On the way back, Zhama was incredibly excited, gesticulating as he recounted the events of the previous night.

“I was helping my mother weave bamboo hats, very late at night, when we heard a clang on the roof—someone had thrown a stone up there…”

“Mother was frightened, so I grabbed my saber and a lamp to check. I was startled to find your friend Little Jiang lying on the ground, moaning…”

“I thought something had happened to him and quickly went over. When he raised his head, his expression was so tense it made my heart pound. He said the wild woman was right there…”

At this point, Zhama extended one finger, mimicking Yi Wansan’s gesture of secretly pointing in a direction. Fog drifted around them, and occasionally, the dawn chirping of birds could be heard.

He lowered his voice: “I saw her too, behind a distant haystack. She thought she was well-hidden, but when light shone over there, I could see her shadow—a patch of shadow. And when she breathed in and out forcefully, that clump of grass kept trembling and swaying…”

“My scalp tingled down to my back. So I called out—not a cry for help, but I shouted, ‘Oh, someone is sick!'”

“Many villagers came out, surrounding Little Jiang—men and women, old and young, everyone.”

Zhama cheerfully whistled, slinging his hunting rifle over his shoulder as he told Luo Ren and the others how clever he had been.

Once he had drawn people out and there were many of them, he felt more at ease and quietly passed the news from one person to the next.

At first, some people panicked a little, but they quickly calmed down. Wild animals occasionally strayed into the village—sometimes wolves or wild boars invaded, and in the most tense years, even bears had come. Everyone knew how to cooperate seamlessly.

Women, the elderly, and children quickly returned to their homes, closing doors, securing shutters, locking up, and barricading doors and windows with heavy furniture.

The able-bodied men dispersed, though some quickly regrouped, armed with tools, torches, and pitchforks, while others circled to the outskirts.

All the strong laborers in the village mobilized—about twenty men, four hunting rifles, and two dogs. Such intelligent dogs they were, following people’s footsteps in the night without making a sound.

Then, torches illuminated the haystack.

The wild woman wasn’t stupid. If she was confused at first, seeing the torchlight approach made everything clear. Before they could advance, she howled and fled.

That sound was like the bugle of battle. They all clamored after her, torches flickering like they would set the night forest ablaze. The dogs were barking now, human shadows were everywhere, and from the village came the sounds of women and children banging pots and gongs, as if cheering them on.

Hai~lo~lo…

Mountain people were never afraid of wild beasts when gathered in numbers. The fiercer and larger the beast, the more excited they became.

Yi Wansan called anxiously from behind: “Just chase her away, that’s enough…”

In the wave of the hunt, his voice was like smoke, dissipating before it could land.

The wild woman staggered. She had initially intended to head straight into the forest, but there, people who had circled ahead suddenly lit torches and shouted.

The wild woman had to detour, driven and surrounded by them, forced toward the trap outside the village.

It was specially designed for large predators, with sharp stakes and animal traps at the bottom, nearly three meters deep. It had an impressive record, having caught a wild boar weighing almost two hundred catties, and even a bear once.

At this point in the story, Zhama’s face turned hateful, pointing at a young man who had come with them: “Suonan’s dog leaped up to bite her, but she grabbed it with one hand and twisted it like this—crack!”

Suonan couldn’t understand Mandarin but could read the gestures. Knowing Zhama was talking about his dog, his eyes reddened, and he turned away.

Fortunately, people were already guarding the trap. Seeing the wild woman step on it, someone pulled hard on a rope, removing the disguised cover, and the wild woman howled as she fell in.

Recalling it now, Zhama still felt a lingering fear: “She was formidable, very formidable, more so than wild beasts. She could still jump up from such a high trap opening! When she jumped, Uncle Bu Jiang was standing close and wasn’t paying attention. She clawed his leg, leaving such a long, bloody gash and tearing off a piece of flesh.”

“Then she jumped again, her hands already gripping the edge of the trap. Everyone was terrified, jabbing at her with pitchforks and firing guns—bang bang, bang bang bang…”

They fired all their bullets, the echoes of the shots lingering endlessly in the forest. After some time, everyone gradually stopped, planting their blood-stained pitchfork tips into the soil.

The torches illuminated the bottom of the trap. The wild woman lay there, her eyes wide open but without light, her face hit by a gunshot, pellets deeply embedded in her cheeks.

The other dog jumped down, barking and running around the wild woman, viciously tearing at her arms. Gradually, people also climbed down to look.

Villagers came out too, and many children played and chased around the trap opening. Zhama warned them: “Stay back, don’t fall in.”

Mother was bandaging Uncle Bu Jiang’s wound. Uncle Bu Jiang’s white beard blew in strands as he repeatedly sighed: “What a pity, what a pity!”

Uncle Bu Jiang was well-traveled and knowledgeable, having been invited many times by the township and county to introduce local customs and culture to visiting scholars. He regretfully mentioned that township officials had asked about wild people several times, saying that capturing one alive would have been valuable for scientific research.

Zhama turned around and saw Yi Wansan standing at the edge of the crowd, looking dazed.

He remembered when he first saw Yi Wansan lying on the ground, thinking he must have been injured, and quickly called his mother over to check.

Strangely, after examining him from head to toe, they couldn’t find even a single scratch or cut.

Zhama recalled asking him: “Where are you hurt?”

Yi Wansan didn’t answer the question directly. After a long while, he finally murmured a sentence.

Just chase her away, that’s enough.

Zhama recounted this as a heroic deed. Wolves and wild boars were often hunted, but wild people were rare—a topic that could be discussed at length during leisure time.

He also mentioned that because of this incident, even today’s market day has been canceled. Early in the morning, someone had harnessed a mule cart and hurried to the township. Uncle Bu Jiang said that even though she was dead, the wild woman still had scientific value, and they needed to report it to the township authorities.

He talked excitedly the whole way, completely failing to notice that there were no smiles on the faces of Luo Ren and the others.

Mu Dai walked with her head down, holding Luo Ren’s hand as he led her. Cao Yanhua and Huo Zihong lagged.

Cao Yanhua said, “Sister Hong, this journey has left me feeling so heavy-hearted.”

Huo Zihong replied, “Mm.”

Cao Yanhua wanted to say more, but suddenly remembered that Huo Zihong had lost her grandfather on this trip. His sudden feeling of dejection was truly incomparable to hers.

He sighed and swallowed what he had been about to say.

The murder note had harmed people, and they had retrieved it—wasn’t that a reasonable, righteous thing to do?

But why did it feel so wrong?

When digging a hole with the saber to bury that woman, the light in the cave flickered uncertainly. He struggled to catch his breath, feeling as if he had done something unconscionable.

And then there was that wild woman…

Cao Yanhua walked with uneven steps, remembering how the wild woman had tossed them two small apples, then walked away with heavy footsteps, snorting through her nostrils as if to say: “You two idiots.”

When Yi Wansan saw Luo Ren and the others, his eyes widened immediately.

They all stared at each other.

Five people, not one missing, yet each with a dirty, disheveled appearance, completely different from before.

Inside the house, a fire burned, filling the air with the fragrance of sweet potato and pumpkin porridge. Bamboo hats with flowers hung on the walls. Zhama’s mother was ladling porridge, the bowls and spoons making soft clinks.

It felt like another world.

Yi Wansan’s lips quivered as he asked, “None of you were hurt?”

He couldn’t explain why he asked this, but he felt that if any of them had been injured or severely hurt, he would have felt better somehow.

Just like last night, standing at the edge of the trap, looking down at the wild woman, meeting her hollow gaze. Suddenly, all the surrounding sounds became empty. He stood there dazed, thinking: I didn’t do anything wrong, did I? Cao Yanhua might have been killed by the wild woman; I was avenging my friend.

He recalled Cao Yanhua’s screaming declaration as he was taken away: “I’ll fight to the death with her! You must take the chance to run!” This made him feel more at ease. Yes, he hadn’t done anything wrong.

But today, suddenly, they all stood before him, completely unharmed.

Yi Wansan lowered his head, burying it deeply between his knees.

His vision blurred as the sound of the wild woman’s heavy breathing while carrying him on her back echoed in his ears.

Near evening, the person who had gone to report to the township returned with the mule cart, looking bewildered.

The township had no specific department responsible for scientific research. The receiving official wasn’t sure who should handle it, so he sent him back, saying they would record it, study it, and await instructions from higher authorities.

That night, the group stayed at Zhama’s house.

Luo Ren asked about the village elder, and Zhama took him to see Uncle Bu Jiang.

Among those who remained, the atmosphere was completely off. Huo Zihong became emotional, the memory of leaving Seven Raise Village with her grandfather still vivid, but when she returned, her grandfather was already sleeping in that well.

Yi Wansan remained silent, sitting across from Huo Zihong with his head down. Cao Yanhua paced around the room, suddenly approaching Mu Dai, framing Yi Wansan and Huo Zihong with his hands.

He whispered to Mu Dai: “Little Master Sister, look at these two with their heads hanging, sitting directly across from each other—don’t they look like two short-necked swans?”

Mu Dai, sitting cross-legged on the grass mat, scolded him impatiently: “Go away!”

Cao Yanhua felt rebuffed and somewhat disgruntled. In truth, he was only trying to lighten the mood.

After a while, he approached again mysteriously, his expression serious.

“Master.”

“Hmm?”

Why wasn’t he calling her Little Master Sister anymore? Mu Dai looked up at him.

“Those jewels, the ones in the cave—you just left them there?”

Mu Dai understood perfectly but remained silent, just glaring at him sideways until Cao Yanhua finally gave up, deflating.

He consoled himself: It’s fine, they’ll stay there as my treasure spot. In the future, if I’m poor and have nothing to eat, I’ll come back for them.

That would be much, much later, when the wild woman’s possibly existing siblings had died of old age—but anyway, these jewels should be registered on his wealth inventory.

Luo Ren returned very late. By then, Huo Zihong and the others were already asleep. Only Mu Dai sat waiting. Hearing a sound, she quickly opened the door and went out.

Seeing her, Zhama tactfully returned to his room alone.

Luo Ren smiled and said, “You’re still awake.”

Mu Dai didn’t respond, first looking back at Zhama to make sure he had closed his door. Then she ran over to Luo Ren, who embraced her and kissed her forehead.

He was a bit tired too and sat down with her on the drying platform, holding her close.

“I went with Zhama to see Uncle Bu Jiang and warned them to be especially careful these days. There might be other wild people in the mountains, and if they seek revenge for what happened, it would be bad.”

That made sense. Mu Dai looked up from his embrace: “What did Uncle Bu Jiang say?”

Luo Ren seemed a bit helpless: “They’re not afraid.”

He relayed Uncle Bu Jiang’s words to her: “Dead wolves have wolf brothers and wolf cubs; wild boars have boar sisters and boar uncles. If we ran away scared each time, would this village still be called a village?”

This Uncle Bu Jiang had quite a humorous way of speaking. Mu Dai tilted her head back and giggled, her eyes sparkling.

Luo Ren caressed her cheek gently. She lowered her head, her ears growing warm.

Luo Ren felt somewhat guilty toward her. Such a good girlfriend, and he had never taken her on a proper date. They always ended up in these rough places with injuries and bruises, hardly any opportunity for private moments, making her wait up so late.

He said, “After we get back, let’s go climb a snow mountain.”

Mu Dai was a bit surprised: “We’re just going back?”

“The murder note needs to be returned first. As for Seven Raise Village, Uncle Bu Jiang has promised to be extra vigilant with the villagers these days. I’ve asked Zhama to try to call me on market days when he goes to town. If by chance, traces of another wild person appear…”

Luo Ren hesitated, unsure whether to continue.

Mu Dai guessed his meaning: “We’ll come back?”

Luo Ren pondered for a moment.

“Not necessarily. Wild people are afraid of populous villages. If they carelessly show themselves, the people of Seven Raise Village might handle them. What I’m worried about is…”

“If our previous deductions are correct, that woman treated the cinnabar amber as a protective talisman. She hung a piece on the female wild person—might she have given another piece to the other wild person as well? If so…”

If so, the murder note they were bringing back would be… incomplete.