Only after they had paid did the landlady lead them into the inn. There was one thing she hadn't lied about: the inn was indeed rather old, and some spots in the corners of the walls were damp and blackened.
The room they were assigned was at the end of the third-floor corridor. It gave them a bad feeling. If anything went wrong, they could only jump out the window or get trapped inside.
Once they opened the door, they found the room's facilities fairly complete: two single beds, a table and chairs, and a private bathroom. When the landlady noticed that the Fatty seemed unhappy with the bathroom lighting, she thoughtfully told them she could refund their money if they weren't satisfied with the room.
"No need. We're quite satisfied. It's late, and we're ready to rest." Jiang Cheng looked at the landlady. "We're getting up early tomorrow to climb the mountain."
"Climb the mountain..." The landlady's expression shifted, then she forced an awkward smile. "You must be joking. You can't climb mountains this time of year. The scenery on East Xieming Mountain is best in April and May. It's very cold in the mountains now, and the rain a while back washed out the mountain road. The paths are very muddy."
Jiang Cheng rubbed his chin. "I see. Thanks for the warning, landlady. In that case, we'll go take a look at Mount Xixieming." As he spoke, he glanced at the Fatty and the others.
Taking the cue, the Fatty and the others put on an excited act. "Mount Xixieming sounds great. Just the name makes it sound more fun than the eastern mountain. Tomorrow we'll buy a few tents and some gear, then head farther into the mountains. It's been ages since we last camped in the