Walking through Minze, you will see tall and short dark reeds distributed in the shallow water and swamps, some of which are connected together and stretch to the distant horizon.
Sitting in the carriage, Loran Hill looked at the water beside the road. Unknown insects floated on the surface, some of which moved like spiders. Occasionally, strange fish would spray out thin jets of water from the bottom of the water, knocking insects from the reeds into the water and devouring them.
As the wheels rolled over the weed-covered road, one or two snakes would sometimes appear, driven away by the merchants ahead and moved to the side of the road without being killed. These snakes would then quickly slither into the grass and disappear.
As it was getting dark, the clouds in the sky pressed down heavily, making people feel very stuffy and irritable. Some dragonflies flew low, skimming over the reeds and water, looking for food.
The girl finally understood why everyone said Minze was difficult to navigate and full of poisonous insects. The path they were on had been developed and maintained over the years by mountain residents and traveling merchants. If they traversed it recklessly, they might accidentally step into a swamp and become completely mired in the mud, unable to climb out.
Just as she was thinking about something, a familiar voice came from behind.
"This road is indeed difficult to walk on, but we'll be fine once we get through." Yu Baichou rode an old horse and followed the carriage the girl was in. Behind him, a small donkey walked quickly, carrying Luo Lanxi's box on its back.
"Well, how did Uncle Yu get in then? Was he also with the merchant?"
"That's not the case. I asked an old friend to take me into this mountain swamp on a Panniao."
"I didn't expect that this big brother actually dared to ride on a Panniao. He is really brave." A merchant who was traveling with the caravan heard this and looked at Yu Baichou with some admiration.
"What happened to Panniao?" the girl asked curiously.
"The Panniao is a strange beast, about three people tall. When it grows up, it can carry one or two people and likes to fly at night." A man in his 20s, wearing a gray coat, was riding a horse in the front.
"It doesn't sound like there's anything special about it. Why do you say it's very courageous?" Loran Hill continued to ask.
"You can ride on a pangolin, but not only are they rare, they're also quite difficult to raise. The biggest headaches are twofold. First, their cry is terrifying and frightening, easily disturbing others and causing trouble. Second, they carry a foul odor that's unbearable for ordinary people. Once contaminated, it takes over two weeks for the odor to dissipate."
The traveling merchant then introduced each of them one by one. As a well-traveled merchant, he naturally knew a lot about the various exotic beasts that were shipped and ridden.
"This old man is right. Panniao is indeed not popular, but sometimes you don't have that much money, so you have to be unpretentious, haha."
"This big brother is quite free and easy, haha. It's the same as always. For people like us who are always on the go, as long as we can stay safe, that's more important than anything else."
"Although the pan-bird isn't popular, it does have several advantages. It prefers to travel at night and has good night vision, allowing it to avoid many flying beasts at night. Furthermore, its terrifying cry can scare away many weak mountain spirits. Its foul odor means even some powerful beasts won't eat it and will carefully avoid it to avoid the stench."
"In this case, riding the Panniao is also a safe option. It depends on whether you can endure it."
"I see." Loran Hill nodded.
"Are the strange beasts in the mountains very powerful now? Didn't these strange beasts suffer from the sudden changes in the world before?"
"They are affected, but to a lesser extent than us humans. Most of them recover quickly."
"The strange beasts' methods of harnessing the energy of heaven and earth are quite primitive. While crude and wasteful to humans, this crudeness actually makes them less susceptible to external influences. Furthermore, their inherent strength and scales far surpass those of mortals. In recent years, they've been able to get whatever they want, wreaking havoc everywhere."
"However, young lady, there is no need to worry too much. The major factions and the military within the dynasty have gradually recovered and are slowly beginning to suppress the rebellion. I believe that in a few years, the former stability will be restored."
After the caravan had been traveling for two days, Loran Hill gradually became familiar with these merchants, and would occasionally listen to them talk about things in the outside world to broaden his horizons.
As darkness gradually descended, the team arrived at their campsite, a clearing next to a large boulder about five or six people tall. The area below was still littered with black ash and gravel, likely left behind by previous travelers.
"This is it." The big man on the side shouted, and the team gradually stopped and began to set up camp.
At night, a group of people gathered around the fire, heating up tonight's food. Loran Hill also took out the naan wrapped in lotus leaves and placed it on the stones beside the fire, slowly heating it.
"Don't you want to drink some water? It's hard to swallow food without water." Yu Baichou sat down cross-legged with the wine jug in his hand.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Loran Hill turned around and walked back to her little donkey, opened the box on its back, and took out a pot of clear water, which Bai Zao had filled for her.
Seeing the little master approaching, the little gray donkey brayed, turned its head slightly, looked at the girl, and exhaled hot air from its nose from time to time, as if it was sniffing something.
"Be good, Xiao Hui."
The girl squatted beside the donkey and touched it. Her small hand stroked the fur on its back, which was a little rough but smooth. The fur was not dirty and looked a little fluffy.
The girl thought it would be tiring to sleep with the box on her back. So she untied the straps on the donkey's back, took the box off, and set it aside.
After untying the things on its back, the little donkey let out a happy cry, turned its head and rubbed it against Luo Lanxi's sleeve, then stretched out its warm and wet tongue to lick her hand.
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