Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Kiting a Wild Boar to Death

Zhang Erlai felt like his legs were no longer his to command. They’d turned to jelly; even if he wanted to run now, he couldn’t lift them.

’It’s over. I’m really done for today!’

Just when Zhang Erlai thought he was going to meet his end, he suddenly saw Su Qing pick up a large rock and slam it hard against the boar’s backside, right where the branch was sticking out.

"SQUEAL—" The branch already stuck in its rear had the boar mad with pain. Su Qing’s rock only made matters worse. With that, she became the boar’s number one enemy. It ignored the petrified Zhang Erlai, wheeled around, and charged straight for Su Qing with bloodshot eyes.

Zhang Erlai gasped. He never imagined that Su Qing would risk her life to save him!

"Su... Su Qing, you have to... you have to run!" Zhang Erlai’s legs were trembling so badly he couldn’t stand anymore and collapsed onto the ground. He yelled at Su Qing with a shaky voice, hoping she could run away and escape the boar’s attack.

But then he thought about his own condition and didn’t hold out much hope for her. ’If I, a grown man, am this terrified, what chance does a sixteen-year-old girl have? She’s got no chance at all.’

All Zhang Erlai could think now was, ’It’s over, it’s all over. Both Su Qing and I are going to die here today. After that boar deals with her, it’ll come for me.’

Meanwhile, Su Qing had scooped up several rocks. While dodging the boar, she hurled them at it, making it squeal in pain.

Secretly, while pretending to pick up more rocks, Su Qing took control of the creeping vines on the ground and wrapped them around the boar’s legs.

Of course, with Zhang Erlai watching, Su Qing didn’t dare to brazenly use the vines to tie the boar up completely. Instead, she tripped it and then quickly released the vines. Caught off-balance and charging at full speed, the boar couldn’t stay upright. It face-planted, even snapping one of its tusks in the process.

But in Zhang Erlai’s eyes, all he saw was Su Qing pelting the boar with rocks, making it so dizzy and disoriented that it tripped and fell.

’Holy cow, that actually works?’

Zhang Erlai stared wide-eyed.

The boar stumbled twice in a row, which only enraged it further. The pain in its face and rear drove it into a frenzy. Squealing, it charged at Su Qing again, determined to rip her to shreds.

Unfortunately for the boar, it had run into Su Qing.

The fourth time the boar fell, Su Qing spotted a sharp rock nearby. She controlled the vines and flung the boar directly toward it.

The boar’s head slammed hard against the rock. Its sharp edge buried itself deep in the animal’s skull, and blood instantly gushed out.

"SQUEAL—" The boar let out one last, agonized cry. Its hooves twitched a few times, and then it fell still.

"Su... Su Qing, is... is the boar dead?" Zhang Erlai asked, staring at the scene in disbelief. A huge wild boar, over three hundred pounds, had just been run to death by Su Qing.

That’s right. As far as Zhang Erlai was concerned, Su Qing had killed the boar by running it ragged and pelting it with rocks. ’And she was lucky, too,’ he thought. ’The boar just happened to fall on that rock and kill itself.’

’But it’s my good luck, too. If that boar hadn’t died, both Su Qing and I would have been in real danger today.’

Su Qing pretended to be exhausted and sank to the ground. She feigned heavy breathing, looking utterly spent. "I think... I think it’s dead."

"It’s really dead!" Zhang Erlai still couldn’t quite believe it. He stared at the motionless boar for a long time before finally accepting the truth. He wanted to go over and check on it, but his legs were still too weak. He couldn’t even stand up and needed more time to rest.

"Probably," Su Qing said. "But just in case, let’s make sure."

As she spoke, she picked up a nearby rock and hurled it at the boar.

She hit it several times in a row, right on the head. The boar remained completely still. It was obviously dead as a doornail.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness, it’s finally dead." Zhang Erlai let out a huge sigh of relief. His arms felt weak, unable to support him, so he simply fell backward onto the grass. "Oh, sweet mother, that scared me to death."

Su Qing found herself thinking that this Zhang Erlai was nothing like his mother. She smiled and said, "You’re a bit of a coward, aren’t you?"

Lying on the grass, Zhang Erlai gave a weak wave of his hand. "I’m a coward, I’m weak, and I’m not strong. Have you ever seen me go out to work in the fields?"

"That’s true," Su Qing had to admit.

Still, even though Zhang Erlai didn’t do manual labor, his family still managed to get by. He must have other avenues. As they say, every creature has its own path; everyone has their own way of making a living.

Su Qing didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she said to Zhang Erlai, "We both found this boar. How about we split it, half and half?"

"No, I can’t do that." Zhang Erlai didn’t consider himself someone who took advantage of others. "I didn’t help at all today," he said. "My legs are still too weak to even stand. You killed this boar, so I can’t take what isn’t mine."

Hearing him say that, Su Qing couldn’t help but laugh. "Who says you didn’t help? You were the one who spotted the boar first, and you even yelled for me to run."

"That doesn’t count as helping," Zhang Erlai said, scratching his head in embarrassment. "You would have noticed it even if I hadn’t said anything."

"It’s not the same. You gave me more time to react. You have to take a share of the meat," Su Qing insisted.

"Alright then, how about you just give me twenty pounds? The rest is all yours," Zhang Erlai said after a moment’s thought, seeing that she wouldn’t back down.

"You’re getting the short end of the stick. I’m taking so much," Su Qing said with a smile.

Zhang Erlai quickly replied, "Not at all, not at all! If anything, I’m the one taking advantage. If it weren’t for you, forget about getting any meat, I’d probably be dead. After all, you saved my life."

"Alright, then," Su Qing agreed with a nod. "There’s no way the two of us can carry this boar down the mountain. We’ll have to get people to help. The meat we give to everyone who helps will come out of my share."

According to the village custom, anyone who helped carry game down the mountain would get five pounds of meat as thanks.

"Okay." Zhang Erlai didn’t argue with her about it. After resting a bit longer, he felt his strength returning. He said to Su Qing, "I’ll go down the mountain and find Village Chief Zhao. I’ll have him bring a few people to help carry the boar down. You rest here for a bit."

"Alright," Su Qing nodded.

Zhang Erlai took another look at the boar to confirm it was truly dead, then finally headed down the mountain with peace of mind to find Zhao Youcai.

Before long, Zhang Erlai returned with Zhao Youcai and three other villagers.

When they saw the massive, motionless boar on the ground, Zhao Youcai and the three villagers all stared wide-eyed. That was one big pig.