The mountains outside Yun Jin City were adorned by the gradually reddening maple leaves, painting a magnificent landscape of crimson like flames.
The closer they got to the towering stone walls, the louder the sound of rushing water became.
At that moment, the sky was high and clouds were thin, bathed in a radiant sunset. The maple leaves were as red as a torrent of fire, and the interplay of light and shadow flickered across the elegantly advancing jeep, creating an illusion of passing through a fiery hell.
"Look, there's a huge waterfall outside the stone wall!"
Yang Lingxue excitedly extended her delicate, fair hand, pointing to the waterfall cascading down like a jade ribbon to the west.
Ren Yuanhao slowed down the car. From his perspective, the waterfall resembled a silk tapestry hung amidst the majestic mountains. The red maple leaves adorned it with a striking, poignant hue. The abrupt rocks, worn smooth and rounded by the waterfall's ceaseless erosion, showcased the immense water flow. Yet, it lacked the grandeur of other waterfalls he had seen. Instead, it gently caressed the mountain face like a demure woman. The rippling water, upon striking the rocks, scattered like flying flowers and shattered jade, forming a faint mist that reflected the sky into a rainbow.
However, what secrets did this beautiful city hide beneath its outward appearance?
"Hey, let's go grab some skewers! Cheer up, everyone!"
The nearer they got to the city, the more excited Yang Lingxue became, gesturing wildly like an uncivilized ape.
"I really don't know what else is in your head besides food and drink."
Ren Yuanhao muttered, gripping the steering wheel tightly to stabilize the car, lest a sudden pitfall cause the speaker to bite her tongue.
"You are, too." Yang Lingxue admitted with remarkable candor, catching Shen Ye and the other girl off guard. Their brows furrowed, and they exchanged a helpless and slightly awkward glance.
Ren Yuanhao was immediately silenced by her remark.
To ease the awkwardness, Ye Lan turned on the car's radio and tuned it to a local station. After a moment of static, a melody with a strong European dark fairytale vibe began to play, casting a layer of mystery over their journey.
After driving along the winding mountain road for about twenty minutes, they finally entered a flat, open fifty-meter avenue. Traffic gradually increased, and the stone walls outside the city loomed closer, like colossal beasts dormant beneath the sky.
A faint scent of autumn chrysanthemums wafted through the air. On either side of the road stood stone statues carved from the local colossal rocks. Initially, they were of lions, tigers, and peacocks. As they ventured further, these stone carvings transformed into rather tacky advertisements. Some rocks had been hollowed out and fitted with light boxes. At night, the hollowed stones would emit a seven-colored glow, creating a beautiful and striking spectacle, a captivating landscape in itself.
"Hey, look over there, so many people! Shall we go take a look?"
Yang Lingxue's eyes were incredibly sharp. Shen Lan Ni shot her a sidelong glance and said, "It's obvious these are some incredibly boring ribbon-cutting ceremonies. See the huge advertisements and the residential buildings behind those people?"
"Ah!"
Yang Lingxue suddenly shrieked.
"What is it?"
"I just thought of something terrible~ We're penniless right now. I need to call home and ask them to mail me my bank cards and such."
Yang Lingxue's pupils twinkled with visions of banknotes flying and barbecue sizzling over charcoal.
"Sure, as long as you don't mind the Lionheart Group's informants tracking you down by scent."
Shen Lan Ni flicked her red ponytail, appearing remarkably composed.
"Hey, hey, hey, without money, we can't go anywhere!" Yang Lingxue suddenly thought of something and leaned over to Ren Yuanhao's side, her expression sickeningly sweet. "Hey, Yuanhao, I heard there's a two-million bounty for killing that giant snake."
With the road leveling out, Ren Yuanhao seemed much more relaxed. He scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment on his face, and said, "Money is just an external possession, after all~"
"Speak human!"
"I'll give the money to those who need it more than we do."
Yang Lingxue's expression froze, and a faint sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead.
"Don't tell me you didn't save any private funds?"
Her voice was filled with immense dread, as if the longed-for barbecue was now miles away.
"No."
Ren Yuanhao's answer was decisive.
Yang Lingxue immediately slumped back into her seat, her expression one of utter despair.
"You talk about skewers, but in the end, we might not even be able to afford a plain steamed bun."
Although Yang Lingxue's tone carried a hint of unwillingness, there was no trace of resentment towards Ren Yuanhao. After all, as he had said, in that bloody battle for the corpse, many had lost their legs. Thinking of their futures, her eyes began to well up slightly.
"By the way, Yuanhao, you still can't remember how you 'came back from the dead,' can you?"
This question had been lingering in their minds, partly out of concern for Ren Yuanhao's well-being and partly because it was too unbelievable.
"I still have no clues. It's as if all my memories from that time are fragmented. I tried hard to recall later, but the more I thought, the more my head ached, so I just gave up. It's a good thing anyway, so why bother questioning it?"
Ren Yuanhao steered the car to the left, and the massive stone city walls were finally fully exposed before their eyes.
"I have to say, although we could see these stone walls from afar, seeing them up close in person still fills me with an inexplicable sense of awe."
Ye Lan suddenly recalled a dungeon in the game "A Chinese Ghost Story OL" where a woman was married off to the Western Regions, with towering stone formations and desolate yellow sands lining the road. It was also her first time during a holiday to think of the game that had such a significant connection to her. She wondered about the state of her team now, who likely believed she was vacationing on a sun-drenched, gently lit island.
"My stomach's growling. Everything looks like barbecue~"
"You could try taking a bite, assuming you're not afraid of breaking your teeth."
"No, I'm more afraid that the Cultural Relics Bureau will invite me in for tea and then give me a lecture as a cautionary tale."
The two girls' daily bickering elicited helpless smiles from Ye Lan and Ren Yuanhao.
Just then, two men in formal attire appeared by the side of the road, waving enthusiastically at Ren Yuanhao and his companions.
"Hey, Ye Lan, could that be your fan?"
"No way, our itinerary is very confidential, unless~"
Ren Yuanhao pulled over and rolled down the window. A refined-looking man bowed politely and asked, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Ren Yuanhao?"
In an unfamiliar environment, revealing one's name could sometimes lead to fatal consequences. As Ren Yuanhao hesitated for a moment, the man added, "I am Qiu Guodong's nephew. My uncle asked me to wait at the city entrance to welcome our benefactor and to ensure proper courtesy."