Tibet's highland barley fields bent like silver bows in the blizzard. The moment Zhang Yifan's Wooden Ox convoy stepped onto the frozen earth, a Kham man's startled cry rang out: "Bad news! Snow Threadworms are crawling all over the barley roots!" Huwa scrambled onto the back of a Wooden Ox in a flash, lifting his carving knife and shouting, "Taste my 'Snow Mountain Ghost-Face Slash'!" With a flash of the blade, a crooked, smiling face appeared on the yak's back, frightening the Snow Threadworms into shrinking into ice pellets one after another.
"Stop acting up, you little brat!" Zhang Yifan grabbed him by the back of his collar and poured Snow Beetle Shell Powder out of a bamboo basket. "Snow Threadworms are afraid of spice, not laughter—mix chili powder with snow water and spray it through the Wooden Ox's 'Water-Spitting Sac'!" Huwa stuck out his tongue as he sprinkled powder into the water, then suddenly stole a glance at the rice cake at Zhang Yifan's waist. "Brother Fan, let me taste a bite of your rice cake, will you? I promise I won't add sugar to the spray water."
The Wooden Ox's "Water-Spitting Sac" spewed a fine mist. The mist mixed with chili powder spread across the barley field, and the Snow Threadworms shriveled the moment they touched the spice, their bodies frozen into ice crystals that pattered down onto the snow. The Kham man stared in bewilderment, then suddenly pointed at the ghost face on the Wooden Ox's back and smiled: "Miraculous! This kid's face is …
Chapter 25