"I fell down into a ditch when I was on the way back in the dusk in 2005. The skin had been scratched. But gradually the whole finger became rotten due to my illness. So I had to cut it off before the rest got infected," he said, showing his palm casually as if he was talking about others.

"These difficulties didn't deter me, because I was a soldier. But I had to borrow money to buy saplings and all the tools. I can't count the broken shovels I used in those years. "

Things started to change early this year when a casual passer-by captured Ma's story and uploaded it online with a video.

Ma found he was no longer the only one planting trees in this remote mountainous village, which is about a three-hour bumpy drive on a rugged road from Shijiazhuang.

More and more volunteers have come and joined him, bringing saplings and tools, in addition to their company.

"More than 30 volunteers have come this year. I greatly appreciate their help," Ma said, while digging a hole for another tree.

He brushed off the praises those volunteers have given him.

"Honestly speaking, making a living out of planting trees was also part of my idea at first. You know, I can sell them to make money and stand on my own feet financially," Ma said. "But as the trees grew bigger and started to wrap the hills in a beautiful green, I became hesitant. They are not only beautiful, but also important to those hills because they can hold the soil."

So Ma has held on despite the frugal life he leads.

"I'll never sell these trees," said the determined veteran, looking at the trees he planted on the opposite hills, smiling.

But there is also a sad part of the story, Ma admitted.

"You know, the most terrible thing for me is to see my trees die. The ones I planted a month ago have died," he said, referring to the recent drought that has killed the trees.

"About 100 trees of the 430 trees I planted last year died. Who can save my trees?" the former soldier continued, and cried.