dripped from the skewers onto the fire, sending up clouds of fragrant smoke. Blackie squatted nearby, swallowing saliva, his blackened fingers wiping on his pants before scratching at the dirt on his foot.

Soon, the aroma of charred food wafted through the air, and thick smoke began to rise.

Lin Hu glanced toward the village gate. Now you’ll see, he thought. Once I’ve had my fill, I’ll cripple every last one of you.

He turned back to the food. Childhood memories of deliciousness overwhelmed him, and he could resist no longer.

Chomp, chomp. "Mmm!"

"Oh, that’s so good!"

...

The little fish and loaches were grilled without scaling or gutting; only the meat was eaten, and the bones and innards tossed into the river.

But just as Lin Hu finished off a big loach, another notification sounded in his mind.

[You have eaten a pure, wild-caught loach. The trace spiritual energy in this wild food has awakened your talent: Spirit Tempering.]

A new notification window appeared before his eyes.

[Skill: Spirit Tempering (Novice)]
[Proficiency: 5/100]
[Effect: None]
...

"What’s this?" Lin Hu stared, wide-eyed, at the fading window, almost in disbelief.

"Wild food with spiritual energy?"

"Spiritual energy!"

He remembered his parents telling him as a child that all of nature’s gifts carried spiritual energy, whether flowers, trees, birds, beasts, fish, or insects. All were nature’s bounty. Every bite deserved gratitude, for only then could you feel the spirit it bestowed.

What he hadn’t understood before, he now seemed to grasp in this moment.