At this, Er Gou Zi gave a cold laugh. “I’ll make myself perfectly clear. You want to run down the mountain to warn people, or stay here and explain yourself to Ye Qing? Think carefully, Xiao Wu—you’ve already climbed onto our bandit’s boat.”
“If you dare go down, we’ll tell everyone in your village that Tian Xiao Wu betrays his own people and helped us trick and rob a young wife from your own village. If you stay and try to face Ye Qing, how do you explain that you’re part of our group?”
“Speak up, Xiao Wu! You had plenty to say just now—why have you gone quiet all of a sudden?”
“Let’s be honest—everyone in your village already knows we run together. You came along today, so whatever happens, you share the blame. There’s no way to wash your hands of it.”
Tian Xiao Wu’s face turned ashen, and his hands trembled with rage.
Only now did he realize he’d been set up by these so-called brothers. They’d dragged him along on purpose to make him an accomplice.
Overwhelmed with frustration, he slumped down onto a fallen log.
He looked up at the men he’d once called friends—many of them childhood companions who’d grown up side by side, closer than brothers.
He never imagined they would stand by and let Er Gou Zi trick him like this.
Still clinging to hope, he called them out one by one. “Zhu Zi! Er Qiang! Do you two feel the same way? Are you really going to let Er Gou Zi use me like this and do nothing?”
The others averted their eyes. Some shot him annoyed glances and sneered.
Tian Xiao Wu felt completely let down. He raked his fingers through his hair and said, “Ever since Er Gou Zi came back from school outside the mountains, he’s changed. And you’ve all changed right along with him—like you’re different people. Before, we just wandered around the village and skipped work now and then. That was harmless and didn’t hurt anyone. But now? You drag people into gambling and card games, and sneak after innocent women.”
He took a deep breath and spoke plainly. “The way you’re acting now, sooner or later you’ll end up in prison.”
As Tian Xiao Wu spoke, Er Gou Zi pulled out a pack of cigarettes and passed them around. He had one of his followers light his, took a long drag, and smirked. “Save your high-and-mighty lectures. You’re just a coward and a fool. I learned a saying at school: Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy you. We just want to eat better and live a better life—like city workers do. Is that such a crime?”
“Quit wasting my breath. We’re all tied together now—like grasshoppers on the same string. No one can run away.”
“Let’s see what Ye Qing is up to, then we’ll follow her again.” Er Gou Zi’s voice turned cold and ruthless.
“I won’t follow you. And neither will you. Turn back now and there’s still a way out—I won’t say a word about this.” Tian Xiao Wu’s disappointment turned to cold resolve. “I will never help outsiders harm someone from my own village. That’s the rule my father taught me since I was little. If he finds out, he’ll break my legs for sure. Come, cousin—let’s go. We’re not getting mixed up in this.”
Thinking quickly, Tian Xiao Wu grabbed his cousin Zhao Da Yong and pulled him away. His plan was to hurry down the mountain and alert the Xiao family before Er Gou Zi and his men did something reckless that would endanger Ye Qing.
“Right, cousin—let’s go right now.”
Zhao Da Yong was no fool. He caught on immediately and agreed.
Hand in hand, the two turned to rush downhill.
But Er Gou Zi reacted faster. Before they’d taken more than a few steps, he shouted angrily from behind: “You two really don’t know what’s good for you! Zhu Zi, stop them! Cowards like you—too scared to go through with it and trying to block our way. Don’t let them leave!”
As the others moved to grab them, Tian Xiao Wu grew frantic. He pushed their hands away. “What do you think you’re doing? Why can’t we leave?”
“Enough playing dumb. You’re not going anywhere now—you’re in this all the way. Zhu Zi, look for some vines and tie their hands and feet.”
“Brother Gou, if we tie their legs, how will they walk? If we leave them loose, they might run off,” Zhu Zi scratched his head.
“Tie their hands only, then.”
Tian Xiao Wu’s arms were seized. Seeing they really meant to bind him, he struggled fiercely and shouted at the top of his lungs: “Help! Someone help! Er Gou Zi and his gang are up to no good! Er Gou Zi, don’t get too cocky—this is still our village’s land! The militia patrols every day. If they catch you, you’re finished!”
Er Gou Zi’s face darkened. His expression turned vicious.
He stepped forward and slapped Tian Xiao Wu hard across the cheek.
Before Tian Xiao Wu could recover, Zhao Da Yong—who’d grown up alongside him—exploded in anger. “How dare you hit my cousin?”
Built like a sturdy young ox, Zhao Da Yong didn’t think twice. He wrenched free from the others and charged straight into Er Gou Zi’s stomach.
“Damn it—these two little bastards! Beat them!” Er Gou Zi flew into a rage and slapped Zhao Da Yong as well.
Stung and enraged, Tian Xiao Wu and Zhao Da Yong saw red. They fought back like wild bulls, throwing punches and kicks without restraint.
Though only two against many, their frenzy made them more than a match for the rest.
A brawl erupted. Someone threw a stone at Zhao Da Yong; in return, he slammed his attacker against a tree trunk. Branches and leaves crashed down around them.
Blinded by fury, no one held back.
Zhao Da Yong zeroed in on Zhu Zi—the weakest fighter. He rammed him with his head, shoved him hard, and pinned him against a thick tree.
“You dare hit my cousin? Take this!” He raised his fist and landed two heavy blows.
Choking and gasping for air, Zhu Zi flailed his legs wildly. One foot kicked hard into a thick clump of bushes.
Amidst the chaos of shouting and fighting, a series of high-pitched squeals suddenly rang out—like the cries of baby animals.
At first, everyone was too caught up in the fight to notice. But Tian Xiao Wu, with sharp ears, paused. “Wait—did you hear that?”
Zhao Da Yong immediately let go of Zhu Zi. “I heard it too, cousin.”
No sooner had he spoken than Zhu Zi punched him back. Kneeling and rubbing his sore neck, he yelled, “You maniac—were you trying to strangle me?”
“Wait a minute… what’s in these bushes? There’s a whole litter of wild piglets!” By the end of his sentence, Zhu Zi’s voice rose in shocked excitement.
“Wild piglets?”
At those words, every punch, shove, and curse in the forest stopped instantly.
All eyes turned toward Zhu Zi.
Hadn’t they come up the mountain today to follow Ye Qing and steal whatever game she caught? Now, a whole litter of piglets lay right in front of them—how could anyone stay calm?
Er Gou Zi was the first to react. He strode over, kicked Zhu Zi aside, and pushed the bushes apart. Sure enough, nestled inside were several dark brown piglets.
Their coats were still thin and patchy, and their stripes had just begun to show—they looked only two or three months old. Startled by being uncovered, they huddled together, their plump bodies trembling. When Er Gou Zi reached in, they squealed in protest.
Seeing the piglets, all thoughts of fighting vanished. The men crowded around, eyes wide.
Er Gou Zi took one last drag of his cigarette, tossed the butt aside, and picked up a piglet, giving it a quick peck. “Well, would you look at that! Luck’s on our side today—we found a whole litter!”
He hefted the animal in his hands, estimating its weight. “This one must be forty or fifty pounds. Four of them—that’s over two hundred pounds total. Take them back, butcher them, and even after removing bones and guts, we’ll still get at least fifty pounds of meat. Tonight we’ll eat like kings!”
The others beamed with joy. Each grabbed a piglet and held it close.
Completely forgetting their quarrel, they spat at Tian Xiao Wu and Zhao Da Yong, pushing them away. “Get lost, cowards! These pigs are ours—you won’t get a single bite!”
Tian Xiao Wu watched them take the piglets. Jaw clenched, he stepped forward again. “No—you can’t take them!”
The words came out against his better judgment.
His plea brought the excited mood to a sudden halt. The group fell silent. Er Gou Zi stared at Tian Xiao Wu with a menacing glare, speaking through gritted teeth. “What did you just say?”
Tian Xiao Wu stood his ground. “These piglets are only a few months old. There’s barely any meat on them. Leave them here. This is surely the mother’s litter—she’ll be back to look for them any minute.”
Er Gou Zi looked at him as if he were an idiot. He stared for a moment, then burst into mocking laughter, convinced Tian Xiao Wu had lost his mind from the beating.
“Pay no attention to him—let’s go.” Too focused on the feast ahead, Er Gou Zi had no patience for argument.
But Tian Xiao Wu took two more steps and grabbed his arm, refusing to let him pass.
“There’s a rule in the mountains: take only the mature ones, leave the young to keep the stock going. Otherwise, the Mountain God will grow angry.”
Before the campaign to stamp out superstition, villages near the foothills deeply revered the Mountain God. Though public belief was officially discouraged, most people still followed old customs. Whether hunting, fishing, gathering herbs, or picking wild plants, everyone abided by one principle: leave enough to ensure the forest’s resources never ran out.
Otherwise, after generations of living off the land, everything would have been exhausted long ago. Once nature’s balance was broken, the villagers would starve right along with it.
So the saying “leave the roots” was etched into every child’s heart, taught by elders from the day they could walk.
Most people, faced with a group this size and outnumbered, would have let it go and minded their own business. But Tian Xiao Wu was stubborn and honest. Seeing Er Gou Zi about to take the whole litter, he felt compelled to stop them.
Hearing his talk of the Mountain God, Er Gou Zi almost laughed out loud. “Tian Xiao Wu—your own father is the brigade leader! Haven’t you heard the slogan? Eradicate feudal superstition! What Mountain God? That’s all nonsense! Keep spouting that garbage and I’ll report you for spreading old beliefs. Now get out of my way!”
He shoved Tian Xiao Wu aside and marched off, cursing and calling him a fool.
The others, still holding the piglets, looked uncomfortable. They’d grown up with Tian Xiao Wu and still felt a faint sense of loyalty, so they didn’t shout insults. But as they looked at his bruised and swollen face, each thought the same thing: Coward! Idiot!
They turned and headed downhill. Tian Xiao Wu tried to follow, but his cousin pulled him back.
Zhao Da Yong shrank into his coat. “Let it go, cousin. They’re just piglets—there are plenty more in these hills. A few won’t make a difference. Let’s just go down the mountain ourselves.”
Persuaded and held back, Tian Xiao Wu finally gave in. He walked away reluctantly, his brow furrowed into a tight knot.
They hadn’t gone far when someone in Er Gou Zi’s group spoke up. “Did you hear that strange sound? It sounds like something’s charging toward us.”
Zhu Zi scoffed. “What else could it be? Probably Tian Xiao Wu chasing after us again. The man’s a fool—let’s walk faster.”
“No—really! I hear it too—heavy huffing and grunting!” Another man stopped, alarmed.
Er Gou Zi frowned. He heard it too.
They scanned the woods and hurried their steps, but no matter how fast they moved, they could never outrun a wild pig.
Seconds later, a fierce, ear-splitting snort echoed through the trees.
Before they could react, a dozen wild pigs burst from the brush, eyes blazing red, roaring in fury.
“Brother Gou—they’re coming straight for us! Have they gone mad?” Zhu Zi ducked behind Er Gou Zi.
“Damn it! We shouldn’t have wasted time arguing with Tian Xiao Wu! They’re the mother and her herd—they’ve come for their young!” Er Gou Zi cursed.
“What do we do?”
“Run!”
At his command, everyone clutched their piglets and scrambled downhill. But two legs stood no chance against four hooves. Worse, the pigs were driven by instinct to rescue their offspring—they were furious and relentless.
In moments, they caught up.
Wild pigs attack in a brutal, no-nonsense way. The herd charged straight for the men’s rear ends.
The last man in line was hit first. He was lifted off his feet and slammed against a tree before crashing to the ground, dropping his piglet.
Terrified, he threw the baby down. “Take it! I don’t want it anymore—leave me alone! The Mountain God really is angry! Brother Gou, I let it go—why are they still chasing me?”
No sooner had he spoken than Zhu Zi was sent flying by a large sow. Though sows don’t have the massive tusks of boars, their teeth are sharp enough. When enraged, they drove their tusks deep into Zhu Zi’s backside, leaving two bleeding wounds.
Clutching his injured rear, Zhu Zi ran screaming, hiding behind Er Gou Zi. “Help me, Brother Gou! You said you were the toughest—save me! I don’t want the meat anymore—have mercy!”
Er Gou Zi himself was surrounded by two angry pigs. Without a second thought, he dropped his piglet and ran for his life.
He didn’t care which direction he went, only that he escaped the attack. He ran blindly, no longer keeping track of the path.
Seeing their leader flee, the rest followed suit.
Chased and harried, Er Gou Zi ran until he burst out of the trees and saw two figures ahead.
A plan formed instantly. He picked up a rock and hurled it at Tian Xiao Wu’s back, yelling loudly to draw the pigs toward them, then scrambled up the nearest tree for safety.
Once perched, he shouted down to the others: “If you still have the piglets, throw them to Tian Xiao Wu! Climb up the trees!”
Tian Xiao Wu barely had time to react before he found himself staring into the red, furious eyes of several wild pigs.
For a moment, the forest echoed with screams, curses, and pleas for mercy—so loud they startled hundreds of birds into flight, filling the sky in a dark, swirling mass.
…
Ye Qing looked up at the sudden commotion and the flocks of birds rising into the air. She glanced toward the direction of the lower slopes, looking thoughtful.
But she didn’t turn back. Compared to the chaos below, her part of the mountain remained peaceful and calm.
After shaking off her unwanted followers, she’d followed the stone markers she’d left earlier, climbing steadily higher until she reached a stand of birch trees—the only place chaga fungus grows.
Stepping into the grove, she raised her eyes and scanned the trunks. This was her main goal for the day: harvesting chaga.
She drew her chopping knife and began searching the trees, craning her neck.
After a while, she finally spotted what Xiao Lei had described: a hard, dark lump growing tightly against the bark. It couldn’t be pried loose with a stick—she’d have to climb up to get it.
The fungus was rough and black on the surface, growing at varying heights and sizes.
Finding no footholds nearby, Ye Qing braced herself and climbed the trunk. Birch trees are slippery and difficult to scale, and she had no protective gloves. She gritted her teeth and made her way up slowly.
Reaching the fungus, she hacked at it with her knife. Once it loosened, it fell with a heavy thud and shattered into several pieces on the ground.
Staring at the mess, Ye Qing sighed and carefully climbed back down. Luckily, it hadn’t broken beyond use—only into four or five chunks. The largest was the size of her palm, black and rough outside, deep golden-brown within.
“So this is chaga? No wonder it fetches such a high price in town—harvesting it is dangerous work.” She brushed the dirt off the pieces and stored them in her space.
Chaga can’t be sold fresh; it must be dried thoroughly in the sun to prevent mold.
With her first attempt done, Ye Qing learned from the experience. The next time she found a piece, she left her basket below, climbed up, and caught it in her hands as she made the final cut, dropping it safely into her storage space.
This method kept the fungus intact, though it was still risky. Some grew very high up, and a single slip could mean a bad fall.
Deciding discretion was better than injury, she left the smaller or higher pieces alone. No amount of money was worth risking her life.
Once I’ve earned enough from selling forest goods, I’ll buy a pair of climbing spikes, she thought. That would make this work much safer.
By the end of the afternoon, she’d found three more pieces of chaga—some large as a grown man’s head, others no bigger than a fist.
She felt satisfied with her haul, regardless of size.
As the sun began to dip and shadows lengthened, she stored her harvest, picked up her tools, and turned back downhill.
Finding chaga took far longer than harvesting it; she spent hours craning her neck, scanning every trunk until her eyes felt strained.
Four pieces were more than enough reward for the day. To go deeper into the woods now would mean spending the night in the open, and her supply of dry food was limited. So she followed her markers back the way she came.
Going down was slower than going up. Along the path, she spotted the stone piles she’d left on her previous trip. This was the route she’d taken before—and the direction of the traps she’d set.
Pausing for a moment, she decided to make a detour. She wanted to check her traps.
This area was ideal. She could make it her base camp in the future—thick bushes, close to water, home to pheasants, rabbits, and other small game, plus plenty of wild plants. If she ever had to stay overnight, there would be food and shelter nearby.
Besides chaga, she’d only found two shed antlers today. She hoped to find something more substantial to bring home for a good meal.
With that in mind, she headed straight toward her traps.
When she finally reached the spot, she saw that the dry leaves and branches covering the entrance had been disturbed—something had been caught.
She hurried forward and leaned in to look.