Chapter 1: Stepping onto the Trap

“It's freezing,” Lin Xing muttered, shivering in his thin, rough linen clothes as he gazed at the snow-laden mountains and forests before him.

This place was the Greater Khingan Range in the year 1958.

In truth, Lin Xing did not belong to this world—he was a traveler from another life. In his previous existence, he had been a king among special forces soldiers. During a mission, he fell under enemy fire while covering his comrades’ retreat. He had thought that was the end.

But to his surprise, when he opened his eyes again, he had crossed into another world!

Unfortunately, his new situation was rather dire. This body was about fifteen years old, born into a common family. He was the second child, with an elder sister above him and a younger sister below.

The original boy’s father was a drunkard and a violent man. He would scold and beat them at the slightest provocation, sometimes even brandishing a knife in his rage. Once, their mother was nearly whipped to death simply because dinner was late.

Life in such a family was torture every moment. The boy could no longer endure it, so he fled with his mother and younger sister.

But after leaving home, the family lost all means of income. Their mother was in poor health and could not work, and the younger sister was too small to help. The burden of supporting the family thus fell on the boy’s shoulders.

So, he had come to this wilderness, hoping to hunt some wild game to feed his family.

In this era, wild animals were still plentiful in the countryside, and there were no laws against hunting. Becoming a hunter to provide for one’s family was a viable path.

“1958—this time feels so distant,” Lin Xing murmured. “Still, since the original boy was so filial, I’ll take on the task of hunting for him.”

It was the depth of winter. The entire Greater Khingan Range was buried under thick snow, which nearly reached his calves with every step. His linen clothes provided no protection against the biting wind, which sliced at him like knives, making his bones ache from the cold.

He walked over to a large tree.

Beneath it was a crude trap, set by the boy before him. But the boy’s lack of hunting experience was obvious—this trap was so simple it probably couldn’t catch so much as a mouse.

“It’s lucky I ended up here,” Lin Xing chuckled to himself. “Otherwise, with the original boy’s skills, the whole family would likely starve.”

Most animals had already gone into hibernation for the season, but there was one exception: snow hares. There were many hares in these mountains, and they did not hibernate, so most hunters relied on catching them in winter to stave off hunger.

Lin Xing, once a king of special forces, had survived countless times in the jungle—hunting was just one of his many skills. To catch snow hares, laying traps was best. Hares were too cunning, and with snow so deep, they could vanish in an instant, making it impossible to catch them by hand.

He immediately scanned the area for materials to make a trap. The snow covered almost everything, but the trees would suffice.

Nimbly, he climbed a tree and broke off a few sturdy branches, then stripped some bark. Twisting the bark together, he fashioned a strong cord. With these, he quickly assembled a simple snare.

The device wasn’t complicated: buried in the snow, it would spring when a hare passed by, cinching the cord around its neck.

This was a trick he had used often as a soldier, catching small game to stave off hunger during survival training.

But setting the trap was only part of the task—choosing the right spot was crucial. The mountains were vast and the trap was small; if placed carelessly, no hare would ever step on it.

“Brother… Brother…”

Suddenly, a faint voice called from the distance.

Lin Xing turned toward the sound. There, staggering through the snow, was a little girl of about seven, shouldering a small cloth sack.

She was so small that the snow nearly reached her thighs, forcing her to nearly crawl as she made her way.

This little girl was Lin Xing’s younger sister, Lin Yiyi.

“Yiyi, what are you doing here?” Lin Xing hurried over to her.

Her ears and cheeks were bright red from the cold, but she grinned. “Brother, you’ve been in the mountains too long. Mom was worried you’d be hungry, so she sent me to bring you some food.”

As she spoke, she opened her sack. Inside were five or six vegetable patties.

With winter’s arrival, most wild greens had died, so these humble patties were a precious food.

A wave of warmth filled Lin Xing’s heart. Food was already scarce at home; these patties were something his mother and sister could scarcely bear to eat themselves, yet they had brought them to him.

He quickly pushed them back, shaking his head, “I’m not hungry. Take them home for you and Mom.”

“No,” Yiyi insisted stubbornly. “Mom and I won’t eat them. Brother, you have to eat—then you’ll have the strength to hunt.”

Lin Xing gently patted her head, indulging her. “Then you hold onto them for now. Once I catch something, we’ll eat together when we get home. Then we’ll have meat and hot soup!”

“Really? Meat! I’ve never tasted meat before!” Yiyi’s eyes sparkled with joy.

Their father had been cruel to the family. Though their means were modest, they could have afforded meat now and then. But their father never allowed it—only vegetables, and not too much at that, or there’d be a beating.

Lin Xing smiled, “Come on then, let’s go hunting!”

“Okay! I’ll follow you!” Yiyi nodded obediently.

Lin Xing led her through the forest, searching for the perfect spot to set his snare.

He needed to find a place that hares would be sure to pass—only then could he hope to catch one with certainty.