Chapter 2: Outwitting the Boar, A Close Call on the First Hunt

"Daddy!" Chu Miaomiao cried out in fear, throwing herself into Chu Feng's arms.

Not far away, a pitch-black wild boar stared at Chu Feng with beady, green eyes, watching him like a predator marking its prey.

The boar wasn't large, about the size of a fully grown dog, and it looked quite lean, likely weighing under a hundred pounds. Yet to Miaomiao and Benben, it was an absolute monster.

The little pup was terrified too, its tail tucked tightly between its legs. But as it stared at the beast before them, it refused to take a single step back. Standing protectively in front of Chu Feng and Miaomiao, it barked fiercely at the boar. Perhaps this loyalty was the very reason the family, despite being so desperately starved, had never eaten the little dog.

Chu Feng instinctively pulled his daughter behind him, his entire body tensing up.

He didn't know how vast these mountains were, only that they were fraught with danger. That was why he had only dared to forage along the very outer edges. He never expected to encounter a beast like a wild boar so close to the perimeter.

But how had this boar ended up here? The snows hadn't fallen yet, and the mountain vegetation should still be abundant. Food wouldn't be scarce for a wild boar.

Even though Chu Feng possessed extensive outdoor experience and had faced various wild beasts in his past life, it was a wild boar that had ultimately caused his death. Seeing one again made his heart falter.

"Benben, come back," Chu Feng called out in a low voice.

Strangely, the boar remained rooted to the spot, not moving. It seemed to be wary of them as well.

A boar of this size should normally fear nothing. Having recently left their mother's protection, they hadn't yet learned the hierarchy of the wild. Whether they encountered a tiger or a human, if they felt threatened, they would charge recklessly.

This was why the old folk saying went, "First the boar, second the bear, third the tiger." It wasn't that boars were stronger than the other two, but that they were by far the most aggressive.

Upon closer inspection, Chu Feng noticed something amiss. The beast's hind hoof was caught in a steel trap. It seemed to have been trapped for some time, as the blood around it had already dried. Every now and then, the boar would lift its hind leg, keeping it off the ground.

Though this sub-adult boar had left its mother, it was still a formidable opponent. Furthermore, wild boars were pack animals. Where there was one, another was usually nearby.

But Chu Feng scanned the surroundings carefully and found no sign of a second boar. It was likely that this injured one had been abandoned by its herd.

At the thought, he couldn't help but lick his dry lips.

Few people liked wild boar meat. Since they were never castrated, the meat carried a pungent, gamey stench that made it incredibly difficult to swallow.

But when one was on the verge of starvation, how could they afford to be picky? Even an uncastrated wild boar was a treasure.

Even if the meat tasted foul, they could still eat the organs. And the fat could be rendered into lard. A single spoonful of lard in their cooking would smell so heavenly it could drive a person mad with craving.

He had to catch it!

His wife and daughter hadn't tasted meat in God knows how long. Since transmigrating, Chu Feng himself had gone hungry for two whole days because he refused to take food away from them.

Now, a chance to feed his family of three had presented itself. Compared to wild herbs, the wild boar before him was a far greater temptation.

Of course, this was only because the boar was already injured. If it had been healthy, Chu Feng would have retreated with his daughter without a second thought.

He had no sharp weapons on him, only a bamboo basket, a short-handled hoe, and some rope. However, for someone like Chu Feng, who had undergone special forces training camps and outdoor survival training, there were a hundred ways to subdue a boar with just these items.

The boar remained motionless, having likely stood there for a very long time. The trap was large and heavy, constantly crushing its hind leg. The intense pain kept the boar from moving, which bought Chu Feng plenty of time.

He tied the rope into a slipknot that would tighten instantly when pulled. This was a basic skill for any wilderness survival host.

Though its hind leg was injured, he couldn't underestimate the beast's wild ferocity, especially with his daughter standing behind him.

Chu Feng was currently twenty meters away from the boar, a very safe distance. But at this range, it was impossible to lasso the animal.

His current body hadn't undergone the rigorous training of his past life and was rather weak. He doubted he could throw the rope even ten meters. To ensure a successful catch, he had to get within eight meters.

"Miaomiao, hold Benben and stay behind that tree. If the boar runs toward you, hide behind the trunk and keep circling it to stay out of its reach, okay?" Chu Feng instructed his daughter.

Chu Miaomiao nodded quickly and scooped Benben into her arms. The pup still looked defiant, baring its teeth in the direction of the boar.

The boar seemed relatively calm, still making no move. Chu Feng began to slowly edge closer.

Nineteen meters, eighteen meters, seventeen meters...

When the distance closed to fifteen meters, the boar's behavior changed. It grew visibly agitated, stamping its front hooves on the ground. Its heavy, ragged breathing carried through the wind, reaching Chu Feng's ears.

Chu Feng froze in place. He was waiting for the boar to calm down.

Sure enough, the boar was reluctant to move. Any sudden shift would pull at its wound. This gave Chu Feng his chance.

A good hunter had to possess immense patience. Once the boar settled down, Chu Feng resumed his advance, moving as slowly as a snail.

The distance shrank steadily until only ten meters remained.

And that was when the boar moved. Wild creatures might not be as clever as domesticated ones, but their perception of danger was far sharper. Chu Feng's slow, creeping approach had placed immense pressure on the beast. It could no longer bear the tension.

With a raspy squeal, it ignored the agonizing pain in its hind leg, spun around, and bolted.

Chu Feng knew he had to act immediately. Otherwise, they would never catch a three-legged boar once it got away. With lightning speed, he hurled the lasso forward.

"Got it!" Chu Feng roared.

He spun around and dashed toward a nearby tree. Looping the rope around the trunk, he quickly anchored it.

Chu Feng wasn't confident he could hold back a hundred-pound boar in a dead sprint on his own. But using the tree as leverage, the beast stood no chance of escaping unless it weighed over five hundred pounds.

Sure enough, unable to break free, the boar went wild, thrashing and lunging frantically in every direction. Chu Feng showed no mercy, using the tree to pit his strength against the beast. Once he secured the rope, he tied it firmly to the trunk.

By the time he finished, beads of sweat covered his forehead.

But then he thought of his wife, and his daughter who still didn't even know what meat tasted like. He thought of hot, savory dumplings stuffed with wild shepherd's purse and pork!

Gripping his short-handled hoe and picking up the bamboo basket, Chu Feng approached the thrashing boar.

Only now did he take a proper look at the beast. Its sharp tusks, bloodshot eyes, and desperate, cornered stance were enough to strike fear into anyone's heart. But this wild boar was facing a man who had starved for two days.

"I'll take you down!" Chu Feng bellowed, charging forward as he slammed the bamboo basket right over the boar's head.