Fantasy Novel: Paradise

Hotel    27

【Twenty-Six】The Alps, Part One: The Hunters’ Village

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Father John and his fellow disciple, Xiaoyang and his wife, Adono, Rona, and Keith, a group of seven in all, arrived at the border checkpoint.

Father John said to Xiaoyang and Minhua, “One month ago, in the middle of the night, right here, there was a life-and-death battle between humans and demons that shook heaven and earth and made ghosts and gods weep…”

Adono smiled and said, “That’s right! Rona, Keith, and I all took part in it. It was truly terrifying.”

Keith recalled, “A battle on such a large scale—I’m afraid I’ll never encounter another one like it in my lifetime.”

Father John sighed and said, “Alas! Our good friend, Station Chief Marin, detonated the explosives at the critical moment and died a heroic death.”

Adono said, “Marin was truly a man of courage and blood.”

Lin Xiaoyang said, “Afterward, Wilson told me that it was all thanks to you for intercepting the main force of the Bat Army at the border. Otherwise, Paradise Hotel would probably have been flattened by them.”

“In a confrontation between two armies, of course we have to seize every possible opportunity to weaken the enemy as much as we can. My main consideration in choosing this place for the decisive battle with Anderson was precisely to take advantage of the natural defensive terrain. I was confident that we could defeat a much larger force with a smaller one and greatly weaken Anderson’s main army.” After saying this, Father John took the envelope from inside his clothes and pulled out the map. Father Stralon and Lin Xiaoyang both leaned closer.

Father John pointed to a fork in the road and said, “From this fork, we head into the Alps.”

Stralon assessed the situation and said, “According to the map, the Netherworld Valley doesn’t seem to be very far away. However, the mountain roads wind and twist, so it will probably take us several days to get there.”

Lin Xiaoyang pointed to a section of the map and asked, “There are no mountain roads or villages marked in this area. There is only a swastika symbol. There may be another world hidden inside.”

Father John speculated, “I suspect it may be a forbidden zone for living people. Perhaps no one has ever come out alive, which is why there are no markings.”

Stralon said boldly, “Whether it’s a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den, since we’re already here, we might as well go in and give it a try.”

Father John said, “This forbidden zone should be extremely dangerous. Once we enter it, we must remain on high alert at all times. I’ll lead the way, and you, my brother, bring up the rear. We’ll keep in constant contact between the front and back.”

The group formed a single file. Adono followed behind Father John, while Xiaoyang and Minhua, along with Rona and Keith, traveled in the middle. Following the narrow mountain trail at the fork in the road, they walked toward the majestic Alps.

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The mountain trail rose and fell as it wound along the mountainside. Even during the daytime in midsummer, the temperature was still below fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Huang Minhua let Xiaoyang hold her by the arm, her fair cheeks flushed red.

“If you feel tired, tell me,” Xiaoyang reminded Minhua considerately.

“I’m fine. Ever since the morning after our wedding, I’ve felt refreshed and full of energy. My body even seems to have become much lighter.”

Xiaoyang only smiled. He knew why, but this was not the right occasion to tell Minhua.

The group followed the mountain trail until evening, when they reached the entrance to a small mountain village with only a dozen or so households. Every house had walls built of stones, thick thatched roofs, and strings of air-dried cured meat hanging beneath the eaves.

Father John encountered a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a sturdy build. He was dressed in hunting clothes and carried a longbow and a quiver of arrows on his back. Father John stepped forward and asked, “Excuse me, sir, is there an inn in this village where we can stay?”

The man looked over the group and said, “There’s no inn here. If you don’t mind staying in a humble home, you’re welcome to spend the night at my place. The mountains aren’t very peaceful at night. Wild wolves and grizzly bears often roam around. We always provide lodging for outsiders. I’m Piajie, captain of this village’s hunting team.”

Father John stepped forward and shook his hand. “Thank you, brother, for making things convenient for all of us.”

“Everyone, please follow me to my home.” After saying this, Piajie took the horn at his waist and blew a series of long and short notes.

Piajie put away the horn and said, “I’ve notified the village chief and my wife that seven visitors have arrived.”

The group followed Piajie into the village. One household after another opened their windows, and several faces—men, women, young and old—peered out at Father John and the others.

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The entrance to Piajie’s house was low and narrow, so one had to crouch down to get inside. Once inside, the living room was spacious, with large stone slabs covering the floor. Several windows were set high, almost near the eaves, and were small in size. In the center of the living room was a square heated hearth, with a chimney directly above it for venting smoke; it was also the highest point of the entire house.

The group sat around the hearth. A metal pot blackened with charcoal hanging above the fire contained a hearty stew. The rich aroma of meat and cilantro filled the room. The hostess picked up four clay cups in each hand, each cup containing a wooden spoon, then crouched beside the hearth and distributed the cups to the guests.

Piajie said, “Please wait a moment. The village chief will be here shortly.”

Although everyone was starving, they still had to observe proper etiquette. Adono and Keith stared straight at the pot of stew, their four eyes fixed on it.

Before long, the village chief ducked into the house. He was a man in his seventies, with silver-white hair and beard. He wore brightly colored clothing, with a broad expanse of silver ornaments across his chest. His slightly plump but sturdy build gave him an air of dignity. The village chief carried a large jar of liquor in one hand and a smoked venison leg in the other. With a broad smile on his face, he came over to the hearth, handed the gifts to Piajie, and dropped himself down onto a seat. The hostess immediately brought over another clay cup and spoon, bent down, and respectfully placed them in the village chief’s hands.

“Ha-ha! Sorry to have kept everyone waiting,” the village chief said in a strong, resonant voice.

“This is Adams, the chief of our Hunters’ Village,” Piajie introduced him to everyone.

Father John pointed to each person and briefly introduced the members of the group to the host and the village chief.

Adams looked over the faces and clothing of the group and said, “You don’t look like ordinary tourists. We’ve never had anyone from the East come this far into the village.”

Father John said, “To be completely honest, our group is on our way to visit the legendary Netherworld Valley.”

“The Netherworld Valley?” The old village chief and Piajie exchanged astonished glances. The old chief’s expression turned grave. “That place is forbidden to the living. I advise you not to go in.”

Father John said, “We must meet the master of that place. We have a mission to fulfill.”

The old village chief smiled bitterly. “What master could there possibly be in the Netherworld Valley? All I’ve ever heard is that no living person has ever come out of there.”

Piajie tried to smooth things over. “Our guests must be hungry. Chief, why don’t you serve the meal?”

The old village chief picked up a wooden spoon and ladled a spoonful of broth into his clay cup. Piajie and his wife immediately began serving food to the guests. Once all seven clay cups had been filled, Piajie gestured for the guests to raise their cups and salute the old village chief. Everyone then lowered their heads and began enjoying the steaming food in their cups.

Adono gave a thumbs-up and said, “This stew is truly heavenly!”

Piajie said proudly, “The broth is made by simmering large deer bones and fruit bats, along with local spices and cilantro. You can’t get this anywhere else.”

The moment they heard the words “fruit bats,” Father John and the other six people stopped drinking their soup at exactly the same time. They froze as if someone had struck their pressure points. Three lines appeared on each person’s forehead as they stared at Piajie.

Seeing their expressions, Piajie burst out laughing. “They’re fruit bats native to these mountains. They eat only ripe, sweet fruit their entire lives. They’re not the kind of bats that eat insects!”

After his explanation, Father John and the others finally relaxed somewhat.

The old village chief said, “Out here in these remote mountains and wilderness, besides hunting wild deer and mountain goats, fruit bats and flying squirrels are also major sources of meat.”

Piajie reminded them, “After you finish your meal, you can bathe in the bathroom. However, our water comes from melted snow, so if you’re afraid of the cold, you’ll have to wash quickly. Also, please get some rest after bathing. If you hear wolves howling or bears roaring in the middle of the night, don’t get curious and go outside to take a look.”

Father John smiled and said, “Wild wolves and grizzly bears aren’t frightening. The most frightening thing should be us human beings, right?”

Adams nodded in agreement. “Young brother, you’re absolutely right! No matter how ferocious wild beasts are, they won’t actively challenge human beings unless they’ve been pushed too far by us. We’ve lived alongside these animals for hundreds and thousands of years. Unless they invade the village, we don’t go looking for trouble with them. Just like humans, these animals remember grudges.”

Piajie said, “Everyone, fill your stomachs first. The village chief will have a drink with all of you later.”

The hostess arranged the sliced venison on plates and brought them out in two rounds for the guests and the village chief to enjoy.

Rona chewed on the venison and smiled at Keith.

Keith looked back at Rona and said, “I never imagined this smoked venison would be so delicious!”

“Chief Adams, Piajie, I’ll drink to both of you.” Father John, who normally never drank alcohol, could not bring himself to refuse the custom. He raised his clay cup toward the two men. As he brought it close to his lips, the strong alcohol shot straight to his head. Father John closed his eyes and took two sips, immediately feeling a burning sensation race down his esophagus into his stomach.

Huang Minhua took half a cup and felt warmth spread throughout her body, so she stopped drinking only the stew and eating venison and began drinking along with everyone else. Adono drank three full clay cups and, unable to hold his liquor, became bleary-eyed, his face already as red as a monkey’s backside. Rona and Keith drank two clay cups each and then gulped down hot soup, but two rosy patches had already appeared on their cheeks.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, everyone except Lin Xiaoyang was somewhat drunk. One by one, they went to bathe and prepared for bed.

Eventually, only the old village chief, Piajie, and Lin Xiaoyang remained beside the hearth. The old village chief found Xiaoyang’s ability to hold his liquor increasingly unbelievable. He patted Xiaoyang on the shoulder and praised him, saying, “Young man, you’re the first person who has ever drunk with me for most of the night without getting drunk. You remind me of myself when I was young.”

At that moment, Lin Xiaoyang asked the hostess for a clean large clay cup and immediately demonstrated a remarkable skill that left the two men staring in astonishment. It turned out that Xiaoyang used his inner power to concentrate all the alcohol in the liquor into his right elbow. He then circulated his energy and forced the alcohol out through the tip of his index finger. A thin stream of liquor flowed into the large clay cup until it was nearly eighty percent full.

The old village chief grabbed Xiaoyang by both shoulders and asked with great interest, “How did you do that trick?”

Xiaoyang deliberately put on a mysterious expression and said, “This isn’t a magic trick. It’s Chinese martial arts—kung fu.”

“Chinese kung fu? Bruce Lee?” The old village chief shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like this in Bruce Lee’s movies. I watched Bruce Lee’s movies in Paris when I was young. What you’re doing is Chinese magic.”

Lin Xiaoyang offered no further explanation and simply smiled. “All right. It’s mysterious Chinese magic.”

Piajie’s curiosity was aroused as well. He picked up the large clay cup and first brought it close to his nose and sniffed it. “It’s definitely hard liquor.”

Then he took a sip and said, “The alcohol concentration in this liquor is really high.”

It was not until Huang Minhua came over to Lin Xiaoyang’s side and handed him a change of clothes that the old village chief and Piajie finally took the hint and let him go.

“Young man, when you pass through here on your way back, remember to come and see me.” Only then did the old village chief rise and, slightly drunk, bid them farewell before turning and leaving.

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The guests slept in bedrooms with heated hearths. The two couples crowded into one room, while the two priests and Adono squeezed into another.

Minhua let Xiaoyang hold her. She had only seen Xiaoyang drinking with the village chief and the host the entire time; she had not seen the scene in which Xiaoyang forced the alcohol out through his fingertip.

Minhua complained, “Xiaoyang, you drank so much. It’s bad for your health.”

Xiaoyang said, “The village chief and our host were so gracious that I couldn’t refuse. Besides, I really didn’t drink that much.”

“You’re lying. When I came back after taking a bath, I saw you still drinking and chatting away with the village chief and our host.”

“Then tell me, do I look drunk to you?”

Minhua leaned closer and sniffed him. Then she covered her mouth with her hand, breathed into it, and sniffed her own breath. With a puzzled expression, she asked, “How come the smell of alcohol in my mouth is actually stronger than the alcohol on your breath?”

“I told you I wasn’t lying!” Xiaoyang said with a mysterious smile.

Minhua pressed him further. “You must have secretly used some kind of magic trick, huh?”

“It wasn’t magic. It was a method of using internal energy that I figured out myself.”

“A method of using internal energy? Then why didn’t you teach me earlier how to drink without getting drunk?”

Xiaoyang opened his eyes wide and stared at Minhua. “It’s not as if I’m asking you to go out in public and make a living entertaining men with drinks. What would a woman like you need to learn this for?”

Hearing Xiaoyang say that, Minhua became annoyed. She raised her fists and tapped him twice on the forehead. “You’re treating me like a prostitute in a tavern. That’s really out of line!”

At that moment, a series of wolf howls came from outside, but Rona and Keith, lying on the other bed, showed no reaction because they were drunk.

Minhua frowned and complained, “What are those wild wolves doing? They’re going to keep people awake howling in the middle of the night.”

Xiaoyang smiled and said, “They’re probably hunting some prey. Anyway, it has nothing to do with us. Go to sleep.”

The next morning, the hostess and her daughter had already prepared breakfast for the guests, along with several bags of drinking water, flatbreads, and dried meat for them to take on the road. The host, Piajie, was still lying in bed, sleeping off his hangover. The hostess did not want to nag him, so she and her daughter personally served the guests bowls of oatmeal. Several dishes of fresh, crisp wild vegetables and two dishes of braised meat were also placed on the table. Everyone had a good appetite, and even Huang Minhua, who ate the least, finished two clay bowls.

After the group finished breakfast, Lin Xiaoyang took two gold coins from inside his clothing and placed them on the table. The mother and daughter escorted the group to the edge of the village and waved goodbye to them.