As time enters mid-April, the number of rainy days gradually becomes less and less, and usually the next two or three days are followed by two or three days of sunny weather.
The downstream location of the creek at the edge of the rainforest under the gentle slope of the small courtyard has formed a small lake of several hundred square meters due to rainwater siltation and poor drainage, with a water depth of more than two meters.
Several thick trunks of tall trees rushed out of the lake and went straight up to the canopy. There was also a trunk that had been knocked down by heavy rain and strong winds and leaned against the lake. The underwater plants were still growing lushly.
The water flowing out of this small lake is connected to a river in the distance that has expanded several times due to the rainy season. The fish in the river swim here along the current.
Steven accidentally discovered this lake in the forest. The water here was crystal clear. Steven could see many big fish swimming in the water. He excitedly called Kate and said that he hadn’t eaten meat for a long time. This place just happened to be a beautiful place.
A very convenient fishing spot, we are discussing how to catch some fish for meat.
Kate looked at the lake and thought for a while and said: "We have neither fishing nets nor fishhooks. Now based on the terrain, the best way is to make two hunting bows, just follow the way the Saiman people hunt bows, and then stand on these
In my opinion, there is no better way than shooting fish with a bow and arrow from a horizontal tree trunk."
Steven said: "This is a good idea. We happen to have all the materials for making a hunting bow. The arms of the bow are made of the branches of the walnut tree found in the woodshed last time. As for the bow string, there are a lot of snake vines on the hillside.
, they can just be processed and twisted into bowstrings. The arrow shafts are still made of thin branches of the Wuluo tree, and the arrowheads have to be temporarily ground with small pebbles. This set is all made by the Saiman people, and has been completely perfected after thousands of years of actual combat.
No problem!"
So the two began to prepare materials. After two days of work, they made two hunting bows and more than 20 arrows. They went to the lake to find the terrain, and began to use the Saiman imitation hunting bow to hunt the animals swimming in the lake.
Big fish. Of course, bows and arrows also require practice. In the first few days, they could hardly shoot. As their experience in using hunting bows matured, the two began to make some gains. After ten days, they hunted for about two hours every afternoon.
You can bring back five or six large fish with a size of tens of centimeters or more.
Now the food for the two of them began to become richer. Instead of eating cassava, purple banana dumplings and wild vegetables, there was fish processed by several cooking methods. Kate skewered them on the fire when they couldn't finish the fish.
Bake the fish into dried form and dry it under the eaves of the porch.
As the rain decreased, the two discussed going out for hunting. They could use bows and arrows to hunt some animals in the rainforest not far away when the weather was fine.
For them, hunting is not only a practical exercise, but also a way to enrich food types and get to know the situation in the rainforest. It is indeed a very good way.
They set their hunting targets on docile herbivores such as forest deer, pheasants, and jungle antelopes. As for more ferocious animals such as wild boars and jungle leopards, it depends on the right time.
The hunting location was set in the jungle on the north side of the camp. They did not plan to enter the mountainous area for hunting. Firstly, the terrain was rugged and there were few animals. Secondly, they were afraid that there would be inexplicable dangers in the mountainous area. The monsters they encountered last time were still the same.
It left some shadows in the hearts of the two of them.
Steven carefully cut open the bark of the tall curare tree in front of him, and when the thick white sap flowed along the slanting edge of the knife and was about to drip, he carefully caught it with a banana leaf.
He spread the tree pulp in a small stall, then covered the wounds on the tree with moss, carefully wrapped the banana leaves, turned around and walked back towards the camp.
In the evening, the two of them smeared the sap on the arrowheads made from round stones by the fire, then dried them on the fire, wrapped the arrowheads with banana leaves and tied them with strings, and then tied the two sharpened stone arrows.
The spears were disposed of in the same way, and they prepared to set out for hunting in the rainforest the next afternoon.
These poisonous arrows and poisonous spears are powerful weapons for self-defense. Even if they encounter ferocious animals such as wild boars, they have a high probability of taking them down.
Steven said: "It's a pity that we haven't found the poison dart frog, otherwise we can hunt large beasts." Kate nodded and said: "The Saiman people have very good hunting experience, and they also have poisonous creatures like poison dart frogs."
If we can discover and develop it, we can look for it when we enter the jungle tomorrow. This season is when poison dart frogs breed, so I believe we will gain something."
The next afternoon, the two took advantage of the weather to clear up and set out for the rainforest area. After half a day's march, the two found no prey along the way. They camped in the wild at night.
While warming the campfire, Kate asked: "Steven, have you ever tried it in the wild? Can you enter the state by visualizing the fire in your head?"
Steven replied: "Of course I have tried. Sometimes you can enter the state, and you don't necessarily need to sit now. You can enter that state even if you are lying in a sleeping bag, but it won't work if the surrounding sounds are too noisy.
, mainly because it is difficult to concentrate in this situation, so there is a high probability of failure in the rainforest at night. If you cannot concentrate highly, and it is night again, drowsiness will soon come...
...Of course, when it’s my turn to be on night watch, I don’t dare to do this because I have to stay awake!”
Kate asked again: "It must have been more than a month since you first entered that state? Have you noticed any changes in your body?"
"There doesn't seem to be any obvious changes! In terms of changes, I feel hungry very easily, my appetite has increased, and I sleep very well, by the way! I also feel that my mind, thinking and memory have been particularly clear recently.
Much improved than before!”
Kate said: "I can tell that your appetite has increased. As for the sleep and mental clarity you mentioned, I didn't notice it. Weren't you particularly good at sleeping before? In terms of thinking ability, it can be seen from the results of our competition in card games.
, I don’t notice any difference between you and before.”
Steven said: "If I think about it carefully, I feel that something has really changed during this period. I feel that my memory is very good now. Many things that I forgot before can now be easily recalled. Oh, and my vision and hearing seem to be improved."
There’s been some improvement too! They’ve become more sensitive than before!”
"Well, since you said so much about your improved abilities, you have to pay more attention to finding prey from tomorrow on. Whether we gain anything this time depends entirely on you!"
The next afternoon, Steven and Kate walked in the jungle. They strolled quietly in search of possible prey. Steven walked in front, and Kate was about five or six meters behind him.
This is close to the Dark Mountains - this is the name Steven gave to the mountains south of where they live - and the mountains on the simple map they have.
The rainforest here is slightly sparser, and from time to time you can see light pillars formed by sunlight leaking from the canopy. Steven, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped. He made a gesture, the two of them lowered their bodies, and Kate came behind him.
Steven then made another gesture, and then the two of them spread out side by side and slowly groped forward. After traveling for about a few dozen meters, they saw several forest deer in front of them grazing with their heads down. The two then slowly crouched down in the grass and were careful.
They got closer until they entered the shooting range of the hunting bow. They knelt down at the same time, opened their bows, nocked arrows, and shot two arrows...
At noon on the third day, the two men returned to the camp carrying a pile of venison.
Steven put down the venison on his body and said: "Kate, I didn't tell you nonsense, did I?! This forest deer hadn't discovered us yet, but I relied on my sensitive ears to detect it first!"
Kate replied: "Okay! It is indeed your sensitive ears that contributed this time. Of course, there is also an element of luck. If we were not just downwind of them, I am afraid that it would have been there before you heard its sound.
Ran away."
"I'm looking forward to the scroll more and more! You see, I have just practiced to the third painting, and there has been such a huge improvement! What will be the result if I continue to practice to the seventh painting?! Kate, I suggest
You can try it another time, maybe it will work this time!"
"Forget it! I'm no longer interested in the content on the scroll. Maybe I'll have trouble sleeping one day. You can give me the scroll..."
Steven shrugged: "Okay! If one day my swordsmanship surpasses yours, then maybe you will come to me and ask for the scroll."