All Heavens Strategy Game

Wang Fugui's voice wasn't loud, but it echoed in the somewhat empty shop.

"Hmm?" Su Ming stopped in his tracks, withdrew the foot that had stepped out the door, and turned to look at the owner of Wang's Ironwood Shop.

Wang Tielei stood respectfully to the side.

"Is there anything else, Manager Wang?" Su Ming asked calmly.

Wang Fugui's smile remained unchanged as he gestured with his hand, "Young Brother Su, please don't be in such a hurry. It's still early. Why don't we go inside for a cup of tea? I do have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Su Ming hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

The inner room was small and simply furnished, with a square table, a few chairs, and some account books and miscellaneous items piled up in the corner.

Wang Tielei quickly brewed a pot of coarse tea, poured it for the two of them, and then tactfully retreated to the outer room to keep watch.

"Brother Su," Wang Fugui picked up his teacup but didn't drink it immediately. His gaze fell on Su Ming's face with the shrewdness and scrutiny of a businessman. "I just heard Tie Lei say that you are an excellent archer. You hunted three deer in three or four days. With such skill, you probably can't find many like you within a hundred miles of Linjiang County."

"Just luck," Su Ming said calmly.

"Hehe, you're too modest." Wang Fugui put down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice, "May I ask, young brother... are you still planning to go into the mountains recently?"

Su Ming's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm: "Shopkeeper, please speak frankly."

"Great job!" Wang Fugui praised, then cut to the chase, "I'd like to ask you, young man, to help me hunt a sheep."

"Sheep?" Su Ming raised an eyebrow slightly.

Sheep are not particularly difficult to hunt, and their price is average. There are many people selling sheep in the market. Wang Fugui's seriousness in handling this matter is definitely not simple.

"These aren't ordinary sheep." Wang Fugui's eyes deepened, and his voice lowered even further. "They're old mountain goats, preferably those that roam among cliffs and precipices."

Seeing that Su Ming was listening attentively, he continued to explain: "Young brother, do you know that goats love to climb rocks and spend their days licking salt rocks on cliffs?"

"Some precious medicinal herbs, blessed by nature, often grow in the crevices of cliffs rarely visited by humans. These goats tread on dangerous places that many herb gatherers cannot reach."

"When they lick the salt, they inevitably ingest these medicinal herbs as well. Over time, the medicinal properties accumulate and blend in their bodies... In a very small number of old goats, a foreign substance is formed, which we in the industry call 'Goat Treasure'."

"Goat treasure?" This was the first time Su Ming had heard this term.

"Yes." Wang Fugui nodded, a hint of eagerness flashing in his eyes. "It is said that this product combines the properties of hundreds of herbs and has miraculous effects in regulating qi and blood, strengthening the body's foundation, and even curing some difficult and complicated diseases."

"Of course, only old goats that have lived for decades have a slight chance of forming this. The older the goat, the more rare and exotic herbs it has eaten, the greater the chance of forming a goat treasure, and the more potent its medicinal properties."

Su Ming understood: "Manager Wang means you want me to help you hunt down an old goat and obtain this goat treasure?"

"No, no, no," Wang Fugui quickly waved his hand, a wry smile on his face, "Young man, you're only half right."

He sighed, "These goat babies are extremely rare. Out of ten or a hundred old goats, perhaps only one will give birth to one. It all depends on fate and luck."

"If you really go hunting, what if you're unlucky and kill a hundred sheep but can't find a single one? Wouldn't that be a waste of effort and against the natural order?"

"So, what does Manager Wang mean?"

"My request is very simple," Wang Fugui said seriously. "Please, young man, shoot an old goat for me. It doesn't matter if the goat dies, but it must be brought back as intact as possible, without being gutted, so I can deal with it here. We can examine it on the spot. Whether or not the 'goat treasure' is inside the goat, it doesn't matter."

He held up five fingers: "If there's no goat treasure, I'll give you five taels of silver as payment for this rare old goat."

"If I'm lucky enough to get one..." He opened his palm again, repeating the gesture with his five fingers, "Fifty taels! The goat's treasure is mine, and you can do whatever you want with the goat's body, how about it?"

An ordinary goat costs around 500-800 coins.

Five taels of silver is nearly ten times the price of an ordinary, healthy adult goat.

Fifty taels is a huge sum of money, enough for an ordinary farming family of seven or eight to live on for several years!

Wang Fugui looked at Su Ming and added, "I know this request is a bit unusual. The old goats on the cliff are extremely wary and difficult to shoot. Ordinary hunters simply can't find them, but you're different, young man. With your skills and archery, you might be able to give me a surprise."

Su Ming fell silent, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rim of the warm teacup.

Wang Fugui's words contained a lot of information.

The legend of the goat treasure, the requirement to bring it back intact, the high reward... all point to the fact that the value of this thing far exceeds its description.

This Wang Fugui is probably not just an ordinary ironwood shop owner; he may also be involved in medicinal herbs or even some more secretive businesses.

However, this is not a bad thing for Su Ming.

He desperately needed money and was also determined to go into the mountains to find century-old Ganoderma lucidum.

According to Su Shunfa and the shopkeeper, the century-old Ganoderma lucidum often grows on cliffs and in places rarely visited by people.

While searching for century-old Ganoderma lucidum, why not also check if there are any old goats along the way... If you're lucky, you could find both, wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?

It's on the way anyway!

"Can."

Su Ming raised his eyes, his gaze clear and firm.

"I do need to go into the mountains soon, and if I find a suitable old mountain goat, I will give it a try."

Wang Fugui's face immediately broke into a genuine smile, as if a great weight had been lifted from his heart: "Good! Good! Young brother, you are indeed straightforward! I, Wang, will await your good news! Whether it succeeds or not, I will remember this favor!"

The two briefly discussed the details of the transaction and the habits of goats before Su Ming got up to take his leave.

Wang Fugui personally escorted him to the shop entrance, watching as Su Ming loaded the wrapped broadsword and medicinal herbs onto the donkey cart and drove it away into the darkening street.

"Master, do you really think this young man can amount to something?" Wang Tielei leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

Wang Fugui gazed in the direction Su Ming had left, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "This boy is no ordinary person... He can draw a bow with the strength of a three-stone bow, hunt three deer in a few days, and is calm and composed, acting with propriety."

"Whether he catches a sheep or not is another matter, but making a good connection is never a bad thing. Besides..." He paused, "that place is one that ordinary hunters wouldn't dare to go, nor could they. If he really went, regardless of success or failure, it would speak volumes."

"If you really want my opinion, this is probably doomed to fail. I've already asked many experienced hunters for help, and none of them have succeeded."

It's obvious that Wang Fugui doesn't have a high opinion of Su Ming; he's just casting a wide net now.

……

The return journey seemed colder than the way there.

The north wind whipped up fine snowflakes that stung my face.

Su Ming drove the donkey cart back to Sishui Village in the dim light.

Instead of going home first, he went straight to the lonely mud-brick house of Cui Chou Nu at the end of the village.

The room was lit by a dim oil lamp, which cast a hunched, coughing figure and a slender shadow busy serving on the window paper.

Su Ming knocked on the door.

Soon, the door opened a crack, and Cui Chou Nu peeked out, revealing half her face. Seeing it was Su Ming, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes, and she quickly opened the door wider: "Su Sanlang? You're back..."

"I've brought the medicine back." Su Ming took out three bundled packets of medicinal herbs from his pocket and handed them over. "Three doses according to the prescription. Please check them."

Cui Chou Nu took it; it felt heavy in her hand. Without looking at it for long, she whispered, "Thank you."

As she spoke, she turned to go back inside to get the money.

"The money isn't urgent. If your family is facing difficulties, you can give it to us later," Su Ming said.

Cui Chounu shook her head, insisting, "It must be given."

She quickly took out a small cloth bag from the house, carefully counted out some copper coins, added a dozen or so extra, and handed them to Su Ming with both hands:

"Su Sanlang, here is the money for the medicine. The three doses of medicine cost a total of one hundred and twenty coins. I'll give you one hundred and forty coins. The extra twenty coins are... to thank you for your trouble."

Even though she was down on her luck, she still didn't want to owe anyone any more favors.

Su Ming glanced at her, took the money without counting it, and stuffed it into his pocket: "It's getting late, let's start preparing the medicine soon."

Having said that, he turned and walked toward the donkey cart.

Cui Chou Nu held the medicine and stood at the door, watching the young man drive away nimbly, his slender figure quickly blending into the twilight and falling snow.

She gently closed the door, returned to the dimly lit room, and carefully placed the medicine packet by the light of the oil lamp. Just as the thought of "we're even" arose in her mind, her hand stopped.

She picked up the medicine packet again, weighed it in her hand, and then carefully felt it... The dosage seemed to be more than three doses?

She was puzzled, so she looked down and opened the medicine packet, then her expression froze.

This is not three doses.

This is clearly a dosage of six doses!

He...he bought three extra doses of medicine?

He was worried that his grandfather wouldn't have enough medicine, so he bought a few extra doses so he could be prepared.

Cui Chou Nu stood there, staring at the medicinal herbs emitting a bitter fragrance under the oil lamp, without moving for a long time.

Grandpa's suppressed coughs could be heard intermittently from the inner room.

She originally thought that giving more money would be enough to repay the favor and leave her with nothing to owe.

But now... these three extra doses of medicine are like a warm stone, weighing heavily on her heart, which she has been trying to keep a distance from.

This young man… She sighed softly, a complex, bitter smile appearing on her lips.

It seems like I'm owing more and more favors.

……

When Su Ming returned home, it was already completely dark.

Liu had been eagerly awaiting his return, and only when she saw him return safely did she breathe a sigh of relief. She brushed the snow off him while murmuring:

"Why are you back so late? The snow has been falling heavily! Are you hungry? The rice is warming up in the pot, and there's still some venison soup. Let me get you some!"

"Mom, don't be in a hurry."

Su Ming put away the cleaver and medicinal herbs he had bought, washed his hands, and sat down at the table.

The eldest brother, Su Yuanbao, and the second sister, Su Yuyu, also came over, looking curiously at the long, cloth-wrapped object.

Su Ming ate a simple meal, and the hot soup dispelled the chill.

When his family asked about the situation, he didn't talk much about what happened in the county town, only saying that the sale of the hides went smoothly and that he bought some medicinal herbs and a new wood-chopping knife.

After the meal, he did not rest, but said to Liu Shi, "Mother, I'm going out for a bit to ask Uncle Shunfa about something."

We must go into the mountains again.

Goat's Treasure + Century-Old Lingzhi Mushroom: A Must-Have!

In order to avoid being completely lost when going into the mountains tomorrow, we must go to Su Shunfa's house to ask for details about the hunting location for goats. Su Shunfa is the most skilled hunter in Sishui Village and probably knows a lot about goats and even the situation in Linzhi.

"It's so late, and it's still snowing..." Liu said worriedly.

"I'll be back soon." Su Ming put on his old coat, pushed open the door, and stepped into the wind and snow.

……

Su Shunfa had just finished dinner and was repairing an animal trap by the light of an oil lamp when he was surprised to see Su Ming visit him despite the heavy snow.

"Sanlang? Come in quickly! What's the emergency in this snowy weather?"

Su Ming brushed the snow off his face and got straight to the point: "Uncle Shunfa, I want to ask you about the old goat. Where in Xiaochongshan can you find it?"

Upon hearing this, Su Shunfa lowered his voice: "Sanlang, why are you asking about goats? With such heavy snow, and goats preferring cliffs, they're very hard to find!"

"I happen to be going into the mountains to find a century-old Ganoderma lucidum to make deer blood wine," Su Ming said frankly. "Also, I'd like to try my luck and see if I can run into an old mountain goat along the way, as someone in the city has asked me to hunt one."

"A hundred-year-old Ganoderma lucidum... an old goat..." Su Shunfa clicked his tongue, a look of realization dawning on him, his eyes filled with a mixture of reminiscence and apprehension. "If you ask me where these two things are most likely to be, it really is the same place—the cliff face south of Little Chongshan, near 'Eagle's Beak'!"

"That place is characterized by towering cliffs and jagged rocks."

"Let alone gathering herbs, even the most experienced herb gatherers, equipped with all their gear, wouldn't dare to climb up there easily. On the other hand, argali sheep and mountain goats leap and bound up and down those cliffs as if walking on flat ground."

"When I was young, I was reckless and thought I could shoot a goat to improve my diet. I squatted there for three days and didn't even touch a hair—those things stand on rocks dozens of meters high; before your arrow even arrives, they've already jumped out of sight!"

He paused, then looked at Su Ming: "The kind of place where you want a hundred-year-old Ganoderma lucidum is most likely to grow. I found one there by chance before."

"But Sanlang, listen to your uncle's advice, that place is too dangerous! Just try to find some hundred-year-old Ganoderma lucidum under Eagle's Beak, forget about the goats, they're hard to hunt, and don't even think about climbing the cliff to shoot them, one wrong fall and you're done for. It's not worth risking your life for a goat!"

After listening quietly, Su Ming asked, "Uncle Shunfa, besides the treacherous terrain, what other special dangers are there? Wild animals? Or something else?"

Seeing that he seemed to have made up his mind, Su Shunfa sighed: "There aren't many wild beasts, but those cliffs are too steep for large predators to climb."

"The main problem is the slipperiness. The rocks are covered with wet, slippery moss, and one wrong step could send you plummeting into an abyss."

"And it's also very windy, especially at that protruding spot called 'Eagle's Beak.' Strange gusts of wind appear from time to time, enough to blow a person off!"

Su Ming nodded, memorizing keywords such as "eagle's beak," "hundred-mile cliff," "slippery moss," and "strange wind," gaining a thorough understanding of the terrain.

"Thank you, Uncle Shunfa, I understand." He stood up and thanked him solemnly.

Looking at the young man before him, so calm he didn't seem like a teenager, Su Shunfa knew he couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he could only pat him on the shoulder: "Be very careful! If you really can't manage, just come back, it's not shameful! If you need any tools, just tell me!"

"I will."

Su Ming pushed open the door and went out.

Outside, there was a snowy landscape.

The world was a vast expanse of white, so quiet that only the soft rustling of falling snow could be heard.

The snow has gotten even heavier!

No longer fine snowflakes, but goose feather-like snowflakes, falling silently, yet with an overwhelming force.

In just a short time, a thick layer had accumulated on the ground, making a dull "crunching" sound when stepped on.

Su Ming looked up at the dark night sky. The heavy snow seemed to be burying the distant mountains.

Su Ming frowned:

"The snow... is getting heavier!"

In my past life, I had records of ancient calamities.

If this heavy snow continues for several days, it will collapse thatched huts, block roads, and freeze livestock to death, and people will truly starve to death!

"Snow disaster year! Another disaster year. With the situation in the village like this, I wonder if people will freeze to death or even starve to death?!" Su Ming was shocked.

This year, the grain tax has already increased, and many families in Sishui Village are already tightening their belts and looking pale and sickly.

Furthermore, because they had to support their own martial arts training, there was a fixed monthly expense. Although the cost was shared by each family, it was like adding insult to injury for such an impoverished mountain village.

Snow disaster…

Su Ming pondered the situation in Sishui Village: If things weren't handled properly, people might really starve to death!

Su Ming did not want to see people starve to death because of him.

Firstly, the fact that these villagers died because they were helping him raises questions and could easily attract criticism.

Secondly, everyone in the village shares the same surname and is related by blood; many of them are Su Ming's elders, and he doesn't want his elders and relatives to starve to death.

In his past life, Su Ming was a complete scoundrel. In his pursuit of martial arts, he fought fiercely, offended all his relatives, and was abandoned by everyone, ultimately ending up all alone. In this life, he doesn't want to be like that again.

One person's strength is limited, but the strength of the group is crucial. He didn't want to repeat the mistakes of his previous life.

"I don't care about other places, but in Sishui Village, no one can die from the snow disaster."

After pondering for a while, Su Ming did not choose to go home immediately, but instead turned around and walked towards the village chief's house.

Under the cover of night, the boy's steps were exceptionally steady, each one firm and powerful.