This short line of text moved my heart, giving me a feeling of an impending storm.
Qin Qianqiu took the note from my hand and lit it with the candle. Smoking silently, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy. I never thought we would run into the master of the Sanshan Mountains so quickly, and of course I never thought he would come to the depths of the Daba Mountains in person.
"If things really can't be handled, we can hide here. After all, the forest is so large, it's not so easy to find us, is it? Can he bring a plane here? Can he really find us?"
The fat man, with an anxious look, slammed the table and said.
Qin Qianqiu glanced at him, a wry smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, and said, "That's a way, but you two have just stepped into this circle. If you go into hiding because of this matter, it will be difficult to rise again in the future."
"What should we do?"
The fat man asked urgently.
Qin Qianqiu remained silent, but in reality, my mind was as clear as a mirror. This vast mountain appears boundless, but in the eyes of capable people, this place is just like a garden. It wouldn't be difficult to catch us. Qin Qianqiu can use the technique of shaping his body to travel through the ground, and the chief of the San Mountain will certainly be able to find us.
The room fell silent again. After thinking for a long time, I uttered with a sigh, "If it comes to it, we'll have to run!"
As soon as I spoke, both the fat man and Qin Qianqiu looked at me with suspicious eyes.
"It's definitely impossible to hide in this big mountain forever. Qin, you have the ability to shape-shift and the chief of San Mountain is well-versed. Instead of waiting here to die, it's better to run away. Once we get to the big city, we can find a way to save ourselves."
In these words, there was a hint of helplessness. Qin Qianqiu is in no state to protect me and the fat man. Saving someone has ended up putting him at risk. Even if it's a bad choice, it's the only option. Of course, I have other plans in mind. Since Ling Qian asked Zhu to help with this task, it implies that Zhu has some connections with the chief of the San Mountain. With this relationship, even if we are caught, we may not be doomed. At worst, we'll get a few punches, as long as we don't die.
The fat man doesn't care much; we have always been a united front. But Qin Qianqiu doesn't seem willing. He is still injured and also has a bit of a reputation in the martial world. If we flee in panic, we may be ridiculed behind our backs. After silently smoking several cigarettes, he sighed deeply and said, "So be it, the three of us are like grasshoppers on the same rope. If you two have decided to run, then I'll go with you."
With a consensus reached, I walked to the door with a cigarette in hand. The sky outside was gray as if it was going to rain, and bright lightning flickered through the dark gray clouds. The rumble of thunder sounded like the murmurs of the gods.
I couldn't help but wonder if there really are immortals in this world. Since there are earthbound monsters and spirits, I've seen many creatures that ordinary people wouldn't dare to imagine. Could the sky above be different from what we know?
The next day, after a night of rain, the entire forest seemed to have been washed clean of dust, and even the air had become fresher. The fat man went to find the village chief early in the morning. Since we were not familiar with the terrain around us, and this village was mostly made up of hunters, I thought that finding a hunter to guide us would make it easier to leave the forest.
Before long, the fat man returned with a smile and said, "I told the village chief that we need to survey the terrain nearby and asked him to arrange for someone to guide us. Let's use this as an excuse to figure out the direction to leave the forest, and then we'll run tonight! Oh, someone's coming!"
Upon hearing the fat man's words, I casually looked outside and saw a man walking towards us from a distance. His appearance looked somewhat familiar, and when he approached, I recognized him as the young man who scolded me on my first day here.
"It's you."
I smiled and said.
He also recognized my face and somewhat awkwardly nodded, "I didn't know you were here for business. The village chief told me and asked me to guide you. I've been wandering around this forest since I was little, so I'm very familiar with it. I could walk through it blindfolded."
"Great then, what's your name? I'm Ba Xiaoshan, this is my buddy Cui Zhen, and there's an elder called Qin Qianqiu."
I introduced briefly, and he nodded, "I'm Luo Yong. Get your things ready, and we'll leave soon."
This was the first time I got a clear look at Luo Yong. He was wearing a particularly old jacket, looking like it was handed down from his parents. He was very thin, had dark skin, and had a buzz cut. He would reveal shallow dimples when he smiled. Although he was only eighteen, he still looked like a child. If I had the power of foresight back then, I would never have let him guide us.
But time flies, and it's irreversible.
The forest was unusually damp after the rain, and the ground was softer than I had imagined. There were many places with traps, and our progress was very slow. Especially for the fat man, who wasn't agile and, due to his weight, soon had mud all over his feet, grumbling all the while.
"It will probably rain for the next few days, a sign of the rainy season. The forest is about to start growing..."
Luo Yong walked swiftly. Compared to us city folk, he seemed unusually familiar with this forest.
"Follow in my footsteps, I know where there are rocks and where there is mud."
We proceeded for about an hour and began to hear the sound of rushing water. When we approached it, we saw a river about ten meters wide, possibly swollen from the previous night's rain, making it look very rapid.
The river is called Longyou River. Walking downstream along the river for about thirty miles, you will be able to exit the forest. Beyond the forest is a mountain road, and if you follow the mountain road for a day, you will reach the town. Our village is quite convenient. If you come to do business, we can help you cut down a patch of trees and make a path for your vehicle to come in.
Luoyang stood by the river, turned around and shouted loudly at us. The sound of water was loud, and I exchanged a glance with the fat guy.
Since we already knew the direction to leave here, there was no need to observe further.
"Alright, thanks a lot. Let's go back."
I waved, and just as we were about to leave, Luoyang suddenly raised his hand, signaling us to stop, then quietly walked to my side and pointed to the grass ahead, saying softly, "There's something good."
I was startled, I couldn't hear anything except the sound of water around me. I looked around but didn't notice anything suspicious. I had a puzzled look on my face. Luoyang smiled and pointed ahead, and as I focused, I saw something moving in the grass. It was small, and surrounded by dense vegetation, it was difficult to notice without careful observation.
"What is it?"
I was somewhat impressed by Luoyang. He was indeed a child who grew up in the mountains, with very sharp eyesight.
"Hehe, probably a wild rabbit. I'll go catch it, we'll have an extra dish for dinner tonight."
Without seeing any tools in Luoyang's hands, he slowly approached empty-handed. His movements were quite strange, his body seemed to be twisted, and his steps were silent. Perhaps because of the loud sound of water, the clever rabbit did not notice Luoyang sneaking up from behind.
"This little guy is quite clever."
Qin Qianqiu spoke beside me, and I nodded. Just then, Luoyang pounced forward, with a movement that was somewhat like a tiger pouncing for prey. After a short while, he stood up with a smile on his face, carrying the rabbit's long ears, laughing heartily, "Caught it, we'll have something delicious for dinner tonight!"
I sighed softly. In my heart, I thought I won't be able to eat this rabbit meat.
Waving to signal Luoyang to come back, just as I lifted my foot, I suddenly felt something in my heart, and turned to look at Qin Qianqiu, who nodded to me. Both of us had a sense of something not quite right in the surroundings.
"Hey..."
Luoyang took a step forward, his smile disappearing in an instant. The young hunter who grew up in the mountains also sensed something. Just behind him, within the dense dark forest, a massive figure was gradually emerging, the king of the forest, its dark body silently approaching!