The Search for Treasure
Hours later, Yiling was deep into the forest, her hands deftly working to dig out a patch of herbs nestled at the roots of a towering pine. Her basket already brimmed with wild vegetables and mushrooms, but the real prize still eluded her.
Then, as the wind shifted, Yiling froze. A faint, sweet aroma tickled her nose—ginseng. Old and potent. Her pulse quickened.
She followed the scent deeper into the forest, her eyes scanning the terrain. Finally, tucked between two jagged rocks, she found it—a thick, knotted root pushing up through the soil. This wasn't ordinary ginseng—it was a king-grade specimen, easily over a hundred years old.
Her hands trembled slightly as she dug, careful not to damage the root. "With this, we can survive the whole winter," she whispered, her voice steadying as determination took over.
But as the root came free, a sharp rustling in the undergrowth behind her made her turn.