Chapter 64: The Giant Bear Subdued! Lu Qingshan's Valor! Heroes of Shanwan Village!

"Quick! Use wooden stakes! Use rope! Trip it! Don't let it get up!"

Lu Qingshan tossed the Hunting Rifle that had fired empty shells, his eyes blazing red as he roared, not retreating but charging forward toward the still‑frantically struggling black bear!

Zhao Tiezhu and Zhao Er Zhuang and the others reacted instantly; they knew this was the last chance and the most dangerous moment!

The two roared, exerting all their strength, and hurled the sharpened wooden stakes they had prepared at the underside of the black bear's rolling body and the edges of its massive limbs, trying to temporarily pin the colossal beast to the ground!

Although the black bear's left eye was ruined, the pain drove it mad, but its survival instinct and boundless fury unleashed its final—and most terrifying—potential!

It snapped its head, the remaining right eye flashing with blood‑thirsty glare, opened its massive blood‑filled maw lined with stark white fangs dripping saliva and blood, and viciously lunged at Zhao Tiezhu, who was closest, trying to block its front leg with a wooden stake!

"Tiezhu! Careful!"

On the other side of the gorge, Zhao Dazhi and the just‑caught‑breath Liu Fugui both let out terrified, piercing screams!

The blood‑stained mouth was about to clamp onto Zhao Tiezhu's arm!

At the hair‑trigger moment, Lu Qingshan surged forward like a cheetah, reaching the black bear's vicinity!

He had no gun, not even a decent knife, only a broken wooden staff about the thickness of a child's arm that he had snatched from the ground amid the chaos!

A flash of frantic resolve crossed his eyes; relying on Mountain Wild Heart's precise prediction of the black bear's attack, at the instant the fangs were about to reach Zhao Tiezhu, Lu Qingshan let out a thunderous roar, summoned all his strength, and violently drove the thick wooden staff straight into the bear's gaping maw, lodging deep into its throat!

"Wooo— crack!"

The bear's fierce snarling abruptly ceased, turning into a muffled, painful wail and the strange sound of bone grinding.

The hard wooden staff wedged firmly between its upper and lower jaws, preventing it from closing its mouth or letting out a more threatening roar, while foul saliva dripped down the staff.

Seizing the brief gap while the bear was stuck by the sudden blow, Lu Qingshan's arm muscles bulged as he used all his strength to thrust the staff even harder toward the bear's deep throat!

At the same time he shouted at Zhao Tiezhu, whose face had turned pale with fear but had at least escaped the disaster.

"Tiezhu! Er Zhuang! What are you still standing around for! Use rope! Bind its mouth and claws to death!"

The crowd, as if waking from a dream, surged with seven hands and eight feet, scrambling to throw the coarse hemp rope, horse‑tether ropes, and everything usable, desperately winding and binding around the black bear's mouth—together with the staff inside—and its still‑raging limbs!

The bear, blind in one eye and with its throat tightly jammed by the foreign object, was seized by excruciating pain and suffocation, plunging into unprecedented madness.

Its massive body rolled and twisted violently on the ground, its tremendous force causing the earth to tremble slightly, and the packed snow to swirl into the air.

But its left eye was gone, and its huge mouth was essentially trapped by the staff and rope, undeniably greatly reducing its offensive power.

Just as the bear twisted most violently, trying to break free, a cold glint flashed in Lu Qingshan's eyes!

Mountain Wild Heart let him seize a fleeting opportunity! He abruptly released one hand that was pushing the staff, and with a speed faster than the eye could catch, snatched the Hunting Rifle from Liu Fugui's grasp, the barrel nearly pressed against the soft inner side of the black bear's slightly opened upper jaw—the lethal spot connecting to its skull!

"Die!"

Lu Qingshan roared, and without hesitation pulled the trigger!

"Bang!"

The gunshot, close at hand, was muffled yet shocking!

The scorching iron‑sand projectile slammed into the bear's upper jaw, the massive impact mixing shattered bone fragments and flesh, blasting straight into its skull!

"Aooo—!"

The bear let out a brief, extremely mournful wail; its massive body suddenly stiffened, the frantic thrashing halted in an instant, the fierce glint in its lone eye quickly dimmed, replaced by a dead‑gray stare.

Having landed the blow, Lu Qingshan immediately retreated several steps, creating distance; his chest heaved violently, sweat beads rolled on his forehead, his voice hoarse yet undeniably fierce.

"Fugui! Grab another Homemade Grenade! Blow its head! Quickly!"

Liu Fugui's face turned as pale as paper, his legs trembling so much he could barely stand.

But seeing Lu Qingshan's blood‑soaked fighting figure and the bear's current dire state, a ferocious vigor he had never felt surged from his heart.

He gritted his teeth hard and pulled the last heavy Homemade Grenade from his chest.

With trembling yet resolute hands he lit the fuse, mustering all his strength, and hurled it toward the massive head of the black bear!

"Everyone, get out of the way!"

"Die, you!"

The Homemade Grenade arced through the air, landing precisely beside the black bear's head!

"Boom—!"

A deafening, ear‑splitting blast erupted suddenly within the narrow Dead Ditch!

The explosion's shockwave lifted the packed snow and rubble, the bear's massive head jolted, tilted, and slammed heavily onto the snow.

Its whole body convulsed a few violent times as if struck by a giant hammer; a stream of blood gushed from its nostrils and ears, mixing with the blood and brain matter spilling from its eyes into a blurred mess.

Then, that once‑imperious massive body collapsed completely, silent forever.

It finally stopped moving.

The strong smell of gunpowder and blood mingled, irritating everyone's nostrils.

Dead silence, a death‑like quiet, descended upon the valley again.

Everyone stared blankly at the unbelievable scene before them.

Looking at the once‑majestic, forest‑ruling Big Blind Black, now collapsed like a small hill in the snow, completely devoid of life.

"Goo‑dong."

Someone swallowed, the sound unusually clear in the silence.

"Qing... Qing Shan... you... you... killed the Big Blind Black...?"

Production team leader Zhao Dazhi's lips trembled as he stammered, feeling as if he were in a thrilling yet unreal dream.

Lu Qingshan also felt waves of weakness surge through him.

Leaning on the Hunting Rifle, he gasped heavily, and in his ears, still buzzing from the last Homemade Grenade, he could faintly hear his own drum‑like heartbeat.

He looked at the black bear collapsed at the gorge mouth, then at the surrounding villagers still shaking from terror but whose eyes now brimmed with awe, worship, even fanaticism, and finally a weary yet immensely satisfying smile appeared on his face.

"Huh... it's done..." he whispered hoarsely, yet with a relieved ease.

"Done!"

They not only harvested an unprecedented amount of game, but together slew a true ruler capable of threatening the entire Shanwan Village and even this dry‑bowl mountain forest!

Having brushed the line between life and death and having witnessed this miraculous victory with their own eyes, the villagers, after a brief daze and silence, finally erupted in cheers louder and more deafening than any before.

"Brother Qing Shan is awesome—!"

"My heavens! It's the Big Black Blind Bear! Let's take it down!"

"We're getting rich! Our village is about to strike it big! Follow Brother Qing Shan for meat to eat! Big money to earn!"

Zhao Tiezhu plopped onto the snow, wiping the sweat, blood and tears from his face, and let out a goofy chuckle.

Liu Fugui also collapsed onto the ground; although still shaken, his face beamed with a pride and excitement he had never felt before.

The cheers rang through the entire Dead Ditch, echoing through the valley, dispelling the winter's chill and the Fear that had just threatened to swallow people whole.

This heart‑pounding, roller‑coaster battle against the black bear ended with a glorious victory for the Shanwan Village Hunting Team under Lu Qingshan's leadership!

The massive black bear's value far exceeds the sum of all the Wild Boar, Roe Deer and Spotted Deer previously captured in the Dead Ditch!

Whole bear gallbladder, precious bear paw, thick bear hide, and hundreds of jin of bear meat…

Any one of them taken to market could fetch a jaw‑dropping sky‑high price!

Yet, as Lu Qingshan gazed at this huge haul, his eyes deep, a feeling rose in his heart that was deeper and more complex than simple joy.

It is not merely wealth, but also the first loud challenge and declaration he makes, leading these simple yet brave villagers toward the unknown and peril‑filled Guandong Mountain Forest!

At this moment, a blazing fire ignited in the hearts of Shanwan Village's hunters, lighting the road ahead.

They, under Lu Qingshan's guidance, in this ice‑bound land, used courage and wisdom to create a miracle worthy of being recorded in Shanwan Village's annals!

And this miracle, for Lu Qingshan, is merely a sweeping, grand beginning…