Chen Mancang has just been mocked by the entire village for making a mistake while guarding the mountain, only to be suspected moments later of being involved with an outsider who brought someone into the mountains. After tumbling down a steep slope, he relies on his years of experience guarding the mountain to pick up clues from the unusual behavior of magpies, mice, and old eagles. Following every trace, he uncovers a chain of profits behind stolen grain, rigged weighing scales, and animal traps. But when the county's purchasing agent arrives with account books and uses his authority to pressure him, and Li Xinghua discovers his secret, Chen Mancang has no choice but to lay out footprints, delivery receipts, and ledgers to reveal the truth. Several large trucks suddenly appear at the mountain entrance, while half a ledger remains hidden in an abandoned warehouse. This time, what must they protect: merely the mountains and forests, or the livelihoods of the entire village?