Chapter 377: Terrifying Over Mountain Peak

Chapter 377: Terrifying Over Mountain Peak

  Noon.

  Baoshan Village.

  After eating sweet potato soup, Bu Xiaoshi sat at his doorstep, smoking awater pipe with a gurgling sound.

  In this era, influenced by the environment, everyone in the village, regardless of age or gender, smoked, and those who didn't smoke were as rare as a phoenix feather.

  After a few puffs, Bu Xiaoshi put away the water pipe. A playmate ran over from far away, panting and shouting, "Xiaoshi, come quick, Ah Long has caught something good."

   Bu Xiaoshi stood up, asking, "What did he catch?"

  The playmate, excited, said, "HeCaught  He caught an Over Mountain Peak (King Cobra), it was huge, at least ten pounds."

  Bu Xiaoshi's eyes lit up. "That's a good catch. Let's go to Ah Long's place quickly."

  When they arrived at Ah Long's place, a crowd had already gathered around the house, three layers deep.

  After all, this was an Over Mountain Peak, the most venomous snake in the area.

  In Bobai, there were not many types of snakes, only ten or so: Golden Ring Snake, Silver Ring Snake, Cobra, Bamboo Pit Viper, Yellow-tipped Snake, Black Rat Snake, Zither Snake, Water Snake, Swamp Snake, Grass Flower Snake, Over Mountain Peak, Guang Snake, and TrThree  Among these, the most venomous was undoubtedly the Silver Ring Snake, the most venomous snake in the country, but its threat to humans was not on the same level as the Over Mountain Peak.

  The main reason was the Silver Ring  The Over Mountain Peak was truly intimidating,  It was known as the most ferocious venomous snake in the country, famous for its large size, aggressive nature, and swift speed, as well as its high intelligence among snakes.

  Additionally, the Over Mountain Peak had an incredible speed and ability to chase humans.

  The reason it was called "Over Mountain Peak" in  If someone accidentally provoked an Over Mountain Peak, it would relentlessly chase you over the entire mountain, making a terrifying howl like a gale, truly frightening.

  Villagers who had been chased by an Over Mountain Peak described the snake's head raised high, with only its tail touching the ground, then lunging at people from over a meter high, a terrifying sight that would make anyone's legs turn to jelly.

  Of course, these were just the villagers' accounts, and whether they were true needed verification.

  After all, few people had such an experience.

  Such a ferocious venomous snake, even a small one, would draw a crowd, let alone one as large as ten pounds, which would surely bring everyone to witness.

  Ah Long was a famous snake catcher in Baoshan Village. At this moment, the Over Mountain Peak was in a homemade snake cage for the villagers to see.

  The villagers, observing the large snake in the cage, discussed the terrifying venomous snake.

  "What a large Over Mountain Peak, it's been years since we've seen such a big snake."

  "Ah Long, you're really fearless  "To catch such a big Over Mountain Peak, I would have run away in terror."

  "If you encounter one, stay far away. If you get close, don't turn and run, or it might attack you. The best is to stay still or slowly back away."

  "If I ever met one, I'd be paralyzed with fear, just hoping the ancestors protect me from its attack."

  "But catching such a big Over Mountain Peak, Ah Long will make a fortune."

  "True, selling it for over a hundred yuan shouldn't be a problem."

  "..."

  Since the liberation, the foreign trade department often bought frogs, turtles, soft-shelled turtles, and snakes as export goods.

  In 1965, the number of live snakes purchased in Bobai County reached 23,577, and the annual purchase volume remained between 10,000 and 20,000 until 1978 to 1982, when it dropped to a few thousand.

  However, after 1983, the purchase volume returned to over 20,000, and in 1985, it reached a record-breaking 31,500.

  Moreover, the price for snakes was not low, making catching and selling snakes a profitable enterprise.

  Of course, not everyone could make money from it. If it was about killing snakes, anyone with tools would dare to strike, even at venomous snakes.

  But dead snakes fetched a lower price, so only live snakes were real value.

  However, killing snakes and catching live snakes were two different things.

  This creature inherently frightened people; many would freeze in fear at the sight of a snake, let alone try to catch one.

In addition to the foreign trade department purchasing snakes for export earnings, there were also other merchants who bought snakes to sell to Guangdong.

After all, Guangdong was the province with the most voracious appetite for snakes, with no other province coming close.

The history of Guangdong people eating snakes dates back over a thousand years.

In Guangdong, snake dishes are as prestigious as shark fin and bird's nest, and Li Shizhen's classic work, Compendium of Materia Medica, records: "Southerners are fond of snakes... the meat is extremely fresh and delicious."

Snakes are a common ingredient in Guangdong, where the people openly use snake meat to cook, make medicinal wine, and use snake gallbladders to produce medicine.

During the autumn and winter supplement seasons, some restaurants in Lingnan always offer a few signature snake dishes to delight their customers. Snake meat is rich and tender, combining the sweetness of poultry, the freshness of aquatic products, and the elasticity of wild game. Its nourishing and invigorating effects are deeply ingrained, and it is widely regarded as an excellent food supplement to prevent dryness.

The peak period for Guangdong people eating snakes was in the 1990s. It is said that in Guangzhou alone, over 20 tons of snakes were consumed daily at that time.

On the streets dedicated to eating snakes, there was no venomous snake that couldn't be found.

It is now the late 1980s, and the trend of eating snakes has already begun to spread, making merchants who buy snakes quite common.

The King Cobra, being a more ferocious venomous snake, naturally commands a higher price, and the Guangdong people have a particular fondness for eating King Cobras.

After the winter solstice, the people of Guangdong emphasize making a "three-snake soup." One highly venomous King Cobra, one less venomous cobra, and one non-venomous grass snake are combined. The three snakes correspond to the heart and lungs, stomach and spleen, and kidneys of the human body, respectively. Drinking the snake soup ensures smooth blood flow, keeping the hands and feet warm throughout the winter.

Now that Ah Long had caught such a large King King Cobra, selling it for over a hundred yuan would be a breeze.

Hearing the villagers' comments, Ah Long smiled happily, as he had been specializing in catching and selling snakes for years, making his income one of the top three in the village. However, a catch as big as this one was quite rare.

Bu Xiaoshi came over and, upon seeing the snake in the cage, immediately said, "Brother Long, how much for this King Cobra? I'll take it!"

Ah Long replied with a broad smile, "Xiaoshi, if you want it, I'll give it to you for 130 yuan."

Bu Xiaoshi took out a small stack of money from his pocket, including three or four hundred-yuan bills and various other denominations, totaling over 500 yuan. The other villagers couldn't help but marvel at his generosity, truly befitting the richest family in the village.

Bu Xiaoshi handed over 130 yuan to Ah Long and said, "I'll take the snake cage first and return it later."

Ah Long, pleased with the money, said, "Sure, take it and use it as you like."

Thus, Bu Xiaoshi picked up the snake cage and left the place, watched by the villagers.

"Xiaoshi is willing to spend 130 yuan on a snake just to eat it; he really is generous!"

"If I had Xiaoshi's income, I'd probably be willing to spend like that too."

"Indeed, these past few years, Erzhu's family has really prospered. They earn tens of thousands of yuan annually from growing sugarcane, and the most impressive is Zhongshi, who runs a transportation company with nearly a hundred large trucks, making hundreds of thousands of yuan a year!"

"..."

Seeing Bu Xiaoshi leave, the villagers all talked about his family, filled with envy.

...

After leaving Ah Long's place, his playmate excitedly asked, "Brother Xiaoshi, are you buying this snake to eat it?"

Bu Xiaoshi laughed and said, "Ah Bing, don't even think about this King Cobra. I plan to send it to my uncle. If you want to eat snake, I can buy a few more from Ah Long later. He often catches snakes, so we won't run out of them."

Ah Bing quickly said, "Brother Xiaoshi, it's important to send it to your uncle. It doesn't matter if we eat or not."

Bu Xiaoshi nodded, "My uncle has a particular fondness for food. A King Cobra this big is quite rare here, and I think he'll like it."

"Brother Xiaoshi, after you send the snake to your uncle, remember to remind him to be careful when handling it. After all, it's a King Cobra, and it's venomous!"

"Don't worry, my uncle has eaten more salt than we've eaten rice. He definitely knows how to handle it safely."

...

In the afternoon, around one o'clock, Deng Shirong was lying in a recliner under a longan tree, planning to take a nap.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he heard his nephew Bu Xiaoshi's voice, "Uncle, look what I got for you!"

Deng Shirong opened his eyes and saw his nephew park his bicycle, untie the rope from the back seat, and carry the cage over. From a distance, he could see that there was a snake in the cage.

As his nephew approached, Deng Shirong's eyes lit up when he saw the snake in the cage, "Such a large King Cobra!"

Bu Xiaoshi laughed and said, "Uncle, is this a good thing?"

Deng Shirong took the cage and said, "It's indeed a good thing. Where did you get it?"

Bu Xiaoshi said, "It was caught by Ah Long, the snake catcher in our village. He's been catching snakes for years, and this is the first time he's caught a King Cobra this big. I bought it as soon as I saw it and brought it to you, Uncle."

Deng Shirong put down the snake cage and smiled, "We can have snake soup for dinner. Why didn't you call your father to come over?"

Bu Xiaoshi chuckled, "Dad wanted to come and have a bowl of snake soup, but you know, Mom is the most afraid of snakes. If Dad drinks snake soup, he'll definitely be scolded by her, so he can only envy it. He doesn't dare to drink the snake soup."

Deng Shirong laughed, "That's true. Your mother is the most afraid of snakes. If you bring this snake home, she'll probably start scolding you."

Bu Xiaoshi laughed, "Uncle, you guessed right. When I brought the snake home, Mom almost chased me with a broom. Luckily, I told her it was for you, so she stopped. Otherwise, my butt would have taken a few hits from the broom."

Deng Shirong asked, "Where is Xiaofang? Is she afraid of snake soup too?"

Bu Xiaoshi replied, "She's not at home. I don't know where she went. Mom was so displeased that I had to hurry over to your place."

Deng Shirong nodded and didn't say more about it. The soup from the Over Mountain Peak was indeed rare, but it wasn't something extraordinary. It could still be bought at the market, just not one this large.

Seeing his nephew start to smoke the water pipe, Deng Shirong said, "Xiaoshi, you are the same age as your cousin Yunheng. He has already found a partner and will get married next year. It's time for you to find a partner and get married too."

Bu Xiaoshi held the water pipe and laughed, "Uncle, why don't you find one for me? I don't trust other matchmakers."

Deng Shirong asked, "What kind of partner do you want?"

Bu Xiaoshi stuffed the tobacco into the mouthpiece of the water pipe and said with a bright look, "Uncle, I want someone as beautiful as Gong Xue."

Deng Shirong, who naturally knew Gong Xue, the top beauty of the 1980s, was speechless. "Xiaoshi, are you drunk before you even drink? How can you have such high standards?"

Bu Xiaoshi laughed, "Uncle, I was just joking. But I do like girls who look like Gong Xue."

Deng Shirong said irritably, "Not just you, how many men in China wouldn't like such a beautiful girl? If you really want to get married, I can help you find a suitable girl, but don't even think about finding someone as beautiful as a flower. Your uncle doesn't have that kind of ability."

Bu Xiaoshi lit the tobacco and took a few puffs, then laughed, "Uncle, I was just saying. I know my limits. Whatever you think is suitable, just arrange a meeting."

Deng Shirong sighed with relief, "It's good that you understand. I'll help you look for one. If I find someone suitable, I'll arrange a meeting."

...

In the afternoon, Deng Shirong killed the Over Mountain Peak, taking about a third of it, and also killed a chicken to make Dragon-Phoenix Soup.

Although there are many ways to prepare snakes, Deng Shirong was only skilled at making Dragon-Phoenix Soup. He didn't want to waste such a good snake by trying other methods.

Besides Xiaoshi, his nephew, the soup was also shared with his niece Bu Dafang, her husband Jiang Dehu, and their two sons.

Bu Dafang's two sons, Jiang Wenhua, who is 12 years old, and Jiang Wenshang, who is 10 years old, both attend Naye Primary School.

The ingredients used for the soup are generally better the longer they have lived. For example, a chicken or duck raised for only three to five months will not make a very tasty soup.

However, a rural old hen or old male duck raised for several years will make a truly exquisite and nourishing soup.

In the future, people who know how to eat well would try to buy such chickens and ducks from the countryside, but they are already hard to find. Even if they are available, the farmers wouldn't sell them, preferring to keep them for their own consumption.

After all, raising them for years is not cost-effective, and you would need to sell them for a high price to break even.

The same principle applies to snakes. A small snake and a large snake of ten pounds will produce soups of completely different qualities.

Moreover, the chicken Deng Shirong used, though not a few years old, had been raised for over a year and a half, making the soup incredibly fresh and delicious.

In short, everyone was very satisfied with the Dragon-Phoenix Soup they had for dinner.

...

Guilin.

A family with the surname Yan was having dinner.

Midway through the meal, Yan Father couldn't help but sigh.

Yan Shuwen couldn't help but ask, "Dad, why are you sighing?"

Yan Father looked at his excellent daughter and said gloomily, "I shouldn't have let you take my place as a railway police officer. I only wanted you to have a good job so you could marry someone with good conditions.

But I never expected that, after becoming a railway police officer, you would deal with dangerous criminals every day. Not only is it dangerous, but you are now 24 years old and still have no intention of finding a partner. What are you planning to do?

Hearing this, Yan Shuwen said with a look of indignation, "Dad, those criminals are truly despicable. They've caused countless families to be torn apart and created numerous tragedies. I can't control what happens elsewhere, but since I've become a railway police officer, I can't let the criminals on the trains slip away. I have to bring them to justice."

Yan Father replied, "I'm glad you have this sense of justice, but as your parents, your mother and I just want you to be safe. We don't want you dealing with dangerous people every day. With the country's reform and opening up, many people have quit their jobs to start businesses. You should do the same. No matter what business you do, it will be better than this."

Yan Mother chimed in, "Xiaowen, will you listen to your parents this time?"

Yan Shuwen frowned, "Dad, Mom, I love this job. The satisfaction of personally arresting those heinous criminals is something no other job can match. I understand your concerns, but I'll be careful."

Yan Father said solemnly, "As the saying goes, even the best archer will miss the target, and even the fastest horse will stumble. No matter how many times you succeed, just one mistake can have serious consequences. Those criminals won't let you go. They might kill you or sell you to a remote mountain village, where you'll never be able to escape."

Yan Mother added worriedly, "Xiaowen, your father told me that one of your colleagues was recently killed after being identified by a criminal. I've raised you to be this big, and I've never asked you for anything. This time, I'm begging you. Quit your job, okay?"

Yan Shuwen fell silent. She really loved her job. Dealing with those inhumane criminals every day didn't scare her; instead, it fueled her determination. The thought of personally sending these heinous criminals to prison gave her the courage to face any difficulties and dangers.

However, her mother had already said so much, even using the word "beg." As a daughter, she found it hard to say no.

Seeing her daughter's silence, Yan Father said, "Xiaowen, you can't arrest all the criminals. You've done enough for the country and the people. Now, think more about yourself. Live a good life, okay?"

Yan Shuwen looked at her father's concerned eyes and her mother's worried face, sighed, and said, "Dad, Mom, give me some time to think about it."

Yan Mother said, "What's there to think about? Ever since I knew you deal with those people every day, I haven't had a good night's sleep. I often wake up in the middle of the night. If you quit sooner, I can sleep better."

Yan Shuwen took a deep breath and conceded, "Alright, I'll quit."

Yan Mother couldn't hide her joy, "Really? Xiaowen, you're not kidding, right? You really want to quit?"

Yan Father also smiled. As a father, he didn't want his daughter to risk her life. Every time she went on a mission, they worried, fearing she might never return. They couldn't bear that kind of blow.

Yan Shuwen, seeing her parents' smiles, felt relieved and nodded, "Yes, I'll go to the leadership tomorrow and resign."

Yan Mother said excitedly, "That's great, really great!"

Yan Father added, "Xiaowen, you're so excellent. The leadership will definitely try to keep you. Tomorrow, I'll go with you to resign, so you won't be embarrassed."

Yan Shuwen agreed and then asked, "Dad, Mom, what can I do after I quit?"

Yan Mother said with a bright face, "Don't worry about that. I've already thought about it. Your aunt's sister-in-law has a clothing store in Nanning, and business is pretty good. You can go there to help out and learn from her. When you come back to Guilin, you can open your own clothing store. You won't have trouble making money."

Yan Shuwen hesitated, "Mom, I know nothing about clothing. Can I really run a clothing store?"

Yan Mother replied, "Why not? Just follow your aunt's sister-in-law for a while, and you'll learn how to do it."

Yan Father couldn't help but interject, "Although we're family, the clothing store is her heart's work. It's fine for Xiaowen to help sell, but asking her to teach Xiaowen how to run a store might be too much to ask."

Yan Shuwen also agreed, "Yes, Mom, maybe I shouldn't trouble Aunt Qin."

Yan Mother thought for a moment and said, "Your concerns are valid. How about this: you go to your aunt's sister-in-law's store to help out for a while, and then travel around to gain more experience. I believe, with your intelligence, you'll find a business that suits you."

Yan Shuwen nodded, "Alright, I'll do that!"

...

PS: Thank you all for your support and the monthly votes. The ranking on the monthly vote list has been rising, and I'm truly grateful.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end