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

Chapter 339 If I can help, I definitely will.

"These weasels aren't anything special, could it be that this red-haired rat was behind it all?"

Wang Ergou squatted down, carefully examining the carcass of the large red-haired rat. His eyes darted around, and suddenly he became interested: "Xiangyang, this red-haired rat's fur is quite beautiful. Why don't we skin it and sell it? Something rare like this will surely fetch a high price."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangyang shook his head, both amused and exasperated: "You know, who would dare take this thing? Besides, what if it contains a virus? Wouldn't that harm both yourself and others?"

Wang Ergou scoffed dismissively, "That's easy. Just soak it in lime water, and all the viruses will be gone. We can't just go home empty-handed, can we?"

"You're quite shrewd," Li Xiangyang shook his head helplessly. "Fine, if you want to bring it, then bring it. But be careful when handling it, don't get it on yourself."

The black cat had recovered from the battle and cautiously approached the red-haired rat, looking disgusted and emitting a low growl.

"Look, even the little princess doesn't want to touch it, so let's be careful," Li Xiangyang reminded her with a smile.

Wang Ergou nodded, took out a cloth bag he always carried, and carefully put the large red-haired rat inside: "Speaking of which, do you think the weasel is keeping this red-haired rat, or is it that the red-haired rat is using its position to control the weasel?"

Li Xiangyang looked around at the scattered weasel carcasses on the ground, lost in thought: "It's hard to say. Judging from what happened just now, those weasels did seem to obey the red-haired rat. But it could also be a symbiotic relationship where both sides get what they need."

"The weasel helps the red-haired rat lead the other rats, while the red-haired rat provides the weasel with a stable food supply?" Wang Ergou guessed.

“Very likely,” Li Xiangyang nodded, “but it doesn’t matter now, the problem is solved anyway.” He glanced at the weasel carcasses on the ground and continued, “These weasels shouldn’t be wasted; their pelts are still quite good. Let’s take them back.”

Wang Ergou deftly began processing the weasel carcasses, muttering to himself as he worked, "To be honest, these weasels are pretty useless, except for their sheer number. I thought we were going to encounter some kind of incredible monster."

Li Xiangyang helped pack up the spoils, saying softly, "Don't underestimate them. Animals that can organize are often more dangerous than those fighting alone. We caught them off guard. Imagine if we encountered them in the village..."

After finishing their preparations, the two carried their prey and, with the somewhat tired black cat in tow, headed towards the village.

It was already late at night when we returned to Heping Village.

Yang Youcai and several villagers were still waiting at the village entrance. When they saw that they had returned safely, they immediately went to greet them.

"Xiangyang, Ergou, you're finally back!" Yang Youcai asked anxiously. "We were so worried when we heard the gunshots on the mountain."

Li Xiangyang put down the weasel on his back and briefly recounted what had happened on the mountain.

"What?! A red-haired rat commanding a weasel?!" Yang Youcai's eyes widened in disbelief. "This...this is too bizarre!"

"Never mind how weird it was, it's all solved now," Wang Ergou said smugly, hefting the cloth bag containing the large red-haired rat in his hand. "They're dead now, the rats in the village shouldn't be able to cause any trouble."

Yang Youcai was overjoyed upon hearing this: "That's wonderful! You two are truly benefactors of my Peace Village!"

The villagers also gathered around, expressing their gratitude in various ways.

Some people marveled at the sight of the weasel carcass; others were curious about the large red rat but dared not approach it.

Li Xiangyang waved his hand: "You flatter me. However, the work isn't completely finished yet. Although the leader has been dealt with, the remaining rats in the village still need to be cleaned up. Tomorrow we'll help the village thoroughly clean up again."

Yang Youcai readily agreed, "That's right, that's right, I'll arrange for people to prepare for tomorrow's work right away. You two should get some rest tonight, and continue tomorrow."

And so, Li Xiangyang, Wang Ergou, and the villagers returned to the village and rested.

Wang Ergou was preoccupied with the big red-haired rat, and as soon as he returned to his lodgings, he couldn't wait to get to work.

He found a large basin, poured in the prepared lime powder, added an appropriate amount of water, and stirred it well.

Then, he carefully took the big red rat out of the bag and prepared to soak it in lime water.

This scene was witnessed by several villagers who happened to be passing by. They were taken aback at first, but then their curiosity was piqued, and they all gathered around.

"Ergou, what are you doing?" a villager asked in confusion.

While busy at work, Wang Ergou replied without looking up, "This red-haired rat is quite rare. I plan to skin it and sell it for a good price. First, I'll soak it in lime water to disinfect it."

As they were talking, Wang Ergou had already put the red-haired rat into the lime water. After soaking it for a while, Wang Ergou felt it was about time, so he used a wooden stick to pick the red-haired rat out of the lime water and placed it on a wooden board next to him.

He rolled up his sleeves, picked up a sharp knife, and began to carefully peel the skin.

In no time, a complete red rat skin was peeled off.

Wang Ergou picked up the leather, shook off the remaining lime, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

The villagers who had gathered around came closer to examine the peculiar hide and praised Wang Ergou's craftsmanship.

……

The next morning, the whole village sprang into action again, following Li Xiangyang's instructions to set up traps and thoroughly clean up any places in the village where rats might be hiding.

Without the red-haired rat's command, the remaining rats seemed disorganized and were easily caught in various traps.

The black cat also regained its spirits and wandered around the village, occasionally bringing back one or two rats that had escaped, making great contributions to the cleanup work.

Three days later, the rat infestation in Heping Village was completely resolved. The villagers were overjoyed, and Yang Youcai, on behalf of the entire village, prepared a sumptuous feast to entertain Li Xiangyang and his group, thanking them for their help.

At the banquet, Yang Youcai toasted Li Xiangyang: "Brother Li, we owe you so much this time. If it weren't for your help, many people might have starved to death this winter. We will never forget your kindness to the people of Heping Village!"

Li Xiangyang picked up his wine glass and smiled slightly: "Captain Yang, you're too kind. It's only right for neighbors to help each other."

"That's right!" Yang Youcai nodded emphatically. "From now on, our two villages should visit each other more often and help each other out!"

Wang Ergou raised his glass in agreement: "That's right, Captain Yang, if you encounter any more difficulties, just let us know, and we'll definitely help if we can!"

"Definitely, definitely!" Yang Youcai grinned from ear to ear.