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墨書 Inktalez
Tang Yumo silently watched each of us arrive at the Beipan River's edge, her clear eyes devoid of expression. Rather than bidding us farewell, it felt more like she was mourning our departure. I could see no trace of joy or nostalgia on her face.
A mountain range stretched along one side of the Beipan River; on one side lay the river itself, while on the other was the valley where the Hakka people resided.
The fixed Zip Line was not located at the highest point of this mountain range; in fact, it was situated at a low point along the Beipan River mountains. Even so, its height far exceeded that of the scattered hills within the valley.
Sliding down to the hills below via the Zip Line from this point was an incredibly simple task. It required no effort to pull on the rope; instead, one had to continuously slow down, or else risk crashing into the hills below due to excessive speed.
Conversely, climbing up to this Zip Line connection point from the hills below required considerable physical strength; otherwise, it would be difficult to make it up in one go. This segment relied entirely on human power to pull oneself up along the Zip Line. However, we didn’t need to exert ourselves; at this endpoint of the Zip Line away from the valley, two young Hakka men were continuously pulling us up.
Faced with Tang Yumo's indifferent gaze, I chose to ignore her and walked alone to the other end of the mountaintop, gazing out at the Beipan River with mixed emotions. Finally leaving that dreadful place behind, I hoped that my luck would be better when I returned next time.
The mountaintop here was relatively spacious, shaped by natural formations as well as signs of human excavation. This area could accommodate many people, even featuring a flat space about the size of a basketball court.
Our group was arranged in this order: the Vietnamese were at the front, I followed closely in second place, then came two Lao people and Fatty, with Jack bringing up the rear.
I took in the scenery at the mountaintop for a while before the Lao people and Fatty began to arrive one by one via the Zip Line. In fact, I was observing the Zip Line leading across to the opposite side of the Beipan River. The earlier segment of the Zip Line primarily tested our stamina, but with assistance from the Hakka people on both ends, our physical exertion was minimal.
However, crossing over the Beipan River via this segment of Zip Line posed real dangers. The river flowed clear yet turbulent, roaring between towering mountains. White waves surged upon its surface. If an accident occurred here, not even divine intervention could save us.
When Fatty was pulled up by two Hakka men, he inevitably let out a loud shout and specifically called me over from across the mountaintop. He leaned against one of them for support as he struggled to walk comfortably.
“Do you think I’m just a decent crutch in your eyes?” I thought bitterly.
Fatty could walk slowly but couldn’t sit down; there were still scars on his backside that hadn’t fully healed.
“Take me around. The view here is nice; let’s go check out that spot over there. It’s high and you can see far.”
In an instant, he transformed into a bossy figure, directing me with an air of authority.
“Do you know what ‘high places are cold’ means? It’s not about temperature; it’s about feeling disheartened. What if you get tired halfway? The mountain is so steep; I can’t carry you up.”
“Stop being so dramatic. You haven’t had to carry me this whole way; now that I’m giving you a chance to repay your debt, you’re getting all sensitive about it. My injury…”
Fatty glanced at Tang Yumo out of the corner of his eye and continued shouting.
“Isn’t it because of you? Do you think your debt ends here? No way; it has to be repaid.”
"Can we just owe it for now and pay it back when we have the chance?"
"No way." Fatty pushed me from behind.
Fatty's strength was considerable; I had learned that the hard way when he had pushed me down the mountain before. This time, his shove sent me stumbling again. Seeing Fatty's stubbornness and realizing he wouldn't be coming back after this, I decided to indulge his wish.
We climbed up the steep slope, with me pulling him along as we gradually made our way higher.
Soon, Xiao Ting reached the end of the Zip Line. She immediately spotted what Fatty and I were doing and let out a surprised shout as she ran toward us.
I felt a wave of relief. The only person who could make Fatty listen was Xiao Ting, and I hoped she could dissuade him from continuing. I was so worried; dragging Fatty up the mountain had drained my energy and left me on edge. If anything happened to him now, or if he couldn't move anymore, it would be a complete breakdown for me.
To my surprise, Fatty rejected Xiao Ting's request for him to stop climbing. It seemed he gave her some sort of hint because she quickly accepted his decision and helped us climb higher. The three of us gradually distanced ourselves from the main group and finally reached a higher peak.
At the summit, there was a Chessboard Stone, flat as a tabletop. Fatty collapsed onto it, panting heavily.
Seeing him in such a sorry state made my anger flare up.
"Are you satisfied now? You look exhausted! After all that pulling and pushing, you didn't think about how we felt? My legs are about to cramp up!"
Fatty waved his hand dismissively. "It's not exhaustion; it's my wound acting up. I didn't realize how stubborn this injury would be after such a long time without movement."
Hearing that made my head spin. He wasn't going to expect me to carry him down, was he? That would push my limits! Already feeling like a dog from exhaustion, I was startled by Fatty's words and collapsed helplessly onto the Chessboard Stone. Whatever, I needed to rest for a moment.
The wind here was stronger, filling my ears with its howling sound, occasionally mixed with other noises. Listening closely, I realized it was Vietnamese being spoken from below. It dawned on me that we were in a downwind position; despite being high up, our voices wouldn't carry down to those below.
Was this an unexpected advantage? I looked at Fatty grimacing in pain and felt uncertain.
"Take a look down there; does it look familiar?" Fatty suddenly pointed at the Valley.
From this vantage point, the view opened up significantly. I gazed at the scattered hills within the Valley, surrounded by swamps that isolated countless hills and marshes covered in green vegetation. Nodding, I replied, "Yes, I've spent a lot of time in there; of course, it's familiar."
A Monocular Telescope was handed to me.
"Look again; focus on the distance."
I stared at Fatty in surprise. He wasn't even carrying any weapons—those were with Jack and me—but here he was with a telescope. It seemed his actions today were premeditated. What did he want me to see? Was there still something in this Valley that I hadn't discovered?
I stood up on the Chessboard Stone, filled with confusion as I raised the Monocular Telescope.
Following the traces of the Zip Line, I began searching for the Hakka People's Village. The greatest secret of this Valley lay within the Hakka Village, and if Fatty had made any discoveries, they should be in that direction. Unfortunately, I could not see the Hakka Village; it must have been hidden behind a hill, obscured by the enormous plants growing on it.
"I couldn't find it," I had to admit. "It should be the Hakka Village, but it's not visible from here."
Fatty stood up. He didn't climb onto the Chessboard Stone but remained beneath it.
"Your thinking is off. You lack a broader perspective."
'What the hell, are you trying to show off to me?'
I turned away, avoiding Xiao Ting's gaze as I mouthed to Fatty. (To Be Continued...)
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