Chapter Four: The Exploration Team

As the name suggested, Dragon's Hidden Peak was known for its elusive nature. There were two reasons for this. First, the mountain was rich in spiritual energy, which seemed to attract divine dragons from the heavens. Second, the terrain was incredibly treacherous, making it almost impossible for ordinary people to climb. Nevertheless, there was a small exploration team making their way through the dense vegetation within Dragon's Hidden Peak.ancient times.

Sunrise High School was the most prestigious school in G City, with students hailing from wealthy and influential families. However, unlike other elite schools filled with pampered students, Sunrise High School was known for its strict discipline and a remarkable atmosphere of diligence and hard work. Even these privileged children possessed the ability to endure hardships and work diligently.

In the national college entrance exam this year, Sunrise High School finally achieved the top position in G City, a remarkable feat that thrilled the school's leadership. To reward the outstanding students with exceptional results, they decided to organize an exploration activity under the guise of an inspection. Led by young teachers, Ouyang Bingrong and Liu Jian, thirty of the highest-achieving students were gathered to venture into Dragon's Hidden Peak.

"Fei Fan, it's all your fault. You clearly don't know the way, yet you insisted on leading. Now, we're separated from Teacher Ouyang and the others. What should we do now?" In the thick forest, four slender figures were struggling to find a way out. The speaker was a teenage girl, probably seventeen or eighteen years old, in the prime of her youth. She had a tall figure, but her young age lacked the maturity that usually accompanied adulthood. After hours of trekking through the woods, her face was marred by dirt and scratches, making it difficult to discern her natural beauty.

The young man called Fei Fan, tall and seemingly robust, about the same age as the girl, had a square face with broad features. He had a simple and honest appearance. When he heard the rebuke, he felt guilty but remained silent, focusing on searching for a way out.

"Alright, Lan Xin, don't blame Fei Fan too much. He's been searching for a way out all along. Among the four of us, he's the one working the hardest!" Another girl among the group approached Lan Xin, offering support to Fei Fan. Lan Xin shot her a glare and said with a smile, "I know you're concerned about your Fei Fan, but I'm your best friend. Until we're married, you should stand by my side!" Lan Xin's words made the other girl blush and scold her playfully, and they both seemed to forget the danger they were in.

Fei Fan, feeling somewhat embarrassed, scratched his head and said, "Don't blame me. It's my fault. I'm the one who got us lost." The girl named Song Dan, known for her kindness, consoled him, saying, "It's not entirely your fault. We all share the responsibility. Now, our priority is to find the right direction." Turning to look at Qiyang, she asked, "Qiyang, I remember you have a compass, right?"

Qiyang, the chubby boy, whose lack of exercise was evident, spoke up, "You're right, I have a compass. It's been in my backpack all along!" Lan Xin, annoyed, said, "If only you could remember other things as well as you remember your pork trotters!" Qiyang, knowing he was in the wrong, kept quiet and chuckled awkwardly. He then reached into his backpack and pulled out a compass.

However, as soon as he took out the compass, Qiyang was dumbfounded. The needle on the compass was spinning wildly, as if it had gone mad and showed no sign of stopping. Startled, he exclaimed, "What the heck?!" "What's wrong?" Fei Fan, taking the compass from Qiyang's hand, also looked puzzled. He sighed and said, "It seems like the compass is broken. What do we do now?"

After a moment of silence, Lan Xin, clutching her stomach, said in a distressed tone, "What do we do? I'm so hungry. I feel like I have no strength left, and I might not be able to go on." Her words reminded the others, and a symphony of grumbling stomachs filled the air, especially Qiyang's, which seemed to be the loudest.

"Fei Fan, you have to think of a solution. If we don't find something to eat soon, we might starve to death here!" Qiyang, rubbing his stomach in agony, turned to Fei Fan. Fei Fan furrowed his brow and thought for a moment before saying, "The only option we have is to keep moving forward. Maybe, if we're lucky, we'll find Teacher Ouyang in time."

"But what if luck is not on our side?" Qiyang instinctively asked. Lan Xin, glaring at him, snapped, "Please, don't be such a pessimist!" "Shh!" Suddenly, Song Dan put her finger to her lips and gestured for the others to be quiet. She carefully listened to a faint sound coming from the distance.