Following the map, the three of them went down the highway and turned into an old road. After ten minutes, they got on a wide concrete path that led to the rural area; the way it stood out in its surroundings made it clear that the path was newly-constructed.0

With moonlight illuminating the way, the car drove through a large plot of farmland and finally arrived at the row of unfinished villas at the bottom of the mountain—the Gu’s Mountain Retreat.0

Wang Zikai parked on an unpaved clearing that served as a temporary parking lot. On the left was a lake. The rough shapes of a pavilion and railings could be seen, which must have halted construction not...0