Chapter 140: Chaka Salt Lake, Mirage
Of course, Lin Qingchen, once famous across various cities as the formidable queen of the underworld, was now honestly and quietly making her mark as a proper entrepreneur.
Meanwhile, her cousin, He Ku'er, known for her ever-changing colorful silk stockings, had re-entered the martial world of wanderers.
In just the past few days, Lin Shenlu had not once seen He Ku'er wear the same pair of stockings twice.
Could it really be as she claimed herself?
That she had prepared dozens of pairs of stockings in different styles in the trunk of her car?
How could someone so young be so obsessed with this particular quirk?
Lin Shenlu secretly swore to himself that he would definitely find a day to pry open that trunk and take a good look at what on earth was going on!
The child was still too young; she must not be allowed to stray down the wrong path!
...
From Qinghai Lake to Chaka Salt Lake, the altitude increases noticeably.
Along the way, the scenery contrasted by green mountains was breathtaking, with the highest point being the Yakou Pass of Rubber Mountain.
The altitude reached a staggering 3,800 meters.
Before them lay a ring of mountains, green ridges merging with vast grasslands, and clouds lingering lazily around the peaks.
A straight highway stretched forward into the distance.
Regarding the upcoming Mirror of the Sky, Lin Shenlu felt a deep, heartfelt sense of anticipation.
Even though he had seen countless photographs of Chaka Salt Lake and simulated its scenery in his mind a thousand times,
to this day, Lin Shenlu still could not find the right words to describe the beauty of the salt lake.
Chaka Salt Lake was not like the West Lake in Hangzhou; it never needed heavy makeup or artificial embellishments.
Nor was it like the Li River in Guilin, which possessed a dynamic, ethereal, and refined grace.
It was even less like Qinghai Lake, which was deep blue, boundless, and profound.
It was nothing like any of them.
Chaka Salt Lake was simply itself.
Pristine and mysterious.
It was a mirror reflecting the heavens.
Within this mirror, one might perhaps catch a glimpse of one's own soul.
At least in Lin Shenlu’s eyes, in his heart, and in the depths of his mind.
That is what it was.
...
"Is Chaka Salt Lake very big?" An Muxi asked curiously along the journey.
Since it could be called the Mirror of the Sky, it surely had to be massive.
Otherwise, how could it reflect an even larger sky?
"Is the West Lake very big?" Lin Shenlu countered with a question.
"Of course the West Lake is huge," An Muxi nodded, having visited it herself before.
"Chaka Salt Lake is sixteen times the size of the West Lake! The reason it is called a salt lake is because the edible salt it produces in abundance could feed the entire country's population for seventy or eighty years," Lin Shenlu said with a smile.
"Just how big is that?" A trace of curiosity flickered in An Muxi's eyes.
"You'll understand once you see it for yourself. It is a piece of the sky laid out upon the earth..."
...
Lin Shenlu held a profound emotional attachment to Chaka Salt Lake.
To capture the most stunning photographs in such a breathtaking place, a multitude of factors had to align perfectly; not a single one could be missing.
The first was the right timing.
The surface ice thaws starting in April every year, making Chaka Salt Lake suitable for photography until November.
During winter, it was nothing more than a vast, blinding expanse of white.
The second factor was the right weather.
Ever since around 2007, Chaka Salt Lake had gradually become well-known to the public, marking the beginning of its tourism industry.
Of course, it was in the subsequent years that people slowly began calling it the Mirror of the Sky, and around 2014, it went viral across the internet on a large scale.
Back then, very few people knew about Chaka Salt Lake; there were no endless lines of cars, nor red silk scarves and red dresses fluttering across the sky.
It was also from that time onward that the small town grew larger, and passing visitors began calling Chaka Salt Lake the "Bolivia of China."
Yet, during unfavorable weather conditions, some people would complain that they had been deceived by photographs and that the place did not live up to its reputation.
Because the true beauty of Chaka Salt Lake genuinely demanded good weather.
The third factor consisted of main elements such as sunlight, gentle breezes, and the water level.
At noon, direct sunlight was far too blinding; the morning, dusk, and clear evenings were always the best choices.
The wind could not be too strong either; a surface whipped by strong winds would ripple, causing the reflection effect to diminish significantly.
The ideal breeze was one just strong enough to flutter a beauty's skirt hem yet too gentle to stir ripples upon the water's surface.
The most suitable water level was one that barely reached the tops of one's feet.
If the water at Chaka Salt Lake were too deep, submerging one's calves or knees, it would turn into thick mud, leaving everyone stumbling about unsteadily.
Therefore, when all these numerous factors coincided harmoniously, coupled with the use of a drone photography device, the resulting visual effect would be nothing short of earthly perfection.
Fortunately!
Lin Shenlu had all of those conditions met today.
...
After driving for approximately eighty kilometers, Lin Shenlu would arrive at that most breathtaking and legendary natural crystalline salt lake renowned throughout the Qaidam Basin.
Chaka Salt Lake.
It was said that the salt here had a mellow and fragrant taste, making it arguably the most ideal edible salt.
The original Mirror of the Sky was Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni in a foreign land.
Thus, this was also the reason why Chaka Salt Lake later rose to fame and came to be known as the Bolivia of China.
Nestled among the winding, unbroken ranges of the Qilian Mountains, the boundless expanse of Chaka Salt Lake appeared pure, white, and crystal-clear.
"We'll pass through Chaka Town shortly. It's very close to the salt lake, and we'll decide whether to stay here for the night depending on the situation," Lin Shenlu said.
An Muxi nodded.
"The current Chaka Salt Lake has two scenic areas. One is the widely known Mirror of the Sky, while the other newer one is Sky No. 1. Although you're looking at the same salt lake from both, the new Sky No. 1 hasn't been heavily promoted yet, so there are very few people, and the scenery is even better..." Lin Shenlu had clearly done his homework thoroughly.
...
Entering Chaka Town, Lin Shenlu slowed down his driving speed.
Coming into view was a small red train moving forward at a leisurely pace.
It was a retro-style train that possessed an abundance of rustic charm.
"We can take this small train later; it goes directly to the salt lake."
Pausing for a moment, Lin Shenlu continued: "Just imagine: beneath the azure sky, right next to the pristine, mirror-like white expanse of Chaka Salt Lake, lies a gravel path alongside rows of wooden sleepers. On the oldest railway tracks chugs this slowly swaying little train, its curved tracks vanishing into the water toward an unknown destination, accompanied by a row of tilted utility poles on one side—it's all deeply atmospheric... It feels just like a scene straight out of an anime, as if it shouldn't exist in the real world at all!" Lin Shenlu was already becoming intoxicated by the thought.
"I know... I've heard that when you drive to Chaka Salt Lake, you must wash your car before leaving, otherwise the salt in the air will cling to your vehicle's exterior... and before long, it'll become impossible to wash off, turning your brand-new RV into a frosted matte finish..." An Muxi said, tilting her head.
...
After parking the car, Lin Shenlu paused to feel the humidity of the air and the warm sunlight beating down from overhead.
"You know... I have a wish when coming to Chaka Salt Lake, just like when I went to Dali," Lin Shenlu said to An Muxi.
"A wish for Dali... to witness a snowfall in Dali?" An Muxi teased.
" தொடர்பு... It's about the colorful clouds of auspiciousness; it's a miraculous spectacle that not just anyone has the karma to encounter." Lin Shenlu found An Muxi's train of thought becoming increasingly bizarre.
"What? Does Chaka Salt Lake have colorful clouds too?" An Muxi asked.
Lin Shenlu shook his head and replied, "If you're lucky enough at Chaka Salt Lake... you might even witness a mirage!"
"Of course, that requires immense luck—sufficient sunlight, enough water vapor, and the right refraction! This truly isn't something just anyone can encounter here!"
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