Chapter Thirty-Two: Something Has Happened!

After finishing his meal, Zhao Zheng lay on his bed to rest. After several days of recuperation and proper nutrition, he felt full of vigor. Every morning, he would wake up feeling as stiff as a rod.

Perhaps due to eating too much, he felt a bit groggy. In his daze, he heard a knocking at the courtyard gate, followed by an urgent voice from outside: "Old Zhao, are you home?"

"Who is it?" Zhao Zheng jolted awake.

"It's me, Dashan. Come out quickly, something has happened!" shouted Xu Dashan.

Zhao Zheng threw on some worn-out clothes, slipped into his straw sandals, and went outside. Yang Zhaodi and her sister-in-law hurriedly followed.

"Dashan, what's wrong?" Although he couldn't see Dashan’s expression, he could sense the anxiety in his tone.

"Old Man Ma's family went to Golden Rooster Mountain to hunt bears, but they ran into a tiger. The old man was bitten, and his second son was injured too. Word is that a hunter from Xiaomao Village was snatched away by the tiger!"

Xu Dashan added furiously, "Those damn Mas! We told them yesterday not to go to Golden Rooster Mountain, but they insisted they were skilled enough. Well, look at them now—bringing disaster upon themselves and others..."

Zhao Zheng frowned. Had the tiger from Pig's Snout Mountain come to Golden Rooster Mountain? Could it be that the bloodstains from the bear he killed yesterday had lured it here? *I can’t be blamed for this,* Zhao Zheng thought. *I already gave a warning; it was the Ma family who were overestimating their abilities.*

"Come on, pack your things and join the villagers to go to Golden Rooster Mountain to rescue them!" Xu Dashan said irritably.

"At night?" Zhao Zheng hesitated. "Dashan, you know about my foot. It hasn't healed yet, and running for my life yesterday only made it worse. If I come along, I won't be any help; I'll just be a burden."

Xu Dashan frowned, knowing about Zhao Zheng's injury. "With a crisis this big, if you don't show your face, who will help you if something happens to your family later?"

"Don't worry, it's not just the men from our village; the people from Xiaomao Village are going too. There will be at least one or two hundred of us. Even if the Tiger King itself showed up, it wouldn't stand a chance." Xu Dashan patted Zhao Zheng’s shoulder. "Just stay at the back. As long as you’re there, that’s all that matters."

Since he had put it that way, Zhao Zheng knew it was useless to refuse. "Fine, I'll go."

"You two stay home. I’ll be back soon," he said.

"Father-in-law, please be careful," Yang Zhaodi said, her heart burning with anxiety.

Zhang Xiao'e complained, "The Ma family is really a menace to everyone. Is a bear really something you can just hunt whenever you please?"

Zhao Zheng shook his head, grabbed his old firewood axe, and limped toward the village entrance. By then, over a hundred men, young and old, had already gathered.

Those without able-bodied men at home or those who were too elderly were exempt. Many held torches, illuminating the surroundings brightly. Xu Youde stood at the front, and beside him stood none other than Ma Dazhu. At this moment, Ma Dazhu stood there dejectedly, looking as if he had lost his soul. If it hadn't been for his suggestion, this tragedy wouldn't have occurred.

"Men, is everyone here?" Xu Youde asked. "I'm sure you all know what happened, so I won't repeat it. Grab your tools and let's go to Golden Rooster Mountain to save them."

The words were spoken, but no one moved. Someone said, "Uncle Youde, we haven't had a proper meal. We don't even have the energy to walk, let alone save anyone. How are we supposed to help?"

"There are bears and a tiger up there. Even with so many of us, who can guarantee we won't get hurt?"

"Exactly. This isn't a game. Are the Mas offering anything?"

Hearing this, Xu Youde remained silent. He was also unhappy; the Ma family had no sense of etiquette. They asked the village for help but didn't even offer a drop of water or a kind word. Why should anyone help them?

"Dazhu, say something," Xu Youde prompted.

Ma Dazhu lifted his head. "Uncles and brothers, you all know the kind of man I am. If you help me, I will surely keep it in my heart. If you ever need anything in the future, just ask." He paused, then added, "That tiger has already been wounded by us; it won't last long. Once we catch it, we'll split it among ourselves."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng laughed. Hiding in the crowd, he called out, "If it's such a good deal, would it even reach us? Besides, if we all hunt the tiger together, it should be shared regardless. Aren't you just using our own potential prize to bribe us? Who does that!"

The crowd echoed his sentiment. "That's right, he has no manners." "Dazhu, that's not right of you."

Ma Dazhu scanned the crowd desperately, trying to find who had spoken, but there were too many people to identify the voice. He gritted his teeth and said, "Once we save them, I'll treat everyone to a meal. It won't be a feast, but I promise no one will leave empty-handed!"

"Really?"

"Absolutely!" Ma Dazhu nodded heavily.

Xu Youde said, "Everyone, Dazhu has given his word. If he goes back on it, I won't spare him. It's getting late, let's head into the mountain to save them. Don't let the people of Xiaomao Village think our Xiaoshan Village lacks integrity!"

"Let's go, into the mountain!"

Only then did the villagers agree to head out. Zhao Zheng stayed at the very back of the group. He even saw Zhao Wei and Zhao Yi, who had come over earlier just to taunt him, telling him not to get snatched by the tiger.

Zhao Zheng took his axe from his storage, tucked it into his waistband, and hid it under his clothes; it would serve as a deterrent if something went wrong. If all else failed, he still had his compound bow.

Halfway there, the people from Xiaoshan Village met those from Xiaomao Village. The group from Xiaomao was led by their village chief, and as soon as they met, tensions flared. The Xiaomao villagers accused the Xiaoshan hunters of being dishonest and hiding the truth, claiming they were supposed to be hunting bears, only for a tiger to appear.

Ma Dazhu, the son of the man who had been snatched by the tiger, was punched twice in the face by a young man from the other village: "If my father doesn't make it, I’m not done with you."

Coincidentally, Zhao Zheng recognized this young man—he was the stall owner who had sold him chamois skin at the market. He didn't expect him to be the nephew of the Xiaomao village chief. No wonder things had escalated so much. Still, he had no intention of interfering and stayed silently in the crowd, letting them argue.

Xu Dashan finally stepped in: "No one expected this to happen. Even if you beat him to death now, it won't bring your father back. Besides, the men of our Xiaoshan Village have guts; we didn't make excuses, and here we are, trudging through the dark to help."

"Xiaolong, come back," commanded Mao Dahai, the chief of Xiaomao Village. "Find your father first. We'll settle the rest of the score later!"

The two groups temporarily quieted down. By midnight, the two hundred men from both villages arrived at the foot of Golden Rooster Mountain.

The night was pitch black, and one could not see their own fingers. The dark, looming Golden Rooster Mountain felt like a black hole, swallowing all the light from their torches. For a long moment, not a single person dared to take the lead and enter.