Chapter 6: The Legacy of the Mountain Wanderer

Since I cannot sleep anyway, I might as well read a book.

Rising from his seat, Zhang Hao switched on the light to dispel the darkness in the room. He sat down on a chair by the dining table, poured himself a glass of water, and took out his phone.

He opened the cover of the ancient, weathered tome. Gazing at the elegant, flowing regular script on the first page, he picked up his phone and snapped a photo. Then, he opened a translation app, uploaded the image, and tapped "Start Translation."

Technology truly changes lives. Had this been a decade ago, he might have had to carry the book to an elder’s house in the village, begging someone literate to help him decipher it.

As his thoughts flickered, the phone screen lit up with the translation:

[Illustrated Record of Mountain Travels]
[Authored and Revised by Xu Xiake]

Mountain travels? Xu Xiake, authored and revised?

Seeing these words, Zhang Hao was utterly bewildered. He was completely stumped. To think that the esteemed Master Xu was the author and editor of this travelogue! No wonder the book seemed to be the type of travel record focused on vast mountains—it turned out that Master Xu himself had been involved.

He examined the cover and the title again, his thoughts wandering. Because Zhao Family Village was nestled against a massive mountain range, he had grown up listening to the village elders tell stories filled with mystery. Tales of weasels begging for titles, foxes getting married, or even "ghost soldiers" passing through—other children would be terrified, running home to cry for their mothers, but Zhang Hao only felt more excited the more he listened.

Collecting his thoughts, he looked back at the *Illustrated Record of Mountain Travels*. He wanted to see how this travelogue, written by the father of geography, differed from others.

He flipped to the first page, took another photo, and translated it.

[Mountain Walkers: Those who traverse the hundreds of mountains, treading through forests and wilderness, seeking treasures within the peaks and exploring the secrets hidden in the valleys...]

Zhang Hao was so engrossed that he lost track of time. A full ten minutes passed before he looked up with a start, his pupils dilated. Nodding thoughtfully, he muttered, "Mountain Walkers... seeking treasures and exploring valley mysteries. This is actually quite interesting. It’s the perfect way to pass the time."

He grew increasingly excited, becoming fully immersed in the text. He had developed a keen interest in the profession of a "Mountain Walker." The reason was simple: the mere concept of traversing the wilderness to seek out secrets felt incredibly compelling.

Moreover, within the *Illustrated Record*, he found descriptions of mountain spirits and strange beasts—anecdotes and oddities he had never heard of or seen before. It was hard to imagine that in this modern age of communication and smartphones, "monsters" could still exist.

But then again, perhaps it was only natural. Who in the real world could definitively say whether ghosts and monsters existed? If they didn't, why had these folklore stories persisted for so long? Yet, if they did exist, no one had ever been able to prove it.

For now, he was simply interested; he didn't fully believe that these mountain spirits and "monsters" were real. He felt like someone who had discovered a fun game and decided to keep playing.

He reviewed the first page once more, then turned to the second, continuing to photograph, translate, and browse.

***

Before he knew it, it was late into the night.

The bright moonlight bathed the earth, and the clouds had cleared from the sky; it would surely be a beautiful, sunny day tomorrow. Zhang Hao rubbed his sore eyes. Though his gaze was bloodshot, his eyes were sharp and alive, reflecting a whirlpool of shifting emotions. He had lost track of how long he had been reading or how many pages he had turned.

He was completely absorbed in the stories of the *Illustrated Record*. In these pages, he found accounts of fox weddings and weasels seeking titles. He also read about things he had never heard of: ginseng that could run, ancient trees that could speak, and all manner of mountain treasures.

The book even recorded detailed customs—for instance, what rituals to perform when encountering a funeral procession while in the mountains, the necessity of purifying oneself before setting out, burning incense, paying respects to the mountain god, and offering sacrifices to the mountain ancestors. It even prescribed specific methods for harvesting rare treasures found in the wild.

It was more than a travelogue or a collection of folklore; it was a guide to the mysterious profession of the "Mountain Walker," an encyclopedia for a lifetime. The "monsters" described were so vivid, so lifelike, that they felt... real. Zhang Hao couldn't help but believe that these creatures truly existed in the mountains, and that if he went out there, he might encounter them himself.

Furthermore, he was astonished to discover that the previous generation's Mountain Walker was none other than Master Xu Xiake. The book contained many of Master Xu’s personal experiences and annotations. It was, in essence, a treasure passed down from the Mountain Walkers of old—a true legacy.

It was from this book that he learned the secret: seeking treasures and exploring mysteries was not just an empty phrase.

In an instant, Zhang Hao closed his eyes, gathering his scattered thoughts into one focus. He felt as though he had stepped into the pages of the book, becoming its protagonist, traversing the great mountains of the world, wandering through the forests, and fulfilling the lifelong wish of a Mountain Walker. The sensation was marvelous, deeply satisfying, and an experience like no other.

In that moment, he fully identified as a Mountain Walker, experiencing the joy, the thrill, and the genuine, heart-felt excitement of the calling.

When he finally opened his eyes, his gaze was clear and calm, like the surface of a still lake. He turned his head and looked through the window at the dark, silent mountain range—a place that seemed so distant, yet felt within his reach. A wild idea suddenly took root in his mind:

He wanted to become a real Mountain Walker.

Zhang Hao was startled by his own thought, his mouth slightly agape, his pupils contracting. But after a few seconds of hesitation, the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

Becoming a Mountain Walker... that didn't sound like such a bad idea.

Ever since he had been reborn, he had been struggling with a single question: what should he do with this second chance?

In his previous life, he had been aimless, lacking motivation and pressure. Li Siyu had taken care of everything for him, managing every aspect of his life. It wasn't until he finally realized his mistakes and wanted to change that she left him for good. After that, he had fallen into despair, feeling that life was hopeless, and eventually wasted away his remaining days.

But in this life, he couldn't—and wouldn't—live in such a daze. If only for the sake of Li Siyu, he had to do something.

Because of her years of coddling, he had been raised into a complete wastrel. He didn't even know how to swing a hoe to do farm work. As for using his foreknowledge to invest in high-quality projects? Forget it. First, he had no starting capital. Second... well, the first reason was enough to stop him.

Mountain Walker... a Mountain Walker.

The village backed onto a great mountain, and he had been reborn before he married Li Siyu. He had the advantage of location and the support of the people. As for the "timing"—well, you can't have everything. Since he hadn't figured out what else to do, he might as well try being a Mountain Walker.

At the very least, with this *Illustrated Record* in his hands, he wouldn't starve as long as he followed its instructions. And if he happened to find some of the treasures mentioned, he would be set for life. Then, Li Siyu wouldn't have to work so hard anymore.

Looking at the pitch-black mountains that seemed to hold countless treasures, Zhang Hao smiled calmly.

He would start here, as a Mountain Walker.