Assault on Sacred Mountain

Is everything good?

Urgent! Security breach in executive office.

Respond immediately!

Hey, come on… let's go.

Someone's here. Hurry!

Get it.

My hikers...

Can we all gather around please.

Thank you all for making it today.

I am Joey, your tour guide for today and tomorrow.

You've all read the emails,

especially about what food to bring?

Yep. And everyone's read the "leave no trace seven principles"?

Yes.

Can anyone name one principle for 500?

Dispose of waste properly.

Correct!

Jared from Australia. Thank you.

I've got the first aid kit, toilet paper,

and this... Very important when you need it.

Is the first aid kit in case of earthquakes?

Nah, that's the toilet paper.

We'll all be shitting ourselves.

We have accommodations tonight.

So you don't have to worry about tents.

But I have an emergency shelter

in case we are caught in the rainstorm.

And the trek we're taking, there's no tourists.

We might have the whole mountain to ourselves.

Any questions before we leave?

Yeah, has the war started already?

There's an air force base in Hualien,

so you'll hear and see planes all the time.

Nothing to worry about. Any other questions?

I heard that there were poisonous snakes.

I thought Australia was full of deadly snakes.

Kylie freaked out when she saw a tiger snake,

in the Yarra Ranges last year.

Don't worry, our reptile friends are hibernating this season.

But you might have to be aware of spiders.

Sometimes you don't want to walk into any webs.

Okay, is everyone ready?

Okay, let's go!

I think you dropped this.

Excuse me.

Oh, thank you.

Short break guys, we'll rest here.

My Mandarin is not very good, so you have to go easy on me.

They don't make it mandatory in Hong Kong?

No, not yet.

That's all right.

We'll be speaking English anyways.

You're right.

We have, we have…

Two Australians,

one Dutchman and an American.

Our own little United Nations.

Yeah.

So...

Is this your full-time job?

Yeah, for the moment anyways.

That's cool.

Did you buy that in the Netherlands, Maarten?

No, bought it in Hong Kong. Much cheaper there.

A Chinese brand?

Yeah.

They own the market for consumer drones.

Can't beat the price.

Is everything's still made in China?

I thought the pandemic changed that.

I don't know about that.

Go to a Walmart where I'm from, it's all from China.

Yeah, but the microchips, they're made in Taiwan.

That's why they say there won't be a war.

Why is that?

It would cut off the supply of chips.

No more iPhones.

Aw,

what would you buy me for Christmas then?

We can thank Apple for peace in Taiwan Strait.

Alright, time to move on.

Watch your step.

So we'll stop for lunch in about 10 minutes,

but remember to take this all in.

Hey mate.

I need the dunny.

I need to lay a log.

I need to take a crap.

Oh yeah.

Maarten, come take a photo of me.

Still got a signal.

That's too bad. I was hoping to get off the grid.

Hey Joey, how's our schedule?

Yep, we're okay. If we pack up now,

and we keep at the same pace,

we should get back to the cabin well before dark.

Incoming!

You asshole. Is that shit?

Now Kylie

would I do a thing like that?

Yes!

Trash?

Leave no trace.

Joey?

Didn't you say that we would have the mountain to ourselves?

I'll see what they're up to.

Do not approach. Area closed due to military exercises.

We're tourists, just hiking. We're heading to the cabin.

Who told you to come up here?

Nobody, we're just a hiking trail.

Do you not understand? Go back!

Huiying, can you understand them?

Um, no.

I think my Mandarin's worse than I thought it was.

- Going? - Come on.

Are they real soldiers?

They're probably some guys dressed up.

Bad news guys.

They said the trail up ahead is closed for military exercises.

Which is strange, I've never seen soldiers patrol up here.

We were counting on that cabin.

We don't even have our own tents.

Don't worry, the hike's not over.

We can just double back and take a different route.

Let me just check my maps.

Are you online Joey?

Yeah, but the connection's slow.

Hey Joey, Maartin and I were talking.

What if these guys aren't real military.

Maybe they want to play paintball games?

Screw them it's a free country, right?

Not according to China.

Yeah, to them it's a breakaway province.

You're American.

Would you fight for Taiwan?

For freedom and democracy?

Sure, why not?

You know, the more I think about it,

those soldiers don't add up.

Yeah, that's what we said.

In what way though?

Well, when I was in national service,

and everyone has to now in Taiwan,

we never trained in a national park.

Well I didn't see any guns.

Maybe they're not real soldiers.

We had weapons in training,

just on base, never in public.

Hey Maarten, did you apply for a permit for that?

Nay.

I don't believe in red tape.

There they are.

Shit!

What happened?

That's a $1200 drone.

Wait, was that a gunshot?

We didn't see real guns, right?

If they are real soldiers they could be carrying sidearms.

Easy to conceal.

The Taiwan military isn't going to shoot,

a tourist from the Netherlands.

They might if you go charging at them, mate.

Better not risk it.

Shouldn't we go after him?

We better.

I don't think he speaks Mandarin.

Stay here till we get back.

Excuse me.

Stop.

Have you seen my drone?

Go back.

Have you seen my drone?

Go back!

Get the fuck back!

It's my drone.