Kouya Hijiri: CHAPTER 6

I followed the merchant, climbing a large rock, pushing through thick wikid forest, and traveling on and on, trying to catch up to him.

At last, I broke through into a large field. The rocky trail became a broad road. But the merchant was no where in sight. I crossed the field and found myself again in wild forest in a deep mountain pass. This is a famous choke point called "Amou Touge". This was a beautiful place, but I walked hard without pausing to enjoy the natural beauty or weather.

The trail became rough again, flanked by high bushes filled with huge snakes. I tried to pass quickly but was stopped in my tracks by a gigantic snake, laying across the trail with its head in the bushes on one side and its tail in the bushes on the other. I dislike snakes. I'm terrified of them. I squatted down on the trail baffled by this "snake bridge" and just held my breath waiting.