Chapter 378: "How Did They Avoid the Tickets?"

"What's so special about the library on the mountain?"

"If you saw the books in that library, you'd be scared to death!"

Chen Jianhai silently scoffed at the group for their overreaction.

To say the least,

The value of the books and paintings in the library alone was enough to recreate another Jellyfish Lake.

Initially, he thought that in this age of information explosion, with e-books freely accessible on phones and mobile devices, the market for physical books wouldn't be so significant.

But who would have thought that these genuine books were exceptionally expensive!

Some out-of-print vinyl records and films were even more priceless, unavailable even if you had the money.

However, despite his inner thoughts, Chen Jianhai kept a smiling face as he led the group up the mountain.

Entering the mountain path on the northern part of the island, the group walked on the stone steps.

The lush green plants overhead blocked the scorching sunlight, and the noise of the waves was also muted outside.

Flowers in pink, red, yellow, and purple bloomed either on the treetops or quietly peeked from the grass below,

These colors might seem unremarkable up close,

But from a distance, the mountain scenery dazzled the eyes, like oil paint splashed on a green canvas, vibrant against the lush green mountains,

The moist air particles from the sea breeze intertwined with the oxygen particles from the trees,

Like layers of invisible, colorless bubbles,

Seeping into their noses and skin, nourishing and moisturizing their organs and lungs with every breath.

Aside from Chen Jianhai and Hanshan Daye,

Everyone present was accustomed to traveling extensively for field research,

The comfortable climate and temperature instantly captivated them.

"This place has really nice air!" Yuan Xiao sincerely exclaimed, then turned to ask Hanshan Daye:

"Daye, are the islanders here generally long-lived?"

"Quite so, there are indeed many elderly people in the village." Hanshan Daye replied, hands behind his back, climbing the mountain with an air of serenity.

"Daye, at your age, it's impressive that you're still so agile climbing mountains!" Li Yi also praised.

"Climbing mountains is nothing! We go out to sea fishing overnight, that's much more exhausting."

Hanshan Daye said nonchalantly, making everyone silently marvel.

An elderly person like him can still spend whole nights fishing at sea?

This island really seems like a longevity island!

Given the excellent climate and environment, it's no wonder people live long here.

Yuan Xiao and the others looked at Hanshan Daye with some envy,

Only Chen Jianhai secretly rolled his eyes.

Overnight fishing,

Last time, someone was sleeping like a log on the boat while their son piloted the entire time.

...

The mountain path was very quiet,

Only the chirping of birds and the singing of insects could be heard,

Most of the path was a gentle ascent, with a serene ancient road vibe untouched by humans on both sides.

"What is this..."

As they walked, they suddenly stopped, staring at a three-meter-high mountain cliff path.

The nearly vertical cliff face was only secured by a few thick chains and iron pegs,

The path carved out below was barely wide enough for two feet, making it necessary to proceed with extreme caution.

A single misstep could result in a dangerous fall.

"The Jellyfish Lake is on the mountain, just beyond this three-meter-high cliff."

Chen Jianhai said with a smile.

"When we were developing the scenic spot, to preserve the original topography and landscape as much as possible, we didn't alter this natural cliff, so I created this cliff path."

"It's quite miraculous,"

"If not for this cliff, the Jellyfish Lake might have been discovered much earlier, and not remained hidden until now."

Liu Zhe and Yan Xingyun, accustomed to field research involving climbing and diving, were physically fit enough to scale the three-meter-high cliff path.

Li Yi, in his twenties, also had no problem with climbing.

But Yuan Xiao and Wang Nong faced difficulties.

Both were office-bound, mainly dealing with paperwork and research,

Climbing this path was quite a challenge.

Sensing their discomfort, Chen Jianhai quickly said:

"But don't worry, professors."

"This path was specifically built for rock-climbing enthusiasts. We also constructed a gentler, more accessible path on the side."

"Follow me."

Chen Jianhai pointed towards a nearby thicket.

Yuan Xiao and the others peered closely and indeed saw a faintly visible path leading up the mountain through the trees.

The path was very well concealed and not easily noticeable.

Seeing an alternative route, Yuan Xiao and Wang Nong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Chen Laoban, can this path be used now?"

Li Yi asked curiously.

He looked at the safety locks on the cliff path, eyes filled with eagerness.

Not just him, Yan Xingyun and Liu Zhe also looked excited,

The last time Yan Xingyun visited, they had to climb up by stepping on each other's shoulders; now with the chains in place, they were eager to try it!

"Not now…"

Chen Jianhai said regretfully,

"The safety officer responsible for the cliff path happened to be on leave today, for everyone's safety, we'll have to climb it another day."

Hearing this, Yan Xingyun and the others looked disappointed.

However, since this visit wasn't for leisure, they followed Chen Jianhai and Hanshan Daye up the stone path on the side.

After climbing about nine steps,

They saw the serene, green lake surface with soft jellyfish swimming, gleaming golden in the sunlight.

Above the lake,

A blue aerial corridor surrounded the lake, standing quietly.

The entire corridor was made of transparent high-strength glass, offering a panoramic view of the Jellyfish Lake.

Around the lake,

There were several exquisite bird's nest-shaped changing rooms and resting spots made of coconut fiber and tree branches.

They provided shade and privacy for changing into diving suits.

On top of the nests, a few yellow chubby birds were perched, tilting their heads and flapping their wings, occasionally grooming their beautiful feathers.

Seeing Chen Jianhai and the group approaching,

The chubby birds immediately flew up in alert, darting into the leaves and disappearing,

Only their clear chirps could be heard from the treetops.

"This is the Jellyfish Lake...!"

Yuan Xiao and the others were instantly excited upon seeing the lake.

They ignored the ticket booth at the entrance,

Rushed past the stunned ticket seller and gatekeeper, with their backpacks on, heading straight to the lake,

Squatting down, they bent over and studied the lake intently, completely disregarding their appearance.

"What's going on?"

"Who are they, why didn't they buy tickets?"

The island ticket seller and gatekeeper ran out from the service center, visibly displeased.

After all their training, they had been eagerly awaiting visitors to showcase their professionalism.

But how could these people blatantly avoid paying for tickets!