Chapter Nine: Falling Off the Cliff

Page 1

Lin Yanghao saw that not far ahead lay a steep precipice. Moving closer and peering downward, he found the cliff plunged into unfathomable depths, shrouded in a haze of white mist. As he turned, he saw the soldiers of the Tian family surround him in a semicircle near the cliff’s edge.

“You little bastard, weren’t you good at running? Go on, run some more! Why have you stopped?” The leader, face dark with fury, glared menacingly at Lin Yanghao.

“Let’s torment him properly before handing him back. He needs to learn what happens to those who toy with us. What do you say, boss?”

“That’s right, boss,” echoed the others.

Lin Yanghao’s face turned grim as he listened to their voices.

“What should I do? How can I get out of this? If I let myself be captured, it’ll mean certain death—and not a swift one. I’ll be humiliated by these men before they finish me off,” he thought in anguish.

Nothing is more agonizing than waiting for death, and that was precisely Lin Yanghao’s predicament.

After a moment’s desperate reflection, Lin Yanghao resolved to leap from the cliff. Better a swift end than lingering in torment. Casting his gaze over distant mountains, trees, and the sun, he took one last look at the world. Before the Tian soldiers made their move, he turned and vaulted over the edge.

“Boss, the kid jumped! What should we do now?” one soldier asked the leader.

“Damn it! All of you, get down there and search. Dead or alive, I want him found! I’ll go report to the patriarch. You get moving,” the leader barked.

Chaoyang Town, Xiahe Village, Tian Family

“Master, Headman Huang just returned to report that Lin Yanghao jumped from the northeastern cliff of Treasure Ridge. Huang has already ordered his men to search for the body at the base,” the steward reported to Tian Ergou’s father.

“Good. Tell them that anyone who kills Lin Yanghao will be rewarded with ten thousand gold coins!” Tian Ergou’s father finally smiled, a rare expression these days, and addressed the steward.

“Yes, master,” the steward replied, departing at once.

“Son, rest easy in the underworld. No matter the cost—even if I must defy fate—I will avenge you,” Tian Ergou’s father said sorrowfully to his son's memorial tablet.

Page 2

Slowly, Lin Yanghao opened his eyes. Fierce pain radiated from every part of his body. He tried moving his arm and suddenly felt the branches around him trembling.

Biting back the agony, he turned to look down. The depths below were lost in mist, and he found himself perched on the branch of a slanted pine halfway down the mountain. Judging by the morning light, he realized he’d been unconscious all night.

The pine had broken much of his fall, but he still suffered serious internal injuries. Examining himself, he found only a handful of unscathed patches.

Despite the severity of his wounds, Lin Yanghao felt no sorrow—only joy. Struggling upright, he sat and burst out laughing.

“Surviving even this? Heaven favors me indeed! Tian family, just wait—I swear I’ll bring about your downfall, and rid the world of your evil! Hahaha!”

“Hey, Guozi, did you hear something?”

“You must be mistaken. I didn’t hear anything.”

“Guozi, whether or not we heard something, we should report to Headman Huang. If it turns out to be real and the higher-ups blame us, we can’t afford it.”

“All right, you’re right. We really can’t take that risk.”

Inside Headman Huang’s tent, the two men bowed and addressed him:

“Headman Huang, while patrolling the mountain, we thought we heard shouting. We came to report immediately.”

“Good work. Go to the finance office and collect five hundred gold coins. Now, off you go,” Headman Huang said, frowning.

“Attend me!”

“Here, sir!”

“Captain of the First Squad, gather your men and stake out the base of the cliff. Not even a fly gets past you. Captain of the Second Squad, you’ll do the same on the cliff top. That’s all; go prepare.” He then gazed out the window, lost in thought.

“Yes, sir!” came the reply.

Meanwhile, Lin Yanghao, having just shouted in triumph, knew nothing of the events unfolding below. Had he known, he would surely have slapped himself for his carelessness.

Page 3

“Gurgle…”

A rumbling in his stomach abruptly silenced Lin Yanghao’s laughter. A new problem arose, turning his joy to sorrow. He gazed into the distance, wondering where in this cursed place he could find food to avoid starving.

“Chirp-chirp… chirp-chirp…” Suddenly, birdsong caught Lin Yanghao’s attention. Looking around, he finally spotted a small nest perched on a branch overhead, with a bird sitting inside.

The sight reminded him of roast duck from the capital of Huaxia on Earth. His mouth watered uncontrollably as he began to climb toward the nest.

Carefully, Lin Yanghao reached for the nest, but before he could touch it, the bird darted away. He felt his heart bleed; he’d watched his meal fly away.

Despondent, he glanced into the nest and saw four eggs nestled inside. Hope flared anew within him, and he quickly took the eggs.

Without delay, he cracked open one and swallowed it whole.

“Sigh… I’d better ration these. Who knows when I’ll escape this wretched place,” he thought, rubbing his stomach.

“What’s that?” Just as Lin Yanghao turned to climb down, he noticed a small cave below the pine’s roots.

After considering his options, he decided to explore the cave—perhaps it contained a way back to the surface.

He made his way to the tree’s base and saw the cave entrance about a meter from the roots. He finished the remaining eggs in one gulp, then prepared to swing himself across using inertia, as in physics.

Positioning himself, he swung back and forth, then kicked forward and tumbled into the cave.

“Phew…”

Relieved to have landed safely, Lin Yanghao exhaled. He had no wish to survive the Tian family’s repeated attempts on his life, only to die from a mishap like this.

After entering, Lin Yanghao walked deeper into the cave, but after only a few steps, he reached its end. The hope that had buoyed him evaporated, leaving him deflated.