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墨書 Inktalez
"Let's go out and take a look," Xiao Guolin said, giving me a light nudge as he headed toward the door. "You might feel reluctant to leave behind many things, but in the end, you might end up discarding yourself. Seeing the true face of the Sandstorm may help you learn to let go of some things."
When I stepped outside, Xiao Guolin had set up a fire escape ladder against a two-story wooden structure. The bottom of the ladder was planted firmly in the sand, so there was no worry about slipping. Cao Mingzhe, a member of the Archaeology team, glanced at Xiao Guolin and teased, "Still have the leisure for that? Should I get you a close-up shot?"
Xiao Guolin turned around in the middle of the ladder and struck a pose. Cao Mingzhe playfully leaned back for a dramatic shot. Their relaxed demeanor eased my slightly tense mood. In this desert region, rain was almost nonexistent, and all buildings had flat roofs, uniformly painted in the sandy yellow of the desert. This structure didn't need to be two stories high since land pressure wasn't an issue here; in fact, there was too much open space. The two-story building was constructed to support the Camouflage Net. The entire project was covered under this net, with many two-story structures serving as its supports.
Standing on the second floor, I felt not a hint of wind. Following Xiao Guolin's finger, I saw a clear black line in the distance, resembling a dividing line across the land. Above that black line, the sky remained high and blue, dotted with a few white clouds; below lay golden sands. The combination of colors evoked not fear but rather a sense of nature's magnificent artistry. I couldn't help but feel uplifted.
Xiao Guolin didn't allow me much time for reflection. "Distance creates beauty. Remember this moment; it will be your first and only time to appreciate this scene. The next time you see it, you will only feel fear." With that, he urged me to come down as our convoy was ready and chaos had ensued.
When Xiao Guolin descended, he found a group of Engineers negotiating with members of the Archaeology team. It turned out that regarding transportation allocation, the Archaeology team and Material Experts had always enjoyed privileges with the most vehicles assigned to them. Today’s sudden situation left other departments severely lacking in transport, leading to some personnel from Engineering being assigned to us for evacuation.
The Engineers were familiar with us and quickly reached an agreement on this issue; Archaeology team members mixed in with Engineers in several vehicles heading toward Bunker One.
From our location, ten kilometers east of the Archaeology site was where I had arrived by helicopter before switching vehicles—a vast area known as the Yadan Landform Group. From here, we could vaguely see clusters of earthen mounds rising above the sea of sand.
When the Archaeology site was first established, the command center chose a location within the Yadan Landform Group to set up a base camp, humorously referring to it as their stronghold. At that time, facilities were inadequate, and personnel couldn't find lodging in the desert; thus, relying on towering earthen mounds allowed for quick construction of temporary shelters that provided both windbreaks and shade. This became a resting and lodging area for construction workers.
As project facilities gradually improved and personnel moved to construction sites, this area did not fall into disuse; it transformed into a storage and logistics center. Our project was highly confidential—not only internally but even more so externally. Storing large quantities of materials here also served as a countermeasure against satellite reconnaissance.
Additionally, for safety reasons, two permanent bunkers were established within this Yadan Landform Group to respond to potential emergencies. Bunker One was located right next to the former stronghold and could function alongside the storage center.
As our convoy drove out from beneath the Camouflage Net, it kicked up a swirling cloud of dust on our way to Bunker One. Sitting by the window, I turned my head to see the black line forming at the edge of Black Sandstorm. The direction we were heading was nearly parallel to that black line, giving me a feeling akin to reviewing a ceremonial parade from a vehicle. In the distance, that black line resembled an orderly army marching in formation.
Others clearly did not share my relaxed mood; their expressions were uniformly serious. Aside from myself and Xiao Guolin, who were part of the Archaeology team, the rest were Engineers. I tried to comfort a soldier sitting next to me, saying, "We'll be entering the bunker soon, so there's no need to be so tense."
The soldier stared towards the direction of the Black Sandstorm. "The bunker might not be safe either."
I looked at him for about three or four seconds before turning back to Xiao Guolin, who was seated in the back row.
Xiao Guolin forced a smile and said, "This Sandstorm is quite intense and poses certain dangers. But then again, even drinking water can lead to choking. Overall, Bunker One is safe."
I felt that Xiao Guolin was just brushing me off. His expression grew increasingly unnatural. It seemed everyone sensed the impending danger, while I, a novice working in the desert, remained captivated by the spectacular scene. However, I was also affected by Xiao Guolin's atmosphere—his attitude fluctuated between casual and terrifyingly serious, giving me a rollercoaster of emotions. Now he had adopted this fatalistic demeanor; scaring someone can indeed lead to dire consequences.
My initial curiosity shifted to tension. I wasn't truly afraid since I had never encountered a Sandstorm before and didn't understand its severity; I was merely influenced by everyone else's emotions.
The convoy soon entered the Yadan Landform Group. Bunker One was located in an area densely populated with mounds of earth, connected by reinforced concrete structures forming a massive sand barrier. Inside the wall were many independent buildings resembling Yurts, but these Yurts were permanent structures made of concrete.
Each Yurt had prominent lettering indicating its owner. Following Xiao Guolin, I quickly found the designated bunker for the Archaeology team. The walls of the bunker were thick, and it felt cramped with just over ten people inside. There were several rows of triple-decker beds, each equipped with simple sleeping bags. The heavy concrete door opened outward, and there were observation ports on all four sides—without glass—covered by metal shutters that could be pulled down. If all four shutters were closed, there would be no light entering the bunker at all. A telephone hung on the wall; I assumed it was only for communication between bunkers since it was unlikely they had extended phone lines to Base Camp or even to the project site, as I had seen transport teams communicating with the supply center using Walkie-Talkies.
Seeing this sturdy fortress finally eased my mind. Captain Zhou sat in a chair, surveying the room before suddenly asking, "Where's Song Team? Who came here with Song Guilong?"
No one spoke. Suddenly, an eerie silence enveloped the bunker.
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