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墨書 Inktalez
The mountain path was steep, and after the recent rain, it was difficult to navigate. The yellow mud clung to their feet, and as they ascended, the weight on their bodies became increasingly burdensome.
The entire team was constantly shaking off mud; with every few steps, they would fling it away. The girls who weren’t carrying heavy loads fared better, merely shaking their legs to rid themselves of the muck. The boys, however, had a tougher time, each one shouldering a backpack.
Leading the group, His Second Uncle suddenly stopped and said, "Reaching this point means we’ve truly entered the mountains." He then turned to the team leader and added, "Everyone needs to be careful."
The team leader nodded and instructed a young man, who called out, "Everyone be cautious; we’re heading into the mountains now."
A few people paid no attention and continued to complain about the difficult path.
His Second Uncle remarked to the team leader, "Why do you keep bringing along these young kids for this kind of work?" The team leader chuckled and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, offering one to His Second Uncle.
His Second Uncle waved his hand and replied, "No thanks; I’ll stick with this," patting a large pipe that hung from his waist.
The team leader placed the cigarette in his mouth, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke. He then said, "I’m just a temporary leader who was invited here."
His Second Uncle seemed to grasp something but also appeared confused.
He shouted back to the others to stay alert before turning around and continuing up the mountain.
Since it was still morning, the air in the mountains was quite humid. Water droplets clung to the leaves, falling from one leaf to another before sinking into the soil.
Birds chirped incessantly. Taking a deep breath brought a refreshing coolness that penetrated deeply within.
Wang Er Gou had been keeping an eye on the situation in the mountains; he had visited this area many times before. However, he had never ventured deep into the mountain range.
In the past, villagers would go up the mountain to dig for yam; many precious herbs grew in the depths of the forest. The villagers would quickly gather them and sell them in town for money. As word spread, people from neighboring areas flocked here to harvest herbs.
The mountains had been ravaged; flowers and trees were destroyed. One day, as usual, people went into the mountains to dig for herbs. A group set out excitedly but little did they know that what awaited them was a nightmare—they were all claimed by the Mountain Deity. They went in but never returned.
Days passed—one day turned into two, then three—and people began searching for them. However, when they reached halfway up the mountain, they were met with howls and piercing screams echoing through the air.
The searchers on the mountain were so frightened that they fled down the slopes in a panic. Upon returning, they found themselves temporarily deaf and their minds somewhat unclear. From that day on, no one dared to venture up the mountain again.
The villagers claimed it was the Mountain Deity manifesting, angered by their presence. Years passed, and the trees on the mountain grew lush once more, but no villager would dare to dig for anything there again.
As for the origin of this mountain range, it is tied to a legend:
The Eastern Guan Mountain Range—some might think this name comes from its location near the Eastern Pass, but in fact, the Eastern Pass was named after the Eastern Guan Mountain Range.
Legend has it that one night, when seven stars converged, the earth trembled, and a mountain range inexplicably rose from flat land.
On that day, a wise man happened to arrive, standing before the Eastern Guan Mountain Range and measuring it for forty-nine days. He then left behind a note saying: "From the Eastern Pass arises, clouds disperse, stars return to one; fortune and misfortune coexist." Thus, the name Eastern Pass came into being. It is said that this man was Peng Zu, who had lived for hundreds of years and was on the verge of immortality.
The Elder Generation sang songs that included a line proclaiming Peng Zu as a living immortal.
As one ventured deeper into the Eastern Guan Mountain Range, the vegetation became denser and taller. Various exotic flowers and plants competed to grow, their faint fragrances mingling with the scents of grass and trees, providing great relief to one's senses.
Birds perched on branches curiously watching everyone; human presence here was rare. It must be said that this was a hidden paradise. The towering trees seemed to separate the sky from the earth.
As they climbed halfway up the mountain, the sky cleared. His Second Uncle remarked, "After all that rain for so many days, the sun finally shines! It seems the Mountain Deity is blessing us."
They decided to take a break here and replenish their strength.
The entire mountain range sloped from high on the left to low on the right, resembling a dragon coiling along an incline, naturally forming the shape of the entire range.
A group led by Third gathered together, each eating their own prepared rations. Climbing was tiring enough without having to eat these dry provisions.
Second stood up and said, "I'll go find some game." Seven laughed heartily and replied, "Second, I'll go with you."
Second took a dagger and headed into the depths of the mountain where he had seen countless wild rabbits and other common beasts along the way.
Second and Seven did not walk far before they had some success—two wild rabbits.
Second said, "There are so many wild animals in this mountain. When we went to catch them, they acted like fools and didn't even try to escape."
Second shouted to Wang Er Gou, "Hurry up and start a fire."
Wang Er Gou worked hard to clear a clean spot, and Third joined in, digging a few small trenches. The area was filled with trees, and if a fire broke out later, there would be no way to escape. At that point, everyone would be trapped in the flames.
Second chuckled, "I haven't eaten meat in days; today we feast on something hearty."
The rack was set up, and Second and Seven took their knives to skin the rabbits, placing them directly on the grill. The fire quickly caught.
Seven squatted nearby, watching the rabbits' red meat, swallowing hard as he said, "What a pity there are no seasonings; otherwise, it would be a great dish."
Out of the corner of his eye, Seven spotted a patch of wild chives growing not far away. He stood up, pulled some up, and stuffed them inside the rabbit's belly.
The four of them squatted in a circle, eagerly staring at the rabbit meat.
His Second Uncle had a keen nose. Although he was at the front while Second and the others were trailing behind, he strolled back casually. He called out, "Is it the Mountain Deity showing its spirit?"
As he spoke, his feet were busy moving forward. With quick steps, he approached the chives, and the aroma of meat wafted towards him. Not just His Second Uncle but the entire group caught a whiff.
His Second Uncle stepped closer and tapped Second on the head with his pipe, saying, "You have some potential; want to learn how to hunt from me?" He then squatted down beside them and reached for the rabbit meat but got burned by the heat. He quickly pulled his hand back.
The four stared at the old man with varying expressions; Wang Er Gou's eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Before anyone could speak up, His Second Uncle continued, "Roasting wild rabbits isn't done like this; all the essence will escape. Next time we have time, I'll teach you!" He paused after finishing his thought.
Finally seizing his chance to speak, Second asked, "Old man, who are you?" His Second Uncle chuckled to himself as his beard danced along with his eyebrows.
"I am your elder relative," Second said bluntly, "There’s no place for you here!"
His Second Uncle shot Second a glare and shamelessly shouted, "Everyone must be hungry, right? I have roasted game here. Come over and eat! It's on me."
Everyone had already been looking this way; eating rations with cold water was nothing compared to roasted rabbit, so they quickly gathered around.
His Second Uncle pointed at Second and said, "No need to be polite, this was caught by my second nephew."
Second stared at the old man in disbelief, momentarily speechless. So many eyes were fixed on the four of them, and he could see that everyone was swallowing hard.
Not wanting to incur the crowd's wrath, Seven thought this through and patted Second on the shoulder, saying, "Come on, let’s share some with everyone."
The rabbit was now roasted to about medium doneness. As Seven stepped back, everyone erupted into excitement. His Second Uncle had the geographical advantage.
He pulled out his hunting knife and without hesitation cut off a piece of meat. Soon enough, they had finished dividing the two rabbits.
The four of them ended up with nothing good.
Second stuck his knife into the ground and said, "Looks like I've made an enemy of this old man."
Wang Er Gou whispered, "Brother Cao, don’t be angry. My Second Uncle has this kind of temperament; please bear with it!"
Second replied, "If it weren't for him being your Second Uncle, I would have knocked him out already."
Wang Er Gou forced a smile.
The four of them casually ate a bit and filled their stomachs.
Third handed some rabbit meat to Xin Shui Su, but she refused it. She said she didn’t like greasy food.
After everyone had eaten, the entire team set off again.
His Second Uncle walked to the front, while Ah Huang was gnawing on a bone, following closely behind His Second Uncle.
His Second Uncle said, "Once we pass this point, you will truly have visited the Eastern Guan Mountain Range."
The leader asked, "How much longer until we reach our destination?"
Since the exact location of the ancient tomb was uncertain, His Second Uncle couldn't make any promises. However, he replied, "I'll take you to the upstream of the river first; beyond that, I can't say."
If they couldn't reach the upstream location during the day and had to travel at night, it would not be permitted by the Mountain Deity.
The young man at the back heard His Second Uncle constantly mentioning the Mountain Deity and said to him, "What Mountain Deity? If there really is one, let him take me away right now!"
His Second Uncle's expression changed slightly as he replied, "Oh great Mountain Deity, please don't be angry! Childish words are innocent. Please forgive this little one."
The young man was thoroughly annoyed and cursed, "Damn your Mountain Deity." The leader quickly intervened, saying, "Mind your discipline." The young man suppressed his anger and fell back.
The mountain path was winding; once they reached this point, there was no road at all. As an old saying goes, there are no roads on the mountain; when many people walk there, a path forms. If no one walks it, there will be no path.
Although His Second Uncle had been here before, it wasn't often enough for him to rely solely on memory. Every time he ascended the mountain, he would pay respects to the Mountain Deity. But this time he had been rushed and forgot to make an offering. His Second Uncle muttered to himself, "No wonder I feel something is off this time entering the mountain."
There were always troubles along the way; His Second Uncle believed this was a prelude to something going wrong. He thought he should find a moment later to properly pay respects to the Mountain Deity.
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