My Manor

In fact, the best time for hunting is autumn. The weather is clear and crisp, and animals are accumulating energy for the winter. During this time, the animals are at their fattest and most delicious. However, in addition to autumn, winter is also a good season for hunting.

First, because a large number of trees have shed their leaves, it is easy to observe birds on the treetops.

Second, the snow is soft, making it difficult for animals to move quickly. They leave clear tracks, which makes them easier to track.

Third, many creatures hibernate in winter, such as snakes, bears, and numerous poisonous insects and ants. These creatures, which are usually a threat to humans, have either hibernated or been frozen to death. This makes winter a safer and more appealing time for hunting.

Jiang Hai didn't understand this before. He was just a commoner, and wild boars were classified as second-level protected animals in China.

How could an ordinary commoner like him hunt? He had never even hunted a rabbit!

Now, as he suddenly prepared to go hunting, it was impossible for him not to feel excited.

"What do we need to prepare?" Hearing Robbins' words, Jiang Hai immediately asked, his tone full of anticipation.

"Well, actually, we don't need to prepare much. After all, we're just playing around in the small forest on our manor. But if we were going to the mountains, we'd need more preparation. For now, just wear something warm, bring a weapon, and carry a bag for the prey," Robbins replied. Seeing Jiang Hai's excited expression, he hesitated momentarily but decided to be honest.

Hearing that little equipment was needed, Jiang Hai felt slightly disappointed, but his excitement for the hunting trip quickly took over.

"Then I'll bring the gun, this bow, and that gun too!" Jiang Hai exclaimed as he began listing the gear he wanted to bring.

Robbins and the others broke into a sweat. They wanted to tell Jiang Hai that there wasn't much game in the forest, which was just a man-made grove, not a vast wilderness. Based on Robbins' observations over the years, the forest mainly hosted seabirds and a few terrestrial animals, such as squirrels, hares, turkeys, pheasants, otters, opossums, foxes, and occasionally raccoons. That was it.

There were no wolves, bears, mountain lions, or even lynxes.

The forest's proximity to the residential area and cowshed ensured no large predators roamed there, as they would pose a danger to the local inhabitants.

Jiang Hai didn't need to bring so much gear. He wasn't heading into the mountains, but they didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm, so they said nothing.

"Boss, can you shoot arrows?" Bell asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Not really," Jiang Hai admitted without hesitation.

"Then I'll teach you," Bell said, smiling as he successfully steered the conversation.

He retrieved a folding bow from a wooden box, reassembled it, and prepared to demonstrate. But as he pulled on the bowstring, he realized he had underestimated its tension.

"Wow, this is tough!" Bell muttered, awkwardly smiling as he gave it his all. Yet, he only managed to pull the bowstring about a third of the way before stopping.

"Is it really that difficult?" Robbins, intrigued, stepped forward to try. He took a deep breath and pulled, but despite his larger frame, he barely managed the same result. His face turned red from exertion.

"Let me have a go!" Philemon chimed in, stepping forward. Although Philemon seemed like a chatterbox and appeared relatively frail, his physique was actually robust. Being a Black man, he carried a natural physical advantage.

However, even with his strength, Philemon only managed to pull the bowstring a bit further, about two-fifths of the way, before giving up.

The three men turned their heads to Jiang Hai with questioning looks as if to ask why he had bought such a bow if no one could pull it.

Jiang Hai glanced at them with mild disdain before grabbing the bow. With a steady grip, he pulled the bowstring back effortlessly, drawing it fully in one smooth motion.

The trio was dumbfounded.

"Whoa! Incredible!"

"My God!"

"No way!"

Although they already knew Jiang Hai was strong, they hadn't expected his strength to be this extraordinary. His seemingly ordinary frame concealed immense power.

Jiang Hai smirked at their astonished expressions, releasing the bowstring with a buzz that left them slightly shaken.

Bell, recovering first, set up a human-shaped target in the yard. He began explaining the basics of archery to Jiang Hai. Unlike shooting, which requires only a steady aim along three points, archery demands intuition and consistency. The archer must control posture, string tension, and release timing.

Jiang Hai eagerly took the bow and went to the grassy area to practice, accompanied by his dogs, Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai.

"Let's see how this goes," Jiang Hai murmured, placing a metal arrow on the bowstring. He drew the 120-pound bow with some difficulty. Maintaining the tension for more than ten seconds proved too much, and his hands began to tremble.

Frustrated, he released the arrow without proper aim, sending it flying wide. The arrow traveled over 1,000 meters before landing in the snow. Xiao Huang darted off to retrieve it, wagging his tail as he returned with the arrow in his mouth. Jiang Hai patted him in appreciation but remained focused on improving his technique.

His next few shots were better but still fell short of the target. The 120-pound draw weight was taxing, but Jiang Hai was determined to master it. By the third arrow, he finally managed to graze the edge of the target, giving him a boost of confidence.

Gradually, his accuracy improved, but the ten-second window to aim remained challenging. Out of every ten shots, three hit the target, and seven strayed. Jiang Hai knew he could either adjust the bow's draw weight or wait for his strength to improve, but he was reluctant to compromise.

Fortunately, his body's growth was accelerating after recent upgrades, and he was nearing the next level. With 1,080 pieces to collect, he estimated it would take less than three months to reach his goal.