Thinking about these things, Liu Zhizhong got a bit distracted while driving, feeling his blood heat up.

Indeed, he hadn't had that kind of life these past few days!

Zhao Han had taken a group on an outing.

Zhang Qixiang had relatives over, and just then Lu Yuqing was also here.

He had thought that he could complete a ceremonial experience with Luo Yanling.

However, the very night Luo Yanling returned from the Altai Mountains, she infected COVID, had a high fever, body aches, and even had to be hospitalized.

Liu Zhizhong couldn't do anything about it, as he couldn't have contact with her for fear of getting infected as well. Although he was reckless, it was indeed quite troublesome!

When Luo Yanling recovered and was discharged, taking up her new position as director of Jiangdong Archive Bureau, Liu Zhizhong and Zhang Xingyue had already left for Dingkang County.

Thus, the couple's happy occasion faced many obstacles and was delayed for a few more days.

Having lived without those intimate moments for several days, the robust Liu Zhizhong was understandably quite frustrated, sigh...

Two hours later, Liu Zhizhong officially entered Devil's National Highway 718 and drove westward, day after day.

Even in a good Mercedes, his heart still felt somewhat empty.

It was summer, and this area was a semi-highland where geological disasters were common.

Along the way, one could occasionally see landslide debris on the sides of the mountains!

Overall, the current National Highway 718 was much improved from before, with several expansions and the addition of guardrails, but it was still very dangerous.

Driving past the bases of mountains, along slopes, mountain tops, and river valleys, the scenery along the way was indeed top-notch, truly delightful.

In the back seat, Zhang Yuxing occasionally stared out the window, lost in thought, perhaps reminiscing about past romances?

From time to time, she also took out her phone to snap photos, looking quite happy.

Throughout the journey, they still encountered several road-trippers, and various cars trundled along Devil's National Highway 718, an invaluable experience and memory in life.

Since it was also summer vacation weather, the number of people out on self-driving tours was naturally quite high.

But comparatively, there were even more cargo trucks passing through.

After all, in the Great Liangzhou area, trains would never reach places like Dingkang County and its capital.

The best method for transporting goods in wasn't by air but by land, and there were indeed a lot of cargo trucks.

Overtaking these cargo trucks, Liu Zhizhong had no problem at all; his car had great power, and his driving skills were indeed top-notch, bold yet careful.

Of course, Liu Zhizhong also noticed some vehicles that had been in accidents below some slopes, smashed beyond recognition, covered in rust. It was impossible to save these scrapped vehicles, managing to retrieve bodies from the wrecks was an achievement in itself.

This area was practically unpopulated, with very few residents, let alone going up those dangerous slopes to collect scrap metal to sell, ha...

Such vehicles were actually quite numerous, seeing them was truly chilling to the bone.

Liu Zhizhong tried his best not to look at these old and new crash sites, focusing on driving his own car properly.

As he drove further, the road became even more precipitous, and he inevitably had to slow down. Even when overtaking, Liu Zhizhong was extremely cautious.

His driving was flawless, smooth and stable, and Zhang Yuxing sitting in the back felt quite comfortable and quite satisfied.

As dusk approached, Liu Zhizhong was indeed getting sleepy.

Looking at the itinerary, there were thirty kilometers left until they reached a town called Mulang ahead.

This area was a river valley region, with rapid river flows and tall, steep mountains on either side, having reached a high-altitude area.

According to the plan, the two were to spend the night in Mulang Town ahead, set off early the next morning, and reach Dingkang County by mid-morning. Of course, on the way, they would pass by the place where Zhang Yuxing's ex-boyfriend Luo Kejibai had perished.

Mulang Town, located in a relatively wide part of the Ailian River Valley, was a town inhabited by minorities.

Of course, that used to be the case, with minorities settling here, conducting trade and such.

But now, ha, because there were too many Han people, they still made up more than half of the town's population. The businesses in town, basically, were all run by the Han people.

When half of the moon rose over the steep and tall mountain peaks in the Eastern Sky, their luxury vehicle was nearing Mulang Town.

Looking around, between the mountains, the river was wide, and on both sides were fertile plains and grasslands. Mulang Town was situated at the edge of these grasslands, by the side of the Ailian River.

The lights were scattered, giving off a somewhat bustling feel.

After all, this was also a midway supply station for Devil's National Highway 718. Many people on self-driving tours would stop here to replenish water, food, fuel, and rest overnight. Thus, the bustle of Mulang Town was not without reason.

Each year, before the snowy season, it was a time of extreme economic activity, even being called the largest economic town in Dingkang County!

At this moment, as nightfall descended and the lights and people's spirits were high.

Even by the Ailian River, there were camping tents and quite a few traces of RVs.

The clear sky and the cool river breeze made it so that there was no need for air conditioning in the car. Approaching the town with the windows down was truly enjoyable.

Zhang Yuxing, sitting in the back, looked at everything ahead, her eyes brimming with memories.

She suddenly blurted out, "Liu Zhizhong, do you know the story of the territorial disputes over Mulang Town in the past?"

"Oh? Oh, ha, yes, I do!"

"You actually know? Tell me?" Zhang Yuxing became curious.