As the sky grew dim, Gordon climbed out of bed right on time.
He moved his right arm around; it felt light and flexible. He twisted his waist, and the crisp crackling sound told him that his bone injuries had completely healed.
He jumped up and down a few times, and there was no dull ache or stuffy feeling in his chest or abdomen. It seemed his physical condition had returned to its peak.
He punched his palm, and the solid force made him grin with satisfaction.
He pulled out a few pieces of portable food and filled his stomach with water.
He put on the pieces of the Hunter Set one by one. After arming himself, Gordon equipped his round shield and meticulously sharpened his Hunter's Knifewith a whetstone.
After completing all of this, Gordon stepped out of the tent.
The Hunter's Knife glowed with the unique dark purple hue of dried Poison Mushroom juice, and his waterskin was completely filled with crude recovery medicine.
The "Black-Hearted Giant Matsutake," the core of his operation, was carefully wrapped in large leaves and placed into his satchel.
He let out a long breath.
Facing the rising sun, Gordon strode to the entrance of the Hunting Camp, and like a truly seasoned hunter, he began his first "no-holds-barred" hunt.
More than an hour passed.
Gordon was not in a hurry; only with enough patience could he find clues to a monster's whereabouts.
Now, he had found something.
Stroking the trace of Dye Ball pigment on the tree trunk, Gordon sniffed, trying to discern the lingering scent of the Dye Berry in the air.
He used this to confirm the Great Wild Boar King's current location and distance.
More than ten hours had passed since last night's battle, and the Dye Ball's effect time was basically reaching its limit.
It was fortunate that it hadn't rained last night; otherwise, the Dye Ball's effectiveness would have been greatly reduced, and the traces and scent left by the pigment would have been washed away.
In that case, he would truly be like a headless fly.
"Northeast direction, about two to three kilometers away, near the Stream with lots of Mushrooms? Good luck." Gordon's eyes lit up as he muttered to himself.
Over the past two years, he had spent at least a third of his time in the outer reaches of Shuretsusen Hill.
While he didn't know every blade of grass and every tree like the back of his hand, he was very clear about the environment of each area, its terrain, and what resources it had.
The area where the Great Wild Boar King was currently located was relatively flat, crisscrossed by Streams, and was one of the best Mushroomgathering spots nearby. The creature was very likely foraging in that vicinity.
This would greatly increase the success rate of the "drugging" operation.
His pace began to quicken.
He had to set up the poisoned bait before the Great Wild Boar King ate its fill.
After traveling for more than half an hour, the faint scent of the Dye Ball in the air gradually became continuous and distinct.
Gordon knew he was close to his target.
He took off his helmet and, using the more sensitive skin on his cheeks and neck, instantly determined the current wind direction.
His luck was still pretty good; he was downwind. As long as he was careful, he could stealthily approach the Great Wild Boar King without worrying about being discovered by it.
Gordon continued to approach with slow steps.
This time, he learned from last night's lesson. While circling forward, he carefully investigated the situation in the surrounding area.
To be honest, he had some psychological trauma.
Hunting a Great Wild Boar, and a Great Wild Boar King appeared. If something strange appeared again while hunting the Great Wild Boar King, would he even survive?
Fortunately, Shuretsusen Hill was relatively calm during the day. Apart from a few slow-grazing Herbivore Dragons, the only animals larger than rabbits were the Ling Deer, which were even more timid than rabbits.
He stealthily investigated and approached, and nearly another half an hour passed.
Gordon, crouching and hidden in the bushes, once again saw that massive and majestic figure.
The Great Wild Boar King leisurely wandered among the Streams and vegetation, searching for tasty berries and Mushrooms.
Its left hind leg seemed somewhat abnormal; when it walked, the time it spent on the ground was relatively shorter than its right leg, which made Gordon feel a little delighted.
That desperate blow last night had indeed injured the Great Wild Boar King's Achilles tendon. Relying on its self-healing ability, a single night was not enough for the wound to fully recover.
This might be an opportunity for him.
Gordon didn't rush out recklessly. Since there was a gap in raw strength, he had to be cautious. It wasn't time for a direct confrontation yet.
After observing for a while and confirming the Great Wild Boar King's general route, Gordon quietly retreated.
He wanted to get to the Great Wild Boar King's next foraging spot first to set up.
A few minutes later, Gordon arrived at a clearing in the forest.
There were many fallen pine trees here, their trunks broken, and their roots upturned. These trees had long since died, but they were "alive" in another way.
Everything in the forest had its value, and decaying wood was no exception.
Whether it was the soft, thick Moss that completely covered the decaying wood, or the clumps of fungi, they were all the Great Wild Boar King's favorite foods.
Giant Matsutake, revered by gourmets as a "forest delicacy," could also occasionally be found nearby.
Gordon was at least seventy percent sure that the Great Wild Boar King would pass through here soon to enjoy a meal.
He grabbed a handful of pungent Moss from a nearby tree and vigorously rubbed it on his hands and feet to eliminate any human scent, preventing the Great Wild Boar King from discovering any flaws later.
He found a tree stump where Giant Matsutake had been collected in the past, lightly buried the Paralysis Mushrooms and Poison Mushrooms disguised as Giant Matsutake, then cleared away his tracks, and quietly left.
The scent of the Giant Matsutake, chopped and smeared onto these poisoned baits, was strong enough. Gordon believed that even buried in the soil, the Great Wild Boar King would accurately find them.
To be honest, Gordon was unsure whether doing this would fool the Great Wild Boar King's keen sense of smell, or if the poisoned bait would be effective once eaten.
If it didn't work, everything would have to be left to the Hunter's Knife in his hand.
He scanned his surroundings, found a downwind bush, and lay in wait. All he could do now was wait.
Ten minutes, twenty minutes, half an hour...
Time passed minute by minute. Gordon repeatedly told himself to be patient, but even so, his emotions inevitably began to grow anxious.
Just as he was about to give up, the heavy footsteps of the Great Wild Boar King came from afar.
Gordon felt his heart rate quicken. He quickly adjusted his breathing, trying to suppress his heartbeat and panting, and lay motionless behind the bush like a true log.
The Great Wild Boar King's nose twitched all around.
It seemed to faintly smell that annoying human's scent.
But compared to that faint, elusive scent, a more intoxicating aroma that often appeared in its dreams interested it more—the scent of Giant Matsutake.
Even though it was the king of its entire species, it didn't often get to eat that delicious Giant Matsutake. When was the last time it ate this delicacy? It seemed to be in the autumn before the breeding season, that sweet and delicious taste was truly unforgettable.
Following the scent, the Great Wild Boar King trotted all the way to the tree stump.
Its long snout easily pushed aside the loose soil, revealing the delicious treats buried beneath.
The scent of the Giant Matsutake immediately became more intense. Unlike before, this time the "Giant Matsutake" was even mixed with the sweet scent of honey.
Oink oink, did it also have some other flavors mixed in?
Never mind!
The Great Wild Boar King opened its large mouth and, in a few bites, chewed the delicious Mushrooms whole and swallowed them.
Moments later, a roaring sound, made intermittent by abdominal pain and oral paralysis, echoed throughout the entire mountain forest.
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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