Chapter 4

Early the next morning, Wang Tiezhu got up bright and early. After obtaining the mysterious space and celestial spring last night, he was so excited that he didn’t sleep at all. He only dozed off for an hour or so around four or five in the morning, but he didn’t feel tired at all. On the contrary, he was full of energy.

After preparing his gear for venturing into the mountains and informing his parents, he slung a bamboo basket on his back and set off. Wangjiabao Village was located at the foot of Daniu Mountain, only about two or three hundred meters away in a straight line.

As the old saying goes, “Live by the mountain, eat from the mountain; live by the water, drink from the water.” Wangjiabao and the surrounding villages all relied on Daniu Mountain for their livelihood. The deeper into the mountain one ventured, the more rare treasures could be found. But of course, the frequency of encountering deadly poisonous creatures and ferocious beasts also increased dramatically.

Some villagers, desperate to earn more money, ventured too deep, only to meet wild beasts. They didn’t make a fortune; instead, they lost their lives.

Wang Tiezhu’s father was one such unfortunate soul. Once a well-known hunter in Wangjiabao and the surrounding villages, he was severely injured in a life-or-death battle with a black bear while hunting in the deep mountains. Though the bear was killed, his father’s legs were shattered, leaving him permanently disabled.

From then on, his father fell into despair, and their once-prosperous family gradually declined.

Wang Tiezhu searched the outskirts of the mountain but found nothing worthwhile. However, now that he had the mysterious space, if he encountered danger, he could simply hide inside it. With such a life-saving method, he could go anywhere.

He needed to make 20,000 yuan in three days. There was no other way—he had to take the risk!

“Fortune favors the bold!”

Adjusting the bamboo basket on his shoulder, he ventured deeper into the forest. After walking for about an hour, the surrounding trees became increasingly dense, with massive, towering trunks everywhere. The thick foliage overhead blocked out the scorching sunlight, creating a surprisingly cool environment.

Just as Wang Tiezhu was about to put down his basket and take a short rest, an angry female voice suddenly rang out from the dense forest ahead.

“Blind Xu, you bastards! How shameless can you be, fighting a woman over something? This rabbit is mine—I found it first! You… all of you, get lost!”

This was followed by a lewd, sneering voice.

“This rabbit ran to its own death. You little hussy, just because you saw it first doesn’t mean it’s yours.”

“If that’s the case, I just spotted two ‘big white rabbits’ myself—bouncing and trembling. Does that mean they’re mine too?”

“Hahaha!” His lackeys burst into raucous laughter.

The woman’s face flushed red with rage as she covered her chest and shouted angrily, “You scoundrels! Bastards! Shameless pigs!”

“Hahaha!”

Blind Xu cackled. “Thanks for the compliment!”

One of his cronies, a shifty-eyed man, stared at the woman and leered. “Xu-ge, this chick is something else! Look at those headlights—so bright, I can’t even keep my eyes open. And we’re in the middle of nowhere—how about we take her for a test drive and see how much fuel she burns?”

The others immediately chimed in, their eyes gleaming with lust.

Blind Xu licked his lips, rubbing his chin. “Tempting… but she knows who we are. If she reports us for assault, we’ll end up in prison. That wouldn’t be worth it.”

“Don’t worry, Xu-ge!”

His lackey smirked. “She’s just a widow—her family won’t care about her. In Wangjiabao Village, she’s already got a bad reputation. Just a loose woman—she might even enjoy it if we show her some attention!”

Encouraged by his men and burning with desire, Blind Xu clenched his teeth. “Fine! Let’s do it!”

Acting all magnanimous, he declared, “She’s a feisty one, so I’ll test the waters first. Then you guys can have your turn.”

“Yeah, hurry up!”

His lackeys were impatient. They wanted him to finish quickly so they could take their turn.

Blind Xu stripped off his shirt, revealing his dark, muscular frame. His gaze locked onto the terrified woman, and he licked his lips, stepping forward with a lustful grin.

The woman, hearing every word of their disgusting conversation, turned pale. She knew that in this desolate wilderness, no one would come to her rescue, no matter how loud she screamed.

Was she really going to be defiled by these animals?

Panicked, she stumbled backward. “D-don’t come any closer, you bastard, or else I’ll—I’ll…”

“Hahaha!”

Blind Xu laughed wildly. Her fearful, pitiful expression only fueled his animalistic urges.

“Scream all you want! The louder you scream, the more excited I get!”

“I’m just taking you for a little test drive, giving your rusted engine a little lubrication. What’s the harm in that? Hahaha…”

“You… you… Stay away!”

The woman kept retreating until her back hit a tall bush. There was no way out. Despair filled her heart.

Just then—

SLAP!

A hand suddenly shot out from the bushes, grabbing her wrist.

The woman shrieked, “Ahhh!” and tried to break free.

“Xiangxiang-jie, it’s me!”

A man’s urgent voice came from the thicket. “Hurry! Come with me!”

“Tiezhu?!”

Liu Axiang’s eyes widened in shock. Overwhelmed with emotion, she nearly burst into tears. Before she could react, she was pulled into the bushes.

Blind Xu and his gang heard the man’s voice and were instantly furious.

Their prize was getting away! How could they let that happen?

“Motherf—!”

Blind Xu roared. “Which son of a b*tch dares to steal my woman? Brothers, get him! Break his legs—no, break all five of them!”

He charged into the thicket, his gang close behind.

“Run, run, run!”

Wang Tiezhu dragged Liu Axiang through the underbrush as fast as he could. Behind them, the gang of thugs hollered furiously.

“You little bastard, stop right there!”

“Shit! If I catch you, you’re dead!”

Their voices grew closer. The chase was tightening.

Liu Axiang, drenched in sweat, gasped for air. “T-Tiezhu, I-I can’t keep up… Slow down… I can’t take it anymore!”

“Just a little more, Xiangxiang-jie!” Wang Tiezhu was also panting heavily. At this point, he was practically carrying her as he ran. Covering this much ground while carrying another person was no easy feat—his stamina was incredible.

After another two or three minutes, they burst into a small clearing. Wang Tiezhu set Liu Axiang down, his face flushed red.

“Huff, huff, huff!” He panted like an ox, feeling as if his lungs were about to explode.

Liu Axiang looked around anxiously. “Tiezhu, why did we stop? Blind Xu and his men are still coming!”