His military knife had grown blunt, unable to even cut through wild boar skin. Zhou You turned to extract the boar's fangs, the sharpest parts on its body, wondering if they could penetrate its hide.

Harnessing his inner strength, Zhou You successfully pulled out two sharp fangs. Testing them on the boar's body, they worked. He thought, "If could sharpen these teeth into knives, they'd surely cut through metal."

He only took about three kilograms of meat, any more would be too much to consume or carry, and the smell of blood might attract predators.

Zhou You returned to the riverside, starting a fire to roast the meat.

As the fire blazed, its warmth broke the forest's eeriness. He skewered the thinly sliced meat on sticks to roast. The aroma was tantalizing, even without seasoning.

Once the meat changed color, Zhou You eagerly grabbed a piece, burning his mouth due to his impatience. He blew on it and quickly swallowed after a few bites.

"Delicious!" Whether it was his prolonged absence from meat or the exceptional quality of wild boar, Zhou You felt this was the best meat he'd ever eaten. It invigorated him, filling him with warmth and energy.

"If I could get a piece of pork belly and make braised pork, it'd be even more delicious!" He ate all the meat in one go, washed his hands and rinsed his mouth in the river. Looking at his reflection, he saw a wild-looking man: a full beard, disheveled hair, tattered clothes, and a large leaf around his waist.

He began grooming himself by the river, and after cleaning up, he took a bath. Several odd-looking fish attacked him, but the small river housed no large fish, so Zhou You easily dealt with them.

"Chirp chirp..." A few small monkeys emerged from the woods, their noses twitching as they approached the fire. They picked up and licked the used skewers, squeaking in yearning.

Zhou You, charmed by their innocence, caught several fish from the river and tossed them ashore, inquiring, "If you're not here to fight me, how about I grill these fish for you?"

The little monkeys seemed juvenile, only reaching up to Zhou You's chest when standing. He wasn't afraid of them and even found them somewhat endearing, considering monkeys are closely related to humans.

The little monkeys circled the fire excitedly. Some grabbed fish from the ground, tossing them into the flames, causing sparks to fly. This startled them, sending them scurrying back into the dense forest.

Zhou You got dressed and added some dried grass to the fire. Once the flames were ablaze, he called out, "If you want some, let me know. Otherwise, it's all mine!"

The fish in this river were undoubtedly natural, tender and likely delicious. Even though he had eaten earlier, he felt he could still manage another fish.

After a few minutes, a braver young monkey cautiously emerged, slowly approaching and sitting opposite Zhou You. It stared at him intently, seemingly pondering what species he was, how he could create fire, and how he managed to grill the fragrant meat.

Zhou You skewered dozens of fish, placing them over the fire. He showed the monkeys how to turn the sticks, ensuring the fish were evenly heated. Enticed by the aroma, the other monkeys soon joined them, gathering around the fire.

Watching them devour the grilled fish with delight, Zhou You thought, "It's wonderful when not every creature has to be at odds with humans. Harmony is so much better."

Yet this sentiment was short-lived as a mother monkey, resembling a gorilla, appeared. She bared her teeth menacingly at Zhou You, frightening him with her display. She picked up a stone and threw it at him while summoning her young.

The monkeys swiftly returned to their mother, clutching the remnants of their grilled fish. Zhou You, not wishing to engage in a confrontation, flipped her the bird, remarking, "Ungrateful!" He then grabbed his belongings and hurriedly crossed the river.

Chapter 005: They'll Pay for This

"Hurry up! We need to find shelter before nightfall," shouted Li Hongxi from inside an armored vehicle, holding a radio.

"Boss, there's a herd of mutated antelope up ahead, around twenty or so," reported Wang Yuan from atop the vehicle, binoculars in hand. "Mutton! That's mutton right there!"

Li Hongxi's mouth watered at the thought of mutton. Over the past few months, their group had journeyed from the southernmost HN province. Originally a large convoy, now only eight thousand remained. Their food supplies had dwindled.

While regular folks could survive on grains, their fighters needed the energy provided by mutated creature meat, without which they wouldn't even have the strength to fight.

"Drive straight through!" Despite being mere antelopes, their sharp horns could pierce through trucks. A confrontation would be costly in terms of time and potential damage.

"Captain..."

"Boss..." Reluctant voices emerged over the radio.

"Quiet! Safety first. Find shelter. Tonight, I'll lead a hunt!"

"Roger that!" Upon hearing the promise of extra food, the crew's spirits lifted. The transport lead shouted, "All vehicles, increase speed and keep up!"

Of their convoy, only a dozen were armored vehicles, with the rest being regular trucks and buses. Over a hundred fighters guided thousands of civilians on this perilous journey northward. They had been traversing the mountain range for nearly two weeks.

Li Hongxi checked the electronic map, a recent satellite image provided by the central government. Although just a month old, terrains could change dramatically in such a short time, a fact they learned the hard way.

"Ten kilometers ahead is a former city. Half its structures are still intact according to the map. We'll rest there tonight and scout for supplies. After that, we'll be sleeping in the vehicles for days."