Chapter 4 — Legend of the Fire Cloud

No matter how hard we pull or pull, the chain is still as strong as a nail. Every moment, every moment passes, my sweat drops drop by drop to the ground. I want to help Hoa Van... but really I can't help myself. The white wolf also understood the key thing - it was this chain that blocked the way back. A long howl tore through the night! It bowed its head and bit into its own leg. “You block my way home… then I will cut you off myself!” Crushed flesh, broken bones... everything crumbled under the wolf's fangs as sharp as knives. Finally, it escaped! His eyes flashed with determination: Even if he could only jump step by step, he still had to go home. But… it was too weak. Being tortured for a long time, losing a leg, made his body no longer as agile as before. Thump! The white wolf fell into the earth trap right next to him. Go wild! My heart feels like it's been hit hard by a thousand-pound hammer, it hurts to the point of suffocation. Fate... why is it so cruel! Without hesitation, I jumped into the hole. The white wolf looked at me, the light in his eyes gradually fading. It clearly understands its situation - even when it is prosperous, it will be difficult to escape this trap, let alone now... it has lost a leg.{Read full on page Nguyet Hoa Cac} "Don't be afraid... I will help you!" We try to lift it up, step by step closer to the edge of the trap. But compared to my size, the hole is too deep. Even if we put all our strength into raising the white wolf as high as possible, the distance to the mouth of the hole is still a long way. The white wolf also tried to cooperate, its front legs trying to cling to the edge of the hole. But... just that short distance, it's like a deep chasm. My teeth were clenched so hard that they bled, tears of frustration flowed out of my eyes. I... am still too weak. His strength gradually slipped away, his legs began to tremble uncontrollably — a sign of exhaustion. Once I let go... the white wolf will have no hope of survival. Wow!!! The howl of the white wolf rang out, filled with unwillingness, piercing through the dark night... Just when I was almost exhausted, about to collapse to the bottom of the pit, a strong hand suddenly reached out, squeezed the white wolf tightly, and then decisively pulled it out of the trap. Saved! Raising my head, I saw my grandfather's face, etched with weather marks, clearly visible in the darkness. "Grandpa! Save it! I beg you!" “Tam Tu, just stay there, I'll be back to pick you up later.” Having finished speaking, he hugged the white wolf and quickly disappeared from my sight. I breathed a sigh of relief, as if a thousand-pound rock had been lifted from my heart, my whole body felt light. The promise I made to Hoa Van, I finally made it. Surely when he sees his wife again, he will be very happy. If tomorrow they give birth to a pack of wolf cubs... I wonder if they will be more like their father or their mother? Grandpa… so good! Although he is usually strict and quiet, it turns out he still secretly cares about Hoa Van. This old man is really good at hiding things! Come to think of it, back then I thought you were planning to harm Hoa Van... From now on, I will no longer secretly add water to the jar of wine you brewed... While I was deep in thought, I suddenly heard a rustling sound on the edge of the hole. Grandpa turned around and even deliberately winked at me - that look clearly said one thing: success! Trieu Dai and Vuong Nhi also staggered back, muttering curses, looking like they had just lost a lucrative business deal. Chu Tam also walked out of the tent, his eyes still vague, dazed and foolish... I heard that Mr. Tam boasted that he had been able to deal with Hoang Tien Co demanding the title. As a result, that animal He let out a foul-smelling blow that made him vomit all of the previous night's dinner, his eyes and nose streaming with tears. My grandfather then only said one sentence, his voice low and cold: "No matter who you are, if you dare to hurt my grandchild... you must give me an explanation." In the village, the words of an old hunter with decades of experience are like holy orders. Trieu Dai, Vuong Nhi, and Chu Tam had to stay silent, pay compensation, clear the traps, and sneak out of the village. That night, deep in the mountains, I heard a long, endless howl. There is joy, there is satisfaction, mixed with gratitude. I know clearly - that is the voice of Hoa Van. It's in the mountains and forests, but to me... it's still a relative. Foreign version - The legend of the Red Wolf and the White Wolf People in the area said that, from the full moon night of July that year, in the northern mountains suddenly appeared a very special pair of wolves. The male's whole body is red like a fire burning in the middle of a snowstorm, his green eyes glow in the night. The female has fur as white as early winter snow, has lost a leg but still walks proudly like a queen. People call them the Fire Wolf King and the White Fang Lady. They do not attack people, nor do they come to the village anymore. But anyone who dares to set traps and kill too many wild animals will meet a tragic end - the traps will be broken, the guns will be broken, and the hunter himself will be driven to run for his life in the middle of the night, hearing the terrifying howl close behind. Some people swear that, on full moon nights, if they climb to the top of the mountain, they will see a red wolf standing next to a legless white wolf. They raised their heads and howled for a long time, the sound echoed like the call of heaven and earth, but if anyone got too close, they would only see the cold wind whipping their faces and a red shadow disappearing into the mist. The village elders said that they were two spirit beasts protected by the mountain god. One is indebted to humans, the other has suffered for humans, so both exist between the boundaries of gratitude and revenge. As for me... every night, sitting on the front porch, listening to the howl from afar, I still smile in response. Because we know, somewhere in the middle of the world, Hoa Van still remembers the old promise - even though a lifetime apart, we are still family.