chsdbacks Chapter 258 The Mysterious Market
Chapter 258 The Mysterious Market
Nie Lingfeng's eyes narrowed, and he slowly nodded: "I understand. We will proceed with caution. As for Kachin State... we will consider it once we are fully prepared and have obtained further intelligence and support from 'the Company'."
The mountain keeper said nothing more, only nodded, and closed his eyes again, as if he had returned to being that silent stone, one with the valley.
Nie Lingfeng put away the map, took Chen Duo's hand, and walked out of the shack.
In the valley, the sun shines brightly, the stream babbles, and birds sing amidst the fragrance of flowers. A scene of tranquility and peace unfolds.
But Nie Lingfeng knew that this tranquility was about to be shattered by them.
The road ahead leads to the relatively safe Jinghong, where they can contact the "company" to obtain supplies and intelligence, allowing Chen Duo and themselves to further digest their gains and consolidate their strengths.
Further ahead lies Kachin State in northern Myanmar, a region fraught with danger, unknowns, and challenges. It is one of the core areas shrouded in the shadow of the "Parliament" and a key to uncovering more about the "calamity," the "key," and the deep secrets of this world.
He glanced at Chen Duo beside him, who was looking up at a colorful butterfly fluttering among the flowers with curiosity. Sunlight danced in her emerald eyes and on her face, which had regained its color, full of vitality and hope.
"Duoduo," Nie Lingfeng called softly.
"Hmm?" Chen Duo turned her head and looked at him.
"We...we're leaving here. To a place...with lots of people, lots of houses, and lots of good food," Nie Lingfeng said, trying to sound relaxed.
Chen Duo's eyes lit up: "There are lots of delicious places?" But then, she looked at the tranquil valley where she had lived for a few days and had grown somewhat familiar with and fond of it. A hint of reluctance flashed in her emerald eyes, and she asked softly, "Then... will we come back? The fruits here... are so sweet, and the stream water... is so cool."
Nie Lingfeng's heart softened, and he ruffled her hair: "Maybe... after we've dealt with all the 'bad guys' and finished everything, we can come back and take another look."
"Mmm!" Chen Duo nodded vigorously, a smile returning to her face, filled with anticipation for the "new place" and "delicious food," and also carrying a hint of determination to "come back after defeating the bad guys." (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Looking at her smile, the heaviness in Nie Lingfeng's heart caused by the perilous road ahead seemed to dissipate considerably.
No matter what lies ahead, with her by my side, there are beliefs to protect, truths to pursue, and responsibilities to shoulder...
Then just keep going.
He took Chen Duo's hand, and facing the bright sunlight in the valley, he took firm steps toward the hidden path leading to the outside world, as indicated by the mountain guardian.
Behind them, a tranquil, secluded valley gradually recedes into the distance.
Ahead lies a vast and unknown world, full of challenges and opportunities.
Leaving the secluded valley guarded by the mountain keeper and stepping back into the familiar yet unfamiliar rainforest on the outskirts of the Savage Mountain, Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo both felt as if they had been transported to another world. The air was still humid and hot, the vegetation still lush, and the chirping of insects and birds still clamorous, but their state of mind was completely different. The panic, exhaustion, serious injuries, and fear of the unknown that they had felt upon their arrival had been replaced by a more composed, more determined, and clearer sense of purpose. Although the road ahead was still shrouded in mist, at least they were no longer fleeing aimlessly, but moving in a clear direction—to return to the civilized world, obtain information and supplies, and then prepare for the next, even more arduous journey.
Although the map provided by the mountain guardian was rudimentary, the few "hidden paths" marked on it were indeed effective. They avoided the most dangerous swamps, the densest areas of poisonous insects, and areas where large predators or unknown strange creatures might roam. The two moved silently and quickly through the dense rainforest along an intermittent animal trail, almost completely covered by fallen leaves and vines.
Chen Duo was in even better condition than expected. The thorough rest on the seventh day and the potential nourishment from the "Heart of the Earth Vein" crystal (although she hadn't absorbed it yet, wearing it close to her body, the gentle earth energy it emitted was subtly nourishing her body) had restored her to almost 80% of her peak strength. Her steps were light, her eyes were bright, and her perception of her surroundings was much sharper. She even had the energy to use the more refined control techniques Nie Lingfeng had taught her, making the cluster of golden-red flames at her fingertips sometimes transform into a flying "bird," and sometimes into a blooming "flower," having a great time and adding a touch of liveliness and vitality to the dull journey. Occasionally, she'd lose control, causing her "little bird" to explode into sparks, or her "little flower" to ignite a passing leaf. She'd let out a small gasp, stick out her tongue, and peek at Nie Lingfeng's reaction. Seeing he didn't scold her, she'd continue practicing, her face filled with focus and a tiny bit of smug satisfaction at having "caused trouble but not gotten a scolding." (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Nie Lingfeng focused more on comprehending the newly acquired "Suppressing Mountain" scepter and consolidating a deeper resonance with the power of the Qilin. He didn't hold the heavy scepter in his hands (that would be too conspicuous and exhausting), but instead kept it close to his body, along with the "Heart of the Earth Vein" crystal, in a specially made cloth bag, tightly bound to his chest. Even so, the scepter's steady and profound aura, and the crystal's gentle life force, continued to subtly resonate with the Qilin power within him.
As he walked, he experimented, sinking his consciousness into the "inner universe" within his body. Compared to before, the dark golden "constant star" representing the power of the Qilin was now not only more solid and its light more restrained and mellow, but more importantly, its connection with the surrounding "void" (representing Nie Lingfeng's own will and body) had become closer and more orderly. It was as if the inheritance of the "Suppressing Mountain" scepter had built a more stable and efficient "bridge" between him and the power of the Qilin, allowing him to more clearly perceive the various mysteries contained within the power of the Qilin regarding "earth," "bearing," "suppression," and "vitality," and to guide and mobilize this power more skillfully.
He even faintly sensed a subtle yet undeniable resonance between the vast, powerful, and slowly resurgent "earth vein pulse" deep beneath his feet and the "Suppressing Mountain" scepter and the "Heart of the Earth Veins" on his chest. It was as if he were no longer a "passerby" or "intruder" on this land, but a special being who had received some ancient "recognition" and could engage in preliminary "communication" with the earth. This sensation was still vague, unable to directly mobilize the power of the earth veins, but it gave him an almost instinctive and more acute awareness of the terrain's undulations, soil moisture, and even certain hidden dangers (such as loose quicksand and unstable rock formations) as he traversed the rainforest. This significantly improved both the safety and efficiency of their journey.
And so, the two traveled by day and rested by night, trekking through the rainforest for three whole days, guided by the map. They encountered a few minor troubles along the way—such as a nest of disturbed and enraged wasps, several venomous snakes attempting to ambush them, and a pack of menacing wolves lurking in the distance, ultimately scared away by Nie Lingfeng's slightly released Qilin aura—but they all passed through unscathed. Chen Duo even tried using her newly mastered, more refined Phoenix True Fire to precisely burn a brightly colored venomous snake hanging in their path, her movements clean and efficient, making the little girl quite proud for a while, even taking an extra bite of jerky at her meal.
On the evening of the third day, as they crossed a relatively low ridge, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before them. The dense green of the rainforest gradually receded beneath their feet, replaced by relatively gentle hills, cultivated terraced fields, and a winding road in the distance, along with the faint lights of human settlements. The air began to mingle with the smells of smoke, livestock, and a complex yet familiar scent belonging to human society.
Jinghong, the capital of Xishuangbanna and one of the most important port cities on the China-Myanmar border, is just ahead.
Following the map provided by the mountain keeper, they didn't head directly into Jinghong city. Instead, they stopped outside a relatively remote village near a tributary of the Lancang River (Mekong River). The town was small, a typical example of a mixed border settlement, with Dai bamboo houses, Han brick houses, and other low-rise buildings in various ethnic minority styles haphazardly crammed together. It was already dusk, and the sounds of people talking, dogs barking, and loud, rhythmic border folk songs blaring from a cheap stereo could be faintly heard from within the town.
"Let's stay here for now, find out what's going on, and then head into the city tomorrow to find the contact person the mountain guardian mentioned," Nie Lingfeng decided. Their current appearance—though their clothes had been changed into clean, old ones given to them by the mountain guardian, they still bore the dust and wear of a long journey; Nie Lingfeng's face still had bruises and small scars that hadn't completely faded; Chen Duo also looked somewhat travel-worn—would be too conspicuous to enter the bustling city of Jinghong.
On the edge of town, they found a relatively clean-looking family-run guesthouse with few guests. The owner was a Dai man in his fifties, with dark skin, shrewd eyes, and speaking Mandarin with an accent. When he saw Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo (especially Chen Duo's unusually bright green eyes and overly clear gaze), a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by the enthusiasm of a businessman.
"Gentlemen, would you like to stay at the hotel? One room or two?" the innkeeper asked, rubbing his hands together.
"One room, a quiet one, towards the back," Nie Lingfeng replied in Mandarin with a northern accent, handing over a few crumpled but genuine RMB bills. This was part of the extra "travel expenses" given to them by the mountain guards.
"Alright! The last room upstairs, quiet and clean, with a bit of a river view from the window!" The owner quickly took the money and handed over an old key with a wooden tag. "Hot water is available from 8 to 10 pm. The toilet is at the end of the corridor. For meals, there's a kitchen downstairs where you can order, or you can eat out. There's a lively night market at the town entrance!"
After thanking the owner, the two went upstairs. The room was indeed simple, but clean enough, with a double bed, an old table, two chairs, and a peeling washbasin stand. The window faced the back alley and the dark river in the distance, making it relatively secluded.
After putting down his simple luggage (mainly the backpack and Chen Duo's panda doll), Nie Lingfeng told Chen Duo to rest in the room while he went downstairs to ask the hotel owner about the town and Jinghong. He then borrowed the hotel's landline (the owner's, very old-fashioned) and tried to contact the emergency encrypted number "Eagle" had given him. The phone rang for a long time before being answered; the signal was poor and intermittent, but he finally confirmed the connection and arranged to meet the next day at a relatively safe public place in Jinghong city (a long-established Pu'er tea shop).
After finishing all that, Chen Duo returned to her room and quickly washed herself with hot water. She then changed into the last set of clean clothes she had in her bag (also given to her by the mountain guardian; the slightly oversized coarse cloth clothes looked a bit comical on her, but they were very clean). She was leaning against the window, curiously watching the occasional passersby in the back alley below and the scattered fishing lights on the distant river.
"Nie Lingfeng, there are so many people down there," Chen Duo said, turning around with bright eyes.
Seeing that she seemed to be in good spirits, Nie Lingfeng asked, "Are you hungry? The boss said there's a night market at the entrance of town. Shall we go get something to eat? And I'll buy you a couple of outfits that fit."
"Night market?" Chen Duo understood the words "eat" and "buy new clothes," immediately jumped down from the window, and nodded vigorously. "I'm hungry! Let's go to the night market!" (☆▽☆)
The two left the hotel and followed the sounds and lights toward the town entrance. The closer they got to the town center, the more people there were, the brighter the lights became, and the air began to fill with the enticing aromas of various foods—the smoky fragrance of barbecue, the sour and spicy taste of rice noodles, the sweetness of fried pastries, and the unique fragrance of various tropical fruits, all mixed together to create a complex and mouthwatering aroma full of the warmth of everyday life.