41: Magnet Wall

It was five in the morning, and the sky wasn't fully light yet.

Lin Feng and Wang Dalong had already finished packing and were standing at the entrance of the abandoned mountain path leading toward Old Crow Mountain on the edge of town.

The morning mist was like a gauze curtain, completely shrouding the distant mountains. The air was filled with the smell of damp earth and rotting leaves, wet and cold, sending goosebumps across one's skin. Wang Dalong exhaled a breath of white vapor, shrunk his neck, and zipped his windbreaker all the way to the top with a sharp "shhh."

"Brother Feng, are we really taking this path?" Wang Dalong looked at the small trail ahead that was nearly swallowed by thorns and weeds, his heart feeling uneasy. "Can this thing... even be called a road?"

"The mountain has been closed for reforestation for five years; any road would have grown over by now." Carrying a hiking backpack and holding a metal trekking pole, Lin Feng expressionlessly pushed aside the thorny vines blocking the way. "Let's go. According to the map, we'll reach the foot of Old Crow Mountain after crossing this forest and crossing two more mountain ridges."

The two of them ventured into the mountain forest, their steps uneven on the rough terrain.

Less than half an hour in, Wang Dalong's heart was already filled with regret. The ground was covered in rotting leaves, soft and squishy; his shoes sank halfway in with every step. The canopy overhead blocked out the sky, letting only a few stray beams of light leak down like sprinkled salt. The surroundings were terrifyingly quiet, with only the occasional cry of a strange bird and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

The worst part was the bugs.

All sorts of unnamed flying insects swarmed around them like crazy, darting into their ears and nostrils. Wang Dalong had nearly used up half a bottle of insect repellent, but it didn't do a damn thing.

"Holy crap... are the mosquitoes in these mountains raised on hormones?" Wang Dalong grumbled as he walked. "I feel like if they put their heads together, they could just carry me off and serve me up at a feast."

Lin Feng ignored him, only stopping occasionally to pull out his phone, check the topographic map, and calibrate their direction. The compass was still cooperating in this forest, but the GPS signal was intermittent, fluctuating like an EKG.

After walking for about two hours, the sun finally rose. Lin Feng suddenly stopped and raised a hand in a "shush" gesture.

Wang Dalong froze. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes ahead.

A second later, a massive dark shadow emerged from the forest.

A Wild Boar!

It was freaking huge, at least three hundred pounds. Its black fur stood on end like steel needles, and two white tusks protruded from its mouth. Its small eyes glared at them, full of wariness.

Wang Dalong's breath hitched instantly, and his heart pounded as if it were about to jump out of his throat.

Lin Feng slowly reached out and pressed down on Wang Dalong's shoulder as he prepared to retreat. His voice was extremely low but exceptionally calm: "Don't move, and don't run. It's not hungry; it's just passing through."

The boar's snout twitched as it sniffed the air, then it pawed at the ground twice with its hooves.

Wang Dalong felt his calf muscles cramping. He gripped his trekking pole tightly, his palms drenched in sweat.

A few seconds later, the boar seemed to decide that these two scrawny humans weren't worth wasting calories on. It gave a disdainful snort, wiggled its rear, and disappeared into the bushes on the other side, gone.

Only then did Wang Dalong let out a long breath and collapse onto the ground.

"Damn... scared the life out of me..." His voice trembled. "Brother Feng, you were way too calm just now! That was a Wild Boar! If we'd actually fought, we would've been done for today, sacrificing ourselves for science!"

"A well-fed Wild Boar won't attack humans unprovoked," Lin Feng said calmly. "But if you run, in its eyes, you're just mobile protein."

Wang Dalong swallowed hard, climbed up from the ground, and brushed the mud off his rear.

On the rest of the way, they encountered two more groups of Wild Boars, all out for a stroll with their families. It was like watching a live version of "Animal World." Fortunately, these "kings of the mountain" weren't interested in them, giving them a distant glance before moving on.

At noon, the two of them crossed the first mountain ridge. They found a flat spot to sit down, munching on compressed biscuits and drinking water.

Wang Dalong took out his drone, wanting to fly it to capture some footage, but as soon as it took off, it wobbled as if it were drunk, nearly crashing into a tree.

"The signal is completely gone." Wang Dalong retrieved the drone, frowning. "Same with the phone; it says 'No Service' now."

Lin Feng glanced at his phone; the top right corner indeed showed "No Service." He pulled out his compass again; the needle was still functioning normally.

"Another half day's walk and we should reach the foot of the mountain." Lin Feng put away the map and stood up. "Let's go."

The mountain path in the afternoon was even harder to traverse. The slopes grew steeper, and there were more and more loose rocks underfoot. Several times, Wang Dalong nearly slipped, but Lin Feng was quick to grab him.

As the sun began to sink in the west, Lin Feng suddenly stopped.

Not far ahead, a solitary peak rose abruptly from the surrounding mountains. The terrain was treacherous, with sheer cliffs on three sides like they'd been sliced by a knife, and only a ridge as narrow as a blade connecting it to the outside. The entire mountain was an eerie bluish-black, completely out of place among the surrounding peaks.

Old Crow Mountain.

"That's it." Lin Feng pointed at the peak, his voice carrying an irrepressible excitement.

Wang Dalong looked up. The peak was dyed by the setting sun to look like a block of congealed blood, making him feel inexplicably uneasy.

"Why does it look... so creepy?" he whispered.

The two didn't go any further. About a kilometer from the foot of the mountain, they found a leeward clearing to pitch their tent.

Darkness fell incredibly fast. Night in the mountains was pitch black, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Lin Feng and Wang Dalong sat outside the tent under a dense canopy of stars. The campfire crackled in front of them.

"Brother Feng, do you really think there's treasure on that mountain?" Wang Dalong asked through a mouthful of self-heating rice.

Lin Feng didn't answer immediately. He stared at the flickering flames, silent for a long while before finally speaking: "If my reasoning is correct, there's not just treasure there, but a secret that's been forgotten for a hundred and sixty years."

Early the next morning, the two packed their gear and headed straight for Old Crow Mountain.

The closer they got to the foot of the mountain, the more Lin Feng could feel an indescribable sense of oppression. The air seemed to have become thick, and even the birdsong had vanished.

When they finally stood at the entrance of that narrow ridge, Lin Feng took out his compass.

The needle went wild, spinning frantically on the dial, unable to stop.

"It's malfunctioning." Wang Dalong looked at the compass app on his phone, which was also spinning wildly. "It's exactly like that online post said! Holy crap, we're on the right track!"

Lin Feng didn't speak, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Magnetic field anomaly.

This wasn't a bad thing; on the contrary, it was a huge stroke of luck.

This proved that his reasoning was entirely correct!

The two climbed up along the ridge. The path was perilously dangerous, with bottomless cliffs on either side. Some spots were so narrow they had to shimmy across sideways; one misstep would mean certain death.

Fortunately, Lin Feng had brought plenty of equipment—climbing ropes and safety buckles were all ready. They protected each other as they climbed upward for their lives.

At two in the afternoon, when they finally crested the summit plateau, the sight before them left both of them stunned.

A black stone wall, about five meters high and twenty meters long, completely blocked the entrance to the plateau.

The wall was built from countless irregular black stones, its surface pitted and covered in moss and vines. Yet even after being weathered by wind and rain for over a hundred years, the solidity and precision of its construction were still evident.

Lin Feng walked over and reached out to touch the stone wall.

It was ice-cold and hard.

He took a small magnet out of his backpack and brought it close to the wall.

With a sharp "clack," the magnet was instantly sucked firmly against the wall.

"Magnetite." Lin Feng's voice trembled slightly. "The entire wall... it's all built from freaking Magnetite!"

Wang Dalong gasped. "Holy crap... no wonder the compass failed! How much Magnetite is there? How did those Bandits back then haul so many stones up here? Did they have cheats enabled?"

"Because this place itself is a Magnetite vein." Lin Feng looked around, pointing at the exposed black rocks. "Look, this entire mountain is a giant natural magnet. The Bandits just used local materials, dug out the ore, and built this wall."

He paused, his voice deepening. "And the purpose of this wall isn't just defense. It's more like a natural 'Magnetic Barrier,' a physical boundary! It makes anyone trying to find this place using a compass or a needle lose their way entirely."

Wang Dalong swallowed hard, looking at the black wall before him. He suddenly felt a chill down his neck.

"Then... what's behind the wall?" he asked.

Lin Feng didn't answer.

He just looked up at the gaps in the stone wall entwined with vines, his gaze so deep it seemed as if he could see through a hundred and sixty years of time.