"Bullshit! Who said Heaven Lake isn't part of China? It always has been and never changed. Which bastard came up with that bullshit?"
Before Pietro could answer Leo's question, Old Li, who had also heard it, suddenly snapped angrily.
As a native of Jilin, he had his own beliefs about Changbai Mountain and Heaven Lake. They would always be part of China's territory, and that was beyond dispute.
Pietro was startled by Old Li's words, though he didn't really take them to heart.
"I took a look just now. There's a border less than ten kilometers away in that direction, and that's exactly what the information sign says."
Pietro pointed in a direction as he spoke.
As for how he knew, when he saw that there was no one else on the mountain top, Pietro had wandered over there by himself.
Leo thought about it briefly before speaking.
"There is indeed a China–North Korea Border not far from here. After the 1960s, the government of China, in response to the government of North Korea's proposals concerning China–North Korea friendship and ideological considerations, ceded half of it to North Korea. Heaven Lake is now a lake shared by China and North Korea."
"But Changbai Mountain has always belonged to China, and so does Heaven Lake!"
Leo explained with a smile.
Old Li, however, was still somewhat indignant. "What kind of bullshit China–North Korea friendship is that? They clearly didn't understand the issue at all. Changbai Mountain has always been China's territory. Why give away half of it? Those damned bastards from Korea even insisted on taking our Changbai Mountain. We don't recognize that at all. Changbai Mountain will always belong to China."
Old Li spoke furiously, expressing his feelings as a local. In his heart, he had always firmly believed that