Chapter 261: Uncle
The next day, led by tour guide Mo Guangning, Fang Mu arrived at the remote mountain village Wenyatun mentioned in the diary.
“I haven’t been back for a while. You probably can’t imagine it, but the changes here are really big. There used to be no asphalt roads here at all, and there was no such thing as guardrails on this mountain path.” Mo Guangning skillfully turned the steering wheel while introducing it to Fang Mu. There was a trace of reminiscence in his eyes. It seemed this mountain village held many of his memories.
Just as Mo Guangning said, Fang Mu had no particular feelings about it. After all, he was an outsider from the city, and his indifference was sometimes others’ longing.
He could understand, but could never resonate. To think that just by thinking about it and looking at it, he could understand the pride local people like Mo Guangning felt for the development of their hometown—that would be quite arrogant and idiotic.
After passing through a cave, the two finally formally entered the village.
Wenyatun was considered a large village in the surrounding area, with dozens of self-built houses and old houses scattered neatly. Some new, some old, some tall, some short houses squeezed together, just like the closeness between people in the village.
The young and old in the village all stared at the incoming outsider’s car. Besides curiosity in their eyes, there was also an excitement that Fang Mu found somewhat incomprehensible.
When the children in the village saw Mo Guangning getting out of the sedan parked at the village chief’s house entrance, they all excitedly came up to greet him.
Besides “Guangning” and “bro,” Fang Mu couldn’t understand what the tour guide and the children were saying, but it was probably welcoming him back home. However, he always felt that the child talking to Mo Guangning was a bit strange, frequently casting gazes at him while speaking.
That look was like sizing up a piece of goods, as if he were a slab of pork.
Mo Guangning probably noticed Fang Mu’s displeasure. He didn’t chat much with the village children before shooing them away, then said to Fang Mu: “Sorry, when I was in the village before, I often played with these little rascals. They’re a bit excited. I told them I’m not here to play with them this time.”
With that, he invited Fang Mu to walk into the house on the right side of the car, saying: “Come in. I’ll take you to see the village chief.”
“Uncle! Uncle!” After Fang Mu and Mo Guangning entered the house, he heard Mo Guangning shout a few times toward inside the house.
It was only then that Fang Mu realized the current village chief of Wenyatun was Mo Guangning’s own uncle.
Soon, a tall and thin middle-aged man with skin as dark as soy sauce like Mo Guangning’s came in from the courtyard at the back door. When he saw Mo Guangning, the man looked very happy.
After the two simply exchanged greetings, Mo Guangning’s own uncle finally turned his attention to Fang Mu.
“Aiyining, who’s this?” The man spoke Mandarin with an accent, looking curiously at Fang Mu, the outsider.
Mo Guangning then introduced Fang Mu and his uncle to each other, and only then did Fang Mu learn that the village chief’s name was Mo Longwei.
“Welcome to our village. If you don’t mind, stay at my place for this period.” When Mo Longwei learned Fang Mu was his nephew’s client, he immediately smiled and said so.
Mo Guangning quickly followed up: “Boss, what do you think? We don’t have inns or hotels here. My uncle’s house was renovated just a couple years ago. There shouldn’t be anywhere more comfortable in the village. Don’t worry, room and board costs are all included.”
Mo Longwei waved his hand with a smile, though. “When my nephew’s friend comes to play here, why would they need to give money? Whatever you want to eat or buy is on me.”
Fang Mu smiled back in thanks: “Then I’ll impose on you. Thank you very much for taking me in.”
During lunch, Mo Longwei inquired about Fang Mu and Mo Guangning’s plans and recommended a few nearby scenic spots.
Before Mo Guangning could speak, Fang Mu straightforwardly stated his desire to go to Nong Mountain.
At these words, the voices at the dining table instantly fell silent, and the atmosphere became oppressive.
“That’s not a place to play.” After a long while, the village chief finally spoke seriously to Fang Mu: “Pick another place.”
Fang Mu and Mo Guangning exchanged a glance and then both fell silent, saying no more.
That evening, Mo Guangning got a few bottles of beer and drinking snacks from the village’s small shop, inviting Fang Mu to the rooftop to appreciate the night view of the mountain village and chat.
Besides the two of them, Mo Guangning’s uncle the village chief also came to the small drinking gathering.
Cups clinked and were passed around. After three rounds of drinks, the three, emboldened by the alcohol, opened up and started talking freely.
“Aiyimu, you’re not still planning to go into the mountain, are you?” Mo Longwei let out a burp, his eyes turning to Fang Mu.
Fang Mu fell briefly silent and nodded: “I have a reason I must go.”
Mo Guangning said nothing, merely directing his gaze at his uncle.
Mo Longwei shook his head. “Do you know what’s in the mountain?”
Having learned from the awkwardness at lunch, Fang Mu answered more cautiously this time: “I’m a writer of suspense novels. I recently heard rumors about this mountain online by chance, and it’s exactly the material I need right now, so I came to gather some.”
“I really don’t recommend you go there.” Mo Longwei said while picking at peanuts to eat. “A lot of people died in that mountain before, and many strange things happened.”
“Can you tell me more details?” Fang Mu patiently waited for Mo Longwei to agree.
Mo Longwei neither clearly refused nor clearly agreed, and only after nearly a minute of silence did he slowly tell Fang Mu a story from his past.
“Over these many years, among the outsiders who came to our village, the last one like you who said they wanted to enter Nong Mountain was almost thirty years ago. That person brought unimaginable disaster to our village.” Mo Longwei’s eyes showed a lost look, his expression gradually turning pained. “This outsider from who-knows-where had probably offended the Toad God and was cursed by the Toad God, almost terminally ill. He sought help from our village’s village chief at the time. When the village chief heard the curse was affecting his family, out of compassion he provided help and let him go into the mountain to apologize to the Toad God residing in Nong Mountain.
In the end, he got better, but somehow our village had angered the Toad God. We had a long toad plague in the village. Toads were everywhere in the fields, orchards, roads, and homes, attacking people. It caused quite a bit of loss to our village. If it had just been financial loss, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but what was terrifying was that later, those in the village who believed in the Toad God gathered together and, for the village’s peace, planned to offer more and better sacrifices at the annual sacrificial ritual to wear down the Toad God’s elder’s anger. But the Toad God was probably furious, and all the people who went to worship in the Nong Mountain cave that time encountered a mountain collapse disaster, with no survivors.
Our Wenyatun instantly lost nearly half of its residents and workforce. It took a full extra 10 years to develop to where it is today.”
