Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

At this moment, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao exchanged a knowing look. They knew each other's intentions without saying anything. They quickly returned to the dormitory and couldn't wait to change out of their heavy military uniforms and put on light and comfortable casual clothes, as if they were about to embark on a new journey.

After everything was ready, the two carefully avoided everyone's sight, like two agents about to carry out a secret mission, and quietly slipped out of the camp. They followed the carefully planned route and excitedly started their hunting trip. On the street, the breeze blew gently, and the shop signs swayed gently in the breeze, as if waving to them and wishing them a smooth and safe adventure. They walked briskly, their hearts full of expectations and curiosity about the unknown world, heading towards the mysterious and challenging forest.

After turning a few street corners and bypassing a few bustling markets, they came to the hidden alley where the legendary black market was located. This alley seemed to be forgotten in the corner by the hustle and bustle of the city. Few people came on weekdays, and only those who knew the inside story knew of its existence. On both sides of the alley were high walls, covered with moss and vines, adding a bit of mystery and depth.

Liu Haizhong was obviously familiar with this place. As he walked, he introduced the history and legends of this alley to Xu Damao, as if he was telling an ancient and mysterious story. He walked straight to a closed wooden door, raised his hand and knocked rhythmically a few times. The knocking sound echoed in the quiet alley, adding a bit of tension and expectation.

After a while, a faint light shone through the crack of the door, and then a cautious face appeared. The man was wearing a worn black jacket, his face was full of traces of time, and his eyes revealed a trace of vigilance and scrutiny. He carefully looked at Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao outside the door, as if confirming their identities and purpose. After confirming their identities, he gently opened the door and quietly welcomed the two into the house.

After entering the house, they found themselves in a dimly lit room. The room was filled with a faint musty smell, which was the mark left by long-term uninhabitation and poor ventilation. In the corner were some shabby wooden boxes and sacks, covered with dust, as if no one had moved them for a long time.

At this moment, a figure walked out of the darkness. The man was burly, wearing a black cotton coat, revealing his thick arms and black hair on his chest. He had a playful smile on his face. It was the black market friend in the bangs. After a few simple greetings, the two sides got straight to the point - they began to bargain fiercely over the price of bullets.

Liu Haizhong, relying on his years of friendship and eloquence, started a war of words with his black market friends. They went back and forth, neither of them giving in, as if they were in a fierce negotiation. After a fierce confrontation, they finally succeeded in buying a sufficient number of bullets at a relatively reasonable price. After getting the bullets, the two men carefully put them into their backpacks as if they were the most precious trophies of their operation.

Then, they said goodbye to their black market friend again and turned to head for the back mountain. Along the way, the bright sunshine shone through the dense treetops, turning into patches of mottled light and shadows that fell on them. The breeze blew gently, caressing their cheeks, bringing the unique freshness of the mountains and forests. They were filled with anticipation and excitement, as if they were about to embark on an unknown adventure.

Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao walked side by side, walking steadily on the mountain trails. Their figures stretched out in the morning light. With brisk steps, the two of them started chatting enthusiastically. Their words flowed like a spring in the mountains, full of infinite longing for the upcoming hunting activities. Liu Haizhong excitedly recounted the thrilling moments of his hunting in previous years, and those stories of fighting wits and courage with wild beasts made Xu Damao listen with relish, laughing heartily from time to time, as if he was also in those exciting scenes.

Laughter and joy echoed on the narrow and winding mountain road, like warm sunshine penetrating the winter chill, completely dispelling the slightly tense atmosphere caused by the unknown, and replacing it with a relaxed and happy mood. The two chatted as they walked, and the topics were like the wind in the mountains, free and varied, from trivial matters at home to various speculations and expectations about this hunting trip, each topic could arouse their strong interest and heated discussion.

The sun tried to penetrate the layers of closely connected treetops, but could only cast a few spots of light and shadows, which danced in the dark forest, covering this quiet forest with a mysterious and charming veil. In the interweaving of light and shadow, every inch of land in the forest seemed to contain unknown secrets, waiting for the brave to explore.

The birdsongs around us rose and fell, forming a symphony of nature. Some were as clear as bells, like the sound of nature, making people feel relaxed and happy; others were gentle and lingering, as if telling ancient and distant stories, which aroused people's imagination. In this harmonious movement, there would occasionally be some unidentifiable roars of wild animals from the depths of the forest. The sound was far away and near, sometimes hidden and sometimes visible, which made people curious and wanted to find out what was going on, but also made people feel a little bit of subtle tension and vigilance.

Xu Damao followed closely behind Liu Haizhong, taking every step very cautiously. He carefully walked around the messy dead branches and leaves on the ground, fearing that his footsteps would disturb any resident in the forest. His eyes showed both curiosity and excitement about the unknown, as well as vigilance and precautions against potential dangers. He took every step firmly and carefully, as if he was on a silent adventure.

He carefully stepped on the fallen leaves and gravel under his feet, each step was full of curiosity and awe of the unknown, and he couldn't help but look at the face in his bangs, which was deeply carved by time. At this moment, there was a sly and interesting smile, as if he was about to tell a wonderful adventure story. "Second uncle," he asked expectantly, with a barely perceptible tremor in his voice, "Do you think we can encounter something good today? For example, a clever hare, or a pheasant with bright feathers?"

After hearing this, Liu Haizhong smiled, and his smile showed his familiarity and confidence in the secrets of the forest. He narrowed his eyes, which had seen many vicissitudes of life, and a mysterious arc appeared at the corner of his mouth. He deliberately dragged out his tone and answered in a suspenseful tone: "This forest is like a treasure house with countless treasures. There are so many treasures in it that you can't count them all! Who knows, maybe our luck today is more violent than the thunderstorm in midsummer, and we will directly run into a wild boar as big as a hill. If we can really catch that big guy and bring it back to show everyone in the village, hey, what a glorious thing it would be! I guarantee that those bragging guys will all stare with wide eyes!"

Just as they were immersed in their endless reverie about their future harvest, a quick and powerful "fluttering" sound suddenly rang out not far ahead, like a sudden storm, instantly breaking the tranquility of the forest. Everyone's eyes were attracted by the sudden sound, and they saw a colorful pheasant with dazzling feathers, as if it jumped out of a painting, suddenly flew up from the dense grass, drew a bright arc, and rushed straight into the blue sky.

In a flash, Liu Haizhong's reaction was as fast as lightning, and a trace of uncontrollable surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he had seen the dawn of victory. He quickly and skillfully picked up the hunting rifle in his hand, gently pulled the trigger with his finger, aimed at the pheasant flying in the air, and prepared to give it a fatal blow. However, at this critical moment, the pheasant showed extraordinary agility and flexibility. It seemed to be able to foresee the upcoming danger and made an amazing sharp turn in mid-air. The movement was so smooth that it seemed to be a perfect performance after countless practice.

The bullet that carried everyone's hope just passed by the pheasant, leaving only a faint trace that slowly dissipated in the air. The frightened pheasant, as if blessed by some mysterious power, flapped its wings more violently, flew higher and farther than before, and finally disappeared into the blue, leaving only a series of long calls that echoed in the forest, as if mocking their failure.

Looking at the pheasant gradually disappearing from his sight, Liu Haizhong reluctantly put down the hunting rifle in his hand. A slightly annoyed expression appeared on his face carved by time, and he couldn't help muttering softly: "Oh my God, I really didn't expect this pheasant to be so agile and agile. My shot was in vain!" As he spoke, he slapped his thigh unwillingly, as if this could drive away the feeling of loss from his heart.

Xu Damao, who was standing next to Liu Haizhong and witnessed the whole process, was already laughing so hard that tears were about to flow out of his eyes. He pointed at Liu Haizhong and said jokingly, "Haha, Uncle Er, look at your shooting skills, it's really ridiculous! If you keep going like this, let alone hitting a pheasant, I'm afraid even we will be accidentally injured by your "magic gun"! By then, we will become a joke in this forest!"

The two were joking with each other, enjoying this rare relaxation and joy, when suddenly, a slight, faint rustling sound came from not far away. Although the sound was subtle, it was particularly clear and abrupt in the quiet forest where only the sound of one's own heartbeat could be heard, like a light suddenly lit in the darkness, instantly attracting all their attention.

They both immediately became alert, stopped talking, and held their breath at the same time, fearing that the slightest sound would alarm the unknown source. Their eyes became sharp and focused, like hunters looking for prey. Then, they tiptoed and carefully approached the direction where the sound came from, taking every step very cautiously, fearing that their footsteps would break this rare tranquility.

When they finally approached the source of the sound, they couldn't help but stare at the scene in front of them with disbelief on their faces - they saw a huge wild deer with its head down, standing quietly by the stream, drinking the clear and sweet water gracefully. The deer's fur was as shiny as silk, its body was vigorous and powerful, and every step seemed so calm, as if it was the overlord of this forest, with supreme authority and dignity. Its beautiful figure shone in the sun, blending in with the surrounding peaceful and tranquil natural environment, forming a breathtaking picture.

Seeing such an attractive prey that was almost within reach, Liu Haizhong's heart suddenly jumped with joy, as if an electric current instantly ran through his whole body. He once again steadily held up the heavy hunting rifle, squinted one eye, and accurately aimed the cold muzzle at the defenseless wild deer that was immersed in the coolness of the stream. At this moment, his heartbeat seemed to stop, and all his attention was focused on the finger that was about to pull the trigger. However, just as he was about to complete this decisive blow, something unexpected happened.

As if there was a mysterious force secretly reminding it, the wild deer, which was originally lowering its head to drink water, suddenly seemed to be touched by an invisible force and suddenly raised its noble head. A pair of smart and vigilant big eyes, like two dazzling gems, looked straight at the hidden place where Liu Haizhong and his companions were hiding. There was curiosity and a trace of barely perceptible fear in those eyes. Then, as if aware of the approaching danger, the wild deer spread its four hooves without the slightest hesitation, and ran away at an astonishing speed like an arrow from a bow. Its figure quickly shuttled through the woods, and in an instant it disappeared into the depths of the dense and deep jungle, leaving only a series of fading hoof sounds and dust in the air, as well as Liu Haizhong's eyes full of unwillingness and regret.

"Damn it, it ran away again!" Seeing the prey that was almost in his hands slip away right under his nose, Liu Haizhong couldn't help but feel extremely annoyed. He put down the hunting rifle in his hand angrily, and his face carved by time was filled with unwillingness, as if the whole world had lost its color at this moment.