My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 130 Going Up the Mountain to Explore the Path

The morning dew was heavy in the mountains and forests, especially after the rain the night before. The mountains were high and the forests dense, making it difficult to walk through the water. After a short preparation, the group slowly made their way up the mountain, step by step, through the deep and shallow water.

It was already autumn, and there was still a slight chill in the air when they set off, but by the time they reached the halfway point up the mountain, Lin Ziping was already sweating profusely.

The smell of sweat mixed with clothes that hadn't been changed for many days made Lin Ziping feel like he smelled rotten. In addition, his hair hadn't been styled for many days, making his appearance even more indescribable.

Back when I first graduated, I paid more attention to my appearance. But after working for many years, there was basically no one in the company worth dressing up for, so I started to let myself go.

Now it's even worse. Stinky clothes, messy hair, dirty face—this look, this outfit, even someone who sees Zhuzi almost every day probably wouldn't recognize him.

It's been almost ten days since I arrived at Maomao Mountain, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Everything seems so unreal. I remember just yesterday I was in Xinping Village discussing with Cui Lizheng how many times the newly built road should be rolled and what the size of the stones should be...

"Young Master Ziping, what are you thinking about? Your Highness... Sixth Young Master is calling you!" Xiaochunzi gently nudged Lin Ziping.

Lin Ziping snapped out of his daze and asked, "What? What did you say?"

"Sixth Young Master is calling for you," Xiao Chunzi repeated.

Lin Ziping smiled sheepishly, nodded slightly, and strode towards Gao Chi.

"Your Highness..." Lin Ziping saw Gao Chi lower his eyes and quickly changed his words, "Brother Gao, what are your plans?"

Gao Chi turned around and pointed to the distance, saying, "We've only reached the mountainside, and these mountains are already crawling at our feet. I wonder what the scenery is like at the top?"

That's it?!

Lin Ziping looked at the mud on his shoes, then at the person supporting Gao Chi.

I thought to myself, "They need someone to help them walk, yet they have the nerve to admire the scenery. The world of the rich is indeed so simple and unpretentious; we commoners just don't understand."

Even so, Lin Ziping outwardly offered sincere compliments: "As the ancients said, 'One must climb to the summit to see all the mountains below,' the summit must be absolutely beautiful."

"Haha, Ziping is good at literature, but there are always mountains beyond mountains, and one mountain is always higher than another." Gao Chi's face showed a hint of melancholy.

Lin Ziping said, "The mountain is high, but man is the peak."

Gao Chi was taken aback by what he heard, then burst into laughter and patted Lin Ziping on the shoulder: "Ziping is right."

If you want to climb to the top, go to Mount Everest, it's over 8000 meters high, the world's highest peak.

Lin Ziping suppressed his thoughts, lowered his eyes, and stood respectfully to the side without saying a word.

"Sixth Brother, should we continue up the mountain?" Li Qiongying's gentle voice came from the side.

Lin Ziping looked up at her slightly. Li Qiongying was still dressed in men's clothes and leaning on a wooden stick. Although her shoes were covered in mud and her hair was a little messy, she still looked charming.

Gao Chi thought for a moment and said, "If Qiong Ying is tired, she can wait for us here."

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Qiongying's eyes, but she quickly smiled and said, "I am a little tired, but I also want to see the view from the top of the mountain."

“Then let us continue our journey,” Gao Chi said confidently.

Li Qiongying intended to move aside, but her foot slipped and she was about to fall.

Upon seeing this, Lin Ziping instinctively reached out and supported her waist.

Before she could even stand up straight, Li Qiongying was jolted as if she had been electrocuted, and she shoved Lin Ziping away with a look of terror on her face.

Lin Ziping was pushed so hard that he stumbled and took several steps back before he could regain his balance.

Suddenly, an unexpected turn of events occurred, and everyone's attention fell on Li Qiongying and Lin Ziping.

Li Qiongying seemed not to have reacted, and remained silent in a daze.

Lin Ziping looked around, scratched his head, and asked with a sheepish grin, "Brother Gao, shall we set off?"

At this moment, Li Qiongying also calmed down, and said to Gao Chi with a warm smile, "Sixth Brother, I'm fine, let's go."

Wang Changping and Xiao Chunzi quickly stepped forward to help Gao Chi continue walking up the mountain.

"Thank you," Li Qiongying said softly to Lin Ziping.

Lin Ziping did not reply. Only after the others left did he raise his head and look up at the mountain.

This mountain is really high! It's not easy for anyone here!

They walked in silence for an unknown amount of time until the terrain gradually leveled out. Wang Changping led the way, while Xiao Chunzi served Gao Chi from the side.

Some buildings can be vaguely seen.

It should be midday, and normally there should be smoke rising from the chimneys of a village house, but there was nothing there.

Lin Ziping suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and quickened his pace. Hong Lao Er followed him quietly.

"Hey, what's this?" Gao Chi asked, pointing to the dark object on the ground.

Wang Changping immediately stepped forward and arranged for several people to look around, while the other guards who were with him immediately stood guard and surrounded Gao Chi and Li Qiongying to protect them.

Wang Changping reached out, touched a little bit, sniffed it, rubbed it between his fingers, and frowned, saying, "It seems to be kerosene."

Kerosene?!

Lin Ziping approached casually, glancing at the object on the ground out of the corner of his eye. It was a dark mass, looking just like the remains of Dai Qin's house after the fire.

"Young Master, we found this nearby." The guard who went to check the surroundings returned and presented several arrows to Gao Chi.

Wang Changping took the arrow from the guard, examined it closely, and compared it from side to side. After a while, he pulled out one of the arrows and said, "This one is different from the others."

"Let me see it," Gao Chi said.

Xiao Chunzi stepped forward, took the arrow from Wang Changping, and handed it to Gao Chi.

Gao Chi took it and examined it carefully, saying, "Apart from this one, the others are very similar to those used to attack us in the mountain stronghold."

"Young master has a discerning eye; these are indeed the same as those from the mountain stronghold," Wang Changping nodded.

"This...this means there's another group of people on the mountain?!" Lin Ziping exclaimed in surprise. "And where did this kerosene come from?"

“I saw a fire on this mountain last night, so the oil must be for starting a fire and providing light,” Gao Chi said.

"Sixth Brother's guess is reasonable. This kerosene is flammable when it comes into contact with fire and does not go out when it comes into contact with water. It is often used for lighting in the rain." Li Qiongying continued, "We just don't know where this kerosene comes from, and whether the other group on the mountain is friend or foe. Now everyone must be more careful."

Gao Chi nodded: "Qiong Ying is right, everyone be careful."

"Yes!"

The crowd clasped their hands in greeting and said in unison.

Lin Ziping also whispered to Hong Lao Er to stay close to him.