This was clearly not a lone wolf; its sleek, shiny fur proved it was well-nourished—only a wolf pack could provide it with such good nutrition. Edward Carter had experience encountering wolf packs, so without a word, he turned and ran toward the herd of grassland horses. He had barely run three hundred meters when he heard several piercing wolf howls behind him.

Edward Carter quickened his pace, completely forgetting his sorrow at this moment. Could it be that the meaning of life is simply to run?

The sky was vast, the wilds boundless, the heavens like a great dome covering the endless plains.

The lonely Edward Carter wandered these grasslands with the herd of horses. Fortunately, this pasture wasn’t too large, or he would have run himself to death by now. The horses seemed reluctant to leave the lush, tender grass; it had been five days and there was still no sign of them moving on. Edward Carter didn’t dare leave the group, as the wolf pack was still prowling nearby. If it weren’t for the extraordinary stallion, the wolves would have surrounded them and feasted long ago.

Edward Carter had been trying to catch a wild horse to use as a mount, but all he got for his efforts was a face full of frustration. The lasso he’d braided from horsehair and grass had snapped into four or five pieces. That damned horse not only broke free and ran off, but even chewed the rope as fodder, fully expressing its contempt for Edward Carter’s overambitious attempt. Unable to catch a horse, he could only wander the wilderness on his own two legs.

His strength was failing, his legs weak. Edward Carter knew this was the result of going three days without salt. If he didn’t find some soon, this wasteland would become his burial ground. The wolf pack had grown from two or three to seven or eight; the herd could no longer protect him. He was well aware that once the wolves attacked the horses, he, lacking their speed, would be an easy and tasty snack for them.

The herd began to panic. A young horse was bitten on the hind leg by a wolf and let out a miserable cry, causing all the horses to start moving. At that moment, a high-pitched neigh calmed the herd—the chestnut stallion charged at the wolves like lightning. Its massive hooves stomped hard on the attacker, while the other stallions also launched their assault on the wolves.

The wolves had clearly underestimated their opponents; three of them were trampled into pulp before they knew it. Realizing things had gone wrong, the rest of the pack turned and fled deeper into the wilderness, with the horses in hot pursuit. In an instant, the vast battlefield was left with only Edward Carter standing dumbfounded in the middle, still hesitating whether to run.

The wolves trampled to death by the horses looked pitiful, so much so that Edward Carter could only cut two somewhat intact wolf legs from the three carcasses. Turning around, he saw neither the wolf pack nor the horses. Looking in the direction the herd had chased off, he said a word of farewell, then turned east, knowing clearly that a great river awaited him there.

Edward Carter heard the sigh of that great river, its waters rolling eastward, never ceasing.

The Yellow River! Seeing her, a sense of intimacy welled up, like meeting an old friend. In this moment, with no city and no family, her presence brought Edward Carter a bit of comfort. He drank a few mouthfuls of water—it was so sweet. The whole river surged with waves, yet was crystal clear, like flowing jade nectar.

He saw the horse herd again, the stallion drinking by Edward Carter’s side as if no one else was there. In its eyes, humans were no more threatening than wild sheep. Indeed, Edward Carter’s performance these past days had been worse than a wild sheep’s; aside from providing the herd with some amusement, he posed no danger at all.

After drinking his fill, the stallion walked to a stone wall and began licking it with his tongue, making a “swish swish” sound. What a strange horse! Is this how you train your tongue? Wait—Edward Carter suddenly realized, horses are living creatures too; they need minerals, especially salt!

Edward Carter hurried over, stretched out his tongue, and gave the stone wall a tentative lick. It was bitter, astringent, and salty—what was this? “Ptooey, ptooey!” He quickly spat it out.

The stallion gave him a dissatisfied look and continued licking the wall with gusto.

This was rock salt, but with too many impurities to eat directly. Edward Carter used a steel shovel to chip off a few pieces of blackish-brown crystals, then carefully ground them into powder on a large rock by the river. He dissolved the powder in water in a stainless steel bowl, covered the mouth of a flat pan with a dust mask, and poured the cloudy liquid into the pan. The liquid became clearer. He rinsed the mask clean in the river, folded it double, added some charcoal powder, and filtered the liquid again. Now, the liquid in the bowl was clear and transparent.

Edward Carter poured the liquid onto a huge, smooth rock by the river. As soon as the water hit the sun-baked stone, it evaporated, leaving behind a thin layer of white powder. He tasted it lightly—pure table salt. From noon until nearly sunset, Edward Carter collected about three jin of salt, enough to last him several months.

As the sun set in the west, Edward Carter lit a campfire and roasted the wolf legs he had smoked a few days before. Soon, the aroma of roasting meat filled the sandy riverbank. Sprinkling on some salt, this was the ultimate delicacy for Edward Carter. He didn’t dare use any more chili peppers, needing to save some for emergencies; after much hesitation, he finally buried a potato in the ashes of the fire. Eating meat all day was a real challenge for his body.

Seeing the riverbank covered in dandelions, he was overjoyed. This plant was great for clearing heat and detoxifying, making it an excellent ingredient. He pulled up a few, washed them clean by the river, and planned to fry them in mutton fat. Perhaps the aroma of frying wild greens was too strong, for the nearby horses stared at Edward Carter with wide eyes, as if they wanted to eat too, but were too afraid of the fire to come closer.