Chapter 16 16 It's not like someone would kill someone in a scenic area in the middle of the day...
Guan Xia knew that there were quite a few people in the camping group organized by Shi Lu this time, but when everyone arrived, she couldn't help but be surprised at how many people there were.
Although young people make up the majority, there are still many middle-aged people in their forties and fifties in the crowd.
As the organizer of this trip, Shi Lu seemed to know everyone. After a brief greeting, he arranged the team in order. After confirming once again that no one was left behind, he let the entire team set off.
Guan Xia and Pang Le were arranged in the middle and back of the team. Shi Lu and Dong Yuncheng did not go to the front, but climbed slowly with them.
Guan Xia was worried at first that this was a wild mountain and would be very difficult to climb, but after starting, she found that countless climbers had come before them and had trampled the narrow mountain path into a path completely without vegetation. Small pits were formed in places where the slope was too steep and it was easy to step on. Apart from the rapid consumption of physical energy, it was not dangerous.
Pang Le had been following Guan Xia closely, and he could easily see the change in her expression. After dragging her up a steep slope, he raised his eyebrows and said proudly, "How was it? Was it worth your trip?"
Guan Xia took two deep breaths to ease her rapid heartbeat, then nodded helplessly, "I was overthinking it. Although it was a bit tiring, it was indeed a good experience."
After taking another two seconds to rest, Guan Xia looked back and saw the people behind him catching up, so he patted Pang Le and said, "Let's go, continue."
Pang Le quickly peeled a candy and stuffed it into Guan Xia's mouth, then turned around and continued to climb briskly.
During the following climbing process, Guan Xia initially focused all her attention on her feet and Pang Le, but as time went on, she was involuntarily attracted by a light green figure.
She was a very young girl, who looked to be in her early twenties. She was not tall, but very energetic. Her high ponytail swayed left and right with her steps. Not only could she keep up with the main group calmly, she even had enough energy to take pictures with her mobile phone.
After climbing a steep slope with Pang Le's help again, Guan Xia stood firm and immediately went to look for the figure. Sure enough, the girl was taking a video with her mobile phone and smiling. Looking at her cheerful expression, Guan Xia felt inexplicably happier.
"What are you looking at?" Pang Le took two sips of water and asked her puzzledly.
Guan Xia raised her chin towards the girl and said, "Look at that girl, the one filming the video. She's amazing! I'm almost exhausted, but she still has the energy to film everywhere. I see she's been filming all the way."
"She's a travel blogger," Dong Yuncheng, who had climbed up after Guan Xia, said. "She seems to be called Song Yi. I heard she has 30 or 40 members in our small camping group. As long as her schedules don't conflict, she almost always joins. She especially loves these little-known hills. Many people in the group like her, but many don't."
Guan Xia couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
Dong Yuncheng smiled and said, "Because as long as she comes, we have to change the location for the next camping. Most people still can't stand the feeling of being stuck in traffic in the mountains."
Guan Xia looked up, then looked down, before she realized what it felt like to be stuck in a traffic jam.
"Let's go," Dong Yuncheng glanced up, "We should reach the rest area in another hour and a half. Although it won't rain, it will get dark early, so we should hurry."
Only then did Guan Xia realize that the sun, which had originally emerged from the dark clouds, had been covered again at some point, and a breeze was blowing through the mountains and forests.
Just as Dong Yuncheng said, they climbed for more than an hour and finally reached a relatively open platform. Although it was not flat enough, it could accommodate many people.
This platform was halfway up the mountain. After Guan Xia staggered to sit on a large rock, he looked up and could just see another much higher mountain across the way.
Pang Le sat beside her, drank half a bottle of water in one breath, stuffed a piece of chocolate into his mouth, and pulled Guan Xia to help her relieve her muscle pain.
"Don't just sit there," Pang Le said, "You don't exercise enough normally. If you don't take time off after such a big workout, you'll end up like last time. The next day, your legs will hurt so much that you won't be able to walk. We have to get down the mountain tomorrow."
Guan Xia's physical strength was almost exhausted. Although she wanted to lie down, she had to tap her legs as Pang Le said.
Guan Xia was in such a mess, so she was even more envious when she saw the girl walking past her with her cell phone in hand as if nothing had happened.
When climbing the mountain before, the girl just took pictures everywhere, but this time she talked while taking pictures.
"My dears, this is a new treasure mountain I recently discovered. Look, isn't it beautiful? Although this small peak has no name, it is a small member of the famous Cuiping Mountains. Do you see that towering peak across the street? That is Niujiao Peak, which attracts a lot of tourists every year. We are now at a rest stop, and we can just see Niujiao Peak diagonally across the street. Wait a minute, I'll change my position. Can you see that circle of shiny reflective spots now? That is the glass plank road that was newly built in the past two years near the summit of Niujiao Peak. I went up once and didn't feel scared, but there were a lot of people, and I was always worried that I would be squeezed down. So I still like these unknown hills. There is no need to squeeze in with others. I can climb leisurely, feel the breeze, and listen to the sounds of nature. If time is not tight, I can even daydream. There are few people anyway, so I don't have to worry about being rushed."
The girl's voice was light and crisp. The crowd who were originally sitting scattered and whispering and chatting were soon attracted by the girl's voice and gradually quieted down.
The girl was really energetic and very good at discovering beauty. It was obviously just a small platform, and the surrounding scenery looked beautiful at first glance, but it was easy to get aesthetically fatigued if you looked at it too much. She still managed to take pictures and talk for more than half an hour.
Guan Xia watched the entire video with interest. When she finished, she patted Pang Le on the shoulder and asked, "This is the first time other than you that I've met a girl with such great physical strength. Can you tell? Has she practiced?"
Guan Xia would not have thought about it in this way before, but ever since she knew that the world she traveled to was a fusion of criminal investigation and fiction, whenever she saw an outstanding woman, she couldn't help but wonder if she was an important character.
Guan Xia waited for two seconds. Pang Le didn't answer. Guan Xia patted her again. Pang Le suddenly came back to his senses and looked at her, "What did you say just now?"
Guan Xia looked in the direction Pang Le had just been looking at, but found nothing. She asked her curiously, "What's wrong with you? What did you see that you're so focused on?"
Guan Xia paused, then suddenly realized something and her expression grew serious. "What did you find? You can't be so mean, can you find it just by climbing a mountain?"
Although Guan Xia was mentally prepared, when it really happened, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Why should it happen so frequently?"
Pang Le was stunned for a moment before he realized what Guan Xia was talking about. He thought for a moment and shook his head, "It should be... not. I just saw something red fall down from the glass plank road on the opposite side of Niujiao Peak. It might be a plastic bag."
Pang Le made an uncertain guess.
Guan Xia thought for a moment and then spoke hesitantly, "It's unlikely that someone would kill someone in a scenic area in the middle of the day. I also think that someone accidentally dropped their handbag while taking a photo."
The two looked at each other and felt that the previous two events were a bit paradoxical. They couldn't help but laugh and started eating to replenish their energy.
After a short rest, the group set out again. This time they did not rest in the middle of the journey. They climbed for nearly three hours and finally reached the camping spot before dark.
This is another platform close to the top of the mountain. It is spacious enough and backed by a high enough stone wall to block the wind. Not only can it accommodate their small team, but it also allows the tents to be set up without being too crowded.
Although it is not high compared to the surrounding mountains, as the girl named Song Yi said, there is no need to squeeze with the crowds, and it feels like you have completely avoided the hustle and bustle of the city, and your whole heart feels quiet.
Shi Lu and Dong Yuncheng were responsible for setting up the tent. Guan Xia tried to help, but in the end she only managed to pass nails and tools.
However, it can be seen that both of them are veterans. They didn't even take out the instruction manual. They just built it smoothly as if by instinct without thinking at all.
Pang Le watched for a few moments, then went to look through his backpack with peace of mind. After the tent was set up, he ran over with a bunch of stuff in his hand. "I went to the supermarket last night and bought some self-heating hot pot. Does anyone want some? I also bought some cold dishes and duck necks. Let's get ready for dinner?"
Guan Xia had been climbing the mountain for so long that she was already hungry. She was completely relying on the chocolate to keep herself fed. Upon hearing this, she immediately nodded and said, "Okay, okay."
Shi Lu and Dong Yun took over the natural hot pot and went to boil water. Guan Xia also took out disposable plates and poured cold dishes into them. Pang Le felt a little regretful, "The most important thing to do when camping is barbecue. It's just that the mountain we climbed this time was too wild and the car couldn't drive up. Next time, let's find a mountain that doesn't require climbing and enjoy it properly. I heard Shi Lu's cooking skills are good."
Guan Xia was already hungry, and she became even hungrier after hearing this, so she simply peeled another candy and put it in her mouth.
Pang Le just sighed like this and quickly squatted down to help.
The two were busy working when they suddenly heard a noise outside.
Guan Xia and Pang Le looked at each other, put down what they were doing and walked out of the tent.
Just then, Shi Lu and Dong Yuncheng came over. Pang Le asked, "What's wrong? We just heard screams outside. What happened?"
Guan Xia looked towards the end of the platform. What he feared most was that someone would accidentally roll down from the top of the mountain.
Shi Lu and Dong Yuncheng both had serious expressions.
Dong Yuncheng said, "Song Yi captured something on her phone. It was during a break midway up the mountain at noon. While filming the glass plank road across from Niujiao Peak, she accidentally captured someone pushing a child down the mountain. Shi Lu's phone had the satellite phone function activated, so he came back to retrieve it and prepared to call the police."
Guan Xia and Pang Le were both surprised.
The two looked at each other and almost immediately remembered what Pang Le said at noon. They originally thought that they were overthinking it, but now it seems that they are really so mean. They will encounter trouble as soon as they go out.
Guan Xia couldn't help but look up at the Niujiao Peak diagonally opposite. Although he felt it was impossible, he still held on to hope, hoping that the child would be lucky enough to survive and be rescued.
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