224: Picking wild fruits and using slingshots to hunt pheasants.

After walking for over ten minutes, Xiao Niannian really found some things to fill their stomachs.

There were wild pear trees in these mountains, and seeing quite a few pears on the branches, Xiao Niannian quickly climbed up and picked over a dozen of them.

When Squad Leader Li saw the pears, he was also very happy; he quickly climbed up the tree and picked a few as well.

Xiao Niannian was not greedy. After picking a dozen, she climbed down, put them in her bag, and continued walking forward.

She took out a homemade peeler. When she ate apples or pears, she didn't like eating them with the skin on, so she peeled them directly.

After taking a bite, she felt it was sweet with a hint of sourness, but given the era, this taste was quite good.

In many places, work was still based on work points, with money and grain distributed at the end of the year...

"Oh my, there are so many pears here, let's hurry up and pick some."

Those who ran fast immediately climbed the trees, but not everyone knew how to climb, so some had to find ways to break off branches to pick a few.

Xiao Niannian continued walking forward and also saw a Sichuan pepper tree.

Moreover, many of the peppercorns on this tree were already sun-dried and could be eaten directly without needing further drying.

Xiao Niannian picked some and packed them into a bag.

She continued moving forward and saw myrtle berries and other common wild fruits. She also spotted a few wild kiwi fruit trees; although they didn't bear many fruits and they weren't large, the kiwis were ripe when squeezed by hand. A few were a bit hard, but if picked and left for a few days, they would ripen.

Xiao Niannian picked a few and continued walking forward.

As for the Soldiers behind, they had already picked quite a few pears and were eating them while walking.

"Comrade Xiao, lend me that peeler of yours to use."

Hearing Squad Leader Li's words, Xiao Niannian handed the peeler over.

Looking at the strange-looking peeler, Squad Leader Li used it a few times and praised it.

"This really is a good thing."

Squad Leader Li discovered that Comrade Xiao Niannian was indeed a very creative comrade, able to produce useful tools from time to time.

He decided he would make a similar one next time so he wouldn't have to eat the hard-to-swallow fruit skins.

"We have walked deep into the mountains today, yet many of the Soldiers are still laughing and joking."

Squad Leader Li's expression was somewhat serious.

Although he didn't know exactly where this mountain was, seeing the endless mountain ranges from the peak told him there were many dangers in these mountains.

They could handle ordinary prey, but if they encountered tigers or Black Bears like last time, the situation would be very troublesome.

However, Captain Lu and the others had followed along, and he believed that when such a moment came, Captain Lu and the others would step in.

Xiao Niannian glanced at the laughing Soldiers not far away, her face full of smiles.

"Squad Leader, you must have been like this during your first two years in the Military Unit, too."

Hearing Xiao Niannian's words, Squad Leader Li laughed.

"That's right, I didn't know anything back then; it was all thanks to my old squad leader and the others..."

Thinking of his old squad leader, Squad Leader Li's expression became somewhat sorrowful.

Xiao Niannian looked at Squad Leader Li's expression and instantly understood that something must have happened to his old squad leader.

For all these years, Squad Leader Li had seemingly been a hidden expert, yet he stayed in the Motor Transport Company, and his leg was likely injured during a past mission, though Military Doctor Shen said Squad Leader Li's leg would be better soon.

"Have you applied the plaster?"

Hearing Xiao Niannian's words, Squad Leader Li nodded.

"I apply it every day. Military Doctor Shen said it would be better this month, and after soaking my feet for two or three months, I will fully recover..."

Xiao Niannian had been in contact with Military Doctor Shen for a year and knew that he had graduated from a military medical university and that his teacher was very famous.

After walking for a while, Xiao Niannian heard the call of a Wild Chicken and quietly walked in its direction.

She took a slingshot out of her bag, and her pockets were filled with dozens of stones she had picked up along the way.

Squad Leader Li was surprised to see Xiao Niannian's serious expression and the slingshot she took out.

Comrade Xiao Niannian really had many good things in her hands. Squad Leader Li took some wire out of his bag and quickly twisted one, then attached the rubber band; a new slingshot was made.

"Snap."

The Wild Chicken had been lowering its head to forage for food; before it could hear any movement or fly away, it was hit by a stone and fell to the ground.

Xiao Niannian pinned down the Wild Chicken, which weighed at least five or six jin. With a forceful twist of her hand, she snapped the Wild Chicken's neck. Seeing that the Wild Chicken's feathers were extremely beautiful, Xiao Niannian decided that these feathers could be made into shuttlecocks for Xiao Jiang, Xiao He, and the others.

Squad Leader Li watched Xiao Niannian's quick, ruthless, and accurate movements. He glanced at her, and for some reason, he felt her actions were very similar to Captain Lu's.

Military Doctor Shen held binoculars, watching Xiao Niannian's actions, and said,

"Old Lu, this Comrade Xiao is truly amazing; she looks just like you."

Lu Jing lowered the binoculars and glanced at Military Doctor Shen indifferently, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

After catching the Wild Chicken, Xiao Niannian put it directly into a bag, planning to process the chicken when they found a water source at noon. She intended to catch a few more while she could, rub them with some salt, and they wouldn't have to go hungry for the next two or three days.

As for the other comrades-in-arms, she wouldn't worry about them now unless someone was injured and unable to hunt for food.

If they couldn't even complete such a task now, they certainly wouldn't be allowed to participate in such competitions in the future, let alone compete in the Military Unit's games.

Some Soldiers saw Xiao Niannian hit the Wild Chicken with a slingshot and were full of admiration.

"Comrade Xiao, you are too amazing."

"Comrade Xiao, did you use a slingshot to hit that?"

"Can we see the slingshot?"

Xiao Niannian handed the slingshot over, and many Soldiers gathered around to look at it.

"This slingshot is clearly a good thing."

"Comrade Xiao is truly extraordinary to be able to hit a Wild Chicken with this."

After expressing their envy and admiration, the Soldiers handed the slingshot back to Xiao Niannian. They knew how to make slingshots too, but they couldn't knock out a Wild Chicken with them, so they had to think of other methods.

"I can make a wooden bow and arrow. I'll make one now, and when we see wild rabbits or Wild Chickens later, we can hunt."

"I'll help you make one."

"Let's make bows and arrows together."

Everyone got busy, and soon they had made a few bows and arrows that looked a bit ugly but seemed passable.

Someone immediately started trying it out.

Xiao Niannian looked at the bows and arrows they had made and could only say that they were ugly and usable, but she didn't know how effective they would be.

Soon, they saw a wild rabbit running past in the mountains.

Several people chased after the wild rabbit, but their accuracy was not high. Some arrows hit the rabbit, but the rabbit struggled and ran away after being injured.

"Quick, chase it!"