Chapter Thirty-Three: Booing—Roll Down the Mountain!

"Split up. I'll take my men to the west, and your group can head east," Mao Dahai commanded. With that, he led his party in the direction where the tiger had vanished earlier that day.

Xu Dashan turned to his group. "Dazhu, lead the way. We’re heading east. Search thoroughly—we need to find them, whether they’re alive or dead..."

The men responded with listless, weary voices.

Zhao Zheng remained at the back of the pack, slacking off. After all, as a "cripple," his mere presence was already enough to surprise everyone.

They searched for over an hour, shivering and starving as they wove through the mountain woods. Golden Chicken Mountain was home to several treacherous spots, and Zhao Zheng found it absurd that the others were actively avoiding them.

A tiger’s hunting habits are quite simple: if it cannot finish its prey in one sitting, it will drag the remains into thickets or tall grass to hide them from vultures and other scavengers, returning to feed again at night. A tigress with cubs usually resides in a cave, while a solitary tiger, lacking a permanent den, typically rests in the dense undergrowth.

Zhao Zheng had no intention of offering advice. How much was he being paid, after all, to work so hard?

When he grew tired of walking, Zhao Zheng leaned against a tree to rest. Suddenly, Zhao Yi came over, panting heavily. "Third brother, can you still walk?"

"I have to, whether I can or not." Zhao Zheng gripped the handle of his axe. His brothers had burned their bridges with him earlier that day; there was no way this sudden approach was born of kindness.

"This Golden Chicken Mountain is too dark and dangerous. The three of us should stick together," Zhao Yi said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Come on, Big Brother is waiting for us up ahead."

"Forget it. I’m fine with the group," Zhao Zheng refused without a second thought.

A flicker of anger crossed Zhao Yi’s eyes. "Third brother, we’re blood brothers. Even if we had a falling out today, does that mean we have to stop speaking to each other forever?"

"Forget it. I’m not worthy of your company."

Zhao Yi laughed in exasperation. "Third brother, you’d better think this through. If you really cut ties with us, who’s going to help you when you get bullied in the village?"

"I’m a loner with no wife and no children. If anyone bullies me, I’ll just fight them to the death," Zhao Zheng said with a cold sneer.

"Fine. Have it your way. Just remember what you said." Zhao Yi returned to Zhao Wei with a stiff face. "Big Brother, he won't come."

Zhao Wei snorted coldly. He hadn't been able to deal with Zhao Zheng during the day, but now, in the pitch-black night deep within the mountains, wouldn't it be perfectly normal for Zhao Zheng to accidentally slip and fall into a ravine? Even if it didn't kill him, leaving him crippled would be enough. Once he was a cripple, what more could Zhao the Third do? Everything would be decided by him.

"We must finish him off tonight," Zhao Wei whispered.

"Big Brother, isn't that going too far? He’s our own brother, not an outsider..." Zhao Yi hesitated. It wasn't that he had a conscience, but he feared being found out.

"Your son Sanbao is at the age to get married. Do you have the money or the grain for it?"

"This..."

"Once we take care of him, my son Dabao can marry Zhaodi, and your Sanbao can marry Xiao'e. We won't have to spend a single cent or a grain of rice," Zhao Wei sneered.

"That’s fine, but..."

"He dared to come and demand a family split; he never treated us like brothers, nor did he intend to honor our mother. I only regret not beating this unfilial wretch to death days ago," Zhao Wei said through gritted teeth. "Enough, stop talking. Keep an eye on him. He’s bound to walk this way eventually, and then..."

"I understand, Big Brother." Zhao Yi nodded, hardening his heart. He decided to give Zhao Zheng a painful lesson.

Little did they know, Zhao Zheng had been stealthily following Zhao Yi and had heard every word of their conversation.

"Fine, fine, fine. So that's how you want to play? Don't blame me for what happens next."

Zhao Zheng never hesitated to assume the worst in people, especially when it came to Zhao Wei. If he hadn't transmigrated into this body, his predecessor would have already been in the ground. Could someone who would try to kill his own blood brother be anything but a monster?

He moved quietly, slipping ahead of them. He pulled a length of carbon fiber fishing line from his system store and tied it across their path, hiding in the bushes with the other end in his hand. To the right of the path was a steep slope with jagged rocks at the bottom. A fall down there would leave anyone dead or crippled.

Seeing the torchlight drawing closer, Zhao Zheng pulled the line taut.

A sharp tug came through the line.

"Ouch!" Zhao Wei stumbled, his body pitching forward. In his panic, he grabbed Zhao Yi.

The next second, the torch flew from Zhao Yi’s hand, and both brothers tumbled down the slope.

"Ahhh!" Their screams echoed through the mountains, drawing the attention of the others.

Xu Dashan exclaimed, "Something happened over there! Go and check!"

Everyone rushed toward where the brothers had fallen. "Slow down! It's too steep here, watch your footing!"

Before they arrived, Zhao Zheng had already retrieved his fishing line and slipped back to the rear of the group.

"Dashan, help me! It's me, Zhao Yi... hurry!" In the darkness, Zhao Yi had been caught by a tree. He was terrified and frantic.

"Aren't you with Zhao Wei? Where is he?" Xu Dashan shone his torch downward, catching a glimpse of Zhao Yi and the torch burning not far away.

"I don't know, he rolled down further," Zhao Yi cried. "I was caught by a tree, but my arm hurts—I think it's broken..."

Xu Dashan felt his heart sink; they hadn't found the tiger, and now the villagers were meeting with disaster. "Quick, get some ropes! Go down and rescue them!"

Only then did Zhao Zheng come panting up from behind, looking flustered. "Dashan, how are my Big Brother and Fourth Brother?"

"They fell," Xu Dashan replied.

"Let me go down! I have to save my brothers!" Zhao Zheng made a move to climb down.

"Wait, your leg is still injured. Can you even pull them up?" Xu Dashan held him back. "Stay here and rest. I’ll take the men down."

Soon, Xu Dashan and the others reached Zhao Yi. His right arm was broken, and his head was bleeding. As for Zhao Wei, he lay fifty meters away, unconscious and unresponsive.

Xu Dashan felt a chill. It was over—a real disaster had occurred.

"Quick, get more men! Pull Zhao Wei up!"

After a grueling effort, they finally hauled Zhao Wei up. Zhao Zheng rushed over, his eyes red. He tried to revive Zhao Wei by pressing on his philtrum, but when that failed, he insisted on carrying him back himself.

The onlookers sighed at the sight. "I never expected Zhao the Third to be so loyal. Even after Zhao Wei caused his two foster sons to die in battle, stole his pension money, and beat him, he still puts the past aside."

"They are blood brothers, after all. Bones may break, but the sinews remain connected. Which family doesn't have its little squabbles?"

While most praised him, some whispered mockingly, "Zhao the Third is just a fool."

"Zhao Wei finally got what was coming to him after all those dirty deeds."

Seeing Zhao Zheng limping as he struggled to carry Zhao Wei on his back, Xu Dashan sighed helplessly. "You won't make it out by tomorrow carrying him like that. Cut some wood, make a litter, and carry him out."