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On the way back, Cui Ming bought a bunch of local delicacies, the most famous being the big pot dish, a rugged and hearty meal similar to hot pot, where all the ingredients are thrown into one large pot for cooking. The difference is that the food pieces are quite large. After bringing the big pot to the hotel and heating it with liquid alcohol, Beiyue was also drawn over, and the three enjoyed dinner together.
The next morning, after breakfast, the three got into a car driven by a man in his fifties. The man and Cui Ming hit it off well.
The Southern region of the Eastern Continent is mountainous, and this highway was built across six mountain peaks, resembling a long snake winding through the mountains. The road is six meters wide with single lanes on either side and no guardrails. As they ascended, cliffs could be seen on both sides.
The man drove steadily. When going uphill, he felt a lack of power and stopped to recharge before continuing. On the downhill stretches, he controlled the speed very well; several times when cars behind were unable to control their speed, he managed to switch lanes to avoid them. Lane switching requires skill as one must estimate the speeds of oncoming vehicles, their own speed, and that of the cars behind. Even so, there were still a few close calls with crossing vehicles.
Currently, Purple Moon City is constructing a railway that bypasses Double Bridge City and other inland cities, extending the coastline directly to Twilight City. This is a massive project. Meanwhile, some inland cities are dissatisfied with this development. Once the railway between Purple Moon City and Twilight City opens, trade and transportation costs for inland cities will soar. However, due to the numerous mountains inland, this is a necessary measure for Purple Moon City.
By the time they exited Mountain Road, it was already three in the afternoon. They finally reached the outskirts of Double Bridge City by six in the evening. After saying goodbye to the driver, Cui Ming did not look for an inn or hotel right away but instead sought out a Mule Team in the suburbs. Aside from having a highway connecting Purple Moon City, travel to other city-states from Double Bridge City relies entirely on manpower or Mule Teams since it is surrounded by the planet's grand canyon. Double Bridge City also serves as a logistics hub for inland city-states; goods transported from Purple Moon City are traded here using horsepower from inland city-states.
This area featured a simple shed where men gathered around drinking and chatting by a fire, with hardly any women in sight. As Cui Ming approached, he was immediately stopped by a muleteer who engaged him in conversation before allowing him into the shed. Cui Ming was not hiring a Mule Team or buying horses; instead, he was purchasing a travel ticket. Due to trade relations, there are many bandits in the Grand Canyon who frequently raid mule trains. The only way to avoid attacks is to buy travel tickets.
Everyone knows that bandits are products developed by Mule Teams themselves; without bandits, their income would be unstable as merchants would buy their own horses for transporting goods. With bandits around, however, no one knows if they will encounter one; thus purchasing travel tickets is considered the safest option. Even if some reckless bandit robs a mule train, the Mule Team will fully compensate for any losses incurred; as for women being taken or people being killed—there's no compensation for that.
Cui Ming took out his travel ticket just as Beiyue approached him and asked, "How did it go?"
Cui Ming replied, "It's a bit troublesome."
"What?"
"You are too beautiful," Cui Ming said. "There will be people watching us, and if I'm not mistaken, they will kill me and Mi Xiaonan, then take you away."
Beiyue couldn't help but smile. "Then why did you still buy the ticket?"
"The Grand Canyon is too complicated; we need a guide," Cui Ming replied. "I've been polite in saying we are from the underworld, but these days, gang morals have sunk to an appalling level. Let's go; we'll rest at a nearby inn and set off at nine tomorrow morning. We should encounter the bandits around three in the afternoon."
The next morning, the three of them set off towards the gorge with a burly guide. Around ten-thirty, they entered the Grand Canyon area. Double Bridge City also relied on the mountains for sustenance and refused anyone entry or exit from the Grand Canyon, citing the presence of bandits as their reason. Paying a security tax allowed free passage; this tax was quite transparent, as Double Bridge City would provide assistance and rescue operations for those who encountered difficulties in the Grand Canyon—provided you had a chance to call for help.
But there was only one road in and out, and with soldiers holding guns, how could one refuse to pay?
The car stopped, and near the checkpoint, a mule team brought over three horses: one for the guide, one for Beiyue, and Cui Ming and Mi Xiaonan shared one. The first task was to teach Beiyue how to ride. The guide was more than willing to help, but with Cui Ming present, he could only watch from the side. Observing Cui Ming helping Beiyue onto her horse and catching her when she fell off made him smirk inwardly; by afternoon, it would still be unclear who this woman belonged to.
Beiyue was quick to learn; once she got used to the stirrups, she was able to set off normally. The four of them passed through the checkpoint and entered the Grand Canyon. From certain angles, the Grand Canyon was beautiful yet perilous. This expanse of canyon resembled a cake split into countless pieces, with numerous crevices connecting like a maze. Travelers not only needed to know the way but also had to pray that falling rocks wouldn’t strike them as they navigated through the gaps.
The guide didn’t converse with the three; he had already assessed them. Cui Ming was likely someone from the underworld who had traveled this route before. The boss had instructed him not to jeopardize his life; he could leave him in the gorge to die alone. The woman was definitely a target; Beiyue's beauty was striking—even without any adornment, she attracted attention like a snow lotus.
The Grand Canyon was eerily quiet, even the wind was blocked by the stone walls. However, at the top, the wind howled fiercely; rocks cracked under sun and rain and were blown down into the gorge below. A man sat cross-legged at the mountain peak with his eyes closed, facing into the strong wind with a katana planted before him. He had been sitting there for three days—not for any particular reason but because he loved the wind at the summit; it was so pure, so natural, utterly unpretentious. It came like a storm and left without a trace; you never knew when it would arrive or when it would depart.
Of course, there were things that displeased him as well—like the annoying shouts and lewd laughter of bandits from below that shattered his tranquility, even making the wind hesitate to advance further.
Suddenly, he moved. His body sprang forward, his left hand grasping a Katana as he leaped from the mountaintop, descending the cliff with each step. His right hand was already gripping the hilt, his eyes still closed as he felt the rush of wind created by his swift descent. The sound of the wind brought him information: below were twelve people, nine surrounding three. He could smell the cheap liquor on some of them, the stench of low-quality white alcohol. There was also a foul odor, the sour scent of bodies that hadn’t bathed in a long time. Even their lewd comments about women were laced with a putrid smell.
As he landed, he appeared like a gust of wind, the sharp sound of his blade being drawn resonating with a distinct rhythm. With his eyes still shut, he landed on the head of one woman’s horse, and with a twist of his blade, the wind swirled around him. He maintained his striking pose for a few seconds before finally hearing the sound of nine bodies hitting the ground and the splatter of arterial blood from severed heads.
He lightly pushed off with his legs, flipping to land in front of the horse, turning his back to it. His right hand spun the Katana once before sheathing it, and he lifted his gaze to the sky, a solitary hero as ruthless as Gorge.
According to the script, a woman's voice came from behind him: “Who are you?”
He tilted his head slightly and replied, “The Wind!” Then he walked away without leaving a trace, concealing both his achievements and his name.
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