pdf-ebookys Chapter 275 Missed opportunity
Chapter 275 Missed opportunity
The rugged rock formations of Luanshi Ridge are interspersed with low shrubs, and there are naturally formed cracks and caves everywhere.
Such terrain is difficult for humans to traverse, but it is an ideal habitat for predators like leopards.
"Be careful, this place is perfect for an ambush," Li Xiangyang whispered, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
Wang Ergou swallowed hard. "Yes, the terrain is complex, and there are too many blind spots."
Li Xiangyang nodded, observing the black cat's reaction.
The black cat's fur was already standing on end, its tail held high, as it warily stared at a protruding boulder in front of it.
Little Tiger also whimpered softly, his teeth slightly exposed, his whole body tense.
"I didn't expect it to actually be hidden here. We'll sneak over here, one on the left, the other on the right, be careful."
Li Xiangyang pointed to a cave about fifty meters away, hidden in the shadow of a boulder, which would be difficult to spot without careful observation.
The two slowed their pace. Wang Ergou circled around to the left, while Li Xiangyang quietly moved to the right, forming an encirclement.
The black cat and the little tiger followed their owner, moving silently to different positions.
The cave was completely silent except for the sound of the mountain wind howling.
Li Xiangyang moved his feet carefully.
Even after countless hunts, he still couldn't completely control his nervousness when facing such a dangerous beast.
It's important to know that leopards have a far superior sense of smell than humans, and their patience is just as great. During a hunt, they can lie motionless for hours.
Right now, although they were the ones who had tracked the leopard here, Li Xiangyang understood that once the leopard appeared, he would only have less than a second to react, and if he missed, he would have absolutely no chance to fire a second shot.
The entrance was pitch black, and it was impossible to see inside from the outside.
Time passed second by second, but there was no movement from inside the cave.
"Brother Xiangyang, is the leopard gone?" Wang Ergou asked in a low voice.
Li Xiangyang shook his head and pointed to the marks on the ground: "Judging from these claw marks, they're still very fresh; they should be inside."
"What should we do? We can't just keep waiting, can we?" Wang Ergou asked anxiously.
“Smoke it out,” Li Xiangyang said briefly. “It won’t be able to stand it and will come out. You aim at the entrance, and I’ll go gather firewood.”
Wang Ergou nodded, raised his rifle, and stared intently at the dark entrance of the cave.
Li Xiangyang quickly gathered up the dry branches and fallen leaves around him.
“Remember, the moment it charges, we only have one chance,” Li Xiangyang whispered a reminder. “I’ll be lying in ambush on the right. You stay here, don’t move.”
Wang Ergou swallowed hard, tightened his grip on the rifle, and nodded.
Li Xiangyang piled firewood in front of the cave entrance, took out matches from his pocket, lit a small clump of dry grass, and then quickly retreated behind a large rock on the right.
The flames quickly spread across the entire pile of firewood, and thick smoke began to drift into the cave.
The two held their breath, fingers on the trigger, ready to deal with any sudden attack from a ferocious beast.
However, as time passed, the smoke grew thicker and thicker, but there was still no movement from inside the cave.
"That's strange." Li Xiangyang frowned, his mind beginning to suspect something.
About ten minutes later, the smoke gradually subsided, but there was still no reaction inside the cave.
"Brother Xiangyang, could it really be a mistake?" Wang Ergou asked in a low voice, a look of disappointment in his eyes.
Just as Li Xiangyang was about to answer, a brownish-yellow shadow suddenly darted out!
"Watch out!" Li Xiangyang shouted and fired his gun immediately.
boom!
Although his reaction was undeniably fast, the leopard was even faster, tracing a graceful arc like lightning before landing and immediately galloping into the depths of the forest.
"Damn it!" Wang Ergou cursed fiercely, his eyes fixed on the direction the leopard had fled.
From the moment the leopard darted out like lightning to the moment Li Xiangyang decisively fired his gun, it all happened in the blink of an eye. Before his brain could even react, the leopard had vanished.
Having missed such a golden opportunity, he suddenly felt a surge of regret and stomped his foot hard on the ground.
Seeing this, Li Xiangyang quickly ran over and patted him hard on the shoulder: "Ergou, don't be discouraged! The leopard is too fast, anyone would be stunned. I didn't hit it either, did I?"
"Now is not the time to be frustrated; the most urgent task is to catch up quickly."
"The terrain around here is complicated. Even if the leopard is fast, it won't last long. With the help of the black cat and the little tiger, we can track its scent and chase after it. Maybe we can catch it while it's resting!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Ergou quickly composed himself and nodded emphatically, "Alright, let's go!"
Led by Xuanmao and Xiaohu, the two quickly caught up.
The ground in this area was mostly covered with rubble, with only a few scattered paw prints and bloodstains.
"Look, it went that way." Li Xiangyang pointed to a bush that had clearly been trampled. "Slow down, be careful it doesn't retaliate."
Wang Ergou gripped his hunting rifle tightly, trying to calm his racing heart as he regulated his breathing: "Brother Xiangyang, how far will it run?"
"It's hard to say." Li Xiangyang stopped and crouched down to examine a fresh bloodstain. "It's injured, but it doesn't look too bad."
The two continued their pursuit, passing through a grove of low bushes where their view opened up again.
In the distance is a steep mountain ridge, and the only way to get across is through a narrow ridge.
"This is troublesome," Li Xiangyang frowned. "If it gets onto that mountain ridge, it will be very difficult for us to catch up."
Just then, the black cat suddenly stopped, arched its back, and let out a low growl as a warning towards a crevice in the rocks on its left.
Little Tiger also perked up his ears, and all the fur on his body stood on end.
"Watch out!" Li Xiangyang immediately raised his gun and aimed.
The crevices in the rocks were quiet, without any movement.
Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou held their breath and stared intently at the suspicious area.
A moment later, a mountain rabbit darted out from the crevice and fled in a panic to the distance.
The two men breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Ergou smiled helplessly, "You scared me! I thought it was a leopard."
After the commotion, watching the sun gradually set, Wang Ergou's voice carried a hint of worry, "Brother Xiangyang, should we go back first and come back tomorrow?"
Li Xiangyang pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No, if we go back now, it will be difficult to find them again. Let's try to keep searching."
After saying that, the two continued climbing and finally reached the ridge, where the view suddenly opened up.
In the distant valley, the lights of several villages can be faintly seen.
"Look!" Wang Ergou suddenly pointed to the other side of the ridge, "There seems to be someone over there!"
Li Xiangyang looked in the direction he was pointing and indeed saw several figures moving on the distant hillside.