Xu Le's caution was justified. In his previous encounters, he had learned that the electric shock stick in his hand could easily incapacitate a human, but it wasn't always a guarantee when facing a powerful buffalo.
Today's events proved this point once again. As Xu Le approached the buffalo, a massive creature with a black, steamed rice dumpling-like body, the seemingly weak animal suddenly exhaled a powerful breath. Its hooves pounded the ground, and with a burst of strength, it charged towards Xu Le.
Xu Le's pupils narrowed, and his complexion turned slightly pale as if frozen in place. In that moment, he noticed that the electric shock stick in his hand had a sharp blade at the front, resembling a military bayonet.
In a split second, fear surged through his body, triggering a rush of hormones that transformed his initial hesitation into swift action. In that thrilling moment, he swiftly dodged the charging bull. The breeze brushed against his cheeks as he maintained a focused gaze on every movement of the buffalo. His grip tightened on the metal blade of the shock stick.
Xu Le had excellent eyesight, a result of his extensive experience in repairs. Coupled with his steady hand, the metal blade remained in its original position without wavering.
...
...
In the next moment, the force of the buffalo's charge tore the shock stick from his grasp, separating it from his hand in mid-air. It landed on the buffalo's fur, just a couple of inches away from Xu Le's hand, leaving a few drops of blood behind.
With a loud thud, the buffalo, unaffected by the electric shock stick, broke through Xu Le's defense and forcefully crashed into the earth bank, stirring up more dust and blades of grass.
Xu Le raised his dagger and silently watched the fallen bull for a long time. His legs no longer trembled, and a healthy redness returned to his cheeks. In that moment, he had truly experienced fear, as he had never expected the bull to possess such vigorous vitality. Even under the effects of the electric shock, it still displayed such fierce aggression.
After a long silence, Xu Le cautiously approached the buffalo, confirming its demise. He carefully retrieved his dagger from the skull of the bull, which had been thoroughly damaged by the bayonet. The bull could no longer express its anger. Xu Le narrowed his eyes, examining the blood drop on the tip of the dagger. In the dim twilight, the liquid gradually glistened, reflecting a faint light. Rather than feeling excitement or exhilaration, Xu Le felt only fear and avoidance.
"When can I use both my hands?" Xu Le suddenly turned and shouted loudly toward the repair shop boss on the other side of the electronic fence. His tone was filled with frustration and anger.
"The Hand," as Xu Le named the shock stick combined with the dagger, possessed a refined design for a metal weapon. However, it had a flaw. After a single discharge, it could only release the primary current, unable to compare with true army-grade weaponry. Apart from its comfortable grip and the smooth sliding motion, Xu Le had not discovered anything particularly exciting about it.
Hence, he called it "The Hand."
Feng Yu, on the other side of the electronic fence, was well aware of all these shortcomings. He could easily fix this flaw, but he chose not to. He deliberately created this self-defense weapon for Xu Le to use.
Many years ago, Feng Yu firmly believed that excessive reliance on machinery was not a good thing. It would only hinder human potential and limit their ability to explore the universe. However, he had no intention of discussing these theories with Xu Le at the moment. So, upon hearing the frustrated outburst from the young man, he simply smiled
and took out a silver cigarette case from his jeans pocket, delicately lighting up a cigarette.
Xu Le slumped dejectedly, his body low.
Observing the young man's busy figure against the backdrop of the twilight, Feng Yu felt a certain touch in his heart. He was typically a callous individual, which was why he had fled to a remote place like Area Eastwood. However, as the warm light of the sunset merged with the night, the young man before him, working diligently under the reddening sky, skinning and cutting meat while occasionally wiping away bloodstains from his hands onto his clothes...
It was a gruesome scene, yet one filled with a sense of the aesthetics of life, where all living beings existed between survival and death. Clutching his cigarette, Feng Yu looked at the young man who wielded his knife like a dance, reminiscing about scenes he had read about in classical literature long ago. In the harvest season of autumn, farmers gathered to reap crops, exchanging the fruits of their labor for their own survival. They would sit around tribal bonfires, men and women drinking, roasting meat over towering flames, reveling in their merriment.
A smile appeared on Feng Yu's face, a smile that revealed a sense of world-weariness, accentuated by his graying hair. It seemed to expose his true age and carried a touch of melancholy.
He found Xu Le to be an intriguing child. It appeared as though this child placed his unwavering determination in two seemingly opposing ideals, completely unaware of his own potential in other aspects. For instance, when he had effortlessly dispatched the charging buffalo—besides trained military personnel, who else could kill a bull armed only with a dagger? Why had bison meat become scarce on the black market in recent years?
Feng Yu pondered Xu Le's previous questions, and his smile grew wider. Under strict governmental regulations on firearms, which black market peddler would dare risk their necks to hunt and kill a bull?
This child... is truly naive in some respects. He had never realized that he could outrun an enraged bull, nor had he recognized that he possessed the ability to single-handedly bring down such a powerful animal. How proud of an achievement was that compared to his expertise in repairing televisions?
"Damn, damn..." Xu Le cursed under his breath as he continued with the arduous task of butchering. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he straightened his posture, placed his hands on his hips, and exclaimed to the shameless middle-aged man smoking nearby, "Don't leave any bones weighing less than 200 jin (0.5 kg). If you loaf around again, we won't have dinner tonight!"
Feng Yu regarded the various talents displayed by the young Xu Le, but in his eyes, they were nothing extraordinary. Having lived for so long, he had witnessed many true talents. However, what truly impressed Feng Yu about Xu Le was his calm demeanor during the buffalo incident, which was incongruous with his young age. Despite trembling legs and a pale face, Xu Le remained composed. That was what Feng Yu appreciated most about him.
Meanwhile, this was also the aspect that Feng Yu found most absurd about the youngster. Therefore, upon hearing Xu Le's frustrated outburst, he couldn't help but feel a sense of joy. A wild smile emerged on his face as he stood up, patted his backside.