Into the Mountains

Upon seeing the warning sign, the group couldn’t help but show a trace of concern on their faces.

Ye Wan, who had been quiet most of the time, stepped forward and examined the sign before remarking calmly, "So there really are wild animals here."

"Yeah, but if we don’t go too deep, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?" Tang Ziyun chimed in.

Ye Wan nodded. "Right, it should be fine. The outer areas are frequented by hikers, and there haven’t been any reports of wild animal encounters. No need to worry too much."

Pan Ning added, "Our route won’t take us too far in—just the first mountain on the outskirts. It’s safe. Let’s go."

"Okay, sounds good."

With that, the group continued forward.

However, Pan Ning didn’t lead them through the marked entrance. Instead, she guided everyone along the edge of the forest, veering left.

"Aren’t we going in directly?" Su Yang asked.

"Not from here. We’re following the trail—otherwise, we might get lost."

"Alright, you lead the way."

The ten of them climbed a steep slope for about seven or eight hundred meters before finally entering the dense woods of Qianye Mountain.

As soon as they stepped into the forest, the glaring sunlight vanished. The thick canopy overhead blocked out most of the light, leaving only a few scattered beams struggling through the gaps in the layered leaves.

Slender golden rays pierced through the faint mist in the woods, casting an almost surreal glow across the surroundings.

The temperature inside the forest had also dropped significantly.

The towering, densely packed trees blocked most of the sunlight, making the mountain air much colder than outside.

As the group trekked through the woods, the sound of their footsteps crunching on thick layers of dried leaves and grass echoed softly.

"It’s so cold in here," Lu Yun muttered, rubbing her hands together.

"Exactly. That’s why I told you all to bring jackets. The temperature in the mountains is much lower than outside. But you’ll warm up once we keep moving. Let’s pick up the pace."

"Okay, got it~"

As they walked and chatted, Shen Yixue suddenly darted over to Pan Ning and asked, "Pan Pan, where does this trail lead?"

Pan Ning sighed in amusement. "I just explained it earlier. Weren’t you paying attention?"

Shen Yixue stuck out her tongue playfully. "I wasn’t listening~"

Pan Ning shook her head. "The endpoint is the summit of the first mountain in the outer area, about 1,300 meters in elevation. It’s not too high, but the view is great. You can take plenty of photos when we get there."

"Got it. But are you sure you know the way?"

"Look at the ground—there’s already a well-trodden path from previous hikers. Just follow it."

Shen Yixue glanced down and saw a compacted trail winding through the thick leaves, leading deeper into the forest.

"Alright, as long as we know the way. Getting lost here would be a nightmare."

"Don’t worry, we won’t. Let’s go."

The group continued following Pan Ning deeper into the woods. Gradually, their formation loosened, splitting into three smaller clusters.

Pan Ning, Su Yang, Liu Bo, and Ji Bo took the lead.

Ye Wan, Zhang Ziming, and Shen Yixue stayed in the middle.

Lu Yun, Meng Qianyu, and Tang Ziyun lagged slightly behind, though the distance between them was only about three or four meters.

Su Yang turned back and called out, "Try not to spread out too much. Keep close, and if anyone’s tired, just say the word—we’ll take a break."

"Got it! No problem, we’re just getting started. Not tired yet," Zhang Ziming replied from the back.

"Alright, let’s keep moving."

After what felt like a long while, a blinding shaft of sunlight broke through as they emerged from the first stretch of dense forest into a low-lying valley.

A river about seven or eight meters wide meandered through the ravine.

Liu Bo pointed at the water and exclaimed, "Yang, isn’t this the upstream part of the river near our campsite?"

Su Yang shook his head. "It’s the same river, but this isn’t the upstream section. The river seems pretty long—it probably originates from deep within Qianye Mountain. This part is still downstream. The stretch near our camp is likely just a tributary."

Liu Bo nodded in agreement.

Ji Bo casually asked, "You think there are crocodiles in there?"

"Hard to say. Why don’t you jump in and find out?" Liu Bo teased.

Ji Bo rolled his eyes. "Trying to send me back to the factory for repairs, huh?"

Su Yang cut in before their banter could escalate. "Enough, you two. Stay focused and move away from the edge. Even if there aren’t crocodiles, falling in and getting soaked would still be a hassle."

"Got it."

They followed the river upstream, navigating a path littered with jagged rocks. Large boulders frequently blocked their way, making the trek far more challenging than the forest trail.

The rough terrain slowed their progress.

"Take it slow here. It’s a bit dangerous, so help each other out," Pan Ning reminded the group, glancing back.

"Okay~"

Pan Ning didn’t frequent gyms, but she had a treadmill, exercise bike, and yoga mat at home. Su Yang had noticed during his last visit—she clearly worked out regularly.

Among the girls, only Ye Wan seemed unfazed by the hike. The others were visibly fatigued, while Ye Wan hadn’t even broken a sweat.

She moved swiftly, scaling larger rocks with ease, using both hands and feet. Su Yang had offered help several times, but she always declined.

This girl’s stamina is impressive.

After half an hour of scrambling over rocks, they finally left the treacherous riverside path and reached a more open area.

But ahead lay yet another seemingly endless stretch of forest.

Ji Bo braced his hands on his knees, panting heavily. "Man, I’m exhausted. Let’s take a breather."

"Alright, rest up. Have some water," Su Yang announced.

Everyone found spots to sit and pulled out their water bottles, gulping down the cool liquid.

Liu Bo smirked at Ji Bo. "Dude, your stamina’s terrible. Even the girls aren’t as winded as you—especially Pan Ning. She’s not even breaking a sweat."

"Didn’t expect you to be the weakest link."

Ji Bo chugged his entire bottle before responding dismissively, "Haven’t exercised in a while. Back in school, I was an athlete."

"Bull. You just graduated. Pretty sure you’ve always been like this. A grown man getting tired after a short hike? You need training."

"Yeah, yeah. I’ll start working out when we get back."

"How long have we been walking?" Zhang Ziming asked, stepping forward.

Liu Bo checked his watch. "Only about an hour."

"Just an hour? Feels like two or three."

With that, he plopped down beside Liu Bo.

"You should exercise more too. From the looks of it, you're not much better off than Ji Bo."

Zhang Ziming grinned. "I can't compare to you, but I'm definitely a step above him."

"Hey, Sis, how much longer till we reach the end?" Zhang Ziming asked, glancing at Pan Ning, who was sitting on a rock.

Pan Ning picked up her makeshift map and studied it. "We haven't even covered half the distance yet."

"What? Ugh, I should've stayed home. Meng Qianyu was the smart one, dodging this."

Su Yang shook his head with a laugh. "Don't follow his example. People need to stay active—otherwise, no matter how much money you have, a weak body won't do you any damn good."

"Fair point. Alright, let's buck up and push through!"