Put down the phone.
Felt a sense of loss.
Sat silently for a while, then Zhou Leng got up, walked to the living room, and his eyes swept over the digital photo frame on the TV cabinet.
Zhou Leng went to rest on the sofa, and shortly after, took out his phone.
"No need to wait for tomorrow, I'll look for Huang today."
Opened the Xiaoru Village group, searching through the chat history.
Either a series of audios over 50 seconds, densely lined up, or rows of thumbs-up emojis.
Couldn't find the audio about Huang, had to give up.
Zhou Leng opened the photo album on his phone, which, besides daily Martial Arts Notes and other study content, was nearly full of photos and videos of Huang.
Closed the album, Zhou Leng checked some prices of portable Martial Artist food, then silently closed it.
Zhou Leng opened the freezer, took out ten sausages, and put them into the steamer.
Stir-fried some vegetables, cooked six pieces of duck breast, and ate breakfast with the freshly steamed mixed grain rice, then started packing his backpack.
Put in the steamed sausages, four packs of compressed biscuits, two boxes of chocolate, and six bottles of water.
Checked the windbreaker, flashlight, emergency medicine, warm thin blanket, second-hand entrenching tool, multi-function army knife, etc.
There was still a solo tent and other camping gear at home, but remembering Uncle Li's warning, decided against camping overnight.
Ready with everything, Zhou Leng changed into a long-sleeved shirt and pants, carried the half-human-height backpack, walked to the doorway, and stood still.
Turned around to glance at the digital photo frame, then headed downstairs with a load, quickly heading towards Xiaoru Village.
Upon reaching the village, he asked the old village chief, but Huang was still missing, so without further ado, Zhou Leng set off toward the mountains.
Walking into the back mountain, he looked up at the faint mist ahead, feeling an uneasy sensation deep inside.
Such localized fog had never appeared in Xiaoru Village before.
Zhou Leng glanced at the green wristband on his wrist.
Since surviving the Demon attack with half a life, he had become increasingly cautious.
Now was not a good time to enter the mountain.
But thinking of Huang, his eyes gradually cleared.
"Climbing the mountain in fog isn't something I've never done."
Zhou Leng sent a detailed message to Uncle Li, explaining everything, then contacted Martial Arts Committee Member Mo Hai to request leave, took a deep breath, and started climbing the mountain.
At Guoyun Exploration Company, Li Linhan smiled with relief at Zhou Leng's message.
If he doesn't dare to climb the mountain in the fog, how can he venture into the Sea of Blood!
In the midst of the fog, the green hills and white rocks, and lush forests lay ahead.
Zhou Leng climbed the mountain along a familiar route.
Every place Huang liked, he shouted Huang's name.
With True Qi in his body, he moved as if on flat ground.
After searching for an hour, to no avail.
Zhou Leng stopped, frowning slightly.
To avoid mosquitoes, in the midsummer, he wore a long-sleeved shirt and pants.
Yet he hadn't even broken a sweat, feeling strangely cold, even considering wearing another layer.
After walking a while, suddenly, a group of wild boars dashed out in front.
A large black boar followed by six striped piglets.
Seven wild boars stared at Zhou Leng.
Zhou Leng remained calm.
Having achieved Minor Achievement in True Qi, he couldn't exert its full power; True Qi only enveloped the skin, unable to extend further.
But, hard-boiled as a boar's head might be, it couldn't withstand continuous blows of the Overlapping Waves Palm.
Suddenly, the big boar snorted gently at Zhou Leng, not seeming hostile.
Something clicked in Zhou Leng's mind; the overlapping of the Ten Realms brought various changes to Earth.
A new power emerged in the world, allowing humans to rapidly cultivate.
This power is known as Spiritual Qi among humans.
Benefiting from the changes on Blue Star and the spiritual Qi spill from Demon City, occurrences of animals displaying human-like intelligence have been frequent these years.
Not caring about absurdity, Zhou Leng loudly asked, "Do you know Huang? That Huang who barks. You should have heard us call it."
The big boar remained motionless, then snorted again.
Feeling a sense of helplessness.
Suddenly, the big boar pouted, nudging its nose in a certain direction.
"You mean Huang went that way?" Zhou Leng pointed in that direction, asking half-skeptically.
The big boar, as if not hearing, continued nudging its nose in that direction, snorted a few more times, then turned to leave.
The piglets looked back at Zhou Leng, snorting lightly, like kindergarten children in a tidy row, following the big boar into the forest.
Zhou Leng gazed in the direction the big boar had indicated, his face showing confusion.
Memorizing the direction, he took out his phone, snapped several photos, then continued towards places Huang often visited.
By midday, having been to many familiar spots, Huang was still nowhere in sight.
Zhou Leng retrieved water, compressed biscuits, sausages, and multivitamin tablets from his backpack, hurriedly ate some, took a short rest, and resumed the search.
Until three in the afternoon, hoarse from calling, he still hadn't caught a glimpse of Huang.
With the heavy fog enveloping, Zhou Leng, very familiar with Ruge Mountain, remembered characteristic stones and trees precisely, never losing his way.
"It's three o'clock; any later to descend, it'll be too late."
Having climbed many times, Zhou Leng adhered to the advice from adults, avoiding overnighting in the deep woods.
All familiar places had been searched.
The remaining areas, Huang seldom frequented.
With a sigh, he headed back on the original path, pondering hard.
"Today marks the third day; Huang rarely stays out for three consecutive days. He couldn't have been..."
Feeling increasingly uneasy, he quickly cut off bad thoughts.
Walking back slowly, reluctant to return to the village, his eyes suddenly shifted.
Here was where the big boar had appeared.
Zhou Leng looked in the direction the big boar indicated.
The sun set in the west, and the fog hung like a thick gray cloth. The darkness in the deep forest was impenetrably dense.
With a cold wind rustling through, goosebumps rose all over Zhou Leng.
He raised his head, looking ahead.
Still remembering that sunny, warm afternoon in summer.
The dappled tree shadows scattered over the woman, crouching, with her long hair flowing.
She gently patted Huang's head.
"Little Huang, take good care of your brother."
"Woof..." Little Huang wagged its tail vigorously, tongue hanging out, grinning.
After that summer, all the springs, summers, autumns, and winters gone by, without a trace of her.
The following year, Huang saved Zhou Leng, fulfilling the promise made that summer.
Zhou Leng removed the green wristband, tucking it into his backpack.
Going to find Huang.
And that summer.