As the canopy above me begins to fade and the late afternoon tropical sun forms an array of beads across the floor of this jungle maze, I sense that the fruitfulness of my mission might be dwindling. Why didn't I listen to the people in Ho Chi Min who told me that the remains of this fabled underground city I am seeking are nothing but a myth? How did I lose my transport and end up on foot in this wretched place? Never mind, finally a clearing ahead reveals a dirt path that seems seldom traveled. A hidden message carved into a tree stump includes 2 arrows: east to Saigon, west to an unreadable cryptic symbol that I cannot recognize. I'll try my luck.

After hours trekking west through this godforsaken jungle, I emerge in what appears to be a tribal village where I am greeted by the village elder who signals for me to follow him into a lavish tent. As I enter, he points to a decorated cushion on the hard dirt floor, so I sit. He sits across from me on a similar cushion and in broken English utters "hello I am Dong. Welcome to my village. What are you doing alone this deep in the jungle?", as he hands me some water and offers me a puff of the opium pipe he just lit. I gratuitously drank the water and responded by explaining that I was seeking the fabled treasure that is said to be hidden deep in the ground under the ancient city of Ching Bui. Immediately Dong's eyes began to sink down the floor as if I had disappointed him and after a few seconds of reflection, he said "over my lifetime I have met a few brave men here and there who have sought the same thing you are describing. Unfortunately I never saw any of them again". Mr. Long then gazed at me deeply and sighed.

"Well, I can tell you are determined. Please take these gifts to protect you as you venture forth." He handed me what appeared to be a handmade walking stick with the head of the king cobra along with a pair of some of the most finely crafted boots I have ever seen. As I inspected the stick and boots, I noticed that they both contained elements of the same snake and after a closer look I could see the inscription Dong Long branded on each item. Mr. Long then explained that his tribe comes from a long lineage of tailors that were appointed by the ancient emperor to craft sacred protective garments for the royal family from the skin of the white cobra. "Our family comes from an ancient bloodline that is immune to the venom of this special snake. This is why our tribe has remained here deep in this jungle near the ruins of the original imperial palace. However, our tribe has been going through tough times since the fall of the empire. We have resorted to making our livelihood from White Cobra t-shirts and hoodies that we now ship to distributors in the nearest cities." As Dong wraps up his captivating history of his tribe and unique familial skillset, he says that the items he has blessed me with are original Royal garments that have been protected by his family and that he hopes they will help protect me on my mission. I thanked Mr. Long for his hospitality and for the unique soldier supplies and began to walk in the direction he pointed for me to continue into the jungle...