Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 114 - 101 Compass_1

Chapter 114: Chapter 101 Compass_1

Feng Yi was preoccupied with how to activate the "Compass," paying no attention to online gossip or social and entertainment news.

Those things seemed insignificant to him now.

He just kept heading west.

A bicycle climbed mountains, crossed rivers and swamps, and endured landslides, collapses, and mudflows.

Feng Yi no longer believed in the butler’s words about being "lucky."

Instinct and the Compass still showed no signs of activity, and after cycling for so long, it seemed there was little to show for it.

Even Feng Yi himself was starting to doubt whether this trip was worthwhile.

Continuing westward.

Ahead was a major tourist area with plenty of food vendors, where Feng Yi would stay the night.

As the setting sun cast its glow, tourists at the lakeside piled Mani stones.

After watching for a while, Feng Yi left and found a lakeside, locally-run tent hostel nearby.

The accommodations were basic, but because it was by the lake, it was quite popular, and several tents were already full.

One of the tents had a spare bed, the only one available.

Feng Yi didn’t mind sharing a tent with others, as everyone had their own bed anyway. He would sleep one night and leave the next day.

Inside the tent, two young men were preparing instant noodles, and another person lay on the bed across from Feng Yi’s.

The person on the bed glanced at Feng Yi upon hearing some noise, then listlessly lay back down, muttering, "Why is there such a difference between people! Some are drinking and eating meat, while others are breathing oxygen!"

His two companions who were making noodles laughed and one of them said, "You’re still better off than those on oxygen. Look at you, you have the energy to talk like this. You’ll probably adapt in a couple of days, and the altitude sickness won’t be too bad."

Feng Yi, standing nearby, was taken aback. Altitude sickness?

What altitude sickness?

Oh, right, altitude sickness!

He had been so focused on cycling, following the mountain path when necessary and detouring when needed, that he had forgotten all about the possibility of altitude sickness.

Anyway, Feng Yi hadn’t felt anything.

He took off his helmet and removed all his gear.

The listless person on the opposite bed turned to look at Feng Yi, swept his gaze over Feng Yi’s face, and heaved a deep sigh, "Why is there such a difference between people!"

The young man boiling water teased his companion before addressing Feng Yi, "Need some hot water? We’ve just boiled some."

"Thank you," Feng Yi accepted without refusal and also took out some food he had bought from the locals to share.

The noodle-eating man looked at Feng Yi’s equipment and asked, "Cycling? Are you alone?"

"Yeah, just out for a breather," Feng Yi replied.

"Impressive! We all came here by car."

The conversation became much more friendly.

The talkative young man was Huo Jin from a university in Jing City, a graduate student, currently in his second year, leading his juniors on a mission to the area, with both undergraduates and graduate students in his group. The others staying in this tent were his juniors; the female students were in the neighboring tent.

When Huo Jin learned that Feng Yi had come from Rong City, he was about to end the conversation but became interested again.

"Have you seen a flock of little swans that flew over to your Rong City?" he asked.

"I have."

"How are they doing now? Are they really adapting as well as the news has reported?"

"I haven’t been following the news these past few days. But when I left, they seemed to be doing quite well there, very spirited."

"Really? That’s unexpected, totally unexpected! They actually deviated from their original migratory route and went to your Rong City! And, as I read on the news, the first batch of little swans that arrived has not flown away yet! They might stay in Rong City for the winter!" Huo Jin said, as he started searching for relevant news on his phone.

"You’re interested in this too?" Feng Yi asked.

Huo Jin explained, "We’re actually studying this, though not little swans. The project we’re following right now is on the Siberian cranes.

"My advisor and my seniors went to the breeding grounds of the Siberian cranes in August to begin close observation, and now the cranes are on their migration path, flying this way."

Seeing that Feng Yi was listening attentively, Huo Jin continued, "The wintering grounds of the Siberian cranes are on the southern side of the plateau. Every year, they migrate south from their breeding grounds, traveling thousands of kilometers, crossing the Himalayas to reach their winter habitat."

Feng Yi asked, "So, their breeding grounds and wintering grounds are not in the same place, and they’re quite far apart?"

"Right. It’s the same with the little swans, whose breeding grounds are in the Arctic tundra. They migrate south for the winter every year."

"Do these migratory birds hatch their eggs in the breeding grounds as well?"

"Definitely!"

Reflecting on the problem he was currently facing, Feng Yi inquired further, "I heard that migratory birds have their own sort of compass for orientation— is that true?"

Huo Jin hesitated slightly, then nodded, "You could say that. However, not only migratory birds possess a compass; migratory fish, sea turtles, moths, and many other animals and insects also have their own set of compasses. Some have a solar compass, some have a lunar compass, and others have a stellar compass, all of them distinct.

"They have cells related to environmental awareness and route planning in their bodies; these cells work together within the organism to produce a navigational effect. Of course, you could consider these cells to be their ’compass’.

"But, after all, humans aren’t animals, and we certainly don’t understand as much as they do; many mysteries are still being explored."

Listening to Huo Jin, Feng Yi sat there in a daze. It seemed he had caught onto a keyword.

Huo Jin didn’t notice Feng Yi’s reaction, and after finishing his instant noodles, he checked the time.

"Holy smokes! How did it get so late already!"

Hastily, Huo Jin pulled a camera out of his bag and walked outside the tent, and as he passed by Feng Yi, he even asked, "Did you bring a camera? Do you want to go out and take some photos? The starry sky here is super beautiful! I’ve already found a great spot for photography!"

"Let’s go!"

Feng Yi stood up and followed Huo Jin outside, arriving at an open area with few obstructions.

The cold evening wind made Huo Jin shiver, but he kept his eyes fixed on the night sky.

"The starry sky on the plateau is truly spectacular!"

After taking a few photos, Huo Jin felt dissatisfied.

"No, we should come back after 11 p.m. or wait until early morning."

Huo Jin shivered again from the wind, "We’ll still need to wear down jackets when we come out later. Hey, Feng Yi, aren’t you going back to the tent?"

"No, I’ll stay outside a bit longer," Feng Yi replied.

"Aren’t you cold?"

"Not cold."

"Alright then, take your time looking around, and if you need help, just let me know. I’m going in; it’s too cold!"

After Huo Jin went into the tent, Feng Yi moved to a different spot where he had an even better panoramic view.

Standing by the lakeside at an altitude of over four thousand meters.

The swathes of stars were not merely magnificent and beautiful.

Underneath the pristine starry sky, it was as if the invisible barrier ahead finally dissipated.

The vague lines became gradually clearer.

The lethargic senses excitedly awoke at this moment.

The rotating stars reflected in his irises.

His pupils narrowed into fine lines, recording information about all the constellations, those combinations of stars and clusters.

He seemed to hear some sounds, or perhaps some signals.

Those sounds weren’t nonexistent on other days; it’s just that they were usually too faint to hear.

Quiet down.

Amplify them.

Listen carefully.

Wait for the other side of the world to reveal itself slowly.

Look, the laws of the planets are right before your eyes!

Regardless of clear or rainy weather, day or night, they always exist!

The planet has its own rhythm of pulse.

It establishes laws for all living beings on it.

Feng Yi looked up at the starry sky and stretched out his hand, slowly tracing it overhead.

Feeling the rhythm of the magnetic field’s laws, he seemed to understand the directional information they relayed.

The "compass" had taken effect!

Were those birds flying over the Himalayas, those sea turtles rushing to their birthplaces in the ocean currents, relying on the planet’s laws to thrive and reproduce just like this?

Feng Yi stood by the lake for a long time.

Under the stars, the magnetic field, the moisture in the air, and all the information floating along and scattered by the air currents.

All signals captured by the senses formed a directive map in his mind.

An instinct, long unseen, was now conveying a clear message to Feng Yi—

You’re going the wrong way, damn it!