Foraging by the Sea in the Deep Mountains: I Feast on Meat During the Famine

With this, the story officially comes to an end. From being forced by the entire village to survive by digging for food in the deep mountains and the sea during the famine years, through wolf packs, frozen springs, rotting seaweed plagues, sea storms, and disputes over the ownership of tidal flats, to reclaiming saline-alkali land and fighting insect infestations, we have overcome one obstacle after another to reach where we are today.

In the midst of peaceful times, an insect plague quietly arrived, threatening both the paddy fields and the mudflats simultaneously. The challenge of this chapter lies in ensuring that neither aspect is neglected; protecting the seedlings while preventing pollution of the mudflats and harm to shellfish is crucial.

Having weathered a harsh winter, a period of peace has finally arrived. After enduring hardship, they no longer passively rely on the sea's bounty; instead, they actively attempt to cultivate saline-alkali land, seeking a second path to survival. The older generation seeks stability, while the younger generation is eager to explore.

Having survived natural disasters, they now face a struggle for ownership. The mudflats they have painstakingly protected are threatened with being taken away by the government or seized by wealthy landowners. This chapter doesn't feature fierce fighting; through honesty, physical evidence, and long-term dedication, they manage to secure the shared use of the mudflats.

In times of hardship, people tend to band together; as life improves, selfish desires tend to surface. This chapter describes the uproar following the harvest, with people hoarding seafood and engaging in illicit trading. The protagonist doesn't resort to harsh suppression but instead devises a method for unified exchange of goods, accommodating everyone's difficulties while upholding the bottom…

Having weathered the harsh winter and the crises of spring, the summer storms present the sea with a severe test. The three villages, setting aside their differences, unite to reinforce the straw fences, collectively protecting their livelihoods on the mudflats. This chapter shows that in the face of natural disasters, only by banding together can they overcome difficulties.

Having survived the harsh winter and reaping the harvest, the resources of the mudflats are limited, and then outsiders come seeking food. Goodwill must be tempered with restraint, and resources need to be protected collectively. This chapter isn't about simple acceptance or rejection, but about establishing rules that make those who take also bear the responsibility of protecting them.

The passing of winter does not mean the end of suffering; the spring seaweed disaster presents another new challenge. Humans overcome wind, snow, and wild animals, but must still contend with the natural disasters brought by the sea. The people do not give up, working together to build barriers to protect the seedbeds, and also weathering the dangers of high tide.

Humans cannot live without water. Following a food crisis, frozen springs created a drinking water crisis. The protagonist ventures into the mountains to find hot springs and then works together to build an aqueduct—a testament to humanity's resilience against natural disasters in dire circumstances.

In times of hardship, the human heart is truly tested. Among the refugees are the desperate and vulnerable, as well as the wicked who seek to plunder. Kind acts of charity may not be reciprocated with gratitude, and may even invite disaster.