The Super Pickle of Twelve Pickles and the Witch
Deep in the Beishan Mountains, there truly lived an old witch. This witch had a terrible breath due to her habit of never brushing her teeth. Her servants couldn't endure her foul breath; they either fell ill or fled after working for just a few days. Due to the lack of service, the old witch had no choice but to live alone. She resided deep inside a cave in the mountains, and unless she came out herself, it was extremely difficult for ordinary people to find her. However, there was a sign near where she lived: the surrounding area was barren because all the flowers, grass, and trees had been killed by her bad breath.
Once, a pear seller passed by her cave carrying a basket of pears. Just as the witch emerged and saw the pear seller, she called out, "Pear seller!" The pear seller smelled a stench and immediately started feeling nauseous. As the pear seller was suffering, the witch asked, "How much are your pears?" The pear seller fainted from the smell, and the two baskets of pears instantly turned bad and blackened from her foul odor.
The witch looked around and said, "Why are all the pears rotten?" Then she noticed the pear seller lying unconscious beside the basket and remarked, "Why is he sleeping?" and went back into her cave.
Once, the Earth God wanted to discuss something with the witch but was also unable to withstand her foul breath. Eventually, he had no choice but to have several buckets of water brought over and made her brush her teeth for half a day before they could exchange a few words.
Pickle wandered through the mountains for three days and waited for two more before finally seeing the witch. Although he had heard about the witch's terrible breath, when he actually met her, he still couldn't help but feel nauseated. Thinking of Rose, Pickle forced himself to endure the discomfort, smiling as he greeted the witch, saying, "Grandma, I've heard that you possess boundless magical powers. I've come specially to visit and consult with you." The witch replied, "You want to consult me? Very well, serve me for three months first."
The witch was lonely living alone in the mountain cave, so when Pickle heard he had to serve her for three months, he almost fainted on the spot. Three minutes with the witch were already unbearable, let alone three months. But how else would he obtain the miraculous solution, fly, become a superman, and marry Rose? Thinking this, he agreed without hesitation.
To endure the next three months, Pickle came up with a plan. He found a mask and wore it while working. The witch saw him wearing a mask and became unhappy, asking, "Do you look down on me?" Quickly, Pickle responded, "No, it's just that I am too ugly and don't want you to feel uncomfortable, so I wear a mask." The witch was pleased and rewarded him with a moldy pancake to eat. He pretended to be happy as he ate it, then ran to the toilet to have diarrhea.
Finally, after enduring the arduous three months, the witch, moved by Pickle's sincere service, asked what he desired. Pickle said he wanted a pair of wings that could both fly in the sky and swim in the water. The witch told him that he needed a swan's wings, which must be taken within three minutes of the swan's death. The witch could sew these wings onto his body, but it would be excruciatingly painful. Moreover, for half a year afterward, he would need to continuously flap his wings. Every time he flapped them, his wounds would cause unbearable pain. If he couldn't endure it, the wings would rot, and he would die from infection. This was a great risk, so the witch asked if Pickle was willing. Hearing this, Pickle was a bit scared and hesitated. The witch smiled and told him to reconsider.
When Pickle returned home, he rushed to see Rose. After a long absence, Rose was still as beautiful as ever. However, Pickle noticed the wind swirling around her and hornets circling nearby. Realizing the fierce competition, he felt an urgent need to quickly become a superman. Thus, he hurried back into the mountains to find the witch again. The witch insisted he serve her for another three months, leaving Pickle no choice but to comply.
Afterward, Pickle went through great difficulties to find a dying swan and followed the witch's instructions to sew the wings onto his body within three minutes of the swan's death. After this grueling process, Pickle was no longer just a pickle. His body swelled, and he dragged a pair of lifeless wings, becoming a monstrous creature that resembled neither a bird nor a vegetable. From then on, he lived in unbearable pain. The thought of Rose seemed distant, but the excruciating pain kept overwhelming him. In each wave of intense pain, he experienced both life and death, gaining profound insights into life, love, and existence. More importantly, through repeated encounters with God, he gained the ability to understand the language of all animals.
Half a year finally passed. Through this life-and-death experience, Pickle not only grew a new pair of wings physically but also matured mentally. He was no longer the naive young man but had become a wise, mature, and intelligent thinker.
On the day the bandages were removed, Pickle soared into the clouds, fully experiencing the freedom and height of life. He felt that he had surpassed not only himself but also nature. Originally a pickle born from soil and brine, he now soared through the blue skies — an event no pickle would believe.
Next, he ventured into the sea, learning from sharks and practicing with whales. With his fin-like wings, he also mastered the ability to fight the waves in the ocean.