Before bed, Zhao Lin took a piece of cooked pig liver from his food pouch, chewing it slowly to savor the unique and alluring aroma.
Pig liver was a love-it-or-hate-it affair. Those who enjoyed it considered it a delicacy beyond compare.
But those who disliked it found the texture waxy and the taste impossible to stomach.
Zhao Lin belonged to the former group.
After he finished eating, he lay down fully clothed.
The tree trunk was thick and flat, and the dense branches and leaves meant there was no danger of him falling off.
Zhao Lin settled into a comfortable position. Just as he was about to fall asleep, a piercing whistle cut through the air.
He shot up and saw a firework soaring into the sky not far up the mountain, its brilliant colors dazzling against the night.
In the darkness, two figures could be faintly seen racing toward the spot at an astonishing speed.
Most likely, a disciple had encountered an exotic beast and lit a signal flare.
'Should I go take a look?'
