Volume One, Chapter 22: The Live Capture of the Deer Herd

Page (1/3)
Li Chen handed the powerful crossbow to Hou Xiaobai and took the hunting bow for himself. The hunting knife was given to Liu Chenxu. As for Zhao Dashi, he carried a coil of rope on his back, a short spear, and also held a large machete to use as a bush-clearing blade. Then, the four-man team set off into the mountains.

Since the tiger and leopard had already been killed, all the wild animals in the mountain had returned. Along the way, Li Chen demonstrated to everyone what it meant to shoot with perfect accuracy from a hundred paces—each arrow hit its mark without fail. Whether it was a bird flying in the sky, perched on a branch, or an animal running on the ground, as long as Li Chen saw it, he didn’t even need the powerful crossbow; with his hunting bow drawn, he could bring it down instantly.

Hunting was incredibly easy this way, almost like a leisurely stroll through the mountain. It required virtually no skill. However, when it was Hou Xiaobai and the others’ turn to hunt, the difference was like night and day. Hou Xiaobai fired five arrows but only hit once—a lucky shot that struck a rabbit. Liu Chenxu was even worse, missing all five arrows and spending nearly half an hour searching for them. Zhao Dashi, with his wide-eyed bewilderment and flailing arms, gave up altogether. This was not a task suited for him.

Li Chen’s archery skill earned the three younger men’s utmost admiration; their reverence for him reached its peak! The four of them paused and resumed their trek, eventually entering deeper into the mountains without realizing it. After resting for a while and each eating two steamed buns made from mixed grains, they pressed on further into the wilderness.

This time, Li Chen planned to hunt larger game. The smaller animals no longer held much interest—they were barely worth the effort. It was already past noon and nearly mid-afternoon. The dense forest was thick and the paths treacherous, with only occasional animal trails barely passable. Zhao Dashi unleashed his brute strength, wielding the large machete to hack through the underbrush, forcibly clearing a path.

As they walked, Li Chen suddenly stopped and raised his fist, pressing down on Zhao Dashi, who was struggling to slash through the thickets. Li Chen had previously explained certain tactical signals, and the other three immediately understood. They all dropped down low and, led by Li Chen, crawled forward through gaps in the shrubs, keeping as low as possible.

Then, the four of them excitedly spotted a clearing amid the pine trees ahead, where a dozen or so deer of varying sizes were leisurely grazing.

Page (2/3)
It was a tremendous surprise!

"Damn, if we take down a few big deer, we’ll be rich," Zhao Dashi licked his lips and stared excitedly at the herd.

"With Brother Chen’s archery, at least five or six could be hit," Hou Xiaobai whispered with excitement.

"Five or six? No... we’ll catch them all!" Li Chen said with a faint smile.

The others were stunned—was that even possible?

"If we want to catch all of these deer alive, Chenxu, what ideas do you have?" Li Chen asked, turning to Liu Chenxu with a tone that suggested he was testing him.

After a long pause, Liu Chenxu tentatively replied, "Brother Chen, I do have some thoughts, but don’t laugh if I’m wrong. See, the pine forest ahead is open on all sides except the left, where there’s a cliff face. The deer can’t escape that way, so only west, north, and south remain as escape routes. If Dashi and I approach from the west and north, we can startle the herd, forcing them to run south. We’ll try to keep the herd moving in a straight line. Monkey’s archery skills are decent, and Brother Chen is unbeatable. Monkey will move first, driving the deer toward Chen’s position. With Chen’s archery and Monkey’s close-range shots, under ideal conditions, it could work."

"Encircle them on three sides, layer by layer with ambushes—good plan," Li Chen nodded, his opinion of Liu Chenxu rising. This young man truly had potential as a commander.

"I read about this kind of pocket tactic in a military book at home. It should work," Liu Chenxu said, scratching his head and smiling sheepishly after Li Chen’s praise.

"But what I want is to capture them all alive!" Li Chen said, staring at the deer herd as he slowly spoke.

"Capture them all alive?" The three were once more dumbfounded.

"Alright, follow my instructions. I’ll explain the tactics... actually, the task assignments," Li Chen whispered, outlining his plan. Their eyes widened in disbelief. Could this really work?

"Just do as I say. I guarantee it will work," Li Chen smiled faintly.

Page (3/3)
Soon after, the four split up, each taking their assigned task. The spotted deer continued to graze calmly, nibbling tender leaves from the trees, unaware that danger was silently closing in.

Suddenly, from the west and north, Liu Chenxu and Hou Xiaobai appeared almost simultaneously, rushing toward the herd while emitting strange cries to scare the timid animals.

Startled and caught between two forces, the deer panicked and, led by the strongest stag, fled southward.

However, not far from their starting point, the lead stag suddenly stumbled and fell with a thud. Li Chen had set up a hidden tripwire at the three-foot-high grass along their path, which took effect immediately.

Three large does behind the stag also tripped nearly at the same time. The following deer had no time to evade and several of them tumbled over the fallen ones.

The remaining deer leapt aside, but as soon as they did, Li Chen sprang up from the tall grass.

He fired the crossbow first, shooting through the hind leg of one deer and bringing it down. Then, slinging the crossbow on his back, he swiftly drew the hunting bow and fired six arrows in rapid succession—each piercing the front or hind legs of six more deer, knocking them down.

While Li Chen was shooting, the strongest Zhao Dashi had already charged into the herd, using the pre-prepared rope to pounce on the dazed stag and tie its two hind legs together.

Binding the stag was a task suited for his strength; he could handle it alone. Immediately after, he tackled another deer and began binding its legs as well.

Hou Xiaobai and Liu Chenxu arrived shortly after and helped tie up the others.

But two deer that hadn’t been hit by arrows had recovered and struggled to get up, ready to flee, too quick for the three to restrain.

At that moment, Li Chen swiftly reloaded the crossbow and shot an arrow that pierced the hind leg of one deer. Before the crossbow could be readied again, he fired another arrow with the hunting bow, bringing down the last deer.

"Brother Chen is mighty!" the young men exclaimed, pumping their fists in excitement.

They never imagined that with Brother Chen, everything would become so simple. Not only could they catch the deer, but they could also capture so many alive!

If they brought them back to raise and breed, generation after generation, their supply would be endless!