Dragon, Truly Shameless (Yuri Futa, Farming) - Chapter 15

The daylight hours in autumn grew shorter, and in such a brief time, the sky had already darkened. The forest shrouded in night exuded an eerie atmosphere. The woods were intricate and complex, and the cries of unknown apes came from the trees on both sides. Combined with the dappled shadows covering the ground, there was no beautiful scenery to be seen, only a feeling as if ghosts were lurking everywhere.

Taking advantage of the time before it became completely dark, Shen Qingming barely found a tree hollow large enough to shelter her and hid inside like a wild cat. The temperature dropped sharply at night. There were no warm clothes in her bundle, so she had to put on everything she could wear and then unfold the bundle to block the entrance of the tree hollow, using it to ward off the cold wind.

The forest became active with the arrival of night, even more lively than during the day. The roars of nocturnal animals were close to her ears, and the sounds of panting and claws stepping on fallen leaves were amplified by the darkness. The autumn wind passed through the treetops, carrying a low, mournful hum, and gusts of cold wind blew, seeming like the wails of ghosts. In a daze, Shen Qingming felt that she was like a lonely soul at this moment, sheltering in the wilderness like a lost spirit following ghosts.

To cheer herself up, she took out a baked naan and began to gnaw on it. There was no water, and the baked naan was dry and hard to chew, causing occasional pain in her cheeks, but this pain could keep her awake. Fortunately, the rain had gradually stopped during this time, and the tree hollow was very dry. Padding it with a layer of fallen leaves could barely keep her warm.

She didn’t know how to face the days ahead, only thinking of taking it one day at a time. Returning to Taohua Village was hopeless. No one was willing to take her in. She had no land or property and had no way to establish herself.

Long Qing… these two words floated into her mind for no reason. In fact, it wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about going to find Long Qing. Now, the only choice left for her was to find Long Qing. The elders of the clan were unwilling to help her, and here she only knew Long Qing. The instinct to survive drove her to cling tightly to this last straw. But she didn’t know where Long Qing was. Black Dragon Mountain was surrounded by mountains, and the deep mountains were deserted year-round. Searching for someone in this environment was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Swallowing a mouthful of dry naan, her eyes seemed to moisten as well. The naan was a mixed grain cake with some egg crumbs mixed in. Apart from being slightly hard, it actually tasted very good, but she ate it while tears kept falling. This pity that came with charity became the last support of her crumbling psychological defense line. Holding onto this breath, she wouldn’t collapse.

For the first few days, Shen Qingming hid in the tree hollow, her spirit depressed, barely surviving on ten naans. However, even though she was frugal, the ten naans were quickly finished. Driven by hunger and cold, she had to find a way to get food.

Autumn had arrived, and the forest, like the paddy fields, was draped in a layer of orange-yellow gauze. The autumn wind blew, fallen leaves danced in the air, and the wind also brought the fragrance of ripe fruits from the forest. She still remembered what the old woman of the Shen family had told her on the day she left home: there was no shortage of wild fruits in the mountains in autumn, and she could survive by collecting them.

Shen Qingming touched her rumbling stomach. After hesitating for a moment, she walked out of the tree hollow. She broke off a long branch to use as a weapon for self-defense and then walked deeper into the forest.

The morning breeze carried a hint of moisture, blowing on her face, cool and refreshing. Shen Qingming walked and looked around. There were indeed some fruit trees in the mountains, but most of the fruits were very bitter and difficult to swallow. Many fruits she had never seen before, and she didn’t know if they were poisonous. After walking for a whole day, she had gained nothing except a few dry fruits. Shen Qingming licked her lips, which were dry and peeling due to lack of water. Fortunately, on her way back, she found a mountain stream. She rushed over and drank the water with cupped hands.

The sweet and cool spring water relieved her dry mouth and throat, washed away her frustration, and she took the opportunity to wash her face, regaining her spirits.

The water surface shimmered, clear as the sky. In the light and shadow reflected at the bottom, there seemed to be shadows moving, creating ripples. Looking closely, it was fish. Under the blue stone platform by the stream were several trout, all swimming as if without support in the empty air, their shadows cast on the stones. Their backs were bluish-gray, blending with the shadows of the stones. If the sunlight hadn’t shone through the water, they would have been impossible to spot.

Unable to find fruit, she had found fish instead, which greatly boosted Shen Qingming’s depressed spirits. The children in the village had learned to catch fish since they were young, and she was no exception. She secretly went around to the back of the fish. It was shaded here, and there were stones providing cover. She raised the branch, aimed carefully, and struck hard at the school of fish.

*Thump.*

The branch collided with the water surface, making a loud sound. As the first sound just rang out, the second and third followed closely. The water rippled and splashed everywhere, and the fish scattered and fled. Several were stunned and swam sluggishly. Shen Qingming took off her coat, using it as a net bag to pounce on the fish. Repeating this several times, she successfully caught a fish.

Pulling the fish ashore, she killed it with a stone. Looking at the fish on the ground, almost the size of her forearm, Shen Qingming finally showed the first smile she had had in days. Perhaps she could also live by hunting like Long Qing, no longer having to live under someone else’s roof, able to survive on her own.

The joy of her harvest made her temporarily forget her troubles. She cut open the fish’s belly, removed the internal organs, washed it clean, skewered it with a branch, and directly made a fire by the stream to roast the fish. The fish meat gradually changed from light red to silvery-white under the high heat, and the aroma of the meat escaped, making her stomach play a happy tune again.

After testing if it was cooked through, she took the fish off the fire, took a small bite, and her eyes lit up instantly. The fish skin was crispy, the meat tender and fragrant, and the taste was fresh and delicious. Already starving, she devoured the fish in large mouthfuls, completely forgetting that this was a deserted mountain forest, and sitting by the stream in an exposed place was very dangerous.

The aroma of the roasted fish quickly attracted uninvited guests. Just as she was immersed in satisfying her hunger, a faint rustling sound came from behind her, like the sound of fallen leaves being crushed. Something was approaching, panting heavily, and along with it came a strange stench.

The panting of a wild beast could easily awaken the fear etched in people’s bones. Shen Qingming stopped her movements and slowly turned her head, her breath catching in her throat.

In the bushes a few steps behind her, a huge head poked out!

Brown fur, semi-circular ears, a head almost as big as her entire body. Its black eyes reflected her holding the roasted fish. It was a brown bear. Shen Qingming’s face turned pale, and her body trembled. She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound for a long time, her feet as if rooted to the spot.

Seeing that she didn’t run, the bear cautiously stopped a few steps away, pawing at the ground as if declaring its presence.

She had heard the old people in the village say that autumn was the time when bears were active, during which they needed to gain as much weight as possible to prepare for hibernation. This bear had clearly been attracted by the smell of the roasted fish. Shen Qingming cursed her carelessness inwardly. She grabbed the wooden stick and barely managed to stand up, her legs feeling weak.

The pawing bear became more agitated. It let out a warning growl, shook its head, and took a few more steps forward menacingly. The surrounding air became very heavy, pressing down and making it hard to breathe. Shen Qingming’s mind raced. With unknown courage, she threw the roasted fish in her hand forcefully to one side. The brown bear let out a deafening roar and pounced on the roasted fish. The bear’s roar almost made Shen Qingming fall to the ground, but it was also this roar that gave her a bit of strength back. She turned and ran.

Unexpectedly, the bear didn’t follow directly. She stumbled and ran down the mountain, a feeling of relief after surviving a disaster rising in her heart. However, this relief didn’t last long. Running halfway down the mountain, she heard that heavy panting again.

The familiar stench lingered near her nostrils, and her heart leaped into her throat. What was even more despairing was that the sky was gradually darkening. The deeper she ran into the woods, the darker the light became. In the depths of the dense forest, it seemed as if countless eyes were watching her. In her panic, she lost her footing and fell, rolling directly down the hillside.

Her body collided with rocks, her skin being ripped open. She cried out in pain, but the bear’s stench choked it back.

What should she do? She didn’t want to die like this.

Dragon, please, please save me. I don’t want to be eaten, please.

Shen Qingming cried out. She had clearly worshipped the Dragon King before entering the mountain, so why did the dragon never respond to her?

Her body rolled rapidly like a wheel until her back slammed hard against a tree, finally stopping her. The surroundings were silent, and the dim light was not enough to see clearly. After a moment, she saw a huge shadow emerge from the depths of the forest, carrying that ever-present stench.

Look, the merciless dragon.

No matter how many times she begged, the dragon would always stand by indifferently. Truly a merciless and shameless dragon.

Despairing, two lines of tears fell. Facing the brown bear, she no longer struggled but curled up into a ball.

Long Qing.

On the verge of death, she slowly whispered Long Qing’s name. However, in a daze, she seemed to hear a tiger’s roar.

Was she dreaming?

The anticipated pounce didn’t come, and the bear’s stench also disappeared. The sky had completely darkened, and it was pitch black all around. She couldn’t see, only hear. Sure enough, another tiger’s roar echoed through the mountain forest.

If ordinary people heard a tiger’s roar, they would probably tremble with fear, but Shen Qingming was stunned. Then, the heart she had been holding in her throat finally fell. She had heard this tiger’s roar countless times.

Sure enough. Faint footsteps came from ahead, moving from far away to near. The night wind also carried a familiar cool fragrance.

Before she could speak, Long Qing’s voice rang out first.

“Bean Sprout?”

The familiar voice reached her ears, like the warm sun in spring, instantly dispelling all darkness. Only, this nickname truly made her not know whether to laugh or cry.

Shen Qingming had wanted to make a casual opening remark, but her voice choked when she spoke. The fear and anxiety of the past few days turned to dust at this moment. All she felt was overwhelming grievance.

“Ms. Long.”