Night without Borders

Chapter 13 Silver Vine Town

In the freezing winter, with ice and snow all around, there are red clouds rising from the mountains and forests, butterflies dancing in the night sky, and large sheets of light rain falling, creating an elegant and otherworldly beauty.

Qin Ming and Xu Yueping were stunned by the amazing sight, and they stopped to watch.

The cold wind howled, causing the branches in the dense forest to shake violently and blowing up large pieces of snow, while the "red butterflies" dancing in the distance came with the strong wind.

Xu Yueping stared at the night sky dyed red and finally determined what it was.

"An alien plant is 'blossoming', surging with vigorous new life force. Some of the wild beasts and birds of prey nearby are about to mutate."

As he spoke, the fluttering "butterflies" came closer. A small amount of them was blown over by the mountain breeze. Looking closely, they were glowing petals one after another.

Qin Ming picked up a few slices at random, and his fingers were reflected slightly red.

Xu Yueping stuffed two pieces into his mouth and ate them directly. After the alienated plant blooms, both the flowers and fruits carry a strong breath of new life, which is beneficial to the human body.

"Slightly sweet." Qin Ming also tasted a few slices, but unfortunately there were too few left.

In the distant mountains and forests, the petals are densely packed, like burning red clouds, dispelling the night.

A large number of birds flew into the night sky, chasing the bright red petals. From the woods on the ground, the sounds of monkeys and tigers roaring could be heard, and many creatures were fighting for the petals.

Qin Ming was eager to try and wanted to get through.

Xu Yueping shook his head to stop him, saying: "Forget it, by the time we get there, the place will be barren, and we might encounter dangerous famous birds, mountain monsters, etc."

The "blooming" of alienated plants is seasonal and irregular, making it difficult to actively find them. After blooming, they will wither and die completely.

Qin Ming sighed, "Not to mention the deep mountains and swamps, even near our habitat there are many mysteries. I really want to go through the thick night fog and go to the depths of the vast world to take a look."

Xu Yueping nodded and said, "It's good to have an idea. This will give you the motivation to make progress. If you have a chance, you can go to the distant Chixia City first."

He believes that only after arriving there can he see a real corner of the world.

He added: “You can go there to take the exam.”

"Has Uncle Xu been there?" Qin Ming looked at him.

Xu Yueping had a few wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He said, "I've been there and was shocked. I gradually recognized the reality, adjusted my mentality and admitted that I was mediocre."

His words were calm, without the sharpness of youth, but only the vicissitudes of middle age.

"Uncle Xu has experienced a lot and seen a lot." Qin Ming could only comfort him in this way.

Xu Yueping smiled bitterly: "Who doesn't have some dreams when they are young?"

He had the second half of the sentence, but he felt it was too old-fashioned and decadent. He didn't want to affect Qin Ming, so he kept it in his heart. Many things will eventually be worn away by reality.

"We haven't encountered any prey in more than ten miles." Xu Yueping was dissatisfied and wanted to catch one in the wilderness and bring it to the town to exchange for food and drink.

"I guess they were all attracted by the mutated plants." Qin Ming said.

On ordinary days, ordinary people would need to travel this road in groups, because in the pitch-black wilderness, all kinds of creatures might appear.

"Hey, at least I didn't come back empty-handed." Xu Yueping entered the dense forest many times and finally shot a musk deer weighing about 40 kilograms.

The two men walked very fast and after walking thirteen miles, they arrived at Yinteng Town.

Under the cover of night, the lights in front are dim and the buildings are looming, like a beautiful painting edited by the peaceful years.

After arriving here, there are obviously more pedestrians on the road. Some are going out of town to hunt, some are coming into town to sell mountain products, and there are even animal carts carrying goods passing by quickly.

Xu Yueping was familiar with Yinteng Town and walked straight forward with Qin Ming.

There are many shops on both sides of the main street, with red lanterns hanging under the eaves. It is very lively with people coming and going.

Each shop is filled with a wide variety of items, including exquisite porcelain, gorgeous silk, and mountain specialty spices.

There are delicious snacks such as pancakes and wontons on the roadside. The smell of various foods is wafting in the air, accompanied by the sounds of hawking, and is full of the flavor of life.

Compared to here, Qin Ming felt that Shuangshu Village was too deserted.

Xu Yueping went to inquire about the price of grain and was told that the price was still extremely high and in short supply. Due to heavy snow, the roads were blocked, and it was still difficult to transport grain from far away.

The center of Yinteng Town is brightly lit. The fire spring is located here. Although it is in the dry period, the eight-foot square pool is still shimmering and filled with mist.

An old silver vine as thick as a bucket is rooted in a spring of fire that glows like magma. This is the origin of the name of Yinteng Town.

It looks extraordinary, but it is still an ordinary plant and its ability to absorb the spiritual power of the fire spring is limited.

Qin Ming discovered that there was a living creature in the pond. It was a kind of red shellfish, as transparent as jade, with fiery clouds flowing between the opening and closing of the shell.

"There are only dozens of fire shells in such a large pond. They are said to be extremely delicious and contain strong active substances. I don't know where they will eventually be sent to and who will eat them."

Xu Yueping whispered that the fire shells must at least be kept in a second-level fire spring like the one in the town, otherwise the spirituality would not be enough to support them.

The shops with the best business are all near the fire spring, such as the time-honored weapons shop. There are many people coming in and out. The living environment in the wild is harsh, and everyone wants to have a good weapon in their hands.

There were sporadic snowflakes floating in the sky. Xu Yueping took Qin Ming to the adjacent bar. There were many exquisitely crafted chandeliers hanging at the door, with sunstones inside, reflecting brilliant light.

Bar business is better the later the later. It's still early and there's almost no one here.

"Are we the first group of guests?" Xu Yueping asked with a smile.

A young man nodded politely and said yes. He was still sleepy and was reluctant to provide service so early.

Xu Yueping said: "Tell your boss that we are going to look for Feng Yian."

The boy who was smiling politely suddenly came to his senses and said, "Our boss is not here, but he has been told in advance to help you find Mr. Feng now."

"The meat of this musk deer is fresh and tender. Can it be exchanged for some good wine?" Xu Yueping used the musk deer as payment.

If it were in the past, the bar would definitely not agree, but at this stage, food is in short supply, so the young waiter nodded in agreement. "The boss here calls himself 'Western Fire Luo Man'. Many years ago, his father, as a servant, followed a master from the west on a strange bird." Xu Yueping said to Qin Ming.

Some said that the master traveled around the world, others said that he was killed by the "moon worm" while exploring the high-level fire spring deep in the mountains.

His followers settled here and started a bar business.

"Mr. Feng should show up at noon today." The young man informed the news after a moment and prepared to call someone to serve.

Xu Yueping waved his hand and said, "No need for any singing or dancing, just send us food and wine. We are going to talk about business today."

The decoration in the bar is quite exquisite, with crystal chandeliers of various colors hanging, but the sun stones filled in are very small, creating a hazy scene of lights.

Xu Yueping whispered, "It's still early. Xiao Qin, you sit here and wait. I'll go visit the old gentleman."

Qin Ming nodded, knowing that he was going to try his luck at the old noble's house, and it was useless to stop him.

The bar fell silent. Qin Ming took a sip of the amber wine in the glass. Although it wasn't spicy, he still couldn't get used to it.

Time passed slowly. He looked at the snow falling outside the window and people coming and going, feeling the prosperity and bustle that was rarely seen in Shuangshu Village.

Xu Yueping came back, brushed off some snowflakes on his body, rubbed his hands, drank a few glasses of wine in a row, and said, "It's indeed better than the wine I have at home."

"Uncle Xu, are you okay?" Qin Ming asked.

Xu Yueping said: "What can I do? By the way, when I arrived, they were very polite and warmly received me, and said they would give you a chance when the time comes."

"Huh?" Qin Ming was surprised. This was different from what he had imagined. The other party did not refuse.

He asked a few detailed questions and was suddenly speechless.

It was the butler who warmly received Xu Yueping, so it was impossible for him to meet the old nobleman.

The butler had a gentle smile on his face, and it seemed as if he was maintaining proper etiquette. There had been a lot of visitors recently, and he said he would arrange time for the outstanding young men to meet the old nobleman together.

Qin Ming said: "They are politely declining."

Xu Yueping drank another glass of wine and said, "You can lift a tripod weighing 600 kilograms. I think they will look at you differently with such a brilliant achievement."

Qin Ming said, "You revealed my background. Although they were smiling, they faced you calmly, which should explain everything. You also mentioned that they came from far away, perhaps from a brilliant city, and they must have seen the world."

Xu Yueping thought of some rumors that the noble lady seemed to be extremely talented.

He frowned and said, "You are considered to be a stunning figure in our area, but they still look down on you like this?"

Although he was somewhat unwilling, he had some premonitions after being politely received by the housekeeper. He just wanted to help Qin Ming seize this opportunity and solve the problem that the patrol team forced them into.

Qin Ming said with a serious expression, "Uncle Xu, don't think too much. We shouldn't get involved with the mysterious nobles who come from big cities to small towns."

Xu Yueping immediately became alert. Who knows whether the other party is living in seclusion or is here to avoid disaster? He nodded solemnly and said, "You are right."

Noon is the time when the night is lighter and you can see the unclear mountains outside Yinteng Town.

Feng Yian appeared, accompanied by two rangers. They braved the wind and snow to enter the bar, bringing in gusts of cold air.

"Brother Xu, I'm sorry to have you run so far and made you wait for so long. We just came back from patrolling the mountains." Feng Yian greeted him warmly.

Seeing his sincere look, Qin Ming felt extremely disgusted and wanted to punch this bearded man to death.

He had already learned from Xu Yueping that this group of rangers were not very responsible on weekdays and would only appear in the mountains together in the middle and end of the month.

Although the sun has disappeared and there is no longer a brilliant sight of the bright moon hanging high in the sky and the stars filling the sky, people still use the old calendar and mention the beginning and end of the month.

Often, some members of the patrol team would hang out in bars and restaurants in various towns, and even keep mistresses.

Xu Yueping forced a smile and responded: "Brother Feng, you are too polite. I know you are tired of patrolling the mountains. We didn't wait long."

Feng Yian looked at Qin Ming again and said, "Brother Qin is a handsome man with unlimited potential. I hope you can join our mountain patrol team in the future."

He patted Qin Ming's shoulder to show his closeness, then called the waiter and said he wanted a private room.

Feng Yian looked at the two people behind him and said, "Brother Xu and I will chat first. You can accompany Brother Qin to order some drinks and go to the restaurant next door to see what good dishes there are."

He mainly wanted to take off his disguise and have a private talk with Xu Yueping. Sure enough, his attitude changed after entering the private room.

"Old Xu, you are not very good at doing things. Being too serious will make you tired and painful. Don't forget, you have a wife, children and elderly parents. It is normal for a few wild beasts to rush out of the mountains and break into your home late at night, right?" Feng Yian patted Xu Yueping's face lightly with his palm.

He was no longer generous at this time. He smiled indifferently and his eyes gradually became colder. This was a naked threat.

"I will plant Black Moon immediately after I return." Xu Yueping said.

"You made me very uncomfortable this time. You won't bow your head unless you kill some people in the mountains, right? I even came here just for you. The team leader was very unhappy when he heard about it!" Feng Yian increased his strength and slapped Xu Yueping's face again.

A quarter of an hour later, Feng Yian was the first to walk out of the private room on the second floor with a smile on his face.

"Let's go." Xu Yueping said to Qin Ming.

Feng Yian smiled and said, "Brother Xu feels that planting Black Moon is very important and wants to go back first. If Brother Qin is not in a hurry to leave, you can stay and have a couple of drinks."

Qin Ming shook his head and declined: "No, I'd better go with Uncle Xu. The wilderness has been uneasy lately, so it would be good for two of us to have someone to look after us."

Watching them disappear at the door of the bar, someone next to Feng Yian said, "Even if that young man has a golden background, so what? It's obvious that he and Xu Yueping are of the same kind. Why should we be so polite to him?"

Feng Yian said: "Indeed, it is hard to say how high he can go. He is not on the same path as us, but after all, he has not fallen out with us. Let's give him some face first, unless you are sure to kill him immediately..."

"Uncle Xu!" Qin Ming discovered that there was a faint handprint on Xu Yueping's left cheek. He immediately understood that Xu Yueping had been humiliated in the private room.

He could feel the humiliation, and there was a fire beating in his heart. He took a deep breath and said, "Uncle Xu, they keep doing evil things. I think God can't stand it anymore and will take them away soon!"

Thanks to: Life and Death Are Illusion, Feixiangjia Bajie, and thank you two silver leaders for your support!
(End of this chapter)