Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I looked at Captain Zhou in silence, my mind searching for memories of Song Guilong, particularly from the time before the incident.
During that period, Song Guilong's mental state was quite poor. He had even taken some time off to rest at Base Camp and had become less sociable, rarely communicating with me. We shared a room, yet we hardly spoke; it was even less likely that he would engage with others.
Our complexions were both lacking vitality. Poor rest was one reason, but the significant disagreements with the military had left each member of our Archaeology team mentally and physically exhausted. As one of the leaders of the Archaeology team, Song Guilong's appearance and mental state were naturally not in good shape.
But what did that have to do with me? I looked at Captain Zhou with questions in my eyes.
"Since you all returned from Lop Nur last time, Guo Lin has changed a lot. He rarely comes to see me and doesn't keep in touch much. In the past, he would often seek me out for discussions about everything; I used to tease him about making full use of resources."
Though his voice was soft and his words brief, those few sentences made Captain Zhou take a deep breath.
"Before he led the second expedition to Lop Nur, I specifically went to see him off. If I hadn't gone, I probably wouldn't have seen him at all. He didn't tell me he was going to Lop Nur nor did he plan to say goodbye. I felt very sad at that moment. But when I saw him, my feelings shifted more towards worry. I had a premonition that he might not return; his complexion reminded me of Song Guilong's before the incident."
"Perhaps he is under too much psychological pressure," I cautiously analyzed.
Captain Zhou slowly shook his head. "I think he seems more burdened by thoughts. His eyes were avoiding mine; unlike you, who looks directly at me, allowing me to see the youthful light in your eyes, his were gray. Yes, I could intuitively sense that his inner world was far from sunny, which gave me a feeling of hopelessness regarding that trip to Lop Nur."
I pondered for a moment and felt that Captain Zhou had some validity in his assessment, but it wasn't entirely accurate. Xiao Guolin harbored intentions to destroy Eternal Gate; naturally, his heart wouldn't be filled with sunshine. He had concerns and attachments, many words and secrets buried within him that no one could share or entrust—even not with Xiao Ting.
Thinking about the two letters he left for me made it clear; he preferred to communicate with me, a friend he hadn't heard from in years, rather than disclose this information to Captain Zhou or Xiao Ting. How lonely must he have felt? It mirrored my own state not long ago—before I saw Fatty and shared that piece of information with him, my heart had also been lonely and closed off.
There is a kind of loneliness that is stubborn, existing even amidst the hustle and bustle. The noise around can only deepen and intensify this loneliness.
However, I cannot comprehend Song Guilong's state before the incident. He was under immense mental and work pressure, and his physical condition was poor. All of this could lead to a mental breakdown. Yet beneath his visibly deteriorating mental state lies a hidden cunning.
I suspect that his trip back to Base Camp for rest was actually to obtain that piece of iron. Given my position in the Archaeology team back then, I naturally couldn't know too many secretive matters, but that piece of iron could not possibly be at the excavation site; I can deduce that, even if it were a replica. It also couldn't be stored at the excavation site purely for confidentiality reasons.
Moreover, his subsequent series of behaviors—his self-isolation and mental instability displayed in the Escape Pod—seem to be nothing more than an act.
I cannot reveal Xiao Guolin's plan to Captain Zhou, nor can I disclose my own plans to him. I cannot bear to let someone who is already in such a fragile state leave with unease.
"Captain Zhou, please don't worry about this anymore. I will definitely get to the bottom of this during my descent and put an end to our Lop Nur Archaeological Expedition. I will also provide an explanation for those who have long rested underground."
After hearing my words, Captain Zhou closed his eyes. His tightly shut eyelids and the pained expression on his face showed his suffering, yet no tears flowed from the corners of his eyes. I knew it wasn't that he wasn't sad; rather, there were no tears left in his murky eyes.
"Captain Zhou, I'm sorry for bringing up your painful past."
At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened. Several people entered along with a nurse.
"Zhang, my dad's visitor time can't exceed half an hour; you've already been here for over half an hour. He needs to rest."
The one speaking was Captain Zhou's daughter, someone I could easily call Auntie due to her age.
"I'm sorry." I stood up.
"Zhang." It was difficult to feel at ease, but Captain Zhou addressed me this way. "You should stay in Beijing for a few days. I've contacted the Palace Museum for you; go there to visit and learn a bit. Once the operation begins, the Task Force will reach out to you. You can head out directly from Beijing."
I nodded. "Alright. I was just thinking about visiting the Palace Museum to learn; such an opportunity is rare. Thank you, Captain Zhou."
Captain Zhou smiled and waved me over.
I leaned closer.
In a weak voice, Captain Zhou said, "Come see me before you leave. I can't send you off myself."
"Okay, I will definitely come."
Captain Zhou's frail hand suddenly grasped my wrist. "You must."
"I will."
I wasn't sure if Captain Zhou had fainted or simply fallen asleep. After hearing my promise, he immediately closed his eyes, his body sinking into the covers as if deflated.
A few doctors rushed into the ward, and I was hurriedly ushered out by the flustered medical staff. I worried that I would once again become an unwelcome presence, which would mean I'd have a grudge against the hospital.
"My father thinks highly of you; it's a pity you're leaving the archaeology field," Captain Zhou's daughter said to me outside the hospital room.
"I know. I'm very grateful for what he has done for me. It's unfortunate that I can't do anything for him."
"Glad to hear you’re back at work. Just do your best; that’s the best way to repay him. This is a recommendation letter from my father. Go to the Palace Museum and find Secretary Liu; he will arrange your learning and visiting schedule." She handed me an unsealed envelope.
Of course, I wouldn’t be visiting and studying in the public exhibition area. The real treasures of the Palace Museum aren’t in the public areas but are stored and displayed in non-exhibition zones.
My research focus is on Hard Porcelain and bronze artifacts. It seems Captain Zhou had briefed Secretary Liu about this, as I was directly led into a display area for porcelain collections. It was a grand hall filled with countless pieces of porcelain. I won’t mention the name of the hall to avoid drawing attention.
A Ming Blue and White Large Plate could easily fetch hundreds of thousands or even millions on the market. Yet here, they were stacked high, all genuine, making me break into a cold sweat, my eyes nearly popping out. This was what it felt like to walk among mountains of gold.
Secretary Liu pushed me off to a staff member and left, looking down on my expression as if I were just a bug that had seen blood.
However, I couldn’t stay excited for long. Just as I was admiring a Ming Xuande Blue-and-White Dragon Pattern Flat Vase, my phone rang. With one hand holding the vase and the other pulling out my phone, I glanced at it and dropped the vase.
The call didn’t show any incoming number, but the ringing continued. It wasn’t this phone that was ringing; it was another one—the one that could crack walnuts. (To Be Continued...)
Comment 0 Comment Count