“I don’t know if it came from upstairs or downstairs, climbed along the outer wall, and then got in from the air conditioner platform next to the balcony. I didn’t close the window on my side; yesterday I only remembered to close the balcony door.”

“I’ll tell my parents to quickly check all the doors and windows! Especially the balcony! Oh right, last night someone in the owners’ group said the community is organizing rodent control these days, keep an eye out,” said Jack Grant.

“I’m going on a trip today and won’t be home. I’ve checked all the doors and windows; they can’t get in.”

After saying this to Jack Grant, Henry Clark opened the neighborhood owners’ group chat again to scroll through the messages and see how the rodent control was going.

When he looked at the balcony again after breakfast, the mouse had already finished the egg and left.

He checked the doors and windows once more, made sure no food was left out, then Henry Clark packed his luggage and headed to the airport.

He took a nap on the plane, and when he woke up, he had already arrived in Yangcheng.

It had been five or six years since he left after the college entrance exam, and now he was back again.

Standing at Yangcheng Airport, Henry Clark felt a mix of emotions that were hard to describe.

Of course, there was no time for sentimentality.

After searching for the nearest outdoor gear stores, Henry Clark took a taxi to buy some equipment.

Xiaofeng Mountain is known as Snake Mountain. Even with a barrier, there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t run into a snake that had crossed over, so it was better to be well-equipped for peace of mind.

After buying the gear, he changed into clothes, shoes, and pants with better protection. He didn’t put on the helmet yet—he wasn’t at the site, and it would look odd—so he just wore a disposable mask from the pharmacy.

Nowadays, with so many people wearing masks for dust, allergies, or disease prevention, Henry Clark didn’t stand out at all. Besides, he’d had a brief moment of online fame, and since this was the place he’d lived for eighteen years, it would be a bit awkward if someone recognized him.

He ordered a ride on his phone, set the destination to Xiaofeng Mountain, and the fare was about 200.

However, after waiting ten minutes, no one accepted the order.

The only driver who did called to say it was a mistake and asked him to cancel, offering a small red envelope as compensation.

Henry Clark sat on a public bench, staring at his phone screen.

No one wanted to take the order!

Thinking of the online posts saying that few people wanted to go to Xiaofeng Mountain, Henry Clark tried the “add tip” option, but a pop-up said the feature had just been updated and would only be available after midnight.

What Henry Clark lacked most right now was time!

He had told that old butler he’d get things done as soon as possible!

He searched for subway and bus routes.

But the gear he’d just bought couldn’t be brought on the subway, and none of the public transport options went directly to Xiaofeng Mountain. The nearest bus stop was at least two kilometers from his destination.

Because there’s a protected area near Xiaofeng Mountain, according to netizens, it’s also outside the range for shared bikes. If you ride there, you’ll get a warning pop-up, and the bike might even lock automatically.

Henry Clark looked around and happened to see a taxi dropping off a passenger not far away.

He hurried over and stopped the car before it left.

“Sir, do you go to Xiaofeng Mountain? I’ll pay extra.”

The driver was about to refuse when he heard “Xiaofeng Mountain,” but after hearing the last two words, he paused, glanced at Henry Clark, and said, “500, and I’ll take you.”

“Deal!”

As long as he could get there by taxi, he wouldn’t have to rent a car himself. He was in a hurry.

“Scan this code. On the payment page, add 300 as a tip and check the ‘passenger agrees’ box,” the driver said.

Henry Clark put his large backpack in the trunk, got in, and replied, “Okay. Is that all? Won’t your company say anything if they find out?”

“I’ll just submit a note after completing the order. The company understands. No one likes going to Xiaofeng Mountain.

“In winter it’s not so bad, but as it gets warmer, no one wants to go. After all, it’s Snake Mountain. Even with a barrier, it’s not foolproof. Just recently, a colleague of mine took two people there for a company inspection—there are quite a few agriculture and livestock companies near Xiaofeng Mountain. I don’t remember which company exactly, but after dropping them off, he was invited to stay for a meal, and on the way back, his car got impounded.”

“Why?” asked Henry Clark.

“He picked up another passenger on his way back into the city, and the passenger found a snake in his car. The passenger screamed, then filed a complaint, called the police, and reported everything in one go!”

The driver sighed, “Talk about bad luck!”

After that, the company gave him excessive concern, the police invited him for questioning, and it even attracted attention from the authorities. That very day, rumors started that he was a ride-hailing driver on the surface but secretly trafficking in wild animals!

Luckily there was surveillance footage, and there were witnesses from Xiaofeng Mountain. Otherwise, even ten mouths couldn’t explain it away!

“Fortunately, there was no fine that time, just a few words from the company. They even held a meeting to specifically remind drivers not to linger too long in that area, and to double-check the car before leaving, or else they’d end up in the news.”

The driver lamented that people were no match for snakes.

“My grandparents’ generation used to eat snakes. By my parents’ time, the policy tightened a bit. For my generation, forget it—we can’t even avoid them fast enough. The strictest protection laws are hanging over our heads. It’s not that we’re afraid of snakes, it’s just that if something happens, it’s hard to explain, and some reporters are just looking for trouble.”