The Gratitude Feast hosted by the Rat Emperor was exceptionally lively, and to Lu Zhi and the others, everything inside was novel.
Wang Caotian and Jiang Yue were pulled to dance with several rat-maidens, a scene that greatly amused Lu Zhi.
Xia Zhi, however, was not as boisterous as Wang Caotian and Jiang Yue. He calmly engaged in a deep conversation with a rat official who appeared quite old and had two long beards, seated at the next table.
Lu Zhi then realized that the rat kingdom, established by the Rat Emperor, mimicked the ancient imperial regulations and management models, though only superficially. It seemed a bit incongruous, but overall, it was not bad.
However, only an hour into the gratitude feast, Lu Zhi couldn't help but yawn repeatedly. Listening to the Rat Emperor’s energetic songs and dances on stage, Lu Zhi’s bored head tilted, and he rested it on Shen Qi’s shoulder, closing his eyes to sleep.
Shen Qi extended an arm to embrace Lu Zhi’s waist from behind, preventing him from slipping as he slept. He raised the wine glass in his hand for a light sip. The serene atmosphere between the two created a world apart from the trendy singing and dancing troupe over there.
…
Kunsa Tower is currently one of the most dangerous sacred islands known.
It is named after Kunsa because the island's location is within the territory of an ethnic minority called Kunsa.
The people here live in a valley near a vast jungle and have very little contact with the outside world.
The food they need comes from the jungle behind them, which nurtures all things. Occasionally, they also go to a small town a little further away to exchange for necessary medicines and daily necessities.
While they may seem backward and reclusive, their circuits and communication equipment are not outdated. They simply dislike having too much interaction with people outside their tribe.
An off-road vehicle sped across the uneven dirt road.
The tires rolled rapidly, kicking up large clouds of sand and dust that were left far behind the trailing vehicle as it advanced towards its increasingly close destination.
Lu Mu, a young dark-skinned man sitting in the passenger seat, pointed to the road ahead, which was becoming narrower. The sparse trees along the roadside gradually increased, and even the sandy road on the ground became damp and sticky.
“It’s just ahead. After this hill, it’s the steep ravine road,” Lu Mu said. As soon as he finished speaking, the driver, Li Mei, stomped on the accelerator. The off-road vehicle’s engine roared, and it shot up the hill, bouncing high before quickly descending.
Lu Mu, the guide, was so frightened that his face turned pale. He tightly gripped the seatbelt and yelled nervously, “Slow down, slow down! It’s the steep ravine road ahead, we’ll fall!”
Li Mei showed no intention of slowing down, weaving rapidly through the dense and narrow path lined with trees.
Suddenly, a downhill slope appeared not far ahead. A precarious wooden bridge was built across the bottomless ravine. Li Mei not only didn’t slow down but accelerated further, pressing the gas pedal.
“Ahhhhhhh——” Lu Mu screamed loudly, his eyes widening.
The three people sitting in the back of the car remained unperturbed. The large, burly Mu Sen snored loudly amidst the bumpy ride.
Just as the car was about to plunge into the ravine, Li Mei slammed on the brakes, performing a beautiful drift. The car’s rear wheels grazed the edge of the ravine, leaving a perfect tire mark before coming to a steady halt.
“Ahhhhhhh——”
Lu Mu, still screaming and crying with his eyes closed, was hit on the head by Li Mei. “Shut up, you’re too noisy. We’re not dead yet.”
Lu Mu finally stopped screaming and opened his eyes, patting his racing heart.
“Mu Sen, stop sleeping. Get up, we’re here,” Li Mei said, opening the passenger door again and gesturing with her chin. “What are you standing around for? Get out of the car.”
Lu Mu’s legs trembled as he got out.
Mu Sen’s eyes snapped open. “Huh? Sister Li Mei, have we arrived?”
Lu Chengxuan and Chu Shiling took their backpacks from the trunk.
Li Mei bent down to tie her boots, glancing at the rickety wooden bridge, which swayed more violently due to the strong wind blowing up from the ravine. “After crossing the bridge, it will be entering Kunsa territory, right?”
Lu Mu subconsciously replied, “Yes, yes.”
“Very good.” Li Mei tied her hair into a high ponytail. Her camouflage attire was simple and practical for fieldwork, but it further accentuated Li Mei’s stunning figure.
The eighteen-year-old Lu Mu blushed and’s heart raced.
Li Mei glanced at Lu Mu’s flushed face, a slight smile playing on her lips. She zipped up her jacket to her neck, covering most of her exposed skin.
“Are you ready? If you’re ready, let’s cross the bridge,” Lu Chengxuan also wore a set of streamlined clothing, black tight pants paired with a black long-sleeved top, custom-made from a special material.
Before the sacred island appeared in Kunsa, the misty jungle of Kunsa was already home to many dangerous creatures.
They wore these clothes both to prevent their skin from coming into contact with poisonous plants and to ward off the bites of poisonous insects.
“Lead the way,” Li Mei said, putting on her backpack and pointing towards the other side of the wooden bridge to Lu Mu.
Lu Mu, however, quickly shook his head and waved his hands, saying nervously, “I, I only said I would lead you to the entrance of Kunsa. I’m not going in. Kunsa is too dangerous. The Kunsa village you’re looking for is not far across the bridge.”
Lu Mu was the son of a merchant living in a town near Kunsa. He had accompanied his family to the entrance of Kunsa to exchange goods when he was a child.
However, after a sacred island appeared in Kunsa, the misty forest of Kunsa became exceptionally perilous. A white fog would appear approximately every three hours, and those unfamiliar with Kunsa rarely made it out.
“Alright, alright, don’t trouble the young one,” Chu Shiling said with a smile, taking out three thousand yuan in cash from her pocket and handing it to Lu Mu. “Thank you for bringing us here. However, it’s a long way. If you want to go back, you might have to wait in the car for us to come out.”
Lu Mu shyly accepted the money. He had brought them to the entrance of Kunsa in the first place because they had paid him, despite his parents’ objections. Upon hearing this, he quickly nodded, “I, I’ll wait for you in the car.”
Chu Shiling smiled and said, “Good boy.”
Mu Sen, carrying a large backpack, said, “I’m ready.”
Li Mei stepped onto the wooden bridge first, looking down into the bottomless ravine. The howling wind sounded like ghostly wails and crane cries.
Li Mei confirmed that although the wooden planks under her feet looked dilapidated, they were still sturdy inside, and the ropes were secured with iron chains at both ends, indicating their stability.
Lu Chengxuan glanced at the sky. “It’s getting late. We’d better hurry. The Kunsa forest at night is not safe.”
The four quickly crossed the thirty-meter-long wooden bridge and disappeared from Lu Mu’s sight.
A white mist drifted out from the depths of the jungle, and soon the trees on the outskirts of the forest were enveloped in a layer of eerie white fog.
…
On the Island of Never-Night.
Lu Zhi woke up from his deep sleep and found himself in an unfamiliar bedroom.
The sound of flowing water came from the bathroom, and the silhouette of Shen Qi was dimly reflected in the glass door.
Lu Zhi inexplicably felt dry-mouthed.