All Heavens Strategy Game

After the three gray figures completely disappeared into the snow-covered mountains, Su Ming felt as if his spine had been removed, and he swayed violently.

He leaned on his broadsword, panting heavily. The cold air filled his lungs, bringing a burning pain.

The cold sweat was aggravated by the cold wind, and the clothes close to my body froze stiff, stinging my skin.

A feeling of exhaustion washed over me like a tidal wave, and every part of my body screamed with fatigue.

But he dared not linger, not even sit down.

Who knows if that cunning wolf king will return?

He quickly re-tied the two relatively intact goats on the ground with hemp rope, dragged them along, determined the general direction, and then trudged along the chosen path down the mountain.

Every step was incredibly heavy, the snow was knee-deep, and they had to drag hundreds of kilograms of heavy objects.

He dared not walk in a straight line, but instead chose sparsely wooded slopes and ridges that were easy to observe, in order to conserve his energy and to be constantly vigilant about what was behind him.

The intense mental strain and immense physical exertion turned him into something akin to a machine that moved only by instinct.

He walked for an unknown amount of time, until he finally felt his lungs were about to burst and had to lean against an old tree covered with icicles to catch his breath. When he looked up, he found that the surrounding scenery was completely unfamiliar.

The jagged snow-capped mountains and the strangely shaped withered trees gave me no recollection of where I had come from.

In the chaos of fleeing, they strayed completely from their familiar path.

be lost.

A hint of panic had just risen in his mind when he forcibly suppressed it.

He looked up, trying to make out the hazy, yellowish halo of the sun through the gaps in the leaden-gray clouds.

The sun was already setting in the west, but its general location could still be determined. The village should be to the side and behind that halo of light.

"As the ancients said, knowledge is power, and that's certainly true. Luckily, I've learned how to locate places by day and night, so I know the approximate location of the village..."

After regaining his composure, he stopped hesitating, dragged the sheep, adjusted his direction, and continued onward.

The mountain path became increasingly rugged and difficult to traverse, sometimes requiring him to use his broadsword to cut through the thorns and fallen branches blocking his way.

The carcasses of two goats plowed deep furrows in the snow, which were quickly partially buried by the fine snow.

Half an hour, or perhaps longer.

When he climbed the long slope covered with thick snow, exhausted, his steps suddenly stopped.

Down the slope, that familiar outline, covered in a vast expanse of white, lay quietly in the valley, like a light ink wash painting spreading out in the landscape.

A few wisps of grayish-white smoke stubbornly rose from the low rooftops, curling gracefully before being scattered by the cold wind.

Sishui Village.

Arrived.

An indescribable warmth and sense of relaxation instantly overwhelmed Su Ming's willpower, and he felt his legs go weak, almost collapsing to his knees in the snow.

He struggled to stand firm, exhaling a long, deep breath of white air, which condensed into a lingering mist in the bitter cold.

He quickened his pace and headed down towards the village entrance.

However, just as he passed a thicket of shrubs half-hidden by snow at the bottom of the slope, he seemed to catch a glimpse of some vibrant color flashing among the withered branches and leaves out of the corner of his eye.

It's not snow, it's not soil.

He instinctively stopped in his tracks, gripped his broadsword tightly, and scanned the area with lightning speed.

At the same time, his nostrils twitched slightly. Besides the chill of the snow and the stench of sheep's blood, there seemed to be a very faint, distinctive muttony smell in the air.

He slowed his breathing and gently brushed away the snow and a few dead branches covering the ground.

Deep within the bushes, on the leeward side near the roots, a small patch of fluffy, brightly colored tail feathers peeks out—rings of alternating brownish-red and dark green, strikingly visible against the snow-white background and withered yellow leaves.

Immediately afterwards, a very faint "clucking" sound, accompanied by the rustling of feathers, came from further inside.

pheasant!

A pheasant is taking shelter here from the wind and snow!

A glint of light suddenly flashed in Su Ming's eyes.

The shock of fighting the wolf king to the death had not yet completely subsided when he stumbled upon such an "unexpected windfall." It truly proved the old saying: "Those who survive a great calamity are sure to have good fortune in the future."

Without hesitation, he reached for his waist with his right hand.

Having acquired the slingshot, I already had a smooth, hard pebble in my leather pouch.

The Black Horn Bow has few arrows left, and each one is precious. A slingshot is enough to deal with these small creatures.

He held his breath, turned his body slightly to the side to avoid the densest part of the bushes, and fixed his gaze on the spot where the colorful feathers swayed most frequently.

Tighten it, aim.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, the pebble pierced the air and precisely passed through the gaps in the branches and leaves!

"Clang—!"

A short, mournful crow suddenly rang out, and a chicken collapsed to the ground, but the rustling in the bushes did not stop.

Immediately afterward, a brightly colored shadow fluttered its wings in a panic and suddenly darted out from the other side of the bushes—it was a second pheasant!

The pheasant was clearly terrified by its companion's fate and the sudden attack. It rushed haphazardly toward the open snowfield, flapping its wings and scattering snowflakes, but its speed was greatly reduced because the snow was too deep.

Su Ming wouldn't let this opportunity slip by. He picked up a fist-sized clod of frozen soil and threw it with all his might!

"puff!"

The clod of earth hit the pheasant right on the back.

The pheasant let out a mournful cry, rolled a few times in the snow after being hit, and tried to get up again, but Su Ming had already caught up with it in a few big strides, stepped on its wing, and bent down to break its neck.

Turning back, I parted the bushes and found that the pheasant that had been shot earlier was dead, its beautiful feathers stained with blood.

Two plump pheasants.

Su Ming weighed the item in his hand, and finally a genuine, weary smile appeared on his face.

"We're having chicken tonight..."

He tied the two pheasants with straw rope, hung them around his waist, and then, dragging the goat again, took the final step towards the village that was just a stone's throw away.

Perhaps it was because the wind and snow were too heavy, or perhaps it was because the time was wrong, but he did not encounter a single person when he entered the village. Only a few village dogs barked a few times in the distance before retreating back into their dens.

This suited him perfectly, and he quietly returned to his low, mud-brick house.

Su Ming pushed open the creaking, broken wooden door, bursting into the warm main room with the chill of the wind and snow. Liu Shi, who was busy in the kitchen, turned around upon hearing the sound, and the spoon in her hand fell into the pot with a "clatter".

Her eyes widened.

Looking at the two brightly colored pheasants hanging on her son's shoulder and waist,

Then he looked at the two gray goats on the snow behind him, which were much more agile than domestic sheep and had crescent-shaped horns.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time.

"San...Sanlang? You...you are..."

Liu's voice even changed slightly.

She originally thought her son was just going for a walk around the village, but she never expected that he would go into the mountains and bring back all these things on such a snowy day!

The eldest brother, Su Yuanbao, emerged from the inner room and gasped in shock upon seeing the goat on the ground:

"Goats?! Third brother, you...you hunted goats? Two of them!"

He had heard the old hunters in the village complain about it and knew how difficult it was to catch this thing. It was a spirit on the cliff, and ordinary bows and crossbows simply couldn't reach it.

Catching a goat is as difficult as climbing to the sky!

He looked at Su Ming, his eyes filled with unbelievable shock, "Third brother, you are truly... amazing!"

Seeing Su Ming covered in snow, the second sister, Su Yuyu, didn't say anything. Instead, she immediately put down her work, turned around, went to the stove, scooped out a large basin of hot water from a pot that had been keeping the water warm, and brought it to Su Ming's feet.

She looked up, her delicate face bearing an undeniable determination: "Third brother, sit down quickly and soak your feet."

"It's freezing cold outside. You've been out for so long, the cold has seeped into your bones. If you don't warm up quickly, your hands and feet will easily get frostbite, and it will be troublesome if you develop a chronic illness."

Poor families can't afford to keep hot water at home; firewood is too expensive!

Normally, there's no hot water at home either.

However, today, Su Yuyu saw Su Ming leave early and that he had taken weapons, so she guessed that Su Ming might be thinking of going hunting. Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, she simply prepared hot water in advance, just in case.

Now, this hot water comes in handy!

"Sis, I can wash it myself..."

Seeing that his second sister seemed about to wash his feet, Su Ming initially wanted to decline, saying he would do it himself.

But as soon as they relaxed,

The suppressed, bone-deep feeling of exhaustion and coldness surged forth.

He then realized that his back was already soaked in cold sweat and frozen stiff, and the warmth of the room made it feel even colder and more uncomfortable.

My hands and feet were ice-cold and numb, almost unresponsive.

The intense mental strain and adrenaline rush during the journey masked all discomfort, but now that I'm back in this safe and warm home, my body is finally protesting.

Seeing his second sister squat down without saying a word to help him take off his wet and cold shoes and socks, he hesitated, but ultimately did not refuse this kind offer that was full of concern and persistence.

He sat down on the low stool as instructed, immersing his feet, which were almost numb from the cold, into the warm water. A tingling warmth instantly flowed from the soles of his feet throughout his body, making him sigh with pleasure.

"Third Brother, Third Brother!"

Fourth sister Su Linlin and fifth brother Su Xiaobao had already gathered around, their big, dark eyes looking at the goats and pheasants on the ground, then at their third brother soaking his feet, their eyes filled with admiration.

"Third Brother is amazing! You've caught so much meat again!" Su Xiaobao clapped his hands and shouted crisply.

"Third brother is the most amazing person in our family!" Su Linlin echoed in her childish voice, her little face flushed with excitement.

"Third Brother, Third Brother, tell me quickly, how did you hunt down the goats? Aren't they all high up on the mountain?" Su Xiaobao tugged at Su Ming's clothes, asking impatiently.

"And pheasants! Pheasants run fast, how did you catch them, Third Brother?" Su Linlin's eyes widened as well.

Children love listening to stories.

With the heavy snow and no one allowed to go out, they were eager to hear Su Ming tell them his hunting stories.

"Don't bother your third brother!" Madam Liu tried to shoo the children away, "I'll tell you a story..."

Su Linlin pouted and retorted, "Other people's stories are all made up. None of them are as good as Third Brother's own stories. I want to hear Third Brother tell stories about his hunting trips. I want to be a martial arts hunter when I grow up!"

"How can a girl like you go and practice martial arts to become a hunter? That's unheard of! You'll get married when you grow up!" Madam Liu was about to send her away.

Su Ming laughed, "Mother, I've recovered. I can tell them some stories now. Girls, just because no girls practiced martial arts or became hunters in the past doesn't mean they won't in the future..."

"Third Brother is the best!"

"Third Brother, tell us quickly!"

The room was immediately filled with the innocent and enthusiastic questions of the children.

While enjoying the soothing warmth of the hot water, Su Ming briefly explained how to lure sheep with salt, how to observe and wait, and how to succeed with a single arrow.

As for the thrilling confrontation with the wolf king, the life-or-death struggle, and the final escape that narrowly escaped death, he didn't mention a word of it for fear of worrying his family. He only said that he was lucky on the way back and bumped into two silly chickens hiding in the snow.

Even so,

The two little ones listened with great interest.

Her little face was full of longing and admiration, as if her third brother was one of those chivalrous heroes and knights-errant who could leap over rooftops and shoot arrows without missing their mark from the stories she had heard before.

"Third Brother is awesome!"

"Wow, Third Brother is the most amazing person in our village!"

"Hmph, not just in our village, but the most powerful in the surrounding area!" Su Xiaobao puffed out his chest, as if he himself was the one who was powerful.

The children's innocent and sincere words filled the dilapidated mud-brick house with a rare joy and vitality.

After soaking my feet, I felt warm all over, but my fatigue was even greater.

Su Ming stopped Liu from immediately disposing of the goat:

"Mother, leave the sheep there for now, don't move them."

"Just clean up these two pheasants, and we'll have chicken for dinner tonight."

"Carefully pluck the longest and stiffest feathers from the chicken's tail and wings. I have a use for them; they can be made into arrow fletching, making the arrows fly more steadily and farther."

Su Ming didn't have many arrows left, and buying them was too expensive, so he decided to make them himself. He figured that arrows he made himself would be easier to use, so he planned to learn how to make arrows from Su Shunfa!

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say." Madam Liu quickly agreed and went with Su Yuyu to the kitchen to prepare the pheasant.

Su Ming leaned against the wall, closed his eyes and rested for a while. When the intense feeling of exhaustion subsided slightly, he got up and used the remaining hot water to carefully wash his body and change into dry old clothes.

When he finished getting ready and came to the kitchen, Liu and Yu had already plucked and gutted the two pheasants, cleaning them thoroughly and washing their internal organs, which were then placed aside.

"Stewed chicken again?"

Su Ming looked at the dishes and decided to cook for himself that night.

I'm so tired of eating stewed food all the time.

In this era, stewing is the way to go, and stir-frying is not popular. At least, few ordinary families eat stir-fried dishes.

His family could tolerate it, but he was fed up with the bland taste.

"Little sister," he called to Su Linlin, "take a small piece of venison to Aunt Shi next door and see if you can exchange it for a few wild onions. Also ask if they have any dried wood ear mushrooms or other mushrooms, any amount will do."

"Hey!" Su Linlin responded crisply, carefully cut a small strip from the hanging venison, wrapped it in leaves, and skipped away.

Su Ming then asked Su Xiaobao to go to the snow behind the house and find the dogwood and ginger that he had picked and dried for later use.

He then took matters into his own hands, chopping the two chickens into evenly sized pieces and marinating them briefly with coarse salt and a little bit of cheap liquor to relieve fatigue.

Soon,

Su Linlin is back.

In return, they received not only a handful of wild scallions with withered leaves but still relatively fresh roots, but also a small handful of dark brown dried wood ear mushrooms, a few dried shiitake mushrooms, and even a small patch of dried, unidentified wild vegetables.

When Aunt Stone heard that Su Ming wanted it, she was very generous.

Su Xiaobao also returned carrying a small cloth bag containing dark red dried dogwood and a piece of old ginger.

All materials are ready.

Su Ming washed his hands and started a fire.

Heat the iron pot and put in a small piece of precious lard—something I had specially saved from when I sold wild boar meat last time.

As the oil melted and a wisp of smoke rose, he tossed in the sliced ​​ginger and crushed dogwood. With a sizzling sound, a strange aroma, a blend of spiciness and smokiness, instantly filled the kitchen.

Since the Great Zhou Dynasty didn't have chili peppers, they could only use dogwood and ginger for spiciness. He threw a large handful of dogwood into the pot.

"Cough cough..." Liu, who was standing next to her, coughed twice because she was choked by the sudden pungent smoke. She looked at him with curiosity and some worry.

Su Ming remained unmoved. Once the aroma burst forth, he immediately poured the marinated chicken pieces into the pot and stir-fried them quickly.

Chicken changes color when heated, and oil seeps out.

He added the soaked wood ear mushrooms, shredded shiitake mushrooms, and wild mountain vegetables together and continued to stir-fry, coating all the ingredients with oil and spices.

Then add an appropriate amount of water, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat.

While waiting, he chopped the wild onions into short sections.

About fifteen minutes later, the lid was lifted, and the broth had reduced to half-dry. The chicken had turned an enticing golden-brown color, and a strong aroma of mushrooms, ginger slices, and citron wafted out.

Su Ming sprinkled in the wild scallion segments, stir-fried them a few more times, and then took them out of the pan and put them in a bowl.

A large pot of steaming, glossy, and intensely fragrant stir-fried chicken with wood ear mushrooms and ginger was placed on a worn-out wooden table.

Next to it was a bowl of golden millet rice.

The whole family sat together, staring blankly at the dish that was so different from the usual clear and watery soup.

"Chicken can be cooked like this?"

"What a novel way to cook this! There's hardly any broth..."

"If you're not going to eat, then I'll eat first." Seeing that no one dared to touch their chopsticks, Su Ming took the lead, picked up a piece of chicken leg meat, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.

The chicken is tender, the mushrooms are soaked in the broth, and the spiciness of the dogwood and ginger stimulates the taste buds just right, while the fragrance of wild onions neutralizes some of the dryness.

The familiar yet unfamiliar taste made him squint his eyes in satisfaction.

"It's delicious! Everyone, try some!" he called out.

"Is it really delicious?" Liu carefully picked up a piece of mushroom, put it in her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, her eyes widened suddenly, then her face scrunched up, and she gasped repeatedly.

"Hiss... What... what's this flavor? It's a bit pungent, a bit fragrant... spicy, it burns my tongue! It's so spicy!"

Su Yuanbao also took a bite of the chicken, and was similarly gasped from the spiciness, but his eyes lit up: "Hey! This flavor... is potent! Perfect with rice!"

Second Sister Su Yuyu took a small bite, and a blush quickly rose to her fair cheeks, but she didn't say anything, she just silently ate a mouthful of rice.

The funniest one is the fifth brother, Su Xiaobao.

He imitated the adults, picked up a small piece of chicken, and eagerly stuffed it into his mouth.

The next moment, his whole little face scrunched up like a bun, his eyes instantly welled up with tears, and he spat out the chicken with a "plop," sticking out his little tongue and fanning himself frantically, crying out in a sob:

"Mom! The chicken... the chicken is biting! It bit my tongue! It hurts! It's spicy!"

Children's innocent remarks made the whole family laugh.

As Liu fed him water, she laughed so hard that Su Yuanbao was doubled over. Even the usually quiet Su Yuyu couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Su Ming smiled, but a sense of emotion welled up inside him.

In this era, whether or not one can have enough to eat is one thing, who cares about seasoning? For ordinary people, being able to eat their fill is already a blessing, and seasoning is a luxury.

The cooking methods are mostly stewing and boiling to preserve the original flavor of the food to the greatest extent, and the food is mostly bland. For Liu and his colleagues, using relatively "heavy" seasonings (such as dogwood and ginger) to stir-fry and enhance the flavor is an unprecedented and exciting experience.

For them, spiciness is almost an unfamiliar "pain" rather than a pleasure.

However, spiciness is a kind of addictive pain.

After the initial shock, Liu tentatively picked up another bite with her chopsticks. This time, she was prepared and savored it carefully.

After the spiciness, the savory aroma of chicken and the rich flavor of mushrooms blend together in your mouth. Paired with hot millet rice, it creates a unique and thoroughly satisfying feeling.

Su Yuanbao shoveled rice into his mouth, eating it with the spicy chicken until he was sweating and exclaiming how delicious it was.

Second sister Su Yuyu has also gradually adapted. Although she eats delicately, she eats much faster.

Even Su Xiaobao, who had just been "bitten," after drinking enough water and watching everyone eat heartily, couldn't help but beg Liu Shi to give him a small piece of non-spicy mushroom. After carefully eating it, he blinked and seemed to think... it wasn't so scary after all.

Inside the room, the soft sounds of inhaling and sucking, accompanied by chewing and satisfied sighs, mingled together.

Under the dim light of an oil lamp, the family sat around a simple pot of stir-fried chicken, yet they seemed to be enjoying some extraordinary delicacy, savoring every bite with utmost seriousness and appreciation.

As Su Ming watched this scene, seeing his family's faces flushed red from the spiciness yet radiating satisfaction and smiles, and looking at this dilapidated yet warm and vibrant house, the deep-seated loneliness and coldness of his past life seemed to be completely dispelled by this pot of hot and spicy stir-fried chicken and the aroma of cooking filling the room.

A warm feeling filled my heart.