OBS Chapter 237 Meticulous Preparations
Chapter 237 Meticulous Preparations
When it comes to hunting, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou are both experts.
But raiding a golden eagle's nest is no ordinary hunting activity; a slight mistake could be life-threatening.
There's a lot to prepare, and you can't let your family know.
"Brother Xiangyang, what preparations do you think we need to make this time?" Wang Ergou asked.
"Since we're going to search for nests, a good amount of sturdy rope is a given, but we also need several climbing hooks and safety buckles. We'll have to get these made by a blacksmith; ordinary hooks won't cut it. And with all that, we'll need good enough hiking boots. Of course, the most important thing is that you need to start training now; you need to have enough stamina..."
Wang Ergou listened attentively, nodding from time to time.
Having followed Li Xiangyang hunting for so long, he knew that no detail could be overlooked.
"Okay, leave all of this to me. After all, you're a married man; it'll be terrible if your wife finds out. Also, I'll take care of the stakeout tonight."
After agreeing on the equipment and the night's stakeout, Li Xiangyang chose a sheltered mountain hollow and used pine branches for simple cover.
“Remember,” Li Xiangyang whispered, “be quiet while observing. Golden eagles have very keen eyesight and hearing. If they are discovered, they might move to another nest.”
Wang Ergou nodded solemnly.
He took the binoculars from Li Xiangyang and began to observe carefully.
As the sun gradually set in the west, the two patiently observed the golden eagle's every move.
"Brother Xiangyang, look!" Wang Ergou suddenly said in a low voice, "The big one is about to go out."
Li Xiangyang looked over with great sternness. Sure enough, an eagle spread its wings and soared into the sky.
"At this time," Li Xiangyang glanced at his watch and jotted it down in his notebook, "it's 5:15 PM."
"Does it go out at this time every day?" Wang Ergou asked.
“We’ll have to observe it for a few days to know,” Li Xiangyang said, noting down some more details. “But judging from the direction it was flying, it was probably heading to the river to forage.”
As night fell, Li Xiangyang explained in detail to Wang Ergou the things he needed to be careful about that night before heading down the mountain.
"Ergou, this is no joke, it concerns our lives. If you can't handle it, you should find someone to help you..."
Before leaving, Li Xiangyang gave him some words of advice out of concern.
"Don't worry, Xiangyang, I'll try first. If I can't handle it, I'll get help," Wang Ergou assured him, patting his chest. "I promise I'll remember it perfectly."
When she got home, Li Xiaoyun had already prepared dinner.
Seeing Li Xiangyang return, she smiled and asked, "Where did you go today? Why are you so late?"
"I wandered around the mountains and observed the golden eagles' range. Er Gou was quite attentive, so I didn't want to spoil the fun," Li Xiangyang said truthfully.
Li Xiaoyun handed him a bowl of hot soup: "Indeed, I won't say anything discouraging, but please be careful."
"Don't worry, nothing will happen," Li Xiangyang reassured him with a smile.
Seeing his wife's worried expression, he became even more determined not to let her know about the plan to raid the nest.
The next morning, as soon as Li Xiangyang stepped out of the yard, he saw Wang Ergou walking towards him with dark circles under his eyes.
"Brother Xiangyang!" Wang Ergou said excitedly, "I kept watch all night without closing my eyes, and I roughly figured out the time. I'll leave the daytime to you."
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Okay, you take notes. Starting today, we'll take turns keeping watch."
Over the next few days, the two took turns keeping watch in the ravine, meticulously recording the golden eagle's every move.
Gradually, the two of them figured out the golden eagle's activity patterns very well.
Every morning at 5:30, just as dawn breaks, the eagles wake up.
It will linger near the nest for a while, then go out to forage around 6 a.m., and usually return to the nest around noon.
The female eagle goes out to roam between 2 pm and 4 pm.
During this time, the male eagle will stay in the nest to take care of the eaglets.
After the female eagle returns, the male eagle will go out to forage again, and will not return until dark.
Around 9:30 p.m., the two eagles take turns preening their feathers, and by 10 p.m., the entire nest becomes quiet.
"Brother Xiangyang," Wang Ergou said after recording for a few days, "it seems the best time to act is in the morning, when the male eagle is out foraging and the female eagle is still sleepy."
Li Xiangyang nodded in agreement: "Indeed, this is the best time. However, to arrive at this time, we need to scout the area beforehand and find shelter at the bottom of the cliff. How's the equipment preparation?"
"Then everything must be prepared perfectly. The ropes have all been boiled in hot water. The climbing hooks and safety buckles you mentioned, I've had a blacksmith make them for you. And the shoes, you can try them on."
Wang Ergou confidently displayed all the equipment he had prepared over the past few days.
Li Xiangyang took the shoes, tried them on, and was very satisfied. He then carefully checked the equipment before nodding in satisfaction.
"Brother Xiangyang, do you think we can really succeed?" Wang Ergou asked nervously, seeing that Li Xiangyang was also very satisfied with the equipment.
"To be honest, even with all the equipment and detailed information, I'm not 100% certain. These kinds of things can go wrong with the slightest mistake. So if you want to change your mind now, it's not too late."
"I'm not changing it!" Wang Ergou said firmly. "I've prepared for so long; if I give up halfway, I'll despise myself."
Looking at Wang Ergou's determined eyes, Li Xiangyang was reminded of how he was when he first learned to hunt.
He was all too familiar with that kind of longing and persistence.
"Alright, then I won't try to persuade you anymore." Li Xiangyang patted Wang Ergou on the shoulder. "We'll meet at six o'clock tomorrow morning, climb up, and find a suitable spot at the bottom of the cliff to spend the night."
"Alright! I'll head back now." After saying that, Wang Ergou turned and left, carrying his tools.
When Li Xiangyang returned home, Li Xiaoyun was cooking.
Seeing him return, she smiled and asked, "How was your day?"
"Still can't catch it." Li Xiangyang washed his face by the basin, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Honey, if we still can't catch it by tomorrow, we're going to give up completely, so I probably won't be able to come back tonight."
Li Xiaoyun paused in her movements: "If we're staying overnight, we'll need to bring enough food."
"Okay, prepare some for me. If we don't catch him this time, Er Gou will really give up," Li Xiangyang said seriously.
Seeing his serious expression, Li Xiaoyun didn't ask any further questions. She simply cautioned, "Then you must be careful; it's too dangerous in the mountains at night."
"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Li Xiangyang smiled and hugged his wife.
The mountains were indeed dangerous, but he didn't want his wife to worry.
The next morning, Li Xiangyang, carrying a gun and some dry rations, met up with Wang Ergou at the village entrance.
The two followed the mountain path and soon arrived at the cliff they had observed the day before.
"Brother Xiangyang, look over there!" Wang Ergou pointed to a protruding rock formation on the cliff, his voice filled with excitement. "That's a good spot; perfect for us to hide."