HPDBC Chapter 1892 The Tiger Blocked the Way Home
Chapter 1892 The Tiger Blocked the Way Home
Chapter 1892 The Tiger Blocked the Way Home
Zhao Jun and the other four went to bed early, and after being woken up, they had difficulty falling back asleep, so they either lay down or sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) talking.
It wasn't until after 10 o'clock that they finally went to sleep.
The next day, the five men got up around 4 a.m., when it was just getting light. About ten minutes later, when it was fully light, Zhao Jun was about to take Xing San and Zhang Yuanmin to fetch water.
This was something we discussed last night. Zhao Jun suspected that the Siberian tiger had headed towards the riverbank, and this trip might just lead to a collision.
Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang had never seen anything like this before. Zhao Jun was worried that they wouldn't be able to withstand it, so he took Xing San and Zhang Yuanmin with him and told Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang to stay in their hut and wait for them to return.
As a warning, Zhao Jun tied the green dragon with a rope and led it away, leaving the black dragon and the little black bear in the shed to keep Zhao Weipeng and Ma Yang company.
Just to be on the safe side, Zhao Jun fired two shots into the air outside the shack before leaving, scaring away any wild animals nearby.
After doing all this, Zhao Jun gripped his gun with both hands, Xing San led the dog, and Zhang Yuanmin carried four water buckets, ready to set off for the river to fetch water.
Just then, the door to the shack opened, and Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang rushed out in a panic.
"Brother Jun!"
"Brother-in-law!"
Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang said in unison, "I'll go with you!"
Seeing the panic on their faces, Zhao Jun knew that the two boys were scared.
"What are you two afraid of?" Zhao Jun frowned and said, "Jin Hui, didn't I leave you a gun? If the black dragon gets all pricked up, you can shoot it from inside the shack. One shot will scare it away."
“Brother Jun.” Hearing Zhao Jun say this, Zhao Jinhui said anxiously, “I… I’m not afraid, I just think I’m strong, I can carry water if I go.”
Zhao Jun and Zhang Yuanmin exchanged a glance, and then Ma Yang said, "Brother-in-law, I can carry water too, let me go with you."
They all felt safer staying with Zhao Jun.
Seeing this, Zhao Jun looked helplessly at Xing San and said, "Uncle, why don't you stay in the shack?"
“Okay.” Xing San readily agreed, handing the dog leash to Zhao Jinhui and saying, “I didn’t want to go anyway.”
Zhao Jinhui quickly took the rope, and then Zhao Jun said to Xing San, "Uncle San, you go into the shack. When you're done, close the door properly. I'll whistle before we come back. When you hear the whistle, then open the door."
"Alright!" Xing San waved his hand and said, "You can go now."
As he spoke, Xing San glanced at Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang, then said to Zhao Jun, "You'd better keep an eye on these two lads."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jun looked at Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang, and asked with a smile, "Are you two capable? Come with me, you might just run into some big trouble?"
Hearing Zhao Jun's words, Ma Yang swallowed hard, then stiffened his neck and said, "I'm not afraid of... even if I get hit!"
This child stutters when he speaks, yet he says he's not afraid.
“Okay, that’s perfect.” Zhao Jun pointed to the two empty water boats placed at the door and said, “Jin Hui, you hold onto Qinglong, and then you can hold onto those two water boats.”
After saying that, Zhao Jun looked at Zhang Yuanmin and said, "Brother, give the water gun in your hand to Xiao Yang, and then you put the gun in the back, and I'll take the lead."
"Alright, brother." Zhang Yuanmin replied and stepped forward to hand all four water spouts to Ma Yang.
"Brother-in-law, can I carry all this water?" Ma Yang asked. Zhao Jun replied, "Can't you carry it if it's empty? Just carry two when you get back."
Hearing Zhao Jun say that, Ma Yang fell silent.
And so, Zhao Jun led the way, with Zhao Jinhui close behind. He carried two empty water spouts in one hand and held Qinglong tightly in the other.
After Zhao Jinhui came Ma Yang, and finally Zhang Yuanmin.
The four of them walked out of the woods. They had only gone about thirty meters when the Siberian tiger that was resting by the river suddenly raised its head and looked in the direction where Zhao Jun and his group were.
Ever since that shot, the tiger has been unable to move easily. In the past two days, it has only managed to pull one rabbit out of the tree hole.
There wasn't much meat left from the rabbits, not enough to sustain the tiger's hunger. By this time, it was already starving. When it smelled the scent of people and dogs, the tiger got up and quickly moved towards the woods.
It's not that its leg is injured, nor that it can't run or jump. If it's willing to endure the pain, it can still exert extremely strong fighting power for a short period of time.
As soon as the Siberian tiger approached the woods, Qinglong reacted immediately. It roared and leaped forward, grabbing the rope and rushing to Zhao Jun's side, barking wildly straight ahead.
Upon hearing the dog barking, the Siberian tiger knew that a sneak attack was hopeless, and immediately launched a fierce attack on Zhao Jun and his three companions and the dog.
But just as the tiger charged, a gunshot rang out. Startled, the tiger twisted its body and disappeared behind a large tree.
The moment its four paws touched the ground, the tiger felt excruciating pain in its wounds, causing it to stagger and pause.
If the tiger were in good health, it would have run far away upon hearing the gunshot. But the tiger was injured, and its injuries hampered its movement.
The tiger paused for a moment, the gunshots subsided, and the tiger cautiously looked around. Finding nothing serious, it stopped moving.
Though a cub, it is still a king of beasts. Hearing the incessant barking of dogs in the distance, the Siberian tiger roared in protest.
"Buzz... Roar..." This tiger's roar was low, rough, muffled, and loud, carrying a strong sense of ferocity.
A tiger roared as a fierce wind rose in the mountains, howling through the forest. Tree branches swayed and grass rustled.
The tiger's roar reached my ears, and a tingling sensation shot from my chin to the top of my head, instantly making my entire face and scalp feel like they were being electrocuted.
Despite his physical discomfort, Zhao Jun stood firmly with his gun in both hands, Zhang Yuanmin on his left and Qinglong on his right, roaring in the direction of the Siberian tiger.
The Azure Dragon didn't rush out because Zhao Jinhui had wrapped part of the rope that was holding it around his arm and was holding it tightly in his hand.
Behind Zhao Jun and Zhang Yuanmin, Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang trembled as if they had heard the tiger's roar.
Zhao Jinhui held Qinglong's hand with his right hand and carried two empty water spouts with his left, while Ma Yang carried two water spouts in each hand. As they trembled, the water spouts collided with each other, making a crisp sound.
"Bang!" At this moment, Zhao Jun raised his hand and fired another shot in the direction from which the tiger's roar came.
Upon hearing the gunshot, the Siberian tiger leaped outwards, instantly covering a distance of five meters.
The Siberian tiger, having landed, swayed and tried to leap again. However, due to its injuries, it couldn't, and instead hid behind a nearby tree.
This time the Siberian tiger didn't roar, but regardless of whether it roared or not, as long as it didn't leave, the Azure Dragon roared in the direction where it was hiding.
Seeing this, Zhao Jun couldn't help but feel a little surprised. Normally, the tiger should have disappeared by now, so why was it still lingering nearby?
Although somewhat puzzled, Zhao Jun still fired a shot in the direction Qinglong was looking.
"Bang!" A gunshot rang out, and the Siberian tiger instinctively leaped outwards. Then, just like before, it landed with a stumble. The wound pulled at its body, causing it to pause. The Siberian tiger then slipped behind a tree and was done for.
"Oh!"
"Oh!"
"Oh!"
Zhao Jun fired the fourth and fifth shots, but the Siberian tiger remained motionless. Even after Zhao Jun fired the sixth shot, the tiger didn't budge.
It wasn't that the Siberian tiger was unable to move, nor that it had been hit by a bullet; rather, it had become familiar with the sound of gunfire and knew that although the gunfire was loud, it posed no threat to it.
This is similar to how, at the start of the winter logging season each year, the sound of chainsaws being used in various forest sections would startle nearby wild animals. But over time, these animals get used to it and no longer find it strange.
This Siberian tiger has gotten used to it, but it was forced into this state due to its injuries, so it adapted relatively quickly.
Six shots were fired, and the Azure Dragon was still roaring. Even Zhao Jun was somewhat stunned.
"Brother," Zhang Yuanmin called to Zhao Jun, "could it be that you accidentally shot and killed him?"
"冒蒙" is a Northeastern dialect word meaning to get something by luck.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jun frowned and looked in the direction he had fired his last shot. He remembered that the fifth and sixth shots were also fired in that direction, and that after the fifth shot, the Siberian tiger hadn't moved an inch.
Could it really be as Zhang Yuanmin said, that the Siberian tiger was killed by a single shot?
“Brother, shall we go take a look?” Zhang Yuanmin asked. Zhao Jun blinked, but finally shook his head and said, “Forget it, brother, let’s go fetch water first.”
Caution saved Zhao Jun's life; if things had just passed by like this, he would have been devoured by Hu.
"Go! Hurry up!" Zhao Jun urged Zhao Jinhui and Ma Yang, who were still reeling from the tiger's roar. Their feet felt like they were walking on cotton as they staggered after Zhao Jun and Zhang Yuanmin toward the river.
Upon reaching the riverbank, Zhang Yuanmin pulled out several rolls of towels from his satchel, each containing a toothbrush.
As they were washing up by the river, the Siberian tiger chased them and began moving towards the edge of the forest.
To the Siberian tiger, which is unafraid of gunfire, these people of average build and slow running speed, along with the dog, are just the right amount to fill its stomach.
As the Siberian tiger approached the edge of the forest, the Azure Dragon roared again.
The barking startled Zhao Jun. At this moment, Qinglong was facing the direction of the barking, which was different from when Zhao Jun fired his fifth and sixth shots in the woods.
This means that the Siberian tiger is not dead!
Moreover, judging from the direction the Azure Dragon was facing, the Tiger had blocked the four people's way home!
After thinking it through, Zhao Jun felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't understand the tiger's condition; he only assumed it was malevolent!
"What's wrong, brother-in-law?" Ma Yang, with a towel draped over his shoulder, toothbrush in his mouth, toothpaste foam all over his lips, asked Zhao Jun indistinctly, "Isn't that big claw dead? Why is the Azure Dragon still roaring?"
"Damn it!" Zhao Jun stared at Lin Zi and said coldly, "That big claw is chasing us!"
"Ah!" Ma Yang was startled by Zhao Jun's words. His eyes widened, his mouth opened wide, and his toothbrush slipped out of his mouth.
"Brother Jun!" At this moment, Zhao Jinhui was also terrified and asked Zhao Jun in a trembling voice, "What should we do?"
Zhao Jun didn't reply to Zhao Jinhui. Instead, he fired two shots in the direction Qinglong was looking.
"Bang! Bang!" The gunshots rang out, but the Azure Dragon continued to bark wildly in that direction.
"This is troublesome!" Zhao Jun's heart skipped a beat.
Zhao Jun knew that the probability of his two shots killing the Siberian tiger was almost zero. So, the fact that the tiger did not move after the shots were fired meant that the tiger was truly unafraid of gunfire.
Once Zhao Jun understood this, he felt utterly overwhelmed.
If this tiger isn't afraid of guns, then we're in big trouble. Dogs can determine its general location, but in the summer forest, their line of sight is limited to no more than twenty meters. And for a Siberian tiger, twenty meters is an instant distance.
Although the Siberian tiger weighed only 200 pounds, Zhao Jun and his three men were no match for its sneak attack.
Therefore, you absolutely must not enter this forest.
How can we get back to our shack without going into the woods? We can't just stay by the river forever, can we?
Taking a detour back would be a long way, and it might take two hours to get back. Moreover, Zhao Jun knew that if the four of them didn't return within an hour, Xing San would definitely come out to look for them.
No matter how ruthless the old man is, he can't kill a Siberian tiger.
For a moment, Zhao Jun was caught in a dilemma.
Seeing Zhao Jun holding a gun and staring at the woods without saying a word, Ma Yang asked anxiously, "Brother-in-law, what should we do?"
Zhao Jun didn't know what to do. He weighed the pros and cons in his mind, calculating how much chance he had of success if he charged into the forest.
Seeing that Zhao Jun remained silent, Zhao Jinhui panicked. After all, Zhao Jun was not only the Tiger-Taming General who shook the mountain, but also the backbone of their group. If Zhao Jun was helpless, the one most likely to be carried off by the tiger among them was Zhao Jinhui.
In his anxiety, Zhao Jinhui said to Zhang Yuanmin, who was closest to him, "Brother Zhang, isn't this over yet?"
"Ha! Look at you!" Zhang Yuanmin glanced at Zhao Jinhui, then raised his head slightly to look at the woods. At this moment, Zhang Yuanmin, who was less than 1.6 meters tall, appeared unusually tall.
"I've followed my brother through countless battles for a year and a half. What storms haven't I weathered?" Zhang Yuanmin said, stepping forward to Zhao Jun. "Brother, don't worry. I have a plan that can bring clarity to the situation!"
To be fair, Zhang Yuanmin is a true learner. Even after becoming a millionaire, he still reads whenever he has free time.
Although he reads comic books, what he reads is truly enlightening and can increase his vocabulary.
Sure enough, Zhao Jun felt that he was increasingly unable to understand what Zhang Yuanmin was saying. In his previous life, Zhao Jun had watched the Chen Xiaochun version of "The Deer and the Cauldron," so he knew what the idea of overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming was.
However, Zhao Jun understood what Zhang Yuanmin meant by "a plan".
"Brother, what's your plan? Tell me," Zhao Jun said. Zhang Yuanmin was somewhat displeased. At this moment, he really hoped that Zhao Jun would say something like, "Where do you have a plan?"
But now is not the time to worry about that. Zhang Yuanmin stepped forward, pointed to the woods, and said to Zhao Jun, "Brother, my plan is called 'luring the tiger away from the forest'!"
"Luring the tiger away from the forest..." Zhao Jun frowned slightly upon hearing this. He had heard of the idiom "luring the tiger away from the mountain." But the first thing that came to mind when he thought of fishing for a tiger was Zhang Yuanmin's father using a cow as bait, which ended in a disastrous failure.
At this moment, Zhang Yuanmin said he wanted to fish for a tiger, but there was no ox beside him, so who could he use to fish for it?
As Zhao Jun pondered this, he subconsciously glanced at Zhao Jinhui.
At that moment, Ma Yang questioned Zhang Yuanmin, "Brother Zhang, isn't this a diversionary tactic?"
"Hahaha." Zhang Yuanmin laughed heartily, proudly sticking out his neck, and said, "A general must be able to adapt and apply what he has learned in order to strategize and win battles from afar."
As he spoke, Zhang Yuanmin pointed to the woods and said, “This tiger is cunning and has the advantage of terrain. We cannot act rashly. According to Yuanmin’s plan, we should lure it out of the woods.”
Seeing Zhao Jun's blank expression, Zhang Yuanmin sighed helplessly, then pointed around and said to Zhao Jun, "Brother... if we just lure that big claw here, there are no trees or big rocks in this place, let's see where it hides!"
"Oh my!" Zhao Jun's eyes lit up when he heard Zhang Yuanmin's words.
Just then, Zhang Yuanmin said to Zhao Jun, "This big claw has its eye on us. Let's walk upstream along the riverbank. If it wants to eat meat, it has to follow us! Then we'll walk slowly and lure it out, and then we'll shoot it with our guns!"
"Alright!" Upon hearing Zhang Yuanmin's words, Zhao Jun immediately nodded and said, "Let's do it!"