Of Mountains and Rivers 47

With the complete eradication of the Wandao Flowers and the migration of the Yin Beasts and Food-Eye Beasts, the downstream area was unusually quiet. Several people cleaned the blood from Stick's body, tidied him up, and buried him on the spot.

The Guardian Clan seemed to have a carefree attitude towards corpses, considering them separate from individuals. They didn't pay much attention to burial sites and tomb arrangements. After all, what place on the yellow earth couldn't bury a person? If the Guardian Clan's bodies were as valuable for medicinal purposes as the Gatekeepers, Stick might have been taken away in a different form amidst their grief.

The mountains were young and had the advantage of their race, possessing astonishing regenerative abilities. By the time Chu Huan had recovered enough to move around, his eyes had already improved significantly.

The young man, who saw the light of day again, wept openly in front of Stick and then cut off a small section of his own hair. He pressed it down with a stone, placing it on the muddy soil by the river. Wiping away his tears fiercely, he said to Stick, "From now on, you are my real brother. Your wife is my real sister-in-law, and your son is my son. I owe your family a lifetime. As long as I am alive, no one can harm them!"

Finishing, he knelt down and kowtowed with a resounding noise, knocking a large area on his forehead. In terms of appearance, he truly became a stubborn and naive youth.

Nan Shan walked over, reaching out to pat his shoulder, and softly said, "Alright, he heard you. Get up now."

From a young age, Big Mountain stood out among his peers. At the age of sixteen, he was personally chosen by the elders and had been following the Clan Chief and Little Fang. The Clan Chief's hand was warm and firm, having lifted him up countless times in various dangerous situations. Never once had the Clan Chief despised his youthful recklessness.

Big Mountain was overwhelmed with grief and couldn't control his emotions. He seemed like a child who had been wronged, tightly grasping Nan Shan's wrist and hugging Nan Shan's legs, crying uncontrollably.

Nan Shan raised his hand and embraced Big Mountain's shoulder, patting his back. However, he couldn't help but look a few steps away at Chu Huan.

Chu Huan crossed his arms and leaned against a huge rock. He found the uneven lengths of his trousers unsightly and decided to cut them into shorts. Now, he only had a few tattered pieces of cloth left on him.

However, even without his proper attire, he still looked like a well-dressed beast.

In truth, they didn't bring up the matter later; that day, Chu Huan's breathing and heartbeat had stopped for a moment. It seemed as if Yuan Ping had been yelling in Nan Shan's ear all the while, while he, like a walking corpse, mechanically followed his instructions for "cardiopulmonary resuscitation." Looking back, Nan Shan couldn't recall anything; his mind was completely blank at that moment.

If Chu Huan had been gone, what would he have done?

From a few steps away, Nan Shan stared at Chu Huan, his soul not attached to his body, thinking that even if Chu Huan were gone, he wouldn't be able to do anything. As the Guardian Clan Chief, he would have to carry the hopes of his people and continue living.

If that day ever came, Nan Shan felt he might do something extreme. He would burn Chu Huan to ashes and carry them with him wherever he went—while eating, while sleeping, and even in his dreams, he would look at him. He would carry them until his own body decayed, and he would go find Chu Huan again. Even days later, every time Nan Shan thought about these things, his heart still felt like it was being twisted by a knife, making him breathless.

He stood there in silence, subjecting himself to the torture of a thousand arrows piercing his heart, completely oblivious to the moment when Big Mountain was helped up and taken away by Little Fang or when Chu Huan had come to stand in front of him.

Chu Huan leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Still looking? I'll charge you an admission fee if you want to keep staring."

Nan Shan jolted. The warm breath that Chu Huan intentionally blew into his ear caused his soul to hurriedly return, his mind in a chaotic state. He was at a loss for words.

Chu Huan placed a hand on his waist and gently pushed him forward. "Let's go."

They rested in the same spot for a few more days, but it was not suitable to stay there any longer. At midnight, by the campfire, Nan Shan announced his decision after much consideration. He intended to end this mountain patrol early.

Little Fang expressed concern: "Aren't we going to the Stele Forest? Clan Chief, I heard from the elders that the Wandao Flowers usually don't grow in the northern part of the mountain. There must be something in the south."

"I know," Nan Shan said. "Tomorrow morning, we'll set off to the highest point on the mountain. If anything significant enough to make the Wandao Flowers migrate happens, we should be able to see it from the top."

There was a second half to his statement, something he had calculated in his heart, but he chose not to mention it in front of everyone. If they couldn't see anything from the top, he planned to leave these people behind and venture down the mountain alone.

Both Big Mountain and Little Fang fell silent, for this might be the first time in the history of the Guardian Clan's mountain patrols that they were abandoned midway.

It was Yuan Ping's turn to keep watch that night, but everyone, except Little Fang, found it difficult to fall asleep.

Chu Huan was lying down, feeling Big Mountain stand up and silently walk past him. Big Mountain approached the campfire, sat upright next to Yuan Ping, and softly said, "Big Brother Yuan, you're very powerful. Can you teach me and make me stronger too?"

Yuan Ping wasn't exactly a composed person, but when he looked at this eighteen- or nineteen-year-old youth in front of him, he unconsciously became more steady. He gently touched the bruise on Big Mountain's forehead and said, "I can't. When I was your age, I was an idiot who couldn't find his way. I wasn't powerful at all."

Big Mountain was momentarily startled but then realized Yuan Ping was talking about the past. He didn't interrupt and listened intently.

"Over the years, I've summarized that there are generally two kinds of people with the strongest desire to become stronger." Yuan Ping's voice seemed distant in the night breeze. Chu Huan then opened his eyes slightly and watched him, as if he were giving a mentorship to Big Mountain. "One kind does it because of others; they strive to surpass and overpower others in every aspect. The other kind does it for themselves, like wanting to protect someone with their life, fulfill someone's wish, or build something great. Little brother, which kind are you?"

Big Mountain answered without hesitation, "It's getting harder to guard the mountain gate. I don't want to burden others, and besides, I promised my big brother to take care of his child. I need strength."

Yuan Ping smiled at him and said, "Exactly, you've chosen the right path."

He seemed to recall something, and his gaze went beyond the campfire. He stretched like a large cat and added nonchalantly, "The first kind generally doesn't last until the end because they eventually realize they've been a fool."

Chu Huan, lying comfortably, felt as if he had been shot in the heart by Yuan Ping's remark. He lazily turned over, convinced that he and Yuan Ping were not compatible.

At this moment, someone crawled up and stealthily extended a hand. First, the person touched Chu Huan's forehead, then the fingers hesitated, slowly moving down, as if trying to sense his breath.

Chu Huan kept his eyes closed and, with a nasal sound, whispered, "No fever, not dead."

Nan Shan hastily withdrew his hand like it had been burned. "You're not asleep?"

On one side, there was Little Fang's thunderous snoring, and on the other, Yuan Ping had intoxicated Big Mountain with his soul-stirring words of wisdom.

Chu Huan looked around at the darkness and felt the atmosphere was just right. He got up and sat down next to Nan Shan. He examined his hands for numerous cracks and took off the ring that Chu Aiguo had given him. He placed it in Nan Shan's hand and said, "This is for you."

Long ago, Nan Shan thought the ring was a gift from someone else to Chu Huan. Later, upon clarification, he discovered that there was no mysterious giver. Between the two of them lay countless cultural customs he couldn't fully comprehend, leaving him somewhat perplexed about the ring's origins.

He carefully observed the plain band with a wide edge, devoid of any unnecessary patterns on the surface. However, on the inner band, it seemed as though there were some inscriptions. Luckily, Nan Shan had night vision as a Guardian, so he explored it with his hands and brought the ring closer to his eyes, asking, "Is this… a joke?"

What were these peculiar customs?

Chu Huan forced a dry laugh, realizing he had acted impulsively by taking it off earlier and now felt somewhat embarrassed. He took the ring back and put it on Nan Shan's finger.

The ring was originally made by Chu Aiguo for Chu Huan, but somehow there was a mistake. No matter which finger Chu Huan put it on, it didn't quite fit properly. It was either too tight or too loose. However, when it reached Nan Shan's hand, it fit perfectly.

Nan Shan was puzzled. "What is this?"

Indeed, what was it?

Answering this question would entail a long and profound explanation. Should Chu Huan tell Nan Shan that the ring was bound to a promise of longevity, symbolizing his life?

"Handing my life to you—such words were difficult for Chu Huan to utter, and whenever he reached such a critical point, he experienced a peculiar condition called "three kicks can't produce a fart." He comforted himself, thinking, "This is normal. A serious man doesn't go around spouting such romantic words all the time."

So, he cleared his throat and pretended to be nonchalant, saying, "The ring, it's just for fun. Um, it's something my dad left behind."

Nan Shan was taken aback.

Chu Huan continued, "It fits you well. It means Chu Aiguo has no objections to you. Keep it. That old man doesn't have much money, so consider it a gift from him to you."

Nan Shan's hand trembled slightly. Stick had died, and now both Big Mountain and Little Fang looked to him for guidance. Nan Shan knew this, so he maintained a calm facade, not revealing his true feelings. He felt that he couldn't possibly keep Chu Huan with him. Even if he managed to keep Chu Huan around for a while longer by chance, it would only cause more pain for him.

On the other side of the river, there were cars and planes, no monsters, and no bloodshed. They walked through streets filled with unknown people and numerous shops, where they could find anything they wanted to eat and go wherever they wished.

Chu Huan didn't owe him anything, so what could he possibly do to make him stay? Moreover, the boundaries of the fallen territory were getting closer. Nan Shan had once told Chu Huan that he wanted to find a glimmer of hope in this deadly place. But now he suddenly felt like he had been overly ambitious. The battle for the mountain gate would only become more perilous, and perhaps one day, as Rug said, the Guardian clan would perish alongside Big Mountain.

And what about Chu Huan?

These past few days, Nan Shan has been unable to sleep, thinking about this matter day and night. He had finally mustered the courage to let go, but at that moment, Chu Huan shattered his resolve with a single ring.

Chu Huan used to be cautious about presuming things, but now he had uncovered a layer of understanding. Many things didn't need to be said; he could see what Nan Shan was thinking. Chu Huan sighed, feeling both cherished and pained. He gently held Nan Shan's hand and said, "Don't worry, whether I am the person recorded in your sacred book or not, as long as it's unsafe here, I won't leave."

Nan Shan's lips trembled slightly, and he couldn't find the words to respond.

Just then, a loud cough came from behind them, and someone interrupted irritably, "Maintain discipline!"

It turned out to be Big Mountain taking the night watch, and Yuan Ping had found a place to sleep.

Nan Shan snapped back to reality.

Chu Huan: "…"

Chu Huan had never felt this desperate for Yuan Ping to hurry up and die back in the Sacred Spring.

Chu Huan: "Can you be any more shameless?"

Yuan Ping sat down nonchalantly, saying, "This is a public place; can you be any more shameless?"

Then he peered at Nan Shan and shouted carelessly, "Chief, be careful! He's a rascal. Watch out for him trying to take advantage of you."

Even Big Mountain turned around curiously, leaving Nan Shan speechless.

Chu Huan picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at Yuan Ping. What kind of friend was he? Who would want to shake hands and make peace with someone like him?

When dealing with such a scoundrel, words were unnecessary; the only correct course of action was to be blunt.

Nan Shan quickly intervened before the rock hit the guard's head, saying, "Stop it!"

Yuan Ping was furious: "Damn it, you're hitting my face again. So what if I'm better-looking than you? You little wimp."

Chu Huan decided that he and Yuan Ping wouldn't be wearing the sky together.

Nan Shan grabbed Yuan Ping's waist and pulled him back, saying, "Enough!"

Seeing that Nan Shan had someone to restrain him, Yuan Ping immediately became smug. "Hehe…"

Nan Shan said, "Shut up!"

Yuan Ping: "…"

"Lie down." Nan Shan frowned, avoiding Chu Huan's wound and forcefully pushing him to the ground. Finally, he gave Yuan Ping a warning look, moved to a different spot, and separated the two brawlers.

At least they had some peace and quiet now.

Nan Shan glanced down at the ring on his hand. After a while, he felt that Chu Huan must have fallen asleep, so he carefully reached out and placed his hand on Chu Huan's body, as if touching a different world.

The next day, they set out for the top of the mountain they had been heading towards.