Reborn in 72, I hunt to support my family and spoil my younger sister rotten.

Just as Li Xiangyang was about to change direction, he discovered that the black leopard cat had reappeared.

It crouched under a pine tree not far away, its amber eyes fixed on him.

This discovery stunned Li Xiangyang.

Generally, once a leopard cat has snatched food, it will immediately hide away to enjoy it and will never reappear.

But this one unusually followed him.

“Interesting,” Li Xiangyang said softly.

He continued walking forward, noticing that the leopard cat maintained a certain distance, following him at a leisurely pace.

Snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Li Xiangyang squinted and suddenly saw a white shadow flash by in the distance—it was a snow rabbit.

He immediately lowered himself, drew an arrow from his quiver, and nocked it on his bow.

Just as he was taking aim, the black leopard cat suddenly darted out, startling the snow rabbit away.

"This..." Li Xiangyang was both amused and exasperated; this was clearly intentional.

To his surprise, the leopard cat did not chase the snow hare, but turned around and looked at him with a hint of mockery in its eyes.

For the next hour or so, whenever Li Xiangyang spotted prey, the black leopard cat would appear unexpectedly.

They either snatch it directly or scare the prey away beforehand.

Li Xiangyang finally understood that this guy was playing him.

Among the older generation of hunters in Northeast China, there has always been a legend about black cats.

They say that encountering a pure black leopard cat in the snow is a sign from God.

Li Xiangyang had previously dismissed this claim as just a rumor.

But today's experience has forced him to believe it to some extent.

The black leopard cat's actions clearly indicated that it was leading him into the mountains.

With this in mind, Li Xiangyang decided to change his strategy, no longer actively seeking prey, but instead following in the footsteps of the leopard cat.

Sure enough, the black leopard cat noticed that he understood its intentions and its pace became noticeably lighter.

It led the way, occasionally looking back to see if Li Xiangyang was keeping up.

Gradually, Li Xiangyang noticed that the scenery around him had changed.

The trees grew taller and denser, and the snow was thicker than before.

This is a remote area rarely visited by people from the mountains.

Li Xiangyang followed the black leopard cat cautiously. He had never been to this area before; the snow had bent the pine branches, forming white arches.

The cold wind howled in the treetops, and occasionally, snowflakes fell from the branches with a dull thud. Li Xiangyang unconsciously gripped his bow tighter. Such places often harbored large, ferocious beasts.

The black leopard cat seemed to know the place like the back of its hand. It nimbly moved among the trees, stopping every now and then to wait for Li Xiangyang. Its amber eyes gleamed eerily in the dim forest.

Suddenly, the black leopard cat stopped in its tracks. It lowered its body, its tail stiffened, and its eyes were fixed on what was ahead.

Li Xiangyang immediately held his breath and followed the leopard cat's gaze. Through the dense foliage, he saw a wide expanse of snow where several roe deer were active.

These deer were much larger than usual, clearly old deer from deep in the mountains. They leisurely nibbled on the bark exposed to the snow, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

The black leopard cat glanced back at Li Xiangyang, as if to say, "See? I brought you to the right place, didn't I?"

Li Xiangyang understood that this was a golden opportunity. He gently took the bow off his back and drew an arrow from the quiver.

In such situations, a single, fatal arrow is necessary. If you merely wound the roe deer and allow it to escape into the deep mountains, all your efforts will be in vain.

There's a saying that goes, "October deer hunts are so delicious they'll bankrupt you," referring to the fact that deer are at their fattest and most delicious during this season. If you manage to catch one, it's not only enough to feed your family, but you can also sell it for a good price.

Li Xiangyang took a deep breath and slowly drew back the bowstring. Aiming at the chest of the largest roe deer, he steadied himself and applied slight pressure with his fingers.

At this critical moment, the black leopard cat suddenly bristled, turned its head to look in another direction, and let out a low warning growl.

Li Xiangyang immediately understood; this was a warning that a large, ferocious beast was lurking in the mountains.

He carefully put away his bow and arrows, held his breath, and listened intently to the sounds around him.

The herd of deer seemed to sense the danger as well, and they all pricked up their ears and looked around warily.

Suddenly, a series of deep footsteps came from the snow.

Heavy and powerful, each step was breathtaking.

Li Xiangyang's pupils suddenly contracted—he knew those footsteps all too well.

It's a Siberian tiger!

The black leopard cat remained crouched motionless, its fur standing on end. Instead of running away, it gently nudged Li Xiangyang's leg with its tail, signaling him to follow it.

Just then, the herd of deer was startled and scattered in all directions.

The largest roe deer happened to run in Li Xiangyang's direction.

Li Xiangyang dared not make any rash moves.

At times like these, a single misstep could attract a Siberian tiger.

But the roe deer seemed to be driven by something, and it ran straight towards this side.

The black leopard cat suddenly arched its back, its tail swishing rapidly, its amber eyes fixed on the roe deer's escape route.

Li Xiangyang immediately understood its meaning—this was a rare opportunity.

The Siberian tiger was chasing after it, forcing the roe deer to flee in this direction.

If we act quickly enough, we might be able to catch the tiger before it arrives...

Li Xiangyang made a decisive move and quickly drew back the bowstring.

At times like these, hesitation means missing opportunities.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow pierced the air and struck the roe deer squarely in the chest.

The enormous roe deer collapsed to the ground, rolled a few times on the snow, and then lay still.

At the same time, the black leopard cat had already retrieved its prey and darted to Li Xiangyang's side, nudging his legs with its head, signaling him to leave quickly.

In the distance, the roar of a tiger could be heard.

Li Xiangyang didn't dare to delay. He quickly tied the roe deer to his back and followed the black leopard cat away.

This scene was as perfectly synchronized as if they had worked together countless times.

Li Xiangyang carried the roe deer on his back and walked quickly, with the black leopard cat following closely behind him.

Although the snow was deep, it seemed to know this mountain forest like the back of its hand, and could always find the easiest route to pass.

The tiger's roar gradually faded into the distance, but Li Xiangyang dared not let his guard down.

Snatching food from a tiger's mouth is no joke; if that Siberian tiger catches up, the consequences would be unimaginable.

After walking about two miles, Li Xiangyang slowed down a little.

The roe deer on his back weighed at least eighty pounds, and he was drenched in sweat after the long march.

"Thanks to you, little guy." Li Xiangyang panted as he looked at the black leopard cat beside him.

The black leopard cat held its head high with pride, its tail held high, clearly enjoying the compliment.

It no longer kept its distance as before, but stayed close to Li Xiangyang, occasionally nuzzling his trouser leg with its head.

"What, you want to come home with me?" Li Xiangyang asked with a smile.

He had never seen such a friendly wild leopard cat before.

As if it understood, the leopard cat let out a cry in response.

Li Xiangyang was somewhat amused and exasperated: "It's not that I don't welcome you, it's just that you're sure you want to come along? Isn't it better to be free and independent?"

The black leopard cat seemed determined to follow him.

Along the way, it always chose the safest route to lead the way.

Whenever Li Xiangyang wanted to rest because of the heavy load, it would bark twice to urge him on, as if reminding him that it was getting late.

Before I knew it, a familiar scene appeared before my eyes.

Li Xiangyang then realized that he had unknowingly walked out of the deep mountains.

"What an intelligent little guy!" Li Xiangyang exclaimed sincerely.

If he hadn't experienced it firsthand, he would never have believed that he would encounter such a peculiar leopard cat.

When he reached the village entrance, he glanced back and saw the black leopard cat still following behind at a leisurely pace.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on its jet-black fur, giving it a faint gleam.

“Since you’re sticking around, then come along,” Li Xiangyang said with a helpless smile. “But don’t scare the little girl at home.”

The black leopard cat meowed softly, as if in response: You can rest assured about that.