The Red Lands

[ForestRage]

Survival here means cheating death

Click to shrink...

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A Journey begins with a single step… or does it?
Bai Feng lived the life of a business graduate. He toiled his way up the corporate ladder, only to be cast aside by those with connections. Broken and demoted to a company branch in the country, he made an oath one night to live an average life--and then he woke up.
In a fantasy world where the rich prey on the poor, capitulation leads to death, and creatures and demons of legends become real, Bai Feng must navigate through dangers from man and beast alike. But first, he must come to terms with his new identity-- A starving twelve-year-old boy, residing in the village slums.
Now called Chu, Bai Feng finds himself living alone in a rickety shack on the frontiers of an infant Empire. Malnourished and without a copper coin to his name, he realizes he has transmigrated to face a torturous demise. Stifling his hunger, Bai Feng must climb out of poverty, while treating each step as his last.

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PROLOGUE​

Bai Feng burped again, as he stumbled towards his apartment. Crossing over the small stone and mud courtyard, he slipped on the narrow step and landed on his rear. The effects of the alcohol permeated into this infrequent drinker.
"Damn them. Is this all I'm worth?"
He wiped the perspiration dripping from his heated face.
The villagers in this rural village treated him kindly, inviting him on their weekly foraging trip in the mountains, as part of their social bonding. Holding a title of supervisor for a known Company helped open this path.
The young man, however, was not satisfied.
Not satisfied at all.
The people were great.
The mushroom and beer feast, excellent.
But he should not have to be here.
He looked up at the moon and stars, visible with clarity in the night sky and snorted. The smog-free smell tickled his nose and needed some time for acclimatization.
"Never, never will Bai Feng slave over in this world, especially for an ungrateful company."
He slurred.
Floundering up the steps, and scuffling at the unwilling lock, Bai Feng achieved victory and slammed into his apartment.
His harsh life had just begun...

Chapter 1- A Transfer​

"Huh? Where... what?" The ten seconds of being in a frozen stupor were understandable. What followed next for Bai Feng was also within reason. First came a scream, but a small hand quickly stifled it. As the eyes scanned the room, clearing away the fog of darkness, a scream did not seem like a good idea.

"What the hell?" He whispered. Before he could investigate further, a splitting headache assaulted him. The pain felt as if someone cleaved his head with an ax. Never in his twenty-eight years of life had he experienced such agony. He screamed. Like a neglected dam that cracked under a lifelong of wear, his voice first trickled out, and then gradually burst out in a sonorous scream.

The agony disappeared as quickly as it began, causing him to choke in mid-chorus. Like a young girl confronting her first cockroach, Bai Feng ended the note on a spluttering squeak. He rolled onto his back, panting with beads of sweat trickling from his many pores.

His senses returned, after that blast that turned everything white. He closed his eyes while raising his hand to massage his drenched temple. The dream seemed so real. "Is it because I'm poor? Why don't scheming rich kids have this kind of dream!"

Bai Feng had recently transferred to a rural branch from the bustling metropolis. He had come from a family that cycled along the invisible line separating the middle class from the poor. Working his way through University, he then climbed the ladder from a salesman to middle-management.

With average skills and a passing educational grade, he relied on his drive and ambition to climb the corporate ladder. Unfortunately, that drive and ambition were crushed, when Bai Feng encountered his first taste of favoritism. Steamrolled by a young master with connections, his colleagues betrayed him, breaking his spirit and leaving him with only one option— a transfer out of the city.

Jumbled memories, fragments of a past unfamiliar, bobbed along the river of his life. His mind operated as efficient as that of a drunkard. He found it hard to maintain some instance of clarity. "What is all this? Is it a side effect of my first time eating mushrooms while drinking beer?"

His last personal memory consisted of a venture into the forest with the locals. There he had learned to harvest mushrooms while learning about the poisonous ones. He participated in a village feast, before heading off to bed.

Strange thoughts surfaced--as a play unlike that which he had ever seen, acted out in his mind. A tragic tale of a boy struggling to survive in a harsh land. It ended with the last gasps as the curtain fell on the final scene. As the eyelids closed on that first-person outlook on a brief life, Bai Feng opened his eyes again.

His eyes focused in the darkness while he turned his head to the side. A heap of rags, on the barren earth, a small battered pot, resting on some stones. He wrinkled his nose as he inhaled a breath of chill, musty air. The rags seem to have a serious case of mold infection. The landlord will have to answer for this, maybe by cutting the monthly rent.

"Wait… Holy Crud!" Bai Feng sprang up as if bitten by an ant. The sudden action blurred his vision and slowed the blood to his brain. He collapsed in a heap, fainting from the exertion. A few minutes later, his eyes flickered open.

This time he used his thin arms to help prop himself into a sitting position. The previous pitch-black darkness, slowly retreated, revealing the present abode. He had seen this place before, in fact he had just witnessed the death of a person in this very room. Bai Feng trembled as his head dropped allowing his eyes to peer at his body.

"No, no, NO!" He turned and scrambled to raise himself, only to experience his vision clouding. This time he halted his abrupt movements, remembering to suck in some smelly air. He finally stood up, patting himself down, as he scanned his body. "A dream... has to be a dream." He paced a short distance, to and fro, trying to think of some logical explanation. His toes caught on the rag heap that served as his bedding, causing him to stumble and fall. His weak, atrophied legs barely supported his malnourished figure.

His hands brushed over the pot belly, bloated with air. 'Should he run out?' No, he decided. At least this place provided safety, and time to think. Between the branches that made up the wall, and roof, he could glimpse the twinkling stars. Through the moonlight that doubled as a nightlight, this shack constructed of branches and held together by vines became his fortress.

He pinched himself, slapped his face and flung his frail body onto the ground. Aside from the aching and the welts that would generate tomorrow, he remained grounded in this reality. The dream refused to dissipate.

Twice he walked towards the branches tied together to form a movable door. Each time he hesitated with his fingers trailing over the weather-beaten wood and unfurling vines. Each time he returned to sit on the rags.

"This is not a prank; my mind tells me it is very familiar with this place. I know what is in here, and what is out there… is this a past life from a reincarnation? Calm yourself, Bai Feng. Let's search our mind first."

Bai Feng spent the night searching through his memories. By arranging his thoughts and classifying the new memory fragments, he created a timeline. He filtered this according to the life story that now became more than just a simple dream.

The young man tried to match any knowledge gleaned from the boy to any known historical sites, place or time. "This place… this place does not seem like it belongs on earth. There are too many strange things. Maybe it's part of European history? But why am I here? My ancestors have lived in China. Is this dream related to some movie I watched?"

Bai Feng still left an option open in that this might be a dream. He twisted his body since the prolonged sitting birthed cramps and soreness of his muscles. Reclining on the rags to ward off the noticeable chill, he tried to grasp his predicament. Cramps from sitting… wait. Bai Feng unconsciously moved his hand to the front of his tattered nightgown.

Whew! If he had to live another life as a girl, the stress might be too great. No matter the sex, changing after nearly thirty years of living would pose a problem. He focused his mind after that useless diversion. Presently he had bigger problems than wondering how to use a washroom.

First, his mind controlled the body of a child—a twelve-year-old child if the new memories bore any merit, twelve years, give or take a year. Children; poor children did not have the means to celebrate birthdays. Bai Feng settled on the average, currently, age played no importance because he was as malnourished and weak as they come.

Secondly, this place—he scanned the meager surroundings again as if expecting it to change. This single room, dilapidated shack did not belong to him. He lived in it because when he moved to the slums, it had been vacant. The previous owner most likely had died, and the predecessor who owned this body had also followed. If current conditions continued, then during the oncoming winter, he would help to create a hattrick for this primitive hut.

"To sum it up, I am weak, living in the slums and more broke than an addict on payday." He wrinkled his nose as a light breeze seeped through the roof and walls, wafting in the fragrance of the Slums. Memories of the past owner, squatting near the entrance while depositing a load surfaced. The stench of urine permeated through with the wind.

"Damn, I am back in the stone age?" Bai Feng forced a laugh. This thing had to be a joke. He bolted up again and ran to the door, but his hands trembled, as he dare not push the barricade.

Whatever lay on the other side might destroy any semblance of hope and drive him insane.

His bloated stomach growled, reminding him of his position in the hierarchy of this world. With no snacks to feed on, nor any solid food, Bai Feng used his hands to massage and appease the growling demon. He burped out a mouthful of stale smelling air, wanting to retch at the foul scent originating from his stomach.

"Dammit! Who the hell ever heard of a reincarnation where the soul ended up near dead on arrival? Have a little consideration, man!" Bai Feng cursed while pulling the moldy rags towards and over him for warmth. He ignored his groaning hunger and huddled up to sleep in a fetal position.

This dream had to end, and maybe he just needed to fall asleep. Whatever happened tomorrow, would happen. Dying here would be a compassionate gesture—continued living like this would be hell. He woke up at dawn, cursing at the vision that entered his eyes. The dream did not end, forcing him to take the next step.

Even though he had the memories of the past body's owner, it would be his first time venturing into this world. Just the thought of this made his mind falter between fear and excitement. Rubbing his limbs and shaking his arms to ward of the numbness and cold, he sat up while covering himself like a cloak under the rag bedding.

The sunlight came streaming in through numerous cracks between the boards and the thatched roof. Bai Feng now had an ample view of his future home. His dwelling consisted of a simple six by six-foot square hut supported by rough cut branches and reject boards. A roof constructed of smaller branches that supported some straw and twigs helped keep out the sun.

Judging from the numerous rays and beam of light, piercing through, it seems that during rain one needed to find an optimal place to rest between leaks. Besides the rags on the bare ground, one corner had an old patched cloak hanging along with a shirt and pants. A rough staff used for support stood beside a pair of worn boots.

Another end had some stones with a blackened pot resting on them. That was the kitchen area, complete with a small knife spoon and a copper-colored mug. "What the heck is this thing patched with? What the hell, is this a strip of a vine?" Bai Feng muttered as his fingers poked their way out from a couple of holes in the cloak.

The door construed of some board and branches tied together with vines that shifted to one side unlocking the entrance. "Not like I have anything worth robbing." As he looked around, the entire structure was flimsily held together by strips of bark and vines. Under a hard breeze, this thing had one hundred percent chance of collapsing.

Scanning his memories, it seems that such a thing actually happened a couple of times in the past. Worse yet, a blistering winter loomed over the horizon, waiting to descend upon him. "Haha! OH, my freaking god!" This became one of the few times Bai Feng ever felt like raining curses in his life.

He did not come from a rich family, but they were not this poor either. If anyone looked at the scene they would find a malnourished thin child partly covered in rags; laughing with tears streaming down his face, while pummeling the ground with his little fist. "Wow!" Bai Feng finally settled down taking some deep breaths. "Damn, this is freaking unbelievable." Anything less and he may just sit down and wait to die.

Maybe he might really undergo a transfer out from this nightmare. He got up and stepped across to the kitchen, the little pot had some cold water mixed in with some roots. This supposed gruel turned out to be nothing more than flavored water. It served also as his everyday breakfast. One cup in the morning, and another healthy dose in the evening.

The taste fitted his plight, cutting down his raw throat like a cup of vinegar. He fumbled with the tin cup, downing the sour-smelling liquid in a rush to quell the early morning growls emanating from his bowels. With that bitter liquid warming him up by burning the life out of his digestive system, it was time to get ready for work.

This morning, however, he doubled dressed in the only two pairs of clothes he owned, ensuring he would at least be kept warm. The simple task of dressing himself proved to be a task. Bai Feng soon understood the problem. His basic hand and feet coordination sucked. Having a grown man control the body of a child only created chaos.

Luckily the fragments of consciousness from the previous owner remained. As the minutes of familiarity ticked by, the short periods of instability and fumbling decreased. By the time he dressed himself someone banged on his door, making him jump and fearful the shack would fall over.

The loud voice and banging continued until he yelled an answer. Grabbing his staff, he pushed the makeshift door out and slid it to the side. 'Oh crap, have a little pity for my little shack man!' "I'm coming!"

 

[ForestRage]

Chapter 2- First Experience​

Bai Feng made that first step from the security of his shack, out into the strange world. His emotions changed like a multicolored strobe light, one second, fear, the next, excitement. The uncertainty caused his heart to pound against his frail chest. "Hey, you okay Chu? You look a little lost. Try to be aware in the forest, remember what happened to Abby." The older boy said while staring at him inquisitively.

Bai Feng eyed him down. The speaker had a tuff of ruffled black hair, crowned with broken cobwebs. Soot and grime covered his skin, with splotches and smears on an ordinary looking face. He scanned the fragmented memory to find the name of this larger representation of a starving entity. It did not take him more than a few seconds—the previous occupant interacted with very few people, all commoners unworthy of a last name.

"I'm fine Ming. Let's go." He hesitated as he muttered the words, searching the boy's face for any sort of expression that would betray him as an impostor, but his fears proved groundless.

"No need to be so wound up, save your energy for work."

The slum was located on the western side of the village, just outside the wooden walls. The village allowed its existence because it served as fodder and an early warning for a bandit raid or wild animal attacks originating from the forest. Hence also, its strategic location between the village and forest. Walking out with the group of stumbling and weary children, Chu gazed around like the new tenant in the neighborhood.

The scattered huts made of sticks and grass dotted the landscape. The chill wind along with the bright colors of the distant trees highlighted the autumn season. The population of these shacks maintained a steady rate, never really increasing. Old people here would die out from the cold winters, strong youths would be recruited by bandits and young girls who survived the winter would be sold as slaves.

Weak humans with no power, had equal authority to a tamed pheasant, on a farm. Chu racked his memory while walking, learning that slavery also existed, another means to legally exploit the downtrodden. Gods and the Heavens played an important part in people's lives. The mysterious entities shouldered the blame of poverty and calamity one moment, then basking in the praises of the believers experiencing prosperity.

Maybe he had drifted through time on earth, sent by some spatial rift back into the middle ages. Damn the gods! Why me?

Wrinkled faces, resembling skeletons clad with skin peered out from some of the huts. Tottering with stooping backs they headed out to beg for scraps or dig for edible roots in the nearby countryside. The modern man quickly grasped the true existence of the slum—a place where the old and discarded came to die. But it served a hidden purpose, to absolve humanity of the guilt in shedding those deemed not worthy.

Chu wrinkled his nose, trying to avoid looking at the puddles and lumps of filth surround the shacks and littering the barren lawns. If the winter did not take his life, then certainly some virus or bacteria will.

He slowed his position to last in the group and slapped himself. He ignored the whispering children, pointing and curious as to his strange behavior. Like a rich tourist, he ignored the locals, stepping out from the path into the dirt road linking the village and the forest. Chu searched his memory, a task that now became the norm.

This road stretched from the south gate of the village, towards the lumberjack camp located inside the forest. The dusty road served as his lifeline. "Hurry, or else the villagers will bundle the drier pieces." Ming shouted, urging the patter of footsteps towards the distant trees. The towering trees had seemed close, but it took the group about two hours to pierce the tree-line.

The cold autumn weather fingered the trees, causing the myriad of yellows and red leaves to glide towards the decorated forest floor. "Stop standing like an idiot and follow us." Chu snapped out from his daze and closed his open mouth. Hustling as fast as his thin legs could carry him, he trod along the dirt road snaking between the trees.

Gigantic

He had never seen trees of this size in real. Some tall and straight, others branching and twisting, but all growing like mammoths. The forest floor remained sparse of undergrowth, with only some clumps of thickets and shrubs begging for sunlight. The road opened out into a clearing. Here the sounds of axes and shouting filled the air, as villagers scampered around the fallen trees, reaping the bundles of discarded branches and twigs.

Chu's very existence depended on this activity to survive. Within a few hours, his thin and weak construct had gathered a pile of wood from the perimeter where no one dared to go. Securing his bundle with vines and stripped bark, he soon followed the ant-like procession returning to the village. This time he had no time to wander his eyes since his unnatural large head focused on the road. Chu's back was bent near horizontal, as he only shifted when the wagons rolled past, straining with lumber.

Halting here, he knew he would not be able to continue.

Abandoning work led not only to the high possibility of starvation but to a probable vicious death. Last week a lone wolf burst out of the forest, pouncing on the girl called Abby. Dealing a swift kill to the anemic girl, the huge beast, dragged the meal into the depths of the forest. Ambushes like these became prevalent as winter drew near. He finally arrived at the Trading Post collection bay, located outside the south entrance.

One side of this large log structure had a place for hunters and trappers to place their catch for inspection, while a large shed on the opposite end housed the firewood bundles. Chu dropped his bundle and dragged his weary body over to the horse trough, waiting for his turn to drink. Resting for some time to regain his energy, he completed another cycle of this life before sundown. Collecting the two coppers, he entered the village and made his way down a side street towards an old house with wooden shingles. Though the house seemed worse for wear, the lot had been tidied and well-taken care off.

Chu hesitated before calling out to the woman harvesting the last of the small vegetables from a wilting garden. "Mother! I brought today's earnings." He said. The woman turned and stepped towards him with a face full of worry. "Why do you insist on doing this. Even though your father cannot labor as he used to, we can still survive. At least return until winter passes, the slum is a frightening place."

"Don't worry mother. I will take care of myself. Just remember to treat my sister well." Chu consoled the woman and left before her glazed eyes could overflow. His old man worked as a woodsman and provided enough for his family to live in this home. Unfortunately, he met with an accident that nearly crippled him. Although he recuperated, his body could not tolerate the hardship of cutting wood in the forest.

The result after paying the healers and last year's taxes—the household could not support the children. Like most villagers when faced with this situation, abandoning the girl child would be the most viable option. The original Chu had retaliated on learning this idea, claiming that he would live separate while providing an added income for the family. As a youth with no sense of the world and zero education, he died leaving all his problems in the hands of a newcomer.

"How can someone be so stupid!" Chu bellowed in frustration while sitting in his shack. Unlike his predecessor, Chu had gathered some extra firewood on his last load. He stoked the fire, hoping to create some coals to warm the night. This task alone had him grumbling, since he relied solely on the memories of the former.

Chu sipped on some boiling water while contemplating. If he waited to die, he may or may not return to his former self. The risk involved losing this second chance in life if he considered it as such. The better option would live in this world, under the same assumption. "The goal now changes to survival. Then I can think about the future."

He stoked the fire while muttering "I cannot risk returning to my family. Last thing I want is to be burned at the stake. No, the slums are ideal for me, since any plans will not arouse suspicion." Chu sipped his water as he sought to quell the growls originating in his stomach. "Food, clothing, and shelter. The age of bartering has ended, so now I need money. The question is how and where?" He stared at the piece of wood in his hand.

The forest... but he needed money quickly to escape the slums before winter. The hunting bay tables of the Trading Post came to mind. "Risk my life to hunt a wolf?" He dispelled the thought, but it continued to nag. The wolves in the forest consisted of those loners discarded from a pack. During winter, the wolf packs hunting deep in the forest would appear, making this plan unachievable. But a lone wolf… His thoughts jumbled between the forest, mushrooms and the lack of food. Whatever he decided, he needed to place that plan into action quickly. Chu removed the wood from the fire while leaving some coals to help in rekindling it later.

Grabbing his cloak, he stepped out into the twilight. To implement his plan, he needed a helper who would not question his ideas, preferably someone in the same situation as himself. He stumbled along, passing a resident stooping unashamed near a shack. Soon he arrived at his destination and pounded on the door.

"Hey Ming, you there? Do you want to earn a few extra coppers?" He whispered.​

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[Abnormal]

I'm really glad to see this story here, looking forward to more!!!!

 

[ForestRage]

Chapter 3- Selling a Plan​

Ming was the eldest youth in the slum area. At fifteen he had already experienced a slum winter. He entered the slum late last year and missed out on the forced recruitment drive of the bandits. If lucky to survive the winter, he still had a chance of enlistment come spring.

In a small village, nearly everyone knew through gossip the history of others. Ming was the only child of his parents. In a fit of rage after seeing his father abuse his mother, he attacked and crippled one of his arms. Consequently, that incident earned him a place in the slums.

"What did you say?" He looked at Chu as if noticing a blabbering drunk. "I asked if you wanted to make some money, are you interested." Chu's reply came with a calm and serious face.
"You... you serious?"
"Yep."

He gave Chu a stare for a minute and then invited him in. The previous Chu's reputation and self-sacrifice for his family, possibly sparked a kindred spirit. Or maybe it was just the lure of money from a pauper of the same. The shack was the same as Chu's, yet much warmer. He chalked it up to the owner having survived a winter. Chu sat down with him in the center and wasted no time. "I want to get out of here."

"We all do." Came the curt reply. Ming stared at the idiot who wasted his time as if finally noticing the color of the sky had always been blue. The teen made a blank face like a poker player. For a person whose previous job had him negotiating with others, Chu was far from intimidated. He was not the little boy here. Chu commenced by buttering up the teen.

"I choose you for various reasons. One is that you survived the winter and proved you are tough. Next is that I feel I can trust you. Finally, it is that I cannot execute this plan on my own." Speaking with those words along with a sincere voice and face, Chu bombarded him with the wall breakers.

You are tough, so that means I admire your strength. You are trustworthy since I am trusting you with my plan and possibly my life. I cannot do this on my own, therefore I need you and depend on you.

'Was he here to sell a plan or making a move on a girl?'

"I don't get what you're saying but can we really make money?" Chu nearly smacked the dumb face staring at him. He finally realized he was dealing with a child and not some shrewd businessman. That poker face from before actually represented a dumb look. He had to change the presentation to rope in this idiot. "We can make money. Will you be willing to risk your life with me?" Chu waited for his answer. If the reply was no, he would just need to try another person.

"Humm... well you seem like somebody who wouldn't stab a guy in the back. Hmm... okay, I am in." Chu knew Ming had the marking of a guy who would listen. It was easier to trust a child than some of these older adults in the slums. People tended to be treacherous when it came to money. The experience in his past life had hardened his heart.

"We are going to hunt some animals in the forest."

"Eh?" Ming shuddered in surprise. His eyes widened, threatening to pop from their sockets.

"No, no, no..... not a plan! Winter is nearly here, you probably don't know, but now is considered dangerous, and it will get even more frightening. No, no, last year the slums had nearly one hundred people living. After winter there were less than a quarter. More than half of those were carried away at night by wild animals in the night. No, no it is gonna be scary not knowing if you will be killed at night, much less for hunting."

He shook his head while waving his hands maintaining an expression of fright. It was as if a wolf suddenly stepped into the shack during their conversation. Chu raised his hand to stop him talking and prevent him from backing out.

"Hold up a moment. Right now, the main problems will be the lone Grey wolves. We have until the height of winter when the wolf packs in the forest appear. All I need is a friend to help lay a trap and spend the night in the forest."

"Whaaa? Are you crazy! Not even the seasoned hunters would dare to spend the night in the forest." Chu grabbed Ming's tattered cloak as he tried to scoot away. The boy seemed to have lost his wits since he forgot this was his home. He did make a valid point--unless it was a party of adventurers or a team of hunters, the forest at night was taboo. A trapper or hunter would prefer to trek for half a day than remain in the forest at night.

"Hear me out. Currently, wolves are the main problems. As you said the packs will appear during winter. Tomorrow I just need you to help me gather a firewood bundle while I forage in the forest. I also want you to help me collect about ten stout branches to make into wooden spears."
Ming gave him a puzzled look. It was not too different from the usual dumb look. "That... that is all?"

"Yep. That is all for our first move. The next day is when things turn interesting. I will be counting on you."

"You mean staying in the forest?"
"Yes. I can only count on you. You look like someone who will be willing to risk it all, just to leave this place." Chu gave him a glance. "Remember, I will not ask you again. Decide for yourself" Chu left him with that, and got up and left in the darkness. He stumbled his way back home under the light of a different moon and constellations. Under the dim light, he relighted the hot coals by blowing on them. The action left him covered in soot and dripping in fatigue.

"Wake up!"

The expected shout and banging came in the morning, as expected. Fortunately, Chu dressed early, as he sat waiting on the ground tapping his fingers. Having downed the last of the health food, he had to find some extra time to gather roots for cooking.

Ming kept relatively silent during the journey. Chu wondered if this big idiot might decide to withdraw from their plan. When they entered the tree cutting area and everyone started scattering, Ming approached him "I will be waiting here with the bundles for you. I am trusting you on this you know." Chu gave him a genuine smile. If a person experiences life in a gutter, only they would understand how important that first helping hand is in their life.

It should be noted now that Chu had zero experience in attempting this plan. Watching television shows in the middle of a big city provides a stark contrast to real-life performance. This plan of his was based on knowledge from the 'tube' and some gossip with the old folks in the village he met after the transfer by the company.

'Probably...'

The hunters in this world trap and snare small game like hares. Groups usually hunt wild boars and deer. Rarely do they hunt the dangerous ones like wolves. With the forest close by containing a nearly endless supply of game, why were there so many sufferings from near starvation?

The first reason for this was that strolling in the forest for a little game was dangerous. The probability of meeting up a deer was much lower than encountering a wolf or other predator. The average humans still valued their lives, nobody would be willing to act as bait. The second reason was that some animal meat was considered poison. The carcasses of those that were deemed poisonous were not wasted, however. They were cured and preserved to be sold in the cities as ingredients for certain guilds.

According to his new memories, the dangerous animals around were the wolves. Large like a calf, they were built for speed and endurance. The best thing about wolves was that they couldn't climb. Around the villages near the forest, it was the lone wolves that hunted. Most of the wolf packs moved about deep in the forest. Winter time was a different story however, the packs migrated outwards seeking easy game among the villages and outlying farms. Chu searched around until he found a suitable place for his plan.

He then foraged for the best-looking mushrooms he could find. Once he had collected enough, he made his way back. Ming waited for him, as together they delivered their load to the Trading Post. The Trading Post had two buildings. One constructed inside the village and sold finished items from axes to flour. The other located on the outside of the village not far from the south entrance. This one served as the collection and rough processing point for furs and firewood.

The man in charge of the collection post was a large bear-like man. Despite his fierce demeanor, he did not act like a total beast. This could be seen from how he allowed the slum residents access to the well, for drawing water. Older folks also earned pieces of firewood for tending the horses and various odd jobs. Ming waited for a while until Chu finally came out holding a bowl at arm's length. From the bearer's contorted face, he realized it was something disgusting even before the stench hit him. "What are you doing with that?"

"Heh, part of the plan." Chu returned to his shack and began his work. Ming followed the instruction to return to the forest and gather the branches, to function as spears. They would use the coals from the fire to fashion the sharp end. In a small pot on the fire, Chu stirred in the pieces of fat he strained out from the bowl. Under the slow heat, he melted it until the water boiled off, and it appeared consistent. He then poured it into a small cup to cool and solidify.

The next thing he boiled down was the mushrooms. These were the best he found, all bright red and yellow that even a blind man would avoid eating. If this world followed the same rules as earth, there was no way in hell these mushrooms were edible. Finally finishing, he placed it to cool on the side. Taking the fat that had begun to solidify he molded it into a pellet. Making a hole he stuffed the mushroom gruel inside and sealed it.

Throughout the entire process, he stifled the bile constantly threatening to explode from his throat.

During this time Ming returned dragging the branches that were around six feet in length. Chu set him to work showing him how to burn and scrape the ends with the small knife to sharpen it to a crude point. Just before sunset they were completed and ready with seven pellets and eight sharpened rough spears. The remaining poison was smeared onto the spear points.

Chu looked at Ming who twisted and fidgeted while trying to avoid his eyes. "Hey, get dressed! Don't even think of backing out now."

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[ForestRage]

Chapter 4- The Idiot's guide to trapping​

By the time they bundled up and left the slums the sun was already throwing out its last rays. Their shadows stretched behind them as if trying to escape from the direction they walked. Within the forest, the shroud of darkness had begun to descend. The path was vacant as everyone had long since returned to the village.

The two entered the forest, with Chu leading the way to the chosen site he had seen during the day.

It was during this walk that they fell into danger. Not surprisingly, the danger came from one of those lone wolves who had acquired a taste for human delicacies. The wolf had a reputation of being a skilled hunter. Before winter, these outcasts preyed the forest alone and divided their hunting zones. A cunning hunter, it stalked the areas around the lumber camp. When darkness fell, they would venture brazenly into the lumber camp area, sniffing and reclaiming their area.

As a modern-day individual, this would be a standard narrative in wildlife documentaries. Unfortunately, these memories were not at the forefront in Chu's mind.

AWOOO!

"Hey! What the heck was that?" Chu grabbed Ming shoulder and asked. The latter turned his head slowly and stiffly, in a manner like gears badly in need of oil. His face also sported an eerie forced smile. "What do you mean, WHAT was that? Isn't that the sound a wolf makes?" Chu felt Ming's reply was demeaning as if trying to belittle him. Similarly, Ming, on the other hand, felt he could hold this idiot, and bitch slap him back into sanity.

AWOOO!

"Holy shit! It's getting nearer, did you hear that?" As virgin hunters being in a dusk-lit forest, accompanied by those howls proved an exquisite experience. The only thing missing was a bladder release from them.

"Hey, think about it. We are probably the only two crazy idiots in these woods. To top it off, we are carrying a pot of blood and those fat made pills, you concocted. Maybe we should just put out a sign saying eat me." Ming looked down and gave him such a philosophical speech. If it wasn't for the blissful face as some pressure had been lifted, or the yellow liquid puddle forming at his feet, Chu might have taken the boy seriously.

"Quick let's run, we are nearly there." They burst into a run and quickly reached the area Chu selected.

On reaching the location, another minor problem surfaced. "Hey, what gives. Why are we stopping?"

"Hurry, we need to climb. You go up first, and I will hand you the spears and bag."

"..."

"Hey Chu… I can't climb." Ming answered with a straight face.

AWOOO!

A couple of seconds later, they were both sitting on a tree branch. Chu had placed three pellets on the ground and scattered the blood liquid around it, before shimmering up the tree. Their crude spears lay nearby, supported on the tree branches. Silently, they peered into the shadows. A short time later, a wolf trod out from the darkness. The creature sniffed around while rambling towards the tree.

Smelling the blood-stained ground, it wasted no time in licking and gobbling the fatty pellets. The blood from hares and other creatures proved a good choice. If he had chosen, the ingredients from an animal classified as poisonous, it might have been different. Chu, however, had no time to conduct experiments on such a theory. The beast continued sniffing around until its gaze pierced the branches, falling on the irregular occupants. A growl escaped the throat as it lunged onto the tree barring its fangs.

"NO! It found us. Damn, I knew I shouldn't have listened to you. If you wanted to die, why drag me along." Ming was half screaming holding onto the tree trunk for dear life.

"Hey, hey, it's all part of the plan. We just need to keep it here until the poison takes effect." Those fat pellets should probably be melting in its warm stomach by now, releasing its mushroom poison. It made sense to try to keep the wolf occupied until the concoction took effect.

Chu grabbed a spear and handed one over to Ming. After a couple of minutes facing the creature, his clumsy actions smoothened out. He planned to take full advantage of the tree. Chu stepped on a lower branch that gave him the opening of striking the wolf with a spear while remaining out of reach of its hungry lunges. Every so often he hit the trunk to keep the animal in a state of rage.

Ming switched with him when he became tired. This routine went on for what felt like the entire night. The moonlight cast poor lighting on their surroundings, causing each movement to become treacherous.

"Hey Chu. Did you really feed that wolf poison?" For the hundredth time, Ming asked him that question. The wolf moved like if it had eaten steroids, instead of poison. Chu remained focused on the wolf, that showed signs of tiring. Foam dripped from its mouth as he constantly baited it. Once he even gave a yelp and pretended to fall off the branch, when it had decided to turn away. This feint caused it to remain, growling in anticipation.

Another hour passed, and the wolf movements finally turned sluggish. Like a drunken man it tottered and swayed while walking. In a crazy manner, it jumped and pawed at the tree. In the moonlight, the glazed eyes seem devoid of menace.

Observing this sign, Chu finally decided to act. If he waited any longer the wolf might lumber off into the darkness. Together they started raining the wolf with the makeshift spears. Under the howls, two spears accurately pierced into the back of the beast. In the dim lighting, this could maybe count as some success. But it had the power of malnourished and weak arms behind the throw. Consequently, the damage done petered down to a bare minimum.

With the last two remaining spears, they jumped down the tree as the wolf tried to stumble away.

"Hurry and kill it!" Ming was busy beating his spear on the wolf that had tottered and fallen on the ground. "Stab it you fool! Stab it. It's a spear."

"But it's a branch, who says I can't use it as a club?" Ming replied staunchly.

"Why the heck do you think we spent half a day sharpening the point? Don't make me mad, stab IT!" Chu nearly screamed out at the boy. Only because of their surroundings, did he grit his teeth and stifle the shouts. The wolf seemed to be far poisoned to launch a retaliation. In the beginning, it snarled and lunged, but these turned clumsy and unfocused. The two of them slowly took advantage of the weakened creature.

If not for the mushrooms causing it to hallucinate, the wolf would have already killed these two idiots. Not only did they act totally uncoordinated while leaving themselves open for attacks, but they apparently also had zero skills in weaponry. Which sane warrior would switch from beating to stabbing and then beating again?

Worse yet they sometimes prodded it with the blunt ends of the spears, only switching after their reasoning overcame the adrenaline rush. Under a howl of remorse and denial, that the Heavens allowed it to meet such vile characters the wolf died. If it could have cursed these two idiots who continued with the beating, its anger may have quelled.

"Ming I may not be a doctor, but I think it's dead." Ming continued to walk around the wolf prodding it with his spear. "What's a doctor? Wait, I know a way to tell if it's pretending. Get ready Chu" Ming moved to the rear end of the wolf and speared the beast in the ass. Feeling satisfied, he smiled and gave Chu a thumbs up , as if completing a normal action.

Likewise, Chu stepped back in a reflex action with one hand moving to cover his ass. "Oh... Okay, good job there Ming."

With the mission being accomplished, they gathered their spears and returned up the tree to wait until dawn. It was too risky for them to be hauling a dead animal, through the forest at night. His adrenaline rush spent, Chu spent some time in climbing the tree. "Hey Ming, if it's so easy by climbing a tree, why don't hunters use bows, and simply kill these wolves like we did?" Ming looked at him with a wry grin. "Do you really think that only wolves live in the Great Western Forest?"

White bears come down from the north, during the middle of winter. Human meat is a delicacy for them. Wildcats are frequent raiders, changing their coats to blend into the winter surroundings. The forest remained full of opportunity but rife with danger. It also acted as the source of legends and the unknown. Just last winter there was a rumor of a supposed demon beast that stalked the slums, agile like a wolf, and with the strength of a bear. Ming recalling those tales woke Chu up. No wonder hunters feared to spend nights in the forest. In a stroke of bad luck, they could easily lose their lives.

Tonight, was lucky but what about the future?

By the time his poison acted, a bear or wildcat might already be cleaning its teeth with their bones. Crazy thoughts played tricks with his mind, as he remembered the stories in the village used to frighten young children. Tales of ferocious beasts, and cunning green creatures made him restless. He expected every snap or howl as an omen of some deadly creature. The fear of the dangers, coupled with the excitement from bagging his first beast, curbed his sleep. Only the tiredness and toll on his weak body made his eyebrows heavy, causing him to doze occasionally.

The chill of the night did little to ease his discomfort along with a growling belly.

Under the light of the morning sun, they viewed their surroundings as they tumbled down from the tree. Chu waited until it was near mid-morning before they hauled the carcass to the Trading Post. Even though they used a makeshift stretcher, the damn beast felt like it weighed a ton. At this time most of the villagers would be in the forest and the path would be empty. A dead wolf was worth much more than a rabbit. It would not do for them to be robbed, after all, who would believe two slum children killed a wolf?

Just like that, they sneaked their way to the Trading Post. Leaving the wolf behind a thicket under the watchful eyes of Ming, Chu strode wearily to the Trading Post.