Chapter 95: The Mountain Man Asks for Directions

Qin Xiangnuan clenched her fists and gently hammered the rock wall. Initially, wherever she touched, there was a solid echo, but as she moved upwards, the sound grew hollower. "It's very thin back there. If we focus on digging here, we should be able to get out in two days!" She excitedly turned around and said to Anliu. Anliu nodded repeatedly. Seeing Qin Xiangnuan climbing to a higher point, he hurriedly said, "Third Miss, please come down quickly."

"Leave these things to us, be careful not to fall."

Qin Xiangnuan occasionally wondered if Anliu had some real power. As soon as he finished speaking, her grip on the rocky outcrop gave way, and she lost her balance, tumbling headfirst into the swiftly flowing underground river. She was caught off guard, unable to catch her breath, and choked on several mouthfuls of water. Anliu jumped down to help her up, but in his panic, he missed the rocky peak of the underground river.

Bang—Qin Xiangnuan felt her head hit the rock peak of the underground river hard. She immediately felt dizzy and almost lost consciousness.

"Third Miss? Wake up!"

Qin Xiangnuan was lying on the ground with her back facing up. Anliu wanted to press her chest, but he didn't dare to do it several times.

Qin Xiangnuan felt as if her temples were about to explode from hearing his clamor. She opened her eyes and struggled to sit up, using her elbows to support herself. Her clothes were completely soaked. A cold wind blew from behind the rock wall, and she shivered. "Go back and tell the people from the General's Mansion to bring their supplies. Take turns digging. We're right at the spot I just pointed out. We're running out of time."

Even if there were sufficient supplies, their mental state could not afford to wait.

Qin Xiangnuan knew this well. She looked at Anliu and urged him, "Go! I'm fine." She just needed time to recover. Shi Feng had bumped her head, and now, after only two sentences, she felt completely powerless. After Anliu left, Qin Xiangnuan raised her hand and gently touched her head, giving herself a preliminary check. It was so unlucky that even drinking cold water would get stuck in her teeth. She had a mild concussion, and there was a large swelling on the outside.

There might even be blood clots inside.

A doctor cannot treat himself. Qin Xiangnuan leaned against the rock wall to rest and catch his breath, hoping that the blood clot was small and could be absorbed naturally over time.

"Hurry! It's right in front!"

Less than an incense stick of time later, Anliu came running over with the secret guards and officials. Qin Xiangnuan barely managed to stand up and nodded to them. "Master Xu, I'm sorry to bother you." She said politely, snatching a work tool from Shou Hou'er's hand. Shou Hou'er opened his eyes wide and tried to take it back. "The Third Miss is resting nearby. She's just keeping an eye on us if she's worried. There's no need for you to do anything!"

"The structure of this rock wall is very complex. If any of the supporting blocks are broken, I'm afraid we will all fall down below."

Qin Xiangnuan wasn't exaggerating. The cave, carved and eroded over a long period of time, couldn't withstand even the slightest error. But any movement, even the slightest, sent a piercing pain through her back. She gritted her teeth, trying not to show any sign of injury. She stepped onto the stone and said, "I'll carve out a circle for you. Do whatever you want within it. The faster the better."

"But beyond that, you can't strike a blow!"

Everyone present listened to Qin Xiangnuan's words, no one objected, everyone had a clear division of labor, and acted in tacit coordination.

——

Still dozens of kilometers from Phoenix Mountain, Jiang Lin and his group could see its summit from afar, blanketed in snow and a vast expanse of white. An Feng shook his head. Seeing Jiang Lin's expectant gaze, he replied with equal nervousness and worry, "Master, we still haven't contacted An Liu. We've tried every possible way to get in touch. If An Liu sees us, he'll definitely write back, even if he has to crawl."

"But now... maybe they really are... buried in the mountains."

An Feng could only speculate the worst. Jiang Lin had been prepared, but when he actually heard it, his heart still skipped a beat. He frowned and urged the driver to speed up. In the evening, the group arrived at the foot of Phoenix Mountain. The roads leading into the mountain were completely blocked. The thick snow didn't look like it had fallen naturally. Jiang Lin stood at the entrance to the mountain, looking up. "Qin Xiangnuan, how are you?" he thought silently.

"Who are you?"

A passing old farmer, observing their impressive demeanor and elegant attire, stopped and kindly said, "Phoenix Mountain is inaccessible now. If you want to go there, you'd better find a detour as soon as possible." The old farmer lashed out at the donkey beside him with a whip. He was about to leave when Jiang Lin had An Feng block his way. He pulled out a few coins from his pocket and stuffed them into his hand. "Excuse me, sir, is there any other way to get into the mountain?"

"I have a reason to go in."

Jiang Lin's expression was resolute, his voice firm. The old farmer looked at the silver in his hand, stopped in surprise, and looked at the group. "Are you guys going to die? A few days ago, a group of people entered Phoenix Mountain. I don't know what they did, but they caused an avalanche there. The rocks on the top of the mountain slid down, injuring several people outside. The accumulated snow has blocked the roads in the mountains, and I'm afraid they've buried them alive."

"You still want to go in? Going in now will mean death!"

The old farmer kindly reminded him. Jiang Lin and An Feng exchanged a glance and immediately realized that the group he was referring to was the General's Mansion and An Liu. Sure enough, they hadn't come out yet! "How many days has it been since the avalanche?" Jiang Lin asked anxiously, a hint of anxiety flashing between his brows. The old farmer frowned and recalled, "I estimate it's been five or six days. There's nothing in Phoenix Mountain. Even if they manage to survive, they'll starve to death."

"How pitiful!"

The old farmer shook his head and made to continue on his way. Jiang Lin raised his hand and pulled out more silver from his pocket. "Which road leads into the mountains?"

"You..." The old farmer looked at him in shock and couldn't help asking, "Are you friends with that group of people? Or family? What's your relationship?" Jiang Lin didn't answer, just looked at the silver in his hand. The old farmer took it helplessly and casually pointed to a small road ahead, saying, "That group of people went in from this road. I don't think it was pressed too hard."

Jiang Lin didn't wait for the old farmer to finish his words before nodding and ordering An Feng, "Get started immediately. Find them within two days!"

An Feng nodded skillfully and did it immediately.

"Oh, what a group of young people who are not afraid of death." The old farmer drove the donkey and talked as he walked, but he still stood at the mountain pass and looked back at Jiang Lin and his group. He lowered his head and looked at the few pieces of silver in his hand, as if thinking about something.