Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I suddenly realized that Jack might be referring to me. In that moment, I understood why his attitude towards me had been unusually cold lately.
I know my situation best. Although I am not as carefree as Fatty, it is not easy to push me to the brink or make me collapse. Destroying my spirit is harder than breaking my body.
Jack and I have been in contact for a while, especially since entering this canyon. We have gone through many experiences together, so he should know me well. But why does he still think I would lose control? Where does his distrust of me come from?
I extended a finger and pointed it at my own nose. "Is it me?"
Jack's shaking head came to a stop, his eyes still fixed on me, but he remained silent. However, I could tell he was tacitly agreeing.
"Why?"
"Why do you have such a strange thought?"
"Do you see me as so fragile?"
"Coward, you are the one who is afraid, looking for excuses to back down."
"Then just get lost! We don't need cowards!"
No matter what I said, even cursing him, Jack remained silent. His eyes and face showed no expression.
"I thought about it and cannot agree to your request."
After a long silence, Jack suddenly said this, leaving me confused amidst my anger.
"I am an employee of AE and have no right to conceal the truth. What happens here will definitely appear in my report."
My mind was further tangled by his words. How could he think so abstractly? Just when I was still grappling with the previous topic, he threw another conundrum at me.
I knew it would be difficult to keep the truth from him, but I had to try. At the very least, I needed to conceal this matter for a certain period. Because I would be returning shortly, I intended to venture to the other side of the unexplored dam. To that cold world. There must be something there that piqued my interest.
In this situation, my identity as a pseudo-boss offered me no advantage; I could only rely on personal connections to persuade him. However, there was some flexibility in this matter. When I set the deadline for one month later, Jack accepted my request and agreed to submit the report to AE only after a month.
This meant that I also had just one month. I had to re-enter the Underground Cavern within that time frame. If the Hakka People discovered their secrets had been leaked, returning here would be tantamount to suicide.
Moreover, when I came back this time, Fatty and Jack would not be accompanying me; I would need to find another partner.
Going alone was certainly not feasible; it would be nearly impossible. However, I had a candidate in mind: Cao Mingzhe. For whatever reason, he had a far greater understanding of this place than I did. He had visited this Village and even entered the Underground Cavern. Yet he had never revealed himself before the Hakka People. There must be a reason for that.
After leaving, my most pressing task was to meet up with Cao Mingzhe. I hoped to find him and that the Search and Rescue Team from Hong Kong had some connection with him.
In the remaining two hours, I engaged in frequent conversations with everyone. I instructed the Vietnamese and Lao People not to disclose what they had seen here and certainly not to return. Of course, this warning was primarily directed at A San. I believed that the Lao People would never come back to this cursed place again. The Vietnamese likely wouldn’t return either; there were no ancient tombs or anything they desired here—no benefits for them at all.
I assigned Xiao Ting to gather information about the situation over at Lop Nur. She had spent some time there recently. Additionally, she could reach out to some acquaintances in the field of Archaeology, like that student of Xiao Guolin whom she had contacted earlier, who could provide her with new updates. Keeping Xiao Ting tied to Lop Nur would also make it easier for me to return here.
As for Fatty, he could only focus on recovering for now. If he healed well, he might assist Xiao Ting, but for my part of things, I couldn’t rely on him; time was too tight.
After talking with Jack, his mood showed no signs of easing; he isolated himself like someone with autism, even avoiding contact with Xiao Ting. However, I noticed he was quietly observing us—not just me but almost everyone around him—though he seemed indifferent towards Fatty, sometimes even ignoring his presence entirely.
I couldn’t comprehend all of Jack’s actions and thoughts. But I also didn’t discuss it with anyone else, including Fatty. I felt that Jack’s mental state was troubled. In such circumstances, it was understandable for someone’s mind to falter; however, it surprised me that it happened to Jack. If it were happening to a member of the Lao People, I would have found it more comprehensible and acceptable.
Out of respect for his pride as a man, I chose to keep Jack's secret. Perhaps he wasn’t aware of it, but in some way, I did consider him a trustworthy friend; thus, I felt obliged to honor that friendship.
The three days passed quickly. It wasn’t until the Hakka People organized an elaborate send-off for us that I realized we were about to leave this place.
To ensure we had no excuses or lingering thoughts about staying, the Hakka People assembled a robust farewell party—more than twenty strong individuals, aside from just one Fatty. Even if we were immobilized, these people could easily carry us out.
The initial segment of the zip line at the mountain top required no effort; one simply hung above and slid down naturally. However, once reaching the midpoint—the lowest point—those on the zip line needed to pull themselves across to the other end. This was how the zip line was originally designed to be used.
To ensure that we moved forward without hesitation or excuses, people were arranged at both ends of the Zip Line. As I slid to the middle of the Zip Line, someone on the other end pulled the rope attached to the hook, quickly drawing me to the other side.
This way, we left Hakka Village at an unusually fast pace, in a relay manner where no one had to stop. We descended from one Zip Line directly onto another, as if we were being chased out of the Village by the Hakka People.
Finally, we gathered by the Beipan River. Seeing the rushing waters of the Beipan River, I realized that a nightmare was about to end.
However, before I saw the waters of the Beipan River, I first spotted Tang Yumo. She must have been waiting for us here for at least some time, her face showing clear signs of fatigue and a hint of sadness.
Was she reluctant about our departure? I didn’t think so. Although this woman was inscrutable to me, she had never held a good impression of us, and I was certain of that. Just as I had never felt any fondness for her.
It was truly an incredible thing. I considered myself well-acquainted with people, having seen countless splendors and many beautiful women. I had to admit that under various pressures, I had gone through multiple blind dates, and my conditions weren’t too bad; at least my parents had a business for me to inherit. If I weren’t obsessed with archaeology, I should have been a young master of some standing. Therefore, my blind date candidates were all women of respectable status.
Yet Tang Yumo's beauty was unlike anything I had ever encountered. It was a kind of sickly and elusive beauty, different from the frail charm of Lin Daiyu; Tang Yumo's beauty was more mysterious, as if it belonged to another realm entirely—not pure but captivating in a dizzying and fearful way.
(To Be Continued...)
Comment 0 Comment Count