“You…” Blood gushed from the spy’s mouth as he struggled to cough a few times. “How did you know I was hiding here?”

The young man flipped over the nearly three-hundred-pound tiger, carefully inspecting its fur as he replied casually, “I was born sharp. Otherwise, how could I have started hunting in the mountains at ten?”

The spy panted, his body trembling violently. “Hunting in the mountains at ten… you’re… Robert Clark?!”

The young man turned his head and smiled slightly, his not-so-large eyes narrowing as he revealed his white teeth. “You know me too?”

This mountain belonged jointly to the Great Tang and Southern Zhou. Hunters from both countries would often run into each other in the mountains, and fights over prey were not uncommon. At first, both sides were evenly matched, but five years ago, a half-grown child suddenly joined in, causing heavy casualties among the Southern Zhou hunters. Some survivors heard the boy mutter to himself, something about me, Robert Clark, and thus the name Robert Clark was brought back.

The spy’s whole body relaxed, then he said regretfully, “If I hadn’t hidden and fought you face to face, I’d have a ninety percent chance of killing you!”

The young man suddenly exerted his strength and actually hoisted the heavy tiger onto his back.

He slowly walked past the spy, whose eyes had grown dim, and said calmly, “The ground is cold. When you lunged at me, your body was a bit stiff, and your arms didn’t fully extend. When you were one step in front of me, the angle of your saber changed slightly, and I pretended to be scared stiff, too late to draw my blade. When you let your guard down…”

He swung the tiger’s front paw with his right hand, and a sharp glint flashed from his middle finger.

It was a ring, with a sharp needle on it. The color of the needle looked off—most likely poisoned.

Even the craftiest hunter couldn’t compare to this boy… The light in the spy’s eyes gradually faded. “I… don’t die unjustly.”

His body gradually relaxed…

This was the sign of a person approaching death.

A foot suddenly stomped down.

Landing squarely on the spy’s chest.

The sound of bones breaking rang out. The spy suddenly grabbed the boy’s ankle, eyes wide, rasping, “You…”

Playing dead to survive—this was the spy’s secret life-saving skill. But he hadn’t expected to be seen through by this boy.

Robert Clark raised his foot again, this time aiming for the spy’s throat.

“When I was eleven, I hunted a leopard. That leopard took three of my arrows and looked dead, but just as I got close, it suddenly leapt up. That swipe… nearly cost me my life.”

Robert Clark thought of that leopard and couldn’t help licking his lips, his stomach growling like a drum. “Leopard meat is gamey, but it’s still meat. If you boil it and then roast it, the gamey taste fades a lot…”

Thud!

The spy clutched his flattened throat with both hands, staring in despair as the boy walked away.

Compared to the leopard, his talent for playing dead was far inferior.

An eleven-year-old half-grown child could hunt the most agile and cunning leopard in the forest.

A born hunter!

I really… don’t die unjustly.

…

Xiaohe Village.

The Clark Family.

Edward Clark and The Thompson Family wore blank expressions. Their three sons, ranging from over twenty to nine years old, all looked listless at the moment, but there was no sign of grief. The nine-year-old youngest even laughed and joked with the other children watching.

The neighbors’ words of comfort were also rather feeble.

“Sanlang is a filial child. He went into the mountains with good intentions. Poor kid.”

A woman’s eyes were red.

Edward Clark forced a laugh, then felt he shouldn’t, so he put on a blank face. “Yes!”

A The Clerk arrived at the door.

Everyone quickly stood up, hands at their sides.

The The Clerk swept his authoritative gaze over the crowd and said blandly, “The magistrate has learned of Robert Clark entering the mountains. The young man’s courage in serving the country is greatly appreciated…”

Robert Clark went into the mountains for Samuel Grant’s bounty, not to serve the country!

But no one dared to argue. They thought, after all, this was Samuel Grant’s private matter. To keep up appearances, the next step should be compensation, right?

A glimmer of hope appeared in the eyes of Edward Clark’s family.

And expectation!

The The Clerk coughed, “Robert Clark is dead…”

The woman with red eyes muttered, “Maybe he’s not dead!”

The The Clerk frowned at her. “There’s only a small creek in the mountains. Tigers and wolves love to crouch by the creek to ambush prey. So do the hunters of the Great Tang and Southern Zhou, and so do the spies.”

The magistrate’s advisor said that the spies would send people ahead to scout. In past years, many fights had broken out by the creek, and the Southern Zhou spies, skilled at hiding and fighting, often won easily.

A boy encountering a ruthless Southern Zhou spy…

The woman choked up, “Sanlang is a good kid. He often helps me hitch up my cart. Otherwise, how could I go to the city to earn money? He must be alive.”

The The Clerk grew impatient. “If he’s not dead, I’ll give him my official post!”

After the bounty was posted, no one dared enter the mountains. Samuel Grant was furious. When he heard a brave boy had gone, he couldn’t help but sigh. That’s why, after learning the Southern Zhou spies had moved and the boy was surely dead, Samuel Grant sent the The Clerk to comfort the The Clark Family—a gesture to show he valued talent.

Thud!

A heavy thud sounded outside, shaking even the window frames.

Someone opened the door, stunned.

Everyone sensed something was wrong and hurried out.

Outside the door, a boy and a tiger.

Chapter Two: As in the Mortal World, Two Worlds