247: Chapter 247: Peeping Path

Enduring the dual torment of hunger and high vigilance, he waited for the next appearance of that strange "Neighbor."

Ling Ye compressed his daily food intake (those pitiful plant leaves) even further to conserve energy for potential action. He spent a great deal of time in the cave simulating the terrain of the hills to the southwest (based on memories of previous observations), planning several reconnaissance routes and retreat plans. He repeatedly checked his equipment, ensuring his fruit knife, spearhead, sling, the most important medicine, and gun were all in optimal condition. He even used tougher vine fibers he had found to improve the sling's cord.

On the third day, at dusk.

Just as Ling Ye began to wonder if The Stranger had left the area or met with misfortune, that familiar, vigilant, and slightly stumbling figure appeared once again by the Water Source depression.

Just like last time, The Stranger was dressed in rags, carrying a flat parcel on his back, and carefully catching water with a broken ceramic bowl. He still frequently and nervously looked up at the sky and the surrounding high ground, especially in the direction of Ling Ye's cave (it seemed to be out of habitual vigilance rather than having discovered anything). This time, after collecting about half a pot of water, he packed up in a hurry and left, heading back toward the southwest, climbing the dirt slope, and disappearing into the thickening twilight.

Opportunity!

Ling Ye's heart beat steadily and powerfully in his chest. There was no excitement, only a cold focus like that before a hunt. He did not act immediately. He waited patiently in the cave for about another fifteen minutes, until the sky was completely dark and the wind began to pick up, before slipping out of the cave entrance without a sound.

He did not take the gully, as that was a path where The Stranger might look back. He chose to climb the steep dirt slope from the side and back of the cave, moving from the high ground along the shadows of the ridgeline to detour toward the southwest. The night was the best cover, but it also required him to be even more careful with every step to avoid slipping or dislodging stones and making noise.

He walked very slowly, relying on his vague memory of the terrain and the faint sensing of the general direction from the xuanyuan ring (the direction away from the oppressive feeling of the Dark Nest) to navigate. The moonlight was extremely dim, and most of the time he could only rely on starlight and the night vision he had developed from long periods of activity in the dark.

After walking for about an hour, he estimated that he had ventured several kilometers deep into the hills to the southwest, far exceeding the range of his previous observations. The terrain here was more fragmented, with more weathered stone forests and deep fissures appearing. The wind whistled through the stone gaps, emitting various eerie whimpers, like countless ghosts whispering in his ears.

He slowed down, moving almost inch by inch, his eyes and ears catching any unusual signs: firelight, abnormal sounds, traces of human activity, or peculiar smells.

Suddenly, he stopped and crouched behind a massive weathered rock pillar.

About a hundred meters ahead, in the gap between two low dirt hills, he saw a tiny, extremely faint, orange-red glow. It was not firelight; it looked more like... a halo of light from some kind of low-power LED lamp or embers of a tightly shielded campfire. The light was very dim and almost imperceptible in the night, but Ling Ye's keen eyes still caught it.

There! It was very likely The Stranger's foothold!

He suppressed his racing heartbeat and did not approach immediately. Instead, he began to move toward that direction from the side, extremely slowly and cautiously, looking for a position that allowed him to observe, provided enough concealment, and enabled him to hear any movements.

He chose a small dirt mound located upwind (to avoid being detected by scent), about fifty or sixty meters from the light, partially covered by a few scattered rocks and withered bushes. He crawled over like a lizard and crouched behind the mound, exposing only a small part of his face and his eyes.

From here, he could see the location of the light more clearly. It seemed to be a relatively leeward depression naturally formed by the two dirt hills. The entrance to the depression was narrow, partially blocked by some scattered rocks and dead branches. That orange-red glow was seeping out from the depths of the depression, through a gap in a low, makeshift shack built from a torn tarp and branches. The shack was very small, almost hugging the ground, and would be hard to spot if one was not looking carefully.

Beside the shack, there seemed to be a low windbreak wall simply built with stones, with a few empty tin cans and some chopped firewood scattered beside it. In the air, there was a faint trace of smoke (from burning wood), and... a subtle, lingering aroma of heated, slightly charred grease!

Food! That person was heating food! He had something to start a fire, and even food that could be heated (possibly stored from before, or recently acquired)!

This discovery caused Ling Ye's stomach, already taut from hunger, to twitch involuntarily. But he immediately suppressed this physiological reaction and continued to observe calmly.

It was very quiet inside the shack; there were no voices, only an extremely faint, rhythmic "rustling" sound, similar to scraping or rubbing hard objects, occasionally drifting out. It seemed there was only one person inside, at least for the moment.

What was that person doing? Making tools? Processing food? Or doing something else?

Ling Ye waited patiently, observing. He needed more information to judge the person's survival status, level of threat, and... whether it was possible to conduct some kind of extremely limited, risk-controlled contact or trade.

After about ten minutes, the "rustling" sound inside the shack stopped. Immediately after, a corner of the torn tarp at the entrance was lifted, and a figure, hunched over, crawled out.

It was indeed The Stranger. He seemed to be holding something in his hand, walked behind the windbreak wall next to the shack, and crouched down. Then, an extremely faint sound of metal rubbing against stone came, followed by a small, briefly lit spark—he was using a flint to start a fire! The light quickly went out, presumably having ignited some kind of tinder, which he placed into a crude stone stove inside the windbreak.

Soon, a tiny, strictly controlled wisp of smoke curled up from behind the windbreak and was quickly dispersed by the night wind. Inside the stove, a steady, orange-red firelight glowed, but it was well shielded by the stones and the terrain, visible only from up close.

The figure was busy in front of the stove, seemingly heating a small iron can. A clearer, charred aroma of food drifted over intermittently with the night wind. It was meat! Although there was very little, that was definitely the smell of protein being heated!

Ling Ye swallowed his saliva, forcing himself to shift his attention away to continue observing other details about the person.

By the light of the stove, he could see that the figure's movements were skilled and economical, every step revealing an extreme cherishing of resources cultivated from long periods in harsh environments. He heated the food for a very short time, soon removing the small iron can from the fire, holding it with two branches, carefully pouring out a little bit of something (possibly broth or paste), blowing it cool, and then eating it quickly. Throughout the process, he maintained a high level of vigilance, stopping to listen to the surroundings after every few bites.

After eating, he quickly extinguished the stove fire (covering it with dirt) and cleaned up the traces. Then, carrying the small iron can and something else, he walked to the edge of the depression, seemingly wiping them with sand. After doing this, he crawled back into the low shack, the torn tarp fell, and that orange-red glow (which must have been some kind of small light) also quickly went out.

The entire depression returned to darkness and silence. Only the wind whimpered.

Observation ended.

Ling Ye stayed motionless in his hiding spot for nearly another hour, until confirming there were no new movements in the shack and that The Stranger seemed to have fallen asleep, before he began to retreat backward, extremely slowly and silently, carefully returning to his cave along the path he had come.

This reconnaissance yielded great results:

Target Confirmed: The Stranger lives alone and has settled in a hidden depression about several kilometers to the southwest. He has a crude but practical shack and a simple stove.

Survival Status: Possesses fire-starting ability (flint), a metal container (small iron can), and possibly a small reserve of food (meat). His vigilance is extremely high, and he has rich survival experience. His physical condition seems slightly better than Ling Ye's (at least he can start a fire to heat food), but he is also quite weak.

Threat Assessment: Low to medium. He lives alone, has no complex tools or obvious weapons (at least none displayed), and acts cautiously, seeming to focus on avoidance and survival rather than active attacks. However, his rich wilderness experience and high vigilance mean he is by no means an easy opponent; once he detects a threat, his reaction could be fast, and he might possess some means of self-defense or traps.

Potential Value: He possesses food that Ling Ye desperately needs (at least a source of protein) and fire-starting tools (flint, which is more convenient and reliable than chert). The information he might possess regarding other resource points in this area, dangerous zones, and even the outside world is also extremely valuable.

Most crucially, the other party does not seem to be "Plainclothes Agents" or a faction with obvious hostility. This provides the most basic possibility for some kind of extremely limited, non-violent "interaction."

But how to interact? Approaching directly carries huge risks. The other party would likely refuse to communicate or even launch an attack out of fear or defensiveness. Leaving a mark or message? In this wilderness, it is difficult to ensure the other party can understand, and it would expose his own existence and general location.

Ling Ye needed a way of making contact that was more circuitous, indirect, and could demonstrate "harmlessness" and "value."

Back in the cave, he lay down exhaustedly, replaying every detail he had just observed in his mind, thinking about possible plans. The hunger, having seen someone else eat with his own eyes, became even sharper.

He remembered his previous trade with Hei San. Exchanging "information" and "promises" for "hard goods." Perhaps he could also try a similar, but more primitive and cautious "barter" with this "Neighbor"?

What could he offer? Intelligence about the Water Source? The other party clearly already knows that Water Source point. Security information? Regarding the "Worm Rock" (extinct) and the threat of possible aerial strikes? This might be valuable, but it is difficult to verify and trust. Labor? Helping the other party with some gathering or setting traps in exchange for food? This requires establishing initial trust, which is too difficult.

Or... exchange something he has that the other party might not, but which might be useful? For example... salt? In a situation of long-term lack of salt intake, the importance of salt is self-evident. The other party heating meat might also need salt for seasoning. Moreover, salt is small in volume, high in value, and easy to hide and carry.

He also had that bottle of special medicine. But this was his trump card for survival; it must never be shown easily, let alone traded. The gun was an absolute taboo.

Techniques for using a sling and polishing stone tools? Perhaps the other party has already mastered them, or is not interested.

Thinking it over, it seemed that only salt was the item he currently possessed that had the most trade value and was relatively non-sensitive. Although he did not have much left, if he could trade it for even a small piece of meat, or other high-calorie food the other party had in reserve, it would be a huge help to his recovery.

But how to "deliver" the salt to the other party and express his intent to trade without inciting hostility and attack?

An idea gradually took shape in Ling Ye's mind.

The plan: A wilderness version of "testing the waters."

Prepare a "gift": From his own precious stash of salt, separate about one-third, carefully wrap it in a small piece of relatively clean, waterproof plastic (found from some discarded packaging), ensuring it would not leak. Then, attach a small item that could represent "goodwill" or "non-aggression"—for example, a small piece of chert he had polished with a sharp edge, which could serve as a cutting or scraping tool, practical and harmless.

Choose a drop-off point: It cannot be placed directly at the entrance of the other party's shack; that would be too aggressive. Choose a location that the other party will inevitably pass during their daily activities, but which is relatively hidden and allows him to safely place it and observe. The Water Source depression? No, that is a public area, and the other party is at their most vigilant when fetching water. The best location is perhaps a prominent but not exposed spot on the path the other party must take when returning from the Water Source to their foothold, such as under a rock with a special shape, or at the base of an isolated, distinctive dead tree.

Place the "gift": After confirming the other party has gone to the Water Source to fetch water, rush to the pre-set location in advance, quickly place the wrapped salt and chert piece. Then immediately withdraw, return to his cave or a nearby hidden observation point, and observe the other party's reaction from a distance.

Observe and wait: See if the other party discovers the "gift" on their way back. If discovered, observe their reaction: Do they inspect it vigilantly and take it away? Do they ignore it? Or do they try to search for the person who placed it? Based on their reaction, determine the next step. If the other party takes the gift and does not show strong hostility or searching behavior, then perhaps in a day or two, at the same place, place a second "gift" and attach a clearer "trade" hint (for example, arrange stones in a simple exchange pattern, or draw a simple sketch of a piece of meat on a stone with charcoal, placing the salt next to it). Gradually establish a silent, tentative "trading channel."

Risk control: Throughout the entire process, he must remain absolutely hidden. Once the other party shows any intention of attack or attempts to track him, immediately abandon the plan, hide completely, and even consider temporarily moving away from this area.

This is a slow, uncertain process that extremely tests patience and luck. But it seems to be the method with the lowest risk and the most potential to break the deadlock at present.

Ling Ye decided to start executing the first step tomorrow. He separated a small packet from his precious salt and tied a carefully polished piece of chert to it with a blade of grass. Then, he carefully recalled the path The Stranger took when returning from the Water Source and selected a depression at the base of a huge weathered rock shaped like a lying cow, located midway along the path, as the first "delivery" spot.

After doing this, he forced himself to swallow the last bit of bitter plant leaves and, in a complex mood mixed with hunger and anticipation, closed his eyes and tried to enter a "visualization" state to rest.

Tomorrow, he will take the first step in establishing contact with this wilderness "Neighbor." Whether it is a blessing or a curse, whether he gains life-saving supplies, or invites new trouble, or even a deadly disaster?

Only heaven knows.