Chapter 85 Poisoning?
Luo Yin, who was constantly being nagged and disliked, had no idea that her reputation had already spread far and wide.
Especially the little tricks people do behind her back have no effect on her at all.
The group hid in the temple in front of Wufeng Mountain, drank their medicine with hot water, and ate hot water-soaked flatbread.
The flatbread was bought in town; it was dry and hard, but after baking it, it became chewy.
It tastes like freshly exported jerky, Luo Yin thought with a bittersweet smile.
It's just that it doesn't taste like meat!
After dinner, Old Xia talked about tomorrow's plans, "Everyone should get some rest early tonight, and we'll continue up the mountain tomorrow morning depending on the situation."
Everyone quickly got things ready. The temple was only so big, with only one side hall besides the main hall at the entrance.
The main hall was very large, and there were almost two side halls, but they were also severely damaged. Almost half of them were uninhabitable, so everyone crowded into the side halls.
The statue of the deity enshrined in the center of the main hall has long been gone. According to Da, no one knows what it was. Since it was abandoned, it has been a place to take shelter from the rain and spend the night.
Everyone quickly assigned their seats. The girls were seated on the side closest to the wall, followed by the older comrades, and the younger comrades who were in good health were on the outermost edge.
The remaining spaces and the area in front of the main hall were occupied by the soldiers on night duty.
Dalai said he would go on night duty and soon went out.
The flames kept flickering on the fire.
Luo Yin, wrapped in a sleeping bag, leaned against the cool wall.
She lay awake, unable to sleep, and unable to make a sound, so she could only look around in the dim light.
Heavy breathing came from all around, followed by snoring from outside. She wasn't sleepy to begin with, and that made her even more unable to fall asleep.
She opened her eyes wide, began to press her hands against the wall, and pondered the things she couldn't understand during the day.
Yes, what exactly is the inspiration she can't grasp in the wetlands?
Why can't she remember what it is?
The more she thought about it, the more she poured out her memories of the grasslands and the sea, comparing them one by one; she traced back the years from that moment on, year by year, when suddenly she exerted force in her hand, and a clod of earth was knocked off the wall.
She recalled that when she was 12, she had the opportunity to go herding sheep in the north with Ani.
She had the opportunity to meet some workers who were working in the field. She thought they were from the forest farm, but perhaps because she was young, they explained that they were not from the forest farm.
He was a researcher specially sent down from the province, specializing in drilling rigs.
Loin asked them what a drilling rig was, and whether it was for drilling wells.
They laughed, or you could say that, but the wells they were going to drill in this land weren't for water, but for the rich and diverse resources hidden underground.
Yes, underground, drilling rig!
Luo Yin finally grasped the key point and suddenly remembered several things that seemed amiss.
The more I thought about it, the more likely it seemed; it wasn't a sudden clump of grass at all.
Instead, it was silt that had been dug out and then used to cover the meadow.
So, are there any abundant resources beneath that wetland swamp?
Luo Yin started thinking, thinking and thinking, without even realizing that her fingers had touched something hard in the corner.
However, when the person on night duty heard the noise, they chuckled and mistook it for a mouse.
So someone started following the sound and found that it was coming from the corner where the girl was.
Brother Liu was stunned for a moment, then went to ask Captain Huo.
Hosen was resting with his eyes half-closed when he heard him say that, so he quickly stood up to listen, and sure enough, there was a sound.
"I understand, leave it to me."
"yes."
Hosen slowed his pace and listened carefully, confirming that the sound was coming from near the wall of the main hall.
He lowered his voice and said, "Luo Yin!"
"Luo Yin, Little Luo!"
He called her several times, but there was no response. Hosen was about to turn around and find some tool.
A gasp suddenly came from under the curtain covered by an oilcloth.
"Ah, I'm here."
The moment Luo Yin answered, she immediately realized something was wrong. Whose voice was that? It sounded so familiar!
She poked her head out playfully and slowly climbed out of the sleeping bag.
As soon as I lifted a corner of the oilcloth, I was stared at by a pair of deep eyes.
"You, Captain Huo!"
Luo Yin was almost startled by him, and she swallowed her gasp.
"You didn't rest? What were you doing just now?"
Hossen glanced at her disheveled hair several times before asking her about it seriously.
"Ah, I didn't do anything, I'm about to go to sleep."
She stared wide-eyed, looking completely bewildered.
Hosen half-squatted down beside her, examined her carefully, and then suddenly reached out and touched her hand.
As her fingers were brushed across by a rough, large hand, Luo Yin instinctively shrank back.
What is he doing?
In the middle of the night, could it be...?
Luo Yin felt a little regretful. She should have pretended not to hear it, otherwise she wouldn't have felt so awkward.
Hearing the snoring all around her, her gaze toward the man grew increasingly strange and hostile.
Seeing the strange expression on her face, Captain Huo quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand, I just noticed that there's something on your hands. If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself."
Luo Yin rubbed her fingertips together; it did indeed seem to have something on them. She raised her right hand, and under the light of the distant fire, she could see it clearly.
"Hey, how did you get so much red mud on your face?"
That's right, she was so distracted by the wall she was knocking on earlier that she forgot about it.
"Oh, Captain Huo, this is something I accidentally brushed against the wall just now."
Hosen nodded. "I heard some noises just now and thought some small animals had appeared. I have a flashlight here, so you'd better check inside."
As he spoke, he placed the flashlight in her hand, and Luo Yin thought it made sense.
It's better to check it out, so I said, "Okay, I'll return it after I'm done."
She returned to her original position, and because she was afraid that the sudden light would wake them, she deliberately blocked most of the light with her hand, leaving only a finger's width for illumination.
Even so, she was extremely careful.
The first step was to take a picture of our own position to make sure there were no problems. Then we checked the entire perimeter and found no signs of any unidentified creatures crawling around. Next, we checked everyone's sleeping bags to make sure nothing had fallen off. It turned out to be very safe.
After she breathed a sigh of relief, she noticed some red marks on her hands.
Thinking of the plaster that had been peeled off the wall earlier, I started looking up along the wall.
She then discovered that she had poked a small black hole in the part of the hole that was only a few dozen centimeters off the ground.
Luo Yin froze on the spot, her body becoming somewhat out of control.
Doubt, doubt, curiosity, and skepticism!
She stared at the tiny hole that could only fit a thumb, and many strange scenes did indeed flash through her mind.
But she quickly dismissed it, thinking, "How could that be? I'm just scaring myself."
She shone her flashlight into the hole.
She squinted and peered inside, having imagined many terrifying scenarios. She discovered that it wasn't hollow inside. The exposed outermost structure was clearly an ordinary inner wall, filled with mud and crushed grass roots.
After calming down a bit, Luo Yin quickly stuffed the soil back into the corner.
Hosen, who had been waiting for a long time, heard her become agitated several times. Although he was curious and wanted to ask what was wrong, he patiently waited.
Not long after, Luo Yin came out and said, "It's nothing, I've checked everything, thank you Captain Huo."
Seeing that she looked tired, Hosen quickly told her to go and rest.
Luo Yin yawned, nodded, and quickly lay back down.
She shrank back into her sleeping bag and glanced at the small hole. For some reason, she suddenly didn't want to go near it, so she moved to the side and squeezed closer to Sister Xiaofang.
Xiao Fang was fast asleep and didn't notice anything, so the group of them squeezed together and fell asleep.
After Luo Yin fell asleep, her body turned over subconsciously, and her head moved directly towards the other side.
Outside the dilapidated temple, the rain continued to pour down, the sound of which was like a natural soothing lullaby, allowing them to sleep soundly while seeking shelter from the rain.
People didn't get up until dawn.
The fire was extinguished by dawn, and the first to wake up were the comrades on night duty. They checked the weather forecast early and estimated whether they could move during the day.
So when the main force arrived one after another, they soon realized that if they continued on their way today, it would likely add to the danger.
Dalai also woke up early and saw the muddy road.
"Comrade Xia, the situation is indeed not good today. If we continue climbing, there is a high possibility of an accident." His opinion was also to take a break.
A younger colleague, puzzled, asked him, "Besides the mountain road being difficult to walk on, can't we avoid this by being careful?"
Dalai explained, "It's not just that. Although Wufeng Mountain is not very high, the terrain is indeed rugged and uneven. The higher you go, the more difficult it is to walk. You must have felt that yesterday when you climbed that section. Did you feel more tired than at other times?"
"Oh, it's true, I didn't even notice it until you said it. That's why my arms and legs felt so sore when I woke up this morning."
Once the first person spoke up, the others followed suit, pounding their arms and legs.
"That's right. I thought it was because I was rushing in the rain yesterday. Could that be the reason?"
The researchers all looked at him, and some of them seemed to realize something.
"Perhaps it's because of the terrain."
"I think so too. I speculate that the overall slope of Wufeng Mountain is much steeper than the ring road."
As soon as everyone heard Master Zhuang begin his explanation, they all pricked up their ears to listen, hoping to learn more from the master.
Old Zhuang picked up some rotten branches from the ground and casually pieced them together to build a small mound.
“You see, if it were an ordinary mountain, it would inevitably have one steep side and one gentle slope. You could find the gentler side and climb up. But Wufeng Mountain is different.”
As he spoke, he pulled out several upright wooden sticks one by one, and soon the small mound seemed to transform, becoming a stepped, undulating mound.
"If it's a mountain like this, there's no such thing as an absolutely steep one. The slope rises naturally with the terrain, and the surrounding dense forests complete the slope increase without our knowledge."
"What we have the most to know about the unknown is what we lack the most."
"So the reason why Wufeng Mountain is so dangerous is because its details are unknown."
Dalai listened, nodding and shaking his head repeatedly.
“This mountain is really strange. Even the locals rarely come up here. You must be careful.” He was afraid that people wouldn’t believe him, so he began to tell them the legends about the mountain that he had known since he could remember.
Especially during the rainy season, how many people have gone missing or disappeared while lingering on the mountain?
“What I’m saying is true. After passing the temple, there’s nowhere to shelter from the wind and rain on the road. Moreover, the trees on the mountain are getting denser and the fog is thick all year round, making it easy to lose your way. Plus, the road is difficult to travel. I really suggest you wait a little longer, and it would be good if the weather cleared up a bit.”
Despite the guide's repeated pleas, Elder Zhuang and Elder Shi seemed reluctant to move.
Xia Ming nodded and turned to look at Old Man Chen.
Old Chen sat in the distance with his legs crossed, as if meditating or deep in thought.
Suddenly, everything went quiet. Even the blind man Chen, who was pretending to be asleep with his eyes closed, didn't move. He remained absorbed in his own world.
The people around looked at him with admiration and curiosity!
Everyone secretly admired his composure and recognized him as an indispensable member of their team.
Luo Yin, who had been unable to hold back any longer, quietly moved forward and patted him on the shoulder.
The wise man who was meditating in the distance suddenly glared at the person beside him.
"You brat, it's you again! What are you doing?"
That air of otherworldly grace and the aura of being worshipped vanished instantly.
Luo Yin wasn't embarrassed at all, pretending not to see his sour face. "Ahem, Teacher Chen, could you please take a look at the weather for today and tomorrow?"
Several admiring glances immediately fell upon her from the crowd, and some even gave her a thumbs up.
"So I'll be the weather forecaster, and ask whatever weather I want, right?"
Blind Chen was speechless. What were these people thinking? How could he be so magical?
Everyone's faces fell. Oh, it's not that powerful. But we've tried it before at sea.
"Everyone, let's wait a bit. Let's fill our stomachs first, and then we'll see how the weather goes," Old Xia interrupted, making arrangements so the team quickly got to work.
Meanwhile, Luo Yin and Chen the Blind, who were stranded, were also secretly plotting in a corner.
"Old Chen, you really can't do the math. Didn't you hear what the guide uncle said before? It was so dangerous! Aren't you afraid of bumping into something again?"
Blind Chen wiped his forehead. "You still know that I'm a patient and injured, yet you expect me to do chores for you? You're really heartless!"
"You're being too harsh. What kind of person am I? It would be so much better if you didn't say you were feeling unwell earlier so I could have found a doctor to take a look at you." She then immediately called someone to examine him.
Old Chen quickly waved his hand, "Alright, alright, don't bother me. I'll just let it heal on its own. Don't make it worse."
Luo Yin felt that the old man really understood her, but she couldn't say that on the surface.
"Hehe, don't worry, I'm not that kind of person. Since you're not feeling well, then rest well. I'll bring you breakfast later. I'll make whatever you want today."
Blind Chen ignored her completely, snorted coldly, and then closed his eyes and fell silent.
Luo Yin waited and waited, but when she realized he really ignored her, she simply got up and left.
Forget it, I can't afford to offend this old man, I'll just let him calm down on his own.
When Chen the Blind Man saw that the girl had finally left, he silently breathed a sigh of relief. He really couldn't take it anymore; she was even more shameless than he had been in his youth.
Luckily, he's getting old now, otherwise he would definitely have to fight with her a few times.
Luo Yin had no idea that the old man hadn't argued with her because he was afraid of losing face. If he had known the reason, who knows what kind of trouble he would have caused.
Several people in the group who were good at cooking gathered around the small pot to heat up the flatbread.
It's still an unfinished pancake, but today I can heat it up in a frying pan!
Luo Yin lost her appetite at first glance, then quickly looked at the others' hands and found that someone had pulled out a side dish condiment—the kimchi they had eaten at the guide's house.
It was just being taken out of the pocket of the comrade in charge of logistics.
"We'll eat this with the flatbread later. I'll cut it into slices and put them inside. It'll be really good."
"Yes, this kimchi is very appetizing, and it's perfect for breakfast."
Everyone busied themselves, cutting the heated pancakes in half, stuffing in a few slices of kimchi, and quickly placing them on the lids of their lunchboxes.
On the other side, someone scooped a spoonful of thin porridge into the lunchbox, and the person accepted it, thanked them, and began to eat breakfast.
Soon everyone was eating, and Luo Yin kept her word and really served Old Man Chen a meal.
The old man reached out when he smelled the aroma, but she quickly interrupted him.
"Hey, grandpa, you haven't washed your hands yet. Wait a minute, I'll take you to wash your hands."
"Hmph, fussy and pedantic!"
Despite complaining, Blind Chen walked outside.
Luo Yin was afraid he would bump into something, so she quickly ran over to help him up.
The old man habitually stretched out his wooden stick to block her hand that reached out to help him.
"Need not."
Well then, Luo Yin simply stood by and protected him, seeing that he moved nimbly and didn't bump or hurt himself at all.
The colleagues who were eating pancakes on both sides of the wolf were stunned and forgot to eat.
The person who was just watching the show got bitten by a steel plate!
Those who have witnessed Chen Lao's prowess more than once seem to have forgotten how formidable he once was.
I'm always captivated by his appearance, thinking he's someone whose heart never flutters.
But reality told them that he was really amazing, truly incredible!
Luo Yin rinsed the water out of the earthenware pot, scooped some more from the large vat next to it, and handed the pot to him.
"Put your hands down a bit, then you can wash them."
The old man stretched out his hand and indeed felt a slight coolness, so he quickly pulled it out again.
Seeing that he had finished washing, Luo Yin put down the jar and washed herself as well. Then she wanted to take him inside to eat.
Old Chen stopped moving. "Where did you get this water from?"
Luo Yin was taken aback, then pointed to the large vat next to her, "It's in this large vat by the door. It's rainwater from yesterday, and the top layer has been cleaned up."
She even went over to take a closer look at the large vat. She couldn't see anything on the ground, but the water in the earthenware pot was indeed very clear.
Their actions were witnessed by many people at the doorway.
After everyone had finished eating, a few people came out and asked what was wrong.
Luo Yin pointed to the large vat and briefly explained the situation.
Everyone looked at Old Man Chen again, and seeing his solemn expression, they suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Everyone in the house who has washed their hands with this large vat of water, stop eating immediately."
"Oh, what's wrong?"
"I don't know."
Outside, Blind Chen continued to shout, "Everyone, stop eating! Your washed hands are all contaminated; if you eat again, you'll kill yourselves!"
Upon hearing the words "eat to death," even those in the room who didn't understand what was going on dared not make a move.
Everyone stopped eating and looked at their clean and tidy hands.
Elder Xia, Elder Shi, Elder Zhuang, and all the researchers and soldiers present seemed to be stunned for a moment by his words.
Then someone suddenly shouted, "What do we do after we finish eating?"
"Am I going to die?"
These words instantly ignited the tense atmosphere at the scene. Soon, someone touched their stomach and felt a pain in their abdomen. Was this a sign that they were about to die?
"My stomach hurts so much, am I poisoned?"
"Oh no, my stomach suddenly hurts too! This really is poisonous!"
Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, Captain Jiang and Captain Huo immediately stepped forward to calm them down, "Everyone, calm down, don't panic, put the food away first, and don't eat it."
At the same time, he ordered his soldiers to restrain the several people who were feeling unwell and have two doctors examine them.
The people outside were equally stunned, especially Luo Yin, who stared blankly at Old Man Chen.
She had seen everything that had changed inside the house, so how did it suddenly come to this?
Did she miss something?
"Old Chen, what's wrong with them? Could they really be poisoned?"
"Yes, yes, we've all washed our hands with the water from this big vat. Will we all get sick?"
The person in charge of this matter suddenly spoke up, "That's impossible! The water in this large vat has been changed every time. This morning, another colleague and I specifically rinsed the vat several times. It's impossible!"
"Yes, I also saw where the problem should be addressed."
Some people focused their attention on the inspection inside the house, while others were focused on Old Chen.
The old man lowered his head, counting on his fingers, calculating again and again without saying a word.
It was as if they hadn't figured it out, or as if they found it strange.
Everyone remained silent until suddenly several exclamations were heard. Luo Yin saw that Old Master Chen had actually gone to the large vat and taken a sip of water.
"Hey, hey, old man, are you crazy? This is poisonous!" Brother Du shouted in shock.
The people around him hurriedly pulled him away, saying, "Yes, you have to throw it up right away, you can't taste it."
As they spoke, they began to gag his throat, determined to induce vomiting.
"No need, all of you get out of the way, stop shoving me!" Old Chen hurriedly dodged, but several people around him gathered and shoved at his mouth.
Luo Yin watched from the side, unable to squeeze in. "Hey, watch out, be careful not to trip the old man."
Seeing that things weren't going well, Brother Du quickly called for backup. "Hey guys, hurry up! One of you hold my hand, and the other supports my head."
Seeing that the group worked together seamlessly, one of them grabbed Old Chen with his large hand and stuck his fingers directly into his throat. Luo Yin, who saw this, vomited before he could.
"Omitted~"
"Ugh~~~"
I can't take it anymore, it's so painful to watch.
Luo Yin felt she couldn't watch anymore; she definitely wouldn't be able to stand it if she watched any longer.
Then came the sounds of nausea and vomiting from the old man's mouth, and she perked up again!
As the old man bent over and vomited, the people next to him kindly patted his back.
Luo Yin felt a warm feeling in her heart. She ran inside to get his water bottle. As soon as she came out, she saw Old Man Chen, with snot and tears all over his face, grabbing his stick and starting to beat him.
"Swish, swish, swish~"
The heavy sound of the blows hitting her made her afraid to go forward.
"You bastards, who told you to gag my throat?"
"Idiots, a bunch of idiots!"
-----------------------
Author's Note: I owe you one chapter, I'll make it up tomorrow.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
