“Breastmilk, you’re farming the land, not planting trees.” Brian Cooper burst out laughing. “I swear I’m not lying to you. Back when I lived in Hanoi, right by the Yellow River, one day—who knows if the heavens were blind or had their eyes opened—a huge gust of wind blew. That wind swept across the Yellow River, whipped up the river water, then rushed over our village, and then, fish started pouring down with a crackling sound. A lot of fish ended up hanging in the trees. So, would you say that counts as fish growing on trees?”

Section Twelve: The Perfect Pasture

Brian Cooper told his story with such conviction that the sheep in the cliffs and the fish in the trees seemed to be on par.

But no one could deny that he had a point.

“Nonsense.” Charles Walker muttered, but said nothing more.

“Breastmilk, I know you keep saying you don’t believe me, but deep down you really admire me.” Brian Cooper said smugly.

“Madman, please call me Charles Walker from now on.” Charles Walker was truly troubled by the name his father had given him. It didn’t bother him when others used it, but whenever Brian Cooper called him that, it just made him want to throw up yesterday’s dinner.

“Got it, Breastmilk.” Brian Cooper replied offhandedly. Seeing Charles Walker clench his fists like an angry old ox, he finally changed the subject. “Bu Yi, Dezhi said there are sheep inside the cliff, but Pang Huai doesn’t believe it, so they bet a string of coins. I got interested and added two strings of coins, betting on Dezhi to win. Breastmilk didn’t believe it, so he bet with me—two strings of coins on Pang Huai to win. That’s the situation. Everyone’s placed their bets, but they can’t prove there aren’t sheep, and we can’t prove there are, so that’s why we called you.”

“How do you prove there aren’t sheep?” Frank Reed’s face turned red. “Isn’t it proof enough that we can’t see any with our own eyes?”

“Of course not.” Brian Cooper argued confidently. “We’re betting there are sheep inside the cliff, not on top of it. If you want to prove there aren’t any, you’ll have to split open the cliff first.”

Frank Reed and Charles Walker were both stunned. Only now did they realize Brian Cooper’s cunning—he couldn’t lose this bet, no wonder he was so confident. Who could possibly split open a cliff?

Adam Carter ignored them and looked toward Rusty and Arrow. “You two didn’t bet?”

The two shook their heads. Adam Carter felt a bit relieved. “At least you two are decent. You know, drinking, lust, money, and gambling—none of them are good…”

“They didn’t bet only because they’re acting as witnesses.” Brian Cooper complained. “They get a tenth of the winnings.”

Adam Carter was taken aback, both amused and exasperated. Arrow finally grinned and said, “We don’t have any money anyway, so making a little on the side is fine.”

Adam Carter wasn’t really that righteous either. Instead, he was reminded of his own student days, and a wave of warmth filled his heart.

These were all passionate men, just having a bit of fun, not really gambling seriously. One string of coins was ten wen, ten strings made a diao, so a diao was a hundred coins. One wen could barely buy breakfast, and if you were frugal, a diao could just about feed you for a month. Back then, didn’t he often bet meals with friends too?

He listened to everyone’s explanations as he slowly walked toward the stone wall. Suddenly, something struck him, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

Because he really did hear the cry of an antelope, coming from the direction of the stone wall. It was very faint—if he hadn’t been listening carefully, he probably wouldn’t have noticed it.

That was indeed the case. Frank Reed and Charles Walker still looked completely lost, but when Samuel Harris saw Adam Carter’s smile, a smile appeared in his own eyes as well.

At that moment, Adam Carter understood everything. Of course, antelopes couldn’t be living inside the stone wall, but they might be on the other side of the mountain.

He knew the wonders of nature, and he also knew that while the stone wall looked solid, it might actually be hollow inside.

Because he knew that the karst terrain in Yunnan and Guizhou was just like that.

Samuel Harris might not stand out in other ways, but among the group, he was famous for his sharp hearing. He could even tell if there were rabbits or pheasants several li away just by pressing his ear to the ground!

Clearly, Samuel Harris had heard the antelope’s cry, and quickly realized that the mountain’s interior was hollow. Brian Cooper might not be good at much else, but he was clever enough to play along, and he knew this too.

Frank Reed might be fat, but he was straightforward. Charles Walker was an honest man. So both of them fell into the other two’s trap.

But hearing the cry of a sheep still didn’t prove anything. Were they supposed to climb over the mountain to check?

Adam Carter looked around, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He quickly walked to the side, where wild vines covered everything, making it impossible to see the rock face.

He pushed aside the wild vines, his eyes flashing, and called out, “Everyone, come here.”

The group came over, all stunned. Only then did they discover that there was a crack in the rock wall, hidden by the wild vines. The crack started from the bottom and extended upward.

Over the years, the crack had been eroded by water and wind, slowly weathering away. The middle was filled with dirt and sand, leaving just enough space for a person to squeeze through.

Without saying another word, Adam Carter began clearing out the crack. Everyone joined in, and soon they had cleared a gap just wide enough for a person to barely pass through.

Without waiting for instructions, Adam Carter was about to go in first, but Samuel Harris grabbed him. “Bu Yi, be careful—there might be snakes.” Adam Carter had always been the first to charge ahead and the last to retreat. Whenever there was danger, he was always at the front. Just for that, he had already earned everyone’s trust and respect.