We continued walking along the valley through which the stream flowed.
Due to the heavy rain, the stream has started to rise, and the water is no longer as clear as before. Instead, it has become turbid, mixed with an earthy smell.
After walking for more than an hour, the winding stream in front of us suddenly made a sharp left turn and changed course, flowing into the mountainside on the left.
Judging from the sound of the water ahead, the drop here seems quite significant. Judging from the sound of the water crashing against the rocks, the current height difference is at least four or five meters.
Such terrain is mostly slippery and steep rocky structures. You have to be very careful when walking on such terrain. Make sure you have a firm footing before taking the next step. Getting injured here is not a good idea.
I looked at the shoes I was wearing; they were the same pair I had made back in my hometown. They were fine for walking on flat ground, but they became quite slippery on rocky terrain like this.
After all, it's difficult to generate much friction between hard wood and hard stone. For my safety's sake, I decided to spend a little time modifying the shoes.
There are some rough hemp ropes in my basket; they're pretty good at preventing slipping.
In the past, we used to walk to school in winter. If the road was icy, the adults would tie straw or hemp rope around the soles of our shoes a few times and then tie the rope ends to our ankles to secure them.
This can effectively prevent slipping and falling while walking, which can injure your knees. This method is simple and we all used it when we were kids.
I took out two sections of hemp rope, wrapped them around the sole of the shoe a few times, and then tied the ends of the rope around my ankle to secure them. Looking at my limbs, I felt it was still a bit unsafe.
So I took out some hemp rope and wrapped it around my elbows and knees, making me look like a Muay Thai expert about to fight in a ring.
Once we were ready, Top and I began to move forward step by step along the narrow footholds between the rock ledges, which were barely a hand's width apart.
As I expected, the road became extremely slippery today due to the heavy rain.
In addition, a thin layer of white mist rose in the mountains due to the rain, which greatly reduced the visibility of the rocky cliffs.
Fortunately, this section of the rock ledge wasn't long, and there wasn't any slipperier mud, otherwise I definitely wouldn't have risked passing through here.
I hesitated for a long time before deciding to take this rocky path, because if I took a detour, I would probably have to wander around in the mountains before dark. Also, it was too far from the water, and I was worried that I would get lost in the jungle with poor visibility.
Throughout this journey, I have primarily relied on the direction of the water flow as a reference point to find my way. Abruptly changing my strategy could have led me into a more dangerous situation.
Fortunately, we made it across this rocky ledge without any major incidents. Looking at the thin mist below the mountain stream and hearing the sound of the water crashing against the cliff face, I felt like I had just been slapped hard on the backside by death.
After crossing the rocky ledge, the path ahead becomes easier. I'm currently halfway up a mountain, as the water begins to meander down the mountainside.
However, due to the distance and the evaporation of water vapor, I cannot see the specific situation below.
Judging from the contours of those mountains, I think it must be a deeper valley. Perhaps there's a large river below, drawing all the nearby waters into this low-lying area.
The rain continued to fall, and the visibility on this mountain path was no more than twenty meters.
Fortunately, I had a python skin coat to use as a raincoat, and I also found some banana leaves to make a makeshift raincoat for Top.
As for Pat, I put it in my basket early on, and covered it with the saber-toothed tiger skin to keep it dry.
Pat's feathers actually have three layers. The outermost layer is a waterproof layer, which is formed by applying special waterproof oil secreted by the oil glands at the tail of the feathers.
In the wild, this ensures that the outer feathers don't get wet from rain, allowing the two inner layers of down to keep their bodies warm.
However, I still couldn't bear to let Pat get wet in the rain; it's practically my heaviest eye right now. For the long road ahead, I'll have to rely on Pat using that advantage to scout ahead in the air.
Top is similar; its fur is very thick and has two layers. However, monkeys, like humans, naturally dislike getting wet, so Top was quite satisfied with the raincoat I made for it.
We walked a while longer, and the fog ahead grew even thicker. It was a vast expanse of white, looking from afar like the Heavenly Palace from Journey to the West.
But I don't think there's any heavenly palace here. In places like this with blind spots, the danger and uncertainty increase exponentially.
I cocked the pneumatic sleeve dart on my arm again, ready to fire. I checked the shotgun to make sure it was working properly, then cocked it as well and carried it to my chest as I slowly walked forward.
In other places, I could have waited for the fog to dissipate before continuing my journey, but this is a secluded valley where sunlight is limited, and moisture doesn't dissipate quickly in such a low-lying area.
Judging from the current rain, it probably won't stop until dark. I have no choice but to bite the bullet and carefully enter this foggy area.
The rain had loosened the soil on the mountain, and the rocks that kept rolling down told me that the terrain here was not suitable for spending the night.
Generally, such mountains are composed of solid rock. The soil covering their surfaces varies in depth, even if trees have taken root and anchored within them.
However, the bedrock below is a place where tree roots cannot hold on firmly, and the soil becomes soft after heavy rains like this.
Even large trees, as thick as a bowl, can be swept away by a flash flood, roots and all, creating a terrible mudslide on the mountain below.
Before I came into this world, my hometown was also in the mountains. I know all too well the power of mudslides; a landslide can bring in an astonishing amount of mud and debris, sometimes hundreds of thousands or even millions of tons.
These massive mudslides move at incredible speeds, leaving no tree or house in their path unscathed.
I witnessed a massive mudslide disaster where more than a dozen houses near the mountain were completely destroyed and instantly buried in thick mud and rocks.
These mudslides later rushed onto the national highway, overturning and burying a heavy trailer truck under a thick layer of mud and rocks.
Later, several rescue teams took turns working tirelessly for five days to clear away all the mud and rocks.
In the end, no one could be rescued; all those on board, including the trailer driver, perished.
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