I'll treat you all to a grand feast.

Zhao Liang saw the three men stop and was happy to take the opportunity to rest as well. He lay down on a large rock, hands behind his head, a stalk of wild grass between his lips, resting while loudly jeering, “I say, Brother Tian, when are we going to resume this game of mice chasing cats?”

Tian Er was fuming, but could only reply helplessly, “Zhao Liang, don’t get cocky. When I catch you, I swear I’ll skin you alive.”

The three rested for about a quarter of an hour before Tian Er gritted his teeth and declared, “Brothers, let’s keep chasing. We can’t let this little brat make fools of us.”

With that, the trio resumed their pursuit, gnashing their teeth as they chased after Zhao Liang. Seeing them coming, Zhao Liang leapt up and continued to run ahead at a leisurely pace, always keeping a distance of several dozen yards between himself and his pursuers. If they sped up, he did too; if they slowed, he slowed as well. It was truly as if a cat were playing with a mouse.

Tian Er and the others realized they could never catch up no matter how hard they tried, so they began cursing loudly behind him.

“Zhao Liang, if you’ve got guts, stop and face me in a fair duel!” Tian Er shouted furiously.

“You think I’m stupid? You three against me alone—a fair duel? I can’t believe you’d say that out loud. I’m embarrassed for you,” Zhao Liang replied, pulling a face.

“Just me, not the other two! Stop and we’ll settle it one-on-one,” Tian Er continued to coax.

“Who are you trying to fool? I’d have to be a ghost to trust you! I say, Tian Er, you’ve just gotten out of prison—shouldn’t you go home to see your wife? Why are you chasing me instead? If you don’t hurry home, she’ll run off with someone else,” Zhao Liang called back.

The three cursed and chased, running and stopping along the way, heading up the mountain, growing ever farther from Tian Family Village.

Zhao Liang noticed that night was falling and the crescent moon was peeking out. He thought he couldn’t keep running like this; he needed a plan to make sure the three couldn’t pursue him any longer. As he pondered, an idea came to him.

He ran toward the place where he’d set a trap for wild animals that morning, with the three still hot on his heels. After another stretch, they reached the area, and Zhao Liang, pretending nothing was amiss, calmly stepped over the hidden trap in the grass.

Tian Er, leading the way, didn’t step on the trap, and Zhao Liang’s heart skipped a beat.

Next came Mouse, who also avoided the trap. Zhao Liang’s heart sank again. Could their luck really be this good? Was fate aiding the wicked?

Just as Zhao Liang was feeling frustrated, there was a sharp snap and a scream—Black Ox fell to the ground. Tian Er and Mouse hurried over to see what had happened. They found Black Ox’s left foot caught in a dark steel trap, blood gushing out.

Black Ox was drenched in sweat, his features contorted in pain, and he yelled, “It hurts like hell! What are you two standing around for? Hurry up and get this thing off me!”

It took a moment for Tian Er and Mouse to come to their senses, then they quickly pried open the trap. Mouse tore off two sleeves from his shirt to wrap Black Ox’s foot and hand, bandaging him as best he could.

From a distance, Zhao Liang watched them and taunted, “Ah, my dear brothers, that’s a trap I set this morning. Sorry about that! You chased me so hard, I forgot to warn you. Truly my apologies.”

The three now realized Zhao Liang had lured them right into his scheme, setting them up to fall into the trap.

Black Ox was furious, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared, “You two must catch that brat! I’ll break every bone in his body and squeeze him dry. Don’t worry about me, go after him now!”

Spurred by Black Ox, Tian Er and Mouse dragged their exhausted bodies and gritted their teeth, chasing after Zhao Liang once more.

Seeing them approach, Zhao Liang hurried onward.

By now, night had deepened and the forest grew ever darker. As Tian Er and Mouse chased, they gradually lost sight of Zhao Liang, stopping beneath a large tree, breathing heavily.

Mouse leaned against the tree and panted, “Tian Er, I came with you hoping to get rich, who knew Zhao Liang would be slipperier than an eel and faster than a rabbit? Black Ox is really hurt this time. If we get that jade, we must take a bigger share.”

Tian Er, also gasping for breath, replied, “Mouse, we haven’t caught the rabbit yet and you’re already thinking about dividing the spoils. Let’s get the jade first!”

Just then, Mouse’s stomach rumbled loudly. He complained to Tian Er, “We’ve been lying in wait since early morning and haven’t eaten a thing. I’m starving!”

Zhao Liang, hiding atop the tree above them, overheard their conversation and realized the three were not just seeking revenge—they wanted to rob him and take his life.

He thought, “This jade pendant is the only thing my parents left me, and my only clue to finding them in the future. Hmph, if you want to steal it from me, let me serve you a feast first.”

The two were still talking when suddenly Zhao Liang’s voice came from above, “Brothers, let me treat you to a feast—catch!”

A bundle the size of a cloth wrap dropped from the tree. Mouse, caught off guard, reached out and grabbed it without thinking.

“What the hell is this?” Mouse squinted, trying to see what it was, when suddenly a loud buzzing erupted—a swarm of hornets flew out.

“Damn, hornets! Run!” Tian Er grabbed Mouse, who had just thrown the hornet nest, and the two fled in terror.

The tree held a hornet’s nest that Zhao Liang, who hunted in the mountains daily, was well aware of. He’d climbed up under cover of night, waiting to set up Tian Er and the others—and it worked perfectly.

The hornets, having returned to their nest after a busy day, were now disturbed by an intruder.

How could they tolerate such an offense? They swarmed, ruthlessly stinging every exposed inch of flesh.

Tian Er fared better, able to use his sleeves to shield his face and avoid the worst of it.

Mouse was less fortunate—his sleeves had been used to bandage Black Ox, leaving him exposed. Surrounded by hornets, he howled in agony, a pitiful sight. Instinctively, he raised his arms to protect his face, but the poor limbs were so swollen they looked as thick as his calves.

Only when the pair neared the spot where Black Ox had fallen into the trap did the hornets retreat, returning triumphantly to their nest.