Day eighty-four, preparations complete! (Part Two)

The bowstring is finished. I pulled it with both hands a few times; it is remarkably tough and impossible to snap. This has given me a new idea. Previously, I had been using vines to lash the tree trunks for building the house. If I switch to rope made from this bark, the structural integrity should be far superior to vines. Furthermore, compared to this composite bark rope, vines are far less resistant to wear and tear.

However, crafting a bowstring from this bark is quite complex; a large piece of bark yields only a tiny amount of cord. I will have to wait until I have more spare time to make more. Construction of the new house hasn't started yet, so there is no immediate rush.

I retrieved the bow body and, after carving a few notches into both ends with my knife, tied the bowstring on. Those notches are to prevent the string from sliding. I braced one end of the bow against the ground, used my body weight to bend the upper end, and quickly secured the string.

The bow was formed, though the arrows were not yet complete. I drew the string a few times just to test it, and it felt quite good. Because the bow body is made from a small sapling, it is very light, and the draw weight is not overly heavy; it only takes a bit of effort to pull it to full draw.

At first, I was worried that if I pulled the bow too far, it might snap. But after testing, I found it held up well. The resilience of the wood is impressive; even after drawing it several times, the bow only creaked once. Of course, it didn't break, nor did it show any cracks. It was perfect.

I felt the bow body over carefully. Although it is still a bit rough, I am very satisfied with it, given it is something I made with my own hands. Once the arrows are finished, I can find a rabbit and test its effectiveness. I truly feared these arrowheads might not even be capable of killing a rabbit.

Fletching for the arrows was easy to find. Seagull feathers are scattered throughout the nearby woods, but ordinary feathers are useless; they must be tail or wing feathers, as the feathers on the bird's body are merely fine down. By splitting the quill and using rice as an adhesive to stick them to the tail of the arrow, they become effective fletching.

As I mentioned, birds often descend into the forest to forage; for seagulls, the forest is rich in food, with insects and fruit everywhere. It didn't take long to gather several suitable seagull feathers.

Splitting, gluing, wrapping... twelve arrows were finished through these repetitive motions. However, when I prepared to fire the first shot, a minor issue arose: the balance of the bow seemed off. It was likely due to the varying thickness of the two ends of the bow body.

I trimmed the bow with my knife several times, shaving it down until both ends were as symmetrical as possible, before finally firing my first shot. The result was pathetic. The arrow, intended for the tree trunk, strayed far off course and landed obliquely in the ground behind the tree.

All twelve arrows were spent, and not a single one hit the target. I was dumbfounded! Is talent required for archery? I was only six or seven meters away from a tree as thick as a waist, and I missed every single shot.

I annoyedly went to retrieve the arrows one by one. While picking them up, I unexpectedly discovered that one of the arrows had actually embedded itself into a small tree behind the main target. The arrowhead had even pierced through the bark.

This piqued my interest. I hadn't imagined these arrowheads would have such power. To think it pierced the bark, and when I pulled it out, there was no damage to the tip at all. Who would have thought that fire-hardening the arrowheads would be so effective!

Because the draw weight of the bow is not very heavy, I practiced for two full hours without feeling any soreness in my lower back or hands. My accuracy improved significantly compared to the start; although I only hit the target with three out of twelve arrows, compared to where I began, it was a miracle. Perhaps after more practice, my accuracy will increase even further.

Of course, although there are many small animals in the forest, I feel hesitant about using them as live targets. Without knowing their nature, firing a shot that might not be fatal would be unwise. If some small animal turned out to be as vicious as a honey badger, I would be inviting trouble.

Conversely, using rabbits for testing is ideal. Not only is it safe, but if I hit one, it becomes food—a win-win situation!

This morning, because I used the large bucket to haul seawater, I had dumped out the little fresh water remaining in it. Now I need to fetch another bucket of fresh water. Since it is still early, I can head toward Rabbit Valley to test the bow's power.

I moved the large bucket to the riverbank and filled it with water. Because it had rained over the past two days, the water was a bit murky. Fortunately, it was only a light rain, so it wasn't as muddy as it had been during the previous storm. Letting it settle should make it usable.

I left the bucket of water on the bank and set off for Rabbit Valley. Since there was no one around and no animals would steal my bucket, it was the perfect time to test the bow. Having just acquired it, the joy I felt for this new possession was no less than the excitement of wearing new clothes during the Lunar New Year as a child.

I don't know what has been happening lately, but the number of small insects in the forest seems to be increasing. In the past, when passing through the woods, there weren't so many tiny flying insects. Now, as soon as I enter, swarms of them rush toward me. While they don't bite, they are too numerous, too dense, and too small. Every time I take a breath, many fly into my nostrils; it is a very unpleasant feeling.

I was forced to cover my mouth and nose as I walked. Furthermore, I had to be careful of the insects on the ground; I even saw several giant centipedes! Their deep red bodies, over thirty centimeters long, were chilling. They hid in the leaves, and because I accidentally stepped on the tail of one, it became enraged and turned around to strike back. Fortunately, I dodged in time.

Centipedes are not uncommon in civilized society, so I have always known they are venomous. Being bitten would certainly be excruciating. And with centipedes this massive here... I didn't dare to imagine the consequences.

...

Although my progress was slow, I finally arrived at Rabbit Valley. I unslung the bow and arrows from my back and watched a rabbit grazing not far ahead.

As I drew the bowstring, a few rabbits seemed to notice something amiss and stood up alertly. Fortunately, I had hidden my entire body behind a rock, so they didn't spot me.

I had twelve arrows, but I only had one chance...

Aim, aim again, release... The arrow flew accurately toward one of the rabbits...

But unfortunately, just as the arrow was about to strike, the rabbit sensed it and darted away.

This shot startled all the rabbits, and they scrambled back into their burrows. I sighed helplessly and went to retrieve the arrow, wondering if I might get a second chance.

"What is this?" As I prepared to pick up the arrow, I noticed something bloody not far from where it had landed.

I picked up the arrow and used it to nudge the object...

It was a small piece of rabbit pelt! The blood on it was still deep red, not yet turned black. Clearly, it hadn't been there long.

"Who did this?" At that moment, my mind went blank, and only this question remained.