Mountain Looting: Targeted by a Leopard at the Start
Chapter 123: The Outrageous Treasure Hunting Task!

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: The Outrageous Treasure Hunting Task!

The old ginseng that was harvested sold for 200,000.

Xu Yang was now truly a small-scale landlord!

With savings in the bank, he felt refreshed and relaxed.

It’s true that money isn’t everything, but having money indeed feels really good.

Looking at his farm, he planned on stabilizing things first, not rushing to expand.

This year was about testing the waters, and then he’d see how it goes.

In the following days, he stayed quite busy as all kinds of seedlings began to grow, requiring fertilization, weeding, and pest control.

Occasionally, he would livestream, taking the ducks for a walk, and visiting the animal market to see the cows, sheep, and horses.

Xu Yang considered raising something new.

There was no immediate need for cows or sheep, but he could get a horse.

After all, there was a large open area behind the farm, flat and perfect for taking horse rides.

"The total popularity value is now 890,000."

"I’ve also saved up five uses of the Treasure Compass for tomorrow."

"Why not take a walk inside and try out a Treasure Hunting Task?"

Xu Yang thought to himself that evening.

Doing tasks was thrilling and fun, and the rewards were even better.

From the current situation, there seemed to be no wild ginseng left in the outer regions; he would have to venture deep into the mountains to find any.

Ordinary mountain products like golden mushrooms, Big Head Mushrooms, ferns, these weren’t worth as much as completing a task.

Better items like Birch Mushroom were located in further areas.

"Tomorrow, I’ll do a Treasure Hunting Task in the forest."

"Just go to the mountain behind and walk inside."

Xu Yang finally made a decision.

...

The next day was another sunny one.

Xu Yang set out early with his backpack and straw hat to head into the mountains.

This time the journey would take him further than before.

He had wanted to bring Little Leopard along, but as he passed by, he didn’t see the two leopards; they were probably out hunting or patrolling their territory.

So Xu Yang went on by himself.

He started the live broadcast, and many people tuned in to watch.

[Old Xu, are you heading into the mountains again?]

[I love watching the host go on adventures in the mountains!]

Many netizens greeted Xu Yang.

"I haven’t been to the mountains in several days, and today I plan to go inside and look around."

"Check out the scenery, find some mountain goods."

"I’m really too lazy; professional mountain runners, as long as the weather is good, have to roam the mountains every day."

"Making money isn’t easy; in such a place, there’s no other way out but to rely on the mountain to make a living," Xu Yang explained to everyone.

He continued further inward.

The area was covered in dense forests and tall grass.

Occasionally, a roe deer appeared, which got so frightened upon seeing Xu Yang that it split and fled in panic.

Choosing an area he felt was about right, Xu Yang decided to exchange for a Treasure Hunting Task.

The Compass scanned the area, then the system prompt came through:

[No species capable of triggering a Treasure Hunting Task found in the current area.]

This message was somewhat unexpected for Xu Yang.

So, he continued walking further in.

Reaching a pristine and beautiful spot, Xu Yang decided to use the Treasure Hunting Task again.

[Treasure Hunting Task triggered: Black Bear’s Courtship Journey]

[Task Requirement: August is the last month for black bear mating, and a male bear is courting a female. Please assist the host in making the courtship successful.]

[Task Reward: Skill: Climbing Skills Upgrade]

[Provided Item: Delicious freshwater fish, a favorite of black bears. Exchanging will cost 1,000 popularity value.]

Reading the task, Xu Yang felt stupefied.

No, can this task be returned?

What kind of joke is this?

Black bear courtship, and I’m supposed to help?

How can I be of any help?

As the two of them flirt and chase around, am I supposed to push from behind?

Xu Yang had not expected the task to be so absurd.

Black bears were common in Changbai Mountain.

The mountain was teeming with wildlife; national first and second-level protected animals were everywhere.

Animals such as the Purple Mink, grouse, and foxes, just to mention a few, could all be found.

Visitors could see them even in the scenic areas.

Black bears were one of them, and many of their activities were recorded by conservation organization cameras in the wild.

Sometimes, a group of four black bears would move together, looking as if they had just stolen kasayas, all sneaky.

The task was absurd.

Yet, Xu Yang planned to give it a try.

The reward was good, after all; a Climbing Skills Upgrade would be a big help for his mountain climbing.

"It’s worth a shot; black bears are quite human-like, as long as you don’t anger them," Xu Yang thought to himself.

Black bears are smart, and even easier to domesticate than wolves.

While the internet-famous wolves were begging for egg tarts on the highway, black bears had already learned to wave and greet people in zoos.

Black bears aren’t large; they typically don’t harm humans.

It’s only when they have cubs that they become aggressive, which means if you see a black bear with four or five cubs, you’d definitely want to stay clear.

Xu Yang headed towards the location of the task.

The viewers were unaware of what was about to happen, while Xu Yang had a clear idea.

He pondered over how to complete the task.

"Generally, July to August is the mating season for black bears. If they mate now, the cubs born next spring have plenty of time to grow."

"It’s already late August, and this black bear still hasn’t got a mate; it must be quite slow," Xu Yang thought to himself.

With this thought, he couldn’t help but click his tongue in resignation.

"Man, I’m a singleton, and here I am helping others chase a mate."

"It’s a bit too much."

After walking for about fifteen minutes, Xu Yang quickly approached the area where the two black bears were active.

"Look over there, there’s a bear!"

Xu Yang pointed ahead, speaking to his live streaming audience with a slightly surprised tone.

[A bear? Where?]

[Oh my! There really is a bear! And it’s two of them!]

[Old Xu, can you ask them if they stole a kasaya?]

[Man, the mountain is really thrilling!]

In the live stream, viewers could see an area with sparser trees and more grass where two Black Bears were chasing each other at a distance.

The one behind was a male bear, looking somewhat foolish as he shook his head and body, trying his best to show off.

The female bear ahead glanced back without a ripple in her heart and continued moving forward.

Xu Yang grasped what was happening.

He thought the task was a bit difficult! The male bear’s efforts would be in vain if the female did not reciprocate his interest.

Meanwhile, the live chat was bustling with excitement.

Everyone became excited upon seeing the Black Bears.

[Are Xiong Da and Xiong Er going to stop Guangtou Qiang?]

[Xiong Da and Xiong Er are Brown Bears, these two are Black Bears, not the same species!]

[Authentic Northeast bear bachelors, they’re ubiquitous in the forest!]

Xu Yang walked a few steps forward, watching the two Black Bears, and deduced:

"That Black Bear behind must be courting; Black Bears use calls and movements to display themselves to express their strength and mating intentions."

"This season is their breeding season."

"He’s looking for a wife!"

"However, by the looks of it, the female bear ahead doesn’t seem to care about him!"

Xu Yang’s remarks drew everyone’s attention.

Most people thought they were simply watching two bears running through the forest.

Who would have thought there was a twist in the tale after hearing Xu Yang’s comments?

Courting?

Sexy Black Bear, online courting?

Looking ahead, Xu Yang saw the male bear reach the female bear’s side, constantly calling and dancing around her.

The female bear just looked at him and then continued on her way.

"This is too dumb!"

"But I don’t understand bear language either, maybe the male doesn’t have any other way."

"By the looks of it, this guy’s going to fail in courtship."

Xu Yang commented.

With Xu Yang’s explanation, the audience could sense what was happening: the male Black Bear was still courting.

How interesting!

A live stream version of Animal World, it felt even more thrilling.

[Hahaha, I can see it now, the female bear is ignoring him!]

[So even bear bachelors get turned down!]

[You can’t just be clingy, you need to pull back sometimes, avoid showing too much eagerness!]

[Are all the single dogs in the comments now giving relationship advice to a Black Bear?]

[My friend is breaking down and wants to smack you!]

Xu Yang followed behind, waiting for an opportunity.

However, he still didn’t know how a few tasty little fish could help bring the two bears together.

"I’ll follow them and see, the male bear looks so pitiful, I hope he finds his fair lady."

"It’s not like I have anything better to do."

Xu Yang hid behind and followed, filming all the while.

The audience was amused again.

[Old Xu, you’d make a fine wildlife photographer!]

[My advice is to go for a close-up shot!]

[I love a host who isn’t afraid of death!]

[Is he tracking bear bachelors in the forest? Have I gone mad, or has the world?]

Xu Yang continued to trail the two Black Bears.

Before long, a river appeared ahead.

It seemed the female bear was heading for the river.

"I see, the female bear is probably hungry and wants to eat something."

"She’s not in the mood to mingle with the male bear at the moment."

"This male bear is so clueless, not even thinking to catch some fish, just offering empty attentions."

"No wonder the female bear isn’t paying him any mind!"

Xu Yang once again clearly assessed the situation.

Having spent much time in the wild, he could always see clearly what state the animals were in.

This was a good opportunity indeed.

The live stream audience, listening to Xu Yang’s commentary, also began to understand.

[So that’s how it is, there’d be something wrong if he managed to chase her down!]

[Poor male bear, still doesn’t realize he’s being toyed with!]

The laughter among them grew louder.

Xu Yang stood in the nearby woods watching the two Black Bears.

He contemplated how to help the male bear succeed in courtship.

All of this odd work day in, day out.

Others would run at the sight of a wild bear, but he not only stayed, he even had to assist.

The female bear sat by the river, gazing at the water, seemingly in search of fish.

The male bear continued to call and dance beside her.

Xu Yang helplessly slapped his forehead.

"I can hardly stand to watch this bear’s foolishness."

"I’m going to help him out."

"Let’s do this, keep the live stream on the bears, and I’ll go catch some fish for him!"

"It’s driving me crazy!"

With a plausible excuse, Xu Yang told the viewers.

As he spoke, the viewers instantly looked forward to it.

Old Xu, it has to be you!

Always full of ideas!