"You two, where did you run off to? Everyone is waiting for you. Hurry up!" Xie Lao Ba, with a cigarette in his mouth, urged us.

We got into Xie Lao Ba's minivan. Besides us, there were three other people in the car, making a total of six people with Xie Lao Ba.

Xie Lao Ba asked us to pay the fare first before starting the car and driving off.

It was midnight now, pitch-black outside, and the silence was eerie.

The minivan trudged along the mountain road, appearing unusually lonely.

There were hardly any other vehicles on the mountain road, but the terrain was steep, and the minivan couldn't go too fast.

On one side was a mountain wall, on the other side was a precipice. The minivan was like an ant slowly moving among the undulating peaks of the high mountains.

Actually, the distance between the town and the county isn't very far, but because it's all winding mountain roads with poor road conditions, the speed can't be increased. So even though it's not a long journey, it takes several hours.

Yunnan and Guizhou are mountainous regions, especially in southern Guizhou, where there are continuous mountains and peaks, making transportation relatively backward. It's also an important factor hindering the development of Guizhou.

People say that the road to Shu is difficult, but the road in Guizhou is also challenging.

But because of the lack of connectivity, many places in southern Guizhou have not been impacted or polluted by the outside world, preserving their original appearance. Therefore, the scenery is particularly beautiful, with beautiful mountains and clear waters.

Everyone sat in the car and chatted with each other. The other three passengers were Niu Fugui, a man in his forties who had taken a security job in the county and was rushing to report for duty; Chen Dong, originally from the town but working in the county and occasionally coming home to visit; and Liu Jie, a middle-aged woman whose son was hospitalized in the county while studying there, and she was rushing to the hospital to see him.

The minivan continued to climb the mountain road, turning one sharp bend after another, leaving us drowsy and feeling drunk.

I rarely take car rides, and coupled with the winding mountain road, my stomach churned, and I felt carsick, very uncomfortable.

After climbing halfway up the mountain, thick fog began to rise, reducing visibility, creating a hazy grayness everywhere.

The minivan slowly drove through the fog-filled mountain road, with the window showing a deep abyss. Sitting in the car, we felt as if we were walking on water, nervous to the point of gripping our toes tightly.

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The headlights shone into the mist, only allowing us to see a distance of about ten meters ahead.

The higher we went, the thicker the fog became. Eventually, fog clusters formed, almost engulfing our minivan.

What drivers fear the most is encountering dense fog that doesn't dissipate, a white expanse where nothing can be seen.

Xie Lao Ba sighed, wiped the car window, and said to us, "This fog is too heavy, it's not safe. I think we should stop by the roadside and wait until the fog clears a bit before we continue."

We nodded, agreeing with Xie Lao Ba's suggestion. After all, personal safety is the most important.

The minivan flashed its right turn signal, preparing to slow down and stop by the side of the road. Just at this moment, an oversized truck suddenly emerged from the thick fog.

The truck appeared abruptly, and everyone in the car couldn't help but scream, "Ah!"

My heart instantly jumped to my throat as if I saw the Grim Reaper approaching us quickly.

Ahead was a bend in the mountain road. The truck didn't seem to brake at all, whether due to going downhill too fast or turning too aggressively. It seemed out of control and came straight towards us without any sign of slowing down.

The weight of the truck itself, coupled with the impact from going downhill, would be enough to crush our minivan into scrap metal.

Fortunately, Xie Lao Ba's driving skills were good. He suddenly turned the steering wheel to the right, and the front of the truck almost grazed our minivan.

Seeing the minivan rushing towards the mountain wall, Xie Lao Ba swiftly jerked the steering wheel to the left. On the narrow mountain road, the minivan carved out an "S" shaped path, tires emitting smoke, and finally came to a slow stop against the mountain wall.

We sat in the car, cold sweat streaming down, completely awake now. We had just circled around the gates of death.

Fortunately, apart from a scratch on the right side of the minivan from brushing against the mountain wall, there was no other impact, and we managed to snatch back our lives from the hands of death.

The truck, closely following the minivan, rushed downhill and quickly disappeared into the thick fog.

Silence filled the cabin; no one spoke. Everyone hadn't fully recovered from the shock of a moment ago.

Xie Lao Ba let out a long sigh. I saw his trembling hands gripping the steering wheel.

After a while, Xie Lao Ba turned on the hazard lights, leaned back in his seat, sweat beads the size of soybeans on his face.

Xie Lao Ba had been driving on this mountain road for over ten years, and this was probably the first time he encountered such a situation. The fright had drained all color from his face.

Xie Lao Ba opened a teacup, took a big gulp, and calmed himself down. Then he turned to us and asked if we were okay.

"We're fine! We're fine!" I waved my hand, slowly swallowing the lingering fear in my chest. The sudden scare even made my chest ache.

Fatso smoked a cigarette, angrily cursing, venting his anger by cursing at the truck driver's ancestors for eighteen generations.

"Hey, when did a truck stop behind us?" Suddenly, I saw in the rearview mirror that there was a truck parked behind our minivan, seemingly resting as well.

But this truck didn't make any sound, and we didn't even know when it stopped behind us. It was stealthy, like a ghost.

"It's another heavy truck. Probably an experienced driver. I'll go and talk to him!" Fatso was about to reach out and open the car door.

At this moment, there was a click, and Xie Lao Ba had locked the car doors.

Fatso curiously asked Xie Lao Ba, "What are you doing?"

Xie Lao Ba, with a cigarette in his mouth, said in a deep voice, "When we're away from home, let's not cause any trouble."

Fatso smirked, "Well, I just wanted to get off and take a leak!"

"Not for now. Something doesn't seem right with that truck behind us!" Xie Lao Ba's eyes were fixed on the rearview mirror, his expression becoming more serious.