The next morning.
After breakfast, Adam and the other two, each carrying a gun, ventured deep into the forest.
This was their first real hunting trip, and Adam was quite excited. Holding his gun and carrying a compound bow on his back, he scanned the surroundings eagerly, hoping to take the first shot and claim the honor of the first kill.
Although America has abundant forest resources and some animal populations even grow out of control, it's not like wildlife can be spotted everywhere. The three of them walked for quite a while without even catching a glimpse of an animal.
*"Expectations were grand, but reality is cruel,"* Adam couldn't help but complain.
*"Looks like you really love expectations,"* Juno responded calmly, teasing him after hearing his complaint.
*"Heh."*
Adam could easily tell Juno was making fun of him, but he pretended not to notice. Instead of responding, he just chuckled and kept scanning the area.
After all, they were in the wild, and the dangers weren't limited to animals—people could be just as, if not more, dangerous. Staying alert was essential.
Fortunately, Adam's physical attributes were far superior to the average person. His sharp senses and focused mind ensured that even the slightest movement wouldn't escape his notice.
Juno, as always, was incredibly composed and reliable.
Karen, on the other hand, wasn't particularly interested in hunting. Without needing a reminder from Juno, she simply kept her gun ready, maintaining a watchful guard over their surroundings.
With ample firearms and ammunition, as well as their training in hand-to-hand combat, their safety was well assured. They weren't too worried.
If anyone was foolish enough to mess with them, it was uncertain who should really be concerned.
*"Over there!"*
Adam caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of his eye and immediately whispered a warning.
*"It's a deer!"*
Juno locked eyes on the target and spoke excitedly.
Deer were considered large game, so spotting one on their first day out was quite fortunate.
*"I love venison,"* Adam said with a grin as he kept his gun ready, carefully scanning the area to ensure no people were nearby. *"Especially grilled venison with a good drink. It's even better with snowfall and red plum blossoms."*
Accidentally shooting a person while hunting was not unheard of. One could never be too cautious. Otherwise, their peaceful hunting trip might turn into a horror story.
*"Why snowfall and red plum blossoms?"* Juno asked curiously while also helping to survey the surroundings.
*"A world covered in silver snow, with red plum blossoms standing proudly—it's a poetic sight."*
Adam was thinking of the imagery from *Dream of the Red Chamber*: *'A world of glassy snow and red plum blossoms, where delicate beauties feast on game.'* But that wasn't something he could explain in full.
Juno gave him a strange look after hearing his explanation.
Adam had no idea her thoughts had gone in a different direction. Remaining highly focused, he conducted his final safety check.
*"Clear!"*
*"Clear!"*
Juno also double-checked and confirmed.
Still unsatisfied, they repeated the confirmation process multiple times. Only then did Adam finally aim at the unsuspecting deer and pull the trigger.
**Bang!**
Adam's shooting skills were so good that even his instructor, Old Mike, often mocked him, calling him *"a show-off"*. His hands were steady as a rock. The gunshot rang out, and the deer collapsed instantly.
*"Nice shot,"* Juno praised.
*"Let's go check it out!"*
Feeling refreshed, Adam slung his gun over his shoulder and motioned for the others to follow.
The three of them quickly approached their prize. The deer lay motionless on the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath it.
It was a full-grown male deer, about two meters long and 1.2 meters tall, weighing over 100 kilograms—a solid catch.
*"A great start. Let's call it a day,"* Adam said with a smile. *"This deer is more than enough for us to handle."*
*"Agreed."*
Juno nodded with a smile.
For ordinary people, carrying such a large deer back would be a hassle. But Adam didn't even need Juno or Karen's help. He simply hoisted the entire deer onto his shoulder with ease.
*"What on earth do you eat to grow like this?"*
Juno reached out, pinching Adam's muscles. *"You look lean in clothes but surprisingly muscular underneath. Still, your muscles don't seem nearly big enough to explain your strength. And you're getting stronger!"*
*"It's just natural talent,"* Adam said with a playful grin. *"Can't be helped."*
Juno chuckled and let it go.
No matter how smart she was, she couldn't possibly imagine that someone like Adam—who seemed to defy normal human limits—could actually exist in reality.
The three of them followed their original path back to the cabin in the woods.
Adam placed the deer on the surgical table.
He and Juno then put on masks and surgical caps, followed by light blue surgical gowns—part of the medical supplies Adam had purchased.
Since they were simulating real surgical procedures, everything had to be as authentic as possible. Money wasn't an issue, so Adam had spared no expense.
Seeing Adam eagerly watching Karen tie Juno's gown from behind, Juno smirked and nudged Karen with her elbow.
Karen ignored them and simply focused on fastening Juno's gown properly.
Juno shrugged.
Adam sighed, resigned to tying his own gown.
*"I got the first shot, so I'll let you take the first cut,"* Adam said, handing Juno a scalpel.
Juno didn't hesitate. She made the first incision in the deer's abdomen, and the sharp scalpel sliced through easily, revealing the internal organs.
Adam adjusted the surgical light for a better view and began discussing the deer's anatomy with Juno, comparing it to the human body. The scene took on a highly academic atmosphere.
Bit by bit, they dissected the deer, engaged in discussion as they worked.
At Karen's request, they carefully cut the tenderest parts of the meat into evenly sized pieces.
Karen took the venison outside to prepare it. Since it was fresh, she planned to grill it for lunch.
*"Do you want Karen to make you some soup?"* Juno asked, playfully lifting a certain part of the deer with her scalpel. *"I hear it's great for vitality."*
Adam immediately understood her implication and felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth.
*"No thanks,"* he retorted. *"I don't want to overheat."*
*"What's there to be afraid of?"* Juno teased. *"You're clearly interested in Karen. Want me to set you two up?"*
*"Cut it out,"* Adam scoffed. *"If that happened, I'd be more worried about you coming after me with a knife at night."*
*"Heh."*
Juno chuckled but didn't press further.
They continued dissecting, studying biological structures with great focus.
After a while, Adam glanced at her.
*"Haha!"*
Juno suddenly burst into laughter.
Adam immediately realized what she was up to and shook his head helplessly.
There was no way he could outplay Juno when it came to mind games. He decided it was best to stop taking the bait altogether.
famous man once said: *"Speaking scatters one's spirit, and moving the tongue stirs up trouble."*
He also said: *"A thousand words, perfectly placed, are not as powerful as a single moment of silence."*
How true.
*"What should we do with the deer hide?"* Juno asked. *"Should we stitch it back up or turn it into a coat?"*
*"Are you going to wear it raw if we don't process it?"* Adam shot back. *"Obviously, we're stitching it back up. We're practicing life-saving skills, not playing around."*
(End of chapter.)