Sky-cracking Rider

Carrying a large backpack and dragging a suitcase, Chen Fei stood there in a daze for a moment before he figured out the electronic map and prepared to start off following the walking navigation directions. As he lifted his foot, he heard someone shouting.

"Hey, I blazed this trail and I planted these trees. If you want to get through, leave some cash as toll!"

"This is a stick-up! Men to the left, women to the right, and those neither stand still where you are."

"Come on, get serious. We're robbing here!"

Then there was another burst of giggles and laughter.

Chen Fei looked towards the sound and saw a row of little heads lined up on a ridge not far away, making faces at him.

Turned out it was a bunch of brats playing tricks.

"Ali, Amier, Maowli, you guys are acting up again. There was just a gyroplane overhead. Who has come?"

A pleasant female voice came over, and those little rascals disappeared in the blink of an eye, scattering like rats when they see a cat.

"Hi! Hello there!"

Chen Fei took the initiative to call out loudly.

"Are you... the new teacher?"

A young girl appeared in Chen Fei's field of vision, her ponytail casually slung to one side as she stood tall and graceful on the opposite ridge.

"No, I'm not a teacher," Chen Fei quickly waved his hand, pointed in the direction the electronic map was showing, and continued, "I am going to the 911 Aircrew Base."

That 911 Aircrew Base, warned about on the public radio channel, was his destination.

"Not a teacher?"

The girl seemed slightly disappointed, but she quickly adjusted her emotions, looked Chen Fei up and down, and asked, "My name is Shen Fei, 'Shen' with three drops of water, 'Fei' as in fragrant grass and flowers."

In the Xingdu Kush Mountain Area, it was most common to see native Patan People, or else members of the Ta Ethnic Group or Taimuli People. Visitors from the Northeastern directions were least common, even rarer than the ethnic minorities themselves.

"Hi, I'm Chen Fei, 'Chen' as in the Chen from the East, 'Fei' as in right and wrong."

Chen Fei, who had traveled such a long distance to the Xingdu Kush Mountain Area and unexpectedly met a fellow countryman, suddenly felt much better.

At least here, he was no longer alone.

Moreover, both of their names shared the homophonic 'fei,' which could be considered a kind of fate in some sense.

"Exactly, fellow villager. I'm very happy to meet you, Chen Fei!"

The young girl crossed over the ridge and came towards Chen Fei in a mix of deep and shallow steps.

Fellow villagers meeting each other was like long-separated brothers, and a sense of closeness spontaneously arose.

His surname was Chen, his name was Fei. He spoke fluently without stammering, his pronunciation clear and standard, textbook-perfect. With black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin, he must be a fellow villager.

Remembering Shen Fei had mentioned a "new teacher," and thinking about those kids pretending to be mountain bandits, Chen Fei tentatively asked, "Shen... Miss Shen, do you... teach here?"

Shen Fei nodded, her sweet smile intact as she said, "Indeed, I'm a primary school teacher here. I teach all subjects, and also serve as the principal, the school nurse, the cook, and even a nanny. I have to do everything. This isn't the place to talk; come with me!"

She immediately took the lead, guiding Chen Fei onward.

Chen Fei sneaked a peek; the young girl's face, in the prime of youth, showed some traces of mountain winds and sun.

A young woman teaching in this remote mountain area, populated by Patan People and the Ta Ethnic Group, could not have persevered based on a moment's impulse and passion alone.

Chen Fei, moved, remarked, "That must be so hard!"

"Some things must be done by someone, right?"

Shen Fei showed no complaints, remaining very optimistic.

At that moment, as they crossed the ridge, they saw a large courtyard enclosed with walls made of cement and stones.

There were several rudimentary buildings, serving both as classrooms and dormitories.

The front courtyard's floor had been poured with cement featuring a basketball hoop, and there were two cement ping-pong tables. In the back, a few vegetable plots were thriving, and scattered among them were trees of various species. One could even spot a greenhouse, next to which was a sheep pen and poultry coop, their bleats and clucks mingling together, creating a peaceful harmony.

The light of civilization shines across the world, but not every corner shines with the same brightness. Some remote places seem as if time has flowed backward, resembling life from over a hundred years ago, as if in isolation from the rest of the world.

Shen Fei pointed at the children playing carefreely and with a tone of reassurance, she said, "Look, there are still them, I'm not alone."

These lovely children were the very reason she persisted, a bit bratty and rough around the edges, but when it came to class, all listened intently and sincerely, making her efforts worthwhile.

"Aside from those students, are you here by yourself?"

Chen Fei looked around the vibrant farmhouse courtyard.

In this desolate wilderness, the yard was like a haven from the outside world.

"Just me!"

Shen Fei confirmed with a nod and then added, "Although it's not very convenient, the locals are very warm-hearted. Oh and there is the 911 Aircrew Base, I often go there to buy things. They also help me carry some stuff. Are you still planning to go to 911? It's about to get dark, the road might not be easy to travel, and there are wild wolves and bandits.

Why don't you stay here for the night and tomorrow I can have a student take you there?"

"Wild wolves? Bandits?"

Chen Fei couldn't help but widen his eyes. Just these students and a female teacher, how could they possibly fend off those vicious fellows.

Shen Fei stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Don't worry, I don't have anything of value here, bandits never come. They wouldn't rob a school. As for wild wolves, the locals regularly hunt them and throw the carcasses nearby so the wolves don't dare to approach. Plus, I have a gun, a Type 95, a second-hand replica, but still pretty good."

The relatively light recoil Type 95 family of guns, though a bit old, was indeed suitable for women with less strength to control. Both the lethality and accuracy were guaranteed, and it was more than enough to handle emergencies involving bandits and fierce animals.

Shen Fei looked Chen Fei up and down and said, "Have you thought it through? I still have a spare room!"

"Thank you, but there is no need. I'm in a hurry."

Chen Fei shook his head. Having been delayed on the road for too long, he had to complete his registration today, or the consequences would be severe.

"Okay then!"

Shen Fei did not persist, but instead waved at a few little boys running wild in the courtyard.

"Amier, bring me my gun and two magazines. Also, grab a bag of bread."

"Amier" was one of the brats who had just attempted to "verbally rob" Chen Fei.

"Got it, Teacher!"

One of the little boys, kicking up his heels, dashed into a room and soon came out proudly carrying a black and shiny Type 95 automatic rifle on his back, with two loaded magazines and a bulging plastic bag in his arms.

Chen Fei's gaze went blank.

Following his gaze, Shen Fei guessed what had surprised Chen Fei and smiled, "Here, every family has a gun. Firearms and ammunition are necessities of life. The children learn to handle guns from a young age and know their limits. Don't worry!"

In Chen's and Shen's hometown, letting an underage child so carelessly flaunt a lethal weapon through the streets was simply unthinkable.

Taking the Type 95 automatic rifle and magazines from the approaching boy, Amier, Shen Fei handed them to Chen Fei and said, "Here, take these. Consider it a loan from me. It's for self-protection, and also a token of trust. You know how to use it, right? This is the safety, this is the fire selector, and this is the trigger. Remember the safety to avoid accidental discharge.

Take the bread for the road as well; I made it myself, it tastes quite good."

"I can use it, thank you. But what about you?"

Chen Fei, having immediately snapped out of his surprise, hurriedly took the gun and magazines. With the gun and magazines totaling ninety bullets, he could handle small bands of bandits and packs of wolves, indeed ensuring personal safety.

"I still have a small revolver and a few grenades."

The warm-hearted local, Shen Fei, simply shrugged her shoulders.

Being the only school within a hundred-mile radius, it was actually quite safe. Moreover, the local customs were tough; in case of an emergency, they would not just stand by idly.

The Type 95 automatic rifle obtained through the 911 Aircrew Base was not just for self-defense but also held a sentimental attachment, a reminder of her home. That's why there was a carved peachwood fish hanging from the barrel.

There were plenty of battered AKs locally, any original factory ones were unheard of. As years went by, the inner stresses were released, and the frame had warped, mostly becoming a mix of unidentified, locally made mishmash. Due to low technical demands, these old models had an exceptional vitality.

As for sentimentality, there were hardly any precise replicas, and none with a peachwood fish tied to their muzzles except for this unique one.

Locals would know at first glance to whom this rifle belonged.

"Thank you, Teacher Shen, I will return the gun to you as soon as possible."

Chen Fei once again expressed his gratitude.

For her to lend her gun for self-defense to someone she had just met was a favor he needed to remember.

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