Finding Lu Lingxi made the rest feel easier.
The group was going to go back to the village first and then return to the rainforest tomorrow to look for the body of the drug dealer dragged away by the python. Out of caution, both Yan Yue and Wu Jiang had to see the body with their own eyes.
The reason why Yan Yue was willing to show the police the way was that the drug dealers had already set their sights on him and Xiao Xi, and he didn’t want to have to worry about the drug dealers appearing in front of them during their days in Kunnan. Now the other drug dealers were either dead or caught, leaving the only one unaccounted for. With Lu Lingxi completely offending this drug dealer, Yan Yue wanted to make sure that the man was really dead, not leaving a hidden danger that would suddenly explode at some point.
After some discussion, in order to avoid getting lost in the rainforest, the group decided to return the way they came. Although they might encounter a giant python this way, their group had a lot of weapons and was not afraid of the existence of giant pythons.
Speaking of weapons, Lu Lingxi handed the gun he was holding to Fang Lei, who took it and realised that the safety was on, fortunately, so despite Lu Lingxi’s running and jumping all the way, nothing happened. When he said this, Lu Lingxi didn’t feel anything but Yan Yue was the first to be shocked into a cold sweat. He resisted the idea of holding Lu Lingxi in his arms and touching him all over again, and just held Lu Lingxi’s hand tightly, refusing to let go.
Lu Lingxi sensed Yan Yue’s nervousness and whispered, “Big Brother Yan, I’m fine, I knew you’d definitely come and find me.”
His tone was so sure that Yan Yue’s heart was soft and confused, and he wished he could kiss Lu Lingxi right now, rub him into his heart, connect their blood from now on, never to be separated again. Unfortunately, the circumstances were not right, and there was a disruptive third party – the little monkey.
“Zi-zi.”
The little monkey clung to Lu Lingxi’s neck, its attitude towards Yan Yue very hostile. It still remembered that this was the one who had just snatched Lu Lingxi away from it.
Yan Yue helplessly smiled bitterly, his attitude towards the little monkey unusually indulgent. It was not only because Lu Lingxi liked the little monkey, but also because the little monkey had saved Lu Lingxi’s life. He had already heard about their escape from Lu Lingxi and was immensely grateful to the little monkey. He reached out his hand as gently as he could to pet the little monkey, but the little monkey didn’t hesitate to knock it away.
Yan Yue: “……”
Lu Lingxi curved his eyes and smiled, rubbing the little monkey’s fluffy head soothingly. Even though he was still in the rainforest and his surroundings looked dark and shadowy, indescribably eerie in the light of flashlights, but walking beside Yan Yue, with the little monkey in his arms, Lu LIngxi was completely free of his previous fears and was in a very relaxed mood.
“Stop for a moment.” Wu Jiang’s voice sounded in the front, “Something doesn’t seem right.”
Yan Yue and Lu Lingxi looked at each other, took a few steps forward, stood next to Wu Jiang and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Wu Jiang was about to speak when Fang Lei shone his flashlight on the grass to his left and suddenly paused. The people followed the light and saw that in the grass, the black python lay like an ancient beast, its huge body coiled, its head held high as it looked at them coldly.
Everyone took out their weapons almost instinctively. The python didn’t move, but glanced at everyone indifferently, turned its head and slithered to the depths of the rainforest. As the python left, everyone realised that there was another, smaller python in the grass. The python seemed to be dead, lying stiff and motionless in the grass. The body of a human was placed next to it, and the situation looked indescribably bizarre.
Fang Lei and the others had heard Lu Lingxi talk about their previous escape experience, and they faintly guessed something.
“It’s the drug dealer.” Lu Lingxi affirmed their guess.
Wu Jiang sent someone forward to take a look. The big python in the grass was indeed dead, killed by a gunshot. As for the drug dealer beside it, it seemed that he had been strangled.
“Animals like snakes have an evil streak, this one obviously came for revenge.”
A policeman behind them whispered, but Wu Jiang waved his hand to stop him from saying more. The python’s revenge had nothing to do with them; what mattered was that this drug dealer was dead, the operation was a huge success and they saved themselves the trouble tomorrow. (Remember the phyton the drug dealer killed in the beginning when he took Lu Lingxi and Wang Chaoliang hostage? So, the black phyton came specifically for him, to take revenge for the killed phyron. – Translator’s note)
“Come on, let’s go back.”
After this episode, the rest of the trip was without any accidents and the group soon walked to the edge of the rainforest.
“Zi-zi.”
A monkey’s call came from the tree overhead, and the little monkey in Lu Lingxi’s arms squeaked. Lu Lingxi knew it was the big monkey coming to pick up the little monkey, so he reluctantly squeezed the little monkey’s paw and said softly, “Little monkey, we are going to see each other again.”
The little monkey squeaked twice and clung to Lu Lingxi’s neck with its other paw. Lu Lingxi’s heart felt soft; he didn’t want to part with the little monkey either. It was just that the little monkey belonged to this rainforest, there were the little monkey’s fellows living here. It lived freely here; he couldn’t selfishly take the little monkey away from here.
“Go back.” Lu Lingxi whispered.
The squeaking in the trees got louder and the lead monkey seemed very anxious, calling urgently to the little monkey. The little monkey looked up and then looked at Lu Lingxi, and slowly jumped from Lu Lingxi’s arms to the tree, squatting on the branch and watching Lu Lingxi quietly. A few monkeys jumped to its side and the leading monkey stroked the little monkey’s head. A group of monkeys crouched there watching Lu Lingxi and his group leave the rainforest and return to the village.
Wang Chaoliang’s colleagues, two staff members from the botanical garden’s workstation, had stayed awake, holding on to wait for Wang Chaoliang and Xiao Xi to be rescued. Hearing the news of their return to the village, the staff members came to greet them excitedly. At first glance, they almost cried when they saw Wang Chaoliang’s swollen nose and bruised face.
They didn’t notice it in the rainforest before, but when they came back to the bright light, the bruises on Wang Chaoliang’s face appeared shocking. Although Lu Lingxi didn’t look as horribly as Wang Chaoliang did, the corner of his mouth was also a bit bruised. Yan Yue hurriedly said goodbye to Wu Jiang and Fang Lei, saying that if they wanted to talk about anything, it would have to wait until tomorrow and that he had to take Lu Lingxi back to rest first.
With no more outsiders, Yan Yue stripped Lu Lingxi naked in a few motions, touched his whole body, checking him all over, making sure that Lu Lingxi was fine except for some bruises on his cheeks and arms.
Wrapped in a blanket, Lu Lingxi looked at Yan Yue with a bit of a blush and said softly, “Big Brother Yan, I’m fine, it was Uncle Wang who was beaten up all the time.”
Although it was a bit too much to think so, Yan Yue was really glad that it was Wang Chaoliang who had been beaten up. He couldn’t imagine Lu Lingxi’s face being bruised and swollen like Wang Chaoliang’s if he’d been beaten like that. If that was the case, even if the drug dealer was dead, he wouldn’t be able to resist putting a few more bullets into the corpse.
Yan Yue thought this and opened his arms to gently hug Lu Lingxi. Because of Lu Lingxi’s injuries, he didn’t dare to exert too much force and was as careful as if he was holding an expensive porcelain. Lu Lingxi obediently leaned into Yan Yue’s arms, his soft hair pressed against Yan Yue’s neck, and Yan Yue slightly lowered his head, sniffing the unique fragrance of the rainforest on Lu Lingxi’s body.
Lu Lingxi tilted his face up, his gaze dependent and trusting. He moved up and took the initiative to kiss Yan Yue, whispering, “I love you, Big Brother Yan.”
These words were like a fuse, and the suppressed volcano in Yan Yue’s body exploded with a bang. He fiercely squeezed Lu Lingxi in his arms and couldn’t wait to overtake the young man’s lips, kissing him hard and lingering.
The blanket on Lu Lingxi’s body slipped off, revealing his white skin, his healthy and supple body full of a thrilling beauty. Yan Yue pinned him down, pouring out all his feelings for Lu Lingxi through the union of their bodies.
The anger he felt when he first heard that Lu Lingxi was being held hostage, the anxiety he felt during his search for Lu Lingxi, the ecstasy he felt when he heard Lu Lingxi’s voice, and the reassurance he felt when he finally held Lu Lingxi in his arms, after the dust had settled, the previous ordeals were like a dream, and he only wanted to be with Lu Lingxi for a long time and never be apart again.
“Xiao Xi.”
Yan Yue tenderly called Lu Lingxi’s name and rubbed his lips. The corners of Lu Lingxi’s mouth curled up and he comfortably wriggled in Yan Yue’s arms, whispering, “Big Brother Yan, I’m sleepy.”
Yan Yue smiled and kissed him, softly saying, “Then go to sleep, I’ll stay with you.”
Lu Lingxi closed his eyes with a muffled sound, then he thought of something and opened his eyes to look at Yan Yue seriously, “Big Brother Yan, don’t tell Mom about today, otherwise she will worry.”
“I know.” Yan Yue whispered, lovingly kissing Lu Lingxi’s forehead.
Lu Lingxi was now completely relieved and fell into a deep sleep in Yan Yue’s arms. By the time he woke up again it was already noon the next day. Although Lu Lingxi had told Yan Yue not to tell Wang Shuxiu about the incident, Yan Yue briefly spoke to Xiao Feng and also said hello to Elder Zhang and Elder Zhao in Kunnan.
The orchid exhibition at the Botanical Garden was opening today, and Lu Lingxi had originally agreed with Elder Zhang to return this morning at the latest. Now that he had missed his appointment, an explanation needed to be given. When Elder Zhang and Elder Zhao heard that Lu Lingxi had been held hostage by drug dealers and almost had an accident, Elder Zhang and Elder Zhao were so anxious that they didn’t even want to see the orchid show and had to come to the border to see Lu Lingxi. Yan Yue had to tell them that when Lu Lingxi woke up, he would take him back to Kunnan, so there was no need for the two old men to toss and turn.
After the matter with the two old men was settled, Wang Chaoliang came over. Looking at the oil-like substance that Wang Chaoliang placed in front of him, Yan Yue looked puzzled, “What is this?”
Even with his swollen face, Wang Chaoliang couldn’t hide his excitement, “This is what the little monkey found on a tree last night. According to the little monkey’s reaction, this thing can be ignited. I took the workstation instrument to test it in the morning, do you know what it is?”
“What?”
Wang Chaoliang said loudly with a look of disbelief, “This is oil. This stuff burns exactly the same as diesel fuel. It doesn’t need any processing and can be used as diesel fuel completely straight away. Can you believe it?”
Yan Yue reacted, ” Are you saying that this came out of a certain tree?”
“Yes, yes.” Wang Chaohuo nodded, “This discovery is simply amazing, Yan Yue, you should know what this means.”
“Of course.”
It was like Zhugang instead of steel. If it was as Wang Chaoliang said, then this tree that could produce oil would be an even more incredible existence than Zhugang; it was simply an oil mine laid out in front of them.
Thanks for the chapter! That’s a good find.
💖💖💖
You 100% do not want to have trees be the primary source of anything as ubiquitously consumed as petroleum or diesel fuel. No matter how conveniently similar a tree product is and how little refinement would be required, the sheer volume needed to satiate demand is too staggering to even think about getting out of a handful of mutant trees. Even if you propagate them to a plot of land the size of Spain, the amount of usable product you would get in a year would probably only last a month of consumption. On top of that, trees grow too slowly for such a consumable product. It would be like if you tried to convince people to run their cars off of maple syrup. Even if you could make it work, the output is just too low. Here’s something to think about: the petroleum crude oil that we extract from the ground is not, as many people misunderstand, made from the remains of dinosaurs. It isn’t even from the remains of trees or other plants. Instead, it is the remains of a layer of dead algae dozens of feet thick that bloomed prior to a massive ice age that turned the earth into a ball of ice for tens of thousands of years.
The author means well, trying to find more sustainable avenues for certain products, but that isn’t the way to go about it. If you want to make bio-fuel then you should focus on grasses or algae, as they can be grown fast enough, in large enough quantities, at a high enough density, and with relatively little ecological impact in order to produce the natural oils and resins that can be subsequently extracted and refined for fuel uses, while the chaff can be repurposed into other things (preferably not burned, as that negates the carbon sinking nature of the project).
You make a valid point, and I think the author also realises it, since she doesn’t speak about complete replacement or something but more about the way to change the people’s thinking and make them more open about finding alternatives. The author surely did some reasearch in many things but there are omissions in other things. I think we should take it more like an inspirational tale than an instruction how to proceed 🙂
Moreover, it defeats the whole purpose of environmental protection because I can see humans cutting down these oil trees unbiasedly. Even invading the jungle to harvest the oil would affect the eco-system there. Idk why the monkey would give humans something that would encourage humans to keep intruding in their space.
That’s why the monkey gave it to Lu Lingxi and not to someone else. Because it knew Xiao Xi will protect its space.
“Animals like snakes have an evil streak, this one obviously came for revenge.”
>> These sounds so condescending to animals. Like he forget human scientifically is animals too 😂. Anyway, it is true myth in my community that snakes are especially vengeful. We had belief that if possible, shoo away the snakes out of the house. If you had to kill it, especially venomous one, 1) never ever kill it in front of another snake, 2) even if hatchlings, if you wanted to kill one, you had to kill all. There are many incident where, men killed cobra. Few days after, the men were bitten and died (I said men because rarely women will kill snakes here unless men is not around and their children in danger). Why we felt they are vengeful? Because the revengeful one will only target the one that killed their kind no matter how many people surrounded them. They killed, were chased but never bothered. Just run away. Oh, and if you ever killed snakes, wrap their body in something and buried it far away from your house (to avoid family member random targetting by the snakes’ kin).
I had to say, the wonder of author imagination is really something. I guess it shows how bad the enviromental pollution in China are, that author comes out with this imaginative escape. Yunyun said this is written in 2015, I guess it just went worst by years because in my country since last year, we had movement to avoid any vegetables and fruits from China (due to their high soil contamination). Unscrupulous supermarket will even went through the length of lying about the vegetables and fruits’ origin due to market loss 😑.
Yes, I absolutely heard about snakes (and spiders) coming for revenge. We don’t have many snakes here, and spiders are just harmless spiders but yeah, I’m always thinking about those things 🙂