The Second Mountain was a place only seasoned hunters dared to go.
Part of it was because of how dangerous it was—it was safer to move in groups and watch each other's backs. The other reason was simple: if someone actually managed to take down a beast weighing several hundred jin, they'd need help hauling it back down the mountain.
Over time, the hunters there naturally formed their own tight-knit circle.
If you wanted to join them, it was best to have someone vouch for you. Otherwise, if greed ever took hold deep in the forest, not even your body would be found.
"You're going to the Second Mountain?"
Zhao Qiao looked at him in disbelief. "Little Shitou, you've only been hunting for a few days."
"My family still hasn't paid the tax this year."
Chen Sanshi spoke frankly. "Other than the Second Mountain, where else could I earn three taels of silver that quickly?"
"Ah…"
Zhao Qiao sighed.
These days, oppressive taxes were fiercer than tigers.
After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Fine. But let's make one thing clear—if you come back empty-handed, don't blame me."
"Of course, Uncle Zhao. Don't worry."
Chen Sanshi nodded.
As they made their way up the mountain, Zhao Qiao began explaining the rules and precautions. "There's indeed plenty of game deep in the mountain, but that's also where people die most often. If you run into a tiger or a black bear, just run. Don't try to fight."
"And most importantly—avoid the silken robes."
"Silken robes?" Chen Sanshi frowned.
"That's right."
Zhao Qiao's tone turned serious. "Anyone wearing fine silk hunting in these mountains is either a martial hall warrior or some noble's son. People like us can't afford to cross them."
"There've been hunters before who fought over prey with those lords—and ended up dead for it."
"So now, most of us stay to the southern side of the Second Mountain. Hardly anyone dares to go north anymore. Just remember that."
"And one more thing—if you take down something too heavy to carry, fire a whistle arrow into the sky. Any nearby hunter without a catch will come help you haul it down. Of course, you'll need to pay them depending on the size of the kill."
"That's all there is to it. Just be careful. Even fellow villagers can stab you in the back for a silver coin."
He pulled an arrow from his quiver and handed it to Chen Sanshi.
It was a whistling arrow—like a signal arrow, but instead of an iron head, it had a hollow wooden one. When fired, it made a piercing whistling sound and had no killing power.
"Thank you, Uncle Zhao."
Chen Sanshi spoke sincerely.
A few salted duck eggs in exchange for that kind of advice—it was more than worth it.
As they talked, they arrived at the foot of the Second Mountain.
To avoid disputes over game, hunters usually split up once they reached this point, unless they had arranged a group hunt for larger beasts.
The forest ahead was dense and shadowed.
The moment Chen Sanshi stepped beneath the trees, his senses sharpened. Within a ten-step radius, he could already spot traces of animal droppings buried under leaves and faint paw prints pressed into the soil.
'Even some hunting dogs can't track this well!'
'I may not have a dog—but I'm as good as one!'
'And this is just at the Beginner level!'
Fired up, he darted through the woods with his bow on his back, paying attention to every sound and sign of movement.
There was no shortage of prey in the Second Mountain, but most of it was still rabbits and pheasants—small game. Bigger animals were much harder to find.
Years of famine and overhunting had left even these mountains sparse, and many hunters now went home empty-handed more often than not.
According to Uncle Zhao, the real game roamed the northern slope. But that was the nobles' hunting ground. Without martial skill or protection, poor men wouldn't dare set foot there.
"Even hunting's been divided by class, huh?"
Chen Sanshi didn't rush to take a shot.
At his current level, he could easily catch smaller animals anytime. What he needed was something bigger—something that would actually fetch enough to cover his taxes. Even a roe deer would do.
He pushed his focus to the limit.
Rather than tiring, he felt his mind grow sharper, his surroundings clearer, his senses stretching outward until it felt as if he were stepping into a new state of awareness.
Sure enough, once he broke through that threshold, the familiar panel shimmered into view like rippling water.
[Skill: Tracking and Hiding (Mastery)]
[Progress: (0/500)]
[Effect: Extraordinary Insight; Moves as Light as a Swallow]
A profound clarity washed over him. Chen Sanshi could feel every one of his senses heighten again.
Now, he could even see the faint strands of animal fur lying on the ground.
Some wild creatures, after all, deliberately hid their droppings to avoid predators.
But no matter how careful they were, wild beasts could never hide the strands of fur that fell from their bodies.
And keen perception wasn't just useful for tracking—it was just as vital for archery.
A palm-sized target at eighty meters looked like nothing more than a black speck, but if his eyesight could pick up even the tiniest detail, then his shots would only become sharper and deadlier.
These skills complemented each other perfectly.
'Add the [Perfect Memory] from Reading, and I'm basically walking around with a hunter's version of Sherlock Holmes' memory palace.'
Chen Sanshi crouched down and picked up a strand of coarse black hair from the grass at his feet.
'Half a finger long, thick and stiff. Not decayed—its owner must have passed by not long ago.'
Every dozen steps or so, he found more of the same hair. After another hundred steps, faint hoofprints began to appear.
He followed the trail.
The rugged, twisting mountain paths posed no challenge to him. His feet barely made a sound as he glided forward swiftly and effortlessly—light as a swallow.
'I wonder if this counts as lightness skill now.'
Suddenly, his sharp ears caught movement.
He slowed his pace, creeping toward the sound through a stand of bamboo.
Then he saw it—a large, jet-black wild boar, powerfully built and bristling with muscle.
Three piglets trailed behind it as it rooted around for food, snuffling through the dirt while the little ones squealed and rolled about happily, completely unaware of the danger drawing near.
'Jackpot!'
'That sow's easily three hundred jin, and the piglets will fetch even more!'
Chen Sanshi could almost see the shining silver coins waving at him. He forced himself to stay calm, creeping as close as he could.
Long-distance shots were accurate, sure—but the closer the range, the greater the impact, especially against thick-skinned beasts like boars. From too far away, it'd be tough to land a killing blow.
When he was finally within twenty steps, he stopped on a sloped patch of ground behind the animal.
He quietly unslung his longbow and nocked a brand-new, double-bladed Wolf Fang Arrow.
The four-strength bow now felt light in his hands—he could draw it to full tension almost effortlessly, and it felt as if a bit more force might even snap it.
He loosed the string. The arrow flew.
"ROOOAAAR—!"
The shot hit from behind, burying itself deep into the boar's haunch. It let out a high-pitched, ear-splitting scream as flocks of startled birds burst into flight all around.
But the bow had been too light—the arrowhead pierced only about three inches into the flesh.
Instead of fleeing, the boar turned berserk. Ignoring the blood pouring from its wound, it charged straight toward him, snorting furiously.
A wild boar was a true beast.
If an ordinary man got rammed by one, he'd be lucky to survive—even if he did, he'd be bedridden for half a month.
Chen Sanshi stayed perfectly calm. The second arrow was already flying.
"Whump!"
Another arrow slammed into the beast's body. It staggered but didn't stop—its charge only slowed a little.
The third arrow came almost instantly after, piercing straight through its skull.
This time, the boar collapsed where it stood, crashing heavily to the ground, dead on the spot.
The four piglets shrieked and bolted in different directions, terrified.
The terrain was uneven and cluttered—normally, any hunter would have lost at least two of them. But Chen Sanshi wasn't just any hunter.
"Whizz, whizz, whizz, whizz—!"
In just a few breaths, his arrows flew like lightning.
All five piglets—including one that tried to dart behind a rock—fell with arrows clean through their bodies.
Not one escaped.
And when the last fell silent, Chen Sanshi realized—his quiver was empty.