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墨書 Inktalez
The smile at the corner of Anriyan's lips gradually froze as he slowly closed his folding fan. His gaze deepened, and when he spoke, there was a hint of significance in his words. "Miss Lin is a goddess sent from heaven, known for her accurate predictions. Why not give it a try this time?"
Mei Shuang felt a lump in her chest; it turned out he knew everything. Since her identity could not be concealed any longer, she decided to be frank. "I wouldn't dare claim to be a prophet; I only happen to have a few insights. If I'm not mistaken, even if the treasure is found this time, it likely won't involve Yamataikoku. So I'm curious, what exactly do you all want that you would come here to take the risk yourself?"
Anriyan's eyes grew complex at Mei Shuang's question; she had hit the nail on the head. However, this was a secret between him and the Empress of the Great Qin Empire. He hadn't expected this woman to be clever enough to see through it. Such questions were rarely asked by anyone else. Her sensitivity surpassed that of ordinary people.
After pondering for a moment, he replied calmly, "I cannot tell you that, but I can assure you that this matter has nothing to do with you."
Mei Shuang stared at Anriyan for a while without pressing further.
This was the answer she had been waiting for; since the outcome did not concern her and did not implicate her, she need not worry about her safety—at least for now.
With that topic concluded, Mei Shuang glanced back at Cliff, her brow furrowing with unintentional worry.
Damn it, this was not an adventure taken lightly; they were genuinely embarking on a perilous journey. Outside, the mountains appeared steep and treacherous. She couldn't imagine what awaited them at the top—a place where three thousand cavalrymen had vanished was certainly no ordinary location.
"To reach the summit and overlook all mountains as small" was merely an expression of literary sentiment; not everyone possessed such courage or could make it to the top.
When they returned, the driver had already prepared a meal. After a simple meal, the six of them set off.
The driver Cong Fei and Cong Yue shouldered two large packs—one filled with dry rations and water, and the other containing items Mei Shuang carried along with swords and bows. In an era of cold weapons, these were essential for self-defense. Although they didn't appear particularly robust, once they secured their packs tightly, their muscles became evident.
Mei Shuang and Shijieyu each carried a soft bundle on their backs while Anriyan's pack was carried by his attendant Kato, allowing him to remain leisurely.
Seeing Anriyan so relaxed as if he were on vacation made Mei Shuang wonder if he felt no tension at all.
The horses remained behind as the six began their ascent along the rugged mountain path. Though referred to as a path, it seemed more like a trail created by those who had previously gathered firewood or herbs—some sections barely a foot wide required them to cling closely to the cliffside as they passed. The path was overgrown with grass, suggesting it had been abandoned for quite some time.
Climbing to the top via such a narrow trail and then crossing over the mountain posed significant challenges. Not only did this winding path twist and turn, but in some places, the slope reached seventy or eighty degrees—almost vertical—which could easily make one dizzy. Moreover, there were sections that were simply bare rock faces; even if one were like a gecko, scaling them would require careful consideration.
The only thing these people felt fortunate about was that although the sunlight was intense, the humidity in the mountains was relatively high. The ancient trees in the lower elevations provided dense shade, making it quite cool.
Even so, Mei Shuang was sweating profusely from the heat.
Except for her, everyone else was trained in martial arts, and climbing this short distance was a matter of moments for them. Mei Shuang personally witnessed Nangong Nuo and Yun Kong moving effortlessly through the mountains, but for her, even her experience of winning multiple awards in rock climbing with a safety harness seemed trivial; it was merely flashy techniques. The once formidable members of her hiking group now felt like the elderly or infirm here, needing assistance from those around them from time to time.
Climbing a mountain is not just about strength; it also requires an understanding of the mountain's characteristics, much like how someone accustomed to living by the sea must know how to navigate the water. One must be able to discern which paths are easy to traverse and which areas are traps, relying on sight, sound, and even smell. Sometimes she would see a guide crouching down to grab a handful of dirt to smell before telling everyone where to go.
Mei Shuang still felt somewhat confused but eventually understood why the two guides had come. It seemed they were exceptionally familiar with this mountain. The two of them positioned themselves in front and behind her and Shijieyu, with one clearing the path while the other kept watch. Anriyan and his attendant Kato had more freedom of movement.
Unlike how the mountains appeared from outside, the interior was deep and winding, with towering ancient trees intertwined at their roots. The humidity was heavy, and beneath her feet lay an unknown accumulation of fallen leaves that had long been deprived of sunlight, resembling mud and exuding a foul odor of decay. Unknown weeds, vines, thorny shrubs, and pits covered with leaves occasionally caused her minor troubles.
The path they initially walked on seemed well-trodden, but as they ventured deeper, the shade grew denser, and there was practically no trail left. They relied entirely on the two guides and Kato using machetes to clear a way through. Fortunately, with familiar guides and strong pathbreakers, they finally managed to carve out a route.
Even so, several times Mei Shuang nearly tripped.
For most of the journey, it was difficult to see daylight; only fragments of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above reminded her it was daytime.
After walking for most of the day and taking care to accommodate Mei Shuang's pace with frequent stops, they encountered no significant dangers and made steady progress.
When they reached an ancient tree, everyone decided to take a break.
The ancient tree towered above them; looking up, its top was nearly invisible. The trunk was thick enough for several people to embrace it together. Its rough bark extended outward into branches that created a shaded area on the ground covering several dozen square meters. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting dappled patterns on the ground that was relatively dry—perfect for resting.
The group formed a circle around Mei Shuang as she sat down breathlessly and glanced at herself.
Her feet were undoubtedly dirty from stepping on damp leaves earlier; her boots were already filthy. Her clothes were covered in grass clippings and dust, with some areas even torn. Overall, she looked quite disheveled. This experience was vastly different from her previous hiking trips; those had been on well-maintained paths with occasional curious detours into forest trails that were nowhere near as complicated as this one.
After sitting down, everyone had some food and drank some water to replenish their energy. Listening to the birds chirping in the forest and the occasional sounds of various animals in the distance, a sense of emptiness and insignificance washed over them.
The driver, Cong Yue, marked a sign on a large tree. Mei Shuang couldn't help but ask, "How long will it take us to cross the mountain?"
From the vegetation around them, it was clear they were still at a low altitude. The driver looked around and replied, "This is already the closest route. At this speed, it will take until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."
Upon hearing that they would have to endure this harsh environment for another day and night, Mei Shuang felt a bit apprehensive. If only they had modern tools like airplanes, everything could be settled in less than half an hour instead of having to trek over mountains.
Just as she was about to get up, Mei Shuang suddenly noticed something flashing in the bushes in the distance.
Her heart skipped a beat. Damn it, they hadn't encountered any unexpected situations all day; she hoped they wouldn't run into any fierce beasts now.
Since that flash was directly in Mei Shuang's line of sight, others didn't notice it.
Shijieyu noticed something was off with Mei Shuang and quickly asked her what was wrong.
Mei Shuang withdrew her gaze and reassured herself that the dappled light in the forest might have caused her to see things; besides, if she rashly mentioned it, wouldn't that just add unnecessary tension?
She shook her head and said nothing was wrong before continuing forward.
The path ahead became even more difficult to navigate; the forest grew denser, and sunlight became scarce, leaving almost no way to walk. When they reached a rugged path, there was only a narrow trail about a foot wide leading into the distance, with both sides covered by grass hiding deep pits beneath—a deceptive appearance that belied their true depth.
Seeing this made Mei Shuang uneasy. "Can we find another way?"
The driver looked into the distance and decisively said, "This is the only place left; other areas are more dangerous."
He then took out his machete and quickly began clearing the path alongside Kato. As the weeds were cleared away, Mei Shuang witnessed several yellowish snakes being flung away as they were cut apart by the blade.
Mei Shuang was shocked and somewhat disgusted; it turned out there was more in the grass than she had expected.
Without saying anything else, she quickly crouched down and took out a long black cloth strip from her pack. She wrapped it around her ankle and secured it around her calf, binding it together with her boots. Her movements were skillful, leaving everyone around her momentarily stunned.
"Binding the legs can prevent snake bites on one hand and reduce fatigue on the other; I won't go into the specifics," Mei Shuang explained.
The cleared path was about a hundred meters long. Cong Fei casually swept his long stick across the grass on both sides, revealing a deep pit that seemed bottomless. "Damn it, if you fall in here, you might not survive."
The group maintained their original formation, with Mei Shuang cautiously walking ahead. While others moved as if on solid ground, she felt like she was climbing a steep ladder, her calves cramping and her legs stiffening; she dared not look down.
Halfway through, Mei Shuang felt something supporting her; it was Anriyan, who had put away his fan and offered his hand for her to hold.
Gripping the fan tightly, Mei Shuang felt a bit more secure. Normally, the fan seemed light and airy in Anriyan's hands, but now it felt heavy and cold like an iron fan. However, given the current situation, she couldn't focus on its material; having something to hold onto was reassuring.
Just ten or eight meters away from safety, Mei Shuang suddenly slipped. Her body leaned back uncontrollably. Fortunately, Anriyan reacted quickly and caught her. However, the narrow path seemed fragile; as Mei Shuang fell, she instinctively kicked out her leg, causing the ground beneath them to collapse as if it were made of tofu.
As Mei Shuang screamed in surprise, she clutched tightly to Anriyan's clothing. Although he sensed the ground giving way beneath them, he remained calm and gathered his strength to swiftly pull Mei Shuang up. But unexpectedly, the path crumbled further beneath them.
The others ahead realized something was wrong and turned back just in time to see the ground sink nearly two meters. Dust and debris cascaded down from both sides of the grass, revealing a dark pit that looked like a gaping mouth ready to swallow them whole.
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