CHAPTER 903: VALLEY OF SERENITY: THE MYSTERY SEARCH

The Valley of Serenity, a name bestowed upon this area for its inherent tranquility, unfolded before them. Several distinct pools of steaming water dotted the landscape, each emitting a gentle plume of vapor into the crisp mountain air. The water in these pools ranged in color from a milky turquoise to a deeper, almost emerald hue, indicative of the mineral content dissolved within. Surrounding the pools, hardy, low-lying vegetation clung to the rocky terrain. Scattered among the rocks were patches of moss, vibrant green against the muted browns and greys of the earth. The scent of sulfur, a constant companion since their approach, was most pronounced here, emanating from the geothermal activity that heated these natural baths. The general topography was characterized by gently sloping hills, covered in a mix of evergreen trees and bare, weathered rock faces.

A sense of calm pervaded the valley, a stillness broken only by the soft hiss of the escaping steam and the distant calls of unseen birds. The sunlight, angled by the midday sun, shone brightly across the terrain, highlighting the textures of the rocks and the subtle contours of the land. The hot springs themselves were varied in size and shape, some appearing as shallow, widespread basins, while others were deeper, more contained pools. The water’s surface shimmered, disturbed only by the persistent rise of steam. The surrounding trees stood as silent sentinels, their branches reaching towards the sky, framing the serene, natural beauty of the scene.

As the group processed the visual information, the inherent logic of the valley’s name became apparent. The gentle, consistent geothermal activity, the lack of harsh winds due to the sheltered nature of the valley, and the natural, unmarred beauty all contributed to an atmosphere of profound peacefulness. The warm, mineral-rich waters offered a natural invitation to relaxation, a stark contrast to the challenging climb they had just completed. The valley presented itself as a destination designed for quiet contemplation, a place where the natural world offered solace and rejuvenation.

For Theo, the view represented the culmination of their efforts, a tangible reward for the challenging ascent and the unfolding mystery. He observed his friends’ faces, their faces mirroring a shared sense of accomplishment, the earlier fatigue of their climb visibly diminished by the sight before them.

"Look at that," Theo breathed, a smile spreading across his face. "We actually made it."

Ayia’s gaze traced the contours of the landscape, a thoughtful expression settling upon her features as she absorbed the natural beauty. "It’s even more breathtaking than the painting suggested," she murmured, her voice soft. "The way the light hits those peaks..."

Shizuka stood quietly, her pragmatic mind cataloging the details, while Kumiko’s animated gestures conveyed her appreciation of the serene panorama.

"Incredible," Kumiko exclaimed, her arms sweeping out to encompass the vista. "I mean, truly incredible! The sheer scale of it all."

Shoko and Shizuka, having voiced their reasoned observations, now appeared to find a silent understanding in the valley’s tranquil display, the immensity of their journey evident in their postures.

"Remember that section near the waterfall, Shizuka?" Kaori said, a hint of a grin playing on her lips. "I was genuinely starting to question if we’d taken a wrong turn."

Aurora chuckled softly. "My compass readings were quite insistent that we were still on track, Kaori. Though I admit, there were moments of doubt."

This was the destination that had been hinted at by the cryptic painting, the endpoint of a trail that had transformed from a simple hike into an intriguing puzzle. The two hours of steady walking, punctuated by their earlier exertions, had led them to this secluded haven.

"So, this is the place that is supposed to be hiding a mystery," Theo mused, pointing towards a distant, almost hidden waterfall. "I wonder if we will be able to find it."

"We will!!" Ayia added, "Come on, guys! Let’s start searching."

"Yeah!" Everyone was so excited about solving the mystery that they didn’t even try doing other things.

The pools, varied in size and depth, offered an inviting promise of relaxation, a perfect counterpoint to the strenuous effort required to reach this point.

The golden sunlight, filtering through the evergreen trees and across the weathered rock faces, bathed the entire valley in a warm, inviting glow, solidifying its reputation as the Valley of Serenity and marking the successful conclusion of their arduous trek.

Just like that, they gathered together again to solve the mystery. Their goal was to find the place where the tree lock could be in the valley.

Theo clapped his hands together, his optimism radiating through the group. "Alright, everyone, we’ve made it to the Valley of Serenity, and the painting pointed us here for a reason. The mystery isn’t going to solve itself, but I’ve got a good feeling about this. The tree lock must be hidden somewhere within this beautiful landscape. What do you all think is our best starting point?" He looked around, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Ayia, with her keen artistic eye, immediately scanned the area, her fingers tracing imaginary lines in the air. "The painting had a particular composition. Remember how the spring pools were framed by those particular trees? And there was a hint of sunlight catching something at its base. I think we should focus our search around the spring pools with the highest elevation. It feels like the most prominent landmark, the kind of place a secret would be kept."

Shizuka, ever practical, nodded in agreement, already pulling out a small notebook. Aurora, bubbling with energy, bounced on the balls of her feet, eager to begin.

Shoko, usually reserved, offered a gentle suggestion. "Perhaps we should consider the obvious as well. We should search for trees near the hot spring pool. We may even find a lock tree, or other hidden clues."

Kaori chimed in, "Great idea, Shoko! If it’s a physical lock, it needs something to lock onto, like a tree. So we’re looking for a specific tree, near the pools, perhaps with an unusual marking."

Theo added, "We should approach this systematically. Let’s divide into pairs and cover different sections of the valley, communicating any unusual findings."

In such a way, for the next few minutes, they divided themselves into pairs and started searching the valley for the next piece of the puzzle.

But it was hard, as they had no idea what they were looking for. After a 20-minute thorough search, they weren’t lucky to find any easy clues like a tree in a lock form.

"What a pity!" Ayia commented, "I was looking forward to seeing a tree in a lock form."

After searching every suspicious point in the valley, Theo and the others gathered around once again.

"I looked at every tree near the pools, but I didn’t find anything," Max said with a defeated face.

"Me neither!"

"I looked at the pools, but I didn’t find anything either."

"..."

"What now?" Aurora asked exasperatedly.

"Maybe the answers are in the numbers we found in the painting," Theo suggested with a thoughtful expression.

"Okay, we already agreed on that," Sam replied, "But the main question is how to apply these numbers to our search."

"Don’t you guys find it amazing that even though this painting is over a century old, it still depicts the spring pools arrangement perfectly?" Kaori suddenly commented.

"Now that you mentioned, it is indeed uncanny," Ryoko commented.

Everyone observed the painting and then the valley, and indeed, though some trees and rock arrangements were different, the hot springs arrangement was identical.

Kaori suddenly showed an enlightened expression, "Guys, look at the lock tree!"

"What about it?"

"Didn’t we already establish that there was no lock tree?"

Kaori showed a proud smile as she said, "What if this lock tree detail doesn’t point at a specific tree, but to a specific place in the valley where we should start our searches?"

At that moment, everyone’s eyes shone as they all turned their heads at the same time to the spring pool marked on the map.