Given that Black Bamboo Valley was not a famous tourist spot in Sichuan to begin with, and it was the off-season, we barely saw a single car on the road; only backpackers and local mountain dwellers walked about in small groups.

We soon arrived at the main entrance of the scenic area. The park management had already received notice from higher authorities, allowing our three military vehicles to pass. We drove all the way to the Stone Gate Pass of Black Bamboo Valley; beyond that lay the legendary zone of death.

There is an old local saying: "Stone Gate Pass, Stone Gate Pass—hunters enter and leave no trace; the brave step in and never return." Over the years, numerous survey teams and explorers who entered the Stone Gate Pass vanished inexplicably. The most notorious incident was in 1950, when over thirty remnants of the Kuomintang forces under Hu Zongnan, relying on superior weaponry, attempted to cross Black Bamboo Valley, only to disappear completely.

It’s not that I don't fear death. In fact, both Da Xiong and I could have requested military backup and simply waited at the inn for news. But we chose to follow for two reasons. First, I am simply not a patient man; rather than letting me fret in anxiety, it was better to investigate the situation on site. Second, curiosity drove me; people always harbor a streak of hope, and I didn't truly believe Black Bamboo Valley was as dangerous as the legends claimed.

These past few days, I had also heard from the innkeeper that many who entered Black Bamboo Valley had returned unharmed. Locals often ventured deep inside to procure precious medicinal herbs like musk and lingzhi. Wasn't Liang Qian, standing before me now, a prime example of success? We parked our vehicles at the Stone Gate Pass, and Old Huang prepared some military gear and rations for us.

“It rained heavily just yesterday, so the mist in the mountains shouldn’t be too thick. If we hurry into the mountain now, there shouldn't be too much danger…” Liang Qian spoke for the first time; her voice was quite pleasant.

Old Huang walked over to Feng Ze with a cheerful smile, offered him a cigarette, and asked, “This comrade scientist, do you still remember the way?”

Feng Ze looked up at Old Huang with a pale face, declined the cigarette, and said timidly, “You walk straight into the depths of the valley. On the right side of the path, you’ll see a vast field of gēzi hua [dove tree flowers]. After passing through the field is a small river. Follow the river downstream for about seven or eight hours, and you should arrive. We might have to spend a night in the mountains…”

After speaking, Feng Ze lowered his head again. Old Huang’s hand, holding the cigarette, froze mid-air for a moment, a bit awkward. Finally, he chuckled, put the cigarette back in its box.

As the most seasoned explorer, Liang Qian took the lead. I noticed she had been cradling a bronze censer in her hand since entering the woods. The censer was only palm-sized, intricately carved with a monster that had a tiger’s face and an ox’s body—it looked like an ancient artifact.

A faint wisp of white smoke curled out of the censer, carrying a subtle, clean fragrance that instantly cleared the mind.

Da Xiong clearly noticed this strange artifact as well. Being thicker-skinned than me, he stepped forward and struck up a conversation: “Explorer Liang, what is that you’re holding?”

Liang Qian seemed approachable, smiling slightly as she replied, “This? This is an exorcism bronze censer. It’s been passed down from my ancestors; it’s supposedly an antique from the Warring States period. Inside, we burn Qilin bone, which wards off poisonous insects, exorcises demons, and subdues evil…”

When I looked closer, I indeed saw that many flying insects actively steered clear of the path where she walked. I thought the censer was truly miraculous, though whether its power to ward off spirits and evil was genuine, I couldn't say.

Da Xiong rubbed the back of his head. He always got flustered around beautiful women. He stammered, “Hehe, what exactly is that Qilin bone you mentioned…”

Liang Qian glanced at him, her eyes blinking once, and said, “That’s a secret…”

Da Xiong kept pestering Liang Qian, but though she answered him on everything else, she refused to reveal what the Qilin bone was.

I felt a bit bored, watching the dense, overlapping forests rise and fall around me, tightly packed like a single screen. The scenery seemed unchanging throughout our trek.

We continued walking deeper into the forest this way. About half an hour after starting, the path began to narrow and grew increasingly difficult. I suspected even local villagers rarely ventured this far.

Along the way, we encountered quite a few animals, but they were mostly monkeys and wild boars. While unusual, we met none of the poisonous bugs or ferocious beasts from the legends.

As noon approached, we finally spotted the sea of gēzi hua.

Seeing that we were all tired, Old Huang ordered the troops to take a temporary rest here and start eating some canned bean products.

While eating, I kept glancing at Feng Ze beside me. Since entering the woods, he had grown progressively more agitated. Now, he wasn't eating at all, his eyes darting nervously everywhere.

After all, we were colleagues. I intended to suggest he eat something, but just as I was about to speak, he suddenly stood up, walked over to Old Huang, and stammered, “Company Commander Huang, c-can I just wait here for you to come back?”

Old Huang saw that he had initiated conversation, seizing the opportunity to ask, “We can discuss it. We won't force you. But can you tell us what has frightened you so badly? What exactly did the archaeology team encounter?”

Feng Ze looked extremely conflicted. He glanced around, saw the soldiers eating, and noticed I was pretending not to look at him.

He then leaned down close to Old Huang’s ear and whispered something.

I couldn't make out what he said, but Old Huang burst out laughing and replied, “You’re an academician from the Academy of Sciences—how can you believe in ghosts in this world? You must have misseen.”

Everyone turned to look. Feng Ze’s face instantly flushed red. He sighed and said, “I knew you wouldn't believe me if I told you, which is why I dared not speak. There really are ghosts in this forest. Past this grove of gēzi hua trees, that thing… you’ll meet it. I won’t go another step, no matter what… Those people on the expedition team were all madmen… This is no place for human beings…”

With that, he started to turn back, but Old Huang grabbed his shoulder.

Old Huang smiled playfully, “The military has undertaken many missions over the years and encountered phenomena science can’t explain. But in the end, they always turn out to be charlatans playing tricks. You must come in with us. I want to use the righteous light of the PLA to expose any specters and dispel the shadows in your heart.”

At that moment, Liang Qian also walked over and said to Feng Ze with a smile, “Old Huang is right, but I believe you too. To be honest, I’ve seen demons and monsters myself, but with so many of us here, there’s nothing to fear…”

Seeing Liang Qian approach, Feng Ze’s face turned even redder, and he didn’t know what to say.

Just then, a soldier nearby exclaimed, “Hey? Where did Dongzi go?” People looked around. A short soldier commented, “That kid always has things to do; he’s probably gone into the woods to water his crops.” Hearing this, everyone present burst into laughter.

Old Huang also smiled and told us, “Dongzi is the youngest soldier in the unit, enlisted just last year. Because he’s quite timid, everyone often jokes with him.” Just as he finished speaking, a sudden, terrified scream echoed through the valley.

Upon hearing the cry, everyone jumped in fright. Old Huang reacted fastest, drawing his pistol and standing up. Yet, almost simultaneously, a panic-stricken Dongzi burst out of the woods. Dongzi hadn't even managed to pull up his trousers completely before running out. His entire right hand was covered in blood, and his face was terribly pale—clearly suffering from extreme terror. My first instinct was that some wild beast had attacked him while he was tending his imaginary crops, and I naturally expected it to be right behind him.

Old Huang evidently thought the same way. He raised his gun, assumed a half-crouched stance, and aimed at the woods behind Dongzi.

Sure enough, not long after, a rustling sound came from the trees, and something began to push its way out. Judging by the commotion, I assessed it must be a rather large creature.

“Ghost… It’s a ghost!” Feng Ze shrieked in terror, collapsing onto the ground, his mouth wide open.

Almost at the same moment, the sound of gunfire erupted near my ear. Several people fired toward the woods simultaneously. The dense barrage peppered the trees four or five meters away, sending green sap flying everywhere. I heard a sharp, piercing shriek, like a screeching night cat, making every hair stand on end, before something hastily scrambled deeper into the forest.

What kind of massive animal could make such a hideous sound? Everyone stood stunned, nobody daring to pursue. After a moment, everyone regained their senses. Two men were left guarding the direction of the woods, while the others went to check on Dongzi’s injuries.

“Could it be a wild man? This is trouble! I heard wild men are highly intelligent and always move in groups. Maybe it’s gone back to get reinforcements,” one soldier muttered.