NOVEL NEXT 64
Chapter 64: Mountaineering
In the afternoon, the sun, which hung in the center of the sky, was covered by thick clouds, allowing only a few rays of sunlight to peek through the gaps between the clouds. When the wind blew, Xi Tian took out the jacket Buma had prepared from his backpack, putting it on to prevent the remaining warmth from escaping his thin body.
Perhaps due to a sense of guilt, although they were originally scheduled to depart in the morning, the trip was postponed to the afternoon. Buma had no complaints and even joked with them along the way, saying he could help his female parent take care of his younger brother in the morning.
During the journey, it was mostly Ellis and Buma chatting intermittently, while Xi Tian was immersed in his own world, not wanting to be disturbed by anyone.
Ellis was very curious about this place and asked Buma about the events that had occurred on Mount Tasca.
Although Buma was only fourteen, he knew quite a lot about the strange and mysterious happenings in his hometown.
“I don’t know which version of the story you’ve heard, but I know three versions now—one told by my grandfather, one by the village chief, and one by my relative who came back from the big city.”
“Tell me all three,” Ellis said, simply wanting to pass the time.
“The most widely known version is the one my grandfather told me. He said that fifty or sixty years ago, a group of gods suddenly came to Mount Tasca. They brought magical items from the sky and built a magnificent palace where they trapped a fierce beast. Every night, when the moon was high, you could hear the beast’s roar.
This beast was the Poverty Beast. The people on the planet were so poor they couldn’t afford to eat, but after the gods trapped it, life gradually improved.
That’s how we got our twenty-year streak of being ranked as the best habitable planet.
The Poverty Beast is always restless, but its weakness is small things like needles. Just a prick makes it whimper like a baby, which is very deceptive.
To keep it under control, the planet holds a ‘Needle Grass Festival’ at the start of each summer to pray for the Poverty Beast to be driven away and for a bountiful harvest.”
“You mean the origin of the festival? How is that related to this place?”
“My grandfather experienced it firsthand when he was a child because he lived at the foot of Mount Tasca. He even saw the Poverty Beast, which was stuffed into a coarse cloth sack, writhing and making sounds like a baby crying. It was put into a pit, the gods chanted spells, and when they poured a bit of water, smoke rose with a sizzling sound and the beast’s mournful cries.”
Buma gestured as he spoke.
“You don’t need to describe it in such detail; I’m already feeling a bit cold,” Ellis exaggeratedly hugged his shoulders and looked up. The sky was obscured by branches reaching into the heavens, blocking the light.
“Our village chief’s version is less interesting. He said this place was just a barren mountain that a rich nobleman bought to hide his mistress, indulging in nightly revelries. The scholar’s version is even duller, claiming it was a research site for a famous businessman, which got struck by lightning, caught fire, and has been abandoned ever since.”
Buma found these two explanations uninteresting, speaking flatly as he kicked a small stone with his foot.
This mountain wasn’t part of the planet’s tourist spots. Buma was initially curious why such a pampered male would be interested in this long-abandoned place. But when he heard there was triple pay involved, his curiosity vanished; no one would turn down money. Besides, the route to the dilapidated house was just a local hunting trail, and though passing by it might irritate the dogs at home, it was otherwise safe.
They walked and stopped intermittently, taking nearly three and a half hours one way. Even Ellis, proud of his excellent sense of direction, got disoriented this time.
At first, Buma chatted with him, but as they grew tired, the three of them fell silent.
Having read many novels lately, Ellis couldn’t help but imagine whether the guide might conspire with others to rob him and his master.
Buma suddenly stopped and pointed ahead, “Look, it’s right there!”
Ellis looked forward but saw nothing. He turned back and poked Xi Tian beside him, who was staring intently ahead. “Is it that white wall?”
Buma nodded in affirmation.
Ellis wondered if there was something wrong with his eyes.
After a few more minutes of walking, the view opened up. The tall trees had been cleared, and they stood in the sunlight. Blue sky, white clouds, and sunlight returned to view, making Ellis squint. He finally saw the building’s true appearance.
The green paint on the building’s exterior was peeling off, and walking to the side, he saw the walls were charred in places, exposing the concrete underneath. Only the front building remained mostly intact, while the two behind were in ruins.
He must have been in a blind spot earlier, Ellis thought.
The steps were covered in years of fallen leaves and dead grass. Xi Tian saw the entrance and walked in without a word.
Ellis followed but noticed Buma standing still behind them.
“Come on in!” Ellis beckoned to him.
“No, no.” Buma shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. “There are wild beasts inside; I absolutely won’t go in.”
Watching the male disappear, Ellis grew anxious but found it amusing. “You stay here and wait for us,” he said, then turned and walked up the steps to find him.
The walls inside were pristine white, and the floors were made of non-slip tiles, which were rare on this planet.
He passed one empty room after another, their doors removed, and his footsteps echoed down the long corridor.
The glass was covered in dust and cracks, with wind seeping through the gaps, bringing a chill.
Ellis tightened his collar and continued his search.
He walked through the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth floors, finally spotting the male’s figure through the glass.
He went downstairs, surprised that the building contained no written information indicating its former use.
Outside the building, the male stood between the intact structure and the ruins. There was a dried-up well, filled with dirt and covered with decaying leaves and wild grass.
A gust of wind blew through the ruins, swirling around them, making a wailing sound.
Xi Tian spread his arms, feeling the wind gently embrace him, light gathering around him.
He couldn’t help but speak, “This is a sad place.”
They stayed for a while longer, but as the sun began to set, they followed Buma on a shortcut to the nearest highway and caught a ride home.
When they arrived, Dokk, usually friendly with Ellis, barked furiously at him. However, when Xi Tian approached, Dokk tucked his tail, whimpered, and retreated to his den, refusing to come out.