Huang Li and Lin Xiaoyu got into the tent one after another, and the sound of small conversations became blurred as the zipper closed.
I added a piece of wood to the fire. In the wild night, this fire is not only for keeping warm, but also the key to driving away wild animals and ensuring safety.
Humbling over the next plan in my mind, I reserved three days and two nights for this trip to the mountains. My goal was clear, which was to find the Cynomorium cynomorium that could solve my physical problems.
However, Huang Li and Lin Xiaoyu’s physical abilities are limited after all, and we cannot risk going deep into the inaccessible core area of Shuangyang Mountain.
This casts a shadow on my mind. According to the information Huang Li previously revealed and the habits of this rare herb, the hope of finding Cynomorium cynomorium in the peripheral areas is probably extremely slim.
There was a faint sound of muffled conversation in the tent. I couldn't hear it clearly, but I could feel that they were not asleep yet.
I got up and prepared to find some soft leaves nearby to put under my sleeping bag.
Just one night by the fire, three people cannot be crowded into a small tent.
By the light of the fire, I walked to the edge of the camp under a tree, took out the machete, and selected the branches that seemed to have more leaves.
Just when I raised my knife and prepared to chop at a branch.
Hand deep in the bushes not far ahead, two green lights were staring at me.
That is definitely not the fluorescent light of insects, but belongs to some kind of large beast.
I held the knife tightly, "What on earth is it? It feels quite big."
The wind in the forest seemed to have stopped, leaving only the occasional crackling sound from the fire.
I quickly recalled the information I had checked. There were bears, wild boars, and maybe even tigers in the Shuangyang Mountains.
These are large beasts that dominate the forest.
We faced each other across the dim light. The two green lights were motionless, carrying the original coldness of the mountain forest.
It was hiding in the shadows, and I couldn’t see its specific shape. My heart sank: "Don’t be a tiger!"
Although wild boars are ferocious and bears are powerful, they are always easier to deal with than the real top hunters in the jungle.
If you encounter a tiger, its lightning-like pounce and fatal chokehold are almost impossible to resist in this dark forest.
Suddenly, the two green lights moved, then disappeared into the darkness, leaving no trace.
I relaxed slightly, but I didn’t dare to relax completely.
No matter what it was, it chose to retreat, which is undoubtedly the best result.
Hurrying after unknown beasts in the mountains and forests late at night is a mistake only novices make.
Securing the camp in front of us is the most important thing.
My men moved faster and cut down a few branches with more leaves.
I dragged them back to the fire, took out the sleeping bags and spread them on the leaves. I didn’t get in immediately.
Instead, he added a few more fire-resistant logs to the fire to make the flames grow stronger again.
After doing this, I sat down beside the sleeping bag and put the machete within easy reach.
In the tent, the slight chatter has stopped. It seems that they have already fallen asleep.
I raised my eyes and looked at the darkness that swallowed up the green light. I didn't feel much fear in my heart, but felt more awake.
This night, I was half asleep and half awake, always alert.
Happily, except for a few unknown night owl calls and the sound of small animals turning leaves, nothing else happened.
The next morning, I finally relaxed completely and breathed a long sigh of relief.
This night finally passed without any danger.
I stretched my somewhat stiff neck and shoulders, stood up, and rolled up my sleeping bag.
The fire has been extinguished, leaving only a pile of gray ashes and a few faint wisps of smoke.
The zipper of the tent was opened at this time, and Huang Li leaned out, her hair still a little fluffy.
She was a little surprised when she saw that I had packed up and was standing outside: "You got up so early? Still haven't slept?"
"Fortunately, I squinted for a while." I moved my shoulders and didn't feel much sleepy.
My special physical condition allows me to take a short break, which is enough to restore my energy.
Huang Li took a few steps closer, her eyes fell on my shoulder, and she stretched out her hand naturally.
Hash off the leaves and dirt on the clothes: "These clothes are all stained."
“This is inevitable in the wild.” I stood still and didn’t think much about her actions.
At this time, Lin Xiaoyu also got out of the tent. She seemed to be well rested and her eyes were clear.
Huang Li's hand stopped almost immediately, then retracted it naturally, turned around and walked aside to organize the equipment.
I suddenly realized that in the eyes of outsiders, Lin Xiaoyu was still my girlfriend.
Huang Li's behavior just now did seem a bit too close. She probably wanted to avoid suspicion.
"I'll go to the stream to get some water and cook some instant noodles for breakfast." I picked up the kettle and walked towards the stream, deliberately diverting Lin Xiaoyu's attention away from the delicate moment just now.
When I came to the clear stream, I knelt down and filled the water bottle, then returned to the camp without saying a word about the night's episode.
Huang Li has set up a small pot and started to boil water.
After a while, the three of us sat around the fire and ate a simple breakfast.
"Which direction are we going today?" I finished my last bite of noodles and looked at Xiaoyu.
Lin Xiaoyu unfolded the hand-drawn map, followed the stream with his fingers, and finally landed on a place marked "Tiger Leaping Valley".
"We can only go as far as the edge of Tiger Leaping Valley today, and we can't go any further in."
"This is a rule passed down from generation to generation by our herb collectors. Going further in is no longer the place to collect herbs."
Huang Li stared at the map: "Everything passed down from the ancestors usually has its own truth."
Hong Kong Li said: "The older generation said that there is something in the valley." Lin Xiaoyu put away the map.
"It's not as simple as a beast. Anyway, those who obey can come back safely, and it's hard to tell those who don't."
I noticed the profound meaning in her words. In the local area, this kind of taboo passed down from generation to generation is often more worthy of attention than any map mark.
"Then go to the edge of Tiger Leaping Valley and search." I packed up my luggage.
We moved upstream along the stream, not knowing what dangers were waiting for us ahead.
Huang Li was so focused on searching for herbs that she didn't pay attention to her steps. She stepped on a moss-covered stone and was about to fall down if she tilted her body.
With quick eyesight and quick hands, I held her arm.
"Be careful, this place is slippery."
She used her strength to stand firm, and quickly returned to her usual calmness: "Thank you."
Lin Xiaoyu was walking in front, and suddenly stopped, squatting down and taking a closer look at an inconspicuous plant between the rock crevices.
It has slender leaves with a unique purple-red gloss on the back.
"Teacher Huang, look at this." She shouted softly.
Huang Li immediately forgot about her previous embarrassment, walked forward quickly, and squatted next to Xiao Yu.
Her tone could not hide her surprise: "This is a purple-backed dragon scale, which is very rare. It has miraculous effects on treating internal injuries, especially promoting the healing of internal organs."
Huang Li used tools to collect some leaves and rhizomes, carefully wrapped them and put them in a specimen bag.
"Good luck. This medicinal plant is hard to find outside."
After the short-term joy, we continued to move forward.
The deeper you go, the denser the trees become and the light gradually dims.