Chapter 25: Surviving the Aftermath

Li Tianhe carried almost all of the family’s luggage, while his two sons each carried only a light wicker basket. Li Yongzhi supported his wife, Wang Qiaohui, and Chen Shulan held Su Jinxiao’s hand.

Su Jinyu took an axe from her own bundle and followed behind Village Chief Yang and his son. Li Chuxiu and Li Zhe’an also brought a sickle and a hoe; together, they hacked away at the vines and thorns blocking their path and cleared the scattered rocks from underfoot.

The further they climbed, the steeper the slope became. The villagers had to use both hands and feet to scramble upward, and their bodies gradually began to tire. After about two quarter-hours, it was pitch black. Village Chief Yang ordered everyone to stop; traveling in the dark was too dangerous. They chopped down tree trunks to light several torches, and although the firelight seemed dim on the mountain, it was at least enough to see a few meters ahead.

"Everyone, be careful! The large slope above is covered in too much moss; it will be hard to find a steady grip. Take your time climbing!" Village Chief Yang shouted a warning to the villagers below, and fearing those in the back might not hear, he had those in front pass the message down one by one.

Su Jinyu looked up at the nearly ninety-degree slope above her, her brows furrowed, and she tucked her axe back into her bundle. Qishan was located in a remote area and had been ignored for years; the trails that were once walkable had long been choked by overgrown branches and weeds. Now, in the gloom of night, the old paths were impossible to find, which was why they were forced to forge a new route up this vertical incline.

This slope was only three or four meters high, but climbing it was too difficult for most. Unless one had lifelong wilderness survival skills or was a physically agile, robust man, it was barely possible to scale. The elderly, the small children, and the frail women in the village simply could not make it up.

Climbing was second nature to Su Jinyu. Li Tianhe gave her a boost from below, allowing her to leverage his strength and climb up first. Then, he picked up his nephew, Su Jinxiao, lifted him over his head, and with the help of his two sons, pushed him up as well.

Village Chief Yang was elderly, and his hands and feet were not as nimble as they once were; he could not get a secure grip on the rocky cliff face, and even his second son couldn't push him up. Su Jinyu immediately thought of a solution.

"Grandpa Yang, ask if anyone below has any hemp rope. Pass the rope up and tie it to a large tree. Those of us who have already climbed up can hold the rope, and those below can grab onto it for leverage to pull themselves up."

Village Chief Yang’s eyes lit up, his worry instantly vanishing. "You clever little girl, you’ve always got a trick up your sleeve!"

Soon, those below passed up several ropes. Fearing they might not be strong enough, Su Jinyu braided several together. Once everyone from the Li family had climbed up, Su Jinyu handed the ropes to Yang’s second son and the others behind him, and her family continued ahead to clear the path.

After a while, the rest of the villagers gradually climbed up the slope. Yang’s eldest son was not only guarding the rear of the group but was also carrying a significant amount of luggage. His wife, Mrs. Luo, knelt at the top of the slope, pulling on the rope.

"Husband, hold on tight to the rope!" Mrs. Luo cried out nervously, with Yang’s second son helping her from behind.

Suddenly, as the eldest son grabbed the rope, his foot slipped on some moss, and his body tilted violently to the side.

"Quick! Pull him up!" Village Chief Yang, standing above, felt as anxious as an ant on a hot pan when he saw this. Directly below the spot where his son was tilting was a sheer cliff; the mountain wall was completely bare, with not a single stone to stand on. Yang’s eldest son gripped the rope with both hands, dangling and swaying in mid-air.

The villagers who had already climbed up heard the commotion and looked down, their hearts clutching in terror. Goodness! If he hadn't held onto that rope, he would have either died or been crippled from the fall.

Village Chief Yang, desperate only to save his son, locked his gaze on the two heavy sacks strapped to his son's back. "Eldest, quickly untie those sacks and drop them! You have no strength to climb while carrying them!"

"Father, they’re full of things—there’s even a lot of grain in there! It would be such a pity to lose them!"

"You fool!" Village Chief Yang cried out in agony. "What do things and grain matter compared to your life? Do as your father says and throw them away!"

The eldest son was indeed being dragged down by the weight of the sacks, unable to muster any strength. He had no choice but to undo the ropes binding the bags. As soon as they were released, the two sacks plummeted down into the valley, hitting the ground with two loud thuds that sent a shiver through the hearts of the villagers.

"Quick, pull him up!" Village Chief Yang shouted, joining in to help pull the rope.

Once Yang’s eldest son was pulled up, the next in line were the Liu Fugui family—who had insisted on keeping their extra luggage—the Su family, the Li Sanzhu family, and the Liu Gousheng family.

"Hey, you lot up there! Hold the rope steady; I’m coming up!" Liu Fugui called out rudely.

Yang’s eldest son and the other strong men were reluctant, but for the sake of being fellow villagers, they lowered the rope.

Liu Fugui’s wife grabbed the rope first, intending to let their two daughters go up, but her husband slapped her across the face and shoved the two girls aside. Fortunately, the villagers behind them caught the girls, who nearly fell off the cliff.

"You useless woman, you and these money-pits get out of the way! Let me go first! If you don't push hard when I'm climbing, you'll regret it!"

The two daughters were in tears, and their mother could only nod timidly. Liu Fugui grabbed the rope and began to climb with his feet. However, he was carrying over a hundred pounds of grain and belongings, and his body swayed violently out of control. He couldn't find a foothold, and after climbing just two steps, he slid back down.

"Liu Fugui, throw away some of your luggage! The rope can't bear both your weight and the load!" Yang’s eldest son warned him kindly.

"Throw away what? This is all my treasure and grain! What will I eat on the road if I throw it away? You Yang family people are just talking nonsense while standing on solid ground, aren't you? If anyone wants me to throw it away, then when I run out of food later, I’m coming to your house to take yours!"

Once these words were out, the eldest Yang son and the other villagers who had wanted to intervene fell silent; no one wanted to be pestered by a scoundrel like Liu Fugui.

The villagers who had already climbed up angrily continued up the mountain, and apart from those holding the rope, no one cared about the Liu family anymore.

But only a few steps later, they heard a sharp "snap," followed by a scream from Liu Fugui below.

"Help! Help me!"

Everyone rushed to look down. The rope that the eldest Yang son and the other men were holding had snapped!

Liu Fugui tumbled rapidly down the cliff. Because he was tied to dozens of pounds of luggage, even when he tried to struggle and grab onto tree trunks or rocks on the cliff face, the weight of the bags dragged him down further.

In the blink of an eye, a living person had fallen off the cliff and vanished into silence.

"Husband!" Liu Fugui’s wife clutched her two daughters tightly, wailing in agony.

Many of the villagers above clutched their chests, their hearts pounding in terror. It was fortunate they had listened to Su Jinyu and lightened their loads. If they had been as stubborn as Liu Fugui, carrying over a hundred pounds of luggage, they would have been the ones falling to their deaths.