Jian Dan immediately concealed his aura and quietly retreated back into the narrow passage he had just emerged from. This place was high up, so it was invisible unless someone deliberately came up here.
Soon, two figures emerged from the hidden cave with heavy thuds. They casually tossed aside something they had pulled out of their hands, exchanged no words, and turned to return the way they came, as if it were just an ordinary action they had done countless times.
Jian Dan composed himself and waited until the two people's footsteps gradually faded away and disappeared completely. He waited for more than half an hour before gently moving his stiff hands and feet. In the middle of summer, he felt as if he had come out of an ice cave, his hands and feet were icy cold, and his face was frighteningly cold.
After scanning the surroundings and scattering some sleeping potion, and confirming that there was no sound, he carefully descended the steps one by one.
The thing that was just thrown away was easy to see; it was soft and limp—that was a person.
To be precise, it was a silent corpse.
After a careful inspection, confirming that the person was indeed completely silent, Jian Dan slowly got up and looked around. Even she, with her fierce aura, had to exert great effort to control herself from screaming uncontrollably.
The huge courtyard was littered with skeletons, most of which had turned white.
Some of them are still relatively new and not completely rotten, but in the middle of summer, in the wilderness, although large wild animals can't get in, their bodies have been hollowed out by various snakes, ants, and insects. Flies and other insects also fly over from time to time. The smell dissipates quickly, but it's still very unpleasant.
There were people at the other end of the cave, but Jian Dan had no interest in this disgusting adventure. He didn't move, quickly went up the steps, and returned to the cave he had come from.
On her way back, her mind kept racing. Who was behind this hidden project, and what was their purpose?
This is deep in the mountains; ordinary people wouldn't come here. Of course, someone with such intentions wouldn't be an ordinary person either.
Although most of the mountains are on this side of the border, it cannot completely prevent people from the other side from coming over, making this suspicious area even more difficult to control.
From this perspective, it seems the garrison has no choice but to go.
Faced with this situation, even if she were carefree, she couldn't leisurely walk further in. She marked the tree she used as a switch and didn't dare to touch it, fearing that something else might happen. That's why she was reluctant to rush down the mountain.
Jian Dan could still distinguish between what was important and what was urgent. This trip was a forced march, and by the time they reached the foot of the mountain it was already midnight. He thought he would go home and rest first, and then go look for people early the next morning.
It was the middle of the night, and she didn't want to bother Lin Dongfang to get the keys, so she simply jumped into the yard from the backyard.
Once home, she completely relaxed and slowly walked towards the front yard. Before she even reached the front yard, the alert Jixiang and the others stood up, but they didn't make a sound immediately because of their master's scent.
Cheng Chao, who was inside the house, woke up almost the instant Jian Dan jumped in. His face was ashen, and he secretly decided to teach the thief a lesson.
I listened intently at the door for a while but didn't hear any barking. Just as I was wondering about that, I heard a few barks, but they sounded like dogs frolicking happily. Then I heard a familiar voice.
"Good job, that's how you should be vigilant. Alright, alright, go to sleep now."
Cheng Chao gently opened the door, a weight lifted from his shoulders.
Why are you back so late?
In the dead of night, the sudden sound, especially coming from a house that shouldn't be empty, startled Jian Dan, who even assumed an attack stance. Cheng Chao quickly called out again.
"It's me, it's me,"
If the brother and sister were to fight in the middle of the night, it would be quite a spectacle.
What brings you here?
Cheng Chao ushered the people into the house and then quickly lit the candles.
“I arrived at noon, but you weren’t home. I was worried something might have happened to you, so I was thinking of staying another day before leaving. Why are you back so late at night? Did you go up the mountain? Were you in such a hurry? It’s so dark, you might bump into something.”
She wanted to come back and go straight to the base space to wash up and eat, but that wasn't possible anymore. However, she was readily available as labor. Despite her grumbling, even in the dim light, it was clear that she was covered in dust and grime.
"Sit down first, I'll boil some water for you so you can wash up."
What would you like to eat? How about some noodles?
After a thorough wash and a bowl of hot noodle soup, Jian Dan felt much better and started recounting what she had seen.
"Tell me, how could I not be anxious? I was even thinking of going to see you and Uncle first thing tomorrow morning."
Cheng Chao paced back and forth on the ground. He had a vague feeling that there was a faint thread that was about to appear, but it was fleeting and he couldn't catch it. Frustrated, he scratched his head.
“I’ve heated the kang in the east room, so it shouldn’t be damp. You go to sleep first, and tomorrow you’ll come with me to explain things in detail to your uncle and the regimental commander.”
Okay, I still have to go.
"OK,"
Simple, tired, and sleepy, my eyes are almost closing. I'm about to go into the east room, but I'm still thinking about turning back to give him some instructions.
"My letter of introduction will be due in two days. If it takes longer, remember to get me a new one."
"Alright, alright, don't worry about it. Go to sleep. I'll cook dinner and call you tomorrow."
They got back in the middle of the night. With all that commotion, it was already early in the summer, so Jian Dan just collapsed onto the covers and fell fast asleep. Cheng Chao, however, couldn't sleep and his mind was racing. As soon as it was light, he went straight to Liu Weimin and asked Jian Dan for leave. When Jian Dan woke up groggily, she was told that she had a two-week vacation.
This was important business, so the two of them didn't delay. After having breakfast, they handed the house over to Lin Dongfang again and simply set off with Cheng Chao.
I didn't ask her the specifics, and it's not something she could know anyway.
Before noon, Lin Zhengde personally led a team to Liujiatun. Although it was deep in the mountains, just in case, he still gave Liu Weimin some instructions and blocked the foot of the mountain again.
Linshan is a place where the garrison often conducts field training, drills, and searches of the mountains. The villagers don't find it too unusual. Some who have already gone up the mountain are a little unhappy, but in front of the stern-faced Lin Zhengde, they are no better than quails, walking with their heads down as fast as they can.
Simple led the way, with Cheng Chao following closely behind. There was nothing wrong with the outer perimeter; they came here often.
The deeper you go, the more serious things become. These deep mountains are no joke; who knows what lies ahead? There are ferocious animals like tigers and wolves, but they only come down from the mountain to harass the villagers unless provoked.
Wild boars and bears, though ferocious, can be defeated with a little effort; it's a fight to the death, and you can even get meat from them.
There are quite a few animals like red deer, wild goats, and roe deer that are a level below in combat strength. This time, Cheng Chao brought not only raw recruits, but also some veterans with good combat strength. If they really encounter wild animals, as long as they are not tigers or wolves, their chances are still very high.
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