Mountain Top Aquaculture
"Caw caw caw—!"
The brief silence was shattered by an even more frenzied roar!
The flock of chickens, ducks, and geese seemed to be whipped by an invisible lash, scrambling in terror toward the darkness deep within the cave, their feathers flying wildly, their clumsy bodies colliding with each other.
Ling Zhan released his hand.
"Thump!"
The big white goose crashed into the wet mud, dizzy and disoriented, and tumbled and crawled into the deepest part of the flock, leaving only its plump, trembling white rear end facing outwards.
The pickaxe tip scraped against the rock, making a harsh "sizzling" sound.
Ling Zhan stepped into the shadows at the cave entrance.
boom--!
The chaotic sound waves were like solid fists smashing out!
Feathers, screams, flapping wings, and frantic hooves mixed together in a boiling pot!
Pheasants scurried past, brushing against the scalp, their stench filling the air; wild ducks quacked and tumbled down the snowy slope; wild geese stretched their necks, groaning and crashing against the jagged rock face!
Ling Zhan was forced to take half a step back by this "torrent of living creatures"!
Instinctively, it held the wing horizontally in front of it, slicing apart an oncoming wing.
A tearing pain shot through her shoulder—Jinbao's claws dug into her flesh, its piercing squeaks almost shattering her eardrums, and its bristling golden fur rubbed against her chin.
The chaos finally subsided.
The cave entrance was a mess: scattered feathers, messy footprints, a few broken branches, and several dumbfounded ducks spinning in circles.
Ling Zhan expressionlessly brushed off the feathers and down from his shoulder, his fingertips brushing over the small, bleeding hole on his shoulder.
She took out a tinderbox and lit the torch, which was covered in a thick layer of pine resin. The leaping flame tore through the darkness, and the smell of sulfur mingled with the strong stench of livestock and... moisture.
It surged in, hot and steamy.
"Squeak...squeak!"
Jinbao clung tightly to her, his little head desperately trying to shrink back, the fear still lingering in his dark eyes.
Ling Zhan stopped.
Reaching deep into the backpack, he fumbled for a moment and pulled out a small piece of something—wrapped in oil paper, its unique aroma of burnt charcoal mixed with grease instantly filling the air.
Top-grade jerky.
Jinbao's little nose twitched suddenly, his eyes were fixed on the jerky, then he looked at the deep hole, and a gurgling swallowing sound came from his throat. The struggle lasted only a moment.
The little paws stretched out eagerly—
Squeak! Reward!
A piece of jerky the size of a fingernail was stuffed into its mouth.
Jinbao immediately began chewing, his cheeks bulging, and his eyes instantly brightened.
It licked its paws, flicked its tail, and tentatively leaped into the dim depths, occasionally turning back to check if the firelight was following.
Torches illuminate the rugged stone walls.
After walking a few dozen steps, the space suddenly opened up!
Damp, shimmering stone pillars hung from the towering cave ceiling, and the ground was covered with a thick, soft layer of bird droppings mixed with withered grass.
The warm air currents carried the clear sound of flowing water.
"Squeak squeak squeak—!"
Jinbao excitedly pointed to one side. Passing several enormous, monstrous stalagmites resembling fangs, white mist billowed into view!
A pool of emerald green water bubbled and steamed, the strong smell of sulfur filling the nostrils!
Thick white frost crystals have formed on the edge of the pool.
Hot water overflowed from the pool, forming a steaming stream that meandered and disappeared into the darkness.
On the rocky cliffs by the stream, large patches of lush, dripping green ferns thrive.
The area surrounding this pool of hot water resembles a small market.
On the dry stone platform: a thick layer of withered grass, feathers, and a few scattered pieces of broken eggshells.
Beside a muddy puddle: in a few "little houses" made of mud plastered with branches, several furry creatures huddled together, trembling and emitting weak "grunts" (wild boar piglets), their bright black eyes reflecting fearfully in the torchlight.
Across the stream on the pebble beach: two yellowish-brown "deer" with white spots are sika deer calves, huddled together, their big, wet eyes full of vigilance, their thin legs trembling slightly.
Under the large rock behind the hot water pool, in a thick layer of dry grass, a fluffy, round black bear cub was sleeping soundly, snoring away, with gnawed bones and fruit pits scattered around it.
"Squeak squeak squeak—!"
Jinbao jumped for joy when he saw the bear cub!
Its natural courage seemed to have returned. Like a little lord surveying its territory, it hopped and skipped closer to those "little houses".
The "humming" sounds inside immediately turned into terrified screams.
Jinbao stopped a few steps away, tilted his little head, and made a low, soothing "gurgling" sound in his throat.
The little paw skillfully rummaged around its cheek, where there was a delicate little leather pouch that Shen Yan had made for it. It picked out some bits of jerky that it hadn't finished eating earlier, carefully placed them on the ground, and then very "sensibly" took two steps back, squatted down, and blinked its bright black eyes at it.
A little wild boar with a spotted nose hesitated for a moment, then quickly snatched up a scrap of meat and retreated back inside, chewing it happily with gusto.
Jinbao clapped his little paws happily and added a little more.
More little heads curiously crowded around.
Ling Zhan ignored it.
The torch was pointed towards the depths of the steaming stream.
After walking for a while, a faint light appeared ahead! They rounded a massive, screen-like rock wall—
Light! Suddenly everything became clear!
A giant "bowl" is embedded in the sinkhole inside the mountain!
Several golden beams of light pierced down from the high rock crevice, illuminating the bottom. The steaming stream widened here, rushing through a patch of grass that had been eroded but had a thick, fertile base! At the end of the beams of light, in the northwest corner, behind dense vines—a steep crevice! Beyond the crevice, she could vaguely see the familiar grassy slope, and even glimpse a corner of the stone hut she had built!
Ling Zhan's gaze slowly swept across the sinkhole: sunlight, water sources, grasslands, and hidden passages.
She turned and walked back.
Beside the hot spring, Jinbao was squatting on a rock, tossing a few red berries with his little paws. The fragrance of the wild berries disturbed the black fur ball in the hay.
The little bear cub opened its eyes groggily, its wet black nose twitching, and made a babyish whimper as it clumsily crawled toward the fruit.
Jinbao squeaked, a little smug, and rolled the biggest fruit in front of it.
The little bear cub stuck out its pink tongue to lick it, then clumsily used its paws to scoop it into its mouth, smacking its lips contentedly, looking at Jinbao with a bewildered yet curious gaze.
The piglets are no longer afraid and are rooting around the spot where Jinbao had previously placed meat scraps.
Although the two fawns were still standing far apart, their ears were no longer tense, and their big eyes were staring curiously at the "golden monkey".
Ling Zhan approached.
The little piglet with the spotted nose grunted and came closer, rubbing its wet, cool nose against her muddy trouser leg.
Ling Zhan paused almost imperceptibly.
She slowly squatted down.
That hand, accustomed to wielding knives and snapping countless necks—
With fingers covered in mud and fresh scratches, hesitantly and somewhat stiffly, he gently touched the piglet's warm, soft head.
The little pig grunted contentedly, and instead of flinching away, it rubbed against the ground even more vigorously, its little tail wagging like a windmill.
Then it flipped over with a "plop," revealing its pink, adorable little belly with cute folds, its four hooves in the air.
The other piglets also grunted and gathered around to sniff her.
Ling Zhan stared at it silently for a few seconds.
I stood up and looked around the area: grassy slopes, puddles, and the concave rock face below the cliff that could block out some of the wind.
“Here,” the voice wasn’t loud, but it was like a cold block of iron hitting the ground, with an undeniable penetrating power that struck straight into the divine sense, instantly drowning out all the soft humming and pecking sounds, “it’s yours.” The finger pointed to the grassy slope, the puddle, and the hollow in the rock wall.
"Eat grass. Drink water. Sleep. This place." His gaze swept over the flock of chickens, ducks, and geese, finally settling on the white rump of that cowardly goose.
"No fighting." He paused, his eyes like the sharp tip of an icy blade. "Who's causing trouble..."
The white buttocks suddenly shuddered!
"……roll."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment. The chickens and ducks cautiously retreated to the edge of the grass.
The flock of geese huddled by the water's edge, as quiet as a group of fake birds.
The pigs grunted and began rooting in the ground again.
Ling Zhan walked to a recess in the rock wall. His gaze swept over a thick, grayish-brown vine, more than a thumb thick, that was emerging from a crevice in the rock beside him—a resilient vine.
She walked over, grabbed the thickest one with both hands, and strained her waist and back!
"Crack!"
The vine broke, and its rough surface scratched several glaring red marks on her palm, even oozing blood.
She seemed oblivious and tore off a few more strands.
Lift your foot.
He kicked aside a piece of gravel blocking his way with a "bang".
With a force exerted by his shoulder, he smashed open a jagged, protruding rock with a loud thud.
Grab a vine and forcefully shove, poke, and wed it deep into the crevice of the rock! Pull the other end toward a clump of short, sturdy bushes nearby.
Fingers clumsily twisted and knotted... and came loose. They tried to twist again... but it still came loose.
She frowned, then simply bit one end of the vine with her teeth and jerked her head back!
Arm muscles bulged, and he pulled backward with all his might!
The rough vines dug deep into his flesh, and his knuckles turned pale from the force!
Repeatedly wrapped and tightened! Sweat mixed with the mud and grime on his face slid down and dripped onto his clothes.
A crooked, sparsely woven "roof" of vines barely clung to the recess in the rock face. Better than nothing.
She took a breath and reached into her clothes. She pulled out a stiff oil paper package, carefully opened it, and inside was the last bit of dark, coarse bread mixed with bran. She carefully broke off a small piece, looked at it, and then, with a pang of regret, broke off an even smaller half.
Place it in your palm and crush it little by little with your fingertips until it becomes a coarse powder.
"eat."
The debris was evenly scattered on the drier ground in front of the shed.
It exploded instantly!
The chickens came flying over like madmen, pecking wildly!
Ducks and geese waddled and huddled together to grab food!
The piglets grunted and deftly gathered the crumbs with their snouts!
Even the cowardly goose stretched its neck and diligently shoveled food at the outermost edge of the duck flock, always maintaining the furthest distance.
Ling Zhan leaned against the cold, rough rock wall, slowly slid down, and exhaled a long, silent breath of hot air with a sulfurous smell.
He ripped off the tattered leather water pouch from his waist, pulled out the stopper, and tilted his head back to gulp down several mouthfuls of icy mountain stream water. The water rushed over his parched throat.
She spread her hands out.
Palm up, in the last glimmer of light from the sinkhole. It was crisscrossed with old scars, new scratches, deep red grooves carved by vines, and tiny beads of blood seeping from them, all deeply embedded in the grime. There was no knife to wipe it clean.
She simply used her mud- and blood-stained fingers to unconsciously rub the rough lines on her palms again and again.
The last golden rays of the setting sun sank into the distant mountains.
The thick, dark ink, carrying a biting chill, quickly engulfed the sinkhole.
The well-fed animals crowded into that pitiful shelter.
The chickens and ducks huddled together in the innermost corner of the vine-covered shed, keeping each other warm.
The flock of geese huddled together on the outer edge of the ground, shrinking into several white fluffy balls.
The pigs occupied the innermost, driest, and most sheltered rock hollow, with the piglets huddled under the warm, thick bellies of the adult sows, emitting soft, contented snores.
Ling Zhan hugged his knees, resting his chin on them, and watched silently.
The mountain wind swept through the sparse vines on the roof, making a low "whooshing" sound, like someone was crying.
Fingertips stained with mud, blood, and wounds.
Unconsciously and very lightly, I touched the warm and soft belly of the sleeping piglet with the flowery nose at my feet.
"Troublemaker..."
A barely audible murmur was carried away by the biting night wind.
The lines of those lips, which had always been taut like a knife's edge, seemed... less sharp in the deep darkness.
She closed her eyes and regulated her breathing.
My gaze habitually swept over this sleeping "territory" and landed on the little piglet with the spotted nose.
The little guy kicked his legs nervously, rolled over, and exposed his pink belly to the cold air.
Hmph—Chirp!
A short, suppressed, warning groan suddenly rang out!
Among the pigs, the largest black-haired sow suddenly raised her head! Her thick neck was taut like a stone, her ears stood up like radar, spinning wildly! Her nostrils flared violently, exhaling white steam! Her cloudy little eyes were fixed on the steep, rocky slope below the cliff, completely swallowed by an impenetrable darkness! The bristles all over her body seemed to stand on end!
Ling Zhan rubbed his fingers, which were covered in scars on his palm, and suddenly stopped!
The barely perceptible tenderness in his eyes froze instantly!
It transformed into a chilling light more piercing than an ancient ice cave! Its gaze, like two solid ice spikes, pierced the deep night, pinpointing precisely the direction the sow was staring at!
Deathly silence. Only the wind howled through the cracks in the rocks, like the wailing of ghosts.
She rose silently, like a shadow peeled from the rock.
He lightly touched the soft bottom of the little piglet with his toe, his voice low and cold, like a poisoned needle.
"Shut up. Lie down."
The piglets squealed in fear and desperately tried to burrow into their mother's arms.
Ling Zhan crouched low on the edge of the cliff, his aura vanishing instantly, as if he had merged into the cold rock.
His gaze, like the most precise probe, scanned the steep slope below, utterly dominated by darkness and strewn with jagged, fang-like rocks. The wind howled through the cracks in the rocks…
There seemed to be other noises mixed in?
His mud- and blood-stained palm clenched loosely, his knuckles gathering strength.
It emitted a subtle yet unsettling crackling sound.
The last trace of warmth belonging to a living person in his eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only pure, icy killing intent tempered in the battlefield of carnage.
The night was as thick as blood.
------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
