Luoxia City derived its name from the magnificent clouds that drifted above the countless great mountains outside the city walls. Every evening, masses of clouds would well up over Zangdi, and viewed from afar, the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful. Banks of clouds hung over the vast mountain ranges like gorgeous brocade, a mesmerizing and enchanting sight that gave the city its name.
Yet the people here knew all too well that the sprawling mountain ranges beneath those gorgeous clouds were known as Zangdi, and the people living there endured a miserable, subhuman existence. It was not that the inhabitants lacked the desire to escape, but rather that their minds had long since been enslaved. Even if an occasional individual managed to flee by a stroke of luck, their families and neighbors would suffer brutal retribution as a result. Consequently, everyone acted as a jailer, watching their neighbors to prevent them from running off and bringing punishment upon the rest.
That night, in a quiet guest room, Chen Yingjian sat leisurely in an armchair, gripping a map tightly in his hand with a focused and solemn expression. "Old Lu, if we head to Mabo Mountain without making any preparations, I'm afraid we'll both lose our lives there."
Chapter 109