The V-shaped forked branch was caught on the tiger's neck. Zhao Jun threw his weight into his arms and slammed the tiger's head into the snow.
"ROAR… ROAR…" The tiger let out a defiant roar, its limbs thrashing as it struggled to get up and fight back.
But the tiger was on a thick blanket of snow. Every time it thrashed, its limbs only sank deeper, and with its neck and body pinned down, it was completely unable to break free.
"Help!" Tao Dabao yelled, his head whipping from side to side. "Hurry, get over here!"
Tao Dabao was in a panic, but he didn't even need to shout. More than thirty militiamen, led by Yu Xuewen, were already speeding toward them on skis.
Yu Xuewen skied right up to the tiger's head, slung the semi-automatic rifle from his shoulder, flicked off the safety, and pressed the muzzle against the animal's skull.
Then, Yu Xuewen shouted to the others, "Tie it up! Now!"
