The hunters gathered around. The one with an injured leg also tore his clothes to tie up his thigh and hobbled over.

Everyone looked at Henry Stone as if he were a monster. Not only had he easily lifted a boulder the size of a person, but the fact that this kid had knocked a wild boar king—about the size of a small elephant—flying was enough to make the hunters’ jaws drop.

Henry Stone’s father was still the same, barely saying a word. He just said, “I told you, nothing would happen.”

The hunters shook their heads, gave the freak another look, and then slowly gathered around the wild boar king. The massive wild boar king was already bleeding from all seven orifices, dead beyond dead. Its two tusks had snapped, and its head was soft and mushy—clearly, that blow had shattered the skull that could break even a big tree.

Henry Stone stepped forward and negotiated with the lead hunter: “Uncle Bolton, we only want the hide, is that okay?”

Uncle Bolton gave a wry smile. “Henry, if it weren’t for you, none of us might have survived. You took down this wild boar king—it should all belong to you.”

Henry Stone’s father quickly waved his hand. “It’s everyone’s, everyone’s…”

This wild boar king weighed at least six or seven hundred jin. If sold, it would be worth at least two strings of coins. No matter what, Henry Stone’s father insisted on sharing it, while Uncle Bolton and the others refused to take any. After arguing for a long time, it was still Henry Stone’s father who was stubborn, so Uncle Bolton and the others had to give in. In the end, the boar hide went to Henry Stone, and the remaining meat was divided among several families.

Such a huge wild boar king could only be carried by everyone together. Uncle Bolton and a few others chopped down a tree, tied up the boar’s four legs, threaded it through, and carried it down the mountain together.

But with so many people carrying such a big wild boar king, it was inevitably inconvenient, and their pace was naturally slow. As dusk approached and the village was still far away, Henry Stone grew impatient: “Uncle Bolton, let me do it.”

Everyone was stunned as Henry Stone grabbed the massive wild boar king and easily hoisted it onto his back. Uncle Bolton and the others immediately recalled how he had run with that giant boulder and realized this weight was nothing to him, so they didn’t stand on ceremony.

……

The villagers had always thought Henry Stone’s slightly thin frame meant he wasn’t good at work, and some were even unwilling to marry their daughters to him. Who would have thought he could single-handedly kill a wild boar king!

By the next day, the news had spread throughout the village.

It was impossible for it not to spread. Uncle Bolton gathered a few hunters to discuss, and if it hadn’t been for Henry Stone, they really might have all died in the mountains this time. What made them even more ashamed was that, at first, they had worried about having to look after Henry Stone, thinking he would slow down the hunt.

Mountain folk are still honest and simple. After much discussion, they all felt it was wrong to accept someone’s life-saving favor and still take his things. In the end, it was Aunt Bolton who came up with an idea: they simply cooked all the wild boar king meat they’d received and delivered a portion to every household in the village, saying it was a treat from the Shi family.

Life in the mountain village was hard. Except for Mr. Bolton and a few hunter families, most villagers only ate meat during the New Year. This wild boar king, weighing five or six hundred jin, still had over four hundred jin of meat after the bones were removed. Every household got several jin, and everyone had a hearty meal.

Those who had been approached by the Shi family’s matchmaker but hadn’t agreed to marry their daughters to Henry Stone now deeply regretted it. They immediately reversed course and sent the matchmaker to the Shi family to propose marriage.

This time, Henry Stone’s mother was the one to take a stand: What’s wrong with my son? When we wanted to become in-laws, you all made excuses. Now you’re coming to us, so our family will have to be picky too.

Henry Stone remained the same as always—one day working in the fields, the next day going hunting with his father.

A few days later, the hunters began to see Henry Stone in a new light. Before, they only knew Henry Stone was incredibly strong, the kind who could kill a wild boar king. But after these few days, they realized Henry Stone was even more skilled at hunting than they were, despite their decades of experience!

Originally, they had wanted to “bring along” Henry Stone to repay his life-saving favor. But the second time Henry Stone went into the mountains with them and saw them come back empty-handed again, he finally couldn’t help but offer some advice.

Under Henry Stone’s guidance, Uncle Bolton and the others found a herd of muntjacs.

Moreover, Uncle Bolton and the others discovered that Henry Stone had an exceptional understanding of wild animals’ habits. He pointed out many details that even he, an old hunter, had never heard of.

Every night, Henry Stone would “wander” around the hills nearby, so he knew exactly where the wild animals were. And after three whole years, he was, of course, extremely familiar with their habits.

So, before long, all the hunters were “following” Henry Stone into the mountains.

On the days when Henry Stone was busy working in the fields, they simply rested at home. On the days when Henry Stone went hunting, they quickly gathered their tools and followed him into the mountains. Even though their hunting time was cut in half, with Henry Stone around, their monthly income actually increased by thirty percent!

Uncle Bolton and the others found it strange that Henry Stone never wanted the meat, only the hides—especially those of fierce animals like wolves, wild boars, and tigers. Uncle Bolton and the others felt embarrassed, so they still divided some meat for Henry Stone’s father, even though he had always been the only one in the hunting party who held everyone back.