Chapter 1, Misfortunes Never Come Alone

This morning, as Wu Anguo crawled out of the camping tent, he already sensed that something was amiss. His years of experience as a backpacker had made him sensitive to his surroundings. It was nothing short of a miracle that there were no plastic bags or mineral water bottles on the mountain where they had camped yesterday. However, he did not think much of it at the time and hurriedly packed up his tent, sleeping bag, and other personal belongings in preparation for descending the mountain. He had to return to work the next day, and at nearly thirty years old, he no longer wished to be an amateur athlete for life. In recent years, he had taken on several design projects that had gone quite well, and the department head had already discussed succession plans with him for after his retirement.

Now it is clear; this person is merely in their mid-twenties, with a bronze-colored square face and thick eyebrows that meet at the temples, giving him a remarkably heroic appearance. He is indeed a rare strong young man. It is unknown how such a person managed to enter the mountains without being eaten by a tiger. Judging by the bloodstains on him, it is evident that he has been injured by a tiger, though it is unclear where the injury is.

When the tiger saw Wu Anguo, it ceased its pursuit of the fleeing animals, clearly showing a greater interest in him than in the others. It circled around the base of the tree, found a slightly elevated spot, pressed its front paws down, and with a whoosh, leaped up, tracing a beautiful arc in the air, heading straight for Wu Anguo. In a panic, Wu Anguo quickly retracted his legs, and the tiger's front paw barely grazed his hiking shoes. At that moment, he could not afford to admire the tiger's form, nor could he pay attention to the branches hitting his face, as he scrambled higher up. Just a few steps up, the large tree began to shake violently; the beast, unable to reach him, had resorted to crashing its massive body against the tree, causing it to sway wildly. At this moment, Wu Anguo felt utterly helpless, cursing under his breath about the irresponsible wildlife park that had released such a ferocious beast into the mountains. In a critical moment, his limbs felt weak, and his back turned cold, but it was merely the wind in the forest stirring his clothes, causing the cold sweat on his back. Suddenly, he felt a tightness in his abdomen, and warmth spread through his legs as urine dripped down his pant legs. After much effort, he found a higher branch to wedge himself into, and at that point, the tree had stopped shaking. Looking down, his heart sank further; the tiger was climbing up the tree, step by step, gripping the trunk.

Suddenly, the chirping of birds in the forest came to a halt, and countless unknown birds flapped their wings and flew away into the distance. Following that was a cacophony of footsteps, as numerous wild boars, deer, and rabbits rushed past from not far away. This was not good; there were wild beasts. After years of engaging in outdoor activities, Wu Anguo instinctively sensed that danger was approaching. He quickly ran to a large tree, using both hands and feet to climb up. He found a thick, slanting branch and sat steadily in the middle, now about four or five meters off the ground. It was only then that he realized he was still carrying a heavy military backpack, but in this critical moment, he clearly had no time to consider it. Looking down towards the source of danger, he discovered a pair of eyes, like bronze bells, had already reached the base of the tree, coldly staring at him. That icy gaze came from a tiger, as large as a water buffalo, with white fur and black stripes, exuding an imposing presence. It was unclear from which wildlife park it had escaped, but none of the tigers he had seen at the Beijing Zoo had grown to such a size or displayed such majesty. It was likely that the tiger was hungry, having woken up in the morning looking for breakfast.

In just a year, in a large village, only the elderly, the weak, the sick, and the disabled remained, while the rest had fled to other places to escape disaster. One morning, the old blacksmith Zhang Wuge got up, opened the courtyard door, and checked the few remaining sheep within the tall courtyard walls. He wondered whether this wall, over a yard high (approximately two meters now), would still be able to keep out the monsters after autumn arrived. With a sigh, he took a water bucket to fetch water. On the way, he met the old carpenter Yang Dashan. Both of them were considered elders in their respective families, and now that the younger generation had all run away, they had no choice but to do the heavy work themselves.

Before the words had left his mouth, a cry of "Ah" was heard, and the strong man, as if struck by a bolt from the blue, clasped his head with both hands and crouched down to the ground. His panic was no less than that of the two old men just moments ago.

Could it be that I have been abducted by aliens? Wu Anguo chuckled bitterly and shook his head. After so many years of mountain climbing, this was the first time he encountered such a strange occurrence. Fortunately, the repeating crossbow he had designed himself, custom-made by a classmate who worked as a chief engineer in a township enterprise, was still strapped to his waist. This device, equipped with a gear mechanism to draw the string, could shoot a hole through a military pot within twenty meters. As long as he did not encounter armed robbers, with this weapon and Wu Anguo's skills, five or six strong men would be no match for him. Patting this precious item, which could fire three shots in succession, Wu Anguo felt somewhat reassured; after all, as long as he headed down the mountain, he would eventually find a way out.

While he was pondering, the young man tidied himself up and approached the old man. This time, he lowered his voice as much as possible and spoke in a friendly manner, saying: "Gentlemen, what place is this, and how do I get to the city?"

"Fellow villager, may I ask where this place is?" The two old men were so engrossed in their conversation that they did not notice someone had approached them. Upon hearing the question, they quickly looked up, causing Yang Laohan to tremble, spilling all the water from the bucket he was pouring into his own lap. As for Zhang Laowu, he was so startled that he stumbled back a few steps and fell to the ground. The person before them stood over nine feet tall (approximately 1.9 meters), with broad shoulders and a sturdy waist. He wore a tight-fitting outfit without buttons and large boots that did not resemble the attire of the Central Plains. Behind him was a massive backpack, the contents of which were unknown. His face was charred and blackened, obscuring his true appearance, with bloodstains all over, resembling a malevolent spirit that had feasted on human flesh.

Last night, I went to the Great Wall to camp, originally motivated by a promise made years ago on https://www.hetushu.com. I had once vowed to bring a girl to the Great Wall to watch the stars during the summer. Although that girl has long since gone to the other side of the Earth, every summer for the past few years, Wu Anguo has come to the Great Wall to gaze at the stars. This is also to commemorate the selfless devotion of my youthful emotions

Upon seeing Zhang Wuge fall, the person hurried over to assist him, inadvertently startling the two elderly men, who appeared quite uneasy. He quickly walked to the well, drew water, and washed his face. He then took out clothes from his bag, changing out of his bloodstained outer garment, yet the new attire was still a peculiar outfit without buttons. The two elderly men, noticing that he meant no harm and that his demeanor was not that of a bad person, gradually began to feel at ease, taking the opportunity to scrutinize him while he changed his clothes.

Barely a few months after the emergence of the giant insect, a water monster appeared in the water. Every night, it would come out to wreak havoc, first attacking chickens and dogs, and then moving on to cattle and sheep. With the slightest carelessness, they would be dragged away by it. Consider the common folk; how could they possibly have so many livestock for it to consume? Within less than half a year, every household was left destitute, yet the monster showed no signs of leaving. The villagers pooled their money several times, risking their lives to invite sorcerers to subdue the demon and capture the monster, but each sorcerer that came was devoured by the creature. After several attempts, no sorcerer dared to come again.

After wandering for two or three hours, Wu Anguo finally accepted a reality: he was lost. If his group of "donkey friends" knew about this, they would surely laugh uproariously. It is hard to believe that Wu Anguo, who has been a "donkey friend" for nearly five years, could get lost, yet this is precisely the truth. He had no idea where he was; in any case, the mountains surrounding Beijing should not have such lush forests. Looking at the latitude and longitude indicators on his mountaineering watch, which cost over 5,000 yuan, it was clear he was still near Beijing. However, the mountains here were so different from what he remembered of the vicinity of Beijing. In less than half an hour, he had already seen three golden pheasants, two wild boars, and several animals that resembled deer but were not quite deer; according to the wildlife manual, they should be musk deer.

The sunlight cascades down from the treetops, accompanied by the swaying shadows of the trees, rhythmically harmonizing with the sounds of birds and cicadas in the forest, creating an ethereal sensation. If this were indeed still near Beijing, I would truly invite my fellow "hikers" to join me, as such beautiful scenery is quite rare. From the initial panic of being lost, Wu Anguo quickly calmed himself and returned to his true nature as a traveler, wholeheartedly appreciating the beauty of the forest.

The peaks rise like a gathering, the waves surge like fury, the road through Tongguan lies between mountains and rivers. Looking towards the western capital, my thoughts waver, saddened by the places traversed by the Qin and Han dynasties. The palaces and towers, once grand, have turned to dust. Prosperity brings suffering to the common people; decline brings suffering to the common people. This verse from "Shanpo Yang" expresses the enduring sorrow of the Chinese populace over millennia. On this land, peace has been a rare occurrence for a century; the landscape is picturesque, yet countless heroes have fought for it, while the common people have borne the brunt of the suffering. Especially a century ago, when the Mongols invaded in large numbers, leaving nine out of ten homes empty, transforming thousands of acres of fertile land into pastures. Ultimately, they destroyed the beleaguered Southern Song dynasty, forcing the last young emperor of the Southern Song to drown himself in the sea. The people of the Central Plains endured a century of oppression under the Mongols, until a great hero, Zhu Yuanzhang, born of humble origins, emerged. He led countless heroes such as Xu Da and Chang Yuchun, first unifying the various regions of Jiangnan, establishing the capital in Jinling, and then marching northward. After numerous fierce battles, they expelled the Mongols from south of the Yanshan Mountains. The capital of the Yuan dynasty was renamed Beiping.

After the competition, the head of the Human Resources Department had a conversation with Wu Anguo, implying that he should continue to strive for excellence and always aim for first place. Of course, until the next young person with skills like Wu Anguo arrives, he must serve as the honorary defender of the institute.

It is the Millennium Divine Turtle. I have heard the teacher say that when Xuanwu appears, the four seas will be at peace. Once Xuanwu emerges, the days of hardship will come to an end. I wonder if this old body of mine can endure until that day. Old Yang lowered his head and arranged the water buckets, feeling a twinge of sadness in his heart as he thought of his distant and fleeing descendants

Wu Anguo understood this very well. Since elementary school, he had been utilizing his talents for the honor of the school, to the extent that he almost did not qualify for middle school. In order for him to attend a good school, his family even spent money to establish connections. If it were not for the intense competition in the athlete industry, coupled with his family's continuous disapproval of him becoming a professional athlete, he might have already been selected for the national team to bring glory to the country. For him personally, sports are the greatest joy in life, while academics are merely a necessary hardship for survival. There were those willing to let him engage in sports without working, which was something he longed for. In the following years, he attended a municipal workers' amateur sports school, where he was funded to learn karate, martial arts, archery, and other sports. He also won the first gold medal for his unit in over 50 years at the municipal workers' sports meeting. Later, he became fascinated with mountaineering, becoming a well-known "donkey friend" until last night. He also won the first gold medal for his unit in over 50 years at the municipal workers' sports meeting. Later, he became fascinated with mountaineering, becoming a well-known "donkey friend" until last night.

Oh heavens, why do you torment me so? Had I known it would come to this, I would have preferred to be eaten by a tiger just now, murmured Wu Anguo as he squatted on the ground

In the organization, Wu Anguo is considered a notable figure. Among the new recruits assigned to the design institute, he is the only one without connections and without a doctoral degree. This situation has a somewhat legendary quality; the personnel department, against the odds, chose him from a multitude of interviewees, attracted by his imposing height of 1.9 meters and a stack of awards from university sports competitions. It is important to note that in the late 1990s, a quota for entering Beijing was something many graduates dreamed of. Wu Anguo did not disappoint the institute; at that year's sports meeting for employees of ministries and commissions, he single-handedly won gold medals in all the track events that did not conflict, including the 3000 meters, 400 meters, and 100 meters, as well as championships in shot put and javelin. This led the organizing committee of the competition to subsequently amend the rules, stipulating that each athlete could enter a maximum of five events. This achievement marked a breakthrough for the design institute, which had not won any gold medals in the ministry's sports meetings for several years, allowing the men in the institute to hold their heads high and no longer feel embarrassed in front of their wives, who were also part of the same system, for always finishing last. After the competition, it was said that Wu Anguo's prize money was even greater than the year-end bonus of the department head, not to mention the substantial rewards set by the institute in recent years to achieve this breakthrough. In recent years, the institute has not had many projects to undertake, so the leadership's attention has mainly focused on these aspects of spiritual civilization.

As the two arrived at the well, they lowered the bucket and drew out water. The old man then asked, "Uncle, I know about the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird, but I have only heard of the Black Tortoise; I do not know what it is."

In a case record from the Beijing Public Security Bureau in 2003, there is a report stating: Wu Anguo, male, 28 years old, holds dual master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy from a certain university, is an amateur mountaineering enthusiast, and works as an engineer at a certain design institute. He went missing while camping near Simatai on September 8. Prior to his disappearance, he was in good health and exhibited no abnormal behavior. This individual had previously won gold medals in long-distance running and archery at the Beijing Workers' Sports Games, as well as a black belt in karate. He was not carrying a large amount of cash at the time of his disappearance, thus ruling out the possibility of murder. This individual had previously won gold medals in long-distance running and archery at the Beijing Workers' Sports Games, as well as a black belt in karate. He was not carrying a large amount of cash at the time of his disappearance, thus ruling out the possibility of murder

Wu Anguo, weighing over 180 pounds, could not simply perish like this. While comforting himself, Wu Anguo drew his last lifeline, the repeating crossbow, from his waist. He trembled as he turned the gears, tightened the string, and loaded the bolts. The tiger was now within arm's reach, and Wu Anguo could feel its heavy breathing. Steeling his heart, he aimed at the tiger's eyes and pulled the trigger, releasing three bolts simultaneously. He stared unblinkingly; if he missed, he was prepared to jump from the tree, preferring to die from the fall rather than suffer a slow demise.

It is said that in the northern part of Beijing, over a hundred miles away, at the foot of a great mountain, there lies a large village with more than three hundred households. Originally, these were the slave craftsmen of the noble class during the Yuan Dynasty, engaged in ironworking or carpentry. After the Mongols withdrew from the Central Plains, they turned to agriculture for their livelihood. During the farming off-season, the men in the village either worked as carpenters or blacksmiths, and their lives were quite prosperous. However, fate played a cruel trick on them; after a few years of peace, they unexpectedly encountered a calamity. First, a large beast appeared in the mountains, with white fur and black stripes, extremely ferocious, causing countless casualties among passing travelers. The strong men of the village banded together to hunt it down, with over forty men setting out, but they were ambushed by the beast, resulting in more than twenty casualties, forcing them to retreat in panic. This alarmed the local authorities; the county magistrate, known for his benevolence towards the people, dispatched a large group of constables to eliminate the threat. Initially, the beast could not escape, but later, taking advantage of the villagers' unpreparedness, it launched a midnight attack. In a hasty response, the constables were caught off guard, and the beast, with a single bite, severed half of the head of the leading constable, resulting in numerous casualties among the officers. After this incident, no one dared to mention the extermination of the beast again. Consequently, traveling merchants and passersby had no choice but to form groups for safety, and soon, very few dared to come.

Our village is called Jianghuying, located in the Huairou County of the Shuntian Prefecture in Beiping, Jizhou. This area is already on the border of the Ming Dynasty; beyond that mountain over there, it no longer falls under the jurisdiction of the Ming. " Coming back to his senses from his surprise, Zhang Wu began to speak more. "Little Master, judging by your accent, you are from Beiping. May I ask at which temple you are practicing?" He noticed that the strong man had very short hair and assumed he was a monk in training, thus addressing him as Little Master.