Chapter 914: Chapter 475: The Mysterious Mountain Village (Part 2)
"We can boost efficiency with a synchronized effort from both sides."
Jiang An nodded solemnly, "Then let’s split up and take action."
"Mr. Qin and I will venture into the mountains, trying to find evidence or traces related to the deceased."
"Your side should focus on screening vehicle information to see if you can find any clues about the suspect’s vehicle."
"Alright, it’s a deal."
Director Hou firmly shook Jiang An’s hand, "Keep communication open and update me at any time."
Political Commissioner Li chimed in, pointing outside, "Here’s my plan: I’ll drive you to the entrance on the north side of the mountain."
"From there, take the path the ranger has trodden to avoid the steepest southern slope."
Soon, Political Commissioner Li’s SUV stopped at a relatively gentle entrance at the mountain’s foot.
Upon alighting, Political Commissioner Li retrieved two bottles of mineral water and a satellite phone from the trunk, handing them solemnly to Jiang An, "The signal is unstable in the mountain; take this satellite phone with you."
"In case of any emergency, press the red button immediately — we’ll rush to support you promptly."
Jiang An accepted the phone, laughing heartily, "Commissioner, rest assured."
"In broad daylight, under the open sky, who could bully two grown men?"
"Besides, given our status as officers — it’s already restraint not to ’nab’ others, let alone anyone trying to mess with us?"
Political Commissioner Li chuckled at his words, shaking his head, "I’m overthinking it."
"Be careful in everything; we’ll be waiting for your news."
Jiang An and Mr. Qin stood at the mountain’s base and looked up in unison at the moderately tall yet densely wooded slope before them.
Mr. Jiang took a deep breath, adjusted his backpack strap, and said, "Time’s passing; let’s hurry up the mountain."
Mr. Qin nodded, responding gravely, "Let’s go."
The path was flanked by densely grown trees, their branches intertwining to nearly obscure the sky.
Mr. Qin pushed aside obstructing branches as they walked, saying, "This path was trodden by people in earlier days."
"Villagers from nearby mountain settlements would frequently travel this path for firewood, herbal medicine, or visiting relatives."
"In recent years, with poverty alleviation efforts deepening, many villagers from remote mountains relocated to settlements with better transportation."
"See, this path beneath our feet still shows traces of treading but is now overgrown with knee-high grass."
Jiang An moved carefully and observed the surrounding trees closely.
These trees varied greatly in form, with some having twisted trunks and others broad leaves, species seldom seen in the city.
The forest was dimly lit, even at noon, with sunlight slipping through the leaves in faint rays.
He couldn’t help but marvel, "It’s so dim even during the day; walking alone at night would likely make one’s heart beat wildly, unable to discern direction."
As they talked, they continued forward.
They climbed steep inclines with hands and feet, cautiously descended rocky paths into valleys, crossing one hill after another.
Jiang An stayed alert, his gaze scanning the surroundings for any potential clues or anomalies.
About two hours later, the view opened to a relatively broad road.
The road, though gravelly, was much smoother and wide enough to accommodate a car.
Jiang An stopped, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and turned to Mr. Qin, "Mr. Qin, looking at how wide this road is, does this suggest it leads to a settlement?"
Mr. Qin crouched, inspected the tracks and footprints, then stood, dusting his hands, "The tracks suggest regular use, likely a newly built road for nearby villagers."
Upon hearing this, Jiang An’s face showed curiosity, "This area is amidst rolling mountains; could there be hidden villages deep within?"
"Well... I’m unsure."
Mr. Qin shook his head, "Let’s follow the road and find out."
So, they descended the slope along the path.
This road was easier than the mountain path but still winding, sometimes circumnavigating large rocks, sometimes passing through thick bamboo groves.
After walking for about thirty minutes, they suddenly reached a small village entrance.
The village wasn’t large, but from afar, the layout of grey-tiled wooden houses appeared compact, roughly estimated to have dozens of households.
Some houses had chimneys with curling smoke, indicating residency.
Mr. Qin took out his phone, repeatedly checking the electronic map, showing a puzzled face, "That’s odd; this area is blank on the map, yet there’s a village here."
He glanced at the phone screen, his brows furrowing slightly, speaking with uncertainty, "Indeed strange; the map shows this region as primal forest without any village markings."
"It seems conventional maps lack coverage or outdated info for secluded settlements."
"But, such places might contain the clues we need."
Jiang An spoke gravely, "Let’s go. Being here, we should explore."
They approached the village entrance, where two elderly men squatted by a dirt mound, puffing smoke from their pipes.
A group of varied-colored goats grazed on roots nearby.
Jiang An walked forward and squatted beside the elders, speaking gently, "Grandpa, sorry to intrude, but could we ask you something?"
Hearing this, the elder turned his head and eyed the strangers warily, "What’s the matter?"
"We want to learn about the basic details of this village. Are you okay with that? We’re police officers."
Before he finished speaking, Mr. Qin smoothly took out his officer’s ID from his bag and handed it forward.
"Oh... police officers,"
The elder’s tone softened but remained cautious, "Why do you come to our remote place?"
"We’re investigating a disappearance case, wanting to confirm any missing people or long-time absent villagers in recent years?"
The elder shook his head without hesitation, "No such thing; I’ve lived here for decades and never heard of any missing persons."
Yet, as he spoke, his gaze stayed low, fixed on the dirt at his feet, never meeting Jiang An’s or Mr. Qin’s eyes.
This subtle avoidance didn’t escape Jiang An’s notice.
He calmly continued asking, "What is the exact name of this village?"
"Li Family Village," the elder answered crisply.
Jiang An took out his phone, opened the map application for location — the blinking cursor was clearly in a green forest area, devoid of any village markers, not to mention "Li Family Village."
Mr. Qin leaned closer, unable to hide his surprise, "Is this place entirely unrecorded in the map system? Not even basic geographic info is archived?"
He turned back to the elder, probing further, "When did Li Family Village settle here?"
"A long time ago, initially just a few families, then generations expanded the family size."
"About how many households are there now?"
"Thirty-something... maybe forty-something, it’s hard to remember at my age."
"I can’t say precisely; to know the exact number, you should ask the village head at the office; he has the records."
Mr. Qin nodded and was about to head into the village, but Jiang An suddenly spoke again, "Grandpa, can you tell us your name for record? It’s standard procedure for our investigation."
The elder paused briefly, eyes flickering with hesitation, "Why record me?"
"No worry, it’s just part of our routine to facilitate future data compilation."
"Wu You,"
The elder replied quietly, his gaze once more swiftly leaving their faces, returning to the goats quietly munching grass.
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