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墨書 Inktalez
Hearing Fatty speak like that, I fell silent as well. Money, we could find a way to manage, but going into Myanmar to rescue someone was a risky business. There was a possibility that not only would the person not be rescued, but he could also get trapped himself. However, his comrade was so loyal and carried all the burdens alone; from Fatty's perspective, it was indeed impossible to just stand by and do nothing.
I thought for a moment and said, "I can figure out the money. If I really don’t have enough, I can borrow from Jack first. But who’s going to do the rescue? It’s too chaotic there, and the risks are too high. I don’t approve of you going. Is there any other way? We could negotiate for the ransom without entering Myanmar."
Fatty shook his head. "Your thinking is too naive. We’re not the kind of people who can just talk to them. Those running casinos on the China-Myanmar Border are remnants of the old Warlord forces; they wouldn’t leave their territory for a ransom. In fact, they wouldn’t dare step outside their own turf. Within their domain, they are kings, local tyrants; one step outside could get them killed. I know these guys well." Fatty stepped closer. "However, I have acquaintances there and have already made contact. With him guiding us, it should be safe."
Hearing this eased my worries a bit, so I asked him, "Is the ransom enough?"
Fatty forced a smile. "We're still a bit short."
Seeing his smile, I knew it wasn’t good news. "How much is 'a bit'?"
Fatty held up one finger. "Five hundred thousand."
"What? That’s just 'a bit'? You could buy a house with that here," I exclaimed angrily.
"In USD."
I raised my middle finger in disbelief before saying to him, "Can you not say things like that so casually? Your comrade seems to be quite the troublemaker. How much money does he have? If he’s that wealthy, he shouldn’t have trouble covering his medical expenses. Come on, first tell me how much debt he owes in total; I feel like this is a trap."
"I know there are issues here," Fatty nodded helplessly. "The news that came through is vague and not specific. I did some digging; those places allow gamblers to run up debts, and many people end up owing more than they can control. I’ll only know the specifics when I see Da Zhang."
"How much does he owe?" I pressed impatiently.
“USD One million. An integer.” Fatty sounded a bit deflated; the amount was just too large.
As I calculated, Fatty still needed five hundred thousand, which meant he had already gathered five hundred thousand. This money probably drained his entire savings. The problem was that finding this additional five hundred thousand would be difficult. I could manage to cover ten or eighty thousand, and if I couldn't get it from Jack, I could dig up some funds from elsewhere. After all, my studio had support from three funding sources, so borrowing a bit from the other two wouldn't be a problem. Worst case, once the situation settled down, I could figure out how to patch up the hole. However, with a funding gap of five hundred thousand USD, the resources from the other two sponsors would be stretched thin.
At this moment, the roles of the three funding sources became clear. AE imposed the most restrictions on me, but its financial support was substantial. The other two sources were not decisive at this point; it was still AE's funds that could help in an urgent situation. Borrowing money from Jack became our only option.
In the chilly spring night, under dim light, Fatty and I sat smoking and strategizing. Currently, AE's funds for this project were in Jack's hands; he held the decision-making power. How to persuade Jack became crucial. We agreed that our request for a loan needed to be sudden and urgent, leaving Jack no time to ponder deeply. Of course, coming up with a solid reason was also essential; I needed to think carefully about that. To increase the chances of success in borrowing, timing was key—I decided to approach him on the eve of our action.
There was another decision that left me feeling helpless and distressed. Our upcoming operation was extremely dangerous; I referred specifically to searching for Xiao Guolin. There was a possibility it could be a one-way trip. Therefore, we had to rescue Da Zhang before taking action—a point Fatty insisted on, and I did not oppose it. This meant our rough two-step plan discussed earlier at the dinner table became a constraint due to this unexpected situation.
Guangxi borders the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, and searching for traces of Xiao Guolin in Guangxi could coincide with heading to Myanmar to rescue someone. This necessitated that Fatty head south; for both personal and professional reasons, I couldn't allow him to go into Myanmar alone—I'd have to go south as well. Consequently, it made sense for Xiao Ting and Jack to team up for the desert mission. Preventing Xiao Ting from entering the desert was something I firmly believed in; even if she did enter, she had to be with me because I worried about her acting impulsively or blindly.
I engaged in intense internal conflict, weighing my options repeatedly until I felt that this group entering the desert should be safe. Even if we might delve into the heart of the desert while initially tracking down Xiao Guolin, we would only operate in areas previously searched by work teams. Moreover, with Jack leading as an expert, if anything went wrong here, it would truly reflect poorly on AE for sending such an incompetent person to assist me. As for my and Fatty's venture into Myanmar, it would undoubtedly be perilous; I couldn't even imagine letting Xiao Ting join us.
Ultimately, I made up my mind: Fatty and I would head south while Jack and Xiao Ting would enter the desert. Next came figuring out how to persuade Jack to lend us money. This required careful thought; while Fatty had his tricks up his sleeve, he didn't understand AE's operational methods—this was something I'd have to handle myself.
Back in my room, sleep eluded me as I brewed a cup of coffee and mulled over my thoughts. Five hundred thousand USD, based on past sponsorships from AE, wasn't an insignificant amount; without special activities, annual expenses wouldn't even reach that figure. To get Jack to part with such a large sum all at once required a solid plan—a reason he couldn't refuse at that moment. Ideally, it would be best not to borrow but rather link this amount directly to our operation.
I pondered over what kind of reason could suffice—it wasn't easy to find one. We had only set our general direction for action without finalizing details or personnel arrangements; there was no way we could justify needing five hundred thousand USD just for a trip to Guangxi. If we could somehow connect our journey there with operational supplies and equipment, there might still be a chance of success. The issue was that since collaborating with AE began, they provided all equipment through their highly professional evaluators; all I needed to do was submit an intention for action along with a funding request—once approved, they would send me an equipment list. This list contained comprehensive and advanced gear; my task wasn't about adding items but rather removing what I deemed redundant or unnecessary.
As for personnel—this idea quickly negated itself in my mind. In archaeology—especially Desert Archaeology—it’s common practice to hire locals as guides; given my grassroots approach, I'd need help from various aspects as well. But hiring guides for five hundred thousand USD? Was this an expedition to Mars?
Alternatively, like Fatty, I could simply ask him for commission directly since this operation originated from AE’s proposal—in theory, I was indeed on their payroll so requesting compensation seemed reasonable. But did I really value five hundred thousand USD?
The more I thought about it, the more my mind became a mess.
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