After narrowly escaping the attackers, I immediately returned to the town government dormitory.
Seeing the gaping wound on Manjing's arm, the monkey asked in a deep voice, "Young Master Duan, Niu Degeng promised to protect our safety. Do you think we should ask Niu Degeng for help and have him contact the police station for assistance?"
Lin Que curled her lip and said, "How many people are there in the local police station? What good would it do to talk to them?"
The monkey raised an eyebrow and said, "If the town doesn't work, there's still the county! With the Jiang family's connections, I don't believe they'll turn a blind eye to our safety!"
"Forget it, this matter cannot go through the authorities!"
I waved my hand to interrupt their conversation: "We came here to find the Miao Jiang Immortal Palace. If this matter goes to the authorities, it will affect our next plan. If the county is really afraid that something might happen to us and sends a bunch of people to protect our safety, then the search for the burial site will be even more impossible! Lin Que, take Manjing to the town's clinic to get his wound bandaged. Don't mention what happened today to anyone. If anyone asks, just say that Manjing accidentally scratched himself!"
After resolving this matter, everyone went about their own business. Before going to sleep, I also cocked my pistol, turned off the safety, and put it under my pillow.
When those guys attacked me, I was carrying a gun, but after much deliberation, I didn't choose to fire it in town. I was afraid that the gunshots would attract the attention of the police, and that would ruin my entire plan.
The reason we drew our guns at that moment was because if those attackers dared to come to the government compound and attack us, it meant they were all desperate criminals. Facing such a group of guys, survival was the most important thing.
As it turns out, my worries were unnecessary.
Although I didn't sleep well that night, everything was calm and nothing happened.
The next morning, after everyone gathered, Jiang Man saw that Manjing's arm was wrapped in bandages, and then looked at me: "Duan Shenxing, where did you guys go yesterday? Why is Manjing injured, and why is your face swollen?"
“Last night I was hungry, so I took Manjing into the cafeteria, intending to cook something for myself. But I slipped and fell, and when Manjing helped me up, his hand was cut by the kitchen utensils.”
I made an excuse to brush it off and then changed the subject: "I made an appointment with Director Liu of the forestry station yesterday to have breakfast at the forestry station. I guess the forest rangers will be here soon. Let's go and talk to them so they don't have to wait too long."
Liu, the head of the forestry station, is an old man who is about to retire. He said that the original head of the forestry station assigned to Qingyun Town was a college graduate who had not been able to go home for several months. This caused deep conflicts in the original head's family. His wife had passed away, and his children were working in the south. He was all alone, so he applied to be transferred to the most difficult place.
While we were having breakfast at the forestry station, Station Chief Liu led a thin, elderly man who looked to be over sixty years old into the canteen: "General Manager Jiang, General Manager Duan, let me introduce you. This is Zhou Yong, our forest ranger. Old Zhou, and these are the leaders sent by the county to our Qingyun Town for poverty alleviation. You must take good care of them."
Old Zhou looked at us somewhat reservedly: "Hello, leaders."
The monkey sized up Old Zhou and said with a sneer, "Station Chief Liu, this time our investigation involves going deep into the mountains, and Old Zhou is already so old. If he comes with us into the mountains, do you think we'll take care of him, or he'll take care of us? Why don't you find us someone younger?"
Old Zhou said sullenly, "Gentlemen, I am the youngest forest ranger in the town. I just look older than I am, but I am only fifty-three years old this year!"
The monkey was somewhat surprised: "Fifty-three isn't young anymore! You're telling me others are older than you, how can they still patrol the mountains?"
Old Zhou chuckled and said, "Qingyun Village is a poor place. Anyone with a bit of skill would have gone out to work long ago. Working as a forest ranger here only pays 12,000 yuan a year, with nothing but accident insurance. Young people can't even support their families on that salary. Who would want to do it?"
After listening to what Lao Zhou said, I sighed and said, "You forest rangers really have it tough. Not only do you have to prevent fires during holidays, but you also have to replant and thin out trees in spring and autumn. Don't worry, if you come into the mountains with us, we won't let you do it for free. We'll give you an extra five hundred yuan a day!"
"Boss, I don't want this money!"
Old Zhou looked at me with a simple and honest expression: "I haven't had much schooling and I'm not very good at talking, but I know that you came to Qingyun Village to help us get out of poverty. We old folks will never have the chance to leave the mountains in our lives, but the young people can't be like us. If you are really kind people, then you can help us repair the roads and build a school. I would be very satisfied!"
"Old Zhou, these leaders are here to conduct an inspection. They know the actual situation in their own minds. Don't try to morally blackmail them."
Station Chief Liu, fearing we might overthink things, quickly interrupted Old Zhou and then added, "These bosses are all from the city and don't know much about the mountainous area. You must take good care of them, and always remember that safety comes first!"
The forestry station has a pickup truck that is usually used to transport fire prevention supplies, but it can only take us to the edge of town; beyond that, there are continuous mountains.
Old Zhou led us along the mountain path and said, "Boss Duan, the mountains here are steep on the east side and gentle on the west side. Since you want to build a breeding farm, I'll take you west to find some flat land."
I pointed to the mountains to the east and said, "No, let's go to the highest peak first and see the surrounding terrain!"
Old Zhou looked at me curiously: "Boss Duan, you're not here to look at feng shui, so why do you want to go to the highest peak?"
Old Zhou's words surprised me a bit: "Master Zhou, you also know about Feng Shui?"
"I don't know much about it, but I took a feng shui master up the mountain a few years ago!"
Old Zhou chuckled, "About five or six years ago, a wandering Taoist priest somehow passed through Qingyun Town and took a liking to the feng shui here. He paid me two hundred yuan to take him up the mountain, saying he wanted to buy a burial plot for himself. Later, he was actually buried here! Boss Duan, you construction workers believe in feng shui too?"
I don't believe it.
Fearing that Lao Zhou might overthink things, I explained, "Aquaculture can't just rely on flat terrain; we also have to consider factors like lighting and ventilation. Our engineers here have to conduct on-site investigations to reach a conclusion... Master Zhou, do you have any local legends or stories? I often travel to the countryside and I enjoy listening to these folk tales."
"Haha, don't let my lack of formal education fool you. When it comes to storytelling, I'm a real pro. My grandson, who studies in the county town, comes back every winter and summer vacation and pesters me to tell him stories!"
Old Zhou chuckled and said, "Don't underestimate Qingyun Town just because it's poor. Immortals live in the mountains here!"
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