Upon arriving in Tengchong, Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan were immediately arranged to stay at a hot spring hotel. As a married couple, they naturally shared a room. The hotel also featured private hot springs, a common amenity in areas with volcanic activity. The local hot springs here could reach temperatures exceeding one hundred degrees Celsius.
"Mr. Shen, please reside here for the time being. We will notify you once preparations are complete. Protective suits will be delivered shortly, and you may request anything you need. Additionally, the hotel has prepared hot springs exclusively for the two of you. Please enjoy your hot spring retreat," Qian Bufei said to Shen Feng before departing.
Shen Feng was pleased with the excellent treatment. Having an entire hot spring pool to themselves was akin to having it privately booked. The hot springs were rich in minerals, which could aid in treating skin conditions, although it required consistent, long-term immersion rather than a single or two visits.
Shen Feng rummaged through his backpack for some beef jerky. Leaning back in a lounge chair, he remarked, "This is the first time I've been on a mission outside that's been this relaxed. If only all missions could be like this in the future—staying in hotels, enjoying hot springs, and getting whatever we want."
The jerky Shen Feng was holding was a thoughtful gesture from Du Xinshi. Her keen observation skills led her to know Shen Feng's preference for five-spice beef jerky, prompting her to pack it for him. Chu Chaoyan had also been enjoying snacks from Shen Feng along the way, a fortunate turn for her.
Meanwhile, Chu Chaoyan stood by the hotel room window, gazing down with a sense of bewilderment. Tengchong had gathered over a hundred thousand people. Before the apocalypse, Tengchong would have housed at least several hundred thousand. Yet, during this doomsday, the influx of so many people made the city feel unusually chaotic.
"This is definitely not normal. There are too many soldiers, and besides the workers, there are also many doctors here, as if they anticipate casualties," Chu Chaoyan observed, a sense of unease growing as she surveyed Tengchong. The sheer number of people present was undeniable, and it was clear they were not merely there for oil and gas pipeline repairs.
Shen Feng pondered for a moment and then suggested, "Then we can go out and gather information later. Let's have lunch first, and then we'll discuss other matters. We can enjoy the hot springs tonight."
Chu Chaoyan nodded, but a blush crept onto her cheeks as she recalled that only she and Shen Feng would be in the hot springs that evening, clearly envisioning some peculiar scenarios.
At noon, the hotel slaughtered a black goat and slow-cooked it for two hours before serving it to Shen Feng. Aware that Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan were ability users, they specifically used large stainless steel basins for the food. The lamb was prepared without any extraneous ingredients, save for mint. Fresh mint was sprinkled on top just as it was served, still slightly undercooked. However, it was precisely this mint that tasted delicious, its aroma filling their mouths with every bite.
Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan began to eat heartily, savoring the authentic local cuisine. Dipping the lamb into the sauce for a moment before lifting it, they could taste the distinct flavor of the local black goat.
In Yunnan province, due to its predominantly plateau and mountainous terrain, mountain goats frequently traverse the highlands, resulting in firm meat that is more flavorful than lamb from other regions.
After eating their fill, Shen Feng took Chu Chaoyan's arm, and they left the hotel. Chu Chaoyan linked her arm with Shen Feng's as they strolled through Tengchong. They observed many people busily preparing, some even stocking up on supplies. Large quantities of waterproof sheeting and dry rations were being purchased. Most bizarrely, some individuals were filling plastic bottles with soil, shedding tears as they did so.
"Ah Feng, look closely. These people aren't preparing for battle; they seem to be getting ready for a long journey. Are they planning to go somewhere else?" Chu Chaoyan whispered into Shen Feng's ear.
Shen Feng considered this and replied, "Let's try to find someone here who can answer our questions. We'll inquire after lunch."
The people here were acting strangely, and Shen Feng was filled with many questions. He spotted a man filming by the roadside, who appeared to be a reporter. Shen Feng approached him and asked, "Excuse me, what are you filming? There's nothing particularly interesting on the streets, is there?"
The reporter turned, his eyes lighting up upon seeing Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan. "Are you Fengshen? And is that Chu Chaoyan, the Deputy City Lord of Yuzhou, beside you? How did you two get here? Is Yuzhou also participating in the 'Pioneer Plan'?"
This was the first Shen Feng had heard of such a plan. He couldn't help but ask, "What Pioneer Plan? I'm not aware of it. Can you explain?"
The reporter, who had initially assumed Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan were allies, immediately changed his tune when Shen Feng expressed ignorance. "I was just rambling. Pretend you didn't hear anything. Goodbye."
As the reporter attempted to leave, Shen Feng quickly grabbed him. "Don't go! Please, tell me more about this plan. I promise I won't say you told me."
Shen Feng could tell that the reporter had been under a gag order and would be unlikely to divulge classified information. However, he also realized that the people in Yunnan were definitely plotting something, and he couldn't pretend to be unaware.
Seeing that he couldn't escape Shen Feng's grasp, the reporter glanced around and spotted a coffee shop. "Let's talk somewhere else. This isn't the place for it!"
The reporter's secretive demeanor only deepened Shen Feng's curiosity. Could it be that Yunnan was indeed hiding something significant?
The reporter led Shen Feng to the coffee shop and ordered, "Pu'er tea, and some tea snacks to be delivered to the room."
In Yunnan, coffee shops also served tea. This was because Yunnan not only produced coffee but also tea. Ironically, there were few dedicated teahouses in Yunnan, and locals didn't have a habit of drinking tea in specific establishments. Consequently, coffee shops had taken on the role of teahouses, catering to both tea and coffee drinkers.
Once the reporter had led Shen Feng and Chu Chaoyan to a private room and the tea was served, he dared to close the door and whispered conspiratorially, "Lord Fengshen, I can tell you about this, but you must not reveal it, nor mention that I told you. Also, you'll need to give me some money so I can escape if things go south."
Shen Feng was surprised by the reporter's timidity. "Don't worry. I just want to know what you're up to. As long as you pose no threat to Yuzhou, I won't target you. And here's your payment. Take it."
As he spoke, Shen Feng produced a handful of gleaming golden beans, all made of gold. A handful of gold beans was quite valuable.
The reporter quickly accepted the gold beans, carefully placing them in his bag, and said in a low voice, "Mr. Shen Feng, this Pioneer Plan is actually a spontaneous initiative by our Yunnan province. Yunnan has been impoverished for decades, so we wish to improve our living conditions. That's the essence of it."
"You mean Yunnan is poor, so you're planning to pioneer? How do you intend to pioneer?" Shen Feng inquired.
The concept of a pioneer plan was straightforward: it was undertaken when facing adversity. However, Shen Feng didn't understand the specifics of its execution. Even pioneering required a clear objective.
The reporter carefully considered his words before replying, "In truth, our Yunnan has been poor for a very long time. The mountains are too numerous, transportation is inconvenient, and being an inland region, it's difficult to develop. Despite being known as a kingdom of wild flora and fauna, there's little prospect for development. The people of Yunnan have always dreamed of having a port, and the simplest way to achieve that is to find a solution in the south."
Upon hearing this, Shen Feng realized the implication and asked in shock, "You intend to attack Myanmar? The so-called Pioneer Plan is to seize another country's port?"
"Shh, Mr. Shen Feng, could you please lower your voice? If this gets out, our reputation will suffer," the reporter urged.
Shen Feng, recovering from his initial shock, exclaimed, "You people are incredibly bold! You want to attack a neighboring country and seize their ports? If headquarters finds out about this, they'll surely reprimand you. Besides, if you're just going to snatch it, can you even call it a Pioneer Plan?"
Shen Feng had previously considered himself daring, but he never imagined that the people of Yunnan would be even bolder, secretly planning to seize another country's ports.
The reporter earnestly explained his reasoning to Shen Feng. "Mr. Shen, please listen to me. This isn't seizing; it's mutual benefit. Do you know what kind of lives the people to the south are living in this post-apocalyptic world? It's worse than death. Our people going south can rescue them. Then, once we control a few ports, we can have surrounding populations speak Chinese, learn Han culture, and become part of the Chinese nation. This is a deed of immeasurable merit. Why would you oppose it?"
"If it's mutual benefit, then why aren't you publicizing your decision? It's because you're guilty. I found it strange earlier; I wondered why you were mobilizing so many people. So, you were planning to seize territory," Shen Feng stated calmly.
Before understanding the situation, Shen Feng had genuinely believed that Yunnan had sought his help due to their inability to deal with the mushroom forest. However, it now seemed that the mushroom forest was merely a smokescreen; these people were secretly planning to seize ports.
The reporter looked utterly exasperated and said to Shen Feng with a hint of grievance, "Mr. Shen, you're like a well-fed person who doesn't understand the hunger of the starving. Although Yuzhou is an inland city, it's situated on the Yangtze River, and there are railway connections between surrounding cities. You guard your position as the gateway to the southwest. But you haven't considered our feelings. Yunnan has been poor for hundreds of years, and we also desire development. The only way for Yunnan to develop is to obtain a port."
Shen Feng, not being from Yunnan, couldn't fully grasp the profound yearning of its people for improved transportation infrastructure. Yunnan's climate could be described by a couplet: "Four seasons in one mountain, ten miles different skies." Situated on a plateau with numerous dense forests, the construction of its highways was among the best in the country, yet transportation remained a significant constraint.
Therefore, many Yunnan natives dreamed of having a port, which would provide them with access to the sea. To the south of Yunnan lies Myanmar, which borders the sea and possesses several ports. In peaceful times, it would have been inappropriate to act, but now, in this chaotic era, the people of Yunnan had been eyeing the outlets to the sea for decades. Having finally found an opportunity, they were naturally moving to seize it.
Shen Feng, unaware of the depth of Yunnan's desire for ports, remained silent. Chu Chaoyan, however, took out her notebook and began to record the information, recognizing its value as firsthand material.
Having learned Yunnan's true intentions, Shen Feng maintained his silence. Pioneering, of course, meant expanding territory, but such actions were viewed as aggression by others. The conclusions drawn differed based on the perspective and location. Shen Feng found himself unable to prevent their decisions.