Into the Mountains

Going to the Countryside

Not long after they entered the mountains, the rows of buildings quickly grew sparse. On one side of the road was a steep slope, and on the other, jagged rocks. Towering trees blocked out the sky, and now and then they passed stretches of bamboo forest.

The two-way, single-lane road was just wide enough for two cars to pass. It was especially quiet, with few vehicles on the road. Most were pickup trucks, minivans, or minibuses carrying large water tanks on their roofs.

Although the mountain road from Nanming County to Goucheng was difficult to navigate, it was the shortest route in a straight line. Taking the highway, which was in better condition, meant going a long way around and taking more than twice as long.

The big Benz Li Bai had brought was brand-new, so naturally it was in good shape.

If they had taken the old Santana 2000, it would have been fine for driving around the city. But if it broke down halfway there, with no village ahead or behind them, even finding a tow truck would have been a hassle.

The highly maneuverable AMG-GT63S was also perfectly suited to the winding mountain roads.

The mountain air was much cooler than in the densely populated city. As they wound along the mountain roads and passed one peak after another, they didn't even need to turn on the air conditioning. Cool breezes flowed naturally into the car, sweeping away the oppressive heat of summer and making them want to take a nice, long nap.

The minibuses that regularly traveled the mountain roads were privately operated passenger vehicles.

As the main form of public transport in the mountains, the veteran drivers who made the trip year-round were exceptionally skilled. Whenever they passed the big Benz,