This was a Tibetan village. From high above, all one could see were Tibetan-style watchtowers, differing only in age and size. It was dusk, and smoke from cooking fires rose from every household, making the scene look like a painting.
With the screech of brakes and the harsh scrape of tires against dirt and gravel, the mountain patrol team climbed out of the vehicle.
"We're here. This is the place. White Chrysanthemum, take him in and get him settled."
Following Duojie's instructions, White Chrysanthemum led Wang Yan into the courtyard, up the steps, and into one of the watchtowers to settle in.
It was a relatively large watchtower, around seventy or eighty square meters. Inside were some distinctly Tibetan decorations. The tables and stools were carved with floral patterns and painted, though time had faded their colors.
There was a large communal sleeping platform inside, with rolled-up bedding on top. Every breath carried a gamey smell—a mix of beef and mutton, along with the strange odor created by too many people and too many scents mingling together. There was also the scent of incense, offered to the Buddhas at the shrine inside the room.
In that respect, the Buddhas truly did shelter those before Them. The incense covered up some of the unpleasant smell in the room.
"We all sleep here. The conditions are rough, and yeah, it does smell a bit. You'll have to get used to it." White Chrysanthemum pointed at the outermost edge of the sleeping platform. "Clear off the stuff there, and you can sleep there. You can handle it, right, college student?"
"I have to, whether I can or not." Wang Yan smiled. "But the hygiene here really is awful. There are probably lice everywhere, aren't there?"
White Chrysanthemum had already started helping him clear