Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Boar King

Moreover, after a whole winter of hunting, the number of large animals in the nearby forests had dwindled even further. Lu Chen led the three saltwater crocodiles away from the valley for half a day without coming across a single palatable prey.

“Chatter, hiss... chatter, hiss!” At this moment, a call came from above.

Little Black Dot—that was the name Lu Chen had given to the magpie chick. Raised by Old Fourth Croc, the little creature had veered far from the ordinary path of its kind, even its cry sounded different from that of normal magpies.

Black Dot folded its wings and landed before them, clutching a few long, black bristles in its tiny claws.

Wild boar hair. Was there a wild boar nearby?

Excitement surged in Lu Chen’s heart, and he felt fortunate that he had not eaten Black Dot back then. He had marveled many times at the magpie’s series of uncanny talents.

In fact, ever since this little one learned to fly, it had shown extraordinary intelligence. It would often provoke other birds at their nests, and when the enraged birds retaliated, Black Dot would pretend to be defeated and retreat—luring the prey step by step into the ambush of the crocodiles.

In just over half a month, countless foolish birds had fallen victim to its provocations. Not only that, after witnessing how the crocodiles used bait to catch fish, Black Dot immediately imitated their tactics with remarkable skill.

Under Black Dot’s guidance, the four crocodiles dashed swiftly into the distance.

After passing through a gorge, Lu Chen soon caught the scent of blood and musk. Nearby, he spotted fresh wild boar droppings and signs of rooting in the grass.

Judging by the freshness, the boars had left no more than half an hour ago—the droppings were still warm.

Over the past few months, Lu Chen had hunted between twenty and thirty wild boars of varying sizes and was quite familiar with these creatures. Wild boars are omnivorous and eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths. Tender shoots, nuts, berries, grass leaves, and roots are their main fare, but they also eat bird eggs, mice, insects, and even baby rabbits or other young animals.

Thus, wild boars lived carefree in the reserve, seldom worrying about food. Moreover, they could breed twice a year, each time having over a dozen piglets—sometimes more than twenty.

Their amazing reproductive ability ensured the survival of their species and provided a steady supply of food for the reserve’s predators.

At this time of year, the mountains were dotted with fresh roots and sprouts. Wild boar herds migrated slowly, rooting for food as they moved, so they never traveled fast.

Sure enough, after advancing several hundred more meters, Lu Chen faintly heard snorting and grunting.

He sniffed the air, his beastly eyes growing grave.

Previously, the boar herds he’d encountered were never large—usually two or three sows leading a group of piglets, with boars only joining during mating season.

But now, Lu Chen detected the scents of dozens of different wild boars, indicating a rare, large herd ahead.

Most male animals fight for mating rights, and wild boars are no exception. During the breeding season, boars battle fiercely with their tusks and jaws, fighting until the loser flees or dies.

Thus, it’s rare for many males to coexist—the king does not meet another king.

A herd of dozens meant there was a recognized king boar, and the other males had yielded.

Lu Chen’s curiosity was piqued. What kind of giant could command such a following?

Normally, adult wild boars weigh around three to four hundred jin; those over four hundred jin are rare.

In his previous world, it was recorded that a father and son once hunted a boar nearly three meters long and over nine hundred jin in weight, nicknamed “Pigzilla.”

In this world, the upper limit for wild boar growth was similar to those records. Yet, ever since Lu Chen sensed some unknown change occurring on Blue Star, he’d revised his expectations for the upper limits of prey.

In any case, faced with such a massive herd, he couldn’t act recklessly; he had to be cautious.

If that boar had indeed mutated, he might not be its match.

After surveying the surroundings, Lu Chen quickly formed a plan.

He’d been to this forest several times before and remembered a sun-drenched slope not far ahead, covered with oak trees.

At this season, beneath the thick carpet of fallen leaves, acorns had just begun to sprout, releasing a sweet and fragrant aroma. The wild boars’ keen noses must have led them here in search of acorns.

Determining the herd’s destination, Lu Chen led the three crocodiles on a roundabout route, entering the oak grove ahead of time.

He didn’t dare walk openly through the forest. Instead, with a powerful leap, he landed on a high oak branch and began moving from tree to tree.

The three crocodiles, seeing this, quickly climbed the trees after him.

Under Lu Chen’s constant tutelage, they had become quite adept at climbing.

The reason was simple: they feared the boars would catch the scent of predators. Now, four or five meters above the ground, the mountain breeze would help scatter their scent.

Half an hour later, the herd finally arrived.

At first glance, Lu Chen spotted the king boar at the front—its body noticeably larger than the others, its hide coated in a thick armor of mud and resin.

Its massive frame brought to mind an off-road tank, and its two sharp tusks, nearly twenty centimeters long, radiated a fierce and intimidating aura. One look told you it was not to be trifled with.

Even if this king hadn’t mutated, its flesh and blood would surely be of the highest quality.

After weighing his chances, Lu Chen’s desire to hunt surged. But taking down such a giant would not be easy—it would require careful strategy.

The forest contained not only oaks but also other evergreens.

With a plan in mind, Lu Chen concealed himself completely among the dense pine needles of a nearby tree. On another tree a dozen meters away, Old First Croc, Old Second Croc, and Little Sister Croc also hid themselves.

Soon, the herd spread through the grove, drawing ever closer to the crocodiles’ ambush.

This was not a disorderly group—they were well organized, with several strong boars patrolling the perimeter while sows and piglets stayed protected in the center.

Yet, these boars had no idea that today’s hunters were not on the ground—they lay in wait above.

Before long, a sow weighing over a hundred jin wandered close to the ambush.

At the sight of prey, Old First Croc and Old Second Croc’s eyes burned with barely contained ferocity. But they didn’t attack on their own; they awaited Old Third Croc’s command.

“Hiss...” At Lu Chen’s signal, he suddenly leapt down from the trees.

With several bounds, he closed in on the prey.

Squealing in terror at the sight of the charging beast, the sow whirled around and bolted.

At the sound, the three crocodiles immediately dropped from the trees, perfectly blocking the sow’s escape.

The hunt unfolded much as before—Old First Croc, the largest, confronted the prey head-on, while Old Second Croc and Little Sister Croc attacked from the flanks.

Lu Chen did not join the fray, instead remaining nearby to guard against any other boars rushing to the scene.