Chapter 8, Life and Death? Mere trifles!

The reeds are lush and green, and the white dew has not yet dissipated. The one I speak of is by the water's edge. I follow the current to seek her, but the path is obstructed and veers to the right. I trace the flow to pursue her, as if she were on an islet in the water

Yun Lang smiled and said: "The reason you think the iron sword is soft is purely because you do not know how to forge it. In my hometown, people use iron swords that are extremely sharp. If you can provide me with an iron anvil and an iron hammer, I will be able to forge such a sharp iron sword"

He earnestly hoped that Dazai could procure a set of blacksmith tools for him, so that he could create a set of practical tools using the simplest methods

Perhaps that woman is right said Yun Lang, as he grasped the tiger's ear, speaking to himself

A series of bamboo slips and wooden tablets were laid flat, transforming into two beds. On the beds lay various animal skins that Yun Lang had dried today, half spread out as bedding and half used as covers. Such a bed should be quite comfortable

Dazai's deep clothing was completely transparent, providing very poor insulation. Yunlang did not dare to persuade him to go back and rest, so he could only return to the stone house with the tiger, while the doe led the way.

The tiger's enormous mouth loomed above Yun Lang's head, occasionally opening wide to yawn, as if it intended to swallow Yun Lang's head.

Thus, every day when Tai Zai returned, he was very punctual, because he discovered that the food made by Yun Lang lost much of its flavor once it cooled down

Although there is a thick layer of rust on it, Yunlang is still very happy

Dazai's gaze became somewhat sharp, and after a long pause, he slowly said: "It is, after all, the king among beasts, so there is nothing inappropriate in calling it a great king"

Yunlang's words were quite convoluted, however, Dazai understood his meaning. He felt a certain disdain; a true noble would not engage in such matters

The tiger did not respond, but Tai Zai's fist tightened a little more

Yunlang nodded slightly and continued to lean his body against the tiger's neck, playing with the tiger's claws

Dazai Kuro sat on the high cliff, staring blankly at the lush and towering hills across from him, unsure if he was reminiscing about his king

The doe lay beside the tiger's belly, and if this continued, Yun Lang felt that they could develop a cross-species romance

Since arriving here, tonight is the most comfortable night Yunlang has ever slept. Dazai naturally sleeps on another bed. Perhaps because he had a good sleep last night, he has been staring at Yunlang with his eyes wide open all night.

Yunlang could feel the burning gaze of Dazai fixed on his back, however, he did not care. If he did not show some remarkable qualities soon, he could not guarantee that Dazai would continue to treat him so well.

"Aren't you supposed to be forging iron? What are you doing with these things?" Dazai looked at Yunlang with a hint of pity. He understood that forging iron required burning coal, but he was completely baffled by the other things Yunlang was doing.

It is quite remarkable that a tiger's claws are not as hard as one might think; rather, they are soft and pliable. Particularly, the pads on their paws are so tender that a gentle press will cause the sharp claws to emerge from within.

Dazai looked at Yunlang seriously and said: "No need, when I truly become useless, I will hand over the responsibility of patrolling the mountains to you, but that is not necessary for now. Life and death are trivial matters."

Dazai watched for a full five days, and finally could not hold back after Yunlang's stove had just taken shape

However, eating rabbit meat for three consecutive days at every meal, even the most delicious food will turn into garbage

Yunlang believes that if anyone were to witness Dazai eating, they would undoubtedly hold a profound respect for the existence of food as well as for books

The clay materials that have been finely crushed and sifted are soaked in a water vat, and for this purpose, they have been trodden thousands of times with bare feet

To build a simple stove, the best clay material is required. There is a layer of red clay on the nearby hillside, which is very suitable for making a simple stove.

The process sounds simple, but it is very difficult to execute

I need an iron knife, can you help me get one

At noon, Yunlang looked at his hands covered in blisters and had no choice but to temporarily stop the production of shoes

No one eats rabbit meat alone; this should be common knowledge. Yun Lang would naturally not make such a mistake

Tazai's face faded into the darkness, and Yunlang could not discern his expression; only Tazai's faint voice could be heard: "I will take a look, not sure if there is any."

The color of the wolf skin is a shade of grayish-blue that he particularly likes. However, before making the shoes, he needs to tie together the five layers of wolf skin that have been stripped of their fur with hemp rope, and finally wrap these skins with a thick piece of wolf skin, ultimately forming a beautiful shoe sole

There is no love in this world that is without reason ... ! ... Even if there is, Yunlang does not believe it. The environment has changed in strange ways, and even time and space may have undergone significant changes, yet the only thing that has not changed is Yunlang's heart, which is almost cold.

Leaving the job of an engineer also meant leaving behind the woman who often criticized him for his lack of ambition, the woman who once gritted her teeth and said over the phone that his heart was made of stone

Yunlang could not continue his research on cuisine; the anvil, hammer, fire tongs, and iron knife he needed had all been brought to him one after another by Dazai.

The wolf's skin is both thick and tough, and his large needle is quite unreliable; if too little force is applied, it cannot penetrate the wolf's skin, while if too much force is applied, it will bend the needle

Throughout the afternoon, Yunlang wandered in the mountains and forests near the stone house, where the natural resources were exceptionally abundant

Upon hearing this, Dazai sighed and left with his hands behind his back. "Qin Feng" was something he had specifically chosen to challenge Yunlang after discovering his strong learning ability, but it did not pose a challenge to him.

I am going to forge iron, primarily because I need a sharp knife and a sturdy awl to make myself a suitable pair of boots

The weather is very nice today, and Yunlang does not understand why he is reminded of that woman; it has been a long time since she last entered his dreams

She thought that Yunlang would only be away for a few days and would eventually return home, but unexpectedly, he left and never came back, showing no attachment to that home whatsoever

Tigers enjoy brushing their teeth with saltwater, or perhaps they simply have a fondness for salt. Yunlang has observed that Dazai is not at all kind to the tiger, calling it over and treating it roughly, resorting to punches and kicks at the slightest displeasure

This may be the method employed by Dazai and the tiger to establish a master-servant relationship; for a wild beast, the king to whom it submits in its youth will be its king for life

Yunlang did not wait for Taizai to mention reading, and spoke: "The reeds are lush and green, the white dew is like frost. The one I speak of is on the other side of the water. Following the current, the path is obstructed and long. Swimming against the current, it seems to be right in the center of the water."

With these two spices and salt, Yunlang felt that he could make an exceptionally delicious rabbit soup tonight

How did you tame the tiger? Does it have a name

The clay has been in the water jar for a full three days

A wisp of blue mist slowly rises from beneath the cliff, seemingly about to engulf the platform in front of the stone house

"May I accompany you on the mountain patrol tomorrow?" Yun Lang, being young, could not help but speak up first

In the end, that woman wished for him to die soon... So, Yunlang died

Yunlang's task today is to make a pair of shoes. He has an ample supply of animal hides, among which a sturdy old wolf hide will be the primary material for the shoes he is making today

Do you see the character "王" on his forehead? Can I call him "the Great King"?

Yunlang has no king to reminisce about, so he can only keep playing with the tiger's large claws

Establishing the closest relationship with the tiger in the shortest time possible has been Yun Lang's recent endeavor, and it appears that progress is quite satisfactory.

In this era, things that cannot be explained are generally referred to as miracles

With an uncertain future ahead, Yunlang decided to make the most of each day, ensuring that he would not waste his new life, at the very least, every single day.

Yunlang draped a piece of leather over Taizai's shoulders and said, "I fear you may not return tomorrow. Regardless, as long as I am here, I can choose a good burial site for you, to lay you to rest. There are too many wild beasts here."

The tiger's mouth is very clean, with no strange odors. Yunlang was very diligent today in helping to clean it with salt water, but the mouthwash was swallowed by it

During the days of waiting for the sedimentation of the clay, Yunlang dug a furnace at the foot of the mountain and threw all the coarse firewood stored by Taizai into it to burn. At the moment when the thick smoke was about to dissipate, he sealed the furnace's smoke outlet and fire opening completely with soil, and then began to organize his rusty hammer and anvil

Yunlang seemed oblivious to the change in Taizai's gaze, affectionately rubbing his head against the tiger's head and laughing, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

I have already memorized the fifteen essays of Qin Feng by Tai Zai

The taste of rabbit meat stewed in a clay pot is not as good as one might imagine; the meat of this animal is very bland and has a strong earthy smell. It cannot be considered delicious. However, if one adds a piece or two of fatty wild boar meat and enhances it with the aroma of spices, it immediately becomes fragrant and appetizing

Unless the process of one's own appearance is extraordinarily stunning, to the extent that it is beyond the ability of Dazai to explain

Dazai is able to kill a person without any psychological burden over a piece of tattered clothing, which indicates that there are many people around him; if he wishes, he should not lack for a Dazai V.

A tiger is a tiger, what name does it need? It is a cub I picked up, and when it grows up, it will accompany me on my mountain patrols

Thus, Yunlang began to weave a sieve with the finest hemp thread, suitable for sifting clay materials.

The nearby mountains and forests alone provided him with two types of wild spices, one being Sichuan pepper and the other star anise

However, this guy Dazai seems to enjoy his meals every day. No matter how much food Yunlang prepares, he always finishes everything, leaving not even a drop of the soup.

When Yunlang woke up in the morning, Dazai had already vanished without a trace, but the tiger was still there, repeatedly pretending to pounce on the doe. Each time, it would hold the doe's head in its large mouth, yet it never exerted any force. The doe seemed unafraid, happily playing along with the tiger.

The iron knife is too soft; what use is it? Do you not have a bronze knife?

The reeds are lush and green, and the white dew has yet to dry. The one I speak of is by the water's edge. I follow her upstream, the path is obstructed yet I strive to advance. I trace her as she swims, as if she were on an islet in the water.

Dazai's cough echoed far into the night... It was profoundly tragic; in this world, perhaps only Dazai could cough with such a sense of grandeur.

Dazai turned around, his eyes sparkling brightly. It was unclear what he was reminiscing about, but he shook his head and smiled, saying: "No need, what made you think of accompanying me on the patrol?"