Chapter 195: Trouble at the Tourist Group

Translator: Tim Editor: Chrissy

Seeing everyone looking at her, she paused, then pointed to a distant peak. “I think I saw people there. I want to go take a look.”

Ning Qingxue’s reticence didn’t inspire doubt.

After a while, a man in his forties said, “Don’t even think about it. It may seem close, but it’s a long walk. Plus, this is no-man’s-land, just on the outskirts. Shen Nong Jia’s no-man’s-land is very dangerous; it’s best not to go in.”

“What danger? I’ll go take a look,” a young man in his twenties said, wanting to show off. He ran a few steps forward, turned, and said, “It’ll only take a little while. Shen Nong Jia isn’t as dangerous as before. They say there are savages, but who’s seen—argh!”

The youth’s joke ended abruptly. As he turned, his foot plunged into emptiness. He reacted quickly, grabbing the edge of a hole that appeared out of nowhere.

Several people rushed to help pull him up.

Scared and sweating, he stared at the pitch-black hole. “I’d have died if I’d fallen,” he said shakily.

“Not good, retreat! More cracks are opening nearby,” another man shouted, pointing to the ground cracking near where they stood.

Panic ensued. As they retreated to the edge, the cracks rumbled, and a much larger black hole appeared before them.

A murmuring sound issued from the hole, sending chills down their spines. It was pitch black inside, the mouth of a giant.

“What is this?” a woman in her thirties whispered, her voice trembling.

“It must be one of Shen Nong Jia’s sky pits,” the middle-aged man said. “They say there are many in the no-man’s-land, along with mist regions you can’t escape. I didn’t expect to encounter one. Retreat quickly!”

Everyone retreated, Ning Qingxue among them, seeking refuge near a tent.

Sighs of relief filled the air upon reaching the campsite.

“I can’t believe we encountered a sky pit! What was that murmuring sound?” people asked, crowding near the tents.

“It’s not a coincidence. There are many in Shen Nong Jia. Falling in means certain death. The murmuring sound? Probably wind circulating inside,” the middle-aged man said seriously.

The young man who nearly fell finally caught his breath. “Nearly lost my life! No wonder so many people go missing in Shen Nong Jia. We’re just on the outskirts! If we went further in, we’d have an eighty percent chance of dying.”

“Didn’t you just say it was only time-consuming?” someone retorted.

The youth’s face flushed. “Clearly, I know too little.”

Cui Lin approached, her face grim. “The tour company just ordered us to leave and cancel the no-man’s-land portion of the trip.”

No one objected. The experience had thoroughly shaken them. The twenty or so people packed their bags, then heard a sharper howl from the pits—definitely not wind.

They exchanged worried glances. Finally, the middle-aged man spoke. “Leave now! That sound is coming closer. Shen Nong Jia has too many unknown dangers. Let’s get out first.”

No one argued, and they ran. Despite the darkness, they moved quickly, escaping the no-man’s-land relatively swiftly.

Once out, they began to calm down.

“Count everyone. We should head to the nearest tourist spot,” the middle-aged man said.

Cui Lin, though the tour guide, appeared nervous as she counted. “Twenty-one… we’re missing one.” Her voice trembled. She knew what that meant.

“Let me count,” the middle-aged man said. “One, two… we are missing one. Everyone, look around. Call the police. We can’t go back; it’s too dangerous.”

“Zhang Qiang didn’t come out.”

“The young man who fell into the pit?” the middle-aged man realized.

“Why him? Was it the sky pit?” someone asked the unspoken question.

Silence descended. No one suggested going back for Zhang Qiang. The situation felt ominous.

“I think Zhang Qiang might have gotten lost running out,” the middle-aged man said unconvincingly. It was highly improbable so many others made it out safely and he didn't.

Cui Lin worriedly said, “What do we do? Should we go back and look for him?”

No one answered; the sky pits were too terrifying. No one dared to return.

“Wait for the rescue team.” No one wanted to risk their lives for a stranger. Even the middle-aged man remained silent. The events had been too shocking.

Ning Qingxue quietly followed them to the nearest tourist spot. By the time they checked into a hotel, a rescue team had arrived, along with two other tour groups.

Ning Qingxue finally understood the dangers of Shen Nong Jia. She had wanted to investigate the cliff, but it was clear she would have died before reaching it. It wasn’t a matter of courage; she lacked the power to do it.

Her inability to confirm if the person was Ye Mo gnawed at her. She had come to relax, to push the image of Ye Mo from her mind, but now, her anxiety only grew. His image was constantly before her eyes; the moment he fell from the cliff became increasingly vivid.

Had she mistaken someone else for him? Why else would he have been there? Ning Qingxue thought of Ye Mo’s small medical kit; perhaps he was gathering herbs.

Cui Lin remained anxious. It was her first time dealing with a missing person on a tour.

Ning Qingxue approached Cui Lin. “Cui Lin, your company has a helicopter. Can it be rented for a rescue?”

Cui Lin shook her head. “The company rarely uses the helicopter. Renting it is impossible. They need to verify a target and apply for a permit. Otherwise, it can’t be easily mobilized.”

Ning Qingxue understood; the helicopter was only for show. It was useless in a real emergency.

The incident dampened everyone’s spirits. The tour group returned to Yu State the next day, but Ning Qingxue went back to Ning Hai. She knew returning to the cliff alone was a fantasy. Besides, she wasn’t even sure if the person was Ye Mo. Perhaps her longing for him had caused her to misidentify him.

Even if it were Ye Mo, a fall from that height would have been fatal. While she wanted to hire a helicopter, she couldn't even say who she was rescuing. If only Chi Wanqing were here; her father could help.

Her main purpose in returning to Ning Hai was to confirm if the person she saw was Ye Mo. While uncertain if he would be in Ning Hai, she wanted to see Ye Mo’s school. It was graduation certificate time; perhaps he would return. Plus, she wanted to ask Su Jingwen some things.

Returning to Ning Hai, she found the pot of flowers thriving, relieved that Xu Wei had cared for them. But then, she noticed something different: small buds next to the plant. Who had planted them? They were the same species as her plant, but not as healthy.

Her heart surged with excitement. Had Ye Mo returned? Ning Qingxue felt breathless.