13: Chapter 13 Poisonous Miasma in the Forest

Ye Jing looked at Zhang Youqiang in silence.

Although Zhang Youqiang looked annoyed, his eyes flickered as he stole glances at his suffering companions.

The man shrank back at Zhang Youqiang's shout but couldn't help defending himself, "But... but Second Brother Li has already passed out twice; he's still lying there!"

Ye Jing's brow furrowed. He took two steps forward, his gaze sweeping over the people from Chen Family Village. They were all pale with purple lips; some leaned against tree trunks, swaying, while others covered their noses and gagged.

This was definitely not a lack of energy caused by "not sleeping well."

"You've been poisoned!" Ye Jing said in a low voice.

"P-poisoned?!"

Wang Laosan's exclamation immediately caused an uproar among the people from Liu Village.

Ye Xuan stepped forward, looking solemnly at the people from Chen Family Village. "Father, are you sure? Where did this poison come from?"

Ye Jing nodded and walked up to Zhang Youqiang and the others. "Did you eat anything after entering the valley?" he asked.

"What else could we have eaten? We just ate our own dry rations on the spot after hunting. Even the water was boiled stream water before we drank it!" Zhang Youqiang replied hurriedly, cold sweat breaking out at the mention of poison.

Everyone lived in the mountains and generally had some common sense about avoiding risks.

But the way the people from Chen Family Village were suffering this time was strange. They had no external injuries, so how could they be poisoned? Where did it come from?

Ye Jing thought for a moment. He noticed that his own people from Liu Village were fine, which meant there was something wrong with the valley the Chen Family Village people had entered.

Recalling that the mist at the valley entrance was thicker than usual, Ye Jing seemed to realize something. He asked, "Did you start feeling unwell while inside the valley?"

The man from Chen Family Village nodded. "Yes. I don't know why, but we were doing fine inside, and then one after another, people started getting dizzy and vomiting. We had no choice but to pull everyone out."

"Could there be monsters in the mountains?" Others nearby found it eerie and began to shiver.

Ye Jing looked toward the valley entrance. Since it was dark, the valley was a hazy blur.

He crouched down and lifted the eyelid of one of the unconscious Chen Family Village men. The eyelid was a dark, greenish-black. He then forced the man's mouth open, and a foul, rotten smell wafted out.

Ye Jing stood up, his expression even gloomier. "You've been affected by Poisonous Miasma! The valley is damp and shaded. Over time, fallen branches and rotten leaves accumulate and ferment into Poisonous Miasma. If you inhale too much, even the gods can't save you."

These words caused the people from Chen Family Village to panic completely.

A short, stout man leaned against a tree and gagged a few times, tears and snot mixing together. "Big Brother Zhang, Elder Ye is right! After entering the mountains during the day, I saw green mist drifting over. My chest felt tight, and I started feeling worse and worse!"

The Full-bearded Man also clutched his stomach and crouched on the ground, his voice trembling. "I... I feel terrible too, like countless insects are crawling in my brain!"

At this point, Wang Laosan couldn't help but ask Ye Jing, "So the people from Chen Family Village are like this because they inhaled Poisonous Miasma in the mountains. But why aren't we poisoned when we're so close to them?"

Ye Jing stroked his beard and smiled. "That's because we are in the outer forest. It's more open here, and the sun can reach it, so any miasma is dispersed. But they were in the valley, which is cold and shaded. Naturally, it's easy to be poisoned by the miasma."

These villagers rarely ventured deep into the mountains and knew little about miasma.

Only Ye Jing, who used to hunt in his youth and would often go deep into the mountains to catch big game, knew about it.

He knew that the most terrifying thing in the deep mountains wasn't fierce beasts, but this bloodless killer—the Poisonous Miasma.

"So that's how it is!" The people from Liu Village realized, their expressions becoming complicated as they looked at the suffering crowd from Chen Family Village.

They were relieved that Chen Family Village had taken the valley, otherwise, they would have been the ones poisoned. Yet, they also worried about the poisoned group. After all, they were all hunting in this dangerous valley together for the tax silver. If something really happened, they wouldn't feel good about it.

Hearing this, Zhang Youqiang hurried over. Suppressing his emotions, he lowered his voice and pleaded with Ye Jing, "Elder Ye, since you know the source of our poisoning, you must have a way to cure it. Please, help us!"

Ye Jing didn't speak but turned to look at the people from Liu Village. Wang Laosan and the other villagers nodded. "Yes, Elder Ye. We're all here to look out for each other while hunting. If there's a way, please try to save them!"

Ye Jing's two sons also nodded.

Seeing that they all wanted to save the people from Chen Family Village.

Ye Jing didn't say more and said with a smile, "We're all neighbors; how could I just stand by? Everyone, lend a hand. Help them to a cool spot first and unbutton their collars so the miasma doesn't stay trapped in their chests!"

The people from Liu Village did as they were told, helping the Chen Family Village people get some air.

Ye Jing whispered to his two sons, "Go nearby and pick some Mugwort and Houttuynia. These two herbs can detoxify!"

"Okay, Father!" Ye Xuan and Ye Yi hurriedly responded and then disappeared into the surroundings to search for the herbs.

Ye Jing also had Wang Laosan and the others boil a pot of water. Once the two brothers returned with the two herbs, they were washed slightly and put into the pot to simmer.

He had everyone from Chen Family Village who was affected by the miasma drink a bowl.

The decoction tasted terrible, but after it entered their stomachs, in about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, Zhang Youqiang felt drenched in sweat, but his dizziness had faded. He didn't feel as miserable as before.

Most of the others from Chen Family Village were also much better. Even Second Brother Li, who had fainted several times, stood up on weak legs. He quickly thanked him, "Elder Ye... what a great kindness! If it weren't for you and the brothers from Liu Village, I'm afraid I would have lost my life in this wilderness!"

Watching the Liu Village people busily working to save them, much of Zhang Youqiang's former arrogance vanished. "Elder Ye! Brothers of Liu Village, thank you all!"

With that, he cupped his fists and bowed deeply to the people from Liu Village. The others from Chen Family Village followed suit, repeatedly saying "Thank you."

Wang Laosan laughed. "Brother Zhang, you're being too polite. We're all neighbors; it's only right to help each other. Besides, hunting in the mountains is risky. Who hasn't needed a hand at some point?"

Ye Jing also smiled. "Indeed. If our villages can join forces to hunt and look out for one another, we'll have a better harvest. It's better than fighting alone."

Hearing this, Zhang Youqiang's eyes flickered. He saw that although his people were cured of the miasma, some were still unconscious and needed rest. Meanwhile, several of Ye Jing's people were injured from hunting the wild boar.

So he laughed and said, "Good! Joining forces is good!"

His exclamation was very decisive.

He stepped forward and said familiarly to Ye Jing, "Elder Ye is right. I was foolish before, always wanting to compete with Liu Village. Now I understand that only by sticking together can we gain a firm foothold in the mountains."

Zhang Youqiang changed the subject and sighed. "To be honest, our Chen Family Village discovered a big opportunity in this valley. We originally wanted to keep it to ourselves, but since the brothers of Liu Village saved us, that debt of gratitude is more important than anything. If I kept hiding it, I, Zhang Youqiang, wouldn't be human!"

Wang Laosan's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly approached. "Brother Zhang, what big opportunity? Tell us!"