I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

The two bodies in the snow grave still bore the marks of their final moments. Looking at the bite wounds from the wild wolves, the frozen, mangled flesh, and Guan Yongguang, who was sobbing like a wounded beast, everyone felt a pang of sympathy. It was a shared sorrow for one of their own. Compared to other hunters who had perished in the mountains, these two were considered lucky. At the very least, their bodies could be recovered.

Zhao Wenjun couldn’t bear to look any longer and turned his head away. He didn’t know that Zhao Wendong was watching him at that very moment. ’In his past life, Zhao Wenjun and Song Xiaoyu had gone up the mountain together to hunt for something to eat. In the end, they were reduced to nothing but two piles of torn clothes, with barely a few bones recovered. In this life, his return had finally prevented that tragedy, but he could only save those two. He couldn’t save everyone else.’

The vicious, cunning eyes and form of the White Wolf King flashed before Zhao Wendong’s eyes. ’Could it be that in my past life, my brother and sister-in-law also ran into this same Wolf Pack? Were they also killed by this White Wolf?’ At this thought, Zhao Wendong came to a decision. A murderous intent surged within him. ’I can’t save everyone, but I can kill that cunning White Wolf. That should drastically improve the safety of the other hunters in the mountains.’

"Stop crying. Did you see that White Wolf just now? It and the pack it leads are the ones who did this. I’ll kill it. I’ll cut off its head and give it to you to offer in tribute to your father and uncle!"

Guan Yongguang stopped crying and wiped his eyes roughly. He then turned, kowtowed deeply to Zhao Wendong, and stood up on his own before Zhao Wendong could help him.

"Thank you, Brother San. Please, could you and everyone help me bring my father and my uncle down from the mountain?"

Zhao Wendong nodded to Zhao Wenjun, who gave a sharp wave of his hand.

"Lift!"

The group carefully began to lift the two bodies. There was a proper way to do this: they had to be lifted from the front, never from behind. After wrapping them in prepared cotton quilts, they placed them on stretchers. Guan Yongguang walked at the head of the procession, scattering a handful of spirit money that Third Master Zhao had given him. He then yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Dad! Uncle! Follow me, don’t lose your way! I’m taking you home!"

The party began their hurried journey back. The north wind howled, making the trees in the mountain forest sway back and forth as if bidding farewell to the two departed souls. Zhao Ergou led the way, while Zhao Wendong and Zhao Wenwu brought up the rear. Zhao Wendong held his Type 56 rifle, standing guard, while Zhao Wenwu shouldered two wolf carcasses that had already been bled and field-dressed—an unexpected bonus.

The journey down the mountain was much slower than the climb up. For one, their energy was draining quickly. For another, they were carrying two bodies, so everyone walked with extreme care, afraid of stumbling or dropping their precious cargo, which would be a great disrespect to the dead.

By the time the group reached the foot of the mountain, the sun was already low in the west, and dusk had begun to settle. They immediately spotted Third Master Zhao and Zhao Weiguo waiting by the mountain with a big brown horse. Zhao Wendong quickened his pace, his heart aching with concern as he looked at Third Master Zhao.

"You old man, how long have you been waiting out here? You should have just stayed home in this cold. Why put yourself through all this trouble!"

"It’s nothing. I’m not that old yet. I had to come and receive the two Guan nephews."

Third Master Zhao pointed toward the big brown horse. Zhao Wendong noticed that the horse was hitched to a cart today, and on the cart lay two coffins. They were made of fine pinewood and painted with red lacquer. Zhao Wendong thought he recognized them from Third Master Zhao’s storehouse. ’They’re the coffins he had prepared for his own passing. He brought them out.’ Zhao Wendong knew he couldn’t say a word against it.

"Come, place them in the coffins."

Third Master Zhao’s mustache was white with frost. In a hoarse voice, he tossed a handful of spirit money toward the sky and called out.

"May this coffin bring fortune! My two dear Guan nephews, your Third Uncle has come for you. Rest easy in your new homes. You’ll stay with me for a day, and tomorrow, I’ll send you home."

This time, Guan Yongguang didn’t cry out loud, simply letting silent tears blur his vision. He looked at the faces of Third Master Zhao, Zhao Wendong, and every single person from Dragon King Pond Village, engraving their images in his heart. These were people who had been complete strangers, yet they had given him, his father, and his uncle the final measure of respect and dignity. They had given them warmth in the depths of winter.

Once the bodies were settled in their coffins, Third Master Zhao made to walk at the head of the procession again, but Zhao Wendong’s expression darkened.

"You walk too slow! If we wait for you to lead the way, it’ll be the middle of the damn night before we get home! It’ll be too late for anything. Get on the cart, now."

Third Master Zhao knew Zhao Wendong was just worried about him. He puffed his mustache out at him in mock protest but had no choice but to climb onto the cart. He slapped the big brown horse on the rump, and the horse set off at a trot toward Dragon King Pond.

"So you even managed to bag two wolves!"

Zhao Weiguo said, a look of pleasant surprise on his face as he saw the two wolf carcasses on the cart.

"Yeah, Uncle Weiguo, let me tell you. I ran into a white-furred wolf... that damn wolf is something else. It’s smarter than a man. This is the third time I’ve seen it, and that beast holds a grudge. If we hadn’t gotten there in time today, that pack of animals would have dug up the snow grave and torn the bodies to pieces."

"Is it really that crafty?"

Zhao Weiguo’s expression grew heavy as he listened. A Wolf King that ferocious and cunning was a threat to everyone.

"Yeah. After the New Year, I’ll organize a hunt. I’m going to take it down and rid the village of this menace."

"Good. I’ll support you!"

Zhao Weiguo nodded his immediate support. If Zhao Wendong hadn’t repeatedly expressed his lack of interest, he would have made him the production team captain long ago. Seeing Zhao Weiguo’s grim expression and furrowed brow, Zhao Wendong thought he was still worried and spoke to reassure him.