51: Chapter 51 Flying to All Things

In the early morning in Bangkok, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the hotel curtains, painting a golden beam on the floor.

Li Xin woke up at six. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze for a while, running through today's itinerary in his head: fly to Vientiane at ten in the morning, arriving in just over an hour. After arriving, find a car to Luang Prabang, a drive of about seven or eight hours. If all went well, he would arrive by evening.

He rolled out of bed, washed up, and went downstairs for breakfast.

The hotel breakfast was a buffet; there wasn't much variety, but it had all the essentials. He grabbed a bowl of fried rice, two sausages, and a glass of juice, then found a seat by the window.

While eating, he took out his phone and sent a message to Chen Hu: "Flying to Vientiane today, then heading to Luang Prabang afterward. Have you contacted your comrade's cousin?"

Chen Hu replied instantly: "It's all set. His name is Song Pengfei, and he works as a tour guide in Luang Prabang. I've sent you his phone number and WeChat. He said to call him when you arrive, and he'll take you into the mountains."

"Good."

Li Xin saved Song Pengfei's number to his phone, then opened the map to review the route from Luang Prabang to Mount Puka. It was about eighty kilometers east of Luang Prabang, a two or three-hour drive. Once at the foot of the mountain, he would have to hike in.

After breakfast, he returned to his room to pack. His backpack was the same old rucksack, stuffed with a few changes of clothes, his passport, wallet, and a power bank. It felt light, making him look just like an ordinary tourist.

His real gear—tent, sleeping bag, dry rations, water filter, entrenching tool, flashlight, first aid kit, satellite phone, and GPS tracker—was all neatly arranged in the system space.

He put on his backpack, went downstairs to check out, and hailed a taxi to the airport.

Traffic in Bangkok was as congested as ever. The car crawled through the city for nearly an hour before getting on the highway. Once on the highway, it was much smoother, and the scenery outside the window shifted from high-rise buildings to farmland and villages.

Upon arriving at the airport, he exchanged his boarding pass, went through security, and found his gate—everything went smoothly.

The flight to Vientiane was on an Airbus A320, a journey of just over an hour. Li Xin had a window seat, and sitting next to him was a man in his fifties, wearing a plaid shirt and gold-rimmed glasses, holding an English newspaper; he looked like a businessman.

"Heading to Vientiane for a business trip?" the man initiated the conversation.

"For travel," Li Xin smiled.

"Laos is a nice place; it's quiet, and the cost of living is cheap." The man folded his newspaper. "I go once a month to do a little business."

"What kind of business?"

"Timber. The timber in Laos is quite good; it's shipped back to the country for processing." The man pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it over. "This is my card. If you have any needs, feel free to contact me."

Li Xin took it and glanced at it: "Musenyuan Trading Company, General Manager." He smiled. "Hello, Manager Li."

"What is your surname?"

"My surname is Li, Li Xin."

"We share a surname then." The man laughed. "What kind of business are you in, Manager Li?"

"Just some casual investments, nothing major."

The two chatted on and off for a while. When the plane landed, the man handed him a pen. "Leave your number; perhaps we'll have a chance to cooperate in the future."

Li Xin thought for a moment and left him Li Jiayi's number. "This is my partner; she handles company matters."

The man put away the number and nodded. "Alright, let's keep in touch."

After leaving the airport, Li Xin hailed a taxi and gave the address of the bus station.

Vientiane—the capital of Laos—though a capital, looked more like a small town. The streets weren't wide, there weren't many cars, and low-rise houses lined the streets, with the occasional glimpse of a magnificent, golden temple.

The taxi drove for about twenty minutes before reaching the bus station. Li Xin bought a bus ticket to Luang Prabang at the ticket window; the fare was 150,000 Kip, equivalent to about 100 RMB.

The bus was a standard tourist coach; the condition was average, but the seats were reasonably clean. Li Xin chose a window seat in the last row and placed his backpack at his feet.

The departure time was one in the afternoon. With over an hour left, he thought about it and decided to walk around near the station and grab something to eat.

Outside the station was a small street lined with snack stalls on both sides. He found a stall that looked reasonably clean and ordered a portion of Laotian-style sticky rice and grilled fish. The sticky rice was served in a small bamboo basket; he grabbed a clump with his hands and dipped it in sauce. The grilled fish was stuffed with lemongrass and citronella, giving it a very unique flavor.

After eating, he returned to the station and got on the bus to wait.

At one o'clock sharp, the bus started.

The distance from Vientiane to Luang Prabang is about three hundred kilometers, but the road conditions were poor; most of it was mountain roads with many curves and steep slopes, so the speed couldn't be very fast. The navigation showed it would take over seven hours.

Li Xin leaned back against the seat, watching the scenery outside. Northern Laos was much like Northern Thailand—rolling mountains and dense forests. Occasionally, he could see a few villages, wooden houses, rice paddies, and water buffaloes; it was no different from Thailand.

The bus drove for two hours before stopping in a small town for a break. Passengers got off to stretch, use the restroom, and buy snacks. Li Xin also got off, bought a bottle of water by the roadside, and stood in the shade to drink it.

A young man was smoking nearby; he looked like a tourist too, carrying a large hiking backpack and wearing a colorful T-shirt.

"Are you Chinese?" the young man asked in Chinese when he saw him.

"Yes. Are you?"

"I'm from Guangdong, traveling in Laos alone." The young man offered him a cigarette, but Li Xin waved his hand to decline. "You're alone?"

"Yeah."

"You've got guts. English doesn't work very well here in Laos; I've been gesturing my way through the whole trip."

Li Xin smiled. "Just gesture slowly; you'll always be able to communicate."

The two chatted for a few minutes. The young man said he was going to stay in Luang Prabang for a few days, then head to Vang Vieng, and finally to Vientiane—the standard backpacker route.

"What about you?" the young man asked.

"I'm going to Luang Prabang, then heading into the mountains to the east."

"The east? There aren't many tourists over there, right?"

"Yeah, I want to see some unspoiled, primitive villages."

The young man nodded and didn't ask further.

After a twenty-minute break, the bus continued on its way.

The sky outside gradually darkened. The mountain road became narrower and curvier, and the bus swayed violently. Li Xin leaned back against the seat, eyes closed, mentally calculating the plans for tomorrow.

After arriving in Luang Prabang, he would first contact Song Pengfei. If he could take him into the mountains directly, that would be best; if not, he would have him find a local guide. He hadn't been to the Mount Puka area before, so he needed someone to lead the way.

His equipment was all in the system space, ready to be retrieved at any time. His small backpack would still contain water, biscuits, and a camera—just for show. Before entering the mountains, he would find a secluded spot to take out the necessary gear and stuff it into his hiking backpack. Since no one would see, it wouldn't arouse suspicion.

As for the reason for entering the mountains—he would just say he was a hiking enthusiast who loved exploring primitive mountain forests. The northern mountain region of Laos was already a hiking paradise, and many Western backpackers hired local guides to take them into the mountains. A Chinese person coming to hike wouldn't arouse suspicion either.

If the guide asked, he would just say he didn't dare to enter the mountains alone for fear of getting lost, so he needed someone familiar with the paths to lead the way.

Li Xin ran the plan through his mind again, confirming there were no issues.

The bus traveled through the night. Outside, the mountains were pitch black, with only the occasional faint light from distant villages, like fireflies.

After eight in the evening, the bus finally arrived in Luang Prabang.

Li Xin got off the bus with his pack, hit by a wave of humid heat. The night in Luang Prabang was quieter than in Vientiane; there weren't many pedestrians on the street, the streetlights were dim and yellow, and occasionally a few motorcycles drove by.

He took out his phone, opened the map, and found a hostel not far from the station. It was a ten-minute walk away—a family-run hostel, a small two-story building with a few pots of flowers at the entrance.

The front desk was staffed by a girl in her twenties with a ponytail, who was looking at her phone.

"Need a room?" she asked in English.

"How much for one night?"

"100,000 Kip."

"I'll take one."

Li Xin paid, took the key, and went upstairs to find the room. It wasn't big—just a bed, a fan, and a bathroom. The bedsheets were white and looked reasonably clean.

He put down his backpack, washed his face, and then took out his phone to send a message to Song Pengfei: "Mr. Song Pengfei, I am Li Xin, a friend of Chen Hu. I'll be in Luang Prabang tomorrow and would like to ask you to take me hiking in the mountains."

Less than five minutes after the message was sent, Song Pengfei replied: "Welcome, welcome. When will you arrive?"

"I'm already in Luang Prabang. Is it convenient to meet tomorrow?"

"Sure. Tomorrow morning at eight, I'll wait for you at the entrance of Wat Xieng Thong. Call me when you get there."

"Good."

Li Xin sent another message to Chen Hu: "Arrived in Luang Prabang, meeting the guide tomorrow."

Chen Hu replied instantly: "Stay safe, boss."

He sent messages to Luo Maifa, Yang Hong, Qiang Zi, and Li Jiayi to report that he was safe.

Li Xin placed his phone on the nightstand and turned off the lights to sleep.

Outside the window, the night in Luang Prabang was very quiet, with the occasional sound of dogs barking. The sound of bells from a distant temple drifted over, long and lingering.

He turned over and quickly fell asleep.