Chapter Fifteen: Found

Heizhu Valley is located in the western part of S Province, near Mount Emei, and is one of China’s premier 5A scenic destinations. The area is riddled with ravines and stands of towering forest, so precipitous that even birds struggle to cross. Although Heizhu Valley boasts breathtaking scenery, less than a tenth of it has been developed. The remainder is remote, treacherous, and rarely touched by humans. Over the years, many mysterious incidents have occurred here, with frequent deaths and disappearances, earning it the nickname "the Bermuda Triangle of China."

On the morning of January 13th, Zhou Xuan went straight to the county bus station and bought a ticket to Dafoshi City, a journey of two hours. From there, he purchased another ticket to the county seat, and then transferred again to reach Heizhu Valley Scenic Area.

In 1997, transportation was far less developed than in later years, consisting mainly of provincial roads—two lanes in each direction. Most highways were old, riddled with potholes, and incredibly bumpy. It took Zhou Xuan over two hours to reach Dafoshi, and he arrived famished. After buying his ticket to Heizhu Valley, he found a place to eat near the station before catching his next ride.

At four in the afternoon, Zhou Xuan finally arrived at Heizhu Valley. Judging from the dimming sky, it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to enter the mountains that day. Instead, he wandered through the scenic area, taking in the beautiful sights. In the lingering chill of early spring, many trees stood bare, while broad-leaved forests still wore their foliage. Streams babbled, mountains mirrored in the green waters—truly a picturesque scene.

Heizhu Valley is famous for its mysterious mist that often shrouds the gorges, locking them in dense fog and a heavy, somber air. "Shimen Pass, Shimen Pass, mist shadows the dark gorge by Baotan; even monkeys hesitate to climb here, and heroes find it hard to pass." This saying is no exaggeration. There is a sixty-kilometer stretch of geomagnetic anomaly within Heizhu Valley, a place that fills people with dread and where disappearances are common.

Ordinary people would never venture into Heizhu Valley alone. In later years, many outdoor enthusiasts entered, only to be lost forever. If not for his quest for the brain development serum, Zhou Xuan would never have braved such a dangerous place—a place where a single misstep could mean losing one’s life.

From later-released reports, Zhou Xuan learned that the serum’s success depended on a unique medicinal herb and an unusual mineral. Originally, the scientific expedition team had come to study Heizhu Valley’s geomagnetic environment and to investigate its flora and fauna, hoping to unravel the mystery behind its deadly reputation. By chance, they discovered a certain plant and a peculiar mineral in an isolated valley.

Initially, these finds seemed merely novel, nothing particularly special. But during a fortuitous experiment, the fruit of the rare plant was fused with the mineral, and through a series of coincidences and unexpected treatments, a new substance was created—one that could promote brain development and enhance human intelligence.

This discovery was nothing short of astonishing, immediately attracting national attention. The project was elevated to the highest level of secrecy, and the two raw materials were strictly classified. Only after China announced the existence of the brain development serum did the public learn the truth.

Ten years later, after the country developed a new version of the serum, the synthesis method using the plant and mineral was finally made public, and the story of its discovery became known worldwide. China had little to fear, though, as this unique plant and mineral had only ever been found in Heizhu Valley, and even then, in very limited quantities. The special geographic conditions made transplantation nearly impossible, so other nations stood little chance of replicating the process.

Moreover, Chinese researchers had already developed an artificial synthesis method, rendering the old, resource-dependent approach obsolete. As long as Zhou Xuan could manufacture even a few doses of the brain development serum, his research institute would become a cradle for the future of world science.

With a decade or two of progress, Zhou Xuan believed that artificial synthesis would eventually be perfected. When that time came, China would stand at the pinnacle of the world’s nations. Zhou Xuan remembered clearly the unique valley where the two materials had been discovered, so after entering the scenic area that afternoon, he sought out the spot closest to Shimen Pass.

The next morning, January 14th, 1998, at seven o’clock, Zhou Xuan slung on his backpack and left the tourist trails for the perilous wilderness. The path became difficult almost immediately, but thanks to his exceptional physical condition—honed by the “Grand Celestial Breathing Technique”—he pressed on, strong and resilient.

Since he remembered the valley’s location, Zhou Xuan took the most direct route. After half a day’s trek across several mountains, he reached a strangely shaped valley, cloaked year-round in thick mist. A massive rock jutted from the left side—a perfect landmark. Zhou Xuan finally smiled; he had found it.

He tossed down a rope and carefully climbed to the valley floor. The basin was an oval, more than four hundred meters long. At the foot of the mountain, he found his destination—the very place where the unique plant and mineral would one day be discovered.

Zhou Xuan approached cautiously. There, beside a small pool fed by a spring, grew swathes of unfamiliar plants. Their leaves were long and pointed, reminiscent of garlic. Zhou Xuan was overjoyed at the sight. “Now, these are all mine,” he thought.

He meticulously identified each plant. Some had long stalks bearing a single blossom, with a crystal-clear fruit at the center, as beautiful as something from a dream. Zhou Xuan gently plucked the fruits and stored them in a plastic container for safekeeping. After an hour, he had gathered all the fruits—just over fifty in total, enough to refine about ten doses of the serum if he had sufficient mineral.

Next, Zhou Xuan moved to the rear of the pool, where wild grass grew thick. Pushing aside grass that towered higher than a man, he saw a collapsed section of cliff, exposing earth and rock. Embedded in the soil were tiny grains of purple mineral, immediately catching Zhou Xuan’s attention.

This was the mineral he needed. He began searching carefully, collecting as much as he could and storing it securely. Before long, he had filled a container, but there was little left in the area. Zhou Xuan hadn’t brought any tools, and these plants would only flower again in three years, so another harvest would have to wait.

Pleased with his haul, he climbed out of the valley and headed toward the opposite ridge. As he scrambled up, Zhou Xuan stumbled upon a ginseng plant. On closer inspection, it proved to be over a thousand years old—a stroke of incredible luck. Zhou Xuan was delighted; the journey had certainly been worthwhile.

Checking the time, he remembered that there were three people in a nearby valley in need of rescue. Not only could he earn their friendship, but also a considerable fortune. Such an opportunity could not be missed. After eating a little, Zhou Xuan set off at a brisk pace toward the valley.