Red Sour Fruit

In the quiet mountain forest, Old Mor sat by the campfire, a nostalgic expression and joyful smile on his face, recounting stories of the Black Mountain Cat and Distant Mountain Stronghold to everyone.

"So, once we encounter the Black Mountain Cat, we're not far from Distant Mountain Stronghold. In all my years in Tami Village, I've never once seen a trace of the Black Mountain Cat. Distant Mountain Stronghold… I'm home."

By the end, Old Mor's voice had become very soft, as if he were muttering to himself. His eyes lost focus, and he seemed lost in thought, perhaps experiencing that feeling of trepidation when nearing home.

Ryman stared intently in the direction the Black Mountain Cat had left, seemingly impressed by this creature he'd never seen before. When Old Mor fell silent, Ryman, with a serious expression, pressed him for more.

"Do you think it will follow us?"

Harry, hearing Ryman's question, his expression changed, his smile froze, and he answered Ryman's question with a twitch of his lips.

"The Black… Black Mountain Cat holds a grudge. When we encounter them back at the stronghold, we usually shout loudly to scare them away…"

Old Mor gradually came back to his senses. Hearing Ryman's question, his expression soured slightly. He picked up where Harry left off and answered Ryman.

"This beast is extremely vindictive. Once you injure it, it will follow you, waiting for an opportunity to ambush you when you let your guard down. People from the stronghold rarely provoke it, unless you're not spending the night in the forest."

"No wonder I had a feeling it was still around us, not far off."

Old Mor and Ryman exchanged glances, nodding gravely. Old Mor gave a wry smile.

"It seems neither of us will be getting any rest tonight. If we leave them to stand guard alone, the Black Mountain Cat might sneak up on them."

"Then we'll both stand guard tonight. I'll take the first half of the night with my men, and you take the second half. We must ensure Nord's safety."

"No problem. Who would've thought we'd run into this beast right at our doorstep? Life is full of surprises."

Nord had been contemplating their next steps. Logically, they weren't far from Distant Mountain Stronghold and should push on to find it. However, now they'd provoked the Black Mountain Cat, and they likely wouldn't have a peaceful night. If they couldn't find Distant Mountain Stronghold within two or three days, everyone might be worn down by the Black Mountain Cat in the forest.

After some mental calculations, Nord made up his mind. He ran his left hand over the Knight's Sword at his waist, his eyes calmly fixed on Old Mor and Harry, and spoke in an unyielding tone:

"Logically, we should be heading back tomorrow. But since Distant Mountain Stronghold is nearby, it makes no sense to give up halfway. However, since we've provoked the Black Mountain Cat and won't be able to rest properly at night, we will search for two more days—just two days! If we still can't find it after two days, we'll return to rest and recuperate, then come back another time."

Knowing that Lord Nord's words were primarily directed at him, Old Mor sighed. He prepared to rest, knowing he'd have to get up for the second half of the night watch. He needed to conserve his energy now, hoping they would find Distant Mountain Stronghold tomorrow.

Night had deepened. The surrounding mountain forest was silent, not even the cries of wild beasts could be heard. But sitting by the campfire, Ryman could feel that in the darkness, a creature was still watching them, waiting for them to lower their guard.

The next day, Nord slowly opened his eyes. After more than half a month of roughing it outdoors, Nord had adapted to sleeping under the sky and on the ground. He remembered that at first, he couldn't sleep a wink all night lying on the damp ground, but now, he basically fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Looking at Old Mor and Ryman, who had just fallen asleep beside him, Nord couldn't help but move lightly. The next few days would be tough for these two, unless they could find Distant Mountain Stronghold quickly.

Would it really be that easy? Nord couldn't help but miss satellite positioning from his previous life. If he had that, he'd probably be feasting on meat and drinking large bowls of alcohol at Distant Mountain Stronghold by now. Hmm? It seemed there wasn't even alcohol in this world, was there? Nord hadn't seen any in Beron City before, whether it was beer, liquor, or wine. So, wouldn't that be another huge business opportunity?

Nord, who had risen early, breathed in the fresh air, his mind buzzing with ideas for making money, of earning countless Gold Thalers every day. A bite of hard bread pulled Nord back to reality.

After clearing his head a bit, Nord instructed the remaining hunters who hadn't been on watch to carefully pack their belongings, making sure not to disturb those still resting. They could depart once everyone woke up.

Not long after, Ryman and the others gradually woke up. After a simple meal, they set off again on their quest to find Distant Mountain Stronghold.

They hadn't walked far when Harry and Old Mor discovered a new clue.

Nord and the others stood beneath a fruit tree. This tree seemed a bit short compared to the tall surrounding trees, but its trunk was very thick, and its branches were laden with bright red fruits. The fruits were somewhat translucent and beautiful, though some had hollows, as if pecked by small birds.

"Lord Nord, look, this is called Red Sour Fruit. It's very juicy and a bit sour. Some children in the stronghold like to eat it, but it doesn't keep hunger at bay."

"Is it a fruit only found near Distant Mountain Stronghold?"

"Yes, Lord Nord, I've only seen it around Distant Mountain Stronghold. I don't know if it grows anywhere else."

Old Mor explained what kind of fruit it was to Nord, while Harry swiftly climbed the fruit tree, picked a few fruits, and brought them to Nord.

"Lord Nord, please try some. This Red Sour Fruit is my favorite. It's sweet and sour, and the fruit is best at this time of year, not as sour as it was a while ago. Every year when I come out hunting, I bring some back for my children. My little one, four or five years old, still puckers his mouth from the sourness, haha."

Nord took a fruit and examined it. Indeed, it was beautifully translucent. Outside was a thin red skin, and peeled open, it revealed a pale green, transparent pulp. Nord found the pulp somewhat familiar.

He took a bite, and it was indeed sweet and sour, tasting a bit like grapes. Nord felt a strange mix of emotions. He had been deceived! Fooled by the fruit's appearance. What Red Sour Fruit? This was just a large grape! And the texture was even better than a grape's. With the arrival of the frost season, the sugar inside the fruit had gradually accumulated, making it even sweeter.

"Are there many of these fruit trees around Distant Mountain Stronghold?"

"Not many in Distant Mountain Stronghold itself, but there are quite a few in the nearby forests. This fruit is mostly eaten by children, so I haven't paid much attention to it."

Nord asked Harry about the fruit trees. Old Mor also picked up a fruit, and looking at the familiar fruit, a nostalgic expression appeared on his face. He took a bite, and it tasted sweet to his heart.

Nord looked beneath the fruit tree. Scattered around were a few small saplings, likely grown naturally from fallen fruits. This suggested that the fruit tree was not difficult to transplant. The people in the mountains didn't think much of it, but it might be different outside. Don't underestimate something just because it seems common.