Anchor with goods, the price of F2 is very reasonable, right?

Chapter 804 Need Support

Wang Yang looked around at the surroundings. This place was indeed not ideal; it was at best a temporary resting place.

"So, how many guests do you receive in a year?"

“In the past, we might only encounter one person a year, and they were all fugitives fleeing from war. But gradually, there have been more. You know, now that the country has developed well, many people want to come and explore the desert. I even met a film crew before, saying they wanted to shoot a promotional video. And then there are those explorers who want to cross this desert.”

Wang Yang nodded. These people were probably just ordinary travelers, not looking for a paradise.

Where did those who crossed the desert end up?

"I don't know about that. It's hard to say whether anyone can successfully cross the desert. I've never heard of anyone actually succeeding. They either end up stuck in the desert forever."

According to the shop owner, the people Shen Qiang sent likely never even arrived here. Even if they did, they probably returned empty-handed.

"However, if you only go to that forest, you can return safely. Indeed, quite a few people have gone forest exploration, and several tour groups have come here before."

"What did those people look like? Were they all men, and well-equipped?"

The shopkeeper smiled and nodded: "You're absolutely right. How would you know? And they seem to be searching for something. I don't know exactly what they're looking for. We have many legends around here, all saying that there's a great treasure buried in the desert, but who has actually found it?"

Wang Yang understood that the shop owner was most likely referring to someone sent by Shen Qiang.

Did those people eventually find the treasure? Did they enter that forest?

"They came back in a sorry state. It's incredibly difficult to cross that forest. They used to fly there by helicopter to film promotional videos. As for going deeper into the desert, there's really not much to see; they've been there before."

Wang Yang smiled slightly. It seemed the people who filmed the promotional video had flown directly across the desert, but found nothing but barren land. Meanwhile, the people Shen Qiang sent stopped advancing after reaching the forest.

It is estimated that Shen Qiang thought this place was unlikely to be a paradise, so he gave up on it.

"What are you doing here? Just to see that forest? I advise you not to waste your time if you're after the legendary treasure. We've lived here for generations and never seen any treasure."

If there really was treasure, their family would have taken it and moved to a better place long ago. Why would they stay here?

"You're overthinking it. We came here mainly to explore and see if there are any unusual creatures in that forest. We also plan to explore the desert, but we'll see how things go then."

"I think you're a smart person to say that. Don't go too far into that desert, or you'll get lost and that would be terrible."

However, the country has now deployed some staff on the edge of the desert, and some equipment is available for rent or sale.

After returning to his room, Wang Yang convened a meeting to discuss the specific route into the desert.

"I just asked the shop owner. Shen Qiang's men should have been in this forest, but they probably didn't go deep into the desert. I heard they came back in a sorry state."

It seems they've been searching the forest for quite some time. A simple reconnaissance wouldn't have resulted in such a sorry state. "You're right. Since they sent people here, they must have investigated thoroughly. Perhaps they did reach the desert, but just couldn't cross it."

"As you can see from the promotional video, the desert stretches as far as the eye can see, basically extending to the easternmost point, so there's really not much to explore."

Presumably, Shen Qiang realized this, which is why he recalled his men. They considered the northwest direction to be the least likely place.

"To be honest, I'm starting to have doubts now. Is Peach Blossom Spring really in the northwest? Could it be that we've been looking in the wrong place all along?"

This direction was originally a clue provided by Wen Ming, but now even he himself is starting to waver.

Wang Yang looked at him with amusement: "Didn't you tell us this before? Otherwise, how would we know it was in the northwest?"

"But now I'm starting to doubt myself. Could the news I heard back then have been false? Are they really in the northwest? I always feel like this place is empty. Where exactly is the Peach Blossom Spring? Wasn't the promotional video showing it clearly?"

Wang Yang pondered, and Wen Ming's words made sense. Even if Peach Blossom Spring was just a building, there would still be traces of architecture. Those tall buildings were quite obvious. But no one knew whether Peach Blossom Spring was truly as described in elementary school textbooks.

It was obvious that everything in this place had been photographed. They studied it carefully and confirmed that there was nothing but desert and forest.

“I’m more inclined to believe that Peach Blossom Spring is an extremely secluded place. Otherwise, Shen Qiang wouldn’t have been unable to find it for so many years. Is it possible that it’s hidden in some corner of the forest, or underground, invisible to the naked eye?”

Wen Ming frowned. To be honest, he had considered this possibility before, but thought it was too audacious. How could there be an underground space in this place? Even in a desert, the bottom is all sand.

"This hypothesis can be kept, but it's unlikely. However, since we're already here, and I have indeed heard about clues from the northwest, we have no choice but to bite the bullet and continue."

But in Wang Yang's view, the northwest direction was the most likely. It was precisely because of its vast emptiness that it seemed devoid of anything. Like Shen Qiang, he ruled that direction out first. There were no skyscrapers there, but secrets might be hidden beneath the surface.

This would explain why the Peach Blossom Spring is indeed hidden underground.

"Alright, anyway, let's pack our gear and head into the forest tomorrow. The forest used to be extremely dangerous, which is why Shen Qiang's men were in such a sorry state when they arrived. But it's different now. The government sent people to clear it before, so it's basically safer now."

They might have encountered wild animals or strange creatures when they came here, but they are unlikely to encounter them now, so it is much safer.

"Alright, tomorrow we'll take two small teams out to scout ahead. If needed, we can bring others in. There's signal coverage in both the forest and the desert now, so communication is relatively easy."

Wang Yang nodded in agreement. They had made two preparations beforehand, so that they would have other ways to contact each other even if the signal was interrupted.

"Here's the arrangement: Shen Qing and Aunt Wang will stay here for now, with two teams protecting you. Our team will go investigate first. If we find any clues or need support, you can come back."

Xiao Chen hesitated. He didn't want to be separated from Wang Yang and wanted to stay by Wang Yang's side at all times, mainly because he was worried about the danger.

“I’m keeping you here not because I think you’ll be a burden, but because you’re good at gathering information. We need to find a way to get information from everyone who comes here.”

(End of this chapter)