After meeting at the agreed time and place, the thirteen members of Ruhua set off in four off-road vehicles, traveling day and night towards Xiyuan.
"I really can't understand why this 'mountain and sea map' points to the Nalenggele Canyon," Hua Jiqiu said, sitting in the back seat, adjusting his glasses and studying the map. "The Valley of Death and the Gates of Hell are just things modern people added for sensationalism. Surely the ancients from the pre-Qin period or even the time of Yu the Great didn't have such sayings?"
"Although there's no such claim," Shao Ling said, "its geographical location is enough to confirm that the location this map points to is correct. The Nalenggele Canyon stretches from Buluntai in the east to the Sand Mountain in the west, bordered by the Kunlun main ridge to the south and the Qilian Mountains to the north. Its location is precisely in the Kunlun Mountains, and some scholars believe that the ancient Kunlun recorded in the *Classic of Mountains and Seas* is located in the present-day Kunlun Mountains."
Hua Jiqiu hissed softly with hesitation, raising his eyes to look at Shao Ling over his glasses: "The location of the ancient Kunlun has always been highly controversial. Some say it was in the Taihang Mountains, some say the Qinling Mountains, some say it was Mount Tai in the pre-Qin period, and of course, the present-day Kunlun Mountains are also one of the most likely candidates.
"However, we're not going to a mountain, but a valley. If it were a mountain, it would be easier to explain. Legend has it that the ancient Kunlun was the central pole of the world, the pillar connecting heaven and earth, the place where one could ascend to immortality, but this valley…"
"I have some concerns. Based on the clues and speculations you've summarized, I can't help but have a pessimistic thought: if Kunlun Mountain can connect to heaven and allow one to ascend to immortality, then the valleys below Kunlun Mountain, could they be… connected to the earth? haunted by ghosts?"
"…Uncle Hua, don't scare me like that. We're on the highway right now. Getting startled could cause an accident…" Luo Jiqiu, who was driving, freed one hand to rub the arm of the hand that was holding the steering wheel.
Shao Ling remained calm: "We've known about this for a long time. It's not a matter of being optimistic or pessimistic; what's meant to happen will happen."
Hua Jiqiu sighed softly and said nothing more.
The four ladies in the other car didn't discuss the life-or-death situation they were about to face. Fang Fei was driving, Yue Cen was knitting a taro-purple woolen scarf in the passenger seat, and Wu You and Gu Qingqing had spread out various snacks in the back seat, eating non-stop the whole way.
"Anyway, we don't know if we'll live or die on this trip, so why bother losing weight?" Wu You ate the junk food he usually liked but dared not eat. "If we're lucky enough to survive, we can lose weight then."
"You brought so much puffed food, don't you think it takes up too much space…" Gu Qingqing looked at the huge bag of potato chips in the center of the seat with a wry smile.
"What's there to be afraid of? Can't four cars hold all this stuff?" Wu You pointed to the trunk. "To be honest, I even brought the hot pot utensils. I heard there are cattle and sheep roaming everywhere. We can slaughter them on the spot and cook them fresh."
This made the other three laugh. Gu Qingqing said, "There are many protected animals there that are off-limits to hunting. We can't kill or harm them indiscriminately. But we should be able to buy some fresh meat from the locals."
"If we slaughter them on the spot, who will do the chopping?" Fang Fei asked Wu You seriously.
Wu You quickly pointed to the car in front: "This kind of thing has to be left to Ke Xun. Ke Xun is never afraid of hardship or fatigue, and he can overcome anything with sheer strength."
Ke Xun, who could overcome anything with sheer strength, was currently lying in the back seat of the car in front, rubbing his lower back: "When we get there, let's go eat some lamb spine hotpot and twenty skewers of roasted lamb kidneys. I might even have to add a donkey penis, sob sob."
Is it my fault? The skilled driver, Mu, thought to himself, "Who told you... to always be 'running'?"
The convoy rested briefly at a service area, then changed drivers and continued on their way.
They arrived in Golmud in the evening, rested overnight, and went out early the next morning to buy food and water, replenish their equipment, and then headed towards the Kunlun Mountains, a place of thousands of miles of ice and snow.
The weather was rather gloomy, and a biting wind whipped up dry grass and sand that lashed against the car windows. Although it was still daytime, the sky was as dark as six or seven in the afternoon. The headlights of the four cars seemed smaller and more fragile than starlight amidst the vast, distant mountains.
Gu Qingqing was experiencing mild altitude sickness, but thankfully Qin Ci had prepared anti-altitude sickness medication. She lay in the back seat wrapped in a thick blanket, holding an oxygen cylinder.
"How are you?" Mu Yiran asked Ke Xun in the other car.
Ke Xun had experienced hyperventilation and oxygen poisoning on the plateau depicted in the painting "Faith," and Mu Yiran checked his complexion in the rearview mirror every now and then.
"It's alright for now, don't worry." Ke Xun, holding his thermos, took a few sips of hot water with ginseng slices. "Now that you mentioned 'Faith,' I suddenly realized, isn't that also a hint? A hint that our ultimate destination for resolving this incident is the Western Plains region, and... something like sacrifices."
"Don't scare me." Wei Dong, sitting in the back seat, shivered and pulled his blanket tighter around himself.
"We don't need to worry about this for now," Zhu Haowen, sitting in the passenger seat, turned his head to look at the silent mountains outside the window. "Anyway, we'll reach our destination soon, and perhaps we'll find all the answers there."
Ke Xun and Wei Dong fell silent, each looking out the window.
The approaching night might be the last night of their lives.
As fine snowflakes began to fall, the convoy stopped at the entrance to the Nalenggele Canyon.
"Why did we stop?" Shao Ling's voice came from the walkie-talkies in each car.
The walkie-talkies were provided by Luo Yu, allowing each car to communicate and coordinate their actions at any time.
"Let's prepare before going in," Mu Yiran said, pushing open the car door and jumping out.
Everyone else got out of their cars, shivering from the sudden chill, huddled around Mu Yiran's vehicle, stamping their feet.
Mu Yiran opened the trunk, revealing several large, black, locked rectangular cases that had been sitting there untouched.
He pulled one out, placed it flat on the cold, hard ground, unlocked the combination lock, and lifted the lid. What appeared before everyone's eyes was a row of dark, menacing guns.
"Ah—" Wu You and Gu Qingqing exclaimed.
"Holy crap—" Ke Xun, Wei Dong, Luo Yi, and Li Xiaochun gasped.
Qin Ci swore he definitely heard Shao Ling standing next to him also say "Holy crap."
"Brother-in-law! Brother-in-law! You're amazing! You're so awesome, holy crap!" Luo Yu was so excited he almost pounced on the dangerous box and kissed the muzzle of the gun. "You managed to get this?! How did it get through customs? Holy crap, holy crap! Is this an MP5? It's an MP5, right? Is this a P90? It's a P90, right?! Ahhh! Can I touch it? Just a light touch with my index finger! Brother-in-law, can I? Can I? Can I?"
Everyone: "..."
"Kid, you're too excited," Wei Dong swallowed hard, staring at the box of guns. "Boss, can I lick the barrel? Just once."
Everyone: "..."
"Xiao Mu, these guns... this is probably illegal... but... um... be very careful..." In just a few words, the honest curator Hua underwent a transformation and self-improvement, and after subconsciously glancing around to see if anyone was watching from afar, he silently became one of them.
"Whether we'll need it or not is unknown, but it's better to be prepared." Mu Yiran remained calm and composed, casually bending down and picking up an MP5 with practiced ease. It was
only then that everyone realized this man truly was a master.
"The MP5 fires 800 rounds per minute, but it's quite heavy and has significant recoil. Women and men with less strength may find it difficult to handle, so choose carefully," Mu Yiran calmly reminded everyone.
Everyone: ...We wouldn't dare choose any of them at all.
Luo Yiran: "I'll use it! I'll use it! I'll use it!"
Everyone: ...
"The P90 is relatively lighter and has less recoil, making it suitable for women," Mu Yiran said, pointing to another submachine gun in the box to the four female members.
Gu Qingqing shook her head frantically, Wu You struggled to open her eyes, but Fang Fei bent down and picked up the P90, gesturing a few times in her hand: "I don't know how to use it, do you need someone to teach me?"
Luo Yu: "Sister, I'll teach you! I'll teach you! I'll teach you!"
Wei Dong: "...Have you ever used a P90? Don't teach me if you haven't. Your sister Fei is already fierce, if you teach her wrong, she might just destroy the earth."
Fang Fei poked him on the shoulder with the butt of the gun.
"I'll use that 92F." Yue Cen pointed to a pistol in the box, seemingly someone who knew about them.
The rest were all pistols, and everyone took one. Gu Qingqing didn't dare use it, she only took one for courage, and didn't even load it.
Mu Yiran explained how to use the guns to everyone, concluding, "If we need to enter the painting again this time, these guns will likely become scrap metal. Even if they're lucky enough to be usable, it's best not to use them lightly to avoid accidentally injuring teammates. These guns are only for self-defense in the most critical or unavoidable situations, so everyone must be extremely cautious."
"Okay," everyone responded.
"Now we're going to prepare to enter the canyon," Mu Yiran looked at everyone, "Now let's rearrange the members of each vehicle. We'll drive three vehicles in, leaving one here, with the keys under the rocks.
Drivers: Me, Shao Ling, Luo Jin; each vehicle should have a backup driver; the four ladies should not be in the same vehicle; Director Hua, Sister Cen, and Li Xiaochun, the three of you newcomers should not be in the same vehicle."
"Next, adjust the equipment carried in each vehicle: food, water, tents, medicine, and clothing, all divided into four portions, one for each vehicle. The other box I brought contains flares, also divided into four portions. If we get separated, we can fire flares into the sky to mark our coordinates.
"In addition, each person should have a compass and GPS locator, packed in their backpack, and carried on their back or kept nearby after getting in the vehicle. Each bag should also contain at least a pack of compressed food, a bottle of water, a lighter, a flashlight, a combination knife, rope, alcohol, gauze, and antibiotic tablets.
"If we get separated or become alone, and lose our way, don't wander around. If it's safe to stay where you are, collect as much animal droppings and hay as possible, pile them up, and burn them; the smoke will also mark your coordinates.
"If we get separated, Ke Xun, Shao Ling, Hao Wen, and Lao Qin will be responsible for searching; the rest of us will stay at our respective coordinates." "If we don't find you within three days, you can act independently, continue investigating the incident, or leave the canyon
—it's up to you. The vehicles outside the canyon contain food, water, emergency supplies, and satellite phones for calling for help and self-rescue. That's all for now. Once you're in the vehicles, if you need any further instructions or suggestions, please use the walkie-talkies to communicate. Keep the walkie-talkies connected at all times. My vehicle will lead, Luo Yu in the middle, and Shao Ling at the rear. Maintain distance—not too close, not too far. If you realize you're falling behind, immediately contact the other vehicles.
" "Does anyone have anything to add?"
"No!" everyone responded in unison.
A palpable sense of tension immediately enveloped them, and Gu Qingqing couldn't help but inhale a few more breaths of oxygen from her oxygen tank.
"Let's move out." "Mu Yiran said.
Author's Note:
In *Mini Theater: Everyone's Weapons*
, Luo Yi says: I have an MP5 submachine gun!
Fang Fei: I have a P90 submachine gun.
Yue Cen: I have a 92F pistol.
Li Xiaochun: I have a kitchen knife!
Qin Ci: I have a scalpel.
Wei Dong: I have a utility knife!
Wu You: I have a third eye!
Hua Jiqiu: I have experience.
Shao Ling: I have knowledge.
Gu Qingqing: I have notes.
Zhu Haowen: I have a computer.
Ke Xun: I have a big shot.
Everyone: ...You win."