Chapter 9: A New Crowd

After bidding farewell to the people at the Youth Courtyard, Yan Rushan and Zhong Yuxiu climbed up the mountain together. The outskirts were bitterly cold, and small animals like pheasants and rabbits had curled up to hide; but as they crossed the outer edge and entered the deep mountains, the temperature noticeably warmed, and the shadows of wild rabbits could still be seen.

“Wild boar!” A low exclamation escaped as Yuxiu’s eyes lit up. She pointed to a flat area five hundred meters away, where a massive wild boar was grazing, weighing perhaps five or six hundred pounds. “Brother Yan, look at that monster.”

“We didn’t bring any tools, and there are too few of us. We can’t kill a wild boar,” Yan Rushan replied, cool-headed, quickly assessing their chances. “Let’s avoid it. We can’t take it head-on.”

Such a huge wild boar!

Zhong Yuxiu was unwilling to give up. Encounters with wild boars were rare for her; this was only the second time. “Shouldn’t we give it a try? Last time I managed to kill a wild boar on my own!”

Yan Rushan’s hand at his side trembled slightly. Silly girl, just because you killed one before doesn’t mean you can do it again; last time, the boar was just over three hundred pounds—this one was five or six hundred.

“If we kill this wild boar, I’ll have the fabric and cotton for my winter jacket, Brother Yan. Find a tree and hide yourself,” she said, growing more determined as she spoke. Without waiting for his response, she found a sturdy, flexible wooden pole three meters long. By the time Yan Rushan recovered, Zhong Yuxiu had already crept up behind the wild boar.

He hurried after her to stop her, only to see the girl rush at the boar, swinging her stick down hard on its head. The boar howled wildly, unable to escape, as if bound by some invisible force.

Miss Zhong rained blows down on it, and the wild boar gradually lay still.

Yan Rushan was speechless.

Ferocious!

Truly ferocious!

It was as if in a dream.

Zhong Yuxiu wiped the sweat from her brow; her constitution had finally caught up. In the interstellar era, someone with level twenty mental power had physical strength equivalent to S-class; her physique was as strong as a cosmic beast. A wild animal with little offensive power like this boar could be subdued with a mere thought.

With level five mental power and her physique catching up, she was healthier than most people in this era.

“Brother Yan, come quickly. The boar is dead; let’s haul it down the mountain.” Zhong Yuxiu called out excitedly. She couldn’t help her enthusiasm; all the items in her storage ring were valuable and best left untouched if possible, as they wouldn’t fetch a high price in this era.

It had been two months since they’d traded anything from the county; she hadn’t even prepared winter clothes.

Yan Rushan strode forward, sizing her up for a long moment before releasing a sigh of relief, tinged with a subtle lament.

“How could you be so reckless?”

Zhong Yuxiu smiled sweetly. “Brother Yan, the wild boar is dead.”

“Fine, but be careful next time. Don’t act impulsively unless you’re absolutely certain.” She had managed to kill a wild boar—what else could he say? The girl had slain it without getting a drop of blood on herself.

“Understood, Brother Yan. I was impulsive this time; with so much meat right before me, who wouldn’t be excited?” Zhong Yuxiu lowered her head, avoiding Yan Rushan’s sharp gaze. “Besides, with this wild boar, I won’t have to worry this winter.”

Not only for the jacket, but for food as well.

Yan Rushan was momentarily at a loss for words, his heart sour. “I won’t scold you anymore. Come help me.”

“Alright.”

Together, Zhong Yuxiu and Yan Rushan built a wooden raft and dragged the wild boar down the mountain. At the foot, they hid the boar in a patch of dry wild grass. Yan Rushan instructed Zhong Yuxiu to wait, then went off to borrow a tractor from the brigade. Once he returned, they loaded the boar onto the tractor and headed for the county town.

The tractor stopped at the outskirts again, though this time farther from the town.

“Brother Yan, we’re not going in?”

“No.” Yan Rushan jumped off the tractor. “Wait here. I’ll go get the people. If you need anything, have them bring it with them so we don’t have to make another trip.”

Zhong Yuxiu thought for a moment. “Fabric, cotton, grain, snacks, shampoo powder, soap—that’s all.”

“Alright.” Yan Rushan turned and left.

She watched until his figure disappeared, then looked back at the covered wild boar. The boar had been dead for a while; its blood had congealed, and a faint scent lingered in the air.

When Yan Rushan returned, he brought seven or eight people—not the same group as last time, but more than before. They pushed wheelbarrows piled high with goods.

“The goods are up there—go weigh them,” Yan Rushan said, stepping aside and pointing to the tractor. He signaled Zhong Yuxiu, who quickly jumped down to stand beside him, watching as the others climbed onto the tractor to lift the boar. She asked, “Why aren’t they the same people as last time?”

Yan Rushan glanced at her. “I found a different group this time.”

She frowned. “Are they trustworthy?”

“I’ve traded with them a few times.” It wouldn’t be wise to sell wild game in only one place. “There are three major black market networks in the county, each with its own rivalries. Whichever one we sell to, they’ll keep our secret.”

Who wouldn’t want meat? In these times, meat was rare—some people didn’t see any for an entire year. The county was said to be better than the countryside, but in reality, everything was strictly rationed, and there was less grain than in the villages.

Meat wasn’t available every day at the black market; without a steady supply, how could they get it? So, when someone brought in a large haul, the black market people seized the opportunity and wouldn’t let it slip away. They’d never reveal the seller’s identity—if they did, the other two groups would swoop in.

Zhong Yuxiu understood: Yan Rushan had thoroughly investigated the black market, knew the three groups’ styles, and dared to be so bold.

While they spoke, the weighing was done. The headman, a middle-aged man in black homespun clothes, said, “Brother Yan, the total weight is five hundred and ninety-three pounds. Come take a look.”

“No need. I trust Brother Xu’s integrity. Let’s settle up,” Yan Rushan replied, expressionless, approaching to meet the man.

Zhong Yuxiu remained where she was.

Brother Xu chuckled, “Brother Yan, you’re straightforward. I won’t dock too much weight; we don’t want the stuff inside the boar’s belly. Let’s count twenty pounds—how does that sound?”

“Fair,” Yan Rushan nodded.

Zhong Yuxiu frowned but said nothing.

“So, minus twenty pounds, the boar weighs five hundred seventy-three. Wild boar meat doesn’t sell as high as domestic pork, but with the festival coming, I won’t let you lose out. Fifty cents a pound—is that alright?”

He glanced at Zhong Yuxiu. Yan Rushan nodded. “That works.”

“Five hundred seventy-three pounds comes to two hundred eighty yuan and fifty cents. Everything on the wheelbarrow is what you asked for, worth one hundred fifty yuan. I’ll give you another one hundred thirty-six yuan and fifty cents, okay?” Brother Xu smiled, counting out the money.

Yan Rushan took it, counted, and tucked it into his pocket. “The amount is right. Please have your people help load the goods onto the tractor.”

“No problem.” Brother Xu waved, his men quickly unloading the wheelbarrow and placing everything onto the tractor. Efficient and speedy, it was ready in no time. Brother Xu smiled, “Brother Yan, come to me next time you have something good. You know me—I won’t let you down.”

The wild boar was loaded onto the wheelbarrow, and the group departed.

Yan Rushan climbed onto the tractor with Zhong Yuxiu, handing her the money. “Count it.”

“No need,” she said, slipping it into her pocket. “There’s plenty of grain—about two hundred pounds, right?”