My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 997 Invading the Mountains

As night fell, the rain became dense again, pattering on the farm's roof tiles with a soft rustling sound, like countless silkworms munching on mulberry leaves.

A kerosene lamp was lit inside the house, casting the family's shadows on the wall in a dim, yellowish light, making them sway gracefully.

After clearing away the dishes, Wang Susu looked out at the dark, rainy night and frowned slightly. "The rain is getting heavier again. What Fourth Grandfather said... are you really going to go see him tomorrow?"

Chen Ling was holding a thin blade of grass, teasing the little iron egg that was rolling and playing on the ground. Hearing this, he didn't even look up and said:
“We have to go. Fourth Grandfather isn’t one to talk nonsense. Since he said he saw it, there’s a high chance something really did come out of the deep mountains. I won’t feel at ease if I don’t go and see for myself.”

"If that mountain weasel gets too hungry and moves towards the edge of the village, it could injure people or livestock, which would be a real problem."

"But the mountain roads are very slippery in the rain, and it's nighttime..."

Wang Susu sat down next to him, her voice filled with worry, "Besides, that Yellow Mountain Horse is very fierce. Even Little Green Horse suffered a loss last time."

Chen Ling put down the grass stems, took his wife's hand, felt the slight coolness of her fingertips, and wrapped them in his warm palm, comforting her:

"Don't worry, I'm not stupid. I won't go into the old forest in the dark. We'll go tomorrow at dawn, and I won't go alone. I'll call Xiao Chao and Yu Qiang, bring guns, and take A Fu and Ashou with me."

With them around, even the most notorious "Over-the-Mountain Yellow" (a type of wild fruit) would have to think twice.

Upon hearing "A-Fu and A-Shou," Wang Susu's tense expression relaxed slightly.

She knew how fierce those two big cats were; with them protecting her, her safety was indeed greatly increased.

"Then... promise me you'll just wander around the edge of the mountain, look for footprints and such, and don't be reckless and chase after them deeper into the mountains."

Wang Susu looked into her husband's eyes and said earnestly.

"Okay, I'll do as you say and scout around the perimeter."

Chen Ling smiled and agreed, then reached out and flicked her nose. "I haven't lived enough yet. With such a beautiful wife like you and so many precious children at home, I can't bear to take any risks."

"Not a decent person!"

Wang Susu playfully slapped him, but a blush rose to her face. Her worries were somewhat alleviated by her husband's joking remarks.

Just then, Rui Rui and Xiao Ming, having finished washing their feet, ran over in their pajamas and jumped into Chen Ling's arms, one on each side.

"Dad, are you taking Ah Fu and Ah Shou to fight the big tiger tomorrow?"

Rui Rui tilted her little face up, her eyes sparkling with excitement and curiosity.

Xiao Ming gripped Chen Ling's arm tightly: "Uncle, is the Yellow Crab Cress bigger than Afu? Can it beat Afu and Ashou?"

Chen Ling hugged his two sons and laughed, "We're not going to fight it, we're going to see if it's really here. Afu and Ashou are going to protect their father."

As for who's stronger... well, I'd guess Afu and Ashou are stronger. They're siblings who grew up together, they know how to cooperate, and there's only one Over-the-Mountain Yellow, two fists can't fight four hands.

He deliberately explained in terms that children could understand, satisfying their curiosity without exaggerating the bloody battle.

"Alright, alright, it's time for bed. Dad has to get up early tomorrow."

Wang Susu got up and called to the two little ones who were still enjoying themselves.

After putting the child to sleep, the night grew even deeper.

The rain seemed to have intensified, and the wind whistled softly through the cracks in the door.

Chen Ling didn't go to sleep immediately. He put on his coat and whispered to Wang Susu:
"I'm going out to check on Afu and Ashou, and also to inspect the livestock shed. You go to sleep first."

Carrying a lantern, Chen Ling stepped into the rain.

Raindrops pattered against the straw hat.

Inside the livestock shed, the Bull Demon King and his companions heard familiar footsteps and made reassuring mooing sounds.

Chen Ling added some hay and touched the Bull Demon King's wet nose. The big guy affectionately rubbed against his hand.

Turning to the eaves of the dry, spacious storage room where the tiger's den was located, Afu and Ashou were lying there, pretending to be asleep.

Upon hearing Chen Ling's voice, both tigers raised their heads simultaneously, their amber eyes gleaming eerily in the night.

They let out a soft "whoosh" as a greeting.

Chen Ling walked over and rubbed each of their large heads.

Afu squinted comfortably, making gurgling sounds in his throat.

Ah Shou gently nudged Chen Ling's leg with his head as a sign of affection.

"You two."

Chen Ling whispered to them, "I might need your help tomorrow. There might be a big, unfriendly creature in the mountains. We need to go and meet it, and let it know whose territory this is."

Afu and Ashou seemed to understand his words. A hint of wariness and eagerness flashed in their eyes, and their massive bodies tensed slightly, exuding the innate majesty of the king of beasts.

After calming down the "security forces" at home, Chen Ling returned to her bedroom.

Wang Susu was still awake, mending Rui Rui's torn pants under the lamp.

"Is everything arranged?" she asked softly.

"Hmm, it's okay, go to sleep."

Chen Ling blew out the light, lay down on the bed, listened to the wind and rain outside the window, and pondered his actions for tomorrow.

The appearance of the Yellow Mountain Crocodile, while bringing potential danger, also stirred up his inherent hunter's desire for challenge.

More importantly, he had a feeling that this might be an opportunity, a chance to truly understand or even "subdue" this mysterious creature.

After all, his inner world was already thirsting for a truly heavyweight "guest".

With a hint of anticipation and utmost caution, Chen Ling gradually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, the rain indeed lessened considerably, turning into a light drizzle.

The sky was overcast, but visibility had improved considerably.

Chen Ling got up early and stretched his muscles.

Wang Susu had already prepared breakfast: hot corn porridge, cornbread, and homemade pickled vegetables.

Wang Wenchao and Chen Yuqiang arrived in the drizzle right after they finished eating. Both of them were wearing raincoats and carrying hunting rifles.

"Fugui, when are we going to set off for what Fourth Grandfather mentioned?" Wang Wenchao asked excitedly.

He's a restless person and gets especially excited about things that involve adventure.

Chen Yuqiang, being relatively calmer, asked, "Uncle Fugui, which way do we go up? How many weapons should we bring?"

Chen Ling invited them into the house and spread out a simple hand-drawn map of the surrounding terrain:

"Go in from the ravine on the west side of Wuyun Ridge. That's where Fourth Grandfather saw it. We don't need to go deep. Our main task is reconnaissance to confirm the trail and range of Shanhuang. As for weapons, bring guns for self-defense, but try not to fire them. The key is Afu and Ashou. With them around, they can serve as a deterrent."

Just then, Wang Laishun rushed over: "Fugui, I've heard about it. Should we call a few more people? I'll get all the militia's rifles out!"

Chen Ling waved his hand: "Fifth Uncle, there's no need to make a fuss. Too many people will only create a disturbance and alert them. Let a few of us scout ahead and find out the situation first. The village still needs you to keep watch." Wang Laishun thought it over and agreed, then instructed: "Then you must be very careful! If you find anything amiss, retreat immediately. Fire a signal, and I'll bring men to meet you!"

everything's ready.

Chen Ling put on high-top rain boots and carried a hunting rifle and necessary rope and knife.

Wang Wenchao and Chen Yuqiang also checked their equipment.

Chen Ling whistled, and Afu and Ashou immediately stood up from under the eaves, shook their fur, and rain splashed everywhere.

They seemed to understand that they were about to go out to "carry out a mission," and their eyes became serious and fierce.

"Let's go!" Chen Ling waved his hand, and the three men and two tigers, a special group, left the farm and headed towards Wuyun Ridge in the west of the village.

The air in the mountain forest was exceptionally fresh in the light rain, but it also had a chill in the air.

The mountain path underfoot was muddy and slippery, and one had to be careful not to slip with every step.

The trees and grass were covered with water droplets, and when someone passed by, it would sprinkle a "light rain".

Afu and Ashou walked at the front, their massive bodies moving with remarkable stability on the slippery mountain path, their thick feet leaving deep, plum blossom-shaped footprints in the mud.

They would occasionally stop, prick up their ears to listen, or twitch their noses to detect any unusual smells in the air.

With them leading the way, Chen Ling and his two companions felt much safer.

As you enter the mountain valley on the west side of Wuyun Ridge, the terrain becomes more complex.

The trees here are denser, the rocks are rugged, and the continuous rain has created small streams and mud pits in some places.

"Everyone be careful, watch your step and your surroundings," Chen Ling whispered a reminder.

Wang Wenchao and Chen Yuqiang stood on either side, cautiously observing the woods on both sides.

With the shotgun in hand, I'm ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

After walking for about a mile, Chen Ling suddenly squatted down. Afu and Ashou stopped almost at the same time, lowered their bodies slightly, and made low "woo-woo" sounds, their eyes fixed on a patch of fallen bushes in front of them.

"Something's up!" Chen Ling signaled Wang Wenchao and the other man to stop.

He approached the bushes cautiously.

The bushes, as thick as a bowl, were knocked askew by the force of the impact, leaving clear animal footprints and drag marks on the muddy ground.

Chen Ling carefully examined the footprints.

The footprints were large, larger than an adult man's hand, shaped like a tiger's paw but appearing wider and thicker. The claw marks were deeply embedded in the mud, indicating the owner's astonishing weight and strength.

More importantly, on some softer muddy ground, you can see some blurry, special patterns resembling the Chinese character "山" (mountain) around the edges of the footprints.

"That's it, no doubt about it."

Chen Ling's expression was certain as he pointed to the marks on the ground, "Judging from the size and depth of these footprints, this guy was quite big. These bushes were knocked down by it, and judging from the direction, it must have come from deeper in the mountains."

He followed the drag marks a few steps further and found a small tuft of golden animal hair behind a rock, as well as several pieces of wild boar skin that had been torn off and bore the marks of tusks.

"Fourth Grandfather wasn't wrong," Chen Yuqiang gasped, "It really caught a wild boar. Those teeth are really powerful."

Wang Wenchao clicked his tongue in amazement: "Good heavens, this wild boar is even more ferocious than we thought. How can it drag such a huge wild boar and still run so fast?"

Chen Ling stood up, looked around at the dark and dense forest, and frowned slightly: "It chose to feed here, which means that this place is relatively secluded and close to a water source. It seems that it does indeed intend to stay in this area temporarily."

Just then, Afu suddenly let out a more alert growl and looked up at the hillside on the left.

Ashou immediately adjusted his direction and assumed a defensive posture.

Chen Ling and the other two immediately raised their guns and nervously looked in that direction.

The hillside was covered with dense trees, shrouded in rain and mist, making it difficult to see clearly.

But one could faintly hear a soft "crack" sound, like a branch being snapped, and a heavy, suppressed breathing sound.

The atmosphere instantly became extremely tense!

Wang Wenchao and Chen Yuqiang's palms were sweating as they stared intently at the swaying bushes.

Afu and Ashou bared their fangs, their growls growing louder and louder, filled with a warning.

Chen Ling held his breath, his eyes scanning his surroundings with keen awareness.

He could sense that a powerful creature was behind the grove of trees, seemingly observing them as well.

Is it a wild gooseberry? Has it spotted us?

The standoff lasted for more than ten seconds, each second feeling exceptionally long.

Suddenly, the sounds on the hillside disappeared, and the oppressive atmosphere seemed to drift away with them.

After waiting a while longer, there was still no further movement.

"It seems... he's gone?" Chen Yuqiang said uncertainly.

Chen Ling gestured for Afu and Ashou to go forward and investigate.

The two tigers cautiously approached the hillside, sniffed carefully around the edge of the woods, then turned back and growled at Chen Ling, indicating that their target had left.

Chen Ling breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his gun: "It spotted us, especially Afu and Ashou. It probably thought we were too dangerous to mess with, so it avoided us."

Wang Wenchao wiped the sweat from his forehead, unsure whether it was rain or cold sweat: "Damn, this thing is really alert. Just now, I was really afraid it would rush down."

"It has just eaten and generally will not actively attack targets that pose a clear threat like us."

Chen Ling analyzed, "However, it knows we're here, so it might be more careful in the future. This is both a good thing and a problem for us."

The good news is that the yellow catfish is wary and should not easily approach human settlements in the short term.

The problem is that finding its trace again, or "subduing" it as Chen Ling secretly hoped, has become much more difficult.

The three searched the area carefully again, but found nothing new except for confirming traces of Huang's activity.

"Looks like that's all for today."

Chen Ling looked at the sky. Although the rain had lessened, the clouds were still very thick. "Let's go back first and tell Uncle Wu and the others about the situation. We need to increase patrols in this area, especially at night, and remind the villagers to keep an eye on their livestock."

On the way back, Chen Ling was not at ease.

He knew that his "dealing" with this visitor from the deep mountains was probably only just beginning.

And in his heart, the idea of ​​the grotto-heaven became clearer and clearer.

Perhaps, only that magical space holds the key to ultimately solving this "problem" and even turning it into an "opportunity".

But how can such a fierce and alert behemoth be lured into the cave?

This requires waiting for the perfect opportunity.