Of Mountains and Rivers 66

“Hold on!”

As Chu Huan took a step, Yuan Ping began to wail. His original intention was to grab Chu Huan, but at the moment, Chu Huan was draped in a “python robe”, making it impossible to get a grip. Yuan Ping could only raise his voice and shout.

Yuan Ping said, “The place where we last encountered that child was a flat ground right? We were chased like dogs back then. This place is a valley, and ‘it’ is still gaining strength. If we continue like this, can we make it back up there?”

Luger, who was holding a head, seemed unaffected by these words. He raised an eyebrow expressionlessly, as if implying that he could navigate through fire and water, facing enemies and obstacles with ease, indifferent to it all.

Truly, he was a man worshiped as a Mountain God through the ages, exuding an arrogant aura that made ordinary people bow in reverence.

Nanshan, on the other hand, was much milder in his arrogance. He pondered Yuan Ping’s words for a moment and then said with some regret, “Yes, you make a valid point. But we’ve already promised that wizard.”

In the end, it was the renowned fragile dog Chu Huan who provided a more reliable answer.

“Come here, from this angle,” Chu Huan pressed down on Yuan Ping’s head. “Do you see it? In the heart of the valley, there’s a river. It’s not stagnant; it runs through the mountains. We actually saw the other end of it after crossing this mountain. If anything goes wrong, retreat along that path.”

Yuan Ping finally understood that Chu Huan had long since figured out an escape route, and that he wasn’t impulsively agreeing to return as a benevolent figure. Instantly relieved, Yuan Ping said, “Then why hesitate? Let’s go quickly.”

As he said this, he had already taken the lead and went down from the edge of the valley.

Luger quickly followed. Displeased with his easy-going “son”, he frowned and said, “Not stable.”

A thick sense of suffocation lingered in the valley. After venturing deeper, everyone involuntarily fell silent and approached the crowd in the valley as quickly as possible.

Luger held a head in one hand and a staff in the other, clenching his teeth.

Both Luger and Nanshan, one appeared indifferent and the other seemingly calm, were actually quite nervous deep inside.

Could the people who have been swallowed still be alive? Could they be released again?

Chu Huan, overwhelmed by the cries audible only to him, remained composed outwardly, and cold-heartedly ignored the anxious and urgent gazes from Luger and Nanshan. Swiftly, he searched for something within the crowd.

He was searching for the altar. If there was a wizard in the clan, there must be an altar.

Finding the altar was not difficult; all he had to do was to see where the men, women, and children in the valley were facing.

When he found the altar, Chu Huan was almost out of breath. He quickly gestured to his companions and took long strides, boldly ascending the altar that abruptly rose amid the crowd, overlooking everyone from a commanding height.

Chu Huan nodded, and Luger immediately raised the wizard’s severed head high, as if presenting a solemn and sacred offering. He then placed the head on the flames of the staff and set it ablaze.

The fire burned rapidly, casting a scorching glow on the wizard’s body. Despite the apparent coldness of the flames on the staff, the temperature was intense.

Luger lifted the burning head with the tip of his knife. The flaming head was even brighter than the flames on the staff. Chu Huan almost had a hallucination, as if it illuminated everyone facing this direction.

At this moment, he was almost out of breath, and even if he bit his teeth until they bled, Chu Huan couldn’t hold on any longer. Yet, he remained silent because, at that same time, he realized that the cries in his ears were still there but no longer filled with despair.

He restrained himself in the dizziness and blurred vision caused by lack of oxygen, and slowly exhaled a bit of stale air, attempting to breathe again.

The surrounding air remained sticky, still causing a sense of suffocation, but the swamp-like feeling of suffocation had indeed disappeared.

The fresh oxygen stimulated Chu Huan’s mind, and he nudged Yuan Ping, whose face had turned as red as a tomato due to holding his breath, “Stop holding your breath, you can breathe now.”

Yuan Ping was violently coughing from the rough elbow strike, unable to speak as he pointed angrily at Chu Huan. Chu Huan only responded with, “Shh…”

The piercing wails gradually turned into choked sobs. Chu Huan heard people calling for the wizard.

He couldn’t help but smile, as if deeply moved. However, his hand tightened around the longbow hanging from his body, seemingly ready to fight at any moment.

The shadows lurking within these people were like a bomb, capable of completely destroying them at any moment.

Suddenly, the shadow on the first person gradually faded away, and then the entire valley seemed to follow suit like a domino effect. The almost exhausted head of the wizard lit up his clan. The silent, cold, mournful, and false shadows were all expelled, and the last bit of suffocating stickiness in the air vanished.

Chu Huan felt like he had never smelled fresher air in his entire life.

The expelled shadows slowly receded from people’s bodies, and slender halos began to flow down from these indigenous people, falling to the ground and gradually spreading and growing like clumsy saplings.

The valley trembled violently, and Nanshan’s voice turned solemn, “They’re coming.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the receding shadows on the people gradually converged, forming a murky giant dragon that lashed fiercely towards the altar like a whip.

But it seemed that Chu Huan was waiting for this moment. He drew out two feathered arrows, fingers swiftly pulling back and releasing. The arrowheads swept across Luger’s head and pierced into the flames on the staff. The jumping sparks connected into a line, and his bowstring was already prepared. With a smooth motion, he released the arrow like moving clouds and flowing water—

The arrow descended like a shooting star.

The fire enveloping the arrow quickly disappeared into the shadows. Suddenly, an explosion resounded in the silent abyss. The dazzling fireworks burst within the shadows, turning the majestic black serpent into a torn rag.

Emotionally, Chu Huan really wanted to stand still and appreciate the effect of the counterattack, but his strong rational and self-control prevailed. When he felt the tension on the string in his hand, he decisively followed his companions and ran.

Since the “fallen world” had transformed into a kind of “ferocious carnivorous creature”, Chu Huan had a new perspective on the relentless shadows that chased them—the previously invisible and intangible shadows seemed to have taken tangible forms, such as the flower vine of Wangsi Flower, Mutayi’s wind arrows, and the monstrous tails of the Sound Beasts.

If the fire on the staff was truly its nemesis, then such an attack should be effective.

Unfortunately, once the fire left the staff, its lifespan was very short. Otherwise, they could try setting fire to the mountains.

This was their first successful counterattack since entering the Fallen Land. The few arrows shot by Chu Huan had a more invigorating effect than a life-saving injection on a dying person. Yuan Ping and Nanshan immediately followed suit, shooting fire arrows one after another. In the end, when Chu Huan saw that they were at risk of going overboard, he quickly stopped them, “Be more conservative, we only have a limited number of arrows!”

Yuan Ping happily told him, “Don’t worry, there are so many houses along the road, every household has hunters. If we run out of arrows, we can just go in and take some.”

Chu Huan was taken aback, thinking to himself, “Damn, that’s right!”

Nanshan shyly smiled, as if feeling a bit guilty about taking the arrows without asking. But in such desperate times, they had no other choice but to let go of their reservations.

They ran while nailing down fire arrows on the shadows, following the established retreat path to the side of the mountain stream mentioned by the caller.

The leader, Nanshan, jumped directly into the water, saying, “Jump down!”

Yuan Ping was taken aback, “Wait, what about the fire? Fire is afraid of…”

Before he could finish, Chu Huan kicked him in the buttocks, sending Yuan Ping into the water.

Yuan Ping exclaimed, “Ah—”

Soon after, he found himself enveloped in an invisible airflow. Nanshan turned back and smiled at him, gently moving his palm. The airflow curled up into a bubble, securely protecting the group of people within it. Luger, who was the last one to jump into the water, was unperturbed, holding his staff steadily. The flames on the staff remained motionless within the isolated bubble.

At first glance, the mountain stream seems sluggish, but the water flow was unexpectedly swift.

The group could be considered to have caught a “tailwind ship” and swiftly descended along the current.

The mountain stream passed through a cave and merged into a river. As the river flowed downstream, the landscape suddenly opened up. The foamy water rushed on endlessly. Chu Huan’s thieving heart was finally put to good use this time. It was indeed the best possible route—much faster than running on their own two feet. Before long, they managed to shake off the pursuing shadows far behind.

Chu Huan asked Nanshan loudly, “Patriarch, is this the right direction with the current?”

After a rough estimation in his mind, Nanshan replied, “Yes.”

Chu Huan revealed a somewhat peculiar smile and said, “Then I can rest assured.”

Seeing his expression, Yuan Ping immediately sensed that something was amiss. He became alert and sweat started to form on his body. Suddenly, he realized, “Wait, it seems like there’s a significant drop in elevation here…”

Luger let out a sigh. He took a cue from Chu Huan’s “other people’s child” style of education and said to Yuan Ping, “Don’t always be so easily startled.”

Yuan Ping wailed, “No, no, Patriarch, the dead peacock is unreliable. Up ahead, there’s…”

The rope on his wrist was suddenly pulled, and Yuan Ping choked on his breath. Nanshan almost lost his footing as well. The sight unfolded as the rushing waters reached their end, revealing a sheer drop with no cushion below—a colossal waterfall that descended straight down like the Milky Way pouring from the heavens.

With Yuan Ping’s desperate cries, the group followed the waterfall and plummeted three thousand feet below.

Yuan Ping exclaimed, “I really don’t want to ride some flushing toilet ahhh—Patriarch, please don’t ask me what a flushing toilet is…”

Miraculously, the “bubble” boat carrying the four individuals remained intact before the grand waterfall, the flames from the staff consistently enveloped within it like a solid rock. The group, resembling a luminous crystal sphere, rolled into the deep pool beneath the waterfall.

The water cascaded from a great height, carrying immense energy. The four individuals involuntarily drifted in the water for quite some time until nearing a gently sloping area where the flow gradually slowed down. It was then that they seized the opportunity to climb ashore.

As soon as Nanshan’s feet touched the ground, his knees went weak. Sustaining the “bubble” was no easy feat for him. Chu Huan quickly pulled him back before he could fall, while Yuan Ping, like a lifeless dog, sprawled on the ground and refused to move. Luger reluctantly agreed to rest on the spot.

Nanshan leaned against Chu Huan’s knees, closing his eyes to recuperate. Yuan Ping remained motionless, and Luger stood silently on the side, calculating the distance. With nothing else to do, Chu Huan sat quietly, lost in thought.

He then randomly picked up a handful of small pebbles from the ground. When he thought of a concept clearly, he placed a pebble on the left side; if it was somewhat understood, he would place one in the middle; and if it was completely incomprehensible, it would go to the right side.

After organizing his thoughts, Chu Huan focused on the pebbles in the middle by himself. According to his experience, things that were fully understood or completely incomprehensible weren’t particularly dangerous. The real threat always came from partial understanding.

Seeing Chu Huan’s habitual action, Yuan Ping quickly got up and sat cross-legged in front of him, playfully saying, “If there’s anything you don’t understand, tell me and I’ll enlighten you.”

Chu Huan lazily lifted his eyelids, giving him a half-smile. He tossed the small pebbles in his hand a couple of times before catching them, “Sure, come over here, and I’ll explain it to you.” 

Little Green hissed as it spat out its tongue.

Yuan Ping realized that severing ties with this person might be a wise decision.

Chu Huan then suppressed his smile, twirling a handful of pebbles in his hand, “The first question: Is ‘it’ a single entity, or is ‘it’ a collective?”

Yuan Ping was taken aback, and even Nanshan, who was lying in Chu Huan’s arms, opened his eyes.

Yuan Ping asked, “What’s the difference?”

“I can’t articulate it right now, but I always feel that this question is crucial.” Chu Huan shook his head, placed a pebble down, and then picked up a second one. “The next question: The distance from the wizard’s location to their own clan’s valley is only half a day’s journey. I think the time it took for him and his people to be consumed should be similar. Why do the others seem unaffected, but he’s already dead? No, I’m not talking about him being beheaded by us, but before the beheading, he was already so weak that he was nearly dead.”

Yuan Ping straightened up from his twisted position, bowed his head, and fell into silence for a moment, “Your question is too complex, it needs to be broken down.”

Chu Huan responded, “Alright, you break it down.”

In a remote and desolate place, the two sat facing each other, and in a trance, they seemed to return to the days when they reluctantly partnered up.

Both Chu Huan and Yuan Ping knew that the other was a tricky person, but they had to reluctantly acknowledge that occasionally, the other could be reliable.

Nanshan completely woke up, and even Luger approached with a degree of deference, upholding his enigmatic water ghost… no, Mountain God facade, and listened attentively.

Yuan Ping said, “Firstly, does ‘it’ really consume people? Assuming ‘it’ eats both humans and animals, but the number of humans and animals in this world is limited. What happens when ‘it’ runs out of things to eat one day?”

Chu Huan placed a pebble on his left side and said, “I initially believed without a doubt, but now I doubt it. We’ve traveled such a long distance and found that the people here don’t need to eat. So, for this extended period, how did they survive?”

Yuan Ping inquired, “So?”

Chu Huan replied, “So, ‘it’ is not consuming people. On the contrary, I suspect ‘it’ is sustaining these people.”

As Chu Huan spoke, his chest and abdomen slightly vibrated. His voice was not loud, but it was akin to a whisper, and somewhat deep, which caused Nanshan to feel a bit unsettled. Nanshan knew they were discussing something crucial, so he hastily cleared his throat, moving away from Chu Huan’s embrace and sat up. Wearing a serious expression, he said, “Go on, what’s next?”

Yuan Ping continued, “Following the previous question, if ‘it’ is sustaining these people, what is it using, and why?”

Chu Huan was about to answer when it seemed like he remembered something. He abruptly halted his words, his gaze drifted slightly along the dark riverbank.

Nanshan’s eyes were fixed on him without blinking, “What have you thought of?”

“The sequence of those creatures,” Chu Huan murmured, “Look… the flat people are similar to humans, resembling mammals. Mutayi has membrane-like wings on its back, something between mammals and birds. Sound Beasts are reptile-like, feeding on insects, and are invertebrates. Wangsi Flowers and Mirage Monkeys… they simply aren’t animals.”

This time, without waiting for further inquiry, Chu Huan’s speech speed suddenly accelerated, “Have you noticed? As their combat capabilities increase, their forms seem to regress. I suspect this implies that the core entity of ‘it’ is a relatively lower life form—perhaps plants or even some fungi, capable of harnessing solar energy.

“You have addressed ‘what it uses’, but not ‘why’,” Yuan Ping said. “Going further, why does ‘it’ imprison people’s consciousness? The wizard’s consciousness has always been clear, yet he remained powerless. Even those we ‘awakened’ cannot move their bodies. ‘It’ somehow numbs people’s bodies, so why release illusions on a large scale to imprison their consciousness? Isn’t this like taking off pants to fart?”

Luger listened intently, unintentionally nodding along, then realizing what he did. A fleeting look of embarrassment passed over his face.

Chu Huan remained silent, furrowing his brows in deep thought. Nanshan stared at his profile, holding his breath unconsciously.

Without waiting for Chu Huan, Yuan Ping continued with the last question, “Returning to your previous question—why did the wizard die while his clansmen survived? In my view, the only difference between them is that the wizard’s consciousness was clear.”

“I… have a speculation,” After a long pause, Chu Huan finally broke the silence, speaking softly. “Those people whose consciousness is trapped have become part of ‘it’, and it’s even possible that the spreading of large patches of shadow are… people who have been engulfed by ‘it’?”

Yuan Ping added, “The wizard’s body is imprisoned, but his consciousness remains clear, so ‘it’ couldn’t fully assimilate him. Consequently, the wizard has a very limited supply of energy.”

The two exchanged a glance, simultaneously realizing a chilling possibility. If their deductions were correct, would those so-called “awakened” people eventually follow in the wizard’s footsteps after some time?

Would you want to live eternally in submission, or would you want a swift death in resistance?