From here, the campsite is less than a kilometer away. I’m afraid that if it discovers me, it will linger around my shelter and not leave, making it dangerous at night."
"There’s no other way, just be careful, observe more, and always put safety first."
"I should’ve brought a bow and arrows. With Brother No. 8’s archery skills, this bear might have been shot from a distance. The black guy was actually planning on hunting antelopes, chasing them for half a day before losing them."
Lin Yang shook his head, "Stop thinking about that. Just take it one step at a time. Now that there’s a bear around, I can’t use the simple door anymore when I get back. That thing won’t stop a Black Bear; the first task is to upgrade the cabin door."
Returning to camp with a wild rabbit as his gain, Lin Yang immediately started the upgrade work on the cabin door.
He used thick pine as a frame, an axe, and fire as tools, making holes in the tree trunks, then little by little, he shaved the wood into points and fitted them into the frame. After that, he packed it tightly with thin wooden pegs. It didn’t matter if it was ugly; strength was the primary consideration.
After an immense effort, he transformed the door into something sufficiently sturdy. When it came time to sleep, he would close the door, then brace two sticks inside the cabin. As long as the sticks as thick as a bowl’s mouth didn’t break, the door would hold.
Because he was preoccupied with the door, Lin Yang hardly did anything else during the day. By the time he realized it, it was already afternoon, and his stomach was growling with hunger since he had skipped lunch.
He lit a fire, took out dried fish from the cellar to boil, and after drinking the hot fish soup, he finally felt a bit better.
.....
That night, Lin Yang had a hard time falling asleep. Thinking about the possibility of a bear outside the hut was like having the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, with no one knowing when the blade might fall.
He tossed and turned inside the cabin until midnight, yet sleep still eluded him.
Around two in the morning, half-asleep and half-awake, Lin Yang suddenly heard a series of clangs from the makeshift alarm system made of discarded cans and bottles outside.
Lin Yang shot up from his sleeping bag as if he had been jabbed in the behind.
Hurriedly putting on his jacket, he peered outside through the gap in the cabin door.
Without the moon, everything outside was pitch black, impossible to see anything. However, the noise of the tin cans continued, as if the fishing line had been pulled apart and was dragging along, making noise for a long time without stopping.
This lasted for over twenty minutes before the noise from the cans stopped. It seemed like the animal outside had gotten rid of the fishing line alarm.
But the quiet didn’t last. A few minutes later, Lin Yang heard heavy breathing sounds coming from outside the door.
This sound was hard to describe, much like the panting of a strong athlete after running ten thousand meters and squatting down to rest.
The sound was coarse, yet forceful.
Hearing this, he immediately gripped the military knife he had at hand.
Soon, the panting was overshadowed by the scraping of claws. Some unknown creature was scratching desperately at the position outside the door.
Lin Yang mustered his courage, turned on the emergency light, and slowly approached the door.
The door made of logs was strong but not precise, and through the crack, he could vaguely see a bit of the situation outside.
When he turned on the emergency light, the commotion outside stopped,
He shone the light, and through the gap, he made out a streak of crescent white among the black fur.
It was a bear. The Black Bear had found its way to the shelter at night!
In that moment, Lin Yang’s heartbeat instantly soared above 200, and his hands, feet, and all his muscles couldn’t help trembling.
This was the body’s innate response to great danger, with adrenaline being secreted in large amounts. His entire state was completely different.