Chapter Two: Journey to Shennongjia

“Yes, a new batch just came in. I had a look, but there’s nothing worthwhile,” Chen Wei said.

Chen Xing, his curiosity piqued, stepped forward. Amid the pile of old goods, he indeed found nothing particularly impressive. Still, he was convinced the bead wouldn’t have reacted without reason.

He scanned the items carefully, finally fixing his gaze on something long and narrow. On closer inspection, it appeared to be an ancient sword, its surface mottled with rust, making it impossible to discern its original form.

“There’s nothing worth looking at. All cheap replicas, aged to fool the layman,” his father commented indifferently.

Ignoring his father’s words, Chen Xing picked up the object. The moment his hand touched it, he distinctly felt the purple bead at his chest grow warm once again.

He was certain it wasn’t his imagination. Intrigued, he ran his hand along the length of the sword and noticed some faint inscriptions near the hilt. Only the middle character was just barely legible, which he somehow recognized as “Immortal,” despite never having learned it before. The other two characters were too blurred to make out.

“Dad, I’ll take this. At the very least, it’s a metal object—might come in handy while traveling,” Chen Xing said, intent on discovering why the bead had heated up.

“Take it if you want. It’s useless anyway,” his father replied.

“It’s nothing, just something to play with,” Chen Xing added.

“Alright, off you go!”

“I’m heading out, Dad.”

“Mm.” His father didn’t even look up as he responded.

Back home, Chen Xing studied the long, rusty object, but nothing came of it. Frustrated, he tossed it into his backpack, resolving to look at it again when he had more time.

Shennongjia, located in Hubei Province, was famous throughout China for its pristine wilderness and mysteries. Tourists flocked there year-round, and countless thrill-seekers ventured deep into its heart to explore, with many never returning. Yet the tales of disappearances only attracted more adventurers, leading to a steady stream of missing persons cases each year.

“Xing, let’s find a place to stay tonight and head into the mountains tomorrow. What do you think?” said Fatty.

Chen Xing eyed the two massive backpacks at Fatty’s side in exasperation. “You really plan to go deep in there? Aren’t you afraid Uncle Zhu will kill you?”

Fatty grinned roguishly. “Come on, we’re already here. If I don’t go for a little adventure, I’d be letting myself down.”

Chen Xing’s mouth twitched. “Fine. But let’s agree—if there’s danger, we turn back immediately.”

“Deal!” Fatty replied without hesitation.

They found a nearby hotel, threw down their luggage, showered, and fell into bed, exhausted.

The next morning, after washing up and packing their gear, they set off for Shennongjia. As they reached the outskirts of the scenic area, Fatty put down his bag and said, “Let’s sort out our equipment here.”

“Alright,” Chen Xing replied absently, his curiosity leading him to peer into Fatty’s bag. In their rush, he hadn’t had a chance to see what Fatty brought.

With a noisy clatter, Fatty dumped the contents onto the ground. Chen Xing was dumbfounded. “Where’s the food you brought?”

He stared in disbelief—there were trekking poles, climbing ropes, insect repellent, machetes, and even two hand crossbows, but only a few bottles of mineral water and no actual food.

Fatty grinned, waving a crossbow and machete. “With all this, are you still worried about food?”

Chen Xing sighed. “If we don’t catch anything, you’ll be the first to starve.”

“Relax! I’ve watched Bear Grylls’ shows countless times. I guarantee you won’t starve,” Fatty declared confidently.

Chen Xing felt like he’d been set up but could only hope nothing would go wrong.

They each took a machete, divided up the gear, and Chen Xing strapped the rusty sword to his waist before slinging on his backpack.

“Hold on, what’s that?” Fatty asked, eyeing the sword at Chen Xing’s waist.

“An old sword I got from my dad. For warding off evil spirits,” Chen Xing replied offhandedly, not bothering to explain further.

On a secluded path leading deeper into Shennongjia, the two young men, backpacks on and makeshift weapons in hand, chatted as they walked.

“Xing, do you think there really are wild men in these mountains?” Fatty asked.

“How would I know? I’ve never been here,” Chen Xing replied, exasperated.

“They say there might be aliens in Shennongjia. Imagine if we actually saw one—that would make this trip worthwhile,” Fatty said excitedly.

Chen Xing rolled his eyes. “Some people claim there are immortals here too. Do you believe that?”

“Then where do you think all those missing people went?”

“Wild animals, falling off cliffs—anything’s possible,” Chen Xing replied.

As they bantered, Chen Xing suddenly paused. “Fatty, do you hear something?”

“What sound? I don’t hear anything,” Fatty said, listening but hearing nothing.

Just then, a rustling came from the brush beside the path. Chen Xing tightened his grip on the crossbow and shouted, “Who’s there? Come out!”

A head poked out from the brush. Fatty jumped, his whole body trembling. “What the—what is that?” he cried, drawing his machete.

A crisp female voice replied, “What’s that supposed to mean? You and your whole family are the strange ones!”

Hearing it was a woman, Chen Xing relaxed. It was nearly noon, and they had passed the outer edge of Shennongjia, where wild animals sometimes appeared. Knowing it was another person was a relief.

A young woman, about twenty, with a striking face and dressed in full camouflage gear, emerged from the undergrowth. She was armed, her military attire giving her a capable, valiant appearance.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” the woman demanded.

“We’re here for an adventure. Why else come all this way?” Fatty said proudly, hefting his weapon.

The woman curled her lip in disdain. “You’re reckless. Didn’t you know several people went missing here just days ago? Yet you still dare to explore?”

“What about you? Isn’t it dangerous for you too?” Chen Xing asked curiously.

She blushed and snapped, “Mind your own business. Go back to where you came from.”

“Are you a police officer?” Fatty asked, noticing the pistol at her waist.

“I’m not. I’m a soldier. Let me warn you: now is not the time to be exploring Shennongjia. Several teams have already gone missing recently. We’re here to investigate the disappearances,” the soldier replied gravely.

Chen Xing and Fatty exchanged a glance, speechless.

“We’ve heard about it, but we weren’t planning to go too deep—just a little way in. That should be alright, right, miss?” Fatty asked, grinning.

The soldier hesitated, then said, “Why don’t you come with me to our team’s rest area? I’ll ask the captain.”

“Alright. Fatty, let’s go meet the soldiers and see what they say,” Chen Xing agreed readily.

Fatty nodded in silence.

On the way, they learned the woman’s name was Wang Yan. She was a terrain scout with the Third Squad of the First Battalion, Special Forces, Anhui Military District. Recently, satellites had detected unknown life forms deep in Shennongjia. With so many private expedition teams going missing, the government had called in the military, dispatching two squads to investigate. Wang Yan’s squad was one of them.

“Unknown creatures? What kind? Are there any photos? Can I see?” Fatty’s curiosity was instantly ignited.

Wang Yan rolled her eyes. “It’s classified. What do you think?”

Fatty pouted. “What kind of secret keeps us ordinary citizens in the dark?”

She ignored him. Soon, they reached a relatively flat clearing where seven or eight people were resting. A round-faced girl about Chen Xing’s age ran up happily. “Sister Yan, you’re back! Feeling better? Who are they?” She glanced at Chen Xing and Fatty.

“Two reckless guys who want to explore deeper,” Wang Yan said, shooting them a glare.

“Wow, you two are bold—still daring to go exploring now?” The girl’s face was full of admiration. “Hi, I’m Zhang Yuan. Just call me Yuan Yuan.” She shook hands with them, but Chen Xing caught a glint of mischief in her eyes, as if to say: You two really have no idea what you’re getting into.

Chen Xing forced a bitter smile and glared at Fatty.

Fatty gave an awkward laugh and shook hands with Zhang Yuan. “We were just bored and looking for a thrill.”

She smiled. “Alright, let’s go meet our captain and see what he decides.”

They approached a man in his thirties with a rugged face. Wang Yan saluted smartly: “Reporting, Captain. Scout Wang Yan, returned to squad.” He returned the salute and asked, “Who are these two?”

Wang Yan briefly explained their situation. The captain thought for a moment, then shook hands with Chen Xing and Fatty. “My name’s Wen Jun. I’d advise you both not to go any further. The area hasn’t been fully surveyed yet, and the dangers are unknown. It’s best if you turn back.”

Fatty, unwilling to give up, pleaded, “Captain, why not let us join you? We wouldn’t want to waste this trip, after all.”

Wen Jun was initially reluctant, but Fatty’s persistence wore him down. Considering their mission was only to survey ten kilometers in, and the risk was minimal, he decided taking them along wouldn’t violate military regulations. He reluctantly agreed.

“Alright, everyone grab something to eat and get ready to move out soon,” Wen Jun announced.

Since Chen Xing and Fatty hadn’t brought any food, Fatty shamelessly asked Wang Yan for some rations. The two ate happily, Fatty silently pleased with himself: who else gets to go adventuring with the protection of the military?

As Fatty daydreamed, a sudden roar echoed from the forest. Wen Jun’s face changed. “Everyone, on alert!” he shouted, swinging his automatic rifle off his back.

The team tensed, preparing for whatever was coming.