The lean season is always long. Even if you save some food during the winter, you still have to eat wild vegetables with it. This is the norm. As soon as you finish work, there are always people coming to Jian Dan's doorstep, all of them going up the mountain to dig for wild vegetables.

And then there's Tiger's little gang, who also have tasks at this time. Needless to say, they work for their own families, and they're also the main force in feeding the few piglets they just brought back, and they even get work points.

So it's normal to run into anyone while hiking up the mountain during this season.

The baskets were about half full. Several people got up to stretch, rubbing their backs, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings, and their mouths chattering away.

"Luckily we've gone far; these dandelions here are really thick (a local expression in some rural areas of Northeast China, meaning lush)!"

“The villagers are used to that area halfway up the mountain. They’ve known it for so many years and they know which area produces the most crops. It’s the same where we are. This area produces much more crops than theirs. It’s worth the extra walk.”

"Isn't that right? Do you have any more over there? Let's walk a little further ahead."

"Be careful, snakes are coming out, watch your step,"

"ah!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a scream came from not far ahead.

"Snake! There's a snake!"

Tan Yajun looked at it simply, and was somewhat surprised.

"Is your mouth blessed?"

It's simple, both funny and sad.

"You might as well just call me a jinx."

However, he didn't stop there. He picked up the machete that was lying to the side and threw it. The machete was too dull, and the snake's body was slippery, leaving only a shallow bloodstain. However, the arrogant snake was also provoked. It flicked its tail, raised its head, and turned to look at the person on the ground.

Jian Dan was a little annoyed; she'd thrown it off target!

He took off running in that direction, pebbles flying from his hand as he muttered to himself, "I mustn't let my good intentions backfire."

The temperature rises late here, and normally it's not the most active season for snakes yet. Generally speaking, they won't actively attack humans, but they're no longer hibernating. It's likely that someone accidentally provoked them, otherwise they wouldn't have given them a chance to rescue them. In just a few breaths, if it were a venomous snake, it would be in critical condition by now.

Although the individual pebbles didn't cause much damage, they gradually attracted the snake's attention. The snake was getting increasingly agitated, furiously slapping its tail against the nearby tree. The people on the ground, however, got a chance to catch their breath and realized Jian Dan's intentions. Two quick-thinking individuals nearby pulled the terrified man aside, scrambling to safety, while simultaneously reminding Jian Dan...

"Young Jian, please be very careful!"

Without the hostages to restrain her, Jian Dan acted freely, wielding a triangular dagger that drew blood with every strike. Combined with her powerful punches, the snake was immediately enraged, whipping its large tail.

The downside of a large body is that no matter how agile it is, it can always be caught off guard. Not to mention, with its speed, every time it gets close, it leaves a trail of blood and a wound, deep or shallow.

After being tricked by Jian Yi, it naturally became even angrier. Its huge snake body thrashed about, damaging the surrounding trees, but it still didn't gain anything and ended up with more and more wounds all over its body.

Although it was nothing to its thick-skinned creature, it was naturally unwilling to be humiliated in this way by a tiny human.

Jian Dan could see that his opponent's fighting spirit was growing stronger, so he turned his head slightly and shouted towards the people behind the tree.

"Go, get as far away as possible."

One of them poked his head out and answered, then he and his companion grabbed the person and ran down the mountain.

"Hurry up, hurry up, don't hold Jian Zhiqing back."

"Yes, yes, go and call for help."

With no one around and no fear of being seen, Jian Dan became even more reckless, pulling out a stun gun and stabbing it into a wound.

Although the injury was superficial, the added power of the enhanced stun gun caused the electric current to surge through its entire body, causing it to scream and dodge, its massive body darting wildly through the forest.

The important thing is that it's simple yet incredibly mischievous; you can poke this and poke that without the hindrance of snakeskin, which is a really refreshing feeling.

Simple was almost tired of jumping around and dodging, and the giant snake, after several twists and turns, finally lost its advantage.

Soon, Jian Dan seized an opportunity, aimed at the vital point, and threw out the dagger.

The silence gradually subsided, and after a long while, someone finally spoke up.

"Is everything alright now?"

Tan Yajun and the others squeezed to the front, and mustered their courage to shout in a low voice.

"Simple, simple? Are you alright?"

The voice rose several octaves before a simple reply could be clearly heard.

"It's alright, let someone come up. The snake is dead, hurry up and take it back, the smell of blood is too strong."

Snake meat is still meat, and it's considered a delicacy in rural areas.

Moreover, snake meat is highly nutritious.

I've never eaten snake meat in this life, but I ate it quite a lot in the wild in my past life, especially in harsh environments. If there was snake meat, and I could have a bite of snake soup, that would be wonderful.

Upon hearing this, Tan Yajun and the others below, along with the villagers who had been summoned, all rushed over, surrounding the large snake but not daring to approach it.

"My God, is this snake really dead?"

"So big? You're really lucky to have run into Jian Zhiqing. Otherwise, she could have kept pestering you to death."

This wasn't a lie; it had happened before. The villagers didn't seem bothered by it and nodded in agreement.

"That's right, son. You'd better thank Jian Zhiqing properly when you get back."

Some people approached to probe the snake a few times, and only after confirming that it was silent did they dare to surround it and begin to comment.

"It must be at least 1.5 meters tall, and with that size, it must weigh at least 20 or 30 kilograms."

Tan Yajun and the others rushed over and checked Jian Dan's body from head to toe.

"Are you hurt? Why are you covered in blood?"

Do some simple arm and leg exercises to get a feel for it.

"I'm fine, I'm not hurt."

"What happened to your hands? Why are there so many cuts?"

She glanced at it, shook it, and realized why it had stung a little earlier.

"It was probably scraped by snakeskin. We can disinfect it when we get back."

Snakes, being soft-bodied reptiles, are generally a source of fear for most women, and they may not even like them personally. However, the deliciousness of snake soup is undeniable.

The one who was frightened by the snake was a boy from the village, about two or three years younger than Jian Dan. Rural children are tough and can do anything, such as digging for wild vegetables, picking mushrooms, gathering mountain products, and collecting firewood. He often goes up the mountain and, while he may not be very familiar with it, he has explored most of the surrounding area.

He'd seen snakes before, but this one was quite large, and since he hadn't been paying attention, it really startled him.

But boys are naturally adventurous and don't know what to be afraid of. They calmed down in no time and now, seeing the snake lying there quietly, listening to Jian Dan and the other educated youths talk about snake soup, they were even eager to try it.