They rubbed the places where they had been bruised by the stones, and came over to see the trap. Wang Lei and Sun Hui considered themselves unlucky, while the girls were still a bit shaken.

"Who would dig a trap here?!"

"Seriously, we should complain to the management!"

"We all need to go to the hospital for check-ups!"

...

After they vented, Li Yan jokingly said, "Everyone, who was afraid I’d be the one holding us back before? Falling into a trap and needing to go to the hospital—isn’t that a bit delicate?"

Sun Hui and Wang Lei, being more robust, were unharmed, and the girls, caught by Li Yan’s words, had nothing more to say.

"I guess this trap might have been dug by construction workers here before. Maybe some wild animals liked resting here. And I went over there alone without falling in; who would’ve thought six of you would rush over together! We’ve already left the resort area here on the mountain, where there’s no good infrastructure. The guide booklet also warns us that hiking has risks, and tourists should be careful. Complaining about such a small issue would be pointless."

Hearing Li Yan say this, the girls didn’t know how to retort, but they felt unsatisfied. Sun Hui, who knew Li Yan the best, although puzzled about why he spoke for the Carefree Island resort, supported him as a buddy, guessing he just wanted to avoid trouble.

"Forget it, we’re fine. Nowadays, experiencing falling into an ancient trap is a rare and valuable experience. How about we take some photos? This is more unique than beautiful scenery!"

There are plenty of beautiful spots in the world, but where can you find traps to step on? Everywhere else, they’ve fixed the steps and wrapped fences to prevent accidents. If we complain here, it’ll surely be filled in, losing the chance to have fun or prank a friend in the future. Sun Hui’s suggestion immediately shifted everyone’s attention, making them eager to try.

Wang Lei was the first to step into small pits on the walls and then made a terrified pose as if he’d fallen while everyone took photos from above. Others got excited; the girls, under the protection of Li Yan and the others, cautiously descended to take funny photos below. Some even climbed onto rocks, pretending to jump down, and so on.

After some playful antics, everyone forgot about the pain, and this unexpected fun made them give up their original hiking plans. They were after a primal experience, and this was adventurous enough for them. When they got hungry, they packed up and made their way down the mountain.

There was no path down the mountain; they could only roughly follow the direction they came and wind through the trees. Jiang Lele walked beside Li Yan, whispering, "What else happened when we were unconscious?"

"I was looking for you and trying to save you, what else could have happened?" Li Yan watched her closely. Had she woken up early and pretended to be unconscious, hearing the whole process?

"Really?" Jiang Lele seemed skeptical.

Li Yan’s expression was calm, "What else do you think happened?"

Jiang Lele pressed, "How could you alone pull us six from the trap? And you look so calm, not like you’ve done any intense activity. Plus, there’s no dirt on you. How can I believe you?"

Li Yan was a bit surprised she noticed these things, but her suspicion in a different direction reassured him, knowing she hadn’t seen anything. He suddenly laughed, "I get it. You’re wondering if I took advantage while getting you out, right?"

"Hmph! You were the only one awake. Can your character be trusted?" Jiang Lele blushed slightly, indeed worried about this.

Li Yan solemnly nodded, "Well, if I were to give chest compressions, I’d have to touch the chest; if I were to do mouth-to-mouth, I’d inevitably touch your lips..."

"You, you..."

Li Yan continued, "...But you weren’t drowning or in shock, nor did your heart stop, just regular fainting. Why would I need to do chest compressions or give mouth-to-mouth? I maintain hygiene too!"

"... " Jiang Lele was speechless but felt he made sense; he didn’t need to do those things, so he probably wouldn’t take advantage.

"Also, you said I don’t look like I’ve done any intense activity. By intense activity, do you mean something intimate? Of course, I didn’t do that!"

"Pfft!" Jiang Lele lightly spat, knowing he was deliberately misinterpreting.

"Honestly, how did I get you all up there? I carried you all on my back and carefully climbed up. My body never touched the ground—how would I get dirty? If anything, it would be you guys. Only my shoes and hands got dirty; in the end, to wake you, I had to slap your faces or pinch your philtrums (under the nose, above the lip). They couldn’t be dirty, right? I washed my hands with mineral water. I went back and forth six times! I was exhausted, with no mood to take advantage of you."

After hearing this, Jiang Lele thought it over, picturing each scene, realizing he indeed had a tough time alone. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to doubt you; it’s just... haha, I know you won’t be mad, right?"

"I’m too lazy to bother with you."

"Hmph!"

...

Back at the resort, after finding a place to eat, it was already afternoon. Despite claiming not to be delicate, the white-collar girls were notably weaker; climbing had tired them, and hitting their heads and backs on rocks hurt too. They had no interest in further hiking and went back to their rooms to rest. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Sun Hui and Wang Lei initially wanted to take Li Yan to the resort’s various entertainment facilities, but he claimed to be tired and returned to the guest room.

Xu Ping went with his girlfriend, leaving Li Yan alone in the guest room. He took out his phone, checked the video, then found a number and sent it over with the title: Here to report to your boss.

Before long, a call came back from Ji Yi, whom Li Yan had sent the video to. Ji Yi was Yu Hong’s secretary.

"Li Yan, where did you get this video? Is the content in it real?" Ji Yi’s tone was very serious. Long ago, Ji Yi had arranged for Li Yan to meet and dine with Yu Hong, even giving him his personal phone number, although their contact was minimal. Seeing Li Yan’s message puzzled him until he watched it; his demeanor changed, quickly calling back to inquire.

"Haha, isn’t it explosive? Secretary Ji, is this enough to report directly to Mayor Yu Hong? Honestly, I don’t know which department to report to through formal channels, nor am I confident about the outcome. Can you verify it for me? If it’s enough for the mayor, help me forward it; if not, I’ll try sending it to the press and TV stations," Li Yan said casually.

The more casual Li Yan was, the more serious Ji Yi became, "Don’t laugh! Is it true? This is no joke; if it’s real, I’ll forward it to the mayor and let him decide."

Li Yan grew serious too, "I stumbled upon it, even had a run-in with them, and later learned of their difficulties and secrets. Personally, I believe it’s real; whether there’s illegal excavation and smuggling of rare earths or deaths because of it, you’ll need to investigate thoroughly."

Ji Yi hesitated for over ten seconds before saying, "Keep your phone on, I’m contacting Mayor Yu!"

(In cold weather, brothers of Mixed, keep warm!)(To be continued. For the complete continuation, please visit www.qidian.com, support the authors, and support legitimate reading!)