Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 278: A Group of Hunters

Chapter 278: Chapter 278: A Group of Hunters

"This is a profitable business!" Gu Fan nodded, Su Hui didn’t oppose it either. They spent all the money the boss had sent over. Since it wasn’t their money it didn’t bother them to splurge, now suspecting that old man Tian’s initial disagreement was just a performance, all with the aim to raise the price.

With everything ready, they loaded all their belongings onto the snow sleds, pulled by sled dogs. On average, there were six sled dogs per person, which excited everyone - none of them had ridden a sled before.

Before old man Tian could say anything, Lu Yi was the first to sit on the sled. He gave the rope a shake and yelled, "Giddy up!"

The sled dogs rushed out immediately, with no sense of direction. They started running around aimlessly on the road, frightening Lu Yi until he became pale, unsure of how to control them. As a result, a turn in the road sent Lu Yi flying off the sled.

By the time everyone caught up, Lu Yi lay sprawled in the snow, looking utterly disheveled. Everyone wanted to laugh.

Old man Tian was somewhat angry, "Didn’t I say to follow my commands? Who allowed you to act recklessly?"

"Sorry, old man, I got carried away in the excitement and lost control. I apologize, and I promise this won’t happen again." Lu Yi had just finished speaking when the sled dog that had flung him came back. It walked over to Lu Yi and licked his face a few times in what appeared to be an apology, causing everyone to laugh.

At that moment, they noticed five individuals carrying hunting rifles and leading sled dogs pass by. Their attire set them apart from average tourists, and they seemed quite imposing.

Jie looked somewhat confused, "Who are these people?"

Ouyang Jin immediately explained, "Below Yuxueyun Mountain is a forest filled with wild animals, and it is also sectioned off as a hunting area. Every year, numerous people come here to hunt. However, there are clear regulations on hunting. Firstly, you must have a license. Secondly, your weapons must be obtained from the relevant department, and officials must accompany and supervise."

Upon hearing this, Xu Haowen yearned for a hunting license as he thought of living off hunting in the future.

Old man Tian poured cold water on his dreams, "For others, hunting is merely a hobby. Nowadays, fewer and fewer people make a living out of hunting. Developing the tourism industry is the right path."

"Alright, let’s get ready and set off." Led by Ouyang Jin’s rallying cry, everyone began loading their supplies onto the sled dogs, allowing old man Tian to lead the way, controlling the route and speed.

Ouyang Jin was in charge of bringing up the rear, just in case anything unexpected happened along the way and the people in front didn’t notice.

Even before leaving the village, Gu Fan noticed several groups of people riding sleds out for fun, all with wide grins on their faces. Apparently, they too were experiencing sled rides for the first time, just like Lu Yi.

After leaving the village, a vast expanse of white snow stretched out before them. The forest at the base of Yuxueyun Mountain was at least a day’s journey away. The quickest way to get there was by sled dog- the cars posed no chance.

The village was so far from the forest because wild beasts from the forest often attacked the domestic animals in the village, causing considerable losses and threatening the villagers’ safety. As a result, the village had to steadily move away.

After learning this, Gu Fan thought it was a good change. Since the village was no longer sustaining itself by hunting, there was no need to stay close to the forest.

After half a day’s journey, fewer and fewer people were visible. The group took a break, and during that time, Lu Yi asked, "Old man, considering the advantages here, why hasn’t anyone built a ski resort?"

In response, old man Tian shook his head, "Once, a village also thought about building a ski resort to become prosperous, but Yuxueyun Mountain frequently experiences avalanches. The safety issue led to the closure of the resort."

"Really? This is so risky with avalanches frequently occurring." Everyone felt the danger, avalanches were not to be trifled with, even Lu Yi seemed a bit frightened.

Ouyang Jin sighed, "Exactly, that’s why people are unwilling to approach Yuxueyun Mountain. The risk is huge, extremely huge. Now I’m thinking, in order to earn your money, we are taking such a big risk, it’s really..."

After hearing this, Zhuo Hang became slightly worried, interpreting Ouyang Jin’s words as regret and potentially giving up and going back.

However, those who understood Ouyang Jin shook their heads and sighed, waiting for the words Ouyang Jin was about to say. Sure enough, Ouyang Jin said, "The risk assessment has increased, therefore the price needs to rise again." As soon as Ouyang Jin finished talking, both Jie and Lu Yi launched themselves at Ouyang Jin, wrestling him in frustration. They had enough of his constant increases in price.

But according to Ouyang Jin’s style, once the price was raised, it had to be accepted. Therefore, after discussing with Gu Fan, Su Hui, and Zhuo Hang, they decided that the price for more than ten days would increase from three hundred yuan a day to five hundred yuan a day.

This time, Zhuo Hang had experienced first-hand Ouyang Jin’s ability to raise prices. Initially, the starting price was five thousand yuan, and three hundred yuan a day for more than ten days. Then it increased to a starting price of twenty thousand yuan and three hundred yuan a day for more than ten days. Now it had increased to a starting price of twenty thousand yuan and five hundred yuan a day for more than ten days.

The speed of these price increases was astounding, with no signs of stopping. Zhuo Hang hoped that this would be the final price, with no further changes.

However, when Zhuo Hang saw the relaxed expressions on Gu Fan and Su Hui’s faces even after the haggling, he had a bad premonition. He feared Ouyang Jin would raise the price again, which seemed excessively greedy.

Old man Tian used a telescope to check the surroundings, then said, "We’ll travel a bit further, then set up camp near the forest."

Everyone agreed. Gu Fan noted the sled marks ahead and said, "If you’re right, old man, that it’s risky to be near the forest and Yuxueyun Mountain, most wouldn’t travel this far. It might be the hunters we saw earlier."

"That could be the case." Old man Tian pointed in another direction, "Those who come here for fun typically go to the specifically prepared woodlands and man-made skiing sites, and they don’t easily approach Yuxueyun Mountain. Moreover, the guides would not easily agree to it. But those who come to hunt, have to."

Su Hui asked, "So, old man, how long will it take for us to cross the forest and go up the mountain?"

"That’s hard to say, it depends on your adaptability, and the weather." After saying this, Old man Tian looked at the sky. It was a clear day, quite suitable for travel. They should take advantage of this weather to cover more ground.

Gu Fan, looking at the distant Yuxueyun Mountain, wondered where Lin Xi was at the moment and whether she had encountered any troubles.