Chapter 544: Chapter 544: The Mysterious Guide

Yang Cheng sat next to the old man, not speaking to disturb him while he ate, just quietly watching him feast.

In just ten minutes, the old man had polished off all the dishes on the table, wiped his mouth with satisfaction, and then looked at Yang Cheng.

"Young man, tell me, what do you want from me?"

If it was just a kind gesture to deliver food, he could leave after dropping it off, but this young man was watching him eat, which clearly showed he had a request.

"Do you know about Hidden Cloud Village?"

Yang Cheng asked directly.

The old man didn’t answer, instead, he asked, "Why do you want to go there?"

His words indicated that the old man indeed knew the location of Hidden Cloud Village. Yang Cheng paused slightly and said, "I’m a doctor. I read in an ancient book that Hidden Cloud Village is rich in medicinal herbs. I want to go there to look around and purchase some rare herbs."

"Going on an adventure just for herbs seems too unworthy. Young man, I advise you not to go,"

the old man said in a meaningful tone, taking a sip of wine.

"We young people love to take risks. I’m determined to go to Hidden Cloud Village. If the old man can show me the way, this is yours,"

Yang Cheng lowered his voice and pulled out a wad of red bills, placing it on the table.

The old man’s clothing was shabby, and he seemed to have not eaten meat for a long time, but upon seeing that wad of red bills, he didn’t show greed or excitement; he continued to persuade.

"Those two girls with you are so pretty. If you encounter danger and lose your lives in Hidden Cloud Village, you’ll live to regret it."

Yang Cheng knew well how dangerous this trip was, but both had to stay by his side. No matter what happened in Hidden Cloud Village, he would do his utmost to protect them.

"Old man, if you think the money’s too little, I can give you more, or be straightforward, what would it take for you to lead us to Hidden Cloud Village?"

He was now utterly sure that the old man knew exactly where Hidden Cloud Village was but didn’t want to take them due to some reason.

The old man looked at Yang Cheng seriously, saw his eyes resolute, and sighed, "Out of consideration for the meal you treated me to, I can take you there, but I must warn you, going to Hidden Cloud Village is very dangerous. If any of you three dies or gets disabled, don’t blame me."

"It’s my own decision, and I will take full responsibility for any consequences,"

said Yang Cheng, shoving the bundle of red bills into the old man’s hands.

He, however, shook his head, somewhat embarrassed, "I don’t want money. If you really want to thank me, help me buy some daily necessities; I’d like to take them back."

"No problem. I’ll take you to the supermarket now. You can buy whatever you want. I just happen to have a car, which can help you transport them back,"

Yang Cheng thought this old man was quite interesting, refusing the ten thousand and only wanting goods.

He got up, walked to the table, and whispered, "I found a guide, and we can go to Hidden Cloud Village now."

"Found one this fast? I thought it would at least take ten days to half a month!"

Ni Qingyao was thrilled, surprised at how smoothly things were progressing.

"I feel this old man is kind of eerie, better be careful to avoid getting trapped,"

Having grown up in such an environment, Kong Lingwen found it hard to trust others, instinctively putting up defenses against strangers.

"Lin Wen is right, we should be cautious. Later, you both sit in the back, and I’ll keep a close eye on him,"

Yang Cheng was naturally worried too, but whether it was true or false, he still needed to go once to know.

The three of them left the restaurant, and the old man followed out.

"You guys wait in the car first; I’ll take the old man to buy some things,"

Yang Cheng instructed and then went with the old man to a nearby supermarket.

Half an hour later, their hands full of items, the two walked out of the supermarket.

Actually, the old man was very restrained, only choosing some snacks and toys that children would like, then bought a few sets of clothes and some condiments.

The rest were items Yang Cheng bought for Ni Qingyao; after all, who knew how long it would take to get to Hidden Cloud Village, and there might be no place to restock on the way, so he could only buy more outside.

However, Ni Qingyao had eaten a lot just now, and the items in the car could last for two or three days without a problem.

Yang Cheng drove, with the old man in the passenger seat guiding him. They soon left the city center of Luochuan and reached the outskirts.

After driving for two hours, the sky gradually darkened. He glanced at the time; it was only a little past four in the afternoon. Logically, the sun hadn’t set yet, but it was like a forbidden zone without sunlight here.

"Old man, are you sure we’re not on the wrong path? The navigation says this is Wangchuan Valley,"

Yang Cheng slowed down a bit, turning his head to look at the old man.

"That’s right, going to Hidden Cloud Village means passing through here,"

The old man answered without any hesitation.

Looking at the three solemn faces, he patiently explained, "There’s a big mountain over there. When the sun sets, it perfectly obstructs the light. Plus, this place is full of trees and is at a low point, so it gets dark here."

Yang Cheng nodded, saying nothing more, continuing to drive as the old man directed.

The mountain road was winding, surrounded by dense forests and various animal sounds, creating a chilling sensation.

After entering Wangchuan Valley, time seemed to pass quickly. Though they hadn’t been going for long, when Yang Cheng glanced down, he found it was already past seven.

They had spent three hours in Wangchuan Valley but still hadn’t left the area.

Before, he had checked the map of Luochuan, and this city wasn’t large. It shouldn’t take so long from the city center to the outskirts.

Due to the weak navigation signal, he wasn’t sure about the exact location, but based on his intuition, they seemed to have left Luochuan.

Yang Cheng didn’t say much, continuing to follow the old man’s directions.

Soon, a faint light appeared in the distance. Upon closer look, Yang Cheng realized it was an abandoned house, with two tall and strong men standing at the door, the light coming from the oil lamps they held.

His heart tightened instantly; if they had ill intentions, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them all to prevent harm to Ni Qingyao and Kong Lingwen.

"Young man, stop the car here; they’re waiting for me,"

The old man spoke softly, and Yang Cheng slowly pulled the car over.

"Uncle Pan, so you came back by car! No wonder you’re so slow; we’ve been waiting for you for a long time,"

"Who are they? Why did you come back in someone else’s car?"

The two brawny men, looking to be in their thirties, cast curious glances.

"Xiaochen, could they be planning a road robbery?"

Ni Qingyao had never seen such a scene, trembling slightly in fear.

"Godmother, don’t be afraid, Yang Cheng will protect us,"

Kong Lingwen hugged her, shielding and comforting her.