Chapter 565: Chapter 434: 4 Men, 4 Guns, 10 Dogs
When Jie Chen said he’d beaten up the kid who gave him directions last time, Zhao Jun immediately understood the situation. He motioned for Jie Chen to get behind him and went to face the crowd himself.
Just then, Village Chief Zhao Guofeng rushed over.
After Zhao Jun explained the situation, everyone realized that Jie Chen was the reason behind the nickname Zhang Shaoji.
But regardless of what Zhang Laibao had done wrong, they couldn’t just let an outsider bully one of their own.
However, Zhao Jun and Wang Meilan were both assertive, insisting on protecting Jie Chen no matter what. With the mother and son blocking the way, everyone was wary and didn’t dare make a move against Jie Chen.
In the end, Zhao Guofeng stepped in to mediate. He reached an agreement with Jie Chen to let bygones be bygones, thus resolving the conflict.
Seeing the crowd disperse, Wang Meilan offered Jie Chen a quick apology before inviting him inside.
Jie Chen didn’t go in immediately. Instead, he took two bottles of liquor, a bag of pastries, and a large slab of pork belly from the passenger seat.
This was considered a proper four-part gift in the Northeast. Wang Meilan made a couple of polite remarks before accepting the items and ushering Jie Chen into the house.
After they went inside, Zhao Jun took Jie Chen to his room and even drew some water so the travel-worn Jie Chen could wash his face.
It was almost five o’clock by then, so Wang Meilan didn’t cook a separate meal for Jie Chen. Instead, she gave him a boiled egg to tide him over.
Then, Wang Meilan started cooking dinner.
Since she had the pork belly Jie Chen brought, Wang Meilan made braised pork, prepared a smashed cucumber salad, tossed some tomatoes with sugar, and sliced up a can of luncheon meat.
Just like that, there were four dishes: two meat, two vegetable, one hot, and three cold.
Just as the braised pork was ready, Li Dayong and Li Baoyu happened to be getting off work. Li Baoyu came over to Zhao Jun’s house and told Wang Meilan that there was a reception at the Forest Farm tonight, so Zhao Youcai would be home late.
Zhao Jun asked Li Baoyu to stay, and the two of them ate with Jie Chen in Zhao Jun’s room. Meanwhile, Wang Meilan ate in the east room with Zhao Hong and Zhao Na, just the three of them.
Moreover, since Zhao Youcai wasn’t home, Wang Meilan didn’t invite Li Dayong over, simply letting the three young men of the same age enjoy their time together.
Zhao Jun didn’t drink, so Li Baoyu drank and ate meat with Jie Chen. But because they had to go up the mountain early the next morning, the two of them drank in moderation.
After they had their fill of food and drink, Li Baoyu went home. Zhao Jun and Jie Chen washed up, prepared the kang bed, and turned in for the night.
Early the next morning, the two of them got up at five. By that time, Wang Meilan had already made breakfast.
The leftover braised pork from yesterday was stewed with string beans, potatoes, and glass noodles, filling the air with a tantalizing aroma.
In addition, Zhao Youcai had gone out with some soybeans and exchanged them for fresh tofu and pressed tofu.
The fresh tofu was mixed with scallions, oil, and salt. The pressed tofu was for rolling up with large scallions and cucumber sticks, to be dipped in sauce.
After breakfast, Zhao Jun and Jie Chen went back to the room, changed into their hunting gear, wrapped their leggings, and put on their boots.
Once they were geared up, Zhao Jun took down two semi-automatic rifles from the wall and handed one to Jie Chen.
‘As for the gun I borrowed from Yongxing Brigade, since there’s been no word from Tao Dabao, I’ll just use it for now. Even when he does send word, I don’t plan on going over myself. After all, I’m swamped right now, having just taken on two big jobs.’
‘When the time comes, I’ll just have Wu Feng help return the gun to Tao Dabao.’
Jie Chen took the rifle, immediately shouldered it, and took aim out the window.
It’s a man’s instinct and nature!
“How’s it feel?” Zhao Jun asked with a smile. “Think you can shoot with it?”
“Yeah, no problem,” Jie Chen replied with a smile.
Zhao Jun told Jie Chen, “Brother, let me tell you, hunting with hounds is different. The prey is secondary. The first rule is, whatever you do, don’t hit the dogs.”
At Zhao Jun’s words, Jie Chen nodded repeatedly.
Zhao Jun added, “Since you’re new to hunting with me, just take your rifle and stand guard off to the side. Don’t fire unless you absolutely have to.”
“Don’t worry, Brother Jun!” Jie Chen slung the rifle over his shoulder and said to Zhao Jun. “Before I left, my older brother made it clear: once I got here, I was to listen to everything you say.”
Zhao Jun smiled at this and led Jie Chen outside. He knew Jie Chen was reliable and felt at ease with him.
As the two of them went outside, they saw Zhang Yuanmin coming in through the courtyard gate. Zhao Jun took Jie Chen over and introduced them to each other.
Just then, Li Baoyu came out of his house and shouted to Zhao Jun over the wall, “Brother, leashing up the dogs?”
“Yep!” Zhao Jun put Little Bear and White Dragon on leashes, handed them to Zhang Yuanmin, and then said, “Get the dogs onto the truck!”
This time, Zhao Jun planned to have Jie Chen drive the truck with the hunting dogs into the mountains for the hunt.
At Zhao Jun’s command, Zhang Yuanmin led Little Bear and White Dragon, and Jie Chen led Big Fatty and San Pang. Zhao Jun himself led Black Tiger, Cyan Dragon, and Black Dragon.
As Zhao Jun came out of the courtyard, Li Baoyu was just coming out with his family’s four dogs.
When Li Baoyu saw Zhao Jun leading Cyan Dragon and Black Dragon, he immediately asked, “Brother, if we’re hunting a Xiong Ba, can we really bring those two?”
While leading the dogs towards the truck bed, Zhao Jun shook his head and laughed, “What Xiong Ba? It’s just a big black bear.”
“Huh?” Li Baoyu was taken aback and quickly asked, “Didn’t they say it was a Big Bear Dominator?”
At this point, Li Baoyu blinked and said in confusion, “My Ruhai even said that Gu Yang wet his pants because he was scared by the Big Bear Dominator. And Ruhai never lies.”
Li Baoyu had barely finished speaking when Li Ruhai burst out of his house, stood in front of Zhao Jun and Li Baoyu, and demanded, “What are you talking about? Who’s lying?”
Li Baoyu looked at Li Ruhai and asked, “Who told you that Gu Yang saw a Big Bear Dominator?”
“He said so himself!” Li Ruhai answered confidently. That day, he had come back in the jeep sent by Zhou Chunming and saw Gu Yang with a wet spot on his crotch the moment he got out.
Gu Yang couldn’t hold up under Li Ruhai’s questioning and had to confess. Then, before he could even tell Li Ruhai not to spread it around, Li Ruhai had already vanished.
After hearing this, Li Baoyu exchanged a look with Zhao Jun, then asked Li Ruhai, “What exactly did he say?”
“He said he saw a seven- or eight-hundred-pound bear.” Li Ruhai finished, then retorted, “If it’s seven or eight hundred pounds, isn’t that a Big Bear Dominator?”
Zhao Jun just smiled, waved Li Ruhai off to school, and then said to Li Baoyu, “There’s no Big Bear Dominator. It’s just a black bear.”
“What?” Li Baoyu was also surprised and asked, “There are black bears that big?”
Zhao Jun went to the back of the truck, lifted his three dogs into the bed, and Zhang Yuanmin took the leashes and tied each of them securely.
Then, Zhao Jun turned back and said to Li Baoyu with a smile, “When people get a scare, they tend to exaggerate the facts a bit.”
“Oh, for crying out loud!” Li Baoyu finally got it, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “That’s one hell of an exaggeration!”
Little Bear, Da Huang, White Dragon, Big Fatty, San Pang, Flower Cat, Hua Lang, Xiaohua, Black Tiger, Cyan Dragon, and Black Dragon—all eleven dogs—lay scattered about in the truck bed.
Zhao Jun and Li Baoyu stayed in the truck bed watching the dogs, while Zhang Yuanmin sat in the passenger seat giving directions to Jie Chen. The truck started and headed straight out of the village.
Coincidentally, as the truck passed by Jiang Xiaolan’s house, Wang Dalong poked his head out from behind the large willow tree. Seeing the departing truck, with the people and dogs in the back, Wang Dalong’s face instantly flushed red.
The truck entered the mountains and, following Gu Yang’s directions, arrived near 42 Forest Class.
Jie Chen parked the truck on the side of the road, and Zhao Jun and Li Baoyu got out with the dogs. The road ahead was impassable by vehicle; they would have to proceed on foot.
The four men stood by the side of the road with the eleven dogs. Li Baoyu asked Zhao Jun, “Brother, what were Gu Yang’s directions?”
Zhao Jun pointed down the slope and said, “Down there is Zhaoshu Ridge, right? Gu Yang said when he saw the black bear, it was coming down the ridge.”
“Ah!” Having hung out with Zhao Jun for a year, Li Baoyu had gained some experience. Hearing this, he immediately understood and said, “So the black bear was probably down below the ridge, in Bojiwaizi, munching on hardy kiwis, right?”
“Definitely!” Zhao Jun gave Li Baoyu an appreciative look, then said to the other three, “Unleash all the dogs. We’ll take them down the slope and follow the ridge!”
Hearing this, everyone agreed. Once the leashes were removed, the eleven dogs, who had been cooped up for a long time, instantly scattered.
Zhao Jun gave a wave of his hand, shouldered his rifle, and led the way. Li Baoyu followed close behind, then Jie Chen and Zhang Yuanmin. The four men, carrying four rifles and leading eleven dogs, descended the slope.