Chapter 1

Early summer, Baise City.

Baise City is in the north, an ordinary county-level city with a few main streets and a population of 700,000. It has no significant economic advantages, but the only thing it can boast about is Phoenix Mountain, located ten miles south of the city.

Phoenix Mountain is part of the Changbai Mountain range, covering more than 300 square kilometers, with its main peak reaching nearly 1,000 meters in altitude. It's not particularly high, but it is perilous and unique, with hidden beauty and mystery.

When it was first developed, no one knew whether the designer had a hole in his head or not, as the paths were planned in an extremely touching way. Climbers often couldn't find the mountain paths, and after various moments of confusion, they would discover an iron ring embedded in a stone crevice, which they had to crouch down and inch their way through. Or, they would jump from one rock to another and then realize, "Damn, there's actually a path below!"

It is this kind of magical fun that has made Phoenix Mountain a popular tourist destination within the province.

"Up ahead is Old Ox Back. Let's rest here and conserve our energy."

"Jiao, is Old Ox Back really that scary? Don't scare us."

"I can't say much more. You'll see when you get there."

With these few words, a group of people, both men and women, wearing matching hats, walked up the steps from the mountain's base. The leader was a man in his thirties, with a broad back and a face covered in stubble. If he were a bit more handsome, he could be called "Uncle."

The place where they rested was a small flat area near the mountain's peak. Above it was a long stretch of steps, leading to Old Ox Back.

Following the usual practice in scenic areas, where there is a flat area, there is a rest area, and where there is a rest area, there are vendors. Vendors come in two types: one is a legitimate shop with water and electricity, paying a monthly fee to the management office. The other is a small stall, often run by local villagers, selling a variety of items.

This place was no different. On the left were two long benches, and on the right was a stall with a small table and chairs.

There were about a dozen people in the group, making a lot of noise. There weren't enough seats, so some stood, some squatted, and some even brought picnic blankets and sat on the ground. Among them were two girls, one tall and one short, who didn't want to crowd with the others and ran to the right.

The stall was very simple, with instant noodles, sausages, pickled vegetables, and mineral water neatly arranged on a square table. Two thermoses were on the ground, and not far away was a small stove with a pot of boiled corn.

The stall owner was a young man, sitting on a stool, stirring a pot of tea eggs.

The two girls looked around and, feeling it would be impolite not to buy something if they were to sit, asked, "How much are the tea eggs?"

"One and a half yuan."

"..."

They looked at each other, surprised by the reasonable price. In the city, many places had already raised the price to two yuan.

"Two eggs and two bottles of mineral water, please."

"Sure."

The stall owner responded, quickly packing a plastic bag and handing it over. "That's eight yuan in total."

"Here's the money."

After paying, the girls sat on the small stools, feeling justified. They weren't very hungry, but since they had bought the food, they decided to eat it while it was hot.

"Wow, how fragrant!"

The outer shell didn't reveal much, but when the tall girl carefully peeled it off, revealing the dark red egg inside, a special aroma suddenly filled the air.

"Hey, boss, did you add anything weird?"

The short girl also sniffed.

"I added some fragrant leaves, chrysanthemum, and licorice. Don't worry, eat it."

"Huh?"

The two girls looked at each other, knowing these were probably traditional Chinese herbs, but they didn't know they could be used to cook eggs. It didn't matter, as long as it wasn't poisonous.

They each took a small bite. The egg was still an egg, but it was salty and fresh, with a faint sweetness lingering in their mouths.

Northern people prefer salty, while southern people prefer sweet, but this was just right. They swallowed and blinked their eyes in unison, as if to say, "New skill acquired!"

There was no way around it; foodies and DIY enthusiasts are like that. When they discover something unique, they want to try it immediately. The two girls felt their trip was already worthwhile, and they chatted quietly, occasionally glancing at the stall owner.

"I'll try it when I get home tonight."

"You'll need to buy some black tea. Hey, which is better, Dianhong or Qihong?"

"Buy both. I just don't know if they sell licorice."

"I don't know about licorice, but they definitely sell chrysanthemum."

"Get lost, you old pervert... Hey, how did he come up with this? The boss doesn't look that old, but his skills are pretty good."

"Hehe, you're right, he's quite handsome when you look closely."

As they chatted, they couldn't help but turn around, their eyes boldly scanning the young man from head to toe.

He was about twenty years old, very tall, but a bit thin, almost frail. He had a long neck and prominent collarbones, and his face had a unique softness, with a straight nose adding a touch of sharpness.

Most striking were his eyes, long and deep-set, with long lashes that, when closed, looked like clouds covering the moon.

Wow!

The girls' hearts skipped a beat. They had found delicious tea eggs and discovered a handsome young man. It was a double surprise!

"Hey, let's take a picture of him and show it off when we get back."

"Definitely! My friends are already dying to see it!"

Encouraged by one, the other quickly took out her phone and aimed it at the stall owner. But as she did, he looked up and said, "Don't take a picture!"

"Ah?" The short girl paused instinctively.

"Sorry..."

The young man smiled, "I don't want to be an internet celebrity."

"Ha!"

The two girls burst out laughing, finding it hilarious. They had thought the stall owner was just a villager, good-looking but not very educated. But his words revealed a deeper side.

Just as they were about to chat more, they heard the leader shout, "Let's go, everyone. Are you all rested?"

"Okay!"

"We should have left earlier, or it will be dark!"

"How far is it ahead? Who will carry me down the mountain? I'll give ten yuan as a tip!"

Another round of noise, and everyone gathered together. The two girls felt a bit disappointed but waved and ran back to the group. The leader raised his hand and shouted,

"Everyone, let's go!"

In the blink of an eye, the group was like a tornado, leaving behind a trail of fruit peels and sunflower seeds.

The stall owner, seemingly used to it, quietly cleaned the table, picked up two empty mineral water bottles, and swept the garbage into a nearby trash can.

After finishing, he sat back on his stool, waiting quietly for the next group of tourists.

It was already afternoon, and the early summer weather was still a bit cool, making the mountain even less comfortable. The dense forest of Phoenix Mountain blocked most of the sunlight, making the area dim and gloomy.

The group walked for about twenty minutes and arrived at the most famous spot on Phoenix Mountain: Old Ox Back.

Old Ox Back is a natural mountain ridge, with deep ravines on both sides. There are no steps, only iron railings to hold onto as you inch forward. If it's icy or snowy, this place becomes impassable, even more dangerous than the Canglong Ridge on Huashan Mountain.

"..."

The group stopped, looking at the arched mountain ridge, with clouds and mist in the distance, seemingly endless. They all felt a collective sense of dread.

"Jiao, you've been boasting so much, and now you're in trouble."

"How do we cross this? It makes me dizzy just looking at it."

"I can't do it, it's too scary!"

As they spoke, someone started to back out. The leader saw this and immediately encouraged them, "Everyone, this is our outdoor group's first collective activity. We need to see it through to the end. On the other side is the path down. What's the big deal? Just close your eyes and open them, and you'll be across!"

"Don't joke, you'll fall if you close your eyes."

"Right, you'll ascend to heaven if you keep opening and closing your eyes."

"Ha ha ha!"

Amid the chatter, one guy was particularly enthusiastic and shouted, "Enough talk, let's go. I'll go first!"

With that, he grabbed the iron railing, stepped firmly, and quickly climbed up. Seeing him do it so easily, others chimed in, "Right, don't waste time. If you're brave, go ahead."

Soon, most of the men had crossed, and the women, though hesitant, mostly followed. Only the two girls hesitated and called out, "Boss, we really can't do it. Let's go back the way we came."

"Don't be like that, you're the only ones left! Come on, overcome it. Life is about challenges..."

The leader was about to give them a pep talk, but the two girls didn't listen and ran off, shouting from a distance, "Boss, we'll meet you at the mountain gate!"

Damn!

The leader couldn't help but sigh and followed the group, trailing behind.