As expected, when Lin Mengyao heard Xu Ke say this, she didn't have any doubts about him. She just reminded Xu Ke not to forget to bring insect repellent powder and to keep warm, and the two of them lovingly chatted over the phone, until just before hanging up, Xu Ke finally heard Lin Mengyao quickly and softly say, "Remember to come back soon, I miss you very much."

Looking at the powered-off phone, Xu Ke couldn't help but smile while simultaneously letting out a deep sigh. He wished he could sprout wings and fly to Lin Mengyao's side right away, but thinking about his injuries, he knew Mengyao would be upset if she found out, so he shelved the idea of returning immediately and decided to go back once he had healed.

Xu Ke didn't deceive Lin Mengyao. He stayed in the hospital for a few days, and after confirming that his wounds weren't infected or posing any health threats, Xu Ke then hitched a ride on a government vehicle to his destination.

This time, they were headed to a village hidden in a mountainous area at the border of Shangzhou and Jiangzhou.

In the high-rise, rapidly developing 21st century, it's hard to imagine how people still live without electricity and rely on kerosene lamps at night. They've spent their entire lives in the mountain village, leading a lifestyle where they face the earth and back to the sky, self-sustaining, with not even a school in the village. You can't see any infrastructure from the 21st century; some people even live their entire lives without an ID, dying as an unrecorded person.

If it weren't for the local government staff accidentally encountering people from this mountain village, they wouldn't have known there was such a place under their jurisdiction.

However, after learning about this place, the local government quickly took action. They spent several months building a road to connect the village to the outside world, but that was all they could do without financial support. Now, with Xu Ke's financial backing, they could do much more for this mountain village, which led to the current expedition led by Xu Ke and his team.

"Mr. Xu, the place we're visiting this time is particularly remote. Although the government has paved a road leading to the village, it's not like asphalt roads nowadays, and the ride is very bumpy. The medical conditions there are also very primitive, not really suitable for your wound recovery. Perhaps you should stay in a town in the countryside for a few days until you heal. What do you think?"

Sitting in the same car as Xu Ke was a man wearing black-framed glasses, who looked quite scholarly. He adjusted his glasses with one hand and shared his thoughts with Xu Ke, who was still recovering.

"No, I'm fine. If I were to recover, I'd just stay in the hospital. Why would I come out then? The reason I came here with you all is to see the great mountains and rivers of the motherland, and to personally experience the strength and tenderness of our country. So, I ask you all not to stop me," Xu Ke said earnestly.

"Of course, I will also be cautious and won't cause trouble. If I feel unwell, I'll immediately leave the mountains to get checked at a hospital, and I'll have my private doctor accompany me to look after my health," Xu Ke assured everyone in the car.

Xu Ke could clearly sense that once he gave this assurance, everyone in the car breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Ke had generously donated five billion yuan this time, making him quite well-known within the country. If anything happened to such a person while accompanying them, it would be all harm and no benefit to them.

Xu Ke's wealthy status made being in the same space with him a bit awkward for them, but now, seeing his reasonable and modest demeanor, appearing easy to get along with, and receptive to advice, they were less resistant to accompanying Xu Ke in building New Mountain Village.

No matter what was on everyone's mind, the vehicle continued to proceed slowly towards the mountain village, bumping along the way.

As they got closer to the village, the sight of brick and tile houses gradually vanished from view, replaced by more and more trees and increasingly sparse populations. The ride became bumpier, feeling like ancient carriage rides, making their heads and backs sore. After an unknown amount of time, they finally spotted a small village.

The people getting off the vehicle didn't look too good, feeling like stepping on cotton with soft feet, but their hearts were steady.

It was Xu Ke's first time here, and unsurprisingly, the bumpy experience affected him somewhat, while the others had been here once or several times before, but they didn't seem to fare much better than Xu Ke.

Everyone paused for a moment, and Xu Ke seized the time to observe the unfamiliar small mountain village.

Xu Ke's first impression of the village was that it was dilapidated; the exterior walls were still constructed with mud mixed with straw, and many sections of the wall were caving in, the once-flat surface collapsing in patches, resembling an animal with a skin disease shedding fur.

His second reaction was numbness. Their arrival caught the attention of some villagers, with quite a few heading in the direction of the village entrance to look at them. Xu Ke's gaze swept over their faces.

Regardless of age, Xu Ke could see traces of the elements on their faces, weathered and thin, with signs of time and hardship. They carried a lifeless air, scarcely any vitality, and the faces showed no surplus expressions. Their dark eyes were murky, like dust-laden well water, devoid of any gleam.

Xu Ke felt a bit uneasy, though he couldn't quite pinpoint what caused that discomfort, he just felt the whole village exuded an oppressive vibe.

The man with glasses who had earlier spoken to Xu Ke came to the village entrance and gently addressed the villagers, "Do you remember us from last time? Is your village chief here? Could you help us find him, we have something to discuss."

The two parties stood on opposite sides of the boundary wall, distinct and clear, speaking across it.

Xu Ke found the situation a bit peculiar and asked the person beside him, "Why doesn't he go in and instead speaks at the entrance?"

The fellow traveler, hearing Xu Ke's question, quietly explained, "The people in this village are very exclusionary. If you enter without the village chief's permission or without a villager's guide, they'll treat you as an invader and might attack you with weapons."

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