"Yes, it smells so good. Come to think of it, we haven't made lard for a long time. However, the lard made this time plus the lard we made before will be enough for us to eat for a while if we use it sparingly." Zhang said happily.

"Wife, you have to eat sparingly. We don't know when we can buy fat meat to make lard next time!" sighed Yun the butcher.

"Mom, it smells so good." Yun Yiyi said happily as she stood beside Zhang.

The three Yun brothers standing nearby also nodded. Zhang was so busy watching the pot that she didn't notice the children coming over.

By now, most of the people in the woods had woken up. The woods were bustling with activity. It was estimated that soon, the aroma of lard would waft from every house.

After a while, the lard was refined, and Zhang put the lard residue on a plate, filling it up completely. The lard in the large iron pot had to cool down before it could be put into the oil can, so Zhang covered the pot and let it cool down on its own.

Zhang waited until the oil residue was no longer hot, then gave each person a piece to try. She would chop the remaining oil residue into cabbage pancakes later.

Yun Yiyi took the oil residue and put it in her mouth. She took a bite and it was fragrant and crispy. It was so delicious.

"Mom, the oil residue is so delicious." Yun Yiyi praised while eating.

"Yes, mom, it smells so good." This is the affirmation from the foodie third brother.

Big Brother Yun and Second Brother Yun beside them also nodded continuously.

"Haha, it smells good, Yiyi. It will taste even better when mother wraps it with oil residue into vegetable cakes later." Zhang said with a smile.

"Yeah, I believe in mom's cooking skills. I'm so excited to think that when dad and I come back from the mountains, we'll have delicious vegetable cakes to eat." Yun Yiyi said happily.

At this time, the village chief came with a group of people. Yun the butcher saw them and went to greet them.

"Yun the Butcher, these are the people who want to follow you up the mountain to find water. Look at these people, are they enough? If not, I will go and call some more." The village chief said, pointing to a group of people behind him.

"Village Chief, we're going to a place quite far away. I've thought about it carefully, and we don't need too many people. Just over ten will be enough."

"We need to leave more people here in our village. After all, this is next to the official road. We still need to be vigilant." Yun the Butcher said loudly.

"Village chief, I often go hunting in the mountains. I am familiar with the terrain there. Count me in." Hunter Zhang said first.

"Okay, you'll be included first. Everyone else please stay quiet. I think what Yun the Butcher said makes sense. We must keep some more people. Let me put it this way, I won't call out any names. I just took a closer look, and it's just right for one person from each family in your group to go. As for who will go, you can discuss it among yourselves. I'll give you two minutes to decide." The village chief looked at everyone and said.

After hearing what the village chief said, the young men started discussing. Soon, the candidates for entering the mountain were decided. Most of them were young men who had fought with Yun the Butcher before.

Yun the Butcher was also pleased. They had fought together before, so it would be easier to communicate when entering the mountains. The mountains were very dangerous, and disobeying the leader and acting on one's own was a very dangerous thing.

"Yun the Butcher, the personnel have been confirmed. Are you setting off now?" asked the village chief.

"Let's set off now and try to go early and come back early." Yun the butcher said as he took the basket handed over by Boss Yun.

"Village chief, if we find water in the mountains, we will arrange for two young men to come back and report the news. If we don't arrange for anyone to come back, it means we haven't found water." Yun the butcher explained to the village chief.

"Okay, I'll be waiting for your good news." The village chief patted Yun the butcher on the shoulder and said.

"You follow Yun the Butcher and Zhang the Hunter into the mountains. Once you get there, you must listen to them and not act on your own. The mountains are vast and there are many dangers. I hope you go happily and come back safely." The village chief shouted.

"Don't worry, village chief, we have all remembered it."

"Yes, village chief, we are not children anymore. We will listen to Uncle Yun and Uncle Zhang when we go into the mountains."

"Yes, village chief, just wait for our good news with peace of mind."

The young men who were about to go into the mountains started talking to each other.

"Okay, I heard what you said. As I said before, safety first." The village chief said with a stern face.

"Uncle Village Chief, don't worry. I'll go with you. I will help you look after these brothers." Yun Yiyi stood beside the village chief and said comfortingly.

"Haha, Yiyi, I believe what you said. But, Yiyi, you are still young. Pay attention to safety when going into the mountains. If you are tired and can't walk anymore, let your brothers take turns carrying you." The village chief smiled immediately after hearing Yun Yiyi's words.

"Okay, Uncle Village Chief. Please wait for our good news at home."

"Village chief, let's set off first." Yun the butcher said as he called the young man to walk behind the woods.

"Okay, go ahead." The village chief waved his hand and said.

Yun the Butcher, Yun Yiyi and Zhang the Hunter walked at the front of the team, and the young men followed closely behind, and everyone walked together into the depths of the woods.

"Everyone follow us closely and don't fall behind." Yun the Butcher shouted loudly.

"Okay, Uncle Yun."

"I heard you, Uncle Yun."

The young men's voices echoed through the woods. Although there were many people, they were walking at a fast pace. Yun Yiyi and her group soon arrived at the place where Yun Yiyi had met Yun the Butcher last time.

"We are climbing a mountain now, so everyone should pay attention to your feet and don't fall." Hunter Zhang shouted in front of the team.

After Yun the Butcher and the other young men had climbed the slope, they led everyone toward the woods ahead. As soon as Yun Yiyi entered the woods, she noticed that this section was much sparser. Sunlight would occasionally shine through the trees. There were also some weeds and thorn bushes in the gaps between the trees. However, the weeds had turned dry and yellow, and the thorn bushes had lost all their leaves.

Yun the Butcher and Zhang the Hunter led the way, Yun Yiyi followed closely behind, and the young men lined up and walked forward.

"Everyone, watch your step and avoid the thorn bushes. Don't fall and get scratched." Yun the butcher shouted loudly while using a sickle to clear away the thorns in front of him.

Yun Yiyi used a stick to separate the thorns blocking the way, then knocked them a few times with the stick before walking past.

The young men behind him also took sticks and walked forward, hammering away at the sticks. However, the trees in this forest were too short, and there were many weeds and thorns. It took Yun the Butcher and his men half an hour to get out of the woods.

Yun Yiyi walked out of the woods and found the area ahead was quite empty. There were only a few dead trees scattered around, and the ground was full of rocks. Yun the Butcher and his men must have gathered firewood here before, Yun Yiyi guessed.

"Uncle Yun, why are there so few trees in this place? And the remaining trees are all dead trees?" a young man asked curiously.