Chapter 6 compete

When it was just dawn, the road into the forest could already be seen clearly. Hansen left the cabin and strode towards his beloved valley with a wish in his heart that the stag from yesterday was still there. For years, he had reserved a spot over the fireplace of his log cabin, waiting to hang a giant deer head. Today, he must catch the stag. He swears: If necessary, he will hunt until dark. He wears a thick cotton coat, which can completely withstand minus ten degrees.Inside his shirt were two sandwiches, a thermos of hot tea in his pocket, and his weapon, the rifle slung over his left arm.

Hansen stepped on the thick snow with steady and fast steps.He has not hunted in this area for many years. He stopped on top of a low hill.At the end of the slope that led to the woods, there lay an old car covered in snow, its wheels and windows missing. That car has been there since I was a kid. One spring, after the snow melted, the old car grew and bloomed like spring grass and mountain flowers. Whoever drives the car there must go through scrub and woods, old Mr. Henson used to say when he was alive, only a really drunk man would do that on a moonless night. There was a lot of discussion.From the gangster who had to dispose of the car, to some stubborn stranger who got lost, fell asleep wearily, woke up in the morning and said fuck him, and walked away.

Hansen strolled down the slope, then stopped suddenly. It was three gray mornings, unless fantasy was playing tricks on him; otherwise, how could there be smoke rising from the car?The answer is yes, someone must have started a fire in the car, that's not unusual, it's not the first time a hunter lost his way, and it was dark, spending the night in a broken car.In the past, someone thoughtfully drilled a hole in the roof of the car and dug a few holes in the floor, which were used as iron grates for the fireplace. As Hansen approached, he saw two men.They were not hunters, and all wore a fur hat, overcoat and ordinary leather shoes.One crouched in a corner of the backseat, hat shaded her eyes; the other bent over a dying fire.

"Hi, hello!" Hansen greeted loudly. The man bent over to warm his head looked up at Hansen with dull eyes.On the turned-up coat collar of the man, his face was pale and pale, with red hair, he was probably less than half Hansen's age. Although there was a fire, it was still freezing cold in the broken car.He knew that the child had to warm up before he could walk. Although Hansen was strong and strong, he didn't want to carry a child as tall as him down the mountain. He poured a cup of hot tea, handed it over, and said, "Drink it slowly, and then we'll get you down for a walk. You have to move around and let your blood circulate faster. Where's your friend?"

The child sipped his tea, clasped the cup tightly with both hands, and murmured, "Dead!" Hansen opened the car door, trying to straighten the huddled man.True, the man was dead, stiff; but not all from the cold, for there was a hole under the breast of his coat surrounded by a small circle of brown stains. At this time, Hansen knew who the two were. Last night, the news reported a rare event in the area.In a town twenty miles to the north, a hardware store selling all kinds of tools and televisions was robbed by two gangsters, one of whom seemed to have robbed 8,000 yuan, and was beaten by an off-duty policeman as he was fleeing. Take a shot.

Hansen was obviously skeptical: How did they end up in this barren mountain? He looked up and saw the kid looking at him too. "You're lucky you didn't freeze to death," he said, making the kid think that Hansen didn't know about the bullet holes. Hansen walked around the car, opened the other door, stretched out his hand and said, "Let's go, you have to move." They trampled on the snow for a long time, until the child's feet could move, and Hansen let him drag him back and forth alone. He asked, "How is your foot?" "I don't feel anything at all."

"Take off your shoes and socks," Hansen looked at his dead white flesh, "My God, you are such a trouble!" He handed the child a handful of snow, "Rub it gently with the snow to restore some feeling to the feet." A woolen scarf was wrapped around the body in the car, and Hansen untied it and handed it to the child. "Do you feel it?" "Not yet. The kid shook his head. Hansen tossed him a bandanna. "Dry your feet with a handkerchief, put on your shoes and socks, and wrap your scarf over your head and ears. We must get out of here. Can you walk?"

"Yes." "What's your name?" "Gordon." "Okay, Gordon. We're off now, and we'll find someone to carry your friend later." Hansen shoveled some snow with a shovel to cover the fire on the car. Dead bodies don't need fire. When he turned around, a pistol was pointed right at his stomach.Hansen laughed, "What do you want to do?" "Take off those warm clothes and get out of the damn woods." Hansen unzipped the jacket he was wearing, "You want this clothes, I'll give it to you, you think you only need warm clothes?"

He pointed to the woods, "Which way are you going? How far do you think those feet can go even if you knew the direction? Be sensible, Gordon. You're a kid from the city, and unless I take you out , you will die here. So, put your gun away!" "Not so fast, old man!" said Gordon. "I'm not that bad. I'll go out the way you came." Hansen grinned: This kid is not stupid. "What makes you think I'm straight from somewhere? He's starting to lie," I slid in and out, looking for deer tracks.What's more, there are some little things you haven't planned yet. "

He pointed to the falling snowflakes, "It's snowing again, how long will my footprints last?" "I've got a deal with you," Gordon said. "Take me out and I won't kill you." Hansen zipped up his jacket and reached for his rifle. "Put it down!" Gordon said sharply. Hansen sighed, "Look, Gordon, this is a bear area, and your toy gun won't help a hungry bear. Rifles can't be kept here. They can save our lives." Gordon thought for a while and said, "Then, you unload the bullet and put it in your pocket. Old man, if a bear appears, this toy gun has enough time for you to reload it."

Gordon's feet might have been frostbitten, but his brain was fine. Hansen unloaded the bullet and said, "Gordon, I tell you, I'm leaving. If you follow, yes; you're going to shoot in the back, please. Then next spring, when the snow melts, our bodies will all be Found. If you hadn't shot at me, I would have taken you out safely. I will take you out now. But I have one condition, you will give me the money you robbed last night." Gordon's lips pursed. "An honest citizen like you wouldn't want stolen money. Your kind heart should be happy to help me, shouldn't you? How did you know we robbed us last night?" "Radio, what else? There are only six roads you can take. I believe the state troopers have road cards now. I can take you there too. You can think a little while we go down the mountain. Now, about How about the money?" Gordon waved his gun, "Let's go, I'll go with you." Hansen followed the faint footprints left by him and walked forward. It didn't look like Gordon used a gun because he liked it, it was the only way he knew how to do what he wanted. Oddly enough, Gordon always thought guns were the most important thing in the world.However, in this wild place, at this moment, the gun has no meaning, it has no deterrent effect. If he took off those warm clothes, he would not be able to go down the mountain.Gordon should insist on the need for warm sheepskin hats, jackets, gloves, thick boots, even if the clothing does not fit him, he needs it more than Hansen. But a city kid was more frightened and panicked than a native Hansen, which made Hansen see that the kid didn't know how the cold can slowly drain a person's energy; nor did he know, or even realize, that In this world of ice and snow, how does being physically fit have an advantage. Hansen is twice as old as Gordon, but so far, taking a morning walk every day, he has walked far more miles in the morning than Gordon has walked. To tell the truth, Hansen wasn't worried about Gordon's pistol; what bothered him was that the time to take the kid down the mountain, get rid of him, and come back, was a critical few hours, and there was no time to hunt the buck .How many years and months will I have to wait to see a buck as big as my head! The buck was more important to him now than anything else.He sighed, maybe that money could make up for the entire loss of the day. Suddenly, Gordon fired a shot, and the bullet fell on the snow in front of him, and some of the snow jumped up, "You're going too fast, old man!" He was already annoyed at him for destroying the plan, but now with this trick, Hansen got angry, he turned and stood still, and said, "Boy, if you shoot me again, I will put that gun in your throat. I let you keep the gun because I don't like taking it from you.Did you hear that? " Gordon wanted to say something, but when he saw Hansen's face, he only moved his lips and said nothing.He waved his gun, signaling to move on. Looks like I'll have to lay down his pistol, thought Hansen; otherwise, he'll shoot the moment he thinks he can stop relying on me.He slowed down, left the original path, and went around to the top of the wooden house. Now, the snow began to fall seriously, and he felt a pang in his heart. As a result, he would not be able to hunt that buck this year. He led the child for about an hour, and a fallen tree appeared before his eyes. He kicked off some snow, leaned his rifle against the trunk, and motioned for Gordon to sit down and rest. "Why stop?" Gordon pointed the gun at him. "It's old experience," Hansen said. "Walk for fifty minutes and rest for ten minutes. If you're going to walk a long way, it's easier that way." It was impossible for Gordon to know that the cabin was only ten minutes away. "You're crazy!" Gordon screamed. "It's so cold, my feet are numb, and it's snowing, and you want to rest?" "Son, sit down," Hansen said calmly, "Don't be nervous when I reach into the shirt inside. I have two sandwiches in it, not guns. " Hansen threw him a sandwich, and Gordon accepted it "You said there are two, I want both." Hansen smiled, tossed him a second sandwich, and pulled out the thermos, "You'd better take this too." "You're quite generous, old man." Gordon tore open the sandwich. "It's not free, you have to pay, it should be eight thousand dollars, if I'm not mistaken." Gordon's mouth stopped. "You are so stupid, old man. How could I give you that money so easily?" "Hmph, even so, you will still give it to me. If you want to live, it's still a low price. How did you get into that old car at night? " "After escaping from that town, I found a lonely place at a bend, climbed up a tree, and stayed there, hoping to stop a car; but, after a long time, a car came and almost ran over me .. figured they were going to call the police, so we grabbed our flashlights and fled into the woods looking for a house for the night. That's it." Hansen smiled, "You think you are in the suburbs? You don't know how lucky you are! No one lives on this high mountain, I think you hit that broken car by mistake." Gordon finished his drink Tea. "It's a good thing too. Fick got shot and it started snowing and the flashlight was about to run out by the time I saw God. I found some dry wood and made a fire. Next thing I knew, you were coming." .” Hansen shook his head. "You know you're supposed to freeze to death, don't you? You've just used up the luck you have once in a lifetime." "Stop talking nonsense," Gordon waved his hand, "Let's go!" Hansen remained motionless. "I won't leave until I pay!" Gordon opened the protective cover of the pistol. Hansen raised his left hand, "Gordon, have you ever played poker? I'm sitting with the cards, and you're going to flip the cards. Who do you think will win? You shoot me, and then you go around in the mountains, turning around to death; maybe you're lucky enough to find a road, or a house. But what about your poor feet, I reckon you'll be able to walk for hours at most before you're a real amputee On the other hand, I can lead you around until you are so cold that you can't stand it anymore, and your legs are so bad that you beg me to carry you. At that time, I can take it away freely. Just leave the money. I would rather you hand over the money to me now. Then the two of us can go down the mountain together safely. Think about it, aren’t your legs and life worth 8,000 yuan?" "If I give you money, how fast can you lead me down the mountain?" Hansen shrugged and lied, "Maybe an hour." " Gordon shot into the branches above Hansen's head, sending snowflakes flying. "I'm willing to walk with you for another hour, and if we haven't come down the mountain by then, I'll kill you. If you don't go now, I'll kill you here. Because I guess I'm far from you taking me The place to go is only an hour away." Hansen sighed and reached for the rifle. He felt that he had pushed the child enough. Gordon, who ate his food and drank hot tea, was still half-frozen, and was chalking along on his limp feet, probably beyond endurance. He led Gordon down the hill to a low rutted stone wall, and the rutted road ran through the woods like a tunnel.The stone wall was only knee high, but the road beyond the wall was very low. This is no problem for Hansen, he can jump over the low wall with ease.Gordon, whose muscles were cold and his feet were frozen, was not so relaxed; however, there was no other way. "The next step will be easier." Hansen told him. "Which way do we go?" Hansen shook his head: "I tell you, I have no money, so I can only lead you here." Gordon looked to the left, and then to the right. The falling snowflakes and trees isolated him in a world of a few square meters. Low walls and roads continued to invisible places, and there was nothing to tell you. , which direction leads to the civilized world, and which direction leads to the death zone. Hansen brushed the snow off the stone wall and sat down. "Are you ready to discuss business?" Gordon narrowed his eyes. "I'm going to kill you, you greedy old farmer! I won't let you let me die here so you can keep the money. I should kill you now, on my own risk!" "Before you shoot, remember that if you choose the wrong direction, you are dead. When you think you have chosen the wrong direction, it will be too late to turn back. Even if you know the right direction, you can't guarantee how long it will last. .Then, the state troopers come and you’re satisfied. What you need is a car, and I have a car.” Gordon trembled all over, but said nothing. "Now I'll take the money," Hansen said sharply. "If you end up with no feet, or dead, what's the money to you? Boy, you're out of cards. Are you calling? Or are you taking Admit defeat?" Gordon looked around the road again. "Then I'd call it quits, old farmer," he said slowly, "you honest citizens are a bunch of dogs, willing to spend your stolen money but not brave enough to go out and steal it. But when you touch When you meet someone like me with a gun and it doesn't work, your hand sticks out." He unbuttoned his coat and threw a thick brown paper bag to Hansen. "You think if I get caught, I won't tell the police and I'll give you the money?" "It's okay, they won't believe you, I will say, you must have been lost in the woods," Hansen tried the wallet with his hand, "There is no eight thousand yuan here." But he was not disappointed, the amount was the same from the beginning Too high. "No, maybe it's only two thousand dollars. The manager of the store tried to defraud the insurance company, that's all." "You're not kidding, are you? Gordon, it's only two thousand dollars?" The child spread his hands, "There is a huge bundle of six thousand yuan bills, old man, do you see where my coat is protruding? I gave you all, except for three or four hundred yuan, which I used to light the fire yesterday." .Do you want to complain?" Hansen laughed, "Because it can keep you alive, so that's probably cheap." He said, stuffing the wallet inside his jacket. "Boy, you've won and bought yourself weeks or months, or whatever, until you get in trouble again and break the law. If you pay me to take you out, then, take the gun Take it away, you don't need it." He saw Gordon put the gun in his pocket, then turn himself around and jump down to the road below. He knew what the kid was up to, he still kept the gun, and stopped him when he knew the direction of the road, asking for the money back, and leaving Hansen on the mountain.That kid can't fool anyone, but if Hansen thinks he can, then he's dead wrong. "Come down!" he yelled impatiently. Gordon sat on the wall, moved his legs slowly across, and then hesitated. It was not an easy jump for a man half frozen with numb legs.When he hits the ground, he's bound to get hurt.He left his hips off the wall, fell to a steep mound, slid into the snow, lost his center of gravity, his legs bent under him. When he flattened the ground, he found Hansen's knee against his back.Hansen took the pistol from his pocket, then pulled him to his feet and pointed him on the road. Five minutes later, Gordon was warming up by the fire in Hansen's log cabin. Half an hour later, four men went up the hill to carry Fick's body, while Gordon, wrapped in a blanket, rode to the hospital in a state trooper van.Hansen followed behind in his own car. Gordon turned to look back. He saw Hansen and remembered that he had said that nothing in this world is free. He pointed at Hansen's car with his thumb, and said to the state police, "You know, you have to catch the old man behind him. He accepted the stolen money and forced me to pay the money before he would lead me down the mountain." "Come on, boy," said the state trooper, "I know the money's with Hanson, and he'll have something to talk to me after we get you to the hospital." "What is he going to do, give you a share?" "You'll get beaten for saying that," the state policeman said with a serious face, "Although the money belongs to Hansen, he will hand it over." "His?" Gordon was dumbfounded. , "It belongs to him. Last night the store where your gun happened to belong to him. What you did was just to give him back the money." "Then he must be a fool. He says if I don't give him the money he'll leave me there till I die." The state policeman smiled, "As far as I know Hansen's cunning, I don't doubt that he will let you believe that there are still ten miles to travel before he will push you into the cabin. That's why the poker players in this area come to play Before, you must set a limit with him. You never know what card he is holding. How long did it take you from that classic car to Hansen's cabin?" "About an hour." "That's exactly what I surmised. It's a long way from the car to the cabin. Hansen takes you to a shortcut that saves you a lot of distance and makes your feet a little hurt for a few days instead of a long one. " Ge registered how he cursed Hansen when they arrived at the cabin soon, and couldn't help but wonder why the old guy didn't take the easy way, simply hand over his gun and take the money. Hansen, in another car behind them, whistled softly.His hunting plans fell through, and the great stag was out of the question this year. However, when the kid was still holding the gun, and I was able to persuade him to pay, it was like a game of dragons and tigers. He had an ace of spades and an old man on the table with no good cards to support, and the opponent Really have a good hand. Thinking of this, I am very happy in my heart, I have not been so happy for many years. Thinking of the manager in the store, the whistle suddenly stopped!Eight thousand dollars! The person who lives a high standard of living has not been affected by inflation.For many years, Hansen knew that he was playing tricks, but the accountant still couldn't catch the real evidence of his corruption.When the store was robbed, he saw a way to fish in troubled waters, and took the six thousand dollars in the safe into his own pocket. If anyone caught Gordon--except Hansen--then there was only the manager's word for Gordon's defense and other people's speculation about the missing six thousand dollars. When they got the kid to the hospital, he and the state troopers were going to arrest the store manager. This time he has no way to tamper with the account books. Hansen speeded up, regretting that he lost the chance to hunt the big stag. However, perhaps the money that the manager embezzled was his compensation, and his personal involvement made up for the regret of not being able to hang a deer head on the fireplace.