Chapter 31: Chu Feng Makes Inquiries, Tian Zhuang Questions Chu Feng's Identity

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Although it was rather baffling, what did a mountain ranger have to do with a kidnapping case?

But then, Chu Feng had become a mountain ranger and had begun receiving a monthly stipend.

Fortunately, his task was simply to investigate the mountain with the chief constable standing before him. If they truly encountered trouble, the chief constable could take the lead.

Still, Chu Feng was more curious about Squire Tian from the town.

“Squire” was, in fact, a more polite name for a landlord. These men had seized most of the land and hired tenants to farm it for them. Such people were generally despised in the countryside, and their reputations were rarely good.

What was more, Great Qian was still on a war footing. The common people were being exploited in every way, yet as a wealthy landlord, Squire Tian had probably suffered little of it. The local authorities had few ways of dealing with men like him; most had connections higher up.

Under such circumstances, how could the authorities possibly trouble themselves to search for a squire’s daughter? Especially in an age when sons were valued above daughters.

Curious as he was, Chu Feng did not question the chief constable beside him.

Liao Zi’ang hurried down the mountain. He appeared to have other matters to attend to.

Du Dahai had listened to everything and naturally understood what had happened. He said to the constable before him, “Officer, why not stay at my house tonight?”

Tian Zhuang replied irritably, “There is still plenty of time today. Rather than waste it, we should hurry up the mountain and investigate the situation. Mountain ranger, what do you think?”

“Quite right.”

Chu Feng did not argue, even though he had no desire to go up the mountain with him.

The reason was simple: going into the mountains meant bringing all his equipment. And some of that equipment was contraband that he would have no choice but to reveal.

“Please allow this humble commoner to return home and make preparations.”

“Nothing but trouble!”

It was obvious that Tian Zhuang was growing impatient.

Squire Tian, Miss Tian, Tian Zhuang—Chu Feng could not help linking the three together.

Though anxious, Tian Zhuang still allowed Chu Feng to return home and prepare all his equipment.

When he saw the bow slung across Chu Feng’s back, along with four arrows tucked beside it, his expression immediately turned grave.

“Why, you actually possess contraband!”

“If you do not want to die in the mountains, you can go back down, report me, and have me arrested. Then that so-called Miss Tian can vanish from this world forever, and no one will ever find her.”

“You are threatening me? What do you think you are? Do you really believe we cannot manage without you?”

Tian Zhuang had not expected the man before him to dare threaten him.

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“What do I think I am? Then why don’t you try climbing the mountain yourself, Officer Tian? Besides, no matter what I carry, as a mountain ranger it cannot be considered excessive, can it? And we are doing this for your younger sister, are we not?”

When he saw Tian Zhuang’s eyes begin to flicker, Chu Feng knew he had guessed correctly.

Seeing this, Tian Zhuang said nothing more.

Zhou Xiaoxiao packed several vegetable dumplings for Chu Feng and could only watch helplessly as the two men headed into the mountains.

Before this, Chu Feng had always climbed the mountain to hunt.

This was the first time he had gone up for something other than hunting—for this so-called kidnapping case.

Those bandits were idiots. Of all the places they could have fled, they had chosen Jade Dragon Mountain.

With a mountain this dangerous, there was a good chance the men were already doomed.

“How many days ago did they reach the mountain?” Chu Feng asked.

Tian Zhuang cast him a disdainful glance.

Chu Feng smiled. “If you truly want to find your sister, I suggest you share the information with me. Two people thinking means twice the chance of success. Of course, if you are not in any hurry to rescue her, then forget I said anything.”

Tian Zhuang glared at him furiously, but he also felt that Chu Feng’s words made sense. He finally forced out through clenched teeth, “About two days ago.”

“Two days? Then there is still hope.”

“What do you mean?”

Tian Zhuang’s gaze instantly darkened.

“A person can survive half a month without food, but only three days without water. Jade Dragon Mountain is buried beneath heavy snow, so water is not a problem. They can probably survive for about a week. Since they have only been up there for two days, there is a very good chance they are still alive.”

“…Wait. If a person can live half a month without food, why can they only survive a week?”

Tian Zhuang had never heard such knowledge before. He was intrigued by Chu Feng’s explanation.

“Hypothermia. Jade Dragon Mountain is now in the coldest part of the year, and the temperature at night is even more terrifying. Without somewhere to shelter from the wind, they can only last a week. That is already a conservative estimate. If they have no equipment to keep warm, they may not even survive tonight.”

Chu Feng’s analysis was perfectly reasonable, yet Tian Zhuang listened with a deeply furrowed brow.

He stared coldly at Chu Feng and tightened his grip on his broad saber.

“How do you know all this?”

If a person was merely a little clever, perhaps it could be attributed to talent.

But if someone was excessively intelligent and also knew things beyond the understanding of ordinary people, then there was something seriously wrong with him.

“So you need to tell me where they entered the mountain.”

Chu Feng took a parchment map from inside his robe and began studying it.

“You have a map?”

Tian Zhuang was even more astonished, and his suspicions of Chu Feng deepened.

Everyone knew how vast Jade Dragon Mountain was, and how dangerous. To this day, no map of the mountain was available on the market.

Yet Chu Feng not only possessed one—the parchment was drawn with remarkable completeness.

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“Speak quickly. Where did they enter the mountain?” This time, Chu Feng was the one growing impatient.

“From here.”

Tian Zhuang pointed to the stream near Peach Blossom Village.

“Then we are finished.”

“What do you mean?” Tian Zhuang suddenly grew tense.

“That is the territory of the blind bear.”

“Even if it were the territory of a dragon, we would still have to go!”

Tian Zhuang drew his saber and pointed it at Chu Feng.

“All right, all right. Do not get worked up. We will go now.”

Chu Feng was somewhat speechless.

This Tian Zhuang looked broad-chested but empty-headed. He also had a rather explosive temper.

Taking him along to investigate a kidnapping case felt deeply unreliable.

But what did that have to do with Chu Feng?

His only role was to lead the way. Liao Zi’ang had not assigned him anything else.

Carrying an axe, Chu Feng led Tian Zhuang toward the heart of the dense forest.

The snowfall was heavier today than it had been over the previous few days, making their progress difficult.

Tian Zhuang was soon panting from exhaustion, while Chu Feng remained completely accustomed to the exertion.

At first, Tian Zhuang had believed his stamina would easily surpass Chu Feng’s. Yet if they continued like this, he might soon be unable even to see Chu Feng’s back.

Proud by nature, Tian Zhuang refused to ask Chu Feng to slow down. He merely lowered his head and tried even harder to keep up.

“I placed among the top hundred in the military examinations. How could I lose to a mere village mountain ranger? What a disgrace.”

He muttered as he walked.

Yet after only a short while, he crashed headfirst into Chu Feng’s back.

A glimmer of delight rose in Tian Zhuang’s heart.

“What is it? Tired already? If you are tired, it is not as though I cannot—”

“Shut up!”

Those two words instantly enraged Tian Zhuang.

No one had ever dared tell him to shut up.

Even Liao Zi’ang would not dare. How could a mere mountain ranger presume to do so?

By then, the two men had already emerged from the dense forest. Fortunately, they had not encountered a brown bear.

But ahead of them, upon the snow-white ground, a dazzling splash of crimson entered Chu Feng’s eyes.

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