Early the next morning, Chen Hao naturally woke from his cultivation. He opened the window and found that dawn had yet to fully break. Mist shrouded the mountains, lending them a charm all their own.
Chen Hao stepped out of his room. The fresh air, mingled with the earthy scent unique to the deep mountains, left him feeling thoroughly refreshed.
Looking down, he saw that Blackbeard and the others were already packing their bags.
Noticing Chen Hao upstairs, Blackbeard greeted him first. "Morning!"
Chen Hao returned the greeting politely.
Once everyone was up and had eaten a simple breakfast at the inn, Blackbeard called them together to set off.
Before they left, Blackbeard gave everyone a brooch-shaped communicator. "Keep this on you at all times, and whatever you do, don't lose it. There's no signal in the mountains, so your phones won't work. We'll be relying on these things for communication and tracking."
Everyone obediently nodded and pinned the tracking communicators to their clothes.
The trail into the mountains was especially difficult. Cars couldn't get through at all, so walking was their only option.
Blackbeard led the way, while the other mercenaries brought up the rear. Chen Hao and the others walked in the middle of the group.
Carrying the still-sleeping CC in his arms, Chen Hao had slapped the dog countless times along the way, but still couldn't wake him. He had given up all hope.
He had thought bringing CC along would be a big help. Instead, the damn dog had slept the whole way before they had even gotten started. Unbelievable.
After climbing another few hundred meters, they finally reached the mountain's summit.
The sun was just rising. As its first rays pierced the mist and illuminated the earth, everyone standing on the summit witnessed a breathtaking