The two found a wind-sheltered rock cave to camp in for the night; the so-called rock cave was actually just two huge rocks leaning against each other in a triangular shape, leaving a large space in the middle, just enough for two people to lie down.
Wufu chopped some branches to cover the crack in the middle, while Liu Jin gathered dry grass and leaves to spread on the ground, topped with a thin cloth, which served as their campsite.
In addition, for safety, Wufi sprinkled a circle of sulfur powder around the campsite to prevent snakes from getting too close to them.
While it was still light, they collected a large pile of firewood and dry branches to place at the entrance of the rock cave for burning a bonfire to keep warm at night, which could also help ward off wild animals.
With the campsite ready and daylight not yet faded, Wufu said, "Let’s go, see if luck is on our side."
She strapped on a bow and arrow, with a firewood cutting knife stuck behind her waist, while Liu Jin carried a long spear that Wufu had made for him.
The spearhead was forged at the Blacksmith Shop in town and had not yet been stained with the blood of animals or humans. The shaft was made of a bamboo stick, making such a spear ideal for hunting.
Liu Jin cautiously followed in Wufu’s footsteps, his eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings, ready to cling to Wufu’s back at even the slightest rustle of the wind through the grass.
Wufu noticed this and couldn’t help but find it amusing; after all, he was still a child, who became afraid just from the sound of a wolf’s howl.
"You walk in front of me," Wufu said with a smile as she pulled him forward.
Liu Jin’s face reddened, he cast a cautious glance at her and moved ahead.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came over, and both of them stopped in their tracks.
Their eyes surveyed the surroundings when a sika deer suddenly leaped out.
Wufu’s face lit up with joy, but before she could react, the deer, spotting the humans, immediately bounded off to the side.
Wufu wasted no time, quickly notching an arrow to her bow and firing, but she was fast, and the deer was faster. Moreover, the dense jungle impeded her aim, and her arrow missed its mark, allowing the little deer to escape unscathed.
"What a pity," bemoaned Wufu, her face full of regret.
The sika deer was highly prized, after all.
"Miss, I’m sure there will be other chances," Liu Jin consoled her.
Wufu hummed in acknowledgment, and they continued forward.
However, by the time darkness fell, they had only managed to catch a wild rabbit and a pheasant. On the way back, Wufu severed a snake hanging from a tree branch and carried it with them.
After fetching water and returning to camp, they started a bonfire. Wufu plucked the pheasant and skinned and chopped the snake before putting it in a pot to boil for soup.
Liu Jin sucked in a breath and said with a shiver, "Miss, are we going to eat a snake?"
"Yes," Wufu replied, noticing his discomfort and teasing him on purpose, "Don’t be disgusted by it. If we had a cat, we could make a ’dragon and tiger phoenix’ dish, which is a great tonic. Only the emperor gets to eat that!"
Liu Jin was astonished and somewhat disapproving.
Wufu hummed a tune as she waited for the soup to be ready. After enjoying her meal, Liu Jin, seeing her eating so heartily, joined in the fray.
By the time they lay down in the cave, the night had already turned pitch black, with only the bonfire flickering.
Having eaten their fill and feeling exhausted from the day’s events, Liu Jin started to drift off.
A wolf’s howl echoed in the distance, startling Liu Jin so much that he flipped over and sat up, pressing himself tightly against Wufu.
"Don’t be afraid, go to sleep. Your lady will keep watch tonight. With the fire, they won’t dare to come close," Wufu reassured him, throwing a log as thick as an adult’s arm into the fire, unfazed by the distant howling.
To keep the little guy from startling, she started telling him random stories until soft snores could be heard.
Wufu smiled as she watched him, pulled over a cloth to cover him, and sat hugging her knees, staring at the small patch of starry sky above.
Liu Jin woke up groggily and looked at the silhouette in front of the firelight. The miss looked so lonely!