I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Zhao Wendong was already mentally prepared; a mother bear this big was likely to have two cubs. He picked them up. The two little cubs looked a lot like puppies, their eyes shut in deep sleep. They were adorably helpless. Zhao Wendong sighed, tucked the two black bear cubs into his coat, glanced back at the tree hollow, and walked out. The bad news was that he now had to raise two bear cubs. The good news was that they looked to be at least a month old. If they were newborns, they’d never survive without their mother’s body heat and milk.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ergou had bled the wolf carcasses and was dragging them over to the tree hollow one by one.

"Brother San, counting the ones the black bear killed, we got another five wolves."

Zhao Ergou’s face was beaming. At his words, Zhao Wendong and his two brothers also broke into smiles. The White Wolf King may have gotten away again, but it always left behind a hefty pile of spoils.

"Brother San, something’s not right. Didn’t the White Wolf’s pack have fewer than ten wolves left? How come it felt like there were more today?"

Zhao Ergou tried to recall, looking puzzled. Zhao Wendong had noticed it as well. There had been far more than ten wolves surrounding the black bear today—probably closer to twenty. Over ten had gotten away. His gaze fell on the corpse of the largest and strongest gray wolf among the five dead ones, and he crouched down. He carefully examined the animal that had acted as a shield for the White Wolf, paying special attention to the claw marks on its face. A theory slowly began to form in his mind.

"Look at these claw marks. They’re from a wolf. The White Wolf must have just subjugated this Wolf Commander’s pack. This wolf was probably the original Wolf King of the absorbed pack, which is why it was serving as the White Wolf’s personal bodyguard."

"It’s that badass?"

Zhao Wenwu couldn’t help but exclaim. The only other badass he knew who was so good at constantly recruiting underlings was his third brother.

"Yeah, that must be it. This White Wolf is just too dangerous. Brother San, you’re right. We have to find a way to take it out first. Otherwise, if it keeps getting stronger, I’m afraid we’ll have a wolf plague on our hands."

’A wolf plague?’

Zhao Wendong froze at Zhao Ergou’s words as a long-buried memory from his past life suddenly surfaced. ’It seems a wolf plague really did happen at the end of the disaster years. The wolves didn’t just attack hunters; they even attacked villages. Later, the PLA had to go into the mountains to suppress them. It was summer then, and I was busy farming with the production team, so I didn’t join the hunt. I only heard about it from the militiamen when they came back. Could it have been led by this very White Wolf? If that’s the case, then by weakening its power now, I’ve indirectly rid the people of a menace.’

"Brother San, we’ve got so much stuff already. Are we still going for the Forest Frogs?"

Zhao Ergou looked at their haul spread across the ground, his expression a blissful burden. When Zhao Wendong heard his question, he figured that since they’d come all this way, he should at least check out the situation.

"Let’s check it out first."

Zhao Wendong took Zhao Wenwu with him, leaving Zhao Wenjun and the others behind. He hung the whistle around his neck, and the two of them started walking. They went halfway around a massive poplar tree—so thick it would take seven or eight people to encircle it—and Zhao Wendong saw the spring Guan Yongguang had mentioned. It was impossible to miss. A small, volcano-shaped iceberg made entirely of frozen water stood right in front of them, glittering in the sunlight.

"Whoa."

Zhao Wenwu cried out and ran straight toward it. He tried to climb it, but after a couple of steps, his feet slipped and he slid right back down. Discovering something fun, he started repeatedly sliding down the icy slope, having the time of his life. Zhao Wendong paid him no mind and walked a few steps closer, staring at the huge iceberg in a daze. It was a natural wonder formed by groundwater constantly bubbling up from the spring. Because it was a regular spring and not a hot spring, it hadn’t melted into a pool. Instead, the water that bubbled out froze quickly, layer upon layer, forming the iceberg.

Next to the iceberg was a ditch, likely formed by the spring’s runoff in the summer. In the ditch was a large patch of ground with obvious signs of digging. Zhao Wendong immediately knew where Guan Yongguang’s father and uncle had gotten the hibernating Forest Frogs.

"Third Brother, come slide! It’s a blast!"

Zhao Wenwu shouted excitedly to Zhao Wendong, who just smiled and shook his head.

"You go ahead and play. I’m going to look around some more."

Zhao Wendong circled the area again, carefully observing his surroundings. When he completed a lap and returned, he found Zhao Wenwu waiting for him with a long face.

"Second Brother, what’s wrong?"

"Third Brother, I ripped my pants."

Zhao Wenwu pouted, turned around, and showed Zhao Wendong the rip on the seat of his pants. Zhao Wendong patted him on the back.

"It’s fine. When we get home, just say I’m the one who ripped them."

"Really? Then I’m gonna play a little longer."

Zhao Wenwu’s eyes lit up. He turned, climbed back up, and started sliding again. By the time the two of them returned, the five wolves and the big black bear had all been processed.

"Third Brother, how’d it go? Did you find the Forest Frogs?"

"Yeah, I found them. We’ll come back for them tomorrow. Let’s head back for now."

"Alright. Huh? Second Brother, why are your pants ripped at the back?"

"Third Brother ripped them."

Zhao Wenjun: "..."

"Second Brother, are you taking us for fools? Anyone can see you ripped those sliding."

"No, Third Brother really did rip them."

"How did he rip them? Did he poke you in the butt?"

"Yup."

"HAHAHA!"

Zhao Wendong rolled his eyes at his cackling eldest brother. He put his thumb and index finger together, placed them in his mouth, and let out a sharp whistle toward the sky. A moment later, Xiaojin’s figure appeared overhead and began to circle. Seeing Xiaojin had returned, Zhao Wendong started leading his brothers on the journey back. They had to go back. First, they had too much game; they couldn’t carry anything else. Second, Erhei was injured and needed to rest and recover. Finally, the two black bear cubs in his coat were starting to wake up and squirm.

"Brother San, it’d be great if we could have a haul like this every day!"

Er Gouzi struggled under the weight of two wolf carcasses, but his face was filled with excitement and hope. Zhao Wendong smiled at him but said nothing. ’Zhao Ergou must be under immense pressure right now,’ he thought. ’He was supposed to be getting married, but now Zhao Damei is back with two little girls. For the time being, all those burdens fall on his shoulders.’ But Zhao Wendong felt the immense pressure too, which was why he had to come back into the mountains, even with the New Year so close.

"Er Gou, how about I build my new house next to your place?"

"Huh?"

Zhao Ergou was taken aback and looked at Zhao Wendong, confused.

"My place is too remote."

"That’s exactly why!"

Zhao Wendong’s lips curved into a meaningful smile. His family had been looking for a place to build a new house recently, but they hadn’t been able to pick a suitable spot. In the end, the decision had been kicked back to Zhao Wendong himself. Considering that being a bit more low-key was definitely better, Zhao Wendong thought of Ergou’s home. His family lived alone on their own lane, without even a proper road in front. But it was precisely because it was so open that he could design the house however he wanted, without worrying about not having enough space.