dmims Chapter 26 That Night, 1. It didn't rain at all at first.
Chapter 26 That Night, 1. It didn't rain at all at first.
"I suppose so." Professor He's smile faded slightly, and he became more serious. "However, you can rest assured during the day. Dragon servants are yin and do not see the sun. Their habits mean that they are usually active after sunset."
Li Jiu immediately understood: "So, the tourist rules repeatedly mentioning that we must be down the mountain before sunset is to avoid the Dragon Servants?"
Once the sun sets, the Dragon Servants' activity range will gradually expand. For example, the situation where they were targeted by He Rouzhi yesterday evening should be an example of this.
Moreover, upon closer reflection, it seems that not long after they passed through the white dragon sculpture at the entrance of the scenic area, he felt that he was being watched.
etc--!!
Li Jiu's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
At that time, besides feeling that something was following him, he also noticed that Yin Qixu looked at him several times!
Could it be... that Yin Qixu looked at him because she noticed He Rouzhi was watching him, and was curious about how he had been targeted?!
Holy crap, did all of this happen right under Yin Qixu's nose?!
If that's really the case, that woman is truly terrifying! Li Jiu subconsciously conjured up the image of Yin Qixu—an intellectual, aloof, and capable woman.
Professor He continued, "Of course, there are some other crises as well."
"The Buddha of Tranquility eliminates two evils with one Buddha, and the White Snake is only one of them."
Tang Mubai's curiosity was piqued again: "Then what is the other scourge?"
Professor He gave him a smile and said, "If you're so curious, why don't you just stay?"
Tang Mubai shook his head vigorously.
At this moment, Li Jiu asked, "Professor... are you a local from Fulong Mountain?"
Professor He made no attempt to hide anything, and he nodded frankly, saying, "That's right, I am a local of Fulong Mountain. Not only am I a local, but I am also one of the survivors of the catastrophic flash flood in Fulong Mountain in 1973."
"Survivors?!" Li Jiu keenly caught the key word.
"Yes, I am not a descendant of the survivors..." Professor He looked at Li Jiu solemnly, "but a survivor himself, one of the survivors."
Tang Mubai's mouth dropped open in astonishment: "Wow, I've seen living people from historical archives! I thought all the survivors from that era were dead... uh, they're all gone now."
Seeing the way Professor He was looking at him, Tang Mubai subconsciously changed his words.
Professor He ignored Tang Mubai's exaggerated expression and continued, "Not only me, but also that old man He you met yesterday."
"My name is He Shougui, and his name is He Shouchao. We are both from the Shou generation in the village. When the flash flood occurred, some of us were only a few years old, and some were teenagers. Now, very few of us are still alive."
Professor He casually gave a brief explanation of the generational names of Fulong Mountain, which were exactly the same as those mentioned by He Rouyi.
"If it weren't for thoroughly investigating the problems at Fulong Mountain... I think my old bones would never set foot on that mountain again." His tone was tinged with weariness and complexity.
Li Jiu never expected that Professor He would be so open about his "personal motives".
"And this summer camp? Is this the method you used for your investigation?" Li Jiu asked.
Professor He said, "It's impossible to say that I had no ulterior motives at all, but for me, the summer camp was more of a means to assist in the investigation."
"I'm getting old, and my physical strength and energy are not what they used to be. I can no longer run all over the mountains by myself like I used to when I was young."
"That's why I need you strong and healthy young men to help me climb the mountain step by step."
Li Jiu's expression darkened slightly: "Are you so certain that we'll encounter an accident while climbing the mountain, and are you using us as pawns?"
"No." Professor He shook his head slightly, his tone sincere. "Why would I want something to happen to you?"
"But I've been to Fulong Mountain so many, many, many times already. I know the plants and trees in this mountain very well..."
"My understanding of it has long been solidified. For me, 'Fulong Mountain is absolutely safe as long as it is within the rules.'"
"Now, no matter how I look at Fulong Mountain, I can't find anything wrong with it..."
"But it's different for you. This is your first time visiting Fulong Mountain, and everything here feels unfamiliar and new. So I asked you to take photos along the way. On the one hand, I sincerely hope that you can enjoy the folk customs and local culture of Fulong Mountain..."
"On the other hand, I also want to use your unfamiliar sense of perception to feel the atmosphere and structure of this mountain... to see if I can capture those things that I have overlooked."
"What you perceive can serve as a basis for me to determine whether there is a problem with the feng shui and the earth's veins in the mountains."
Li Jiu frowned: "How could we, a few new students, possibly sense something that you haven't been able to investigate for so many years?"
Professor He did not directly refute, but slowly said: "Beyond traditional science, there is a very mysterious concept called 'inspiration'."
"It is said that inspiration is the lingering charm of the ancient sages' sudden enlightenment and the innate ability to understand the profound."
"Those with strong spiritual insight can perceive the illusions of Maya, distinguish the differences between yin and yang, and discern the truth from falsehood and mystery."
Tang Mubai listened, stunned, and couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Professor, are you a folklore professor, or a folklore charlatan? What you're saying is getting more and more off."
Professor He shook his head and said, "We must certainly believe in science, but that flash flood destroyed everything, except for a few dozen people who survived. Do you know why?"
Li Jiu's heart skipped a beat: "Could it be because of the 'inspiration' you mentioned?"
Professor He nodded and said, "That's right."
Tang Mubai's face clearly showed disbelief, but seeing Professor He's deep, nostalgic gaze, he was afraid of being beaten if he spoke out, so he said nothing and just listened silently.
Professor He gave Li Jiu a deep look before continuing, "Among the children of our generation, there was a slightly older sister who was exceptionally gifted from a young age, displaying remarkable intuition..."
"That night, the originally cheerful night suddenly became unusually oppressive. The sister woke up from a nightmare and said that she sensed the Buddha's lament and that a tremendous change might happen in the mountains."
"The people of Fulong Village have worshipped gods and Buddhas for generations. The elders of my sister believed her words without a doubt, and when they heard what my sister said, they quickly went to sound the alarm."
"Most of the other villagers are the same; even if there are some dissenting voices, they are all suppressed."
"After we were all settled, some people stayed behind to take care of us, while the other adults went into the mountains overnight to check on the situation..."
At this point, Professor He's tone became much lower.
You might not believe it if I told you...
"That night, it didn't rain at all at first."