Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Even though this wasn't their first meeting, Chen Ji still felt a bit nervous. He watched the white tiger disappear into the distance, pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth in a nervous habit before slowly exhaling.

The tiger’s massive body vanished into the dense forest, but its thick tail moved with surprising grace and lightness, teasingly making the leaves rustle. It flicked once, seemingly in Chen Ji’s direction, before disappearing from sight as a tiny white dot.

Ugh, how annoying—but he stood no chance in a fight.

...He really wanted to touch that tail.

*I wonder if it feels as thick as it looks?*

System Cat crunched noisily on the sweet dragon bamboo shoot: "Chen Ji, stop daydreaming! Go pick it up!"

Chen Ji chuckled, bent down, and lifted the sweet dragon bamboo shoot. He used his sickle to cut upward from the broken base until the blade could easily sink into it. Only then did he slice it off completely. He then shucked the outer layers, trimmed the base, and tossed it into his bamboo basket.

System Cat tilted its head to avoid the shoot, utterly unbothered. As if a mere sweet dragon bamboo shoot could threaten its life! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"You're really all talk, huh? Can’t even cut through the outer layers," System Cat remarked coldly.

"You wanna try?" Chen Ji was amused. System Cat was all talk and no action. Once a sweet dragon bamboo shoot breaks through the soil, its outer layers begin to harden. Within hours, they become tough and rigid, like miniature armor. For someone like him, used to office work, cutting through it in one go would require some kind of supernatural strength he simply didn’t have.

Chen Ji stayed in the bamboo grove, knowing how System Cat operated all too well. Chances were this one shoot wouldn’t even make it until they descended the mountain. If there were more to be found, it was better to snag a few extra—if he waited until the afternoon to harvest, with such fine weather, the shoots might’ve shot up past his height by then.

Carefully, Chen Ji swept aside the dried leaves around the sturdy sweet dragon bamboo stalks. Some shoots might not have broken through the soil yet; by observing the soil closely, he could pick up on clues. Before long, while clearing a patch of dried leaves, he discovered a sweet dragon bamboo shoot sticking out about an inch from the ground.

But it seemed a little stunted. Chen Ji tested it with his hiking pole—the diameter below the soil was less than two centimeters.

System Cat squinted at it. "Feels kinda wrong to eat it when it’s this small?"

Chen Ji replied, "You don’t know squat."

Eating such a small shoot directly would be a waste. It was better suited for making hand-peeled shoots, soaked in broth—suck it first, then bite down. Even the outer layers would be tender enough to crumble with a bite, yet still retain a satisfying chew. One shoot, two textures—how could the bigger shoots, where you only gnawed on the core, compare? The bigger shoots don’t hold a candle.

After a brief silence, System Cat coughed twice. "...Should I do a full-area scan?"

"..." Chen Ji paused for a moment. "We’ve got to be sustainable."

This patch of sweet dragon bamboo was already quite small. If they harvested all the shoots, even though they’d regrow, it would definitely impact the grove. Over time, the bamboo here would disappear entirely.

System Cat could only reluctantly suppress its greedy urges.

Even so, Chen Ji bagged about ten shoots. By the time he finished, it was almost noon. Thinking there was no rush to head to the back mountain, he decided to build a fire on the flat clearing. Today, he’d brought an extra-large portion of soy-braised pork ribs—just heat them in a pot, and they’d be ready to eat.

Although it was spring, the mountain temperature was still quite low. Chen Ji dug through his bamboo basket and said to System Cat, "We’re running low on fuel blocks. I’ll go gather some branches. Keep an eye on our stuff."

With many small animals in the mountains, unattended food could disappear quickly.

System Cat, clutching a sweet dragon bamboo shoot, nodded. "Okay~ Don’t be long~"

Chen Ji scratched behind its ears and turned toward the forest. Dry firewood wasn’t easy to find this season, especially since it had rained a couple of days earlier. Chen Ji headed deeper into the denser parts of the woods, hoping to find drier fallen branches.

As he walked, Chen Ji casually picked two handfuls of cape grass, twisting them into rope as he went. Every so often, he’d break a dry branch to check its condition. But after several hundred meters, he still hadn’t found anything suitable. There were plenty of leaves, but those burned too quickly and, if blown by the wind, could easily start a forest fire.

The further he went, the dimmer the light became. Knowing this area was safe, Chen Ji remained calm. He glanced around and noticed the trees were denser to the right, so he decided to explore there. Using his hiking pole to push aside the foliage, he stepped through—and immediately locked eyes with a pair of sapphire-blue eyes.

Chen Ji halted. The white tiger he’d just seen not long ago was lying in a patch of grass. Alerted by his presence, it watched him intently. Though it appeared relaxed, its body was tense, taut muscles visible beneath its thick fur, radiating danger.

Chen Ji didn’t move, his gaze irresistibly drawn to the tiger.

Such a beautiful, powerful creature—who wouldn’t be captivated?

The white tiger watched him in return.

Chen Ji pressed his lips together, a chill shot down his spine. His mouth went dry. His mind screamed danger, but emotion marveled at its beauty.

If only he could touch it.

After a long moment, Chen Ji sighed inwardly and began to slowly back away. It was time to go. If he stayed any longer, Xiao Ba would chew him out when he returned.

Just then, the white tiger moved.

It rose leisurely and began walking toward Chen Ji. Paws ten times bigger than System Cat’s landed softly on the blanket of dried leaves, barely making a sound as it approached.

A thin layer of sweat formed on Chen Ji’s skin, glistening slightly in the sparse light. The tiger’s pink nose twitched slightly as it stopped beside him.

It looked up at Chen Ji, who looked down in return. Suddenly, Chen Ji felt a tickling sensation on his wrist. Glancing down, he saw the tip of the tiger’s tail lightly coiled around it.

Chen Ji stayed still.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ji stumbled, but the tiger’s tail didn’t loosen its hold. Losing his balance, he fell directly onto the tiger’s back.

His face buried in the thick fur, Chen Ji’s first thought was: The tiger didn’t have the usual pungent smell of wild beasts.

His second thought: Its fur is incredibly soft.

Once he realized this, Chen Ji pushed himself up. Looking up, he met the tiger’s sapphire-blue eyes, which seemed to say, *How can someone be so clumsy?*

For some reason, Chen Ji felt embarrassed, but then grew indignant—the tiger had pulled him! It wasn’t like he’d tripped on his own. Why should he feel awkward?

The tiger didn’t move, clearly waiting for Chen Ji to get up.

Chen Ji steadied himself against the tiger and stood, but before he could find his footing, the tail tugged again. The tiger’s body shifted slightly, and Chen Ji found himself seated on its back. The tail released his wrist, wrapping around his waist instead, then pressed against his back, forcing him to lean tightly against the tiger.

Once sure Chen Ji was secure, the tiger began to move. Chen Ji instantly felt weightless, wind whipping past his ears, followed by the light brush of leaves against his back. He gripped the tiger’s fur tightly, feeling as if he were on a roller coaster—except this was far more thrilling, since roller coasters weren’t alive, nor were they predators that could swallow a child whole.

Pressed so closely, the tiger’s body heat seeped through its fur, warm and comforting like a sun-soaked quilt. Chen Ji couldn’t resist taking a deep breath and rubbing his face against the tiger’s back—if it weren’t for safety concerns, he’d have taken a selfie to commemorate the moment.

When he grew old, he could show the photo to his fellow nursing home residents and boast about the time he rode a wild tiger.

He reached down and touched the tail wrapped around his waist—just as he’d imagined, it was thick and solid.

Maybe it was his imagination, but the tiger seemed to speed up.

In what felt like less than a minute, sunlight warmed Chen Ji’s back, and he heard System Cat’s astonished exclamations: "Holy—! Holy—! Holy—!"

The tiger stopped, and Chen Ji opened his eyes. The tail released his back, allowing him to sit up.

System Cat stared, dumbfounded, the last bite of sweet dragon bamboo shoot falling from its paws.

"Weren’t you gathering firewood? ...What happened?"

Chen Ji dismounted, and the tiger immediately turned and left. "...White Tiger Grandpa was kind enough to give me a ride back," Chen Ji explained helplessly.

"It probably thought I was lost."

System Cat: "Meow meow meow?!"

"What the hell?! Huh?! Forcing an old lady who's already crossed the road to cross back again?!"

White Tiger froze for a moment, then quickly strode into the woods, his retreating figure looking almost like he was fleeing.

Chen Ji saw it too. Choking back a laugh, he shouted, "White Tiger Grandpa, thank you for bringing me back! I brought an offering specially for you. Would you like to enjoy it before you go?"

Hearing this, not only did White Tiger not stop, but he broke into a sprint and vanished into the trees.

Seeing White Tiger disappear, Chen Ji burst out laughing. Cats have sharp hearing, so Chen Ji covered his mouth with one hand, suppressing his laughter, afraid that White Tiger might turn back in embarrassment and give him a fierce bite.

System Cat saw his smug expression and asked, "So what do we do now?"

When he finally stopped laughing, Chen Ji replied, "I'll go gather some more firewood."

Earlier, he had been slow because Chen Ji was searching carefully bit by bit. Now that he knew the spot, it was much easier—the spot where White Tiger had been lying was definitely dry. Even if it wasn’t originally dry, White Tiger’s body heat would have dried it out.

Cats generally don’t choose damp places to rest; they fear dirtying their fur.

When Chen Ji returned to the spot, sure enough, White Tiger was gone. But where he had been lying, there was a small, noticeable depression. Chen Ji went over and touched it—the area still retained White Tiger’s residual warmth. He broke some branches to check them; they were perfect for firewood. He didn’t disturb the "nest," only gathering branches from the edges. Soon, he had gathered a full bundle.

More than enough.

Before long, the rich aroma of braised pork ribs filled the entire platform.

Chen Ji stirred the pot with a large ladle. A cloud of hot steam billowed out, and rich meat juices bubbled vigorously. As he stirred, scallions and ginger rose to the surface. Large chunks of meat appeared and disappeared in the broth, giving off a strong, savory aroma.

Chen Ji opened a pack of crab sticks and fish balls, added them at just the right moment, and covered the pot.

System Cat crouched by the pot, watching intently. A suspicious drop of moisture dripped from the corner of its mouth—definitely not drool, of course.

Before System Cat could even ask, Chen Ji said, "It’ll be ready in five more minutes."

These pork ribs had small bones and thick meat. He'd taken them out of the freezer that morning, so to avoid biting into icy bits, it was best to simmer them a little longer.

System Cat nodded eagerly, its eyes never leaving the pot. Meanwhile, Chen Ji took the opportunity to sprinkle a second circle of anti-snake and insect repellent powder around the area—ordered online before they came here.

The meat smelled delicious. If it attracted large animals, at least they would be easy to spot. But venomous snakes or land leeches would be a real danger.

Ever seen a land leech? They can move quickly in the mountains, usually clinging to leaves, waiting to latch onto passing animals and suck their blood. These land leeches are stealthy and can even perform a "falling from the sky" move—dropping from overhead branches and leaves right into someone’s collar.

You can't feel a leech bite. By the time you notice, the leech can swell to the size of a walnut, full of sucked blood. The bite leaves a bleeding hole that continues to bleed even after the leech is removed. Most bites get infected, becoming itchy, painful, and festering. In severe cases, it can lead to systemic sepsis or septicemia, which can be fatal.

The worst part is when they appear in swarms. If surrounded by land leeches, even survival leaves you weakened.

Chen Ji had been bitten by one before. Luckily, System Cat noticed as soon as the leech attached to his skin. Chen Ji quickly removed it, but it still left a bleeding hole—the scab on his leg hadn't even fallen off.

"The repellent powder from last time was good," System Cat remarked. "Not sure if this new one will work."

"The new order is still on the way," Chen Ji said, having learned from last time. In the wild, he avoided speaking aloud to System Cat whenever possible to avoid being overheard. "Let’s sprinkle more. It should help a bit."

"Didn’t your grandpa’s book have a recipe for it?" System Cat asked. "I’ve compared prices online for affordable and effective ingredients. The reviews are good and from real users. Should I place an order for you?"

The book System Cat mentioned contained various formulas—why "various"? Besides everyday recipes for repelling insects and wild animals, there were also remedies for headaches and fevers, as well as some for luck and calming spirits. The names of the ingredients were bizarre, clearly not standard Chinese herbs.

But the formula for repelling mountain snakes and wild animals was simple: just grind the specified amounts of herbs into powder and mix them together. It could be used like regular repellent powder, either sprinkled or burned.

Chen Ji nodded. "Sure. Do you remember the measurements? Don’t get it wrong. Leave a note for the seller to grind it into powder before shipping."

System Cat retorted, "Can’t you do it yourself?"

Chen Ji shot it a sidelong glance. "Would hand-grinding make it more ‘soulful’? Maybe I should chant sutras while grinding? Easy—ask the shop owner to play some sutras while grinding... or hold off on the order until those talismans arrive. Then we can see which shop is effective and have them bless the powder before shipping it back. We can negotiate the cost."

System Cat was momentarily speechless.

Seeing Chen Ji’s lack of ambition was infuriating!

Chen Ji washed his hands by the stream, came back, and lifted the lid. Steam rushed out, carrying the rich aroma of meat. Perhaps because of the crab sticks and fish balls, the scent was even more savory and fragrant. The crab sticks had softened and bloomed like flowers in the pot, swirling in the boiling broth.

System Cat instantly forgot its anger, eyes lighting up. "Crab sticks, crab sticks! I want the crab sticks!"

Chen Ji poked a braised rib with his chopsticks, then tapped System Cat’s outstretched tongue. System Cat yelped, and Chen Ji nodded solemnly. "Seems like it’s cooked through inside."

"Chen Ji, you bastard! You’re not human!"

Chen Ji laughed, scooping portions for himself and System Cat into bowls. "You’re not really a cat. Here, be good~ Eat up."

He placed a bowl in front of System Cat, who immediately buried its face in it, devouring the food. Chen Ji tasted a piece himself—the meat was tender enough to fall off the bone with a shake, leaving only some tendons clinging to it. He nibbled at them, and the soft, gelatinous tendons melted in his mouth, spreading a rich, savory flavor across his tongue. The meat itself was perfect.

The crab sticks, coated in broth, tasted first of meatiness, then of sweet crab flavor. Though everyone knows crab sticks contain no real crab, they easily win over most people’s taste buds. The fish balls needed no introduction—Chen Ji had grown up eating this brand. They were springy, smooth, and packed with meaty goodness from first bite to last.

Chen Ji set down his chopsticks. He rummaged through the bamboo basket for milk tea and sugar. He’d already made an offering to White Tiger earlier on the way, but since they’d encountered him again here on the platform, Chen Ji, who had brought plenty, didn’t hesitate to make another offering. He prepared the milk tea, then took the remaining half pot of meat and the milk tea into the woods, placing them where White Tiger had rested earlier.

After saying this, he lit incense and respectfully offered three sticks to White Tiger from a distance, then turned back to continue his meal.

Only when Chen Ji had walked far away did White Tiger emerge from the dense forest nearby. He watched Chen Ji’s retreating figure, then sniffed at the pot. Just as he was about to take a bite, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to sniff the milk tea instead. His flesh-pink nose twitched, causing his whiskers to tremble.

Most creatures can’t resist sugar.

Chen Ji had removed the entire lid of the milk tea and bought a 1L "chug-chug" bucket, just the right size for a massive creature like White Tiger to dip his tongue into.

White Tiger lowered his head.

Suddenly, he heard Chen Ji’s voice: "White Tiger Grandpa, be careful—it’s hot!"

White Tiger shuddered, instinctively taking two steps back, even rising onto his paw pads. He looked warily in Chen Ji’s direction. Seeing that Chen Ji seemed completely unaware, as if he’d just suddenly remembered and casually called out, with no intention of returning, White Tiger relaxed. He lay down beside the offering, his thick, long tail tapping the ground impatiently.

After about ten minutes, he finally stretched out his tongue to taste the milk tea. Finding the temperature just right, he lowered his head and began to drink.

...What were these soft, chewy little balls at the bottom?

White Tiger lifted his head, a black grape-like object stuck on his bright, sharp teeth... a tapioca pearl was glued to his tooth.

...

On the other side, Chen Ji finished his lunch satisfied. He’d estimated the portions perfectly—just enough for System Cat to stuff itself and for him to eat his fill. System Cat, content, curled back into the bamboo basket, dozing under the sun, its furry tail lazily swishing over the basket’s edge, utterly at ease.

***

Chen Ji wasn’t as relaxed. He fetched water to douse the fire, then splashed it over the area where he’d sprinkled the repellent powder to wash it away. He packed the things he’d need later on top, shouldered the unbearably heavy System Cat, and headed toward the old mulberry tree in the back mountain.

Previously unaware, but now knowing better, Chen Ji didn’t dare venture recklessly into the southern woods of the back mountain. He chose a spot on the edge, carefully arranged the offerings, lit incense, knelt, and kowtowed.

"Grandpa Sang, please forgive this youngster’s earlier rudeness. Today, I’ve come specially to apologize." Holding the incense, Chen Ji spoke in the direction of the old mulberry tree. "I often stay at the Mountain Lord’s temple. Since we’ll be neighbors from now on, I’m bound to cause some disturbance. I hope Grandpa Sang can forgive me!"

He silently repeated this three times, kowtowed three times with audible respect, and planted the incense in the soil.

System Cat, its chin resting on the edge of the bamboo basket, watched Chen Ji set up the offerings and whispered to him, "Will this really work?"

"Politeness never offends," Chen Ji said, standing up to pack things nearby. "If he’s really fierce, I just won’t come back in the future."

"Can't we just leave the mountain?" System Cat said listlessly. "I've told you before, this old place has too many creepy things happening. It's so dangerous living here—wouldn't it be the same if we just moved somewhere else?"

System Cat brought up the issue again, and Chen Ji paused what he was doing. He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Isn't it actually the same either way?"

Back when he lived down at the foot of the mountain, he still had nightmares—teeming with demons and ghosts—that left him too terrified to sleep through the night. He tried every kind of medicine, but the nightmares persisted.

Later, while seeking treatment for System Cat, he visited Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries. While there, he also asked the Taoist priests and monks to read his fortune. They all said his fate was too light, making him easily influenced. They gave him protective charms, like prayer beads or bracelets that had been blessed, but none of them really helped.

But up in the mountains, it was different. Even if he had nightmares—even if he was chased by Second Master Huang or snakes—he always found a way to resolve them. Even if there wasn’t a solution now, there would be one eventually.

The Soul-Calming Bell truly worked, and Grandfather Mountain genuinely had the power to protect him. It wasn’t like when he was downhill, watching the things in his dreams slowly closing in on him while he stood helpless.

Maybe he was meant to live on the mountain.

If these spirits couldn’t coexist peacefully with him... Suddenly, the earth in front of the altar began to churn. A tree root emerged right before Chen Ji’s eyes, coiling around all the offerings and pulling them underground.

Chen Ji’s eyes widened in surprise, then crinkled as a joyful smile spread across his face.

He bowed deeply once more and said sincerely, "Thank you, Grandpa Sang."

System Cat snapped out of its shock and blurted, "Wait, what are you thinking?!"

"Set the mountain on fire, and you’ll be locked up forever?!"

"Light a fire in the morning, end up in the police station by afternoon?"

"A small flame burns gently, a prison cell awaits steadily; a careless spark ignites, a jail term invites?!"

Chen Ji turned to look at it and gave an embarrassed smile.