Mount Mengzi

"Xiao Xiao, hurry up!" Zhang Bo waved his arms, shouting at those behind him.

Zhang Bo, despite his refined name, was built like a tiger with a bear's waist, a burly figure, a true brawny man. Yet, he possessed an unexpectedly gentle side. It was he who had invited his university roommates to take advantage of the National Day holiday and visit his hometown, Zichuan.

Now, they were climbing Mount Mengzi.

Mount Mengzi was densely packed with scenic spots and had a long history. According to inscriptions on the mountain: "The palaces and pavilions on the mountain are magnificent, the houses are continuous, with structures resembling pavilions, towers, corridors, and halls..." "The south hall has two pillars, one side room, and two storage rooms..." "The open space in front of the temple was rebuilt into a grand hall, with statues placed in rows with other halls, allowing people to pay their respects and show reverence."

In the past, Mount Mengzi was constantly filled with incense smoke, and visitors came in endless streams to offer incense and worship, creating an exceptionally lively scene.

Although the current Mount Mengzi is not as grand as it once was, it still shows some of its former glory during holidays.

The boy trailing behind looked at Zhang Bo with a blank expression and sharp eyes. Only when Zhang Bo's overly relaxed eyebrows began to twitch did he slowly speak, "My name is Xiao- Xiao! First sound!"

"Isn't it just Xiao Xiao?" Zhang Bo muttered, his voice echoing loudly on the quiet mountain path.

"Alright, alright, Third Brother, you know how it is. Eldest Brother is the typical representative of 'four limbs, no brain.' Don't argue with him," Zhuge Yun said, putting an arm around Xiao Xiao's shoulders in a brotherly fashion, winking.

Xiao Xiao felt a twitch in his temple. Without politeness, he shook his shoulder, flicking off Zhuge Yun's arm, and said with a forced smile, "Second Brother, call me Third Brother or my name!"

"Then don't call me Second Brother either!"

"Who started it?"

"Sigh~" Zhao Luzheng, the youngest, looked at the childish and unreliable guys in front of him with a hint of melancholy and sighed.

He then looked around. The mountain path was rugged, and the trees formed a dense canopy, filtering the sunlight into sparse rays. The air carried a cool chill. Under normal circumstances, this temperature should have been comfortable in the hot weather, but the excessive quietness made one feel uneasy.

"Stop fooling around. Eldest Brother, where is this? Do you still know the way?" Zhao Luzheng quickened his pace, walking up to Zhang Bo.

They had originally come to Mount Mengzi for sightseeing, but there were too many tourists. Impatient with the crowds, and with Zhang Bo patting his chest and claiming it was his territory and he knew it like the back of his hand, they decided to go where there were fewer people. In the end, they ended up in such a secluded spot.

"Yeah, why is there no one here?" Zhuge Yun pushed up his glasses, a hint of confusion in his voice. Although they sought out less crowded areas, where in a scenic spot would there truly be no one?

"Huh?" Although Zhang Bo grew up in this area, he wasn't a native and couldn't distinguish all the paths in the mountains. He was also unfamiliar with this place and scratched his head. "Why don't we just go back? We'll eventually find our way out."

The other three rolled their eyes at him. What an unreliable guy.

Zhang Bo chuckled sheepishly, "Let's go, let's go. I'll treat you to a big meal when we get back."

Looking at his watch, it was almost eleven o'clock. They had arrived at Mount Mengzi at eight, and nearly three hours had passed without them realizing it. They were indeed getting hungry.

Xiao Xiao, lagging behind, felt that something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint it. He could only shake his head, dismissing the slight strangeness he felt.

"Third Brother, keep up!"

"Coming."

The thoughts were beautiful, but reality was cruel.

After walking for a while, they discovered they were completely lost.

It was already difficult to find one's way in the mountains, and the surrounding scenery was almost identical, just trees after trees. They had no idea which direction they had come from.

Xiao Xiao and the others were starting to get genuinely anxious.

They were in the mountains, and there was no signal.

If they were truly trapped here, it wouldn't be a laughing matter.

"Eldest Brother, you've really gotten us into trouble. 'Local expert,' my foot," Zhuge Yun complained without restraint, rubbing his slightly sore legs. After all, they had walked mountain paths all morning, and coupled with the psychological stress, the fatigue felt even heavier.

"Eldest Brother, what do we do now?" Zhao Luzheng leaned against a tree, feeling a bit frantic.

"Let me see, let me see." Zhang Bo felt even more tormented. They had trusted him and ended up in such an awkward situation. Moreover, he was born and raised here, so he should be able to find a way out more easily than them.

"Eldest Brother, don't worry," Xiao Xiao patted his shoulder. "Let's rest for a bit."

Xiao Xiao was somewhat of a neat freak and didn't lean against a tree. He stood there, slowly calming his slightly rapid breathing.

Suddenly, he looked up, cocked his ear, and walked around.

"Third Brother, what are you doing?" Zhuge Yun asked, noticing Xiao Xiao's strange behavior.

The others also looked at him questioningly.

Xiao Xiao ignored them. After walking in a few circles, he finally spoke, "I've been feeling that something was strange all along, but I couldn't quite grasp it. Now I finally know."

"Hmm, something strange?"

"What is it?"

"What's strange?"

"Don't you think it's too quiet here?" Xiao Xiao didn't keep them in suspense and directly stated his discovery.

"Oh, I thought it was something serious. Isn't it normal for it to be quiet in the mountains?" Zhuge An said with some disappointment, having expected some kind of wild tale and feeling let down.

"Indeed, it's normal for the mountains to be quiet. But listen. There aren't even any bird sounds here. There's no sound at all. Don't you find that strange?" Xiao Xiao frowned.

Logically speaking, in such an original ecological forest, dangerous creatures like wild animals might not be present, as this area had been designated as a scenic spot, and the safety of tourists had to be ensured. But there should at least be wild birds, right?

However, he had listened carefully. Not to mention bird songs, there weren't even any insect chirps. The entire forest was eerily silent.

"Ugh~" Hearing Xiao Xiao's explanation, the others finally snapped out of it.

Yeah, they hadn't paid attention before, but now they realized just how quiet their surroundings were, so quiet they could clearly hear their own heavy breathing.

A chill ran down their spines.

"Heh, did the hunters shoot all the birds?" Zhuge Yun chuckled dryly.

No one responded.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

"Let's go." Xiao Xiao took the lead. Sitting around and waiting was useless. Maybe he was just worrying for nothing, and perhaps they'd see other tourists as they walked.

"Okay." The others quickly followed. Rather than staying there and scaring themselves, it was better to move around. Maybe things would look up.

All the way, the only sounds the group heard were their own muffled footsteps on the dirt and the occasional rustle of fallen leaves. The trees formed a dense canopy, casting deep shadows, giving them the illusion of being swallowed.

Inevitably, their steps quickened, their faces growing pale.

"Wait a second." The sudden voice nearly made the people in front stumble.

"Third Brother, you're going to give us a heart attack!"

"My heart almost stopped!"

"Scaring people to death, you know!"

Facing the unified scolding from the three, Xiao Xiao was speechless. Was it that serious? Especially Eldest Brother, was his head just for show? So easily scared?

"Sorry, I didn't know you guys were so timid." Seeing the three about to explode again, Xiao Xiao quickly got to the point. "Look, it looks like there's a water source over there."

While the other three just rushed forward, Xiao Xiao had been periodically observing their surroundings.

So, naturally, he caught a glint in his peripheral vision. Hidden by the trees, he couldn't see clearly what it was.

But it was likely a water source.

"Ah, really? Let's go check it out."

"Hopefully, it's a river."

Many people knew that if you got lost in the mountains and found a river, following it downstream was the best way to survive.

So, Zhang Bo and the others started running, pushing aside bushes. Their faces, full of excitement, stiffened as they saw what lay before them, and their spirits deflated.

"What the heck, it's just a lake."

"What a waste of excitement."

Xiao Xiao arrived shortly after. It was indeed a large lake, covering a vast area.

The water's surface was calm and still, clear and tranquil, reflecting the sky and clouds.

"Ah, such clean water, but why aren't there any fish?"

"You're right, is this stagnant water?"

"But it doesn't smell weird."

Zhang Bo and the others chatted amongst themselves. Although disappointed not to have found a river, after seeing the monotonous trees for so long, suddenly encountering a body of clear water brought a sense of relief, easing their anxious and tense hearts.

"Huh? Aren't there fish?" Xiao Xiao, inhaling the crisp, watery air, felt refreshed. As he looked down, he saw dark shapes swaying and darting beneath the water, quite noticeable, and he couldn't help but wonder.