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As dawn broke, Bai Yujing and Li Hao called out to Lao Qi and Qiangzi, quietly shouldering their gear as they prepared to head into the mountains. The morning at Laojun Mountain was shrouded in mist, filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, truly reminiscent of a celestial realm. Even the fresh air they breathed felt different, invigorating them with a surge of energy.
However, the temperature at Laojun Mountain was quite low; even in summer, it felt akin to late autumn. Especially in the morning, one would struggle without adding a few extra layers. Each of the four carried a large backpack weighing around thirty pounds. After planning their route, they set off into the mountains.
Bai Yujing had shown Lao Qi the photos obtained from Lin Ruoqiao yesterday, particularly the pictures of the village in the mountains. Lao Qi mentioned he had some clues but couldn't pinpoint its exact location until they ventured further into the mountains. Nonetheless, they had roughly mapped out their journey the previous night. According to Lao Qi, it would take at least five days of hiking to reach their destination, so this trip was not going to be easy.
The initial part of the trail was relatively easy to navigate, lacking dense forests or rugged terrain. Most of the area they passed through consisted of expansive grasslands, evoking a sense of vastness and openness. After passing Laojun Village, they descended from the high meadows into the primitive forest, where the path became more challenging.
The trail was steep, requiring extra caution while descending; a misstep could easily lead to a fall down the mountainside. The trees here were not particularly dense; most were young saplings a few years old and not very sturdy, lacking that lush canopy that blocks out sunlight.
After walking for six or seven hours from Laojun Mountain, Bai Yujing and his companions began to feel fatigued and decided to stop by a clear stream to prepare lunch.
"Where's the pot?" Bai Yujing asked after setting up a small fire pit with his entrenching tool.
"It's with me!" Qiangzi replied eagerly as he rushed over.
Bai Yujing took it from him while Li Hao and Lao Qi went into the woods to gather firewood. Bai Yujing and Qiangzi started cooking lunch just as Xu Lei finally woke up in the lodge after two tiring days. Feeling exhausted from all the excitement about entering the mountains yesterday, he had gone to bed late and slept in today.
Looking out the window at the bright sky and then glancing at his alarm clock, Xu Lei realized it was already noon. Sensing something was off, he quickly dressed and dashed outside, banging on Bai Yujing's door: "Hey, Bai Yujing! Mr. Bai! Are you there?"
"Lao Qi! Qiangzi! Are you there?"
Xu Lei's shouting immediately startled the cleaning staff nearby: "Are you looking for them? They left early this morning with their backpacks. They set off at dawn and have been gone for six or seven hours!"
Xu Lei sat somewhat dejectedly on the chair in the lodge. After thinking for a moment, he immediately shouldered his backpack and rushed out of the lodge. Not long after, he ran back in and grabbed a map. Every year, many people form teams to enter the mountains from here for hiking or camping. However, most of them stick to the developed travel routes and do not venture deep into Shennongjia, instead going around it from the side.
Despite this, the route maps created as a result sell quite well here, available for purchase in the lodge to help those entering the mountains choose their hiking and camping routes. Xu Lei was unfamiliar with the mountains and thought it would be better to have such a map with him.
Bai Yujing was quite skilled at wilderness survival. It must be said that the jungle was much better than Antarctica and the desert; there was everything and anything could be found. Bai Yujing even caught two fish in the stream, filleted them with a knife, and made two servings of grilled fish. After steaming some rice, he prepared a serving of sausage rice, which was quite pleasant.
After finishing their meal, they set off again, following the stream downstream. Bai Yujing planned to reach Leech Valley before dark and set up camp there. This was the first stop for Bai Yujing and his companions entering the mountains. Of course, this area still belonged to the outskirts of Shennongjia, and they were still far from truly entering the depths of Shennongjia. After all, people frequently passed through here; hunters and herbalists often went through this area into the deep mountains.
"This path is really hard to walk!" Li Hao said, pulling on his backpack straps as he carefully made his way forward. The terrain was uneven with no established path; they were essentially forging a trail through the forest with their feet. Since no one had passed through for years, the soil underfoot was very loose, making it easy to slip or sink in some downhill and uphill areas.
Lao Qi heard what Li Hao said: "This is nothing; once we get into the mountains, you'll know what difficult terrain really is. This place is practically like paradise!"
Li Hao asked, "Is it really that bad?"
Lao Qi shook his head: "You'll find out tomorrow!"
The four of them carried heavy luggage and used sticks to navigate through the jungle, occasionally checking their route and direction. They finally reached their destination, Leech Valley, just as it was getting dark.
By this time, night had fallen. The trees ahead suddenly became denser, no longer sparse as before. The thick jungle and towering trees loomed darkly into the distance; within the jungle's darkness, nothing could be seen. At this moment when night was about to fully descend, there was a feeling of being swallowed by an all-consuming void.
"Whoa! A spider just crawled onto me! Get it off!" Li Hao suddenly exclaimed as he noticed something—a black spider quickly climbed up his pant leg and scurried onto his back, frightening him greatly. Lao Qi reached out and caught the spider in his hand while looking at Li Hao with a hint of mockery.
"You city folks are so delicate; a little spider has you scared like this? There are plenty of these things in the mountains!"
"Smack!" Bai Yujing reached out and swatted away something that had bumped into his face. After picking it up, he discovered it was a mosquito the size of a ping pong ball, with long legs and wings, and a sharp proboscis that looked quite intimidating.
"What a huge mosquito!" Bai Yujing flicked it to the ground. Here, various snakes, insects, and rodents had become more common, and with nightfall, it was no longer suitable to proceed. Bai Yujing and his companions decided to set up camp here and enter Leech Valley tomorrow.
This was a spot by a stream in the Highlands, which seemed to have been occupied by people before—likely hunters or herbalists venturing into the mountains. However, due to some recent unusual changes in the area, not many people had been going into the mountains lately.
Bai Yujing set down his backpack. "Qiangzi, you and I will set up camp and pitch the tent!"
He then took out a flashlight from his backpack and tossed it to Li Hao. "You and Lao Qi go look for some firewood nearby. Be careful, get the fire going, and boil some water!"
Everyone immediately got to work according to their tasks. Meanwhile, on another side, Xu Lei was carrying her backpack as she stepped through a weedy ravine and looked around. "Hey, where am I?"
Xu Lei checked her map, scratched her head, but still couldn't find the correct route after a while. "Forget it; the map isn't very reliable. I'll just go by instinct!"
She closed her eyes and stretched out her arms. Suddenly, she felt as if the entire world had paused; even the sounds of insects and the rustling wind disappeared. The world seemed to plunge into darkness, while something on the other side seemed to be calling out to her as if wanting to say something.
"Over there!"
Xu Lei opened her eyes and immediately continued forward as if the darkness posed no obstacle or threat. This kind of heavy mountain climbing is quite challenging for an average adult and requires training; however, for her, it seemed completely effortless. She appeared full of energy with no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
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