Chapter 490: Old Gao, you must not be impulsive

Although I thought that in my heart, I didn't say it out loud; instead, I advised him there: "Old Gao, you need to think this through about the consequences. If they really say they want to discipline you, it's understandable, after all you're now counted as part of the Forest Ranger Team, and they haven't seen you around there."

"Putting it more seriously, they could say you're deserting your post. What you're doing now is completely opposing them. Although our situation will soon turn around, you still have to endure these two days."

"Let's not talk about distant things, just talk about my own matter: they say they'll definitely settle it within a week, then I'll get you back, and we'll have plenty of time to slowly deal with him."

"Besides, Su Yang has background too, you know that—otherwise he wouldn't have gotten the Party Committee Secretary and the Standing Deputy Town Mayor into trouble in Huatian Town and come out unscathed."

Gao Haisheng, hearing this, stuck out his neck and said: "What do you mean 'no big deal'? He offended people because of this matter, and later even his town mayor position was taken away."

"I've heard his story crystal clear—there are people helping him, but they're just county leaders, while those watching him are many."

"All right, Old Bai, you don't need to advise me on this; I know what I'm doing in my heart, and even if I do something, it won't implicate you. When you become Township Party Committee Secretary later, you should recommend me then—don't forget."

"I'll first take care of that damned Su Yang; I don't believe we've been operating in the countryside for so many years and still can't handle him."

After saying that, he scrambled up from the tent and walked out. Bai Yutang still hollered hypocritically: "I say, Old Gao, you must not be impulsive, don't be impulsive!"

But Gao Haisheng is the type who gets more fired up the more you advise him; plus he'd drunk several bottles of beer, so alcohol had dulled him a bit, and now his mind is full of thoughts about dealing with Su Yang.

After Bai Yutang provoked Gao Haisheng into going up the mountain, he returned to the Forest Ranger Team and said to an elderly but still agile mountain guard: "Old Master Wang, you can't stay here all the time."

"Now Mount Xiu Shui still needs to be patrolled; otherwise, the Poverty Alleviation Office leaders will go up the mountain while our Forest Ranger Team people are still sleeping at the foot—this isn't right."

The Forest Ranger Team members aren't that scheming, and besides, Bai Yutang is still a township leader; hearing his words, the old man felt they made sense. He shouldered his hunting rifle and was about to head out.

Then Bai Yutang said behind him: "Old Master Wang, you should go to the area with lots of pheasants and hares to have a look. Mainly check if anyone has set traps or snares there."

"These days, city folks come to our Mount Xiu Shui and treat it like their own backyard. Hunting is whatever, after all if you can hit it you hit it, if not it's fine. But some people still set hunting traps and snares there—if someone steps on one, what then?"

"I heard the snares used to blast stone goats, once they really clamp on, can directly break a person's leg."

"Also, the leaders have come today, they keep saying they want to eat some authentic game; although what they ate in the restaurant was all game, in their view nothing beats fresh game caught on the spot. It's been hard to get here, so you should try to get something fresh, and we'll roast it tonight when we come back."

Old Master Wang also felt nervous; usually city folks do climb the mountain to hunt game, and also set traps and snares there. Usually they set them on this weekend, then come next weekend to see if they caught any game. As long as they catch game, and it's still alive, they'll take it down to barbecue.

Normally they just turn a blind eye to people going up the mountain, after all it's not like before—now the whole village relies on mountain wild fruits and game for survival, plus some crops.

Moreover, Mount Xiu Shui hasn't said outsiders are forbidden, and they have no right to stop anyone. Of course, these city folks are also very savvy; every time they pass the Forest Ranger Team's stationed houses, they give two packs of cigarettes or two bottles of soda—just some small favors—to let them do as they please.

So although the Forest Ranger Team's conditions are tough, their life is still fairly comfortable; at least their food and drink come from the city, so they've seen quite a few strange novelties, and thus they're increasingly satisfied with this job. Even city folks sometimes trade bread and cake for their coarse grain, each taking what they need.

This all rests on the premise that there are no frequent leadership inspections; now that Su Yang has gone up the mountain, Bai Yutang's remark forces him to hurry up the mountain to check.

After Old Master Wang left, Bai Yutang's smile widened; he squatted on the little stone stool by the door, leisurely lit a cigarette and started smoking.

City folks come more on weekends, but usually there aren't many on weekdays. However, no matter what, most people who come to hunt game use air guns or bows and arrows—definitely not hunting rifles or handguns—because the range is limited and they're not afraid of hurting people.

But hunting rifles are different: they have great killing power and long range, and the mountain is dense forest; shooting at stone goats or mountain hares on the ground is fine, but if you shoot at something in a tree, who knows what you'll hit.

Moreover, he knows the direction Su Yang went up the mountain, which happens to be almost the same area Old Master Wang is heading to, just approached from two different positions. Anyway, since Xiang Donglai is bringing a gun, Su Yang will surely also fire to hunt game.

By then, whether Su Yang's side accidentally hits Old Master Wang, or Old Master Wang accidentally shoots Su Yang and Xiang Donglai, he can use that to make an article—not only to complete his assigned task, but also after Su Yang settles the projects he can handle, he'll directly expose this matter.

Then Su Yang will roll out, and he'll come out to pick fruit—just thinking about it feels great. Plus, Gao Haisheng, that blockhead, still thinks about rolling stones to smash Su Yang; if he hits Su Yang, even better; if not, there's still Old Master Wang's hunting rifle on this side.

If things go awry and Gao Haisheng's rolling stone hits Old Master Wang, he'll also have something to say. In short, this is a sure-win situation; the more he thinks about it, the prouder he gets, and he even started humming a little tune.

At this moment, Su Yang, who had already climbed to the summit, felt the cool breezes blowing, looked down at the lush greenery below, and said with emotion: "Such beautiful scenery, for so many years it's never been developed—this is really heaven's gift, refusing to eat it."

"And there's actually such a large platform on the summit; building an observation deck would be more than enough. If we had brought game up here, roasting it would be quite a different flavor."

Xiang Donglai said: "What's hard about that? We'll go down, shoot two hares, bring them up—right here nearby there's plenty of game."

Su Yang said: "Let's go, then we'll head out now."