novelraw Chapter 284 - 178: She’s Dead + Stay?
Chapter 284 - 178: She’s Dead + Stay?
She went out and found an open area, planning to test its power.
She nocked an arrow and drew the bow in one fluid motion. An Jin hooked the bowstring with her right thumb, using its strength to draw it back. Her index and middle fingers rested naturally over her thumb, and the nock of the arrow sat snugly in the crook between them.
Slightly squinting one eye, she aligned the bow with her dominant eye and locked onto a beetle on a nearby tree trunk.
WHOOSH—
The arrow flew from the bow, striking its target.
The poor beetle and the arrow fell together onto the soft grass.
A fluffy white Long-eared Beast was startled from the grass. An Jin immediately aimed her arrow at it. Before the little rabbit could bolt, she released, and it was struck down on the grass.
There were many styles of archery in the world, but An Jin was partial to the method passed down through the ages in Ancient China. This wasn’t just out of patriotic sentiment; it was also based on sound scientific principles.
The Ancient China style emphasized using the thumb to draw the string. Because a person’s thumb is the strongest of all the fingers, this method was the most energy-efficient way to shoot.
’Otherwise, in my current physical condition, it would be impossible to use a bow and arrow this easily.’
There were other benefits as well.
—’This method is simple, practical, allows for rapid firing, and is easy to teach to beginners.’
’It’s perfect for teaching the clueless Beastmen how to use it.’
An Jin picked up the Long-eared Beast and headed home. Before she even reached the house, Xi rushed to open the door like a cat that had smelled fish.
His blue eyes danced with joy. Looking as if he’d been waiting an eternity for his love to return, he called out in a syrupy-sweet voice, "Ah Jin~"
"..." ’She really suspected this fish had planted a tracking device on her.’
’Oh, wait, there actually is one. It’s called the Shark Pearl.’
An Jin’s lips curved into a smile as she held up the Long-eared Beast. "Look what I brought! A small prize. We’ll have it for dinner tonight!"
"Wow!" The Little Merfolk was stunned. He rushed to her side, took the big rabbit—its eyes still wide in death—and looked it over and over in disbelief. "Ah Jin, in your condition... H-how did you do this?"
"With the bow and arrow in my hand. See the wound on its belly? It was from this arrowhead."
An Jin raised her bow to demonstrate. "WHOOSH—" She shot an arrow into a nearby tree trunk with tremendous force.
Xi ran over and struggled for a good while before he finally managed to pull the arrow out.
"This is just incredible..." Xi didn’t hold back his praise, fawning over An Jin and not missing a single chance to curry favor. "Is this the weapon you had the Beastmen make a while ago, Ah Jin? It’s amazing!"
"Ahem, I can’t take credit for that. I didn’t invent this; I only introduced it to you all." She didn’t dare claim such praise for herself.
"I don’t care about that. In my heart, An Jin is the most amazing person there is. So smart and so skilled! I want to learn, too! Ah Jin, you’re so incredible, can you teach me? Please?"
"You really want to learn?" ’A fish learning archery... No matter how I think about it, it’s just weird.’
"Of course!"
The Little Merfolk declared with righteous conviction, then lowered his head. His delicate pink lips pressed together, and a shadow of gloom fell over his bewitchingly beautiful features.
He poked his fingers together dejectedly. "Because of my race, I’m not good at moving or hunting on land. If I could learn to use this... this bow and arrow! Then I could hunt a lot of prey, just like them!"
’In the Beast World, the greatest measure of a male’s strength was the amount of prey he could hunt.’
’If he could just hunt a lot of prey, Ah Jin would definitely see him in a new light. And maybe then...’
"Alright, I’ll teach you. But let’s go eat first. I’m hungry."
Just as he often pulled her along, An Jin stepped forward and took the Merfolk’s delicate, smooth hand, treating him like a close girlfriend. "It’s too late today," she said. "We’ll get up early tomorrow, and I’ll teach you. There’s plenty of prey in the nearby woods."
"O-Okay..." Xi stammered, a shy pink blush dusting his cheeks.
His gaze fell to their joined hands. Her small, soft, warm hand filled him with such fondness that he couldn’t bear to let go.
The corners of the Merfolk’s rosy lips curled. ’Darn it, my ear fins are getting soft and hot again. I can barely even hear what Ah Jin is saying~’
Bright and early the next morning, after washing up and eating breakfast, An Jin took Xi, who had been up and waiting for some time, to the small woods nearby to begin his exclusive one-on-one lesson.
"Like this... and this... Use your thumb to draw the bowstring taut, then aim at the target, and release in an instant. Remember not to rush, and be careful with your fingers..."
An Jin went over it slowly and meticulously, step by step. However, Xi was clumsy. After several attempts, he had no idea where his arrows were even landing.
All he knew was that they weren’t hitting the target.
"Alright, how about this? I’ll guide you hand-over-hand. You should learn faster that way."
An Jin leaned in close to the Merfolk’s chest, positioning herself as if she were being encircled by his body. Her slender, fair fingers came to rest on his hands.
—