Chapter 8

Opening the first-aid kit, a cool mist rose out, and it turned out that the box had a built-in freezing function. Inside the first-aid kit, various emergency medical supplies were neatly arranged in several layers. The innermost layer contained several vials of broad-spectrum antidotes, rapid hemostatic agents, and adrenaline mixed with some nerve stimulants.

"Leopards bit him and left claw marks on his body. According to the wild survival training I received, should I inject him with an antidote and adrenaline?" After finding the medications, the blonde woman calmed herself and asked uncertainly.

"You've had wild survival training too!"

"OK, that's great. Just do what you think is best. The first-aid supplies you brought are very advanced and should be able to save him."

"Sir, by the way, what would you do if you were injured in the forest?"

"As one of the best hunters in western Sichuan, I have never been injured in the dense forest." The woman's question left Zhang Lisheng, who had rashly entered the deep mountains, speechless. Finally, he coldly replied with a boast.

"I can see you are a powerful hunter." The blonde woman did not doubt him at all, nodded, took a deep breath of the damp, humid air in the forest, and bravely followed the method taught by the doctor during her survival training, injecting the antidote and adrenaline into her boyfriend's chest.

Expensive and high-end first-aid drugs often mean quick effects. Just a few dozen seconds after the injection, the 'dirt pile man' Harrik let out a faint moan.

"Harrik, wake up, Harrik..."

"Water, water..."

"Here's water, drink slowly."

The blonde woman rummaged through the scattered items on the ground and handed a water bottle to the dirt pile man.

Nourished by the functional drink rich in various nutrients, and with the help of the adrenaline, the physically strong Harrik surprisingly regained consciousness in a short time.

"Tina, you're safe, that's great." He opened his eyes, and his blurry vision finally focused on the blonde woman in front of him, and he exclaimed in surprise.

In response, Harrik received a loud slap.

Seeing her boyfriend awake, the blonde woman, Tina, suddenly changed her expression and slapped him hard, shouting loudly, "It's all your fault, you idiot, for wanting to explore the primeval forest in China. You said you had rich experience in jungle exploration and would give me an unforgettable journey, so I came to this cursed place without telling my family."

"As a result, less than a day after we landed, I almost lost my life. If it weren't for... for..."

"Right, Mr. Hunter, I haven't asked your name yet?"

Turning to ask Zhang Lisheng his name, Tina's attitude suddenly became very gentle and friendly.

"Themountainsthevermin, my name is Themountainsthevermin," Zhang Lisheng, who carried the witch insect, instinctively did not want to reveal his real name, so he gave his nickname in English. Then he said seriously, "We must leave immediately, Miss..."

"Call me Tina."

"OK, Tina, the most dangerous area in the forest is near the water pond. Besides, you were attacked by a leopard and need immediate professional treatment, so we should leave immediately."

"Listen to you, Mr. Vermin, you're the expert. Harrik, did you hear what Mr. Vermin said? You must get up immediately and leave with us, or you'll be left here to feed the leopards."

"Tina, I'm very sorry for what happened, but I didn't want it to be like this. The environment of this forest is completely different from the Amazon rainforest, and I was confused."

"I mean, I mean..." The continuous effect of the adrenaline restored some of Harrik's strength. He struggled to get up from the forest floor, packed his scattered backpack, and explained with a sad face.

"Shut up, you liar, one day you'll die from your lies. Forget the backpack, idiot, saving our lives is more important. If we don't leave this cursed place soon, you'll really die here when the adrenaline wears off. Damn it, let's go, we must leave immediately."

Harrik was stunned for a moment, then quickly abandoned everything and nodded nervously, "You're right, dear Tina, we must leave here immediately."

Zhang Lisheng, who was standing aside, cautiously on guard and feeling like he was on a set of an American soap opera, heard the couple finally agree. He said, "Follow me," and began to chant a spell, driving the witch insect to move forward slowly.

Seeing the green and red insect patrolling the forest, Harrik, who was following Zhang Lisheng with his girlfriend, shouted in surprise, "What is that, damn it, is that a mutated multi-legged snake? It, it seems to be targeting us!"

Tina explained in a tone of surprise, "Shut up, Harrik, how did I ever think you were a man. That's just a centipede, which Mr. Themountainsthevermin keeps like a hunting dog."

"Damn, using a centipede as a hunting dog?"

"In Las Vegas, there are Indians who play flutes to make snakes dance, so in the deep mountains of China, there are hunters who train centipedes to hunt. This is a mysterious place in a magical country, isn't it?"

"You're right, Tina." Harrik finally accepted his girlfriend's explanation and thanked Zhang Lisheng, "Hey, buddy, thanks for saving our lives. When we leave this cursed place, I'll buy you a drink and thank you properly."

"You don't need to, Mr. Harrik. After we leave here, you need professional medical treatment and a long rest. A leopard attack isn't something that can be cured with just a few injections of antidote and adrenaline."

"But I feel much better now, buddy." Harrik's face stiffened when he heard Zhang Lisheng's serious words.

"That's the stimulant deceiving you. A leopard's teeth and claws aren't as poisonous as a snake's, but who knows what terrible bacteria they carry. Here's a tip: you must have a satellite phone with you. Once we're out of the forest, call for help immediately."

Zhang Lisheng flaunted the knowledge he had picked up from backpackers, making the two travelers from the distant ocean feel a heavy burden again. They felt the wounds on their bodies, torn by the wild beast, become numb as if poisoned.

The unfriendly, dark, and damp forest environment and the constant rustling sounds around them added to their pressure, and they remained silent.

Although they didn't encounter any more danger, the journey from the forest pond to the county road was extremely difficult for the two of them.

Fortunately, even the most arduous journey has an end. After more than an hour of hard trekking, the blinding light finally appeared before Zhang Lisheng, Tina, and Harrik.

Running onto the road, Harrik, who had been running wildly, cheered nervously for a while, then calmed down and began to dial the satellite phone on his belt with trembling fingers.

At this moment, Tina was shocked by the age of the thin Chinese hunter who had saved her, who looked even lighter than his weight.

"God, you're still a boy!"

Zhang Lisheng, relieved that there were no tourist vehicles on the road, said expressionlessly, "No, in the Miao area of China, we hunters have our own special 'health methods' that can slow down aging. Now that you're safe, I need to continue my forest hunting. Goodbye, Miss Tina."

This time, Tina was not deceived by Zhang Lisheng. She smiled playfully and said, "No, you're lying, Mr. Themountainsthevermin. Men are the same all over the world, you're just a boy."

"Whatever you think, I'm leaving. Goodbye." Zhang Lisheng didn't want to argue and turned to run back into the forest.

But Tina, with the enthusiasm of a New York city girl for a hero, unexpectedly hugged him and gave Zhang Lisheng a passionate farewell kiss. "You're a boy, but also a noble knight who saves people in distress. I will remember everything you did for me for the rest of my life. Thank you, dear Themountainsthevermin."

Losing his first kiss so unexpectedly left Zhang Lisheng dazed. His body, still in a daze, walked into the forest and disappeared among the trees.

After wandering aimlessly in the safe area of the forest for a while, Zhang Lisheng gradually came to his senses.

In recent years, with the growing popularity of tourism in Juxian County and the rich tourism resources here, travelers from home and abroad have flocked in. He had long been accustomed to the 'enthusiasm' between Westerners, especially unmarried couples.

Meeting in the morning and sleeping together at night, which would be considered scandalous by the village elders, was something he had seen many times. But when it happened to him, even though it was just a kiss, it left him feeling restless and uneasy.

Not understanding the restlessness of adolescence, and with his witch power greatly depleted, Zhang Lisheng ultimately decided not to delve deeper into the forest to hunt for targets suitable for refining witch insects.

Instead, he quietly returned to the entrance of Guawo Village along the terraced fields and walked back to his ancient home on the stone path.