Li Na was small and cute, lively and generous. She could be described as a beauty that everyone loved. Her boyfriend was a year older, already graduated and working. In their dorm, Li Na was also the closest and most intimate friend of Dong Fangqing, with whom she shared everything.
Dong Fangqing had a soft exterior but a tough inner character. Not only was she beautiful beyond words, but she also had a fantastic figure. As a result, many men surrounded her, yet she didn't give any of them the time of day. The reason was simple: whenever she saw the awkwardness and lecherous looks from those pursuing her, it made her angry.
Zhang Yuanming explained to Li Na the details of their planned adventure trip from dorm 604 and invited all the members of their dorm to join in the event. Li Na, thrilled by the news, couldn't help but dance with excitement. She was always an energetic and active person. She quickly ran back to her dorm to announce the news and see everyone's opinions.
"I don't have any objections, but I don't know what you all think," Li Na eagerly added, agreeing with herself.
Li Jingjing, who had been reading with glasses on, looked up at the smiling Li Na and said, "Well, it's rare to get a chance to travel before graduation. I have no problem with it. But I heard that Xu Feng from dorm 604 seems to have a thing for Xiao Qing. Could he have any ulterior motives?"
Li Jingjing was referring to Dong Fangqing, whom they affectionately called "Xiao Qing" in their dorm.
"That shouldn't be a problem, right? It's not like they're going alone. With so many people going, I don't think there's anything to be afraid of. Actually, I'd love to visit Shennongjia too. I heard there are wild people there," Fang Ya, who had just returned from drying clothes on the balcony, chimed in.
"Exactly! There's nothing to worry about. Zhang Yuanming is an honest guy and my good friend. He wouldn't lie to me," Li Na said, filled with anticipation.
"I'm fine with whatever you decide. I'll just go with the flow. Hehe," said Yao Qian, who was still writing a letter.
Li Na, excited, jumped up: "Yay! All four votes passed! Now it's just Xiao Qing's opinion!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned her shining eyes toward Dong Fangqing.
"What else is there to say? If you all are going, am I supposed to stay behind and watch the dorm alone? I might as well go too. It'll be nice to get away and take a break from writing all these graduation papers," Dong Fangqing sighed deeply.
"Yay, unanimous vote! I'll go talk to Zhang Yuanming about the details!" Li Na cheered and immediately made a "V" gesture before rushing out of the dorm. Since there were fewer girls in their class, their dorm was one person short compared to the boys' dorm.
It seemed their Shennongjia trip was set to happen.
Excited, Li Na left the dorm and ran to the boys' dorm. After registering with the dorm management office, she rushed straight to dorm 604. As soon as she entered, she screamed and ran out.
The boys, hearing the scream, immediately understood and rushed to hide. Once they were dressed, Li Na knocked on the door, her face still red from the earlier embarrassment. She waited until someone inside said, "Come in," before she dared to enter.
Li Na, being lively by nature, quickly forgot about the previous awkward moment and didn't feel embarrassed anymore.
"You came in without knocking? You almost gave us a shock," Xu Feng said, not too pleased.
"I didn't know you guys would be exposed like that. And when I entered, the door wasn't even closed," Li Na retorted.
"If the door wasn't closed, that means you don't need to knock? Is that what you're saying? This is basic manners, do you understand? Besides, the weather is so hot, we left the door open for some air. We're exposed? Go check out other dorms; are they not the same?" Xu Feng, trying to save face, argued.
In June in Z City, G Province, it was very hot. The other boys' dorms were the same; everyone left their doors open to cool down.
"You're too lazy to talk to you," Li Na said angrily. "I didn't come to find you, I came to find Zhang Yuanming."
"Hehe, you're looking for me? We…" Zhang Yuanming was a bit embarrassed since he had just shown his private side to the person he secretly liked.
"What about you? Aren't you all supposed to be going on the trip?" Li Na asked, rolling her eyes.
"Right, right! Sit down, what's the situation?" Jin Zhong, the first to react, immediately offered Li Na a seat.
Li Na smiled mysteriously, "Guess!"
"Is it going for sure?" Zhang Yuanming asked, testing the waters.
"I'm fine with it," Li Na said happily. As soon as she said that, everyone turned their attention to her. Li Na continued, "What are you all staring at?"
"We know you're fine with it, but we don't know if everyone in your dorm is on board yet," Xu Feng teased.
"They're fine with it, they all listen to me," Li Na said, giving Xu Feng a sharp glare before adding, "Of course, this was my idea." She proudly puffed out her chest. Instantly, the dorm erupted in cheers.
"Will Dong Fangqing really go?" Xu Feng cautiously asked Li Na.
"I don't know, you can ask her yourself," Li Na shot Xu Feng a glare, speaking curtly.
Xu Feng, receiving the cold shoulder, didn't dare to press further. Everyone in the dorm couldn't help but chuckle at his awkwardness.
"Since it's decided, let's go with it," Xu Feng finally said.
"Yay!" Everyone cheered in excitement.
"When are you all planning to leave? Don't make it too early. We have a lot of things to prepare," Li Na suddenly jolted everyone awake with her words. They had been talking for so long but hadn't actually set a time yet.
Zhang Yuanming smiled and quickly smoothed things over, "How about the day after tomorrow? We'll just quickly gather some essentials and take the train in the morning. How does that sound?"
"Okay, it's settled then!" Li Na smiled along with them.
After a full day of preparation, the next day they all boarded a train to Hubei Province. On the way, they chatted and laughed, occasionally teasing each other. Xu Feng kept secretly watching Dong Fangqing, but when he saw she was ignoring him, he didn't dare to approach her.
Finally, Xu Feng, finding a topic, flashed what he thought was his most charming smile at Dong Fangqing and said, "Dong Fangqing, do you think there are wild people in Shennongjia?" Everyone immediately chimed in to support him.
Dong Fangqing, staring out of the window, responded lightly, "I don't know, I've never been there."
Having been dismissed, Xu Feng didn't dare to ask again.
"I bet there definitely are! I read online that at least 200 people, both tourists and locals, have seen wild people," Jiang Zhongming said, trying to draw attention to himself by exaggerating, almost as if he had seen them himself.
"Alright, alright. You only know how to boast," Yun Hai poured a cold bucket of water on Jiang Zhongming's enthusiasm. Jiang Zhongming shot him a harsh look.
After a day of travel, they finally arrived in Hubei Province. Since it was late, they checked into a hotel and went to bed early. The next morning, they hired a car to head to Shennongjia.
The following day, they spent the entire morning at the Shennong altar before continuing their journey to explore other scenic spots in Shennongjia.
After spending the morning touring, they were exhausted and ended up dozing off in the car.
"We've arrived!" The driver's voice woke them all from their dreams.
"Where are we?" Jin Zhong opened his sleepy eyes and mumbled.
"Stop talking nonsense, get off the car first," Xu Feng urged, "You're blocking my way."
After more than an hour of winding mountain roads, they got out of the car to stretch their legs.
"Where are we? There's so much fog, it's really cold! Oh, the wind is so strong!" Li Jingjing shivered and exclaimed.
"This is Fengjingya," Dong Fangqing said, adding a jacket and holding a DV camera to record.
"What kind of place is Fengjingya?" Li Na asked curiously after putting on her jacket.
"I don't know either, I just found out by looking it up online," Dong Fangqing replied as she walked off with the DV camera.
Fengjingya, also known as "Badongya," is known as the "First Peak of Shennong." It stands at an altitude of 2950 meters, with a dense forest of stone formations and vast bamboo groves. It is 117 kilometers from Songbai Town and 30 kilometers from Mu Yu Town. The average annual temperature is around 8 degrees Celsius, and the highest temperature in August reaches 20 degrees Celsius. So, even in June, it's very cold, and the wind is quite strong.
"We can't see anything in this thick fog," Yun Hai said, frowning.
"The fog isn't that heavy right now, it's still midday, so we can still see people. And it's not entirely fog; at nearly 3000 meters in altitude, some of it is cloud. This is what we call misty clouds," Jiang Zhongming said, smiling as he walked away.
"Everyone, just take a look around. Be sure to stay safe. We'll meet back here in thirty minutes," Xu Feng instructed.
Everyone nodded and dispersed to enjoy the scenery.
Dong Fangqing, holding the DV, slowly disappeared into the mist. She was fully immersed in the beauty of the place. Though the scene captured by her camera was unclear, it was a kind of hazy beauty—mysterious and magical. As she walked into the wind, her hair blew wildly in the gusts. Standing by the short guardrail at the wind's edge, she felt as if she was floating in the sky, lost in the wonder of the moment.
Through the DV, she glanced down and saw the cliff below, surrounded by thick fog. The distant mountains and forests were just barely visible, their shadows blending with the mist. The beauty of nature stirred an impulse within her to leap into the abyss. In a moment of passion, she took a small step forward, hoping to see the view through the DV herself.
"Ah!" A sudden scream escaped her as the guardrail, too low to stop her, caused her to fall over. Her DV disappeared into the fog below. Hearing her scream, the others rushed to find her.
In that brief moment of falling, Dong Fangqing was so terrified that she passed out. A sharp pain suddenly shot through her arm. Slowly opening her eyes, she was horrified by what she saw: her feet were off the edge of a cliff, swaying dangerously. Looking up, she saw a tall, muscular figure, dressed in animal skin with dark skin, holding onto a protruding rock with one hand and gripping her delicate right arm with the other. He stared coldly at her.
Dong Fangqing was so frightened that she forgot to scream. She feared that if she made a sound, this "terrifying" person would let go of her and she would fall. Her first thought was: A wild man, he must be a wild man.
The man she was terrified of was Shi Kai. He had been climbing the mountains as part of his daily exercise and had already completed five rounds up and down the mountain. Just as he was about to reach the summit, the scream startled him. He quickly reached out and caught Dong Fangqing, saving her life.
Hearing people approaching, Shi Kai forcefully threw Dong Fangqing upward. As she was tossed back onto the ground at Fengjingya, she quickly stood up and looked down at the cliff. She saw Shi Kai release his grip, and with a slight smile on his face, he fell into the abyss, disappearing into the mist.
Dong Fangqing stood there in shock, unable to process what had just happened in the past few seconds. Her friends, arriving one by one, saw that she was fine and let out a sigh of relief. Xu Feng walked up, overly concerned and asked, "Are you okay?"
Still shaken, Dong Fangqing glanced at everyone and stammered, "A wild man... I... Ah, he fell... My DV."
Everyone looked at her in confusion, unsure of what she was saying. Regaining her composure, Dong Fangqing calmly replied, "It's nothing, my DV fell down." She decided not to tell them the whole story for now, not wanting them to tease her.
"Ah, I thought you saw the wild man fall! Turns out it was just the DV. Well, with that height, it would have been smashed to pieces anyway. Just go back and buy a new one," Yun Hai said as he walked over to the edge and looked down, helpless.
"Alright, it's fine, just a false alarm. It's cold here, let's go," Xu Feng called out loudly.
Sweating profusely, Dong Fangqing silently walked at the back of the group. She took a terrified glance at Fengjingya before getting into the vehicle and leaving.
Later, they visited several scenic spots, including: the Observation Tower, Banbi Rock, Dalongtan, Golden Monkey Ridge, Xiaolongtan, and Shennong Peak.
In the evening, they were preparing to camp in the primitive forest of Shennongjia. They planned to spend the night there, experiencing the thrill of an adventure like never before. Everyone was excited, except for Dong Fangqing, who remained silent. Her mind kept drifting back to the "wild man" she had encountered. She was simply curious—was there really a wild man in Shennongjia, as the legends said? Was he really a "wild man"? This puzzled her endlessly.
The vehicle entered the tourist-accessible primitive forest of Shennongjia, where they hired a local guide to lead them through the forest. However, the guide was only willing to take them deep into the forest, but refused to accompany them into the core area, which was an uninhabited zone.
Upon hearing this, Li Na pouted in displeasure. "Why not? Aren't you supposed to be our guide? Are you afraid we'll murder you or something?"
The guide smiled awkwardly and replied, "Little girl, it's not that. I know you want an adventure, and I'm sure you won't harm me. But after you go in, other things might harm me."
"What other things? Are you saying it's ghosts?" Jin Zhong asked, running over eagerly.
"Ghosts? No, it's not that. The core part of this primitive forest hasn't been fully explored. It's considered an undeveloped no-man's land. There are many dangerous wild animals, and one careless step could cost your life. Even if you do get in, you could easily get lost. Your compass may not even work. I advise you to just take a quick look around and not push your luck," the guide continued, explaining.
"Is it really that dangerous? Sounds like you're just scaring us. There have been plenty of people who've crossed through the Shennongjia forest, both in the past and present. Don't try to fool us. We came all the way here for an adventure," Yun Hai said dismissively.
The guide shook his head. "There have indeed been many people who've crossed the Shennongjia forest, but they didn't really cross it in the true sense. They all avoided the core areas and stuck to the edges. That's already pretty good. If you really want to go into the core, you should follow their method. It will be much safer."
Li Na looked disappointed. "So there's really no other way?"
The guide shook his head again. "No. Many people have come here like you, wanting to go to the core, but they ended up getting lost. After a few days, they mysteriously found their way back. Many explorers have lost their lives here."
A heavy silence fell over the group as everyone's mood turned grim.
Zhang Yuanming, seeing Li Na's disappointed look, mustered up some courage. "Maybe we can still make it through. We all need to have confidence. We've traveled so far to be here—are we really just going to give up? We have phones, computers, and walkie-talkies. If something happens, we can contact someone for help. And there are many tourists here, maybe we can find others to travel with us."
After hearing these words, the group felt a spark of hope, though they were still hesitant.
"Are we scared now? We'll head back tomorrow? That would be so boring. We came for an adventure, and now just because of a few words from the guide, everyone's ready to give up? I think we should go back," Yun Hai said, trying to act tough. He actually wanted to go, but hearing the guide's warnings made him feel uneasy. Still, to maintain his bravado in front of the group, he had to discourage everyone.
"Who says we're afraid? I'm the first to say I'm in," Xu Feng said. He was someone who cared deeply about face, especially with the girl he liked right there with him. This was an opportunity to show off, and he wasn't going to back down.
With these three people leading the way, the atmosphere began to shift. Others eagerly raised their hands, ready to join in, tossing aside the guide's warnings. Even the more timid Li Jingjing and Yao Qian, seeing that everyone else was on board, didn't want to spoil the fun and reluctantly agreed.
At this moment, the guide took a deep puff of his cigarette and shook his head in worry for them.
Due to the guide's strong persuasion, they decided to postpone their departure until the next night. It wasn't that they were scared, but the girls were indeed a little nervous, as they had never lived in the wild before. So, they decided to head out the next day and take the opportunity to check their gear. Additionally, the guide recommended a GPS positioning system, which would be more reliable than their phones or computers. For safety reasons, they bought one.
The next morning, the sky was overcast.
"Fatty, have you packed everything?" Li Na asked anxiously.
"Don't worry, look, we've got the machetes, tents, food, raincoats, etc. We've checked everything three times already," Jin Zhong replied, waving his hand.
"We're all set too. You guys lead the way, and we'll stay in the middle. It'll be safer that way," Li Na said.
"Don't worry, we'll protect you. Besides, with so many of us, there's nothing to fear. Let's go," Yun Hai said confidently.
Following the guide's markings on the map, the eleven of them embarked on their adventure.
At 7:30 AM, the trekking team of 11 officially set off. Along the way, they cut five tree branches to use as trekking poles. After passing the "No Entry for Tourists" sign at the Golden Monkey Waterfall, the path became increasingly difficult. During a break, they looked at the towering trees blocking the way and sighed, "These trees are just too big."
Suddenly, it began to rain heavily. With no other choice, they pressed on through the rain. Halfway up, the path disappeared, so they had to cross over to another slope. After climbing for a while, they cut back to the original slope. After some trial and error, the rain finally stopped.
Once the rain cleared, the sky turned a brilliant blue, and the towering trees made everyone feel refreshed. Their spirits lifted, and their voices echoed with laughter, mixed with the sounds of their heavy breathing. They felt the exhaustion creeping in, and the high-altitude effects were making it hard to catch their breath.
As they continued forward, the mountain slope became steeper. There was no path now, just massive boulders and towering trees, and the ground was covered with about two inches of decaying leaves. They could only follow the old stream. Many of the rocks were loose, and since the altitude was higher, they took more frequent breaks.
By 12:30, they reached the summit of Golden Monkey Ridge. The group dropped their heavy packs to the ground and rested. Jin Zhong, holding a pair of binoculars in one hand, a map in the other, and a compass hanging from his neck, looked every bit the military strategist. Pointing ahead, he shouted, "That's Shamu Peak, and behind it is Shennong Peak."
At noon, after having some food they brought with them, they took a short nap. After resting, they planned to continue across the ridge toward Shamu Peak, but the path became much more difficult. There were dense bamboo groves that seemed almost impossible to pass through, testing their willpower like a tank trying to bulldoze its way forward. At times, they had to crawl like snakes through the thickets, and other times they had to climb over huge rocks like monkeys. They also had to endure the fear of seeing animal tracks, especially when it started to rain again around 4 PM, and the fog grew thicker, making it impossible to see the mountain on the opposite side. It became difficult to judge their direction and location. Cold and exhaustion constantly assaulted them, and some were on the verge of giving up.
After struggling to determine their position with the map and compass, Jin Zhong led them toward a road. Unfortunately, there was no way to cut through, and after several unsuccessful attempts to head left or right, they gradually lost their way in the cold. By 6 PM, the girls were near breaking down and demanded to set up camp. The sky was getting darker, so they had no choice but to find a suitable camping spot on the mountain. They quickly set up camp, changed clothes, and ate some chocolate. It took half an hour before they started to feel warm again.
The rain had stopped, and one by one, everyone emerged from their tents, chatting.
"How much longer do we have to walk?" Li Jingjing timidly asked.
"I don't know. It's not easy to go back now that we've come this far. Let's keep going, it'll be good training," Zhou Jun replied firmly.
"Don't be scared, we're still far from the uninhabited zone," Yun Hai said, grinning.
"Hehe, I'm tired, but I think it's kind of fun—this strange journey," Li Na said, cheerfully.
The next morning, they woke up to find their tent soaked with water. They realized it was probably because they were too exhausted and slept too deeply, and the rain had come down hard during the night. They quickly packed their things and continued on.
After reassessing their direction, they headed straight into the core of the forest. The mountain was overgrown with thick shrubs and grasses, and Xu Feng and Jin Zhong used machetes to clear the way. Along the way, they saw many small animals, and Li Na's laughter lightened everyone's mood. However, the deeper they went, the more they felt an eerie sense of unease. Unfortunately, they came across large, fresh bear tracks, which made them slow down. The eleven of them became more vigilant, scanning the surroundings while carefully following the animal trail upward. Fortunately, as they climbed higher, they only encountered wild boar tracks, not the dreaded bear tracks.
After another day of trekking, they were about to enter the so-called "uninhabited zone" of the primeval forest the next day. Everyone's nerves were starting to fray. Although they hadn't encountered real danger so far, the unknown ahead made them uneasy. The next day, the weather was decent, and they carefully resumed their journey.
At noon, deep within the core of the primeval forest.
"Master, someone's entered," Shi Kai put down his roast meat and closed his eyes to listen.
"I already knew. From the footsteps, there are eleven of them. They're just some fools not afraid of death. Let them go deeper, get lost for a couple of days, and then we'll deal with them. You go keep an eye on them secretly, and make sure the wild beasts don't harm them. After they get lost, throw them out," the master said lightly, chewing on the meat.
"Understood, Master," Shi Kai responded before continuing to eat.
The further Xu Feng and the others went, the harder the path became. Their machetes even started to chip. Everywhere they looked, there were branches and grasses several meters high. Dangerous animal tracks were also becoming more frequent.
"Are we almost there?" Xu Feng asked, frustrated.
"According to the map and the compass, we're close. Let's keep going, but stay alert," Jin Zhong said cautiously, inadvertently disturbing the surrounding wild animals.
They pressed on, and the sounds of animals moving and calling echoed around them.
Li Jingjing, hearing the terrifying sounds, became scared. "I'm a bit afraid... We..." She couldn't finish her sentence.
"Don't be scared. Besides the knives, I also brought a hunting rifle, and it's already assembled. Hehe, my dad is an amateur sharpshooter. My aim is spot on," Yun Hai said, trying to reassure them, with a smile plastered on his face. "I'll protect you."
"This is a forest, not a shooting range. Be careful. Don't speak so loudly," Zhou Jun snapped, already irritated. His mood had worsened due to his own heartbreak, and the difficult situation made him more frustrated. The constant chatter only made him more agitated.
"This isn't right," Jin Zhong stopped and blocked the path with his large frame. "Is my compass broken? Why is it always pointing south no matter where I place it?"
"Oh, that's strange," Xu Feng leaned in to take a look and frowned. "It seems like what the guide said was true. Everyone, be careful. There must be a huge natural magnetic field here, so the compass is useless."
"What should we do now?" Yao Qian, frightened, was almost in tears. "Shouldn't we go back around?"
"Going back is impossible now. We've come too far. We can only move forward. We still have other navigation tools, so don't panic," Xu Feng said, looking back at the others.
"Fatty, take out the GPS system and let's check it," Xu Feng continued.
Jin Zhong pulled out the GPS from his bag and looked at it. "Luckily, this one seems unaffected. Let's keep going."
Hearing this, everyone felt a little more at ease and resumed walking, following behind in a line.
"Stay close, everyone. The fog is getting thicker, so be careful not to lose track of each other," Xu Feng said, clearing the way with Jin Zhong in front.
After continuing for a while, Jin Zhong noticed, "Damn it, the GPS system isn't showing anything now," and shook it hard.
"How could this happen?" Xu Feng asked, starting to get anxious.
"It's probably because of the thick fog. The moisture in the mountain has affected the device," Jin Zhong speculated.
The girls immediately took out their phones and computers, but they had no signal at all.
"What should we do now?" Li Jingjing trembled in fear. "I don't want to camp here; it's so scary."
"We have no choice but to head back the way we came. Hopefully, we can find our way out," Yun Hai said seriously. It was rare for Yun Hai to speak so solemnly, which made everyone realize how serious the situation was.
Everyone agreed, and they began to retrace their steps.
"Damn it, why are we still here? We've walked for hours and ended up back where we started! What kind of place is this?" Xu Feng finally couldn't take it anymore.
They had actually been trapped in Shi Kai's "Fog Forest Formation." This formation was derived from Zhuge Liang's "Qi Men Dun Jia" strategy. Without specific knowledge of the Five Elements, they would never find their way out of the foggy forest.
"We're really lost," Jin Zhong said, feeling disheartened.
And so, they kept wandering around the "Fog Forest Formation," turning and walking in circles. Everyone had lost hope, and the fog only seemed to get thicker. Everyone was exhausted and anxious, their steps slow as they desperately searched for a way out.
"Hey, wait a second. Yun Hai and Li Fangya are missing! They were right behind me, but now they're gone!" Dongfang Qing cried out anxiously.
Everyone froze, shocked.
"What happened?" Yu Feng asked impatiently.
"I don't know. They were right behind me, but when I turned around, they were gone," Dongfang Qing explained innocently, yet in a panic.
"The fog's too thick, they might have gotten lost. Let's look for them together," Zhang Mingyuan said, reacting first.
"Don't panic. Yun Hai has the hunting rifle. If they encounter danger, he'll shoot, or if they can't find us, they'll fire to signal us. Besides, they're two people, so it shouldn't be too big of a problem," Zhou Jun explained.
Everyone felt slightly more reassured after hearing about Yun Hai's rifle.
Meanwhile, Yun Hai and Li Fangya were urgently searching for their team.
"It's all your fault, slipping and causing us to get separated," Yun Hai complained.
"You could have helped me up instead of just walking behind me. Do you think I wanted to fall? I'm scared too!" Li Fangya said, her voice trembling as she started crying.
Yun Hai, despite his usual banter, was a good person. When he saw that he had gone too far with his words, he immediately went to comfort Li Fangya and apologized, taking all the blame.
Hearing comforting words, Fang Ya finally calmed down a little, but the fear in her heart didn't decrease. In fact, it grew even stronger.
Yun Hai helped Fang Ya, who was resting by the roadside, to her feet. They walked side by side. Fang Ya tightly clung to Yun Hai's arm, afraid of getting separated again. Seeing her trembling, Yun Hai naturally pulled her tighter into his embrace, taking advantage of the situation.
"It's getting dark. We can't stay here much longer. If we keep going like this, something bad will definitely happen. Let's find a safer place to camp," Xu Feng suggested.
"Are we just going to leave Yun Hai and Fang Ya behind?" Dongfang Qing asked, her emotions unstable.
"How can we find them? Look at this fog, it's getting thicker. This is crazy," Jiang Zhongming said with displeasure.
"What now? Are we just going to leave them?" Dongfang Qing continued.
"We have no choice. Let's set up camp first, and then we'll look for them," Jin Zhong agreed.
Everyone thought this was reasonable. Since they hadn't heard any gunshots, staying in this situation was not a good idea. They decided to gamble with fate and continue.
They reached what they thought was a safe spot and immediately began setting up camp. Xu Feng, feeling uneasy, said, "Zhou Jun, let's go find them."
"Ah?" Zhou Jun was surprised. "Just the two of us?"
"What's there to fear? I'll mark the path with stones, then we can return the same way. Do you really want them to die here?" Xu Feng said wisely.
After thinking about it, Zhou Jun figured that with the markers, they could find their way back. Feeling reassured, he agreed, "Alright, let's go. It'll be hard to find them if we wait any longer."
"Fatty, stay here and look after things," Xu Feng said before walking into the thick fog with Zhou Jun, marking the path along the way.
Everyone fell silent, quietly waiting, hoping to leave the forest as soon as possible.
Time passed slowly.
"Xu Feng, didn't you leave markers? Why are we still going around in circles?" Zhou Jun began to get anxious.
"I did leave markers... but why is this happening? There wasn't a path here earlier, and now... where did this road come from? I really don't know anymore," Xu Feng said, confused.
Zhou Jun felt a surge of frustration. Not only had they not found anyone, they had gotten lost themselves. "What should we do now? Are we lost again?"
"We shouldn't be. Let's keep following the markers," Xu Feng said anxiously. In truth, even he wasn't sure, and his "shouldn't be" sounded more like an empty hope. They just hoped they wouldn't run into wild animals.
What they didn't know was that Shi Kai had been watching them all along. If not for the master's orders, the wild animals would have already taken care of them. It wasn't as simple as avoiding beasts. If not for the master's command, Shi Kai would have thrown them out long ago. It seemed the master wanted them to experience hardship and also to send a warning to those who dared to intrude into the "forbidden area."
"They still haven't returned," Li Na said, growing anxious.
"Yeah, could something have happened to them?" Zhang Yuanming asked, confused.
When Zhang Yuanming heard Li Na's words, a fire seemed to ignite in his heart. Though he had been a little scared earlier, now he was full of courage. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. I won't go far. Wait for me." To prove his courage to those he loved, Zhang Yuanming became even more determined.
"I'll go with you," Jiang Zhongming said with concern.
"No need. The girls still need you two men to take care of them," Zhang Yuanming said, considering the bigger picture.
"I'll go with you. I'd rather go find them with you than stay here," Li Na said with concern.
At that moment, Zhang Yuanming's heart blossomed with joy. He hadn't expected his decision to earn the concern of the one he loved. Pretending to think it over, he said, "Alright, it's better with two people. We can look out for each other."
In Zhang Yuanming's mind, the earlier talk was just filler. As long as he could be alone with Li Na, he'd gladly get lost.
After Zhang Yuanming left, the remaining people grew even quieter, too nervous to speak, fearing they might attract wild beasts.
Another pair was lost in the "Fog Forest Array." The group's mood grew heavier. They all regretted this adventure, wishing they had never come here.
"Xiao Qing, I'm scared," Li Jingjing continued to sob.
Everyone looked at her. No one dared to bring up the heavy issue, but deep down, everyone knew they were lost.
"Fatty, Jiang Zhongming, can you look after them? I'll go check," Dongfang Qing finally gathered the courage to speak. She knew continuing like this wasn't going to work.
"It's not safe. You shouldn't go," Fatty said worriedly.
"Does staying here fix anything? I'd rather try to find a way out. Even if we get lost, we have to see it through," Dongfang Qing insisted, ignoring everyone's objections. She grabbed a flashlight and a machete and disappeared into the dense fog alone.
"Damn, what kind of place is this? It's already three in the morning, and there's still no sign of anything except for some chattering little animals. I haven't seen any way out. Is this really Shennongjia? I'm seriously starting to doubt it," Xu Feng yelled in frustration.
They had been wandering in the forest for nearly seven hours and were on the brink of collapse.
"Ugh, I don't know where they've gone. We don't know where we are either. So tired," Zhou Jun mumbled, following Xu Feng with heavy eyes.
"I'm tired too, but we can't rest here. There are too many bugs. Just looking at them makes me uncomfortable," Xu Feng said impatiently, holding the flashlight and leading the way.
Back at the camp, the four who were left behind were exhausted. Yao Qian and Li Jingjing had fallen asleep in each other's arms, while the two men were numbly waiting.
They had been lost for almost a full day and were barely able to cope. Everyone's nerves were hanging by a thread.
As the sky slowly began to brighten, the thick fog remained.
Dongfang Qing could no longer continue. She sat down to rest, but danger was closing in. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her ankle, and she collapsed, unconscious. A white snake quickly slithered into the grass.
As her consciousness slowly began to fade, she lay down, feeling so tired and wanting to rest. It felt so good, finally being able to sleep. Her entire body grew weaker, and she passed out.
By the time Shi Kai arrived, Dongfang Qing's lips had turned purple. He jumped down from the tree, examined her wound, and thought, I made it just in time. She's still alive. He immediately tore the fabric around her ankle, sharpened his right-hand finger like a blade, and carefully cut open the wound. Then he bent down and began sucking out the poison.
After several rounds of sucking out the poisoned blood, a tingling, painful sensation spread from her foot, and the blood slowly returned to her lips. Dongfang Qing let out a soft sound, slowly regaining consciousness and opening her eyes. Shi Kai was still there, continuing to clear the poison.
Dongfang Qing suddenly opened her eyes wide, only to see something unfamiliar and untidy crawling on her legs and kissing her. Her natural defensive instincts as a woman flared up. She quickly pulled her legs back and raised the machete to strike at Shi Kai's head.
With a loud clang, Shi Kai caught the blade that was swung toward him with just his left index and middle fingers, holding it tightly despite Dongfang Qing's best efforts to pull it away.
Shi Kai didn't say a word. Instead, he pointed to her ankle. Dongfang Qing instinctively looked down and saw the distinct bite marks from the snake still clearly visible on her leg. Slowly, her emotions began to calm down.
Shi Kai indifferently released his grip on the blade and crouched down, leaning toward Dongfang Qing's wound. Before she could react or refuse, his hand gripped her ankle, and it felt like it was glued to the ground. No matter how hard she tried to move, she couldn't.
Gradually, Dongfang Qing stopped resisting, sitting on the ground with a flushed face, quietly watching him. She understood that this "wild man" meant no harm. If he had, she would have been dead long ago.
The sky was getting brighter, but everything around them was still shrouded in a thick white fog. After Shi Kai had sucked out the remaining poison, he wiped his mouth clean and started rummaging through the nearby grass. Dongfang Qing watched him with curiosity but didn't dare move or make a sound.
Wherever poisonous snakes are found, there is usually a remedy nearby.
Shi Kai searched through the grass for a while, eventually finding some unknown plants, which he chewed up and then gently applied to Dongfang Qing's wound. A cool sensation immediately spread over her, and she knew that the "wild man" had used medicinal herbs to treat her.
Shi Kai forcefully tore off a large piece of Dongfang Qing's pants, causing her to shriek in shock. She thought he was about to take advantage of her, and she prepared to fight back. But instead, Shi Kai used the cloth to tightly wrap her wound. Only then did she realize that her initial suspicions were wrong.
Shi Kai stood up and coldly stared at Dongfang Qing, making her feel a little afraid. However, she also took the opportunity to observe him closely and felt a warm sensation in her heart. She hadn't expected the "wild man" to be so handsome, with a raw, untamed beauty that was almost mesmerizing.
Dongfang Qing hesitantly said, "Thank you for helping me."
Shi Kai shifted his gaze but didn't speak.
Dongfang Qing thought to herself, How foolish of me. A wild man can't possibly understand me. Oh well.
Despite this, she still nervously tried again, "Are you a wild man?"
At this, Shi Kai sighed deeply in his heart. He had been here for seven years, and he never imagined that when he finally met someone, they would immediately assume he was a wild man. It reminded him of the first time he met his master. Sigh.
Dongfang Qing noticed the thoughtful expression on his face and became even more certain of her guess: He's definitely a wild man. No matter what I say, he doesn't understand.
She was no longer as afraid. After all, he seemed harmless, and since he didn't understand her, she just sat on the ground, sighed, and muttered to herself, "If only you could understand me, that would be great. I'm lost, and I can't find my companions... I can't even go back. Oh well, you won't understand anyway. But honestly, you're pretty handsome. You're strong, tall, and attractive, with a good heart. You're much better than those creepy guys trying to chase after me. If I had a boyfriend like you, that would be amazing."
As soon as she said this, Dongfang Qing immediately realized her mistake and mentally reprimanded herself: What's wrong with me? Why did I say that? It's nothing like me, especially in such a dangerous situation. How could I think about something like this? Fortunately, he didn't understand, so she felt a bit relieved.
Shi Kai didn't understand her words; he was just too lazy to speak. For the past seven years, he had only talked to his master. Talking to someone else felt completely unfamiliar. And frankly, Dongfang Qing's words didn't stir any feelings in him. In fact, the only words that had any meaning to him were those of his master. At that thought, he remembered the task his master had given him.
At this thought, Shi Kai immediately leaped up the tree, moving between the trunks with swift agility, disappearing into the thick fog in an instant. Before Dongfang Qing could comprehend what had just happened, he was already gone.
Dongfang Qing wiped her eyes in disbelief and muttered, "Am I dreaming? How did he just vanish like that?"
"Did you hear that? A scream," Yunhai asked, holding his hunting rifle, looking at Fang Ya.
"Yes, I heard it. It sounded familiar, but I can't place it," Fang Ya thought for a moment. "It was Dongfang Qing's voice, I'm sure of it."
"Are you sure?" Yunhai frowned.
"Definitely. I've lived with her for four years. I'm absolutely sure," Fang Ya confirmed.
"She's in danger. Let's go. We need to head toward the sound," Yunhai said quickly.
The scream had been the result of Dongfang Qing mistakenly thinking Shi Kai was trying to take advantage of her.
Though the poison had been cleared from her body, Dongfang Qing still couldn't move, and the pain from her leg wound kept her immobile. All she could do was hope that the "wild man" wouldn't abandon her and would hurry back. She also hoped to find her companions and escape this cursed place.
Having assessed the situation and determined that there was no immediate danger, Shi Kai began to worry about Dongfang Qing. It wasn't that he wanted to help her, but because his master had no intention of harming anyone. Since Dongfang Qing's wound was serious and she couldn't move, she might be in danger, so Shi Kai immediately jumped back toward her.
Dongfang Qing, waiting anxiously, felt a strange sense of relief and even a little happiness when she saw the "wild man" return. She felt more at ease, though she still couldn't move.
This time, Dongfang Qing was determined to make the "wild man" understand what she meant. She knew that if she could make him understand, they might have a chance of getting out.
With that thought, she began gesturing and speaking as best as she could.
After speaking for a while, Dongfang Qing panted, "Do you understand?"
Shi Kai remained silent, his expression unchanged. He stood there, not responding. You want to leave, but it's not time yet. My master said you must wait two days. So, wait patiently.
Dongfang Qing realized her efforts had been in vain. It was like talking to a stone. She felt wronged, with no one to vent her frustration to. She felt hopeless—calling out to the heavens and the earth, but no one answered. At that moment, she couldn't hold it in any longer, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
Seeing this, Shi Kai sighed deeply. He actually wanted to let Dongfang Qing go, but only her. He felt that she resembled his late sister so much—really, so much. If not for that, he wouldn't have smiled at her when they met on the cliff at Fengjingya.
"It's useless. When it's time for you to leave, I'll show you the way," Shi Kai suddenly spoke, startling Dongfang Qing. She stared at the "wild man" in shock and stammered, "Y-You can talk?"
Shi Kai coldly nodded.
"You've been able to understand everything I've said?" Dongfang Qing asked, still in disbelief.
Shi Kai didn't respond, merely nodding. In his heart, he likely didn't want to speak to anyone other than his master. If it weren't for the fact that Dongfang Qing resembled his late sister, he wouldn't have spoken at all, even if it meant dying.
Dongfang Qing immediately stopped crying and smiled, thinking: Thank heavens, a savior has come. Realizing this, her face turned red, and she muttered softly to herself, "Did he understand everything I said earlier? Oh, how embarrassing."
"I understood everything," Shi Kai replied, causing Dongfang Qing to jump in surprise. "You could hear me even though I was whispering?"
"I can hear everything within a two-kilometer radius," Shi Kai said flatly. He found it normal; after seven years of intense training, if he couldn't hear this much, he'd have failed his master.
Dongfang Qing trembled, her face turning pale. Is he human or a ghost? Two kilometers... that's terrifying. He must have sensed us the moment we entered the forest.
Shi Kai continued to stare at her coldly.
"Can you help us find our companions? Can you lead us out of here?" Dongfang Qing asked cautiously.
"Tomorrow, the fog will clear, and you'll be able to find your way out then."
"What? Tomorrow?" Dongfang Qing pressed, not satisfied with the vague answer.
"You ask too many questions," Shi Kai said, his tone cold.
Dongfang Qing immediately realized her mistake, but strangely, even though she felt somewhat embarrassed, hearing that the "wild man" could understand her made her feel inexplicably happy. This happiness seemed to overshadow her desire to find a way out.
After a moment, she gathered her thoughts and gently asked, "Are you a wild man?"
Shi Kai shook his head firmly.
Seeing him shake his head, Dongfang Qing felt even more pleased. She continued, "Have you been living here all this time?"
"Seven years," Shi Kai said, unexpectedly sharing that detail.
"Seven years?" Dongfang Qing repeated, thinking to herself, How does it feel to live in this place for seven years? I can barely survive for seven hours here. I can't believe he's been living here for seven years. It's unbelievable.
"Thank you for saving me twice," Dongfang Qing said, her face turning red. The kind of man she had always longed for seemed to be standing right in front of her, strong and magnificent like this "wild man." She felt a strange sense of happiness and excitement. She no longer cared about finding her companions—she now knew that when the time came, they would naturally be able to leave.
Shi Kai didn't say anything. In his mind, this was nothing significant. The silence lingered between them.
"Are you the only one here?" Dongfang Qing asked, realizing from his response that there was much more she didn't know.
"Don't ask questions that don't concern you. It won't benefit you," Shi Kai said, his tone growing more agitated. When it came to his master's safety, he would kill anyone, even someone who looked like his sister, without hesitation.
Seeing the fierce look in his eyes, Dongfang Qing grew fearful. Usually, people's eyes didn't emit such a chilling aura.
"Your companions are fine. They're heading in this direction, and they'll find you within the hour," Shi Kai continued.
"I understand," Dongfang Qing answered carefully, genuinely afraid of Shi Kai now.
"Could you... could you stay and talk to me? I'm scared here alone," Dongfang Qing nervously asked, fearing that Shi Kai would disappear again, leaving her alone in this terrifying forest.
Shi Kai nodded. "But you must promise me that you won't tell anyone about seeing me."
Dongfang Qing smiled and nodded eagerly.
Shi Kai moved closer and sat beside her. It was the first time in seven years that he had spoken to a stranger.
Dongfang Qing didn't know what to say. She was too afraid to ask any questions that might upset him, so she remained silent.
"Am I scary?" Shi Kai suddenly asked.
Dongfang Qing cautiously glanced at him and then nodded.
"It's normal. I've been living like this for the past seven years. Even tigers and leopards are scared of me now. Let alone you." Shi Kai knew he had completely disconnected from the outside world, and a pang of sadness filled his heart.
"That's not true," Dongfang Qing quickly explained. "It's just that when you're angry, you look a bit scary. But other than that, I don't feel afraid. In fact, I think you're kind-hearted, having saved me twice."
"Maybe," Shi Kai sighed, recalling events from more than a decade ago.
"Aren't you scared living here?" Dongfang Qing asked with concern.
"Why would I be scared? Besides, it's them who are scared of me," Shi Kai replied coldly.
"How old are you?" Dongfang Qing asked curiously, as if checking his ID.
"Nineteen."
"Nineteen?" Dongfang Qing thought to herself, He's only nineteen? He's three years younger than me. I can't believe he came here seven years ago and survived.
"They're almost here. Remember what you promised me." After Shi Kai spoke, he disappeared into the mist.
Dongfang Qing hadn't even had the chance to nod before she realized he was gone. She quickly called out, "I don't know your name yet!"
But there was no response.
After a while, Yun Hai and Fang Ya slowly made their way over and finally saw Dongfang Qing. Fang Ya immediately rushed over, crying and hugging her tightly, both of them overwhelmed with joy. Yun Hai also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his companions safe.
"Where's the rest of the group?" Yun Hai asked.
"After you left, Xu Feng and Zhou Jun went to look for you but never came back. They might have gotten lost. They had been gone for a long time, and I got anxious, so I came looking for you too," Dongfang Qing explained.
"Shh, there's movement," Yun Hai became alert and pointed his gun toward the bushes.
"I'm sure that scream just now was from Dongfang Qing. Hurry up!" a voice called from the grass.
"It's Xu Feng's voice," Yun Hai lowered his gun. "I didn't expect Dongfang Qing's loud scream would bring us all together."
Dongfang Qing couldn't help but smile bitterly. She knew very well that this was all arranged by the "wild man." Without him, they would never have found her. Since she didn't know his real name, she continued to think of him as the "wild man." Her face flushed as she thought about it.
"Oh, so you're all here. We searched all night, from evening until morning. I'm so glad we found you!" Xu Feng appeared with a joyful expression, and Zhou Jun followed behind.
"Ugh, your foot is injured!" Xu Feng asked with concern. Since he saw Dongfang Qing, he hadn't taken his eyes off her.
"It's nothing, let's go." Dongfang Qing didn't want to tell them what had happened, so she quickly changed the subject. As soon as she tried to move, she almost stumbled, but luckily, Xu Feng was quick and caught her. "You seem badly hurt. Let me carry you."
Dongfang Qing looked uncomfortable and said, "No, I can walk with Fang Ya's help."
Fang Ya immediately seized the opportunity and said, "Yes, I can help her walk."
Xu Feng had no choice but to give up. In Dongfang Qing's heart, she always considered Xu Feng as just a normal friend. She didn't feel anything for him and never gave him any hope, especially since he wasn't the type of person she was interested in. However, Xu Feng had been persistently in love with her.
After this ordeal of getting lost, Yun Hai and Fang Ya ended up sparking a connection, but that's a story for another time.
The five of them continued walking, searching for the rest of their group. Strangely, despite the heavy fog, they quickly found their campsite, much to everyone's joy, and they didn't question it too much. The only one who knew the true reason behind this was Dongfang Qing. Without the "wild man's" help, they would never have been able to find their way out.
This reunion, while joyous, also left everyone feeling the eerie terror of the forest. They couldn't wait to leave as soon as possible.
Not far from them, up in a tree, Shi Kai silently kept watch and protected them.
After dinner, they packed up their things and prepared to search for a way out. But after an afternoon of exploration, they were once again disappointed. Everyone, except for Dongfang Qing, had the same thought: Are we going to be trapped here forever?
Having gone in circles, they were left with no choice but to continue camping and prepare to spend the night. Everyone felt miserable, and no one wanted to speak, afraid that even a word would bring catastrophe. The weight in their hearts made them all feel exhausted.
"Everyone, don't be like this. I believe we'll find a way out tomorrow. We definitely will," Dongfang Qing encouraged them. She firmly believed the "wild man" would guide them the next day.
Everyone glanced at her but said nothing. Everyone knew the situation by now; it felt like nothing more than empty hope. But still, they couldn't help but hope that Dongfang Qing's wish might come true. They really couldn't stay here any longer.
That night, no one spoke because they didn't have the heart to. They went to bed early, each retreating into their own tents, waiting for the "tomorrow" that Dongfang Qing spoke of.
A safe night passed. Under such harsh conditions, no one had the energy to sleep. They all woke up early, mechanically packing their things and preparing to continue searching for a way out. They were almost at the brink of despair, but for the faint hope that Dongfang Qing had mentioned, they kept going. If they didn't find a way out today, they would be completely lost.
Time slowly ticked away, and they were getting closer to the edge of despair. By noon, the fog began to clear a little, and a glimmer of hope stirred in their hearts. They continued moving forward, their progress slow and painful.