Reborn in 72, I hunt to support my family and spoil my younger sister rotten.

Chapter 256 The Bizarre Sacrifice

At night, a series of piercing screams came from outside the village.

Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou immediately got up, picked up their hunting rifles, and quietly went into the yard.

Under the moonlight, the main road of the village was crowded with weasels, numbering at least thirty or forty.

What was most chilling was that these weasels were all standing upright, with their front paws folded in front of their chests, bowing repeatedly towards the courtyard where Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou lived, as if they were worshipping the dead.

"My god..." Wang Ergou gasped, his hand gripping the gun trembling slightly. "Brother Xiangyang, this...this is too eerie..."

Li Xiangyang frowned, looking at the scene before him, momentarily bewildered. But he quickly regained his composure and turned to Wang Ergou, saying, "Don't panic, Ergou. Any animal will exhibit unusual behavior when it feels threatened."

"This is just their survival strategy; they want to scare us into giving up the hunt."

"Just like wolves use their howls to intimidate their enemies. No matter what posture they adopt, remember, we have guns, they only have teeth and claws. Isn't it obvious who should be afraid?"

"But...but, Xiangyang, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that I'm getting scared...Listen, they...they seem to be saying something! Maybe...maybe we should just leave, this thousand yuan isn't worth it..."

Before Wang Ergou could finish speaking, some villagers had already noticed what was happening and cried out in panic.

Soon, Yang Zhonghou and a group of villagers also ran over. When they saw the scene of the weasels "worshiping" the weasels, they were all speechless with shock.

"Brother Li, what...what exactly is going on?" Yang Zhonghou asked in a trembling voice, "Have they really become spirits?"

The villagers started talking amongst themselves, and an atmosphere of fear quickly spread.

"Don't panic!" Li Xiangyang shouted. "We can't explain some of their behaviors yet, but that doesn't mean they're some kind of monster."

After saying that, Li Xiangyang raised his hunting rifle and fired a shot at the three-tailed weasel.

With a loud bang, the bullet whistled out.

The weasel wasn't stupid either; the moment he raised his gun, it darted to the side, dodging the bullet.

Startled by the gunshot, the pack of weasels let out a sharp cry and scattered in all directions.

But what's chilling is that they didn't escape very far; instead, they stopped near the village entrance, as if waiting for someone to chase them.

"Brother Xiangyang, what... what should we do now?" Wang Ergou asked nervously, his voice trembling.

"Chase!"

Before anyone could ask any more questions, Li Xiangyang gave an order, and the black cat immediately darted out and gave chase.

Li Xiangyang tugged at the hesitant Wang Ergou, and then quickly ran out of the village with Xuanmao.

Upon seeing this, the pack of weasels quickly scattered and disappeared into the night.

After chasing for about an hour, Xuanmao led the two up a small hill.

The moonlight on the mountaintop was like water, and the three-tailed weasel stood there, as if it had been waiting for a long time.

It stood calmly on the rock, its eyes fixed intently on Li Xiangyang and his group, while a dozen or so of its kind formed a semicircle around it.

"Brother Xiangyang, that big one, it seems like it deliberately lured us here..."

Seeing this, Wang Ergou's hard-won courage dissipated once again, and his heart began to pound.

"Don't be afraid, I'll handle it." Li Xiangyang's expression was cold and stern as he raised his gun without hesitation.

Before Wang Ergou could say anything more, Li Xiangyang had already pulled the trigger.

Bang! A gunshot pierced the night sky, the bullet heading straight for the three-tailed weasel.

This time, the weasel reacted quickly, but it was still a step too late.

The bullet grazed its hind leg, leaving a trail of blood.

It let out a shrill cry, so sharp it almost pierced the eardrums.

After being injured, it suddenly turned around and let out a huge fart in the direction of Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou.

A suffocating stench instantly filled the air, so thick it seemed almost tangible, forming a mist under the moonlight.

The two were so overwhelmed by the sudden smell that they took several steps back. Li Xiangyang quickly covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve: "Don't inhale! Hold your breath!"

But it was too late; the strange smell had already entered their nasal cavities.

Wang Ergou's vision began to blur, and he seemed to see the weasels turn into human figures and walk towards them.

"Brother Xiangyang! They...they've turned into people!" Wang Ergou shouted in terror.

Although Li Xiangyang also felt a wave of dizziness, he remained resolute and forced himself to calm down: "Calm down, it's just a hallucination! Hold your breath and close your eyes!"

He grabbed Wang Ergou by the shoulder, pulled him behind a tree, and forced him to squat down.

"Listen to me, Er Gou, it's all an illusion. Don't be fooled. It'll be fine once the smell dissipates."

Wang Ergou, his eyes tightly shut and his whole body trembling, said, "Brother Xiangyang, is it really a hallucination? But..."

"Trust me, it'll be fine in a bit," Li Xiangyang said firmly. "Even if you turn into a human, with the Black Cat protecting you, they can't hurt you. Calm down."

The two squatted behind the tree for about ten minutes before the strange stench slowly dissipated.

By this time, the weasel pack had vanished, leaving only a trail of blood stretching into the depths of the mountain.

"They ran away," Li Xiangyang patted Wang Ergou on the shoulder, "How are you feeling?"

Wang Ergou shook his head, his eyes gradually clearing: "Much...much better."

"Let's go, we must continue the pursuit."

Seeing that he was alright, Li Xiangyang said firmly.

"Huh? Still chasing?" Wang Ergou's eyes widened. "Brother Xiangyang, that thing was too creepy. How about we come back tomorrow during the day?"

Li Xiangyang shook his head, his tone resolute: "No, we have to chase after it now. Think about it, if you're not sure if it's a hallucination, you'll have nightmares for the rest of your life."

"But..."

“There are no ‘buts’,” Li Xiangyang interrupted him. “Do you want to be troubled by this for the rest of your life?”

Wang Ergou gritted his teeth, and seeing the determination in Li Xiangyang's eyes, finally nodded: "Okay...alright, Brother Xiangyang. I'll listen to you."

“That’s more like it,” Li Xiangyang patted him on the shoulder. “Remember, no matter what, they’re just ordinary wild animals. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Led by the black cat, the two continued their pursuit into the depths of the mountains, following the trail of blood.

Li Xiangyang gripped his hunting rifle tightly and cautiously looked around.

Wang Ergou followed closely behind him. Although he was still a little scared, he forced himself to stay alert and not let fear take over his mind.

The chase lasted for most of the night, until the sky began to lighten, at which point Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou finally stopped to rest.

That night, the two sides encountered each other several times, and killed a total of eighteen weasels, but in the end they still lost track of the big one, which escaped to an unknown place.

As Li Xiangyang caught up with them each time and killed a few, Wang Ergou's fear gradually subsided.