Chapter 89 Rejection

One side of the Asphalt Road was a mountain wall, the other a steep slope. Setting up barbed wire with spikes here was indeed a good roadblock. Without sharp tools, it would take some effort to clear.

One side of the barbed wire was nailed to the rock face, the other was wrapped around a crooked-necked tree outside the steep slope. Bai Xiao didn't want to risk climbing the tree, unsure if the tree roots had softened from days of heavy rain.

She remembered buying various tools when she stocked up before, and sure enough, she found a small electric saw. With tools, getting through was just a matter of time.

However, she didn't expect these people to not only set up spiked barbed wire, but also a pile of stones as a roadblock a little further down the road.

But for Bai Xiao, this was even simpler than dealing with the barbed wire. An average woman can usually lift a maximum of 25 to 30 kilograms. After her body was strengthened three times, and accounting for some loss of medicinal effect, she could now lift at least 90 kilograms. If it were a deadlift or moving an object, that weight would increase significantly.

The stones varied in shape, making it difficult to exert force, so it took her quite a while to clear a path barely wide enough to pass.

It was clear that the people on the mountain were very unwelcoming to outsiders. Who knows how many people they mobilized to create this stone pile blockade.

The mountain roads had little standing water and were suitable for driving, but unexpectedly, the people here set up small and large roadblocks every other section, which was quite annoying.

If one were to drive, constantly stopping and starting, going up and down, it would be impossible to pick up much speed.

Bai Xiao remembered she still had a semi-new mountain bike stored in her space. The winding mountain roads weren't all steep slopes; most were relatively flat and suitable for cycling.

Thus, the ten-odd kilometers of winding mountain road, which would normally take less than an hour, took her about twice as long to reach the entrance at the mountainside, factoring in cycling and clearing roadblocks.

Mian Mountain's elevation is approximately less than a thousand meters, not a very high mountain, but it is famous for its hot springs, especially around the 500-meter mark on the mountainside.

This area is an inversion layer, warm in winter and cool in summer. When shrouded in clouds and mist, it's as beautiful as a fairyland. Without clouds, one can overlook the myriad lights of homes below and gaze up at the majestic scenery of the mountain peak.

Due to the numerous springs on the mountainside, many Hotels, guesthouses, and villas are built here, which has also led to the development of various specialty markets and Food Street districts. In the past, it was bustling, like a mature small town, and was also jokingly called Mian Town.

When Bai Xiao saw the Mian Mountain archway from afar, she knew she was almost at the mountainside. Before turning the corner, she put away her mountain bike and proceeded on foot.

Beyond the archway was a huge square, with parking lots on both sides. In the past, they would be full of vehicles, but now, less than half were parked.

Generally, weekends were the busiest here. The heavy fog arrived on a Friday, and many locals who wanted to travel hadn't had time to leave and were stuck at home.

Therefore, the people who could still remain on Mian Mountain now were either shop operators or scenic area staff, or tourists from other regions, or wealthy people or renters escaping the summer heat in the Villa Area. Local tourists accounted for a very small proportion.

Beyond the square was the specialty market. The once bustling market was now deserted, with only stalls, their colors faded by the heavy rain, showing no trace of their former prosperity.

If it weren't for the many roadblocks on the way, Bai Xiao would really doubt if there were actually people on Mian Mountain.

As dusk fell amidst the heavy rain, she silently observed everything here until she reached the Food Street district, where she encountered a group of patrolling people, breaking the tranquility of the mountain.

This group turned the corner and unexpectedly ran into Bai Xiao, which startled them. She walked silently, wearing a cloak that covered her head, face, and upper body. In the evening backlight, she appeared suddenly like a ghost, how could it not be terrifying?

However, their group of seven or eight people was noisy, and Bai Xiao had already heard the commotion. Having arrived here, she was bound to encounter the people here sooner or later. Instead of hiding, it was better to show her true strength and give them a warning.

Otherwise, given the exclusiveness of the people here, even if she could avoid them for a while, they would cause trouble later. And with just these few people, she could handle them. If they gathered more people to confront her, she would be passive. So, she deliberately slowed her pace, her hand subtly resting on her waist.

The two groups met, separated by about two shopfronts.

"Who are you? How did you get up here?!"

This group wore various raincoats and carried cleavers and clubs. When they saw Bai Xiao was alone, their slightly tense expressions relaxed, but after a moment, they seemed to think of something else and became nervous again, their gazes fixed on her hand hidden beneath her assault jacket and cloak.

"Could it be that the guy named Dong sent you? That old sly dog, always thinking of underhanded tricks to steal things." The leading man spat on the ground and cursed angrily.

"Hand over what you stole!" Several of them shouted indignantly, raising their clubs at her.

Bai Xiao had already drawn her gun from its holster. She didn't hide it, pointing the muzzle at the leader and saying, "I don't know what you're talking about, and I don't know anyone named Dong. I haven't stolen anything from you. I just came from down the mountain. I have no intention of opposing you. Mian Mountain is so big, it can accommodate one more or one less person."

When the group saw her pull out a gun, their expressions changed. They now believed she wasn't sent by the group named Dong, because that group didn't have guns. They didn't seem to doubt whether the gun was real or fake, only asking, "How did you get up here alone?"

With so many roadblocks and endless standing water down the mountain, how did this woman, carrying only a large backpack and seemingly no tools, manage to get through all these obstacles and reach here?

"That's none of your business. I have no intention of opposing you or making enemies, but if you insist on blocking me from settling on the mountain, then I'll have to..."

As she spoke, she pulled back with her left hand, cocking the gun.

Seeing that she was serious, and not for the first time seeing outsiders come up the mountain, the man said, "Whether your gun is real or fake, since you've already come up the mountain, we won't do anything to you. But there's one rule: things are clearly divided on the mountain. The Food Street district belongs to our local business operators' organization, and the Resort Hotels above are managed by their Hotel staff. As for the Villa Area further up..."

The man sneered, thinking of something, "Heh, if you have the ability, go ahead. Otherwise, besides these places, you can also look for the group of vagrants led by Dong. In short, different territories are managed by different organizations. If anyone tries to cross the line and steal food, we're not to be trifled with. What if you have guns? We have more people. How many bullets do you have? At worst, none of us will survive."

Bai Xiao didn't know why he said "you all." Could there be others with guns here?

But she understood his meaning: there should be four groups of people here. One group of vagrants, led by someone named Dong, who were excluded by the original mountain residents, likely people who gradually gathered later.

Another group was the one in front of her, consisting of shop operators and employees on the mountain, seemingly quite numerous.

There was also a group from the Resort Hotels, likely Hotel staff and tourists gathered together, also of considerable number.

The last group was in the Villa Area. Their situation was unclear, but from what this person said, their numbers should be small, but they might possess destructive weapons like guns.