Uncanny Valley

Chapter 14

The usually talkative Yue Dongbei was unusually quiet today. This chubby man, so confident in his academic abilities, should have been incredibly excited and eager at this moment. Why wasn't he speaking? Perhaps his emotions were too overwhelming, and he'd even forgotten how to speak?

Where is Zhou Liwei? This professor, renowned in academia, is actually in such a remote, almost desolate border region. Is it worth it? Is he trying to find the root of his phobia? Or is he trying to refute Yue Dongbei's academic work and defend the dignity of science?

Could it be that he harbors other secrets that no one knows about?

Bai Jian'e, along with two of his men, was already waiting in the square in front of the Dragon King Temple. Upon seeing Luo Fei and his companions arrive, he first greeted Zhou Liwei, then pointed to the sky and said, "Judging from the sky, it won't rain for the next couple of days. The heavens are on our side; let's hope our trip continues as smoothly as it has today."

Clearly, Bai Jian'e was taking the initiative to defuse the argument between the two of them yesterday over their departure time. Zhou Liwei smiled slightly, gladly accepting the other party's gesture, and also took the opportunity to politely say, "Then we'll have to rely on Chief Bai's help!"

“I will do my best. Once we step into the jungle, our fates will be intertwined,” Bai Jian’e said solemnly. Then he instructed Wu Qun beside him, “Distribute the food, and we’ll set off immediately.”

"These dried meat and flatbreads are enough for each of you for four days. It rained heavily these past two days, so there's plenty of water on the mountain, and we won't bring any extra water. I'll find a place to refill your water bottles once you've finished them," Wu Qun explained as he distributed the food bags to Luo Fei and the other two.

“There are a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains. Leeches, poisonous ants, and the like can get in anywhere. You’d better tighten your collars and cuffs.” Bai Jian’e reminded them a couple of times, then glanced at them and noticed that Luo Fei and the others’ windbreakers had their cuffs tightly closed, and their trousers were already tucked into their shoes and socks. He smiled knowingly and said to Zhao Liwen, “Help them rub some garlic juice on.”

Zhao Liwen agreed, took out a small bag made of gauze, squatted down and rubbed it around the seam of Luo Fei and the others' pantyhose. The pungent smell of garlic immediately wafted out, so the bag must have been full of crushed garlic paste.

"This way, poisonous insects won't crawl into the seams of your shoes." Bai Jian'e explained the purpose of this action, and with a wave of his hand, he handed over three pairs of light-colored sunglasses: "Here, take a pair for each of you."

Luo Fei and the others accepted the gifts, somewhat surprised. Yue Dongbei asked, even more curiously, "What do you need these for? Will the sunlight be too bright in the jungle?"

Bai Jian'e chuckled, "We'll inevitably encounter many obstacles along the way, so wear these to avoid getting your eyes hurt."

Luo Fei suddenly realized, and thought to himself: There is indeed a lot to learn about traversing the jungle. Without an experienced guide, one would inevitably encounter countless difficulties and troubles along the way.

Under Bai Jian'e's orders, Wu Qun and Zhao Liwen took over the tents and sleeping bags brought by Luo Fei and the other two, which greatly reduced their burden.

Everything seemed to be ready. Bai Jian'e stood with his hands behind his back, looked up, and gazed eastward.

Everyone looked over as well. Not far away, towering peaks and dense forests stretched across the path they were about to take.

"Mount Mopan..." After a long silence, Bai Jian'e let out a long sigh and uttered these three words softly. Then he straightened up and adopted a resolute tone: "Let's set off!"

Having said that, he took the lead and strode towards the forest behind the Dragon King Temple.

Luo Fei and the others followed closely behind. As they walked further and further away, their figures were finally swallowed up by the majestic mountains more than twenty minutes later.

As soon as Luo Fei entered the mountains, he felt as if he had entered another world. The tall, dense forest overhead almost completely blocked out the sky, making the atmosphere gloomy even though it was daytime. Near the ground, the low trees grew even more luxuriantly, densely packed together without leaving any gaps.

Previous hikers had trodden a path through the dense forest for later generations. Calling it a "path" was a stretch; it was merely a trail left by those who had walked it. Once inside the mountains, Wu Qun led the way, machete in hand, carefully following the trail, constantly hacking at branches and vines that blocked his path. He did this both to make it easier for his companions behind him and to scare away any lurking poisonous insects or wild animals, thus preventing any unexpected "conflicts."

Bai Jian'e followed closely behind Wu Qun, making decisions when the path ahead was unclear. The rest of the time, he devoted most of his energy to taking care of Yue Dongbei behind him.

Yue Dongbei was undoubtedly the one struggling the most in the group. His obese body appeared even more clumsy on the wet mountainside after the rain, and he was already panting heavily after only a short distance. However, despite the difficulty of moving forward, he did not shrink back or complain, but gritted his teeth and persevered, sometimes even saying encouraging words or self-deprecating remarks to himself. Clearly, a powerful mental strength was supporting him.

Behind Yue Dongbei was Luo Fei, whose pace was much easier than Yue's. This was thanks to the rigorous physical training he underwent at the police academy in his early years and his many years of work experience in the Nanming Mountains. Climbing mountain paths was not unfamiliar to him, but traversing such dense rainforest was a first for him. As he walked, he would occasionally help Yue Dongbei in front of him or pull Zhou Liwei behind him.

Zhou Liwei maintained a constant pace, keeping up with the group. His stride was neither fast nor long, but his leg kicks were solid and powerful, demonstrating excellent physical fitness. When he encountered some unusual plant species by the roadside, he would pause briefly to collect a specimen or two of branches and leaves for on-the-spot study.

Zhao Liwen walked at the back of the group. He was not tall and didn't talk much, but his eyes were anything but dull, even flashing with a hint of ruthlessness. His arms were thick, with veins bulging at his wrists. Holding such hands, which held a gleaming, sharp machete, made everyone feel at ease entrusting their safety to him alone.

The higher they climbed, the lower the temperature became, and the gloomy atmosphere completely devoid of any summer feel. However, due to the immense physical exertion, everyone was drenched in sweat and had to constantly drink water to replenish it. Bai Jian'e kept a close eye on the physical condition of the three behind him (primarily focusing on Yue Dongbei), and when appropriate, he would instruct Wu Qun, the leader, to slow down, giving those who were exhausted a chance to catch their breath. Once, seeing that Yue Dongbei was truly unable to continue, Luo Fei suggested that everyone rest on the spot, but Bai Jian'e rejected this: "Unless you plan to rest for a long time, try not to stop. Sitting for a short while will only make you feel more tired."

"This is because frequent stopping and starting disrupts the body's internal rhythm, accelerating fatigue," Zhou Liwei added to Bai Jian'e's statement from a physiological and medical perspective.

Fortunately, although the mountain road was slippery, it was not steep. With someone leading the way, the difficulty of the latter's journey was greatly reduced, and there was no need to worry about the danger of slipping and falling.

It wasn't until noon that Bai Jian'e stopped Wu Qun, then turned to the others and said, "Alright, everyone, take a break and have something to eat."

Yue Dongbei had been waiting for this sentence. Before Bai Jian'e could finish speaking, he found a relatively flat and dry spot and plopped down on it: "Oh my god, I'm exhausted. I can finally rest."

Looking at his disheveled appearance, Luo Fei couldn't help but smile: "This is just the beginning, you'd better hang in there."

Yue Dongbei ignored him and took out his water bottle, gulping it down in one go.

The others also found a place nearby to sit down and rest. After they had caught their breath, Bai Jian'e told everyone to take out their food packets and begin eating.

Luo Fei tore off a small strip of jerky and put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly. The jerky was made from marinated pork, with a slightly spicy flavor, which was quite delicious. In contrast, the flatbread was dry and hard, and had little flavor; it was only good for filling one's stomach.

Everyone else ate quite a bit, but Yue Dongbei looked miserable and said indignantly, "How come you all have such good appetites? I'm exhausted and don't want to eat anything."

Zhou Liwei laughed and said, "You drank that water too fast just now and your stomach is a little full. You'll be fine in a bit."

Sure enough, after a while, Yue Dongbei recovered and began to eat heartily, eating more than anyone else.

"Chief Bai, how far have we gone?" Luo Fei asked during a break, because the forest was too dense and everyone's vision was very limited, so they could not judge their current location by observation.

Bai Jian'e had already made a rough estimate in his mind: "We should have passed the halfway point of the mountain. Let's work hard this afternoon and try to settle down on the eastern slope of Mopan Mountain for the night."

After lunch, everyone rested for a while before continuing their journey.

Yue Dongbei's physical disadvantages became increasingly apparent in the afternoon, affecting the team's pace and slowing them down. However, they persevered without stopping, and finally reached the summit of Mopan Mountain around 6 PM.

Luo Fei climbed onto a rock at the summit and looked down the mountain. The surrounding mountains were lush and verdant, brimming with life. Bai Jian'e followed, and before Luo Fei could ask, pointed to a flat depression in the distance and said, "That's Terror Valley."

This place appears prosperous, peaceful, and beautiful, yet it has such a daunting name. What secrets lie hidden beneath that verdant landscape?

Luo Fei gazed intently for a moment, then turned his head to look down the way he had come from the west. The view from here was, of course, incredibly expansive, with mountains and ravines stretching out before him. Could Li Dingguo have stood in the same spot more than three hundred years ago, commanding that tragic and fierce Battle of Mopan Mountain? Thinking that this tranquil jungle had once been a battlefield where tens of thousands had fought and bled, Luo Fei couldn't help but feel a sense of profound感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex feeling of deep emotion or reflection) about the vicissitudes of life and the fleeting nature of existence.

While it was still light, the group did not linger and continued their journey eastward down the mountain for another half hour.

Just then, they passed a small, rocky hill, almost level with sparse, low-lying shrubs. Bai Jian'e stopped. "It gets dark very quickly in the mountains. Let's not go any further. Let's set up camp here and spend the night."

Everyone agreed in unison. They immediately took off their backpacks and got to work.

Bai Jian'e cleared the hill a bit, and then Luo Fei and the other two set up their tents.

Wu Qun searched around for a while and found a pit nearby. It was filled with rainwater, but it looked dirty and murky, making it undrinkable. He used a machete to dig a reservoir about 20 centimeters in diameter and half a meter deep not far from the pit. After a while, the water in the pit slowly seeped into the reservoir. Although the process was slow, the water became much clearer.

Zhao Liwen then found some broken tree branches, split them open, and used the still-dry parts to start a campfire on the hill. By this time, it was already dark, and everyone sat around the campfire, finally able to relax.

After walking all day on the mountain path after the rain, our shoes, socks, and trouser legs were soaked through. The first thing we did was take off our shoes and dry them by the fire.

Just as they were enjoying themselves, Yue Dongbei suddenly shouted, "Damn it, what is this thing?!" His tone was even panicked.

Luo Fei quickly went over and saw that he had just taken off his left sock, and there were two huge leeches crawling on his chubby ankle!

The leech was about the size of a thumb, already saturated with blood, its body swollen as if about to burst, emitting an eerie dark red glow. Just as Yue Dongbei was at a loss, the leech, exposed to the air, automatically made two soft "plop" sounds and rolled off.

Bai Jian'e, unfazed, chuckled and joked, "Mr. Yue, your trouser legs aren't tucked in tight enough, making life easier for these two leeches. They're living the high life, with plenty to eat and drink!"

"Damn it, how dare they drink my blood!" Yue Dongbei cursed, picking up a twig and flicking two plump leeches into the campfire. With a hiss, wisps of smoke rose, and a faint smell of blood filled the air.

As Yue Dongbei carefully examined his feet, he muttered with lingering fear, "How come I didn't feel anything when it was sucking my blood, given how big it is?"

“If you had any sense, wouldn’t you have noticed immediately? Would you still be getting your blood sucked?” Zhou Liwei said with a smile. “These leeches have a kind of anesthetic-like mucus on their suckers. Not only do you not feel anything when they suck your blood, but they also secrete substances that help your wounds heal quickly. These are all self-protective mechanisms that species have developed over a long period of evolution.”

"We really can't find an opening," Yue Dongbei said indignantly, rubbing his ankle. "But we can't just suck it for free, can we? There's no such thing as a free lunch."

After a few more rounds of teasing, the little incident was over.

The clean water that everyone had brought with them when they set off was almost all gone. Wu Qun took an empty water bottle, went to the homemade water tank, filled it with filtered water, and then added a pill to each water bottle.

"What did you add?" Luo Fei couldn't help but ask.

"Disinfectant tablets," Wu Qun answered frankly. As if afraid that the other party might have doubts, he even picked up his water bottle first and took a big gulp.

Luo Fei took the kettle and took a sip; sure enough, the water tasted like bleach.

After dinner, night had fallen. There wasn't a single ray of light in the mountains and forests; except for the area around the campfire, everything was pitch black, as if painted with ink. The occasional chirping of unknown insects and calls of wild animals further amplified the desolate atmosphere of the deep forest wilderness.

After chatting for a while, Bai Jian'e said, "We still have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow, so let's get some rest. You guys squeeze into the tent, and the three of us can just find somewhere to lie down outside."

Luo Fei knew they were used to this, so he didn't stand on ceremony and simply said, "Thank you for your hard work."

Bai Jian'e and his two companions each found a flat, comfortable spot and spread out their bedding. Before lying down, Zhao Liwen took out a bamboo tube and sprinkled three circles of powdery substance around each person's bedding.

Luo Fei smelled a pungent odor and guessed, "This is... sulfur?"

Bai Jian'e nodded: "We'll sit in the open air, the campfire will scare away wild beasts, and the sulfur will repel poisonous insects. We'll also need to apply some mosquito repellent later."

Luo Fei smiled slightly: "I hope all this effort won't be in vain, and that we can all get a good night's sleep."

Bai Jian'e did not answer, his gaze fixed on the dark land outside the circle, his expression solemn, lost in thought.

Did he already foresee that no one would be able to sleep soundly during this period?

17. Peeling and stuffing grass

Three people squeezed into the small tent, making the space rather cramped. But in this situation, they couldn't worry about that. Yue Dongbei was the most exhausted, and soon after crawling into his sleeping bag, he was snoring loudly. Zhou Liwei was annoyed by his noise and complained quietly several times, but the other was already fast asleep, so it had no effect.

Luo Fei didn't mind. He calmed himself down, closed his eyes to relax, and soon a feeling of drowsiness spread throughout his body, and he gradually fell asleep.

He didn't know how long he had slept when suddenly there was a loud "whoosh" from the top of the tent, as if something had fallen from the sky. Luo Fei was naturally alert, and even in his sleep, his hearing was sharp. He immediately woke up and sat up in his sleeping bag.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Liwei also crawled out of his sleeping bag. Judging from his appearance, it seemed that he hadn't slept at all.

A commotion broke out outside the tent, followed by the flickering beams of flashlights. Bai Jian'e whispered angrily, "What's the panic! Everyone keep an eye on one side."

"Something's up!" Luo Fei quickly put on his shoes and flashed to the outside of the tent.

The three people outside the tent had all gotten up. Wu Qun and Zhao Liwen held knives in their right hands and flashlights in their left, looking surprised as they searched the surrounding darkness. Bai Jian'e stood by the campfire, his eyes gleaming coldly like hooks as he stared intently at something he was clutching in his hand.

Luo Fei stared intently and saw clearly, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. It turned out that the thing was a live snake about two feet long, but its skin had been peeled off, with only a small part of its tail still attached, hanging limply to one side. The snake was twisting its pink body, struggling in pain, a scene that sent chills down one's spine.

"What happened?" Luo Fei stepped forward and asked.

Bai Jian'e's expression was somewhat strange, a mixture of confusion and fear, with a hint of lingering ferocity. After a moment of silence, he looked up at Luo Fei and said in a cold tone, "This is the thing that just fell from the sky and landed on your tent."

Zhou Liwei followed them over at this moment. Hearing their conversation and seeing the gruesome sight of the live snake, his expression suddenly changed: "Is there someone else in this forest?"

Bai Jian'e didn't speak, but his next action answered. He tossed the snake into the campfire, then suddenly raised his head, his eagle-like eyes fiercely scanning the surrounding bushes.

The poor snake, naked and scalded by the fire, was in unbearable pain. It thrashed wildly in the flames a few times before finally coming to a stop.

Yue Dongbei had just stepped out of the tent when he saw Bai Jian'e throwing the snake. He was stunned for a moment, then laughed gleefully: "Haha, Chief Bai, I fed you two leeches today, and you're not satisfied, so you want to feed you a snake instead?"

Everyone looked grave, and no one paid him any attention. Yue Dongbei then sensed the awkward atmosphere and asked in surprise, "What...what's wrong with you all?"

Suddenly, the beam of light from Wu Qun's flashlight caught sight of something, and he immediately exclaimed, "Chief, look!"

Following the beam of light, everyone looked towards the high bushes to the southwest and saw clothes peeking out from among the branches and leaves, indicating that someone was hiding there.

Bai Jian'e swiped his body, drew a cleaver from his waist, assumed a defensive stance, and then stepped forward, shouting in that direction, "Stop hiding, come out now!"

The man remained motionless; the beam of the flashlight and Bai Jian'e's shouts seemed to have no effect on him.

At this moment, a mountain wind blew by, and the "person's" body swayed back and forth a few times with the wind. The movements were stiff and strange, as if the person was floating lightly and completely unaffected by force.

“Chief, that doesn’t seem to be…not a living person.” Wu Qun said in a trembling voice, the beam of his flashlight shaking as he spoke.

"What are you afraid of? Useless thing!" Bai Jian cursed, snatched Wu Qun's flashlight, shone it again on the target half-hidden in the branches and leaves, and said sternly, "I don't care if you're human or ghost, if you keep hiding and don't come out, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The person remained unresponsive.

Luo Fei and the other two looked at each other in dismay. They hadn't expected such a strange thing to happen on their first night in the jungle. It seemed that even the experienced Bai Jian'e and his companions were caught off guard and were at a loss for how to deal with it.

After a brief stalemate, Bai Jian'e seemed to lose patience. He turned around, nodded to Zhao Liwen, and gave him a cold look.