Chapter 22: Harvest

In the afternoon, the light in the forest grew dim.

Qin Tian stabbed countless times, until the Tusks Boar was drenched in blood and lay motionless.

Only then did Qin Tian stop.

He felt a bit unreal, frozen in place, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

“Ding — Host has killed the wild boar, earned 2000 points!”

With the familiar notification sounding, Qin Tian snapped back to reality.

Normally, upon hearing this sound, Qin Tian would immediately check the System, but now he directly closed it.

This was not the time for anything else.

Staggering, Qin Tian approached the nearby bushes and used his Survival Knife to cut off large branches and leaves, throwing them over the Tusks Boar’s body.

The Tusks Boar was too heavy; it was impossible to carry it whole.

He had to cut it into pieces and carry them back to the Camp bit by bit.

But night was falling, and he didn’t have the time.

He could only hide it for now to prevent other beasts from stealing it.

However, the bushes were probably just for show.

Beasts had keen noses.

As long as they smelled the blood, no matter how well hidden it was, it would likely be found.

Qin Tian hadn’t failed to consider this.

His actions were purely a gamble, hoping for a slim chance that it might work—no one could say for sure.

The stench of blood was strong.

After covering the Tusks Boar with bushes, Qin Tian immediately left the area, fearing that a beast drawn by the scent might appear.

***

Time passed, and darkness fell.

Stars twinkled in the night sky.

At the Camp, Ye Lin sat expressionless by the campfire, but her tightly clenched hands betrayed a turmoil beneath the calm surface.

“Back so early, and you didn’t check the fish in the Ground Cage?”

Suddenly, a voice sounded, and a figure stepped out of the shadows.

By the firelight, who else could it be but Qin Tian?

Hearing the voice, Ye Lin trembled all over, stood up, and rushed straight toward Qin Tian.

Stopping in front of him, she grabbed both his hands, scanning him up and down.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“What’s this, so concerned about me?” Qin Tian teased, seeing Ye Lin’s anxiety, but unexpectedly, Ye Lin threw her arms around him.

Burying her head in his chest, she murmured repeatedly, “Thank goodness! Really, thank goodness!”

Qin Tian was stunned, his tone softening.

“I’m sorry for making you worry.”

Hearing this, Ye Lin’s shoulders shook uncontrollably.

“I was so scared… so scared you wouldn’t come back.”

“I did come back…”

“Promise me you won’t leave me again, okay?”

Before Qin Tian could finish, Ye Lin looked up, tears shimmering at the corners of her eyes, gazing at him.

Qin Tian’s heart raced, the words too easily misinterpreted, leaving him at a loss for reply.

But seeing Ye Lin’s hopeful eyes, a pang struck his heart.

He slowly reached out, wiped away her tears, and smiled.

“I promise you.”

As if granted the greatest assurance, Ye Lin smiled in contentment.

As if nothing had happened, Ye Lin let go of his hands and casually took the Cao Fish from Qin Tian.

“Did you wash up?”

Qin Tian felt like he had just come out of water, drenched through, water droplets still falling from his sleeves.

“Just a quick wash,” he replied.

When killing the Tusks Boar, he had gotten covered in blood.

Worried the scent would attract beasts, he’d taken a bath and washed his clothes.

The night was cold, and wearing wet clothes was freezing.

As he spoke, Qin Tian started to take off his upper garment.

But halfway through, he paused, thought better of it, and put it back on.

He nearly forgot about Ye Lin.

Not because he was shy, but out of consideration for her.

However, Qin Tian had overthought it.

Ye Lin didn’t mind at all and instead smiled.

“Go ahead and take it off, then warm yourself by the fire. Don’t catch a cold.”

With Ye Lin’s encouragement, Qin Tian had no more worries.

He stripped down completely, wearing only his shorts, feeling much more comfortable.

Sitting by the fire, Qin Tian and Ye Lin busied themselves with their tasks—one warming clothes, the other roasting the Cao Fish.

There was no conversation between them.

The appearance of the wild boar group had shaken them deeply.

Though safe now, both remained in a daze.

It was understandable.

They hadn’t faced any danger for some time.

The several days of peace had made them complacent.

Now that the crisis had arrived, they struggled to adjust.

***

“The fish we catch daily from the Ground Cage should be enough for a day’s needs. We probably don’t need to go back to the bamboo forest anymore,” Ye Lin broke the silence at one point.

Without replying, Qin Tian glanced at the five Cao Fish lying by the fire.

They were all from the Ground Cage.

Two were four fingers wide, the rest about three.

Not only was tonight’s meal secure, but they didn’t even need to worry about breakfast tomorrow.

“I killed that wild boar today. Its carcass is hidden at the edge of the bamboo forest,” Qin Tian replied, avoiding the topic.

“I’ll go back tomorrow and should bring back a lot of pork.”

“You killed that wild boar?!” Ye Lin was shocked, unable to believe what she had heard.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?” Qin Tian feigned ignorance.

“You really killed it?” Ye Lin asked again.

Even hunters with rifles might struggle to kill a fully grown wild boar.

Qin Tian only had a Survival Knife.

Her doubt was perfectly reasonable.

“Me coming back alive is proof enough, isn’t it?” Qin Tian said calmly.

Thinking it over, Ye Lin agreed.

“Then how did you do it?”

“First this, then that, and then the boar was dead,” Qin Tian answered vaguely, causing Ye Lin to stare at him in disbelief.

“This that and that that—what exactly?”

“Why must you go to the bamboo forest?” Ye Lin pressed, eyes fixed on Qin Tian, searching his face for a hint.

It was obvious.

Ye Lin knew well enough.

Qin Tian was simply saying the bamboo forest was a place he must go.

“It’s not that I have to,” Qin Tian smiled.

“It’s just like being afraid of drowning and not going near the river.

Better to learn how to swim because you fear drowning.”

Qin Tian’s words were metaphorical, but Ye Lin understood.

“What’s your plan? Any ideas?” Ye Lin took a deep breath.

Her words showed she agreed with Qin Tian’s thoughts.

“I plan to make a Composite Bow from bamboo,” Qin Tian said after a moment’s thought.

“Although a Composite Bow makes killing a full-grown wild boar difficult, it can certainly injure and drive it away.”

“Composite Bow?” Ye Lin was surprised.

“You can make something like that?”

Before Qin Tian could answer, Ye Lin added, “If you’re going to the bamboo forest, go alone.

Don’t drag me along.”

“Just take care of the Camp,” Qin Tian smiled wryly.

After today’s events, he wouldn’t dare take Ye Lin there.

After chatting for a while, Qin Tian’s clothes were dry and the fish cooked.

Hungry beyond words, they stopped talking and started eating.

The day’s ordeal had left them physically and mentally exhausted.

After eating, Qin Tian retreated into the wooden shelter and fell asleep.

After a whole day’s travel, his body was utterly worn out.

***

Early the next morning, just as dawn broke, Qin Tian woke Ye Lin and hurriedly left the Camp.

The Swift Cheetah talent only lasted one day.

Qin Tian had activated it yesterday at noon.

That meant by noon today, he would lose the talent.

The Tusks Boar’s corpse was at the bamboo forest’s edge, where there was a chance of encountering other wild boars.

Qin Tian wanted to arrive before his talent expired.

That way, even if he was unlucky and ran into a wild boar group, he could still escape using the talent.

Rushing along, Qin Tian reached the spot around nine in the morning.

But after yesterday’s experience, he had become far more cautious.

Only after confirming no other wild boars were nearby did he approach the Tusks Boar’s corpse.

As expected, predators had taken notice.

When Qin Tian returned, most of the bushes covering the boar’s body had been torn away.

The scene was grisly.

The boar’s belly was ripped open, innards spilled across the ground.

After a night under the action of various fungi, a terrible stench emanated.

Fortunately, the boar hadn’t been eaten much.

The four largest thighs were intact, and the torso still had plenty of meat.

Compared to what had been taken, the remaining meat was abundant.

Enduring the stench, Qin Tian knelt by the carcass and pulled out his Survival Knife.

He stabbed it into the boar’s thigh, painstakingly cutting through sinew and muscle.

The knife was short and not ideal for cutting.

After more than an hour, Qin Tian managed to sever all four legs.

Conservatively, the four legs weighed over a hundred jin.

It would last them one or two weeks without issue.

But Qin Tian didn’t leave yet.

The boar had many useful parts.

Four legs weren’t nearly enough.

He tied the four legs together with hemp rope.

Squatting, Qin Tian stroked the boar’s hide.

The wooden shelter had only a few banana leaves spread on the floor.

Uncomfortable enough, and after long sleep, it caused aches all over.

The boar’s hide wasn’t soft, but it was far better than banana leaves.

If he brought it back and made a blanket, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

As he stroked the hide, Qin Tian’s gaze fell on a wound on the boar’s body.

It was the injury that had caused the boar to bleed excessively and finally fall to him.

His expression grew serious.

To leave such a wound on a tough wild boar was terrifying.

He only hoped never to encounter the beast that had caused it.

The wound was about an inch long, deep enough to reveal white bone.

Anyone could tell it was made by an animal’s claw.