Chapter 6

　　By the time we left the old woman’s home, it was already noon. We reviewed our notes and felt we’d gained a great deal.

We gathered to discuss and decided to invite Anpu and Ali to lunch as a thank-you for their help.

We chose a restaurant Ali recommended, known for its authentic Miao cuisine.

“Ali, come sit here!” Qiu Lu beckoned to Ali. After half a day together, their relationship had noticeably warmed. I truly couldn’t fathom the logic behind girls’ friendships.

Ali gracefully lifted her skirt hem and sat down, smiling as she introduced us to the specialty dishes.

It must be said—often, those so-called online guides simply couldn’t compare to a knowledgeable local.

　　Halfway through the meal, we loosened up and started chatting about everything under the sun.

A Li sighed softly. “I really envy you guys. You get to see so many different sights. You were just talking about the sea—but honestly, forget the sea. I’ve barely even left the mountains much.”

Qiu Lu patted her shoulder reassuringly. ” Your life is something many people can only dream of. So peaceful and leisurely—nothing like our hectic lives.”

Wen Lingyu chimed in, “We used to have all these fantasies about the Miao people. I remember seeing on TV that Miao women could cast curses!”

“Curses!” Ali giggled. “So many tourists ask me about that.”

　　I couldn’t help but ask curiously, “So do you actually practice bug magic?”

Ali replied, “We truly respect all creatures, big and small. We believe mistreating life brings retribution.”

Xu Zirong’s mouth formed an ‘O’—he seemed utterly baffled that crushing an insect could invite divine punishment.

　　“But casting curses is something I only heard about from elders—I’ve never seen the cursed insects myself! In their stories, the Miao women who could cast curses were incredibly powerful. Just a flick of their fingernail, a single stare…”

　　As Ali spoke, he mimicked the actions, making Qiu Lu shrink his neck in fright.

“The poison would already be inside the target’s body.”

Wen Lingyu murmured softly, “That’s so powerful!”

It sounded like a supernatural tale.

　　“Miao girls also cast love curses. Once a young man catches her eye and falls under that spell, he must be with her. Otherwise, he’ll toss and turn, unable to sleep, tormented by the agony of a thousand insects gnawing at him!”

This time, even Xu Zirong drew his neck back.

An Pu took a sip of rice wine and waved his hand dismissively. ” “It can’t be that powerful! If it were that strong, who’d dare come here to travel?”

That was true.

I never believed in such things. How could a tiny insect possibly control a person’s mind?

Ali seemed offended, slamming the table in defiance as he spoke rapidly: “We might not, but the people inside Shidi Mountain might!”

　　Shidi Mountain?

I looked at Ali in confusion.

Ali suddenly covered her mouth, her clear eyes wide with the realization she’d said too much.

Anpu’s expression darkened. He stopped drinking, his gaze turning deep as he fixed it on Ali.

　　Qiu Lu and Wen Lingyu exchanged bewildered glances, while Xu Zirong asked blankly, “What is Shidi Mountain?”

A Li hung her head in silence. An Pu softened his stern expression and said, “Nothing much. Just a mountain.”

Xu Zirong: “Just a mountain? Is it fun? If there are attractions, we could go sightseeing for a couple days.”

A Li shook his head urgently: “Not fun! That place is crawling with snakes, insects, rodents, and ants. It’s extremely dangerous. You can’t go, you absolutely can’t go!”

I said: “It’s fine. We specifically brought camping gear and supplies for this trip, plus some emergency medicine. We’re more than prepared to handle snakes, insects, rodents, and ants.”

　　Anpu downed his drink in one gulp and said, “You can’t go there. It’s all mountain trails—cars can’t get in. Plus, there’s no signal, so navigation won’t work either.”

A Li added, “Right! Guests have tried before. Many got injured and had to turn back. Worse cases could even cost them their lives!”

　　The two of them chimed in unison, their warnings so convincing that Qiu Lu waved his hands repeatedly, insisting he wouldn’t go.

I, however, found myself intrigued.

Why were they so tight-lipped about Shidi Mountain? And from what Ali implied just now, people clearly lived there.

People who might even practice witchcraft.

　　But neither wanted to elaborate, only urging us to eat quickly. The latter half of our lunch ended in a rush.

By the time we returned to the inn, it was already afternoon. We agreed to rest and explore the town later that evening.

Back in my room, Ah Li and An Pu’s words lingered in my mind, weighing heavily on my thoughts.

　　That’s just how I am—once something piques my curiosity, I have to investigate it thoroughly. Otherwise, it gnaws at me, keeping me awake at night.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.

I quickly pulled out my phone, opened the navigation app, and searched for “Shidi Mountain,” the name they’d mentioned earlier.

　　Though unsure of the exact characters, the map view allowed me to slowly scan the terrain. I was certain I could locate this mountain.

But to my utter surprise, after searching for a full hour—scouring every peak within the radius of Dongjiang Miao Village—I found no mountain named Shidi Mountain.

Could there be places not covered by navigation or satellite maps?

　　I clicked through several online travel guides about Dongjiang Miao Village, yet not a single one mentioned this mountain. Everything that had happened earlier felt like nothing more than an auditory hallucination.

A Li and An Pu’s evasive attitude toward this “Shidi Mountain” only added another layer of mystery to it in my mind.

　　If even they couldn’t tell me anything, asking others probably wouldn’t yield answers either.

Wait—others!

My eyes snapped open as a name flashed through my mind.

The inn grew quieter in the afternoon, but the owner wasn’t idle. Though the guests gathered in the hall had dispersed, there was still plenty to do.

　　First, he swept the main hall clean, then tidied the bookshelves guests had disorganized. After brewing himself a cup of Junshan Silver Needle tea, he turned to tending the plants. Pest control, watering, fertilizing… Despite his rugged, manly exterior, the innkeeper handled these tasks with surprising dexterity.

　　“Owner, busy?” I descended the stairs to find him trimming dead leaves from a flowerpot.

Hearing my voice, he straightened up and smiled. “Yes indeed! The inn’s flowers are delicate creatures—just a day or two of neglect and you’ll find a few more withered leaves!”

I joined him in tidying while we chatted casually.

　　This owner was quite witty, always cracking jokes without being annoying.

After changing the water for a pothos plant, I casually asked, “You’ve been here five or six years now. Have you heard of Shidi Mountain?”

His watering hand paused. He turned, surprised. ” How do you know about this place?”

I replied, “I heard the tour guide mention it by chance today and got curious. If the scenery’s nice, we could spend a couple days exploring there.”

The owner’s expression turned peculiar as he shook his head repeatedly. “I advise you to drop that idea! That place is extremely dangerous!”

“Huh? Dangerous?!”

　　The boss glanced around. Seeing no one else in the lobby besides us, he lowered his voice. “Brother, I’m telling you this because we have some kind of connection. That place is cursed! It’s not a place for fun. I heard a group wanted to go last year. Not long after, I saw the government search and rescue team arrive. They combed the mountains for days. No survivors, no bodies. Sigh!” 

　“Could it be that they got lost in the mountains and encountered wild animals?”

The boss stared wide-eyed, wearing a look that said, “I’m doing this for your own good.” “Truth is, it took me years after arriving here to piece together these stories bit by bit from the conversations of the Miao people. I’ve heard there’s supposedly another Miao village deep inside Nashi Mountain—its inhabitants never interact with outsiders! Language barriers mean they only marry within the village, never intermarrying with outsiders. The rumors are pretty wild!”

Could it be the Sheng Miao?

The boss’s description perfectly matched what I’d read about the Sheng Miao in historical texts.

Before coming here, I’d crammed a lot of knowledge just to prepare for this field investigation. I also happened upon descriptions of the Sheng Miao. The books say they differ from the Miao we encounter outside their realm.

With the great strides of modern times, mutual influence and exchange between ethnic groups are both natural and hard to avoid. Thus, a series of Miao villages like Dongjiang Miao Village have been developed into tourist attractions, boosting local economies while fostering interethnic integration.

　　But the Sheng Miao are different. They are a branch of Miao descendants who have never been influenced by other ethnic groups, preserving the customs and way of life passed down through generations. They speak ancient Miao languages, work from sunrise to sunset, and have no contact with the outside world—nor any means to communicate with it.

They seem almost like characters from Tao Yuanming’s “The Peach Blossom Spring.”

　　If they truly exist, they would be invaluable to our research. After all, preserving their pristine state offers deeper insights into authentic Miao culture. Yet when I read the documents, I wondered: Do such people really exist? With today’s advanced technology, could a large group remain undiscovered? In this era, without identification, one can accomplish nothing—how could they avoid interacting with the outside world?

　　Seeming to read the doubt on my face, the owner said, “Bro, it’s all passed down by word of mouth. Who knows if there’s really a Miao village in there? Those Miao girls even claim they can cast curses. Have you ever seen one do it? Maybe it’s just a legend. Don’t take it too seriously. But Shidi Mountain is genuinely dangerous. Locals refuse to go there at all costs. Don’t risk your lives making this trip!”

I hummed in acknowledgment, inwardly grateful for the owner’s concern. “Thanks, boss. Don’t worry—we’re young and value our lives!”

　　Just then, more guests arrived at the inn. The owner waved us off, signaling the conversation was over. He told me to make myself at home and turned to attend to the new arrivals.

I quickly put the matter out of my mind. After all, it sounded like nothing more than a mythical tale. Dwelling on such unfounded rumors would only be worrying needlessly.