The car sped along the road, and by noon, they arrived at a great gorge surrounded by karst topography. There was no greenery in sight—the desertification was severe. Towering rocks with bizarre shapes were everywhere, and many sunken crevices, though not large, added an air of mystery. On the ridges on both sides, they could see guards with guns, standing watch, sometimes in groups of three or five.
At the entrance to the gorge, more than a dozen armed sentries watched the approaching vehicle with caution. Next to the dirt road lay a dry riverbed, filled with exposed, parched stones. A light breeze swept through the gorge, stirring the withered reeds between the dry riverbed and the dirt road. The reeds were so dried out that a single spark could set them aflame.
