Golden peacock spreading its tail feathers

Reclaiming wasteland is far from being as "glorious" and "interesting" as Shen Yan imagined.

It was more like a precise strike against him and his moon-white silk robe.

After a winter of training by Ling Zhan, the older children seemed to know exactly what they were supposed to do.

They got up early and went about their own business as usual, no longer under Shen Yan's command.

The only children he can engage with are the younger ones.

"Ouch—my foot—!"

Er Gou swung his hoe, but the blade struck the rock and bounced back, landing squarely on the back of his foot. The pain made him drop the hoe instantly, clutching his foot and hopping on one leg in a "golden rooster stands on one leg," grimacing and his face scrunched up like a bun.

"Daddy! Daddy! This big rock is a bad guy! It's bullying people!" Little Tree Root kicked and stomped at the rock, which was half-buried in the soil and as big as a washbasin. He was so anxious that his eyes turned red and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Worms! Huge, fat worms! Daddy, look!" Sanya turned over a clod of damp soil with a shovel, and several plump earthworms wriggled in panic. But she was so excited that her eyes lit up, as if she had discovered some delicacy and was just about to pounce on them and take a bite.

"Oh dear! My new robe! My goodness!"

Just as Shen Yan was about to step forward to "take charge," he was caught off guard and a clump of mud mixed with grass roots was kicked up by Si Mao's wielding hoe, and "splat!" it accurately smeared onto the front of his moon-white silk robe.

Those few conspicuous patches of mud, stained with the juice of fresh grass, hung on his heart like medals.

Shen Yan gasped, his handsome face contorted with pain, and he almost died on the spot from heartache.

The situation was completely out of control.

The children didn't know how to do it and weren't strong enough.

They were helpless against the stubborn rocks and the tangled roots of the grass.

Like a group of wild boars rolling around in a thicket of thorns.

He despised himself for being completely ignorant of farming, lazy, and incompetent, giving orders that were all incoherent and chaotic.

"Dig here!...No, no, it's to the side!...Oh dear, you're so clumsy, you have to angle the shovel!..."

The efficiency was outrageously low, and it left them looking disheveled.

Her meticulously styled hair was now disheveled, and her expensive silk robe had been reduced to a mere "limited edition, camouflage version."

"Stop—!! All of you, stop right now!!"

Shen Yan looked at the "battlefield" in a mess, where progress was infinitely close to zero.

And the children, exhausted and disheveled like little cats, finally realized, after much painful reflection, that they, the "armchair strategists" who only knew how to talk about war on paper, had made a strategic mistake.

He paced restlessly in place for a few moments, his expensive satin boots now covered in mud, his eyes darting around erratically—

Another flash of inspiration.

"Reckless! Pure reckless!" He slapped his thigh, rallying his troops. "Warfare requires strategy! Work requires division of labor! Obey my orders!"

He solemnly reorganized the children into a line:

"Team One! Two Dogs will lead the charge! Their job is to clear away the rubble! Anything smaller than a fist, move it all and pile it on the left flank!"

"Second Team! Niu Bao is in charge! Their sole responsibility is to eradicate them completely! They must be uprooted without leaving a single survivor!"

"Third team! Sanya... um, Sanya, you'll be in charge of the supplies and provisions! Lead the younger ones to serve tea and water, and cheer them on!"

The children, bewildered, accepted the order and left.

Shen Yan flicked his mud-splattered sleeves and thought he was being cool by dusting off his front, but the mud stains only got bigger, so he simply stopped closing the robe.

He proudly declared: "As for me, your father, I will personally lead the central army to overcome all difficulties and defeat all stubborn rocks who refuse to submit!"

He took a deep breath, walked to the heavy pickaxe left by Ling Zhan, gripped the wooden handle with both hands, and pulled hard—it was so heavy! He almost strained his back. He gritted his teeth and used all his strength to barely lift it, then strode confidently toward the largest "thorny" rock, his back view carrying a touch of tragic grandeur, like "the wind howls and the Yi River is cold."

The new strategy seems to be... having a tiny bit of effect?

With a clear goal in mind, the children, though still clumsy, at least stopped bumping around like headless flies. Er Gou, leading a few boys, struggled to move stones, their little faces flushed red. Niu Bao, with several girls, their little hands scratched red by blades of grass, gritted their teeth and pulled with all their might. San Ya, with the youngest, carefully scooped water from the water vat with a chipped earthenware bowl, carrying it back and forth, calling out in her childish voice:

"Go, brothers and sisters! Go, Daddy!"

Meanwhile, Shen Yan was engaged in a "life-or-death struggle" with the large blue stone that was deeply embedded in the soil.

He imitated Ling Zhan's movements from his memory, assumed a horse stance, and although he swayed, he focused his energy in his dantian, took a deep breath, and with a whoosh, swung the pickaxe high and slammed it down with all his might!

"when--!!"

A piercing clang of metal rang out! Sparks flew everywhere!

The enormous recoil surged through the wooden handle, causing Shen Yan's arms to ache terribly, his tiger's mouth to go numb, and his internal organs to tremble three times. The pickaxe almost flew out of his hand! The stone, however, remained motionless, leaving only a faint white spot on its surface, as if it were silently mocking him.

"Hiss... such hard bone!"

Shen Yan grimaced and shook his hand, feeling a burning pain in his palm.

He refused to believe it, stretched his sore wrists, raised the hoe again, aimed, and used all his might!

"when!"

"when!"

"when--!!"

After several powerful strikes, the rock remained as stable as a mountain, even though it made his arms numb and his vision blurred. However, because he used too much force, his foot slipped on the wet mud, and he cried out "Ouch!" and fell forward in an extremely awkward posture, barely managing to grab the hoe to avoid falling flat on his face.

The moon-white silk robe was now stained with mud and grass juice from the front, back, cuffs, and hem, completely losing its former luster and resembling a rag just pulled from a mud pit. Her carefully styled hair was also completely disheveled, with a few strands stuck to her forehead by sweat, making her look utterly wretched.

"Daddy's great! Keep it up!" Sanya said, offering her innocent encouragement as she held up a bowl of water.

Shen Yan leaned on his hoe, panting heavily. He looked at the large rock that seemed to be grinning at him, then at his red and stinging hands and his tattered robe. An unprecedented sense of frustration and irritation rushed to the top of his head.

He slammed the pickaxe into the ground, hands on his hips (his back was a little sore), and glared angrily at the rock: "Hey! You ungrateful stubborn rock! You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup! Watch me..."

He had only uttered half of his harsh words when he caught a glimpse of the direction Er Gou and the others were clearing the pile of rubble out of the corner of his eye!

Er Gou, with a few boys, was trying to roll a rather large rock to the edge of the slope, chuckling and groaning. The rock rolled to the edge, and it looked like it was about to slide down a small incline—

"Watch out below!!" Shen Yan screamed in terror, her soul nearly leaving her body.

Before the words were even finished!

"Boom—Pfft!"

The stone rolled down with perfect accuracy, like a wild dog that had broken free of its reins, and landed squarely on a small patch of "clean soil" that Da Niu and the others had just painstakingly cleared and hadn't even had time to turn over!

Dirt flying everywhere!

The few blades of grass that had just been pulled clean were instantly flattened and buried deep inside.

The smooth ground was smashed into a large crater, with an ugly ring of muddy waves rising around the edge.

"Ah—! Our land!!" Da Niu burst into tears, heartbroken.

Er Gou and the others were dumbfounded, standing there helplessly, looking at the mess they had made.

Shen Yan felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, the world spinning around her, and she almost couldn't catch her breath.

He worked so hard all day! The children are exhausted!

After finally cleaning up this small area, it was just... "tactically nuke-ed" by our own people's stones?!

Looking at the culprit "stone" mired in the mud, listening to Da Niu's cries, and then looking at his priceless but now worn-out robe, a tremendous sense of powerlessness called "I am a piece of trash" overwhelmed him like an Arctic icy current.

He felt like a living joke.

"Retreat...retreat! Sound the retreat!"

He waved his hand weakly, his voice as listless as a wilted eggplant, "Today...the battle is going badly, let's rest for now! Everyone...go wash your hands! Tiger, Bean Sprout! You two are in charge of starting the fire and cooking today!"

The first day of the land reclamation project ended with a "strategic defeat" for Commander Shen.

He hung his head in dejection, like a defeated peacock covered in mud.

Dragging that heavy pickaxe, which felt like a pillar of shame, he shuffled unsteadily toward the yard.

The setting sun cast a long shadow of him, and his mud-stained silk robe became a comical yet poignant sight in the twilight.

Meanwhile, deep within the Western Mountains, beneath the cliffs above the clouds and mist.

The cold wind still blows, and the remaining snow adorns the jagged rocks.

Ling Zhan's figure stopped in front of a dark cave entrance that was half-hidden by huge withered vines.

The cave was littered with weathered animal bones and withered branches, exuding a wild and untamed atmosphere.

Ling Zhan's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, precisely landing on the overlapping area of ​​several huge rocks below the icefall—there, the texture of the rocks and the faint warmth emanating from the geothermal heat outlined an extremely hidden crevice, cleverly concealed by the forces of nature.

The crevice was narrow and bottomless, filled with a warm breeze that smelled strongly of birds, animals, and... moisture.

It is continuously gushing out from the depths.

She put down her pack, drew her pickaxe from her waist, and walked to a relatively flat boulder near the cave entrance. Without hesitation or trial, her core muscles tensed instantly, and all her strength gathered like a fully drawn bow!

The heavy pickaxe struck the hard rock wall with a dull thud!

"Clang—!" A rock the size of a washbasin, with jagged edges, shattered with a loud crash! Pebbles tumbled down.

Ling Zhan's arm remained as steady as a rock. He expressionlessly shook off the stone dust from the hoe, examined the gap, adjusted the angle, and swung his arm again!

"Clang—! Clang—!"

The heavy chiseling sound, like spring thunder, resounded on this remote mountaintop.

After several attempts, a narrow opening, barely large enough to fit through, was finally carved out.

At this moment, hunger pangs in her stomach, coupled with the long journey and the intense hammering, made her hands and feet tremble slightly.

But when those eyes swept into the depths of the cave, they remained as sharp as knives, carrying a vigilance that penetrated to the bone.

It was as if they were assessing an unknown beast's nest.

She took a step forward, the dry branches beneath her feet rustling.

Then, that tense vigilance froze instantly, turning into a rare, almost bewildered astonishment.

There were no poisonous insects or ferocious beasts in the deep cave as expected, nor any rare medicinal herbs.

"Coo coo coo—! Caw caw caw—! Ang ang ang—!"

Chickens flew about, ducks jumped around, and geese made a racket!

A huge patch of furry, lively, and colorful...meat?!

Like a disturbed tide, they frantically flapped their wings and rushed out of the shadows of the cave!

The speckled chickens and yellow-feathered chickens flapped their wings and scratched around in the grass at the cave entrance; the white ducks and the grayish-brown geese quacked and clumsily flapped their wings, splashing water everywhere—there were clearly warm pools of water deep inside the cave.

Ling Zhan's fingers, covered in dust and bearing fresh, tiny scratches, instinctively curled up, as if searching for a weapon handle that wasn't there. The scene was utterly absurd. On this rugged, desolate mountaintop, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world, how had these "reserve grains," who should have been strolling in a farmer's backyard, managed to take root and multiply here?

The invisible, suffocating pressure emanating from her dissipated quietly, like the receding tide.

She didn't adopt any aggressive posture; instead, very slowly, with the cautiousness of a apex predator deliberately concealing its sharpness, she crouched down. Her rough cloth trousers rubbed against the ground, picking up bits of grass and dirt. Her focused gaze fell on the few chicks that, startled by the cold wind outside the burrow, had retreated back into the warmth of the cave and were peeking out tentatively.

Little Jinbao, who had been hiding behind Ling Zhan at the edge of the bamboo basket with only half of its fluffy little head showing, was attracted by the lively scene. It curiously squeaked, jumped out, and tilted its head to look into the cave.

"Gah—! Gah gah gah gah!!!"

The flock of birds instantly erupted into chaos again! Especially the large white gander, the biggest in size, with a long neck, a domineering gaze, and a bright red wart on its head, which had been standing on a high rock at the entrance of the cave! It seemed to regard Little Jinbao's "squeak" as the ultimate provocation, and its patience with Ling Zhan, the "intruder," had reached its limit!

"hold head high--!!!"

A piercing howl, a mixture of anger and foolish courage, ripped through the silence of the mountaintop! Goose King has struck!

It leaped down from the high rock, spreading its broad wings, stretching its neck, its flat beak like a poisoned spearhead, its momentum fierce, like a white arrow released from a bow, aimed directly at Ling Zhan's most vulnerable eyes as he crouched! The wind whipped up by its wings even stirred up bits of grass on the ground! On this mountaintop where the food chain is relatively simple, the fighting power of the goose tyrant should not be underestimated!

Unexpected changes occurred!

Ling Zhan's eyes suddenly sharpened!

Without even standing up, the crouching body swiftly reached back with one hand, accurately scooping the curious little Jinbao back into a safe distance. Simultaneously, the other hand, in a flash, shot out even faster, with a sharp whooshing sound!

It wasn't a block, nor an attack. It was a grappling technique born from a battle instinct honed through countless trials and tribulations, ingrained in the very bones!

"puff!"

A muffled thud.

The large, white goose, so aggressive and determined, had its long, powerful neck firmly and steadily gripped by a long, calloused hand with distinct knuckles. The position was outrageously cunning, the force as skillful as art, precisely positioned below the point of impact, effectively choking off the source of its power.

The white goose, though filled with rage and frantically flapping its wings, was like a snake whose vital point had been seized; all its momentum was instantly locked away.

It futilely kicked its two large webbed feet, emitting hoarse cries of "ga...uh...ga..." as if its fate were being choked, filled with astonishment, disbelief, and grievance. In its tiny, beady eyes, anger was quickly replaced by bewilderment and a hint of "this is not scientific" grievance.

The world fell silent instantly.

The chickens that had been pecking at their food froze, the noisy ducks fell silent, and the other restless geese also stopped moving. All the birds' eyes were fixed in horror on the goose that had been easily "held" and was now flapping its wings in mid-air, before turning in unison to the human who was still calmly squatting down and had averted a "catastrophic disaster" with just one hand.

A mountain breeze swept by, leaving only the futile flapping of the goose's wings and its aggrieved "uh...uh..." sounds.

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