Entering

Chu Tianshu and his group of several dozen people traveled by plane and then by ship after setting off.

As we approached our destination, we drove ashore, and all the cars were imported from China.

The people in the team were either physically exceptional or Mind Power cultivators like Sun Buyuan; despite the arduous journey, they showed no signs of fatigue.

Chen Taozhi was driving, Sun Buyuan was in the passenger seat, and Chu Tianshu was in the back, his left hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his eyes closed as he meditated, and his right hand gently pressing against his chest.

The Great Void Heavenly Eye, which he kept in his shirt pocket, was radiating power into his body in a concentrated manner, imperceptible to outsiders.

The Great Void Heavenly Eye possesses two forms: catalysis and attack, and the radiant energy it generates is vastly different.

Even in its catalytic form, it is an extremely strong stimulus, used by Zhang Tongxuan to control things like soul-devouring insects in battle, rather than for normal cultivation.

Although Chu Tianshu can cultivate using catalysis, based on his current tests, he can only withstand about six hours a day.

After that, one must wait about ten hours before being able to perform the same practice again; too much of a good thing is bad.

This cultivation method stimulates the physical body and activates internal energy, resulting in quite gratifying progress.

Perhaps after a few months, the amount of time that can be tolerated each day will increase significantly.

They are now heading to a county town within Chiang Mai Province in Siam.

Chiang Mai Province, located within Siam, is known as the economic center of the north, with tourism as its mainstay. It has established sister city relationships with Shencheng and Fog City.

However, Chiang Mai Province comprises more than twenty districts.

Several counties are included within the Golden Triangle region.

The forces originally deployed by the Kingdom of Siam in these counties were quite powerful, sufficient to suppress the situation and maintain general stability.

Although there is a chance of seeing various suspicious people on the road, at first glance, it still looks like a bustling small county town.

After the turmoil of the past six months, the county now appears to be in a rather chaotic state.

Since we landed, on our way to the county town, we've already seen many abandoned or overturned cars on the roadside.

There were also some larger buses, pushed by the crowd, seemingly heading nowhere.

Looking out from the highway, you can see some small villages where fights seem to be taking place, and there are gunshots.

"The locals could more or less guess the nature of our observation team this time; we weren't your average diplomats."

Chen Taozhi, gripping the steering wheel, said, "So the staff who greeted us at the airport were very easy to deal with, giving us a lot of freedom to move around."

"But once we get here, the local officials' attitude towards us might be more complicated. They'll most likely just want to take us somewhere and treat us like royalty, just to make sure we don't cause any trouble."

Sun Buyuan chuckled lightly, "The people at the airport clearly knew Mr. Chu, but the people here might not."

Chu Tianshu was a little puzzled and opened his eyes, asking, "Won't their superiors send detailed instructions to the people here?"

Chen Taozhi explained, "Ultimately, our regiment was practically operating under the guise of battlefield observation, while this county was already part of the battlefield."

"The composition of the public officials currently stationed here is so complex that even their superiors may not be able to explain it clearly, so how could they be willing to open up and communicate at all times?"

Although Chu Tianshu was the leader of this trip.

But Chen Taozhi has the most extensive experience in foreign affairs.

I heard that before the Thunder Hub Assault Team was formed, Chen Taozhi's team often went abroad on business, traveling South Sea, including Southeast Asia, so it was a good match for their expertise.

There's a tollbooth at the point where this road leads into the city.

Today, dozens of heavily armed soldiers were stationed there, led by a well-dressed Siam man who was anxiously waiting beside his car.

Upon seeing Chen Taozhi's car, the man began waving in their direction.

Sun Buyuan pulled out the photos on his phone and compared them.

"Naichai, they're here to pick us up."

Chu Tianshu was seated in the center of the back row, not blocked by the two seats in front, and could directly see the soldiers.

Although they were called soldiers, they were actually only wearing loose camouflage jackets on their upper bodies and carrying submachine guns on their shoulders; their lower body clothing was not uniform at all.

If they just take off their camouflage jackets, even if they're still holding guns, it would be hard for anyone to tell whether they're Siam or some other kind of armed group.

The Golden Triangle region, as it is known on the map, truly resembles an inverted triangle.

Within this area, there are towering mountains and more than three thousand villages and towns.

Several major rivers rush through these mountains, and the complexity of the terrain, coupled with the subtropical rainforest climate, made it difficult for the surrounding countries to gain substantial control over this region in ancient times.

In modern times, the warlords here had become powerful, and in the 1950s and 1960s, they defeated the armies of countries such as Siam on several occasions.

For example, the most famous Sahong armed forces today, in addition to possessing a large number of American-made firearms, also have a considerable number of grenade launchers, mortars, rocket launchers, helicopters, and even surface-to-air missiles.

The sheer number of small and medium-sized armed groups is difficult to pinpoint accurately.

This place is quite different from the battlefield of Jiyin Commandery Northern and Southern Dynasties.

That ancient battlefield can be roughly divided into the perpetrators and the local people. The former were generally ordered to ravage the people, while the latter had almost no ability to resist.

Their demeanor and temperament are quite different at first glance, making them easy to distinguish.

And this is the area that Chu Tianshu is currently venturing into.

The most important aspect of so-called militants is that they possess firearms, not that they all wear armor or have uniform clothing.

Relying on modern and advanced communication methods, these people can easily break up into smaller groups and then regroup, resulting in complex positions among various armed groups.

In the past six months, many previously law-abiding locals have also organized armed young men due to the unbearable harassment.

Naichai, who came to greet them, was wearing a suit, but it was rather loose, and there was a slight bulge on his right hip, clearly indicating that he was also always carrying a gun.

"Welcome to the observation team. We will provide the fullest possible protection for your safety."

Naichai speaks fluent Mandarin, but his pronunciation is slightly off, and he speaks very fast, which makes it sound rather strange.

It's almost like listening to some strange dialect in China.

As Chu Tianshu and his two companions got out of the car, Naichai approached them and shook hands with each of them.

This person had a bright smile, regular features, and although his skin was dark, it seemed to be a natural color. His skin was not rough, and he was easy to like.

"Wow, everyone in the back of the group, is it that each person has their own car? It seems they have a lot of experience in travel security. However, using such new cars is a bit conspicuous."

Naichai said earnestly, "Everyone, please come with me to our lodgings as soon as possible. It's not only safe there, but also very beautiful."

Chen Taozhi gave Chu Tianshu a look, a smile on her face.

That means, "Am I right?"

These people really do seem to be planning to treat them like royalty.

But Chu Tianshu did not refuse.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Naichai. We're a bit tired today anyway."

After Chu Tianshu said this, he led the way back to the car, with Naichai's car leading the way.

The soldiers boarded two trucks, which had no canopies, and stood on them to scan the surroundings, making it easier for them to perform their guard and protection duties.

After driving for more than ten minutes, we didn't go to a hotel, but instead entered a temple.

The temple entrance is a long road with lush grass on both sides. After driving for a while, you can park your car in a square paved with white stone slabs.

The main body of the temple is a yellow and white building. The bright sunlight shines on this place, making the terrain appear very open.

Further away, one can see towering mountains and deep green rainforests.

Being inside this temple, it's as if the mountains and forests, which should be even more vast, have become mere embellishments to the temple.

This unique visual experience instantly makes one feel relaxed and carefree.

The person who designed this temple was definitely a master of architecture.

The architecture within the temple also clearly shows different styles, although the main structures appear to be Buddhist halls, white pagodas, and a forest of steles.

There are also several other large halls, which have a distinct Siam secular style.

Even in the southeast corner, there is an ancient hall with a statue on the roof ridge that is clearly in the Chinese style, depicting two dragons playing with a pearl.

Moreover, it is not an ordinary stone carving; it appears to be made of many colored porcelain pieces glued and pieced together.

The dragon's eyes, forehead, horns, scales, and powerful claws are incredibly lifelike and three-dimensional.

That's the Southern Fujian porcelain-cutting technique; even after hundreds of years of weathering, the ancient sculptures still retain their vibrant colors.

On either side of the palace gate hang couplets in Chinese characters.

May he preserve longevity and health, and may his mighty spirit shroud Taoshan.

May the people live in peace and good fortune; may grace flow like a river and blessings be boundless.

As soon as Chu Tianshu got out of the car, he noticed the temple.

Naichai seemed to have expected this, and as he got out of the car and walked over, he had already begun his introduction.

"That place enshrines your country's deity, Baosheng Dadi, who is also highly revered in our country. He is said to be a great god with excellent medical ethics and great efficacy."

"I'm sure staying here will make you all feel more at ease."

Chu Tianshu noticed that the young reception staff coming from various parts of the temple were almost all dressed as waiters, which he found a bit strange.

Are there no monks here?

Upon hearing his question, Naichai answered without thinking.

"There was once a big-time tobacco dealer who prayed to Guanyin here for a child, filling the donation box to the brim. After many years, it was all for naught. So he said these monks didn't understand the scriptures, stripped them all naked, drove them out of the temple, and took over the place."

"Once we catch this criminal, this place will become our exclusive reception area for distinguished guests. Of course, we'll need dedicated waiters to provide even more attentive service."

Naichai talked about these things, he had a very normal attitude.

Using a criminal's private property to entertain distinguished guests was never considered unlucky by them.

The reason this is so small is that, although these bigwigs in the cigarette trade were called criminals by everyone after they were arrested.

But in the subconscious of Naichai and others, they still felt that he was a very important person with high vision and status.

It's like taking an ancient royal palace and converting it into a residence for distinguished guests.

Telling such stories is not unlucky; on the contrary, it is like recounting a historical heritage.

"Oh."

Chu Tianshu chuckled and looked towards the distant mountains.

A small shadow seemed to be approaching from the mountains, passing through the jungle, over the wall, and landing. It strolled leisurely past the stele forest and palaces, and arrived in front of them.

When the man slowed down, the Siam realized something was wrong and quickly raised their guns.

Naichai something was amiss and turned around in alarm.

"Don't panic, that's a citizen of our country and an old friend of mine. He happens to be traveling nearby, so please come over and act as a part-time tour guide."

Chu Tianshu smiled and explained a couple of times, and only then did the soldiers, still somewhat doubtful, lower their gun barrels by two inches.

"You've finally arrived."

Yungu had messy hair, wore a denim outfit, and had a smile on his face. He was playing with a jade pendant in his left hand, which could be used for location tracking within a hundred kilometers, while holding a bottle of wine in his right hand.

"Luckily we arrived during the day. If it had been at night, given Brother Chu's personality..."

"Haha, I'm afraid there will be quite a commotion just when they enter the city."

(End of this chapter)