Of Mountains and Rivers 39

Chu Huan's throat twitched, but Nanshan stared at him… Or rather, was watching him intently like a cheetah fixated on its prey, his eyes unyielding.

 

Although there was often a language barrier between their spoken communication, much like how a chicken would speak to a duck, actions and expressions are universally understood. Nanshan's gaze caused Chu Huan’s heart to skip a beat.

 

A sudden warmth surged in his chest and his blood, without exception, heated to a boil. Chu Huan suddenly felt his heavy bones become two catties lighter; furthermore, his feet seemed to become weightless, almost feeling as if they’d float into the air. 

 

Chu Huan fell into a trance and completely forgot where he was. His surroundings were suddenly bathed in the radiance of spring – he couldn't suppress the fluttering in his heart.

 

He slowly stretched out a hand, which paused momentarily in mid-air as if waiting for Nanshan's permission.

 

Nanshan remained silent and motionless, allowing Chu Huan's hand to inch closer and hover over his cheek.

 

Yet Chu Huan lacked the audacity. His untimely affliction of gentlemanly restraint suddenly resurfaced, hence he lightly brushed Nanshan's face with the back of his hand as if wiping away a speck of dust from a precious artifact. Then, his lips twitched into a small, casual smile.

 

He wordlessly shed all pretences, aloof and indifferent.

 

Like the sorrowful melting of thin frost under the morning light.

 

Nanshan immediately grabbed his hand. The strength of the young Mountain Guardians’ Patriarch was evident; his palm felt like a tightly coiled, red-hot iron that radiated a scorch that knew no bounds.

 

Nanshan's grip on Chu Huan's hand tightened as if he wanted to say something. But before he could speak, his expression suddenly changed. He released Chu Huan's hand. Without a single word, he turned and leapt into the icy mountain stream.

 

A spray of white splashed as Nanshan submerged himself entirely, the water almost covering his chin. He stared at Chu Huan with eyes that seemed to encompass a hundred thousand mountains, including the beasts that roamed within and birds that flew atop, no longer hiding the ambitious desire within. Nanshan continued staring, his jet-black eyes following Chu Huan’s every move, seemingly impatient for something. 

 

Chu Huan was initially taken aback, but then felt his body become slightly warmer. He remembered the blood splattered on his face by the "Mad Dog" Mutayi earlier.

 

Just the day before, Chu Huan had joked about how Two Kicks was just an inexperienced brat in front of everyone. He didn’t expect retribution to come so swiftly. The Mutayi's blood had a strange, sweet flavor, reminiscent of deer penis or blood but more intense. However, it lacked the immediate magical effects of the "aphrodisiacs" described in martial arts novels.

 

Nevertheless, Chu Huan was no longer a hot-blooded, vigorous youth. He had stood firm against the rumors of his low libido for many years; moreover, he’d just spent so much time in the water that accidentally drinking a few mouthfuls of blood had limited effects.

 

It was only when he looked at Nanshan that he felt himself becoming a bit restless.

 

Chu Huan washed his face with the cold mountain water. Facing each other, it was inevitable for them both to feel a little embarrassed.

 

Chu Huan couldn't help but laugh. At the same time, his heart fluttered and squeezed before finally stabilising and returning to its normal state as an organ belonging to an adult man of sound wisdom.

 

After all, he was no longer at an age where he could brush away everything in youthful wantonness. 

Chu Huan didn’t plan on or even have the energy to join in on some fun with someone, much less consider this whole thing with Nanshan as a favorable opportunity for an encounter with a beauty. Chu Huan felt that he probably liked Nanshan since the moment he first laid eyes on him. After such a long time, he naturally cherished such a feeling.

 

Feeling as if he had nothing to offer, Chu Huan believed the best way to not let down the other was to exercise caution from the very beginning.

 

He neatly gathered some firewood. Fortunately, the waterproof function of his lighter didn't fail him and he easily lit a fire. Chu Huan hesitantly hovered his hands over the fire, feeling Nanshan's gaze follow him throughout the entire process. 

 

Chu Huan's gaze skipped over the flames as he spoke to the still-submerged Nanshan, "Come up if you're cold. We both know what's going on, so there's no need to feel embarrassed."

 

Nanshan shifted a little. He most likely hadn’t cooled down yet, so he stayed in the water.

 

They had left their dry rations with Dashan. After running around the whole day, both of them were starving. 

 

Fortunately, besides the abundance of supernatural monsters, the mountain also had quite many normal beasts. Chu Huan listened intently for a while before keenly catching the sound of rustling in the forest. He swiftly grabbed his bow and arrow, drew the bowstring, and shot the arrow in one fluid motion. With a resounding thud, a bird the size of a pheasant was pierced through the neck and fell to the ground.

 

Chu Huan picked up the large bird and shook it in front of Nanshan. "This isn't poisonous, right?"

 

Nanshan shook his head.

 

Chu Huan nodded. "Alright. Come upstream a bit."

 

Then, taking advantage of the mountain’s fast-moving stream of gurgling water, he skillfully opened up the bird's abdomen, cleaned it, and placed it over the fire to roast.

 

The sky gradually darkened. Nanshan, who’d been soaking in the water for quite a while by then, suddenly spoke, "Why did you miss that shot earlier today?"

 

Chu Huan's hands paused. Though he instinctively didn't want to answer, he also knew that he couldn't avoid these questions forever. After a while, he replied, "I panicked."

 

Nanshan's eyes darkened. "Because of Yuan Ping?"

 

Now that the topic had been brought up, Chu Huan felt strangely relieved. He nodded and, using his knife, made a few cuts on the bird's body before slowly roasting it over the fire on a rack.

 

Nanshan felt so sour that he didn’t even bother covering it up, allowing his feelings to be seen with a glance. “Why do you panic the moment you see him?” 

Chu Huan looked at him with a wry smile. As soon as Nanshan caught that thought-provoking gaze, the heat in his body instantly travelled to his face and he wanted to submerge himself completely underwater. He was halfway there before he paused in confusion, feeling as if he’d been taken liberty of by just one of Chu Huan’s glances. 

What am I skittering around for? He thought. Suddenly feeling more confident in himself, he exposed his well-rounded shoulders and expansive chest and inched closer to shore. 

Chu Huan replied, “What is there to panic about around him? I’m just still not used to it and keep forgetting that he’s already dead. Each time I see that new Gatekeeper, I’m taken back to a time long, long ago… Hm, I’ll gradually get used to it.” 

Nanshan stared at him. For some reason, the influence of the Mutayi's blood felt particularly intense this time. He looked down at Chu Huan's body, forever hidden behind layers of clothing, and watched the way his lips moved whenever he spoke. He couldn’t help but gulp, his heart feeling as if it was being scratched by a brush that could never reach his itch.

 

Was he hungry? For some reason, each time he looked at Chu Huan, he’d immediately think ‘I really want a taste’.

 

Nanshan finally realised his twisted mindset and immediately relied on his strong willpower to withdraw his gaze. With a tone that meant no disrespect, he asked, "What is marriage like over there?"

 

"It's very troublesome." Chu Huan carefully flipped the roasted meat on the fire, adjusting the heat it was cooked over using distance. "First, you have to register at a place called the Civil Affairs Bureau to obtain a certificate that proves the validity of your marriage. Oh, of course, they currently only register marriages between a man and a woman; they don't deal with any other types for the time being. Then you have to send out invitations to family and friends, book a venue and restaurant, and hire a host for the wedding ceremony."

 

Nanshan initially seemed to be pondering over something as he listened to Chu Huan’s descriptions but, in the end, he seemed stunned by such convoluted customs. 

 

"In short, organizing a wedding requires a lot of money and time. Sometimes, you even need to hire people who specialize in handling these things. But…" Chu Huan flipped the meat and revealed a small smile. "Even with all the ceremonious wish-wash and troublesome planning, many people still get married and divorced."

 

"What does 'divorced' mean?" Nan Shan asked. 

 

Chu Huan thought about it. "In your culture, it would be 'dissolving the marriage contract,' I suppose."

 

Nanshan anxiously responded, "How can the marriage contract be dissolved? It's a bond of life and death."

 

Chu Huan raised an eyebrow and somewhat self-mockingly said, "Oh no. I guess we're going to have a lot of deaths over there then."

 

Two people, one sitting on land and the other standing in water, were faced with immense cultural differences. Both remained silent for a while until Chu Huan cooked the meat to perfection, the outside charred and the insides tender. 

 

He carefully broke off the best piece of meat and wrapped a thick leaf around the bone to make it more convenient for holding; only then did he hand it to the submerged Nanshan.

 

Finally, before turning into a water ghost, Nanshan slowly crawled out of the water. With a chill clinging to his body, he sat beside Chu Huan and took the roasted bird meat. Relentlessly, he continued to ask about the world unfamiliar to him: "Why would they want to dissolve the marriage?"

 

"There are various reasons," Chu Huan replied, "Typically, it's either because they can't get along anymore or one of their hearts belongs to another."

 

As Chu Huan spoke, he recalled Nanshan's parents. 

A scumbag rich with charm who wandered alone near the Border, possessing research capabilities beyond any other ordinary person and a certain level of expertise in pharmacology. According to the Elder’s descriptions, his slaughter of the Gatekeepers didn't seem impulsive. The timing and location were all meticulously planned, suggesting premeditation. He was uniquely bold, astute, cunning, cold, and initiative.

 

Considering all of the above, Chu Huan believed the most plausible speculation regarding that person's identity was that of a drug criminal who had fled to the Border. 

However, he didn't mention it to Nanshan. He just felt sorry for the woman in the story. Without such unreasonable constraints, she could have extracted herself from the problem before killing and burying whatever was necessary.

 

But… On second thought, perhaps that wasn't the case either. 

 

For a clan living under such conditions, no matter how hospitable they were, could they accept a Patriarch who married an outsider of unknown background? How could such a solemn vow of life and death not receive any strain from within the clan?

 

Chu Huan could imagine the desperate feelings behind her drastic acts. 

 

Perhaps even if she could save herself, she wouldn't be willing. 

 

Nanshan fell silent. As if he didn’t want to disappoint the chef’s kindness, he wholeheartedly devoured the meat Chu Huan broke off for him. Only after he thoroughly cleaned the meat off the bones did he say again, "I still don't understand."

 

"Because there are too few people here," Chu Huan replied.

 

Indeed, the clan had too few people and too harsh a life. Think of it like a person who’d been hungry all day – even if they received a slice of meat with no seasoning, they’d devour it as if it were a delicacy. But for those who were well-fed, even if they occasionally encountered something palatable, they’d probably only give it a few extra bites.

 

Once their clothes had dried in the latter half of the night, neither of them dared to close their eyes in such a place; instead, they got up to continue their journey.

 

Chu Huan opened up the conversation and skillfully guided the topics, allowing Nanshan to gradually relax. He retracted the compelling and somewhat aggressive gaze he had unconsciously carried. 

 

The two of them seemed to return to the time when Chu Huan first arrived at the Liyi Clan and would go to the Patriarch’s courtyard to chat with Nanshan every day. Back then, they were relaxed and content in a stress-free environment.

 

Just as Nanshan patiently corrected Chu Huan's pronunciation of a Liyi Tribal word, his voice suddenly paused without reason. After a moment, Chu Huan also realized.

 

The sound of water—it wasn't right!

 

Nanshan suddenly made a gesture to retreat. It was the same hand gesture Chu Huan and Yuan Ping used during their conversation earlier in the day. Chu Huan was astonished. He didn't expect this stubborn person, who had been silently observing, to remember Chu Huan and Yuan Ping’s every move. 

 

By the time a colossal creature suddenly emerged from the water, Chu Huan and Nanshan had already taken cover in the trees by the riverbank. 

They climbed up a large tree, one in front of the other. Chu Huan brushed aside the layers of leaves, but the darkness affected his vision. He was about to activate his glasses’ binocular function when a hand abruptly blocked his view.

 

"Don't look," Nanshan hastily said. "You mustn't look."

 

Chu Huan was utterly perplexed. Would he get severe eye strain just from looking?

 

With one hand covering his eyes and the other gripping his arm, Nanshan held Chu Huan close with his arm around his shoulders. Almost laid against Chu Huan’s ears, he said, "This is not a Sound Beast, it's…"

 

His words halted abruptly after he realized that Yuan Ping wasn't there. Neither of them could provide precise translations for either language, so he had to skip the explanation of any unclear terms. "Its body is covered in eyes. Even a glance from afar can cause injury. Severe cases may result in blindness or even death.” 

 

Chu Huan's thinking was quite mature—he possessed a certain foundation of knowledge and a well-formed way of thinking, allowing him to handle many situations with ease. However, this also had its disadvantages. For example, his way of thinking is inflexible; when encountering new knowledge that didn't align with his existing ones, it was difficult to accept it.

 

What did it mean to be "covered in eyes"? Which organ did it use for visual functions? It couldn't possibly have a 360-degree field of view, right?

 

And why was it dangerous to make visual contact with it? Because of glares? Or psychic attacks caused by an optical illusion? 

 

Chu Huan couldn't imagine or understand it. He was about to ask again.

Nanshan: “Shh.” 

 

Quiet rustling sounds gradually approached. Chu Huan closed his eyes, causing his senses of touch and hearing to become exceptionally sensitive. He heard the sound of leaves trembling as if there were wind, though there was none. Then, a heavy object slowly stepped towards their tree. It wasn’t fast, but when it reached their tree, Chu Huan heard it stop.

 

The surroundings fell silent as if the wind and time had both halted. Both of them involuntarily held their breaths.

 

Was it moving?

 

With eyes all over its body, where was it looking?

 

Did it notice them?

 

Chu Huan's hand slowly reached for the handle of the triangular bayonet in his pocket.

 

Suddenly, the large tree, which would require four or five people to encircle it, shook violently, followed by the sound of a sharp object scratching against the bark.

 

Chu Huan's hand almost pierced the tree bark.

 

Was that thing climbing up? Or did it want to push down this large tree?

 

When one’s vision is restricted, their imagination reaches its peak. With Nanshan’s hand in his, Chu Huan even felt sweat forming on Nanshan’s palm.

 

The scratching sound grew louder. Chu Huan tightly gripped his triangular bayonet, preparing to pull it out at any moment.

 

Just as the cold sweat on Chu Huan's had already formed twice, the commotion suddenly ceased.

 

After a moment of stillness, the heavy and dragging footsteps continued with resonated thumps, sounding like a pardon from death.

 

A long while passed before Chu Huan gently exhaled, his breath hitting against the hand Nanshan held before his eyes. "Gone?"

 

Nanshan lowered his hand. "Yes. Every step it takes consumes a lot of energy, so it usually doesn't like to move around much and can’t reach the heights of the Mountain Gate. It’s rare for us to encounter one."

 

Speaking of this, Nanshan's expression darkened. "But every time we do encounter one, people will die without exception. My A-zhu¹ died that way, which is how my A-ma became the Patriarch at such a young age."

 

Chu Huan: "Does it usually attack?"

 

Nan Shan: "It eats people. Come, let's leave as soon as possible."

 

Both of them swiftly jumped from the tree. It was then that Chu Huan noticed the large footprints on the ground—nearly a meter wide and one and a half meters long—creating a deep pit in the soft forest soil. That creature weighed about the same as an off-road vehicle. Before each claw imprint was a line of small, deep holes that appeared to be the result of the claws' pointed tips.

 

Chu Huan glanced toward the base of the tree, where the creature had stopped, apparently to sharpen its claws.

 

Half of the base of the old tree had been hollowed out, with wood shavings flying and overlapping layers of annual rings exposed in the wound.

 

In that moment, Chu Huan truly experienced the insignificance and helplessness of being human.

 

He inwardly sighed before suddenly seeing a striking piece of string among the wood chips and grass. 

Chu Huan's heart jolted. He took a step forward, picked it up, and, afraid of being mistaken, carefully examined it several times. The string's knot was still connected to half of a braid.

 

This piece of string belonged to Xiao Fang!

 

While the Mountain Guardians and Gatekeepers generally had long hair, men usually neglected to maintain theirs. Only Xiao Fang, like a little girl, would braid colorful strings in his hair, so Chu Huan had a particularly vivid memory of that charming little braided string.

 

With one glance at it, Nanshan’s complexion changed. 

 

The tail of the braided rope was severed with a sharp tool, most likely a weapon carried by the Mountain Guardians themselves.

 

Nanshan pushed aside a patch of bushes, revealing a short tree stump. There, embedded in the wood, was an arrow.

It was an arrow of a Mountain Guardian.

 

As a semiliterate person with limited cultural knowledge, Xiao Fang was unlikely to have aspirations to become a Buddhist nun. So…

 

Either this was his warning, or it meant that he’d already…