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

An ordinary black bear would have collapsed long ago after being shot so many times, but this bear not only endured the excruciating pain, but its strength seemed to have increased as well.

"Quick! It's charging!" Langko's voice trembled slightly.

"Don't panic! Aim for the heart! Aim for the chest!" Li Xiangyang shouted.

Before he finished speaking, the black bear suddenly leaped up, aiming straight for the branch where Langko was.

Ranco panicked and fired two shots, both of which missed their target.

This momentary mistake could be fatal; the black bear was less than three meters away from him.

A cold glint flashed in Li Xiangyang's eyes.

At this moment, his hands were steadier than ever.

"boom!"

The crisp sound of gunfire rang out.

The bullet seemed to have eyes, piercing through the black bear's thick fur and striking its heart precisely.

At the same time, Altai's bullet also hit the target, but missed the heart.

Severely injured, the black bear's massive body paused in mid-air before crashing heavily to the ground beneath the tree.

It was still struggling, its thick limbs scratching the ground frantically, its claws carving deep grooves in the snow.

Blood gushed from the wound in his chest, quickly turning the surrounding snow a dark red.

Even after the black bear fell completely silent, Langko was still trembling all over.

He knew that if it weren't for Li Xiangyang's dangerous shot, he would have died here today.

"Come down," Li Xiangyang said calmly, "take a break first."

The three of them climbed down from the tree, and Langko's legs went weak, almost causing him to kneel on the ground.

He turned to Li Xiangyang, his voice choked with emotion: "Brother, if it weren't for you today..."

“Don’t mention it,” Li Xiangyang waved his hand. “If the black bear came at me, wouldn’t you have to save me too? We’re all in the same boat.”

Altai and Langke exchanged a smile, quite satisfied with Li Xiangyang's attitude.

In their view, a hunter who could fire such a fatal shot in a critical moment, yet remained so humble, deserves respect.

“We need to get the bear back quickly,” Altai said, glancing at the sky. “The road will be difficult to travel later.”

Li Xiangyang nodded, and the black cat jumped onto his shoulder, gently rubbing his cheek, seemingly proud of his performance.

The three examined the black bear's injuries.

This adult male bear is enormous, standing over three meters tall and weighing an estimated five or six hundred kilograms.

Its fur was glossy and shiny, and even after it died, its fierce aura remained undiminished.

“We need to get some help,” Ranko said, rubbing his still trembling arms. “The three of us can’t handle this guy.”

“Yes, that’s settled then. I’ll go back and get some men,” Altai offered. “You guys stay here and keep watch.”

"Alright, be careful on the road." Li Xiangyang nodded.

Altai turned and left, quickly disappearing into the dense forest.

The black cat remained perched on Li Xiangyang's shoulder, warily surveying its surroundings.

Langko squatted down beside the black bear, carefully examining its wounds: "This bear is really tough. Look at these scars; it probably fought many wolves in the past."

“Yes,” Li Xiangyang agreed, “just based on its size, an ordinary wolf pack really wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

The two waited for about an hour before finally hearing voices in the distance.

Ma Laosan arrived with a dozen or so workers, with Altai leading the way.

"Good heavens!" Old Ma was stunned when he saw the black bear. "It must weigh five or six hundred pounds, right?"

“Almost,” Ranco said. “I’ve been hunting for all these years, and I’ve never seen one this big.”

Old Ma circled the black bear, examining it closely: "This fur is excellent, so glossy and smooth. It's almost as plump as two ordinary black bears."

The workers were all amazed and discussed it amongst themselves.

"Alright," Ma Laosan snapped out of his daze, "Let's hurry up and get it back, it's almost dark."

The workers cut down several thick wooden poles and found sturdy hemp ropes, then hurriedly tied the black bear to the poles. A dozen or so people split into two teams and carried the black bear back.

Li Xiangyang and Lang Ke walked behind, watching the workers struggle to carry the black bear, carefully avoiding the snow and tree roots along the way.

The journey was not easy.

Even with so many people carrying such a heavy black bear through the snow, everyone was exhausted and panting.

Fortunately, with everyone working together, they finally returned to the camp before it got completely dark.

Back at the camp, Ma Laosan did not rush to deal with the black bear, but instead had it carried to three new graves next to the construction site.

The snow in front of the grave had been cleared, and three wooden plaques were neatly arranged, each bearing the name of the deceased.

The workers spontaneously put the black bear down and stood silently to the side.

Ma Laosan took out a bottle of liquor, knelt down in front of the grave, and kowtowed three times.

He spilled the wine on the ground, his voice choked with emotion: "My three brothers, this beast took your lives. Today I've finally avenged you. This will at least comfort your souls in heaven..."

Seeing this, Li Xiangyang knew that Ma Laosan was showing this to the living workers.

Only when the workers see this can they feel at ease to continue working.

After the memorial service, Ma Laosan stood up, wiped his eyes, and said, "Let's take the bear to the backyard to deal with it."

The workers lifted the black bear again and walked towards the backyard.

Several large lanterns had already been set up in the courtyard, illuminating the surroundings brightly.

Several experienced craftsmen had been waiting for a long time.

"This is a rare and fine hide; it must be peeled off completely, not a single bit can be wasted."

The old man stroked the black bear's fur as he spoke.

“Yes, it’s a fine hide, but you have to be careful with the bear bile,” Old Ma cautioned. “This is a treasure.”

The workers placed the black bear on a specially prepared wooden frame and began to process it.

Several experienced workers were in charge of skinning the bear, while several others were in charge of butchering the bear meat.

Li Xiangyang was about to help when Ma Laosan stopped him: "Brother Li, you've worked hard today, go and rest. These things can be handled by them."

“Okay,” Li Xiangyang nodded, “then let’s go warm up first.”

After saying that, he winked at Altai and Langko.

The three returned to the house, where the fire in the stove was already burning brightly.

Lanco poured a bowl of wine for each of them, and the three of them sat down around the stove.

“To be honest,” Langke said, picking up his wine bowl, “if it weren’t for Brother Li today, I’d be dead.”

“Yes,” Altai remarked, “this is the first time we’ve encountered such a ferocious black bear.”

As the three were talking, Ma Laosan, carrying a wine jar, walked in.

Old Ma poured wine for everyone, then pulled out three thick envelopes: "Brothers, you did a great job today. This is a small token of my appreciation, three hundred each."

The three men exchanged glances. Li Xiangyang was about to speak when Ma Laosan waved his hand, "Don't be so polite. If it weren't for your help, I don't know how much longer my voice would have been hoarse. It's a pity about those three workers who were with me; they're all still young..."

As he spoke, he tilted his head back and took a large gulp of wine.

Li Xiangyang nodded and took the envelope.

At this moment, regardless of how much of Ma Laosan's performance was acting, he was indeed a good person.

The work was handled flawlessly, without a single fault.

No wonder they can set up their own factories these days.

Altai and Langke silently accepted the money and looked at Ma Laosan with gratitude.