pdf-ebookys Chapter 361 Finally back
Chapter 361 Finally back
The two found a relatively dry large rock to barely shelter from the rain.
Wang Ergou, his neck hunched, his face filled with anxiety, said, "Xiangyang, do you think we can get out? I... I promised Hongxia I'd go back to the city in October."
Li Xiangyang patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, we'll definitely get out. Besides, my wife is pregnant, so I'm not in a hurry."
Even so, Li Xiangyang wasn't entirely optimistic.
The magnetic field interference in this godforsaken place is too strong; one wrong move and you could be lost forever in the mountains.
"Boom!" A thunderclap ripped through the sky, illuminating the entire hillside.
Just as the lightning flashed, Li Xiangyang keenly spotted a blurry figure on the left side of the hillside.
"There!" Li Xiangyang whispered, pointing to the left, "The afterimage has appeared, but in another direction!"
Wang Ergou suddenly looked up and gazed in the direction Li Xiangyang was pointing.
In the darkness, he saw nothing, but he chose to believe Li Xiangyang.
"Let's go!" Li Xiangyang made a quick decision, pulling Wang Ergou towards the hillside on the left.
The rain intensified, and the soil on the hillside became soft and slippery, forcing the two to grab onto trees and rocks along the way to maintain their balance.
Every few steps, Li Xiangyang would stop and wait for the next lightning bolt to confirm the location of the afterimage.
The slope became increasingly steep, and the two became more and more cautious in their movements.
As a bright flash of lightning illuminated the scene, Li Xiangyang saw a phantom standing before a cliff, seemingly guiding them in some way.
“There seems to be a crevice there,” Li Xiangyang squinted, his vision blurred by the rain. “It might be a hidden mountain path.”
The two approached the cliff cautiously.
"Good heavens, who could possibly tell that!" Wang Ergou exclaimed in amazement.
The passage was only wide enough for one person to pass at a time, so they had to squeeze through sideways.
The passageway was dark and damp, with water droplets falling from the ceiling from time to time.
Li Xiangyang walked ahead, using a flashlight for illumination, taking each step with extreme caution.
As they ventured deeper, the passage began to slope upwards, winding and twisting as if it had no end.
"Where does this road lead?" Wang Ergou asked breathlessly.
"I don't know, but as long as I can get out of this hellhole, I don't care where it leads," Li Xiangyang said firmly.
After walking for about half an hour, the passage suddenly opened up.
The two found themselves standing on a platform, with a stone staircase extending up and down in front of them, smoothed and rounded by the passage of time.
"This...this was repaired by hand, right?" Wang Ergou asked in surprise.
Li Xiangyang crouched down and carefully examined the stone steps: "It's ancient craftsmanship, at least several hundred years old. It seems there are many more secrets hidden in these mountains than we imagined."
"Which way? Up or down?"
Li Xiangyang pondered for a moment: "Upwards. The illusory figure has been leading us higher, most likely over the mountaintop."
The two began to climb up the stone steps.
The rain gradually subsided, but the mountain wind grew increasingly fierce.
The stone steps were steep and narrow, and in some places they were even broken, so they had to step over them carefully.
Finally, after climbing for nearly two hours, they reached the summit.
Standing on the mountaintop, both of them involuntarily gasped.
Before me lay a wide valley, with lights faintly visible in the distance.
Beneath their feet, a winding mountain road leads straight down the mountain.
"That...that's the light from Forest Farm No. 16!" Wang Ergou shouted excitedly, "We're really out!"
Li Xiangyang breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing: "It seems we've emerged from the other side of Magnet Mountain. There's no strong magnetic field interference here."
Ignoring their exhaustion, the two hurried down the mountain path.
Although the journey was rugged, it was, after all, a path made by human footsteps, and it was much better than the hardships they had faced on their way here.
It was already past midnight when we arrived at Forest Farm No. 16.
The forest ranger on night duty was startled when he saw them, but quickly invited them into the house.
"Why did you come down from the mountain in the middle of the night?" the forest ranger asked with concern, offering hot tea.
Li Xiangyang explained simply that they were sent by the Forestry Bureau to conduct an exploration, and they got lost for several days before finding their way out.
After finishing their hot tea and resting for a while, Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou bid farewell to the forest ranger and began their journey home.
"Xiangyang, should we go directly to the county to find Director Zhao, or go back to the village first?" Wang Ergou asked.
Li Xiangyang thought for a moment: "Let's go back to the village first. We'll rest for the night, and then go to the county together tomorrow."
The two walked for most of the night and did not return to Xiaoliang Village until dawn.
The village was still asleep, with only a few houses emitting wisps of smoke from their chimneys.
The two parted ways at the village entrance.
Wang Ergou dragged his tired body home, while Li Xiangyang couldn't wait to get back to his own home.
Early in the morning, Li Xiaoyun was still asleep. Li Xiangyang knocked on the door for a long time before she finally opened it.
Upon seeing him return, Li Xiaoyun excitedly threw herself into his arms, "You're finally back! I was so worried!"
Li Xiangyang hugged his wife tightly: "Yes, you're finally back."
Li Xiaoyun pushed him away and looked him up and down: "Are you alright? You look so disheveled?"
"It's a long story," Li Xiangyang smiled and touched her face, "but it's all in the past, and I'm doing well now. How are you and the baby?"
“We’re all fine, but I’m worried about you,” Li Xiaoyun’s eyes were a little red. “I’m afraid of you… afraid of you…”
"Shh," Li Xiangyang gently stroked her face, "I said I'd come back safely, and I did, didn't I?"
Li Xiaoyun nodded and leaned on his shoulder: "Yes, you did it."
"I'm going to take a shower first, then get a good night's sleep," Li Xiangyang kissed his wife's forehead. "I still have to go to the county to report to Director Zhao tomorrow."
After a quick wash, Li Xiangyang lay on the bed, with Li Xiaoyun nestled beside him, and the two spoke in hushed tones.
Li Xiangyang did not mention the strangeness and danger of Cishan, only saying that the exploration work went smoothly and a lot of mineral resources were found.
"Will you still go in the future?" Li Xiaoyun asked worriedly.
Li Xiangyang hesitated for a moment: "We might have to go again, with a professional team. But that's a matter for later, don't worry."
Seeing his wife still looking worried, Li Xiangyang changed the subject: "By the way, how are you feeling? Have you gone to the hospital in town for a checkup?"
As soon as the topic turned to the children, Li Xiaoyun immediately perked up and began to recount her experiences over the past few days.
Listening to his wife's gentle voice, Li Xiangyang slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Li Xiangyang was awakened by the sound of Li Xiaoyun preparing breakfast.
He rubbed his eyes and realized that he had slept for a full ten hours and his body had recovered most of its energy.
"You're awake?" Li Xiaoyun brought in a bowl of steaming porridge and side dishes. "Eat something to nourish yourself."
Li Xiangyang sat up, took the bowl, and laughed, "Are you treating me like a patient?"
“You bet,” Li Xiaoyun rolled her eyes at him, “The way he looked when he came back, he clearly suffered a lot.”