The next morning, at the crack of dawn.
Li Xu changed into some practical casual wear.
He slung on a canvas bag, filled with all sorts of tools.
On his wrist, he wore a watch that displayed longitude and latitude. A folding entrenching tool was tucked into his belt, and a small, lithium-powered chainsaw hung from the side of his pack.
"Dr. Li, are you sure you don't need me to lead the way?"
Chen Hui stood at the door, looking at the fully-equipped Li Xu with some concern. "The terrain in these mountains is complex, and there are wild animals. It's too dangerous to go in alone."
Old Zhang also chimed in, "He's right. Why don't I get a few villagers who know the mountain paths to go with you?"
Li Xu shook his head, his tone firm. "That won't be necessary. The fewer people who know where I'm going, the better. Besides, I have professional positioning equipment; I won't get lost."
The Ten Thousand Year Old Agarwood was too precious.
