The discovery of ancient Maya ruins had buoyed everyone's spirits. Though these ruins couldn't confirm anything definitively, they greatly increased the likelihood of locating the mine.
Their target was a very secluded valley deep in the river valley. According to everyone’s analysis, although the valley was hidden, it could utilize the river for transportation, and there was enough flat land to accommodate a large number of people.
It is well known that ancient mining required a significant amount of manpower and material resources, so the selection of a mining site had to consider the accommodation of personnel and the transportation of materials.
They were now just over 3 kilometers away from that valley in a straight line, but considering the complex terrain along the way, they thought it would take a whole day to traverse this distance.
This is why, with two to three hours left until dark, they had stopped. Camping in the unknown conditions of the rainforest at night was obviously a very foolish thing to do, and this mid-mountain platform was the last campsite before reaching the valley.
Honestly, a distance of 10 kilometers taking two days might sound exaggerated, but it was very common in the tropical rainforest due to the many detours necessary and the many areas that were very difficult to traverse.
The tropical rainforest was obviously a very lively place, where even at night, the calls of animals could be heard one after another, some of which were somewhat eerie. Fortunately, there were enough people to stand watch, so everyone rested well that night.
The next morning, they finished packing up in a vast expanse of white fog after breakfast, and then, leaving two security guards and a guide to watch over the camp and the livestock, the rest set off with the dawn and dissipating fog.
Unlike the areas they had passed the previous day, which still had human activity and even several logging sites, the road ahead lay through the true tropical rainforest, where they sometimes had to clear their way with machetes and axes.
The humid air, carrying a hint of rot, hit their faces, and from time to time, brightly colored birds would flit across the tall trees.
As the dense trees obscured the campsite behind them, the only things they could use to determine their direction were an altimeter, a compass, and a GPS device that was sporadically operational.
As they closed the distance to their target location, the sky above became increasingly dappled. The surrounding forest was filled with towering trees, several people thick.
This area was completely a primeval forest in every sense of the term. Perhaps since the ancient Maya had completely abandoned this mine hundreds of years ago, no one had been here since.
A group of twelve, cutting through thorns and pushing through an assortment of bushes, vines, and wild animals, finally reached a place just a hill away from the valley as the sun began to descend.
This was a high ground on the riverbank. Since the riverbank was stony, there weren’t many plants or dangerous wild animals, making it an ideal spot for a final rest before reaching their destination.
“I really didn’t expect you two to be in the best shape among us,” Fan Meng said while squatting down, as Liang En used a lighter to try to remove a leech from his neck.
At the same time, several security personnel and the two guides looked at Liang En and Jeanne d'Arc with admiration.
These expressions arose because at the outset, they were somewhat worried whether Liang En and Jeanne, who had no experience living in the rainforest, could keep up with the group.
In fact, right from the start, the security personnel had prepared for the possibility that Liang En and the others might not be able to keep up, even devising many contingency plans to address this situation.
After all, the information they had received indicated that Liang En was a scholar, and in the eyes of security personnel, even a scholar who frequently ventured outdoors might not be suited for advancing in the tropical rainforest.
However, unexpectedly, although initially Liang En and Jeanne obviously struggled to progress in the rainforest, they became increasingly proficient over time.
What impressed the professionals even more was that even they sometimes could not fully adhere to the rules necessary for moving through the tropical rainforest, but Liang En and the others managed to do so.
For instance, now, due to the heat, many security personnel had instinctively unbuttoned their shirts, resulting in many necks being patchily purple from insect bites, and even Fan Meng’s neck was sucking on a leech that had dropped from above.
However, neither Liang En nor Jeanne had been bitten by any insects, mainly because they managed to keep themselves tightly wrapped, making it impossible for the venomous insects to find a place to bite.
Their ability to do this was indeed related to their firm will, but more importantly, their enhanced bodies allowed them to endure the extreme heat and humidity.
To others unaware of this enhancement, this definitely seemed
like a manifestation of Liang En and their firm will, naturally earning the admiration of the group.
Another advantage of their enhanced bodies was that it greatly accelerated their learning speed, so along the way, Liang En and the others quickly learned how to advance through this kind of tropical rainforest.
It must be said, the experiences summarized by countless people, even at the cost of their lives, were indeed very effective, although adhering to these regulations also required considerable willpower and physical strength, something not just anyone could achieve.
“Let’s launch the drone now,” Liang En said to a security guard after applying repellent and picking off some bugs clinging to the skin. “At this distance, we should be able to see the valley.”
The young security guard, who sported a Mohawk similar to that of the 101st Airborne Division, nodded and then took out a civilian drone from China from a box.
He then carefully piloted it, skimming through the gaps between the tree canopies, eventually hovering just under ten meters above the top of the trees.
For this former soldier of the French Foreign Legion, operating this simple drone was a very skilled job, as he had used this model during his service.
Despite the vocal resistance of European countries to Chinese products, for these soldiers close to the battlefield, anything that could save their lives was valuable, regardless of its origin.
Soon, the drone reached the valley above and daringly descended through the foliage, and as it passed through the canopy, they quickly saw the situation in the valley.
As expected, the valley floor was obscured by various tropical rainforest plants, making it impossible to discern any traces of human presence, but some blue-green stones could be seen in the riverbed with the naked eye.
Although these stones appeared fragmented and small, Liang En was still able to determine that they were indeed the target they were searching for.
“I think we're close to our destination,” Liang En smiled as he watched the images relayed on the screen, “It seems we've indeed found the right place today.”
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