Chapter 36: Ambush!

Chunlai Mountain, located outside Huai Valley Village, is named for the spring winds that blow through here into the valley.

On the mountainside stood a small temple, about ten square meters in size, its interior simple: only an offering table, two meditation mats, and a painted clay statue.

The statue was called the Old Man of Chunhuai; in the past, the villagers of Huai Valley would come here to worship every Start of Spring.

As bandits ran rampant, the atmosphere of Baili Huaishan grew tense, and the Chunhuai Temple fell into disrepair.

Now the roof had a hole no one repaired, directly above the Old Man of Chunhuai's face, and after years of wind and rain, most of the statue's paint had peeled off.

Once a plump, divine-looking elder, he had become an unrecognizable monster, even more despised by people.

Only one person still came to worship Him every day.

A thin figure ran into the temple, followed by two rabbits and three squirrels.

The boy and the five beasts placed their gathered food on the ground, arranging a handful of berries and a dozen nuts.

He set aside a small pile on the offering table, then shared the rest with the animals.

Winter demanded warmth; the body needed more calories, and even though he was used to hunger, this little food was not enough.

He stole a glance at the clay statue, then at the offering he had just placed on the table.

Just a little more—Old Man Huai wouldn't blame me, would he?

As he hesitated, a voice came from behind.

"You're a growing boy—this is all you eat?"

Wu Chang waved to the village guardian, then pulled a chicken from behind him.

"Want to share a bite?"

The village guardian nodded so fast his head left afterimages.

"Where's the nearest running water?" Wu Chang asked.

"This way!" The village guardian sprinted ahead to guide Wu Chang.

By the river, Wu Chang lit a fire with the Four Seasons Fire Lantern, boiled off the chicken's feathers, then used a sword found in Chen's Treasure Vault to eviscerate and clean the bird.

The chicken was taken from Chen Village—a wild variant from the mountains, its feathers multicolored; in the real world, its appearance alone would land it in prison for life.

As he prepared the ingredients, he chatted with the village guardian.

"What's your name?"

"Grass."

"No other name?"

"There might be one, but I can't remember."

Wu Chang sharpened sticks, skewered the whole chicken, then coated it with wild mountain spices.

These spices grew on the most dangerous cliffs; each harvest risked death, their value exceeding gold, one of Baili Huaishan's most precious specialties.

The entire Baili Huaishan produced only a small box per year; even high officials rarely got to taste them.

But in Wu Chang's hands, he used them as if they cost nothing.

Hmm, they really didn't cost anything.

"Do you usually eat with those little guys?"

Earlier, when helping the mountain guardian escape bullying, Wu Chang had seen his ability to calm rabbits; now it seemed his talent went beyond mere calming.

"Yeah, sometimes when I can't find food, they share their hidden stores with me."

The village guardian drooled over the roasting chicken while stroking the squirrel beside him.

Wu Chang asked curiously: "Can you communicate with them?"

"Yeah."

"Only them, or all animals?"

"Only them—the big dog in the village is fierce, always keeps me away." The village guardian shuddered.

Wu Chang nodded; clearly, he could communicate with all animals.

The fire roasted the chicken quickly; Wu Chang tore off a drumstick and handed it to the village guardian, who devoured it greedily.

Wu Chang was about to tell him to eat slower when a small bird landed on his shoulder and chirped twice.

The village guardian sprang to his feet, abandoning his drumstick, and sprinted toward the mountain peak.

Curious, Wu Chang followed and saw the village guardian crouched atop the peak, peering stealthily at the distant forest.

"What are you doing?" Wu Chang asked.

The village guardian whispered: "It's a secret—I can't tell you."

Wu Chang asked: "What do you think of me?" "You're a good person," the village guardian answered immediately.

Being unexpectedly given a "good person card" nearly broke Wu Chang's composure; he suppressed his urge to retort and went along:

"I'm a good person, so I'll keep your secret—no one will know it came from you."

This statement challenged the village guardian's understanding; his brain froze for a few seconds, then he said: "Then I'll tell only you."

"Big Beard Uncle told me to watch that red forest—anyone entering without his permission must be secretly reported to him."

Red forest? Wu Chang followed the village guardian's pointing finger and saw a faint red glow at the horizon.

Judging by distance, that red forest was precisely the one where players had foolishly intruded.

"You can see that far?"

"Hehe." The village guardian grinned foolishly.

"Who went in?" Wu Chang pressed.

The village guardian: "The tall, thin uncle who always follows Big Beard Uncle—they're brothers. He told me if he enters alone, I don't need to tell Big Beard Uncle."

Wu Chang smirked; the village guardian's phrasing had made their game clear.

The tall, thin man always trailing Liu Wei—he recalled clearly: before leaving Huai Valley Village, he had indeed seen such a man; his name was probably Liu Wu.

As the person most often seen beside Liu Wei, could Liu Wu be the one that night who called Liu Wei "big brother" and was the first to suggest striking him? Wu Chang said, "What's the tall, thin uncle like?"

"A bit fierce, but not that bad."

"I want to be friends with this tall, thin uncle. Tell me something about him."

The Village Guardian glanced at the chicken leg in his hand and said, "Alright!"

The Village Guardian boy spoke haltingly, jumping wildly from topic to topic, saying whatever came to mind.

Most people would get a headache after hearing a few sentences, but Wu Chang listened with unusual focus.

"Left-hand sword, hmm, leg's a bit lame."

"Sword technique is fast, likes targeting limbs—good."

"Likes hiding hidden weapons in his right sleeve—good, good, good. Anything else?"

……

Ten minutes later, Wu Chang had memorized most of Liu Wu's information and said to the Village Guardian:

"Roasted chicken tastes bad when cold. Take it back to the temple to eat. I'll check what's happening over there. Don't look that way again. Don't tell Big Beard Uncle about today's events—otherwise we'll expose our secret."

"But…" The Village Guardian hesitated.

"I'm a good person. I won't let you get into trouble."

The Village Guardian thought of the roasted chicken down the mountain and finally nodded in agreement.

Ghost Wailing Forest, named for the mountain winds howling through the trees like wailing spirits, is a forbidden zone of Baili Huaishan.

Long before the demons appeared, Ghost Wailing Forest was already infamous as an ill-omened place; after the demons emerged, it grew even more sinister.

Not even walking near the forest's edge, unless at noon, was safe—you might still be haunted by foul things.

Villagers in Huaigu Village scared disobedient children by saying, "If you don't behave, we'll throw you into Ghost Wailing Forest."

Ghost Wailing Forest, always avoided and feared, today had someone enter it willingly—and emerge unharmed.

And that person was Liu Wu, usually silent and reserved—if the villagers saw him, they'd be stunned.

Liu Wu carried his favored narrow blade, dressed in martial attire no one had ever seen before, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a black half-mask over his face, slowly stepping out of Ghost Wailing Forest.

Any merchant who frequently traveled Baili Huaishan would instantly recognize this as standard bandit attire.

He radiated an invisible aura of killing intent; small animals sensed it and fled instinctively. Without a word, just his demeanor revealed him as a master.

He intended to defy his big brother's orders and carry out a major mission.

His big brother was still too soft-hearted. With chaos looming, his top priority must be strengthening himself.

This opportunity comes but once—there's no time to care about others.

If that man surnamed Wu runs off or dies, the immense opportunity will be wasted.

Liu Wu walked five minutes to where he'd tied his horse before entering the forest—and froze, staring at the bare tree trunk.

"Where's my horse?"

Boom! A thunderous roar echoed through the mountains. Before Liu Wu could see what happened, his left hand seared with pain—his palm was pierced by an unknown weapon.

Three more gunshots followed, piercing his right hand and both knees.

Wu Chang stepped out from the shadows, blowing smoke from his gun barrel. "Don't bother looking. Your horse is gone."

(End of Chapter)