Chapter 34: Seeking Trouble for No Reason

Wei Lin and his companions eventually arrived before the suspension bridge, which had snapped in two.

The bridge, only seven or eight meters long and constructed of ropes and wooden planks, had either succumbed to severe wear or had been struck by a falling rock from the mountain, leaving it severed right in the middle. On either side of the bridge were sheer cliffs over a dozen meters high, with no visible ledges or footholds for climbing or descent. After a brief observation, Wei Lin confirmed that reaching the other side without the bridge was, given their group’s capabilities, virtually impossible.

A short distance away, a makeshift tent had been pitched in a clearing. Two men were inside, chatting in the local dialect. The tent flaps were open. As Wei Lin turned to look, he noticed two short, lean middle-aged men sitting inside, drinking white liquor with salted edamame, peanuts, and finely chopped braised meat. Both men looked to be in their forties or fifties, with tanned skin, wearing mud-caked overalls and rubber-soled shoes, their construction helmets set aside nearby. Between two disposable paper cups, one bottle of Red Star Erguotou was already empty, and a third of the second bottle had been consumed. The two men, busy drinking and talking, clearly noticed the group but said nothing.

"Excuse me, sir." While Zhao Yuanqing was busy berating Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, Wei Lin took the initiative to step forward. "The bridge is broken. Is there any other way to reach the summit?"

"No," one of the men replied, setting down his paper cup and shaking his head. "Go back the way you came. This path was never meant for tourists. If you insisted on sneaking in, you only have your own bad luck to blame."

"Thank you," Wei Lin said with a friendly smile, returning to Zhao Yuanqing’s side. "Let's go. We'll head back the way we came."

Zhao Yuanqing, who was still tearing into Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, had not yet vented his frustration. "Two useless idiots! I thought they were competent, but they can't even lead the way properly!"

Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, knowing they were in the wrong, felt a surge of repressed anger as they endured his tirade and the whining complaints from Yuan Xiao'e.

"You're park staff, aren't you?" Zhang Xun said with a darkened face. Seeing the two men's worn clothing and short stature, he shifted his hostility toward them. "The bridge is broken, so why haven't you repaired it? Why wasn't there a warning sign at the fork indicating that the bridge was damaged and impassable?"

The two men drinking in the tent frowned upon hearing this, clearly showing they had no intention of engaging with him.

Zhuang Qing looked on with visible disgust and whispered, "It’s their own fault, yet they insist on blaming others. So classless!"

"Stop wasting time here. Let's go." Wei Lin shoved Zhao Yuanqing, who was watching the spectacle with amusement. "Are you bored? Do you think we have all the time in the world? If we turn back now, we won't even know what time it'll be when we get down. What is there to look at?"

Realizing the situation was hopeless, he had no desire to delay any further. Zhao Yuanqing also came to his senses. "Yeah! Damn it, we got screwed by these two morons."

"Let's move!" The four of them turned to head back.

"I told you, we aren't park staff!" From the broken bridge behind them, the voice of the other man erupted with uncontrollable anger. "Are you two going to keep yapping forever?"

"What kind of attitude is that? Is this how your park treats tourists? I'm going to report you!" Yuan Xiao'e shrieked.

"Get lost! Stop bothering us while we drink!" The man who had spoken to Wei Lin earlier, seemingly fed up with the trio, cursed back. "Are you blind? The fork clearly says 'No Entry.' You insisted on barging in, and now you’re blaming everyone else. Are you sick in the head?"

"You're the one who's sick, you prick!" Zhang Xun cursed.

The two men, having finished over a bottle of liquor, suddenly fell silent in the face of his insults.

"Two morons. It's clearly their own fault, what does it have to do with those guys?" Zhao Yuanqing sneered.

Wei Lin sensed trouble and quickly said, "Forget about them. Let's go, let's not waste any more time."

This was a civilized society, and Zhongjiang was a southern city; Nanshan was a well-developed scenic spot. The kind of sordid incidents seen in the northern wilderness were virtually impossible here. Wei Lin had observed them carefully and surmised that the two men were likely local villagers who had come to Nanshan to hunt game. The construction helmets protected them from sharp branches, and the heavy overalls and rubber shoes, while perhaps not as aesthetic as the mountaineering gear worn by Zhao Yuanqing and his group, were likely just as practical. The two men had a tent, suggesting they weren't park staff, but simply locals who frequented Nanshan.

"Look at you, all poverty-stricken, and you dare to curse at us? I'm going to report you later!" Yuan Xiao'e, seeing the men remain silent, added coldly, "Stinky migrant workers!"

*Slap!*

A loud, sharp sound echoed through the air.

"You bitch!"

"Damn you!"

Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang roared, appearing to charge forward and grapple with one of the men.

"Ah! Why are they fighting?" Han Ying panicked, turning to see what was happening.

Zhao Yuanqing was stunned. "What is wrong with those two morons? Why are they messing with the staff?"

Wei Lin’s expression darkened. Just as he prepared to stop Han Ying, Zhuang Qing moved faster than him, grabbing Han Ying and pushing her back toward the return path. "Don't go over there and make things worse!"

"But Yuan Xiao'e is my friend!" Han Ying struggled.

"Zhao Yuanqing! Take Han Ying and keep moving forward. I'll go back and check!" Wei Lin commanded calmly. He and Zhuang Qing grabbed Han Ying’s arms and handed her over to Zhao Yuanqing.

"Wei Lin, I'm coming with you. Let the girls go ahead," Zhao Yuanqing insisted.

"Brother, it's fine. Trust me, I can handle it." Seeing that at this critical moment, Zhao Yuanqing wasn't just focused on the women but was willing to turn back with him, Wei Lin gave a bright smile. "Don't worry. If things get serious, I'll run back immediately."

Once Zhao Yuanqing forcibly restrained Han Ying, Wei Lin turned back first. He had only walked ten meters when he saw Zhuang Qing, clutching her trekking pole, hurrying to catch up.

"Why are you here?" Wei Lin asked, puzzled.

"Why did you go back?" Zhuang Qing countered.

"If I didn't, Han Ying would keep making a scene, and that moron Zhao Yuanqing would follow, and then everyone would get dragged in," Wei Lin sighed. "Zhao Yuanqing has a foul mouth; I'm afraid if he comes over, he'll escalate the conflict and turn a small matter into a catastrophe."

"Also..." Wei Lin paused for a moment before continuing, "The two men were just minding their own business, drinking, and it was the three of them who were being mouthy. The men have had a lot to drink; if they lose their heads and do something irrational, I'd have a guilty conscience."

Zhuang Qing’s bright eyes sparkled with a different light, and she nodded slightly. "We have similar values."

After their brief exchange, they quickened their pace and soon returned to the broken bridge. By the open tent, Yuan Xiao'e was clutching her face, shouting insults at one of the men who had fallen to the ground, calling him a "stinky migrant worker" and asking "how dare you hit me." Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, relying on their larger stature to have knocked the intoxicated man down, were standing by her side, chiming in.

"Had a few drinks and forgot who you are, huh?"

"Apologize to her!"

Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang held their trekking poles, standing on either side of Yuan Xiao'e, glaring coldly at the man on the ground like her personal bodyguards.

Inside the tent, the man who had spoken to Wei Lin earlier watched his friend on the ground, his expression terrifyingly dark. He looked at Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang, then shifted his gaze to Wei Lin and Zhuang Qing, who had returned, as if hesitating.

"Don't do anything rash!" Wei Lin shouted to take the lead. He rushed over, trekking pole in hand, and berated Zhang Xun and Qi Muyang. "Have you ever seen park staff work with a tent? Apologize to them! Now!"

"Why are you acting like the good guy? He hit Xiao'e first; what's wrong with us teaching him a lesson?" Zhang Xun’s face was cold. He struck the man on the ground again with his trekking pole. "I don't care if he's park staff or a local worker; to me, there's no difference!"

Zhao Yuanqing drove a Cayenne and wore top-tier outdoor luxury brands, which had previously made Zhang Xun somewhat cautious. But he saw no signs of wealth in Wei Lin, and thus held him in slight contempt. Furthermore, since Zhao Yuanqing’s target was clearly Han Ying, and Wei Lin and Zhuang Qing often chatted together, it only fueled his irritation—he had his own eyes on Zhuang Qing.

"You idiot! Stop looking for trouble!" Wei Lin couldn't help but curse.

*Whoosh!*

The man on the ground, having been struck again by Zhang Xun, finally had his ferocity ignited. He scrambled nimbly into the tent and emerged with a hunting knife used for game. It was nearly dark, and the light from inside the tent illuminated the blade, causing it to flash with a cold, icy gleam.