PCJ – Chapter 114 Falling Star Pond

The sun finally dipped below the forest, casting its last rays on the peaks of Meishan, outlining the mountain range in a golden hue. The sky was bathed in a golden glow. The sunset was beautiful but fleeting, much like all beautiful things.

Zhang Jiaohua and the others, however, had no time to appreciate the natural beauty. The sun had set, and it was getting dark. They were already in the shadow of the mountains, and the light was dim.

“We should have brought flashlights. Up ahead is the old forest. In recent years, the number of wild animals in these mountains has decreased. The big wolves haven’t been seen in years. But no one can say for sure what’s in the old forest,” Liu Guocai said worriedly, looking at the darkening sky.

Liu Yunjun was nonchalant, “Don’t worry, Brother Guocai. I’ve been to this old forest many times. There’s nothing to worry about. The big wolves haven’t been seen in years. The biggest wild animals now are wild boars. As long as we don’t provoke them, they won’t attack us.”

“What do you know? You’ve only been around the outskirts of the old forest. The real depths are a no-go zone,” Liu Guocai said with a hint of fear, as if recalling something.

Liu Zongtai stopped, “Master Zhang, up ahead is the old forest. It’s getting dark, and it’s not safe to go further. We should stop.”

Liu Zongtai was disappointed, feeling that the buffalo couldn’t be found.

“Wait,” Zhang Jiaohua didn’t immediately accept Liu Zongtai’s suggestion. Although Liu Zongtai was the main person, Zhang Jiaohua didn’t want to ruin his reputation. More importantly, he had heard from Zuan Shanbao’s barking that it had found something.

“Master Zhang, I’m grateful for your efforts to find my buffalo, but I can’t let you be in danger. Let’s go back,” Liu Zongtai said, glancing regretfully at the old forest.

“I’m not saying we should go into the old forest. My dog might have found something just ahead, not in the old forest. I wouldn’t risk my life for a buffalo,” Zhang Jiaohua shook his head.

“Found it?” Liu Zongtai asked excitedly.

“I think so. But your buffalo might be in bad shape. Even if we find it, it might not be able to plow the fields,” Zhang Jiaohua said, walking towards the barking Zuan Shanbao.

After a few minutes, Zhang Jiaohua led Liu Zongtai and the others to Zuan Shanbao’s location.

Zuan Shanbao was standing above a water hole, barking continuously. Seeing Zhang Jiaohua, it ran up to him, rubbing against him as if seeking praise. Zhang Jiaohua patted its head, “Good job, Baozi.”

“There it is! The buffalo is there!” Liu Yunjun shouted, pointing excitedly to the edge of the water hole.

Following his finger, they saw the missing buffalo lying in the shallow water, motionless.

Even though they had found the buffalo, Liu Zongtai looked distressed. Getting it out of the water hole wouldn’t be easy.

The water hole, called Falling Star Pond, was said to be formed by a meteor impact. Rainwater from the surrounding mountains gathered here, forming a pond. In the rainy season, the pond overflowed, turning the valley into a small lake. In the dry season, the water level dropped by more than ten meters. It was now the dry season, and the water level was low. The pond was surrounded by vertical rock walls. If someone fell in, they could only climb out using the vines. Now a buffalo had fallen in, and getting it out seemed impossible. Even if they did, it might be only good for meat.

Although the buffalo was found, Liu Zongtai felt hopeless. Slaughtering it for meat would only bring in enough money to buy a calf. Raising a calf to maturity wasn’t quick. This buffalo was in its prime and well-trained, making its loss significant. Training a buffalo wasn’t easy.

Liu Zongtai’s family was well-off enough to buy a mature buffalo, but finding a good one at the market wasn’t easy.

“What should we do?” Liu Guocai squatted down, took out a pack of Xiaomei cigarettes, and handed one to Liu Zongtai and Liu Yunjun.

“Why would the buffalo come here to die?” Liu Yunjun asked, puzzled, taking the cigarette.

Liu Guocai glared at him. This fool really knew how to hit a sore spot. Couldn’t he see that Liu Zongtai was about to cry?

“Master Zhang, want a cigarette?” Liu Guocai offered one to Zhang Jiaohua.

“I don’t want one,” Zhang Jiaohua said irritably. Why would a good kid want a cigarette?

Liu Guocai chuckled, “Master Zhang, do you have any ideas on how to get the buffalo out?”

“Depends on how badly it’s injured. If it’s not too bad, we can treat it and use a pump to fill the pond from the river. Then we can get the buffalo out,” Zhang Jiaohua said, pointing to the nearby Meijiang River. His inspiration came from the crow drinking water story from elementary school.

Liu Zongtai’s eyes lit up. The pond wasn’t large, and using a pump to fill it was feasible. He looked into the pond. It was surrounded by dense vines, which were strong enough to hold a lot of weight.

“I’ll go down and check,” Liu Zongtai said, putting out his cigarette.

“It’s over ten meters high. If you fall, it won’t be good. The light isn’t great now. How about we come back tomorrow?” Liu Guocai suggested.

“We don’t know how badly the buffalo is hurt. If we wait until tomorrow, it might only be good for meat,” Liu Zongtai decided to take the risk.

“I’ll go with you,” Zhang Jiaohua said, looking at the sky. The light was dim, and it was getting harder to see. If they didn’t act now, it would be even darker soon.