Chapter 58 Trapped in the Mountains

Chapter 58: Trapped in the Mountains

A cold wind blew through the deep forest, making the tree shadows sway. Only the moonlight could filter through the shifting gaps, casting faint light.

Jiang Wang relied on this scant light to struggle through the woods.

He tried repeatedly to find a way out of the forest, but every attempt ended in failure.

Fortunately, however, he discovered a cave.

The cave offered shelter from the chilly night wind, keeping him from getting too cold.

Jiang Wang let out a long sigh.

His wilderness survival experience was almost zero; the only bit he knew came from Bear Grylls' survival documentaries.

He knew his top priority now was to start a fire.

First, for warmth in the still-cool night.

Second, to ward off attacks from wild beasts.

Spring had arrived, and everything was coming back to life. Predators and prey alike were out in the mountains, not to mention he had just heard wolf howls. Jiang Wang certainly didn't want to end up buried in these woods.

He still had his dream of being a cool secret agent to fulfill!

But making fire himself was next to impossible.

He had rushed out in such a hurry that he hadn't brought a fire starter with him. If he had to rely on local materials... then it could only be rubbing sticks together.

That was asking way too much of him. Even if he rubbed his hands raw all night, he might not see a single spark.

Nothing is impossible if you're willing to give up.

Knowing his own limits and wanting to avoid hardship, Jiang Wang turned to the system for help.

If not now, then when?

"001! Get out here!"

Perhaps sensing Jiang Wang's desire to spend, the system appeared quickly.

"Here, Host! How may I assist you~"

"Bring up the system store. I need a lighter."

"Right away, Host."

As soon as 001 finished speaking, product icons and their corresponding prices appeared on a transparent screen, floating before Jiang Wang's eyes.

"Lighter... lighter..."

Jiang Wang muttered what he needed while searching rapidly.

Finally, in an inconspicuous little corner, he spotted the lighter.

"What a rip-off!" Jiang Wang pointed at the shining 1 and 0. "A tiny lighter costs me ten points!"

He worked himself to death on a mission for only twenty points. A basic lighter that would cost at most two yuan in modern times actually demanded ten points from him—that was half his mission points!

The system seemed to have anticipated Jiang Wang's reaction. 001 didn't bargain but instead slid the interface to show Jiang Wang a package deal.

"Host, look here~ This package not only includes the lighter you want but also a machete and a sleeping bag, covering all your needs for tonight. Items originally worth 69 points are only 20 points today~"

While the system enthusiastically promoted, Jiang Wang knew full well it was taking advantage of his predicament to earn his points. The awful part was, he was sorely tempted.

The lighter could start a fire, the machete could chop firewood and serve for self-defense, and the sleeping bag would let him sleep well.

It was simply perfect.

But those twenty points... he really couldn't bear to part with them.

He had finally saved up to sixty; spending them today would leave him with less than half his target points.

Perhaps sensing Jiang Wang's hesitation, the system pressed its advantage.

"Order within fifteen minutes, and we'll also include a KFC-style Spicy Chicken Burger~"

If he had hesitated before, upon hearing "Spicy Chicken Burger," his mind seemed completely filled by those words.

He wanted to eat it.

He hadn't eaten before coming out in the evening, and after wandering aimlessly like a fly for half the day, he was already hungry.

Moreover, how long had it been since he last ate a Spicy Chicken Burger? He hadn't eaten one since crossing over—he hadn't even *heard* of one!

Today had thoroughly stirred his cravings.

Jiang Wang immediately made a decision: "I'll take it."

"Very well, Host. Please wait a moment."

Five minutes later, these items appeared before Jiang Wang.

The small cave instantly brimmed with new vitality.

Jiang Wang warmed himself by the fire, munching on the burger. Not only was his body warm, but his stomach was also content.

After eating his fill, he crawled into the sleeping bag and drifted blissfully into dreamland.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan and the Imperial Guards had long since entered the mountains, searching for Jiang Wang tirelessly through the night.

No one knew how he felt after searching the entire camp for Jiang Wang and finding nothing.

His heart raced, his breathing grew rapid, he couldn't sit still—in that moment, he couldn't even think calmly.

Many people who might target Jiang Wang flashed through his mind, but he suppressed them one by one.

He knew that finding Jiang Wang was the most important thing now; everything else could be discussed later.

Xiao Yan immediately summoned all the Imperial Guards to search the woods.

If Jiang Wang wasn't in the camp, and the guards at the mountain foot had no record of him leaving, then he must have entered the forest.

Many animals had just migrated back or awakened from hibernation, making the danger level incomparable to before.

"Jiang Wang! Jiang Wang!"

Xiao Yan led the way, holding a torch, constantly shouting Jiang Wang's name in the woods.

He never should have left camp today; he should've come back earlier.

If he hadn't thought of going to the farmer's house at the foot of the mountain to hold the puppy Jiang Wang had praised, would Jiang Wang have gone missing at all?

Xiao Yan quickened his pace, clutching the torch tighter, but his spirits sank with every passing moment.

They had already been searching for six hours, a sliver of dawn lightening the horizon, yet there was no trace of Jiang Wang.

Under the oppressive weight of Xiao Yan's silence, the others didn't dare suggest he rest or even stop to search, let alone get too close to him.

The Emperor today was truly terrifying.

Ordinarily, the Emperor didn't have a care in the world; as long as he was fed, watered, and amused, his anger just meant throwing things or ordering the odd flogging, and his temper would pass quickly.

Only today, Xiao Yan's face was like thunder, and the air around him was frigid, giving anyone nearby goosebumps.

They were all exhausted, but they were more afraid of the Emperor's fury, knowing nothing good would come of it, so they could only search even harder.

Only Fang Fengshi dared brave the immense pressure to approach Xiao Yan and, relying on their childhood friendship, spoke up to console him.

"Jiang Wang will be fine. He's such a clever person; he knows how to protect himself."

Fang Fengshi chose to speak at this critical moment because he could see that Xiao Yan's state was truly off.

He noticed Xiao Yan's hand holding the torch trembling.

Beneath the silent anger, Xiao Yan was hiding anxiety and panic.

He realized that Jiang Wang was extremely important to Xiao Yan, more so than he had ever imagined.

Xiao Yan was taken aback, then nodded with a bitter smile.

He was grateful for Fang Fengshi's concern, but it did nothing to ease the worry in his heart.

He gave Fang Fengshi's shoulder a squeeze and then plunged deeper into the forest.

*

When the first rays of morning sunlight shone into the cave, Jiang Wang, sensitive to the change in light, frowned and poked his head out of the sleeping bag.

He yawned and stretched; last night was truly...

a comfortable night!

Fortunately, the fire had served as a deterrent. At first—maybe it was his imagination—Jiang Wang kept hearing strange animal calls.

But those calls stopped at the fire at the cave entrance, never coming closer.

Later, as the sleeping bag warmed up, overwhelming drowsiness set in, and he fell sound asleep.

By now, the fire had burned out, leaving only a pile of ashes.

Jiang Wang stood at the cave entrance, looking out at the lush trees, unsure which way to go.

Suddenly, a faint trickling sound reached his ears.

Following the sound, he discovered a small stream not far from the cave entrance.

The stream water was clear enough that he could see the protruding stones and small fish along the bank.

Of course, water flows from high to low, so he could just follow the stream.

Although he didn't know where he was, following the stream would eventually lead him out of the forest and to the foot of the mountain.

Jiang Wang found a sturdy stick and began his "self-rescue journey" along the stream, stumbling along.

He had expected the journey to be a bit rough, but he hadn't imagined it would be this difficult.

In the gap between two large rocks, the stream could flow through in any shape, but he couldn't.

Moreover, these two large rocks were connected to the mountain on both sides; if he tried to detour, he might end up lost again.

The only way through was a gap where the left, shorter rock met the hillside—an asymmetrical opening just wide enough for a person.

Jiang Wang decided to go through there.

He moved a few stones to use as stepping stones, climbed up, and then struggled to pull himself higher.

He gripped the small protruding rocks tightly, looking down between his arms for footholds. It was less than two people's height, but it took him about the length of time it takes to drink a cup of tea to climb.

Jiang Wang sat atop the large rock to regain his strength, looking at his palms, reddened and sore from overexertion.

Oh no, they were already scraped.

He blew on his palms to remove the fine dust particles, planning to rest a bit before descending.

But suddenly, he felt an itch on his ankle.

Jiang Wang glanced down to see a finger-thick centipede, its countless legs rippling as it crawled up his ankle, heading higher.

He was already afraid of bugs, let alone one with so many legs!

"Ah!—"

Jiang Wang screamed, frantically shaking his leg to fling the centipede off, but he lost his balance and slipped off the rock.

He had no time to think about the bug; his only thought was to protect his head.

He tightly wrapped his arms around his head, intending to curl up as suggested in guides, but before he could do so, he had already hit the ground.

Fortunately, the area below the rock wasn't a pile of sharp stones but clusters of small shrubs, which cushioned his fall significantly.

He checked himself over; only his sleeve had been torn by a rock, but there were no wounds.

Only his ankle throbbed with a burning pain—he must have twisted it when he fell, either hitting or knocking it against something.

What should he do now?

He was already lost, and now with a sprained ankle, wasn't it even harder to get out?

A wave of self-pity, fear, and worry hit him. Jiang Wang's eyes stung, and tears welled up.

Suddenly, rustling sounds came from the grass in front of him.

As if it never rains but it pours, could his scream have attracted a wild beast?

Jiang Wang gripped the stick beside him, focusing intently, ready to strike a fatal blow as soon as the beast appeared.

Although he might not be faster than the beast, at least it would buy him a little more time.

In three seconds, he would strike.

Three, two, one!

Huh? What?

"Y-Your Majesty..."

Author's Note:

"There's nothing difficult in the world, as long as you're willing to give up." This quote is from Da Zhangwei.