Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 272: Absolutely No Plan

Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Absolutely No Plan

Since the team had decided to set out in pursuit of Lin Xi, speed was of the essence. None of them had ever been to Yuxueyun Mountain, and they had no idea what the situation would be like there. All they could do was list out the items they thought they might need and divide the shopping task amongst themselves. Their goal was to wrap up as quickly as possible and set out early the next morning.

The last time they went on an expedition, it was Professor Luo, the archaeologist, who had overseen the preparations. All the team members had to do was carry out the tasks he assigned, which saved a lot of effort.

This time, however, there were no experts to provide valuable advice or coordinate their actions. Everything was up to Gu Fan and his team members.

Down jackets, medicines, food, weapons, tents, flashlights, cars, etc., were all prepared by the team overnight. Although the process was exhausting, it was relieving to finally get some rest.

To facilitate an early start the next day, everyone decided to stay at Gu Fan’s house. There were a few empty bedrooms in his house, enough to accommodate everyone.

However, that night, everyone had their worries. Gu Fan worried about the safety of the trip and also the safety of Leng Le. He felt indignant thinking about how he was once again manipulated by Lin Xi and questioned why he had to endure such treatment.

Xu Haowen was so excited that he couldn’t sleep, and even dragged a yawning Jie into a chat.

Su Hui felt obligated to ensure the safety of the team and was brainstorming strategies to bring everyone back safely.

The next morning, the sound of cars parking outside woke everyone. They all got up, got ready, and started loading their luggage into the car.

Zhuo Hang arrived in a van, similar to what they used for their previous expedition. This type of vehicle could accommodate more luggage.

Seeing Su Hui and the others loading their myriad bags and boxes, Zhuo Hang was impressed. "You guys prepared so much! I once doubted your previous expedition experiences, but now I believe," he marveled.

"Thanks for your trust, let’s get going," said Gu Fan. Everyone should have been uplifted by his words, but most of them had a sleepless night and were visibly exhausted.

For safety reasons, Zhuo Hang and Su Hui took one car, with Zhuo Hang driving. The remaining team members got into the van driven by Lu Yi, who was well-rested, and they all set off towards Yuxueyun Mountain.

After driving for two hours and finally leaving the city, Gu Fan looked at the map from the passenger seat, somewhat worried. The journey was likely to take several days.

Besides looking at the map, Gu Fan also consulted travel recommendations. He discovered that Yuxueyun Mountain was a popular tourist destination. Even though it was summer, the mountain remained as cold as winter, often covered in snow.

While driving, Lu Yi glanced at the backseat where Ah Jie and Xu Haowen were napping. He was worried. "Gu Fan, the last time we went on an expedition, there were ten of us, plus a tour guide. This time, we are just six. We’re quite short-handed."

After thinking over it, Gu Fan responded, "Last time we had ten people, but not all of them were experienced fighters. Take Professor Luo for instance, he was a senior expert who provided us with a lot of valuable advice, but in case of any emergency, he couldn’t take care of himself and needed us to guard him. The same goes for Qin Jia and Lin Xi. So, even though we were ten, in terms of combat power, we had at most six. But this time it’s different. Sister Su and Zhuo Hang are at least equivalent to six people in terms of their combat power, while I can contribute like two. Although we’re only six, without individuals like Professor Luo and Lin Xi that need special protection, our combined strength should be at least equivalent to ten."

Listening to this, Lu Yi seemed motivated. "You’re right. Ah Jie and I have also trained. We’re stronger than we were in the last expedition. I believe we can contribute like twelve people combined."

Gu Fan nodded in agreement. "Our combat power is one thing, but being short-handed might restrict our actions. Also, without an expert like Professor Luo to guide us, it’s a big challenge. We’ve only improved in terms of combat power, but we’ve regressed in other aspects."

"You were sounding quite confident just now. Why are you dampening the mood all of a sudden?" Lu Yi retorted, though he felt that Gu Fan made a valid point. Without the guidance of an expert like Professor Luo, they weren’t sure how to act.

"Plan? Plan?" Gu Fan realized that there wasn’t enough time to plan ahead. He decided to plan on the way while rushing to catch up with Lin Xi.

After some thinking, Gu Fan suggested, "Let’s do it like last time. Let’s find a local who’s familiar with Yuxueyun Mountain to guide us. We can avoid many detours this way."

Lu Yi chuckled, "Well, that means we’ll need good luck, finding someone like Ouyang Jin who has a hereditary notebook guiding us in the right direction."

Hearing this, Gu Fan sighed, "Yeah, we were really lucky in our last venture. But it’s unlikely we’ll be that lucky again, which means this expedition will be even more challenging than finding Qianye Country. First, we don’t have an archaeologist like Professor Luo. Second, we don’t have a guide like Ouyang Jin."

"Don’t be so pessimistic. At least, we won’t face the dangers we faced in the borderland," Lu Yi tried to be optimistic, though Gu Fan remained worried. A challenging journey signified possible...

Gu Fan clenched his teeth. He couldn’t afford to return empty-handed. If that happened, the boss would be furious, and Leng Le, held hostage...

"Why does everything have to happen to me?" Gu Fan scratched his head, extremely upset. He wanted to lead the life of an ordinary student, find a stable job after graduation, get a steady income, and then get married and have kids. He didn’t have any grand ambitions, so why was he compelled to undertake such adventurous tasks?

Lu Yi tried to console him, "Don’t think too much. Some things are just fated. Who knows what unexpected rewards this journey might bring?"

"I hope so!" Gu Fan could only think positively.