The fields were neatly arranged, with crops shining brightly from the roots to the leaves and the ears of grain, looking like golden ornaments. In the dark mountains, they stood out, shrouded in mystery.
Everyone present was drawn in by Feng Yi'an's words. Was there really such a strange sight in the thick fog of the mountains?
"Who is farming there?" Xu Yueping asked.
Feng Yi'an shook his head, saying that a lost ranger had discovered the place but didn’t dare to get close.
Afterward, they reported it immediately, and higher-ups came to investigate, but they couldn’t find it again.
Old Liu, who was over seventy, sighed, "The night is endless, and there are too many unknowns in the deep mountains and marshes. The vast uninhabited areas are extremely dangerous. Even the lord of the nearby city would find it hard to venture deep."
"Old Liu, have you encountered strange things too?" Qin Ming asked.
Old Liu nodded, recalling, "Not just in the wilderness; even near our home, there have been odd occurrences."
When he was a boy, he and his friends were flying kites at the village entrance. When they reeled in the line, it felt sticky, and there was blood on the kite.
"Right at our village entrance?" Yang Yongqing was surprised and couldn't help but look out at the night sky.
Qin Ming hesitated and said, "Could it have been a bird that got hurt and crashed into the kite?"
"Maybe. When my grandfather saw the bloody kite string, his expression changed immediately. He told me to keep it to myself. It's been decades since then," Old Liu said.
Such things happening right at home always made people feel uneasy.
Xu Yueping said, "Let's hear more about the mountains from Brother Feng."
"Have you heard of the beasts crying at graves?" Feng Yi'an mentioned cautiously, with a look of reverence and a very complex expression.
"What kind of graves are crying?" someone asked. They had wandered the mountains for years and had never encountered such a thing.
Feng Yi'an replied, "Beast graves."
"Do wild beasts even have burials?" Xu Yueping was astonished.
Feng Yi'an nodded, saying, "The uninhabited areas covered in night fog are awe-inspiring; all sorts of strange things can happen."
That day, the old leader of the ranger group noticed something unusual in the mountains. Worried about a mysterious creature evolving further and causing chaos, he quietly approached.
"The old leader wanted firsthand information to see what kind of 'strange bug' or 'famous beast' was enhancing itself so we could prepare and respond accurately."
After all, creatures that had mutated multiple times had different abilities, and to deal with them, different measures and methods needed to be prepared.
The old leader suddenly realized that the strange noise was actually crying. He didn’t stop, and then he saw a white-haired old beast sobbing at a grave in the night, which was quite eerie.
Feng Yi'an said, "That dilapidated earth grave has existed for at least a thousand years. The ancient cypress growing on it has lived for at least a thousand years."
The old leader saw the white-haired mountain beast bowing its head as if in prayer, and there were light rains falling around the grave, illuminating the dark forest.
Then, more birds of prey descended from the night sky, and monsters emerged from the swamp to join in the worship.
At this point, Feng Yi'an stopped.
"And then?" someone urged.
Feng Yi'an continued, "The old leader risked getting closer to see the true form of the white-haired mountain beast. He planned to go back and check if there were any records about it locally, so he could prepare accordingly."
The white-haired old beast bowed and wept, then inexplicably began to mutate. The crying at the grave seemed like a mysterious ritual that elevated its life level.
The old leader quietly retreated, but on the way back, he began to cough up blood and felt an itch all over his body. Although he returned alive and reported what he saw, he ended up dying from his flesh rotting away.
"A large group was sent in from above, and a fierce battle broke out in the mountains. It’s said that if the news hadn’t been relayed in time, there would have been a great disaster once the white-haired old beast fully matured."
Everyone felt heavy-hearted. Outside the mountains, things were relatively peaceful, but in the unseen places, there were hidden dangers. Some people were silently guarding the mountains, fighting.
Old Liu, with his white hair and wrinkled face, sighed, "There are more than just one or two people like the old leader. A close friend I made when I was young stayed in the mountains for years, stopping dangerous creatures. In the end, he grew old, and I don’t know if he died in the mountains, but he never came back."
Feng Yi'an nodded, saying, "Most of the members of our ranger group have been seriously injured. Some of them have even met terrible ends, leaving no bones behind."
He used the old leader's master as an example, "Back then, that old senior was extremely skilled and respected. He had already retired honorably after losing an arm, but when he heard there was a dangerous mountain monster, he worried that his juniors wouldn’t be able to handle it. He stopped others from going to their deaths and dragged his broken body into the fight."
In that battle, although the old leader's master severely injured the mountain monster, he also died tragically, leaving behind a large pool of blood and only half a blade.
"That old senior's greatest wish in life was to be buried outside the mountains, alongside his deceased wife and children. But his wish went unfulfilled, and his soul could not return, lost in the dark mountains." Feng Yi'an shook his head and sighed.
The old man’s wife and children had died too early due to the rampaging mountain monsters, and he never remarried.
The ranger group brought back his blood-stained broken blade and buried it next to his wife and children's grave.
Hearing all this, Qin Ming felt that even the strong liquor had lost its flavor, and he fell silent.
Feng Yi'an, feeling down, said, "In the end, rangers are left with the injured, the dead, and those who go mad in the mountains, eating raw meat like beasts, turning into complete monsters. Sigh, we don’t even know how our group will end up. Maybe the mountains will be our final resting place."
The atmosphere at the table was a bit heavy. With changes in the mountains, perhaps a sweep was imminent, and no one knew what would happen next.
Feng Yi'an downed his drink and said, "Brother Xu, I’ll need you to plant the seeds."
He carefully took out a wooden box from his pocket. Inside were four black seeds, about the size of kidney beans.
Xu Yueping was taken aback, "We’re planting them in winter?"
Feng Yi'an's expression was serious, "If we put them in the fire spring now, they can grow vigorously by early spring. This time, the ranger group will definitely be at the forefront. Some brothers' lives are probably starting a countdown. Even if they survive, they might be half-disabled. I don’t know if they can last until the 'Black Moon' grows. This is a life-saving medicine for many people. Old Xu, you must pay attention!"
The Black Moon takes root in the fire spring, its leaves like orchids. When the full buds bloom, each petal resembles a black crescent moon, scattering dark light and swirling white mist.
Feng Yi'an wiped a bit of liquor from his beard and stood up to say goodbye, "Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Xu. If I survive the sweep, let’s gather again."
"Brother Feng is highly skilled; you will surely turn misfortune into fortune," Xu Yueping replied.
The people present saw Feng Yi'an off to the village entrance, watching him disappear into the night.
"The situation isn’t good, but the ranger group is still considerate, only sending four seeds. The spirit drawn from the fire spring can withstand it." Someone said.
Rangers not only monitor the dangers in the mountains but also guard them. People everywhere are willing to plant life-saving herbs for them and do not resist.
According to the agreement, each village must provide four to eight Black Moon plants each year. Just four plants won’t have much impact on the crops in the fire fields.
The people present dispersed.
Old Liu hadn’t left yet, staring at the four black seeds, "They really managed to cultivate them."
As Qin Ming left, he noticed Xu Yueping looking troubled.
...
The streets were busier, with many people carrying bows and hunting forks, preparing to enter the mountains.
Yesterday, they had asked Qin Ming in detail about the situation in the mountains, and today they began to take action.
Mainly, the food supplies at home were running low, and food was scarce.
"Big harvest! We hunted two horned deer!"
A group returned, bringing good news and a bountiful catch.
"Currently, the outer areas of the forest have calmed down. As long as we don’t venture too deep, we can hunt cautiously."
The next day, more people entered the mountains in groups, bringing back plenty of game.
Many children cheered, unbothered by the cold, exhaling white mist as they ran around the streets, making the village atmosphere noticeably better.
"Uncle, come to my house for a taste! We’re having deer meat today!" Wen Rui happily called out to Qin Ming.
Qin Ming had eaten wild game before and was just leaving Lu Ze's house when he saw Xu Yueping frowning as he returned from the village entrance.
"Uncle Xu, did you go to see someone off?"
"Yes, the ranger group’s people came and urged me to plant the Black Moon seeds," Xu Yueping said.
Qin Ming felt that being a ranger was indeed not easy. Facing various dangers, one could easily get injured or even die.
He saw Xu Yueping lost in thought, his brow furrowed, so he didn’t say much.
That day, after the last group entered the mountains, it caused a stir because most of them were injured, covered in blood, and had lost their game.
"That was close! We encountered a mutated snow ape. Old Chen almost had his arm torn off." The villagers who escaped were still shaken.
"Fortunately, we drove it back with bows and arrows and managed to escape." They had survived a close call and said they shouldn’t have gone that deep next time.
The thick night fog cleared, and a new day began. Although some were injured yesterday, it didn’t scare others away because there were new hunters with them.
However, it wasn’t long before another group returned, many of them injured, and the most severely hurt was a new hunter.
His left shoulder blade was shattered, one leg bent unnaturally, his chest caved in, and he was foaming at the mouth, unsure if he would survive.
"What happened?"
"We ran into a blood bear!" someone said, trembling.
Blood bears are powerful mutated creatures, their fur red like blood, fierce and brutal. Even new hunters might not survive an encounter with one.
"What about Lu Ge?" Qin Ming quickly ran to the neighboring yard.
"He went into the mountains." Liang Wanqing, upon learning the situation, became anxious.
"I'll go find him!" Qin Ming turned to leave.
Xu Yueping, realizing there was still a group missing, immediately called for all the new hunters to enter the mountains.
Qin Ming ran ahead, kicking up large waves of snow, startling Xu Yueping, who was closest to him, while the others were already far behind.
As they neared the forest, Qin Ming stopped because a group was staggering out.
He spotted Lu Ze being carried out.
"Lu Ge!" He rushed over.
Lu Ze looked pale, eyes closed, his clothes torn and bloodied, with severe injuries to his chest and abdomen, at least three ribs broken.
Nearby, there were cries; two of the severely injured had already passed away.
"Did the blood bear hurt you?" Qin Ming asked.
Someone, still shaken, said, "Yes. If the rangers hadn’t shown up, many of us might have died."
Qin Ming stared into the dark forest and drew out his shiny short knife.
Xu Yueping arrived and stopped him, saying, "Don’t take risks. We need to go back first!"
Liang Wanqing, seeing Lu Ze being carried back, turned pale with fright and stumbled over, crying loudly with the two children.
"Sister-in-law, Lu Ge just fainted," Qin Ming reassured her.
He had checked carefully; Lu Ze's broken ribs hadn’t pierced any organs. After he set the bones and treated the wounds, it wasn’t too serious.
Many people were injured this time, and even standing in the street, one could hear the cries of the elderly and children.
The atmosphere in the village was heavy. Xu Yueping ordered that from now on, no one was allowed to enter the mountains.
Qin Ming entered Xu Yueping’s yard and found Old Liu and Yang Yongqing there too.
"Are you planning to kill the blood bear?" Xu Yueping asked in the house.
Qin Ming spoke softly, "Although Lu Ze has injuries from the bear’s claws, the broken ribs look more like they were punched."
"If you feel that way, it’s likely man-made," Xu Yueping suddenly stood up, showing anger, "Some people have gone too far!"
Qin Ming had sensed something and had some guesses.
Ever since Xu Yueping got the four seeds, he had been troubled.
"Why?" Qin Ming asked, suspecting something but finding it hard to accept.
Xu Yueping's voice was low, "The ranger group pressured me to immediately plant the Black Moon seeds. I didn’t agree, and I didn’t expect them to retaliate like this."
Old Liu said, "The seeds have issues; they must have mutated and will absorb a lot of the fire spring’s spirit, affecting the farming in the fire fields. There might be famine next year."
Qin Ming was unsettled. Seeing the big bearded Feng Yi'an so bold, sharing the sorrowful stories of the rangers, made one feel touched, yet he ended up doing such things.
Yang Yongqing said, "What Feng Yi'an mentioned is all true, but it has nothing to do with the main members of the current group!"
Qin Ming recalled his earlier words: some rangers are very responsible.
At that time, he felt that Yang Yongqing seemed to hint that some were very irresponsible, expressing it quite subtly.
Old Liu lowered his voice, "This group has hunted blood bears before. I seriously suspect that someone is wearing that bear skin and doing evil."
Hearing this, a surge of anger rose in Qin Ming’s heart. Rangers should guard the mountains and protect the people, earning their respect, but what were they doing? They appeared generous and responsible but were secretly committing evil, their hands stained with the blood of villagers. Where was their former conscience?
"Is Brother Xu home?" Feng Yi'an led four rangers into the yard.
"It’s all our fault. We failed to protect our fellow villagers this time," the big bearded Feng Yi'an said with guilt, stating that they would immediately go hunt the blood bear.
Xu Yueping’s fingers were turning white from clenching his fists in his sleeves, but he couldn’t explode; he had to maintain his composure.
He felt incredibly uncomfortable; the other party killed people and then came to apologize, which was like looking down from a height, smiling mockingly.
Qin Ming sat quietly, temporarily suppressing the urge to draw his knife.