Chapter 2

The autumn air was crisp and clear, the sky so high and blue, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and plants, devoid of any trace of the industrial society of later times.

Wearing sports shoes, Mu Yang walked on the dirt road, which was softer than the concrete pavement. He hadn't felt this way in a long time. Born and raised in the capital, even most of his relatives were from the capital, so he had very little experience living elsewhere. Apart from a few trips with friends, he rarely had the chance to be so close to nature.

All around were fields of crops. After passing the initial field of sorghum, Mu Yang saw fields of corn, soybeans, and cotton. Although he had no experience in farming, he knew these crops were typical of the northern region, confirming that he was indeed in the north.

As he strolled along, observing the scenery around him, his mind was preoccupied with the first task.

Based on the task description, he was likely sent to the period of the Anti-Japanese War. Otherwise, how could there be mention of Japanese soldiers? This was not a time to be taken lightly. The Japanese committed countless atrocities, and he had to be careful not to be killed by them.

After walking for about half an hour, after turning past a cornfield, Mu Yang saw a person in a field of low-growing crops, about 40 to 50 meters from the dirt road. From a distance, it looked like an old man, probably around 50 years old.

The old man was wearing a gray short jacket with patches, dark trousers, and a pair of nearly worn-out cloth shoes. He was facing away from Mu Yang, digging in the field with a hoe.

"Sir, can I ask you for directions?" Mu Yang called out from the dirt road.

The old man's body trembled at the sound, then he looked up at Mu Yang. Seeing that Mu Yang was alone, he cautiously looked around, and only after confirming there were no others did he relax a bit.

Mu Yang didn't notice all this. Finally encountering someone, he naturally wouldn't let the opportunity pass. He stepped over the dirt ditch and walked into the field toward the old man.

The old man gripped the hoe tightly, eyeing the young man in strange clothes with suspicion.

Mu Yang didn't realize that, due to the prolonged suffering under the Japanese, even ordinary people were deeply wary of strangers, especially someone as odd as him.

As he got closer, Mu Yang noticed that the old man was digging sweet potatoes. "Sir, you're digging sweet potatoes. Can you tell me where I am and what year it is?"

Mu Yang's question was a standard one for time travelers, as if every time traveler's first question was always, "Where am I, and what year is it?" Mu Yang was no exception, strictly following the experience of his predecessors.

"From your accent, you seem to be from the capital," the old man said, not directly answering Mu Yang's question.

"Yes, I was born and raised in the capital," Mu Yang replied.

"What brings you here? How did you end up in this place?" the old man continued to ask.

"I'm still a student, currently in university. I just came out to travel," Mu Yang said, not knowing the current situation and thus giving a vague answer.

"The Japanese are causing a lot of trouble these days. It's not a good time to travel. I advise you to go home and live a peaceful life. Don't wander around," the old man said, though he found Mu Yang's strange attire suspicious, his accent and manner of speaking were genuinely from the capital, and he sounded like a student, so he gave a friendly warning.

"Thank you for the advice, sir. But you haven't told me where I am and what year it is yet," Mu Yang continued to ask.

"Oh, this is Wufangqiao Village, in Baxian County. This year is the 33rd year of the Republic of China, and today is the 21st day of the seventh lunar month. You're a university student, yet you don't even remember the date. It seems you've been out for a long time. You should go home quickly. In these chaotic times, your family will worry about you," the old man said, giving another friendly reminder.

Mu Yang silently remembered the information: Wufangqiao Village, Baxian County, the 33rd year of the Republic of China, the 21st day of the seventh lunar month.

He had some vague recollection of Baxian County, which was in the eastern part of Hebei Province, not far from the capital. As for the 33rd year of the Republic of China, he didn't know the exact year and would need to check it later.

"Sir, how do I get to Baxian County?" Mu Yang asked.

"Go east for about a mile, then you'll find a main road. Once on the main road, go straight north for about 12 miles, and you'll see the city walls of Baxian County," the old man pointed out the way.

"It's not too far. Thank you, sir. By the way, are there any Japanese soldiers around here?" Mu Yang asked in a low voice.

The old man immediately became alert, gripping the hoe even tighter. He asked in a low voice, "Why do you ask?"

"I'm afraid I might run into Japanese soldiers and have an accident," Mu Yang explained, realizing he had been a bit abrupt.

"Oh, there are Japanese outposts all over North China. Sometimes they patrol in sidecars. There are hundreds of Japanese soldiers in Baxian County. I advise you to be careful. If they see you dressed like that, they might take you in for questioning," the old man said, still not quite comfortable with Mu Yang's strange attire, and gave another friendly warning.

Mu Yang knew that his outfit was indeed quite unusual for this era. His outdoor clothing looked nothing like what people wore back then. He really needed to prepare properly.

"Thank you, sir. I'll be on my way." Mu Yang bid farewell to the old man and headed in the direction he had pointed.

He didn't hear the old man muttering to himself, "I wonder if this young man is a bit slow. In these times, he still dares to wander around. Isn't he asking for trouble? I hope he has a safe journey and gets home safely."

Mu Yang walked for about a mile and saw a wide road, about ten meters wide, with visible wheel tracks and footprints, indicating that it was frequently used.

Since many people passed by, Mu Yang didn't dare to walk further, fearing he might encounter Japanese soldiers, which could be dangerous. He decided to go back and prepare before returning. He also needed to research the current era.

Instead of going on the main road, he directly entered a dense cornfield by the roadside, then silently said, "Go back," and returned to his home.

Taking a deep breath, Mu Yang's tense mood eased. He put down his backpack, took a can of Wang Lao Ji from the fridge, and drank it in one go to calm his mind.

He walked to his computer, turned it on, and opened a Word document, starting to type out the things he needed to consider. This was his habit—writing things down, summarizing, and addressing them one by one.

"Confirm the time: the 33rd year of the Republic of China, the 21st day of the seventh lunar month. Location: outside Baxian County, about 12 miles from the city. I need to prepare suitable clothing for that era, some money, and weapons. Oh, and I need to check if the time is synchronized. How could I forget that?"

As he typed, he suddenly remembered this point and looked at his wristwatch. The time was 9:34 AM. Yes, he had traveled in the morning at 8:00 AM, walked for half an hour, and then talked with the old man for a while. The time seemed about right.

However, when he glanced at the computer clock, he was stunned. It showed 8:47 AM on April 5, 2009. He had clearly been gone for nearly an hour, but the computer only showed a few minutes had passed. Could the computer be broken?

He went to the living room and looked at the quartz clock on the wall, which indeed showed 8:47 AM. It was impossible for all the clocks in his house to be broken, so there must be a problem with the time. It seemed that the time he spent in the past didn't count. After returning, he had rested and had a drink, which also took a few minutes. Could it be that the time he spent in the past didn't affect the present?