Tomb raiding: Carrying a coffin during a funeral procession, rewarded with the Dragon Elephant Prajn

The main force carefully walked along the five-foot path, lying prone on the rock face.

The Five-Foot Path winds its way around the cliffs of the canyon.

A slight misstep could lead to a catastrophic fall and total destruction.

Fortunately, these people were either mercenaries or used to traveling in deep mountains and forests, so none of them had a fear of heights. They made it through without any major incidents.

These five-foot paths were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and reinforced in the 1960s and 70s. Although they creaked when stepped on, they still held up the main force.

The group walked from noon until the sun was setting, with the mighty river tributary still flowing beneath their feet.

However, a glimmer of hope appeared before them, revealing a valley hidden among the towering mountains.

Aning took out a pair of binoculars from her backpack and observed the basin several miles away.

"Is Qingxi Town just ahead?"

Director Zhang Wei nodded and pointed to the valley to explain.

"Qingxi Town has been a mining area since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was originally a town formed by the owners and miners of salt mines. It was connected to the outside world by waterways and the Five-Foot Road. At its peak, it had nearly a thousand households. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, the salt mines were abandoned, and the government relocated the people in the town to the city."

In fact, towns like this, nestled deep in the mountains and forests, were quite common in ancient times.

Especially during times of war, many people would flee into the mountains, which over time formed secluded settlements like a paradise.

There is a sinkhole in Guizhou where several families of people who fled there during the warlord era of the Republic of China lived.

The people there lived a secluded and self-sufficient life from youth to old age.

It wasn't until the 1990s that it was discovered, and the elderly people inside still thought it was the Republic of China era.

Perhaps it was the sight of their destination that rekindled the team's fighting spirit, and their pace quickened unconsciously.

Just as the setting sun was like blood, casting its last rays upon the mountains, we finally emerged from the Five-Foot Path and arrived at Qingxi Town.

The town of Qingxi before us is no longer as prosperous as it was during the Ming and Qing dynasties; most of the houses in the town have collapsed.

Everywhere there were weeds and trees taller than a person.

The only relatively intact building is the largest Feng family mansion in the town.

Director Zhang Wei clearly did a lot of research and knew the history of Qingxi Town like the back of his hand.

"It is said that the Feng family was the largest mine owner in Qingxi Town since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Two-thirds of the mining areas outside Qingxi Town belonged to the Feng family. In addition to salt mines, the family also had many businesses in the southwest. They were well-known local tyrants and even kept mine slaves until they were eliminated when the People's Republic of China suppressed bandits. Later, the Feng family members were all arrested and sent to labor reform. It is said that some of them changed their surnames, and others went abroad after the reform and opening up."

Upon hearing this, A Ning frowned and said, "I read in history books that China abolished slavery a long time ago, so how come the Feng family still has mine slaves?"

Zhang Wei was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to explain.

Seeing this, Black Bear chuckled and took over the conversation.

"Here, the mountains are high and the emperor is far away; government orders have no effect. The local tyrants are the real emperors!"

In fact, this applies not only to the feudal Ming and Qing dynasties.

Even in modern America, there have been scandals involving ranchers secretly abducting homeless people and exploiting them as serfs.

Many people wonder why American homeless people don't go to the suburbs or the countryside...

That's because there are strange tales and rules in the suburbs!

No one knows whether the night will randomly spawn wild beasts, barbecue chefs who like to skewer human bodies, or farm owners who capture serfs.

Ah Ning realized she had said the wrong thing, so she pursed her lips and moved on from the topic.

Li Changsheng, carrying the black coffin on his back, looked up at the Feng family mansion in front of him.

This mansion covers several acres, and the main building remains intact after so many years.

The collapsed gate and the weeds growing stubbornly in the cracks of the wall showed that the place had been abandoned for many years.

As the group entered the Feng family mansion, they immediately saw dozens of stone lions, each more than half a person tall, displayed in the courtyard.

More accurately, it should be described as a stone sculpture that resembles a lion.

When Xiang Batou saw these stone lions, his eyes narrowed suddenly. He then quickly stepped forward and examined the stone carvings inside and out.

Ah Ning hurriedly asked, "Did Chief Xiang find anything?"

"This should be the legendary black sheep, not a stone lion."

"Black sheep?"

Xiang nodded and explained, "There's a legend in the southwest region about the Black Sheep King. It's said that the Black Sheep King is a great demon with a human body and an animal head, possessing boundless magical power. He can bring disaster, but he can also save people and the world."

"The black sheep's head is seven parts lion and three parts tiger. Its most distinctive feature is the three-inch white beard under its chin!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Zi, one of Xiang's subordinates, muttered, "Shouldn't it be called Lion-Tiger King?"

Xiang Ba Tou smiled slightly and shook his head, saying, "I don't know why he's called that either. There are very few records about the Black Sheep King. I only saw a few words about him in an ancient book about the southwest region."

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but secretly admire Xiang's extensive knowledge and remarkable memory.

After walking through the courtyard, there were many rooms in the inner residence of the Feng family. Although they were all dilapidated and covered with thick dust, people could still see some traces of life. In particular, on the walls of the hall, there were even many maps of the mining area and an engineering drawing hanging on them.

Seeing that everyone's attention was drawn to the engineering drawings, Zhang Wei explained, "The Feng family was arrested and sent to labor reform, so this mansion was nationalized and later turned into a temporary base for the Third Front project. Originally, the construction team wanted to use the extensive network of mine tunnels in the mining area to build a large air-raid shelter, but the project was suddenly stopped halfway through for some unknown reason, and the construction team also withdrew."

The "Third Front Project" that Zhang Wei mentioned refers to the various air-raid shelters, nuclear protection facilities, and basic industries that were secretly built in inland areas during the 1960s and 70s.

Back then, China was in a precarious position on the international stage. It had just finished the Korean War, had fallen out with its big brother, and was also facing the threat of nuclear weapons.

The government then ordered the construction of large air-raid shelters in the mountainous areas of the southwest. If the situation reached its most dangerous point, these large air-raid shelters could preserve a glimmer of hope for the country.

Ah Ning nodded, then took out a brand-new Canon digital camera from her backpack and took pictures of all the mining area maps on the wall.

The terrain in the mining area is complex and varied, so these detailed maps will always come in handy.

The group walked around the mansion and could see that it was indeed just a frame, with nothing left except for a few stone carvings that were difficult to move.

Aning immediately ordered everyone to clean several rooms to use as their base camp.

Seeing that it was getting late, the group decided to rest for the night at the Feng family mansion and head to the mining area early the next morning.