pdf-ebookys Chapter 348 Encounter with Lynx
Chapter 348 Encounter with Lynx
The two followed the rabbit in the opposite direction it had fled. The thick fog behind them was gradually dissipating, and sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
“Bear footprints should be very obvious, how come there isn’t a trace at all?” Wang Ergou followed behind Li Xiangyang, looking around with his eyes full of doubt.
Li Xiangyang crouched down and carefully examined the marks on the ground: "Let's search a little longer. If we can't find it, we'll have to prepare to spend the night."
Wang Ergou nodded and continued searching.
Little Tiger and Black Cat also split up, darting through the surrounding grass.
Time passed slowly, and the two searched almost the entire surrounding area, but still found no trace of the bear.
"Strange, could the rabbit have been startled by something else?" Li Xiangyang frowned and subconsciously touched his gun.
Just then, Little Tiger suddenly pricked up his ears and growled in a low, wary voice, while Black Cat's fur stood on end and its back arched into a bow shape.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou immediately became alert, standing back to back and looking around.
A strange rustling sound came from deep within the grass, not like the wind, but more like some kind of creature moving quickly.
“Something’s not right,” Li Xiangyang squinted. “This noise isn’t from a bear; the sound is too soft, and the speed is too fast.”
Wang Ergou nervously swallowed: "What is that?"
“I don’t know, but it’s definitely not something good.” Li Xiangyang slowly raised his rifle.
Suddenly, about twenty meters to their right, a meadow about the height of a person began to shake violently, and something was moving through it at an astonishing speed.
"Over there!" Wang Ergou exclaimed, raising his gun and aiming it in that direction.
Li Xiangyang stopped him, saying, "Don't fire. You can't see the target clearly; you might alert them."
The unidentified creature moved very strangely, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, at an extremely fast speed, making it impossible to determine what it was.
Suddenly, the shaking of the meadow stopped, and all around was silent.
"Did it stop?" Wang Ergou asked in a low voice, his palms sweaty.
Li Xiangyang shook his head: "I don't know, but we'd better be prepared."
The two waited anxiously, even holding their breath.
Little Tiger stood protectively in front of the two, crouching low, ready to pounce at any moment.
The black cat jumped onto a tree and cautiously observed its surroundings.
Just then, a dark figure suddenly darted out of the bushes at an astonishing speed, heading straight for Li Xiangyang!
"Watch out!" Wang Ergou shouted.
Li Xiangyang quickly turned to the side, and the thing brushed past his shoulder before darting back into the bushes.
Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Li Xiangyang's years of experience in the mountains and forests sent a chill down his spine; he realized it was very likely a lynx.
"Damn it, it's a lynx!" Li Xiangyang shouted in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the patch of grass.
Upon hearing this, Wang Ergou's expression also became serious.
In this place where the grass was taller than a person, the two knew that dealing with lynxes was extremely dangerous.
"Ergou, it seems that's it for today. We need to find a place to set up camp as soon as possible."
As Li Xiangyang spoke, he and Wang Ergou, back to back, slowly retreated to the side to find a suitable campsite.
After searching, they discovered a small, elevated platform surrounded by rocks and trees, an ideal campsite that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou acted quickly. They first used branches and vines to weave a simple fence around the platform, filling the gaps as tightly as possible to prevent lynxes from suddenly rushing in.
Next, they collected a large amount of dry leaves and withered grass and spread them out in the center of the platform to make two simple beds.
The little tiger patrolled around the camp, using its keen sense of smell and hearing to detect potential dangers.
The black cat leaped down from the tree and onto a boulder at the edge of the camp, observing the surrounding activity from its elevated position.
As the campfire rose in the camp, its light illuminated an area of several meters, giving the two a sense of security.
That evening, the two ate some simple dry food and decided to take turns keeping watch.
"You go to sleep first, I'll keep watch for the first half of the night," Li Xiangyang said to Wang Ergou. "It's your turn in four hours."
Wang Ergou nodded and found a comfortable spot to lie down.
Little Tiger curled up beside him, ready to face any danger at any moment.
The black cat, like a silent sentinel, patrolled around the camp.
The night in the mountains and forests is accompanied by a variety of sounds.
The rustling of leaves, the chirping of insects, and the occasional calls of unknown animals drifted from afar.
Li Xiangyang leaned against a rock, holding a gun in his hand, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily.
A night breeze blew, and the meadow swayed gently, making a rustling sound from time to time, making it hard to tell whether it was the wind or something approaching.
Li Xiangyang's heart, however, was unusually calm.
His previous life in the jungle had made him accustomed to this environment; whether it was grassland or tropical rainforest, he could survive in the harshest conditions.
The long night passed by, minute by minute.
When the campfire had burned down to embers, Li Xiangyang gently woke Wang Ergou.
“It’s your turn to keep watch,” he said softly. “Be careful.”
Wang Ergou rubbed his eyes and nodded: "I understand, you can sleep peacefully."
Li Xiangyang found a comfortable spot to lie down.
As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the gaps in the leaves and fell upon the campsite in the early morning, Li Xiangyang opened his eyes.
"How's it going? Any movement?" Li Xiangyang asked softly, while quickly getting up to check his equipment.
Wang Ergou shook his head: "That guy has been loitering nearby, but hasn't dared to come closer." He yawned, "I think he knows how powerful a gun is."
"Not necessarily. Any carnivore is often more patient than a human. Perhaps they're just waiting for us to let our guard down," Li Xiangyang said cautiously.
"What should we do then?" Wang Ergou asked. "We can't let it follow us like this forever, can we?"
Li Xiangyang thought for a moment: "Let's go, let's take another route. There's a ridge over there, the terrain is open, and it'll be easier to observe."
The two changed their route and moved towards the ridge.
The road was more rugged, but the view was much wider.
The two struggled along the rugged mountain path toward the ridge, the loose stones under their feet occasionally making a "crunching" sound.
As the altitude gradually increased, the view suddenly opened up, and the mountain ridge finally came into view. Looking out, the continuous mountain range stretched out before us.
A mountain wind howled past, lifting the hems of their clothes. Wang Ergou stood on the ridge, his back straight, the gloom on his face gone. "That's great! In this open area, if that lynx dares to come, I can take it down with a wave of my hand. Let's see if it dares to be so arrogant then!"
After saying that, he shook his head triumphantly, his eyes full of confidence and pride.
Just as Wang Ergou was basking in his own glory, the bushes not far away suddenly shook violently.