The three methods of hunting used by the Hunter simply couldn't deal with the thick-skinned Human Bear. The last time we encountered a Human Bear in Lama Gully, we nearly lost our lives. So, when Yanzi mentioned the threat of the Human Bear just now, my heart skipped a beat, but I immediately said, "Are we going to stop farming just because we hear the stone loach cry? The Human Bear isn't invulnerable to Blades and Spears, and they hide in their bear cave at night. We'll sneak up to Tuan Shanzi under the cover of darkness to trap a few Yellow Weasels and come right back. What is this small risk compared to that? Don't forget, our team is unconquerable."
Fatty stomped his feet anxiously beside us, urging us to set off. Revolution waits for no one, but demands seizing the day. After my persuasion, Yanzi finally agreed. In truth, she also really wanted to go trap Yellow Weasels, but the Old Branch Secretary still held considerable authority in the Village, so someone needed to do the Ideological work to help her overcome this psychological barrier.
The weather outside the Forest Farm cabin was very cold. The snow had stopped falling, and the bright moon made everything look eerily white. However, the moon halo foretold that heavy snow would strike again soon. The Mountain Wind howled through the gap in the Mountain Hollow, sounding like a Mountain Ghost weeping mournfully in the distance. When I came from the Village to the Forest Farm, I had already decided to trap Yellow Weasels or Foxes. I had brought all the necessary gear. The three of us used the moonlight to reach the riverbank near the Forest Farm.
The river surface had already frozen over, covered by a layer of accumulated snow. Standing on the bank, about ten meters from the River channel, you could hear the sound of water tinkling as it flowed beneath the ice. Because we were "rushing the Winter Famine," autumn was only halfway done when a cold snap hit, so the river water froze very weakly. Stepping directly onto the ice would certainly lead to falling into a Hole. The safest method was to cross by stepping on the round logs frozen in the river.
The moonlight reflected off the thin snow, bathing the ground in silver light. Long horizontal logs were piled up on the river surface—timbers that hadn't been transported downstream in Time and were temporarily frozen in the river. By stepping on these round logs, even if the ice Cracked Open, the buoyancy of the wood would prevent anyone from sinking into the river.
Looking at the river surface, it didn't seem wide, but when we actually started crossing, we realized the river surface was definitely not narrow. The three of us spread out our distance, stepping from one log to the next. Because it was cold, we wore heavy clothes, making our steps feel sluggish. The crushed ice underfoot made a crunching sound, and although it was full of peril, for some reason, I wasn't scared at all. On the contrary, I felt somewhat excited. The inherent impulse for adventure couldn't be suppressed; I felt this whole endeavor was truly thrilling.
Beyond the river lay Tuan Shanzi, considered a Forbidden Ground by local Hunters. The forest on this mountain was too dense; Yanzi wasn't sure if we could find our way out once inside. Although we were bold, we didn't dare rush in. Fortunately, the Yellow Weasel Grave was at the foot of Tuan Shanzi, not far from the riverbank. There was a raised earth mound there where no grass grew. The mound was riddled with countless Holes, large and small, where Yellow Weasels hid. Perhaps because this mound resembled a grave mound and Yellow Weasels frequently appeared inside, it was called the "Yellow Weasel Grave."
We didn't walk directly onto the "Yellow Weasel Grave." We found a wind-sheltered red pine grove nearby. Being downwind here meant the Yellow Weasels and various wild beasts on the mountain wouldn't smell our tracks. It seemed this was a natural, optimal "ambush spot." I called Fatty and Yanzi over, and the three of us squatted behind the trees to discuss how to proceed.
Before leaving the Village, Fatty had snuck two kettles of Home-brewed Liquor. Home-brewed Liquor was liquor brewed in their own stills. When we were at the Forest Farm cabin, he had warmed it up in a military canteen. He kept it tucked inside his clothes while crossing the river, and it still felt slightly warm now. Seeing him gulping it down, I asked for a few sips. This liquor was sickeningly sweet and tasted awful. It was probably Home-brewed Liquor made from corn husks and sorghum stalks.
Fatty said, "Don't be so picky. Just take a couple of swigs to warm up before we start working. Having this kind of Liquor is already pretty good. We only have a few acres of poor land in this Mountain Ravine; we don't have extra grain to brew liquor. But I still have a whole bottle of good liquor I brought from home. Once we trap the Yellow Weasels, I'll prepare a proper meal, and we'll have a couple of drinks to relieve the fatigue." Afterward, Fatty asked me how to trap Yellow Weasels.
I Chuckled and took an egg from my satchel. I said somewhat awkwardly to Yanzi, "I'm sorry, Yanzi. I saw your speckled hen laid two eggs today, so I borrowed one. Time is tight and the mission is urgent, so I didn't have time to report it to you. But then I thought that for Foxes and Yellow Weasels, an egg is too much of a luxury. So, I also plucked a handful of feathers from your speckled hen..."
Yanzi angrily punched my shoulder, "It would have been fine if you just stole an egg, but why did you pluck feathers from my speckled hen!" Fatty quickly intervened, "We want intellectual struggle, not physical fighting. When we get back, I'll make this scoundrel write a self-criticism, deeply digging into the erroneous motives at the root of his thinking. But for now, let's first have him confess how he plans to use chicken feathers to trap Yellow Weasels."
I said trapping Yellow Weasels is actually the simplest way; the scent of chicken feathers is enough to make these greedy devils restless. Yanzi's father was an expert at Trapping Foxes. Old Hunters all possess the ancestral "skin wonton" trap. The craft of making the "skin wonton" has been Lost to time. The "skin wonton" is exactly what it sounds like: a specially made leather pouch. Legend says that a Secret Medicine was added during its tanning process, so even the most sensitive Fox couldn't detect any strange odor. This Leather Pouch has a hexagonal opening that allows entry but prevents exit. The outer opening is round and retractable, allowing both Foxes and Yellow Weasels to crawl inside. As they crawl in, this opening acts like an elastic hidden clasp, expanding the more they push, but the inner opening of the pouch is hexagonal, specifically designed to catch the bone gaps of a Yellow Weasel. These animals can shrink their bodies, but they absolutely cannot squeeze through a hexagonal hole. It's easy to get in but hard to get out; once they try to exit, the opening tightens and traps them until they die. The brilliance of the "skin wonton" is that it perfectly preserves the pelt of the prey. For instance, the value of a Fox pelt depends on its tail, but if the Trap or snare damages the tail, that Fox pelt becomes worthless.
Currently, only Yanzi's family in the Village possesses a set of "skin wonton" traps. Her ancestors were a lineage of Hunters, and this "skin wonton" has been passed down for countless generations. The number of Yellow Weasels and Foxes that have died inside it is countless. Because this device is so vicious and ruthless, it catches everything indiscriminately. Hunters have a strong Taboo against trapping pregnant or nursing prey, as doing so is considered very unlucky. Therefore, Yanzi's father rarely uses it. I, however, had long wanted to test how effective this legendary "skin wonton" was, and I had secretly brought it along this Time.
We smeared some egg white onto the chicken feathers to use as bait inside the leather pouch. The remaining egg yolk was poured into an empty canteen—I couldn't bear to feed it to the Yellow Weasels, but I also couldn't bear to throw it away; I still planned to eat scrambled eggs with it later. Then, we used dead branches and fallen leaves for camouflage, sprinkled some snow on top, and finally used branches to sweep away our footprints and any lingering scent. The Trap was thus completed. The rest was to observe from a distance and see which unlucky Yellow Weasel would fall for it.
After camouflaging the "skin wonton," we returned to the red pine grove to wait anxiously. But the snowy forest floor remained utterly silent. The moon was high overhead, and I was nearly losing patience. Just then, there was finally Movement on the snow hill. Fatty, Yanzi, and I immediately became alert. I stared intently and was instantly shocked. My heavens, it was the Immortal Maiden, a Yellow Great Immortal, who had gained sentience from the Yellow Weasel Grave!