Chapter 50 Abnormal Weather
I remember the last time I was here was thirty years ago.
Back then, he was with other people, unlike now when he's all alone, but his status is completely different.
Unwilling to think too much, Blind Chen stood still, stretching out his hands to perform some calculations.
Soon, they saw the surge of fortune deep in the forest.
Then, they headed up the mountain.
Not long after he left, a group of neatly dressed men walked briskly in the opposite direction.
At the same time, on Changbai Mountain, where the mountains overlapped and the clouds and mist swirled, circles of mist seemed to be pushed northward by an invisible hand; and the entire mountain forest was also occasionally filled with the sound of a dragon's roar.
At this moment, anyone deep in the mountains can hear it.
In the low ravines, messy, overlapping footprints covered the surrounding traces.
But it couldn't drown out the roar emanating from the entire mountain forest.
Like a fury exposed in one's soul, it pierces straight up the towering forest.
"The geomancer has arrived?"
I don't know which kid was shouting inside.
The scattered sentries were all startled by the boy's shout.
"Alert! Attention, everyone!"
The nearest team leader flicked him on the head.
"You brat, how dare you speak so loudly?"
"Attention everyone, check your surroundings for any suspicious persons."
"yes."
Upon receiving the command, seven or eight men immediately dispersed in all directions without needing to be directed.
A series of checks and warnings were then carried out, and it was eventually discovered that they had indeed been overthinking things.
Especially after that person returned and told the team leader, the team leader looked at that kid with murderous intent.
If the timing hadn't been wrong, he would have loved to personally teach them a lesson.
"Get lost, you piece of trash. I'll deal with you later, I'll definitely beat you to a pulp."
"Uncle, I just heard it from them and wanted to ask you about it."
"What are you asking? What do you have to ask? Who do you think you are to talk? Do you have the right to speak? Get lost, I don't want to hit you right now."
Seeing that he was about to get angry, the boy, afraid of getting beaten up, quickly moved away.
Just then, the others who heard the words "gemstone master" exchanged glances.
As if they were passing something on, they quickly moved away.
"Attention everyone, we will continue our journey in ten minutes."
Finally reaching the summit, Blind Chen stood atop the peak and gazed into the distance.
From his vantage point, he could not only see the surrounding mountains and forests, but also the road he had come from, with startled birds flying past in the southeast corner.
He did some calculations, then narrowed his eyes with a meaningful look.
"They've finally arrived. I need to hurry."
As he spoke, he carefully observed the mountaintop for a while, calculating and deducing for some time before finally determining the location.
"The Northeast has the strangest local fortune; something must have happened there."
As the man spoke, he casually tossed aside the wooden stick that had long since broken into two pieces and then naturally carried it down the mountain path.
It showed no signs of discomfort and seemed not to mind not having it.
If others saw this, they might start to suspect something.
But once Old Chen's name is mentioned, anyone with a bit of skill won't question him too much.
Because this old guy was a very famous figure in the martial arts world twenty years ago.
Thankfully, the situation was stable; otherwise, countless people would have fallen victim to this old bastard. That guy's methods are...
Ever since the news leaked from above and the matter fell back into his hands, countless phone calls were made to the higher-ups from all over the country every night.
All parties involved are using various means to try and drag him down.
But in reality, it had no effect whatsoever.
On the contrary, we learned that he had successfully reached Changbai Mountain.
Given this situation, the people on the other side naturally couldn't say anything more, but the news spread like wildfire to the ears of the magistrates throughout the three northeastern provinces.
The so-called geomancer is actually a legendary title.
It is said that there are some people who possess abilities that ordinary people never come into contact with in their entire lives, allowing them to travel the world, traverse mountains and rivers, and deal with all sorts of unusual things they encounter.
These people have a history dating back to ancient times.
Therefore, many prominent families in the three northeastern provinces who worship household deities have instructed their younger generations not to get involved in this matter.
Especially in situations where even a slight touch could cause trouble.
"How did these people know I was here!" Old Chen muttered, but before he could finish speaking, he slipped on something and was about to fall to the ground.
My peripheral vision was already obscured by the sharp pebbles, and I was about to fall on them at any moment.
However, at that moment, Old Chen flicked his sleeve, and a long strip suddenly pierced the tree trunk next to him.
Old Chen exerted force with his right hand, grabbing and pulling with his large palm, instantly turning around.
I pulled myself back steadily and came to my senses.
"Fortunately, the skills were not lost."
He looked around and touched his head and face; he found no disfigurement.
As if remembering something, he pulled out a pancake from behind him, found a spot, and started eating.
I climbed for ages and almost forgot to eat.
He swallowed the cake and drank a few mouthfuls of spring water.
He started counting down the days again, scribbling on the ground for a while. "Sigh, I wonder how the other two groups are doing?"
"We need to get everything sorted out before the date, otherwise..."
Before he finished speaking, his brows furrowed.
Around three or four in the afternoon, a dark cloud suddenly appeared in the sky.
The dark clouds appeared abruptly, as if they had suddenly sprung up, and looked like they were about to press down.
Old Chen knew something was wrong. Before he could even start calculating, large raindrops began to pelt down on him.
That sense of impending doom was practically looming over him.
Old Chen hurriedly dodged and scrambled to find shelter from the rain.
But this place was unusually clean, and the few crooked trees there were also much shorter.
"No, you're just a sore loser, aren't you?"
In a flurry of activity, Old Chen took off his clothes and covered his head, preparing to run to higher ground.
But then thunder started to rumble in the sky, boom boom boom~
The thunder was deafening and terrifying.
It felt like it was happening right next to your ear.
"Quickly, everyone, get around the trees and run towards the open area."
"Everyone, pair up and get out of the way!"
As soon as the team leader said this, everyone scattered to find shelter from the rain.
The torrential rain, accompanied by strong winds, swept in, hurling mud, sand, rocks, and all sorts of weeds, withered branches, and rotten leaves at them.
"Pah, pah, what kind of stuff is this?"
"Pah, pah, this rain is too heavy."
Many people were forced to huddle together and shout loudly to make their voices heard.
The pattering rain grew louder and louder, and everyone trapped in the mountains was soaked to the bone.
Everyone was soaked to the bone by the sudden downpour.
Fortunately, the rain stopped after a short while, about half an hour.
The sky suddenly brightened, and everything that had just happened seemed unreal.
But looking at the disheveled state of those around him, he knew it wasn't true.
"This weather is awful, something's definitely wrong with it."
Someone ran up to the team leader and whispered something to him.
"I'm not stupid, of course I know the weather is wrong. Looks like we've come to the right place. Let's hurry up and get ready."
Since there's a response, it means this is the right thing to do, so they can't hold back.
Luo Yin had no idea that she would be forced to take the blame for something she was doing at home.
She's been quite smug these past few days.
The results of the high school entrance exam came out, and as expected, she achieved the best score and was able to enter the county's top high school as she wished.
She also told her family about the agreement she had made with the county's No. 1 Middle School.
Urina and Ani were both very happy for her, or rather, the two elders were still caught up in the joy they had just experienced.
After all, she was the best student in the family.
He is truly the best student in terms of exam results.
Didn't I see that they were all invited to visit the school that day, just to attend a special conference prepared by the school?
The main agenda of the conference was simple, focusing on recognizing outstanding students in this year's high school entrance examination.
The first person to go on stage was Luo Yin.
Luo Yin strode onto the stage, chest out, head held high, with a hint of smugness in her eyes.
His face lit up with a smile when he saw the red envelope in the principal's hand.
Hehe~
The principal handed over two full red envelopes, emphasizing their origin: they were a small token of appreciation from the township education bureau and a special approval from the school.
Luo Yin sincerely accepted the items and politely shook hands with the principal.
At the same time, he looked down into the ground, searching for his family.
The students below watched with envy, as did the others waiting on the stage.
After the principal finished rewarding the remaining students who made it into the top 100 in the county, it was time for her turn to shine.
"Next, please welcome Luo Yin, the top scorer in the 1976 junior high school entrance examination in our town, to give a speech." Luo Yin was also among the top three in the county.
Luo Yin knew this would happen. She stood in the center, looking at the countless eyes below the stage.
"Hello everyone, I am Luo Yin, a junior high school student who just finished the high school entrance exam."
"Actually, when I first learned about my results, I was quite calm. I was really confident about these results, not because I was bragging or saying anything unrealistic."
As she finished speaking, a cacophony of voices rose from the center of the square.
Everyone looked at her, and they talked to the people next to them.
In the teachers' office, all the teachers turned their attention to Chen Lan.
It was as if they were watching to see her reaction, wondering why a student would say such a thing.
"I know you might think I'm bragging, but those who know me know I'm actually very pragmatic, that's right, pragmatic. What you think is bragging and unrealistic is actually the result of countless practices and at least five or six reviews. Everyone is learning, we're all under the same sky. If you put in a little more effort than others, you'll get a better score in the end."
"I must admit that the social environment now is much, much better than that of our ancestors. The whole country is making steady progress. So what about you? What do you want?"
"The teachers and director entrusted this moment to me, perhaps hoping to inspire everyone through me, but after thinking about it, I decided to forgo empty talk. I am just a herder's child; my family makes a living by herding livestock. I have two older brothers; one went to high school and started working, while the other didn't even finish junior high, but he still found something suitable for him and is still happy every day. I want to say that whether or not you continue your studies in the future is not our focus. We are in the best of times and at the best age now, so go for it, go explore! As long as you don't break the law or harm the country or yourself, I believe everyone can be the best version of themselves. Let's encourage each other, classmates!"
There was a moment of silence after she finished speaking.
It felt as if the air had been sucked out.
"Clap clap clap~"
"Okay, okay, let's encourage each other."
"We are all the best versions of ourselves."
"Well said!!!"
No one knows who started clapping, but it spread like wildfire as everyone began to applaud, their eyes eagerly fixed on the person in the center of the stage.
Seeing the pleasant atmosphere, Luo Yin secretly glanced at the leaders beside her.
Thank goodness, I'm alright!
"Luo Yin, what you said is very good. Look how well it encourages and motivates the students," the principal said suddenly from the side.
"Ah, hehe!"
After returning from school, Luo Yin had some free time.
It's not that I'm idle, it's just that there's nothing to do for quite a while.
Normally she would be reading or doing practice problems at this time, but now that she had completed a small task, she breathed a sigh of relief and felt languid all over.
Every day I would curl up in my father's seat and lie there basking in the sun.
Much more relaxed than Ani.
Urina watched for a few days, enduring the pain of ignoring her and letting her do whatever she wanted.
Later, Ani couldn't stand it anymore, so she went up, grabbed the person, and took them away.
"Hey, Ani, where are you taking me? To herd sheep with you?"
Ani didn't say anything, just silently told her to get the tools. Luo Yin's eyes suddenly lit up, and she turned around and shouted to Urina, "Mom, you don't need to cook for me today. Ani and I will go out to eat."
"Okay, be careful."
Loin followed behind Ani, and the two rode their horses toward the eastern mountains and forests.
Ani is fast and his movements are swift and clean.
Loin looked on with envy. "Ani, will you take me hunting?"
Luo Yin's excitement was transmitted to Da Bai, who ran with its hooves dancing rapidly.
"Okay, you'd better hurry up and catch up, or I won't take you."
"Okay, I'll follow."
Thinking about the days to come, Luo Yin felt both nervous and excited.
An overwhelming surge of joy welled up inside me.
Who wouldn't want to touch that thing? Luo Yin had been by their side since she was a child, watching her father, mother, and brothers take action, but she herself rarely touched it.
Despite having practiced shooting, his archery skills were only passable.
She has higher expectations, but she has indeed made very little time for it in the past two years.
"Giddy up!"
After cycling for about an hour, they arrived at a sea of flowers.
The scenery before us is beautiful, with countless flowers blooming among the leaves.
The grass, which was more than half a meter tall, was blown by the wind, revealing faint traces of the road surface.
"dismount."
After Ani gave the instructions, Loin followed behind him to learn.
The two found a spot to tether the horses and let them graze within the designated area. Then, Ani led her around the outer perimeter.
What are they looking for in here?
Luo Yin examined the footprints and poop on the ground carefully.
She noticed that she could only see some small animal footprints, and then she suddenly smelled a familiar scent.
Ani did not answer, but took out a bundle from behind her and threw it on the ground.
"To dig a hole, to set a trap."
“Your father and brothers should have taught you.”
Before Luo Yin could ask, she was cut off by Ani's words.
She thought about it and realized that there really was.
"Okay, I understand."
Luo Yin glanced at Ani out of the corner of her eye, only to see him sitting on the ground calmly, glancing around every now and then, giving her a few more seconds of meaningful look.
Luo Yin stood up and looked around, finding a frequently trampled mark in a large patch of grass.
Judging from the extent to which the surrounding area was crushed, this guy was obviously quite large.
"Ani, judging by its appearance, this is no small thing." Luo Yin had a feeling that what she had in her hands might be useless, but seeing that Ani didn't say anything.
After thinking for a while, she decided to be on the safe side and said, "Ani, I'll go inside and take another look."
Ani waved her hand, "No need, by the time you go in, it will all be over."
"Today I'll teach you how to catch this thing when you encounter it."
"Ani, do you know what it is? Where is it?"
Luo Yin saw him get up and patted the dust off his clothes.
Ani pointed to the deepest part and then gestured for her to shush. "When you go down and come out, the first thing you need to do is observe your surroundings. No matter what, ensuring your safety is the top priority. Remember that!"
Luo Yin nodded, "I understand!"
She was constantly reminded of safety from a young age, with her family always telling her to prioritize safety when going out.
Especially on the grasslands, where there is a diversity of species and wildlife, coupled with the long distances and sparse population, ensuring the safety of the surrounding area is very important.
“No trace can be completely concealed. Just look at this place; you can see it from the ground.”
Ani led her around and around, until they pointed to a small patch of grass.
"Look here, what have you found?"
Luo Yin squatted down and opened her eyes wide.
"They all grew at the same time, but these grasses are much shorter than them, and there are still many that have just sprouted on the ground."
"Yes, that means some animals have gnawed on them."
"So it's a herbivore. Wild rabbits don't gnaw like that, and given its size, it can only be a gazelle."
Ani neither confirmed nor denied it, and Loin watched as he began to clean his hunting rifle.
Just thinking about the taste of the gazelle made her mouth water.
The flower-filled grassland in front of them was vast, beyond the reach of the eye. Luo Yin knew that Ani was about to make a move, so she saw him wave his hand, signaling her to follow.
"Ani, what do we do? We're supposed to flank it from that side, but where is it? I can't see it."
Luo Yin really didn't see it; her eyes were practically blurry, but she couldn't find a single trace.
It's said that gazelles are very agile, so why haven't they made a move for so long?
It was like playing hide-and-seek with her, without making a sound.
"Boom!"
A flash of lightning was followed by a clap of thunder.
The two people present were so shocked that they stopped what they were doing.
"Wait, why is it thundering again and it's going to rain?"
Luo Yin looked at the sky strangely and saw a dark cloud heading towards them from the northeast with unstoppable force.
Loin was startled and grabbed Ani, pointing upwards.
"Ani, it looks like it's going to rain again. Let's find somewhere to take shelter."
It happened on the grassland a few days ago. They watched several of them. It was like a thunderstorm that came quickly and left even faster.
But they didn't bring any shelter when they came out, and she didn't dare let Ani get wet in the rain.
"Let's go first, ride our horses and try to get away."
Ani looked even worse than her, and as if she knew something, she pointed to the west, mounted her horse, and rode off.
As the two ran, a torrential downpour began, followed by a thunderous crash against the leaves.
Hearing the noise, the two turned around and saw a strong yellow sheep leaping and running forward in the center of the flower field.
"Hey, hey, don't run away!"
This guy is smarter than most people!
Luo Yin felt quite regretful, wondering if she would run into him again later.
But they quickly lost interest in those thoughts. After running for more than half an hour, they stopped and saw that the dark cloud had landed in the same spot as a few days ago.
"It's Changbai Mountain again. Is this how Ani usually is?"
The grasslands are open and spacious, offering a wide field of vision not only on land but also in the sky.
So after confirming that the mountain was Changbai Mountain, Luo Yin became very curious.
"I don't know, but it probably isn't."
Ani knew more than her. This kind of thing hadn't happened for many years. The older generation had their own principles for doing things, and they didn't want to talk about some things in a subtle way.
He subconsciously didn't want to involve the younger generation, so he casually changed the subject.
But to my surprise, Luo Yin was very excited, which was strange. I don't know what's going on over there. Why are there such occasional events like this these days?
Could it be that there are signs of abnormal weather at this time?
Or was it artificial rain caused by the weather bureau?
But why? The weather is hot, but it's not so bad, is it?
No matter how hard Luo Yin thought about it, she couldn't understand it, and she looked towards the east more and more frequently.
"Alright, the sheep must have run away. Let's head back for today."
Luo Yin felt a pang of regret, but then realized that she had been out for quite some time. Seeing Ani's indifferent expression, she agreed.
The journey home was smooth, and when she got home she told her mother about it.
Urina then replied calmly and casually.
"It's nothing, the rain will probably stop in no time."
"Aren't you curious about why this rain is falling so strangely?"
Urina shook her head. "I'm not curious. As long as the pasture on the grassland is alright, we won't go hungry. Besides, if something really happens, it's not something a girl like you can handle."
Luo Yin thought about it and realized that she really didn't have any skills, so she decided to just let it go.
At the same time, all over the country seemed to encounter something strange in July.
The central region has been experiencing hot weather for more than half a month, with persistent high temperatures.
The extreme drought and ground fissures in several upstream provinces have caused significant damage to farmland.
What should have been thriving farmland turned into a tragedy.
Coastal cities were continuously battered by typhoons, from the first to the third. Despite preparations and evacuation of personnel, large areas of houses were flooded, resulting in severe economic and property damage.
Fortunately, there were no casualties!
"Reporting to the Central Committee, the second team has arrived at the scene and completed the investigation of the upstream canal. Please give the order."
"Reporting to the Central Committee, the three teams have reached the Endless Sea and located the target area. Please issue orders."
After receiving telegrams from the two highest-ranking local commanders, the department in charge of the incident immediately notified Secretary Xu to personally deliver the telegrams to him.
When Secretary Xu saw it was him, the connection immediately came to mind.
He sent the person out, took the documents, and knocked on the leader's office door.
"Knock knock~"
"Come in, Xiao Xu, what's wrong?"
Hearing his boss say that, Secretary Xu knew that his boss was in a good mood.
I glanced at the documents on the table and saw that they were almost all processed.
He hurriedly handed over the telegram: "Telegrams from the central and coastal regions, please review them."
"Hmm, let me see. It's been a while. I wonder how things are going?" The leader looked to be a man in his fifties, not very tall and dressed very plainly.
But there's a certain aura about him that no one else has, especially when he looks at you with those eyes.
"Okay, Xiao Xu, you can go out first and come back in half an hour later."
"yes."
Before leaving, Xiao Xu filled the leader's teacup to the brim, and then quietly departed.
The leader, left alone inside, pondered for a long time, made several phone calls, and then fell silent.
These things quickly reached the ears of several people through the telephone line.
Among them was the Qin family, who had a very good relationship with Lao Chen.
The highest-ranking member of the Qin family is Qin Laotou's eldest brother, who is currently the Commander-in-Chief of the xxx region and one of the ten remaining generals in the country.
After all, some of the men deployed for this operation were soldiers contributed by General Qin.
"I wonder how the second brother's friend is doing. I haven't heard any news from him." Commander Qin thought for a moment and decided to suppress the matter to prevent it from spreading further.
This matter is especially important because it involves the future of the capital for hundreds of years to come, so it cannot be taken lightly.
Thinking of the names of the characters in his mind, Commander Qin planned to tighten the skin on his second son again when he got back.
That old fellow, relying on his medical skills, sometimes speaks without any regard for others.
Soon he didn't have to think about it anymore. Xu, the secretary, went back into the office, took the document stamped by the leader, and quickly went to the liaison office.
They have a dedicated liaison officer here. After handing over the document and watching the liaison officer skillfully send it over, Secretary Xu waited a moment, then said, "When the message arrives, be sure to notify me immediately."
"yes."
Secretary Xu nodded, glanced at the clear blue sky outside, and felt her heart pounding for some reason.
He had a feeling that something was wrong, and he soon found out what it was.
Several telegrams and phone calls came in quick succession.
Disasters of varying degrees have occurred across the country, with the most severely affected areas being far-reaching.
"Secretary Xu, contact everyone from the Epidemic Prevention Department, Medical Department, Finance Department, and Emergency Management Department to come to the office to watch the meeting."
The central government quickly sprang into action, and even the commanders of several military regions near the capital were summoned.
After an afternoon of meetings, as darkness fell, relief supplies and personnel rushed to the scene.
Apart from the key person in charge who couldn't leave, everyone else stayed by the leader's side.
Meanwhile, the blind man Chen, who was being talked about, never expected that he would be struck by lightning.
When he scrambled to his feet, his limbs weak and numb, he was completely dazed.
Looking around at the pitch blackness, Old Man Chen smiled bitterly. This thing had developed a lot of spirituality, and if it was allowed to continue developing, who knew what it would become in the future.
He had to come up with a solution; he couldn't let that thing try any more methods.
He stood up and found a tree to lean against.
With solutions in mind, it seems there's only one idea left.
Thinking about the consequences, Old Chen hesitated for once, but right now that person was the closest to her, and this time she was being dragged into it.
"Bang!"
"biu~~~"
A red flame flashed from the depths of Changbai Mountain and quickly appeared in the sky.
Everyone who saw this place was drawn to the light.
Some people started calculating the distance to them, while others called out to the captain.
"Captain, it's a signal flare. This is Old Chen's signal."
"Red, emergency signal. Quick, Lao Zhang, record the location. How long will it take us to get there in a straight line?"
After the captain finished speaking, someone started shining a flashlight to help Lao Zhang with the calculations.
Some people started packing light, noting down directions and locations.
"This place should be the fifth Mount Everest in Changbai Mountain. We are currently on the fourth Mount Everest. It's not far past here, but it's not easy to walk at night."
"Going this way, even the super shortcut, will take until at least the middle of the night."
"Alright, you lead the way. Everyone, full speed ahead. Destination: the red smoke area."
Upon hearing the order, the soldiers quickly set off towards their objective.
No matter how bumpy the road ahead or how difficult the conditions.
None of the team members complained about the hardship or fatigue. They only knew that the order they received before leaving the military camp was to follow Old Chen's instructions and protect him at all costs.
Although they had been ordered to keep their distance from him and not to follow him closely these days, they would obey him without hesitation whenever he sent word.
They were like that, and so were the People's Liberation Army comrades who rushed to the disaster area.
When people in different regions were gripped by panic due to natural disasters, they saw the beloved camouflage colors.
Everyone felt reassured, as if they had gained confidence.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
The night was filled with thunder and lightning, and Luo Yin was woken up several times while she was half asleep.
Her usual sleep, which lasts until dawn, has been disrupted.
So I didn't get up in the morning and slept until after nine o'clock.
When Urina returned from her work, she found the person was still asleep, so she went in to wake her.
"Huahua, it's time to wake up, or you won't be able to sleep tonight."
"Hmm? I'll sleep a little longer, Mom!"
"Wake up, get up and eat something, it'll be lunchtime soon." Urina pulled her up, and Luo Yin, sitting on the bed, swayed and woke up.
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