Up close, Jiao Mountain was a massive gray-black ring-shaped mountain, its upper reaches nearly rising into the clouds.
In truth, the entire mountain was far from as smooth as it looked. Its surface was pitted and uneven, covered in sinkholes and caves. Inside were natural fissures in the rock, as well as countless tunnels dug by human hands.
The people on Jiao Mountain had built villages around these places. From the outside, they appeared united, but in reality, scarce resources had created deep conflicts between the villages. Only when facing outsiders would they stand together.
The people here normally made a living by scavenging all sorts of strange objects buried deep beneath Jiao Mountain. No one knew where these things came from, yet they seemed impossible to exhaust.
The water and soil here had suffered severe contamination. Records showed that it had been this way since ancient times, yet from the Old Era onward, people fleeing harsh taxes and forced labor had continuously hidden here.
As Ren Xiaotian gradually drove the off-road vehicle closer, it suddenly jolted hard. The terrain here was rugged, so bumps were normal, but he sensed something and stopped the car.
He put on a mask and scarf, pushed open the door, and stepped out. Bracing against the howling wind, he took out a gas lamp and waved it a few times. After a while, someone wrapped from head to toe, with only their eyes exposed, crawled out of a nearby pit.
The person looked him over twice. "Been here before?"
Ren Xiaotian said nothing, merely tossing him a stack of Transaction Coupons, the common currency of Jiao Mountain.
Even in the gale, the man caught them with a single outstretched hand and smoothly stuffed them into his pocket. "What goods do you want?"
Ren Xiaotian