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墨書 Inktalez
"I scoffed, 'There are rules for Tomb Construction, regardless of the era. Even if it isn't influenced by Central Plains Culture, it will still have its own regulations. The first rule to follow is protection and dialogue. Protection means safeguarding oneself and future generations, while dialogue refers to communication among people. Building a tomb in a place that defies these rules and logic is purely your imagination.'"
" Fatty seemed even more energized as he exclaimed, 'Then what is the purpose of the Underground Maze? Besides confusing Tomb Raiders, what else can it do?'"
I couldn't answer that question; it had puzzled me for many years. No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't find an answer, nor could I simply accept Fatty's foolish viewpoint.
Seeing that he had cornered me, Fatty was thrilled and declared, 'As long as we prepare adequately, there's hope for this Cellar. This is a once-in-a-lifetime Big Deal; I estimate it will be enough for both of us for our entire lives.'"
"When did I ever agree to go tomb raiding with you?" I was almost dizzy from his relentless questioning and found his excited expression unbelievable. I was completely against him participating in grave robbing; how could I possibly assist him in such a venture?
"Then do you admit it's a grand tomb?"
What kind of logic was that? All this just for this? I immediately realized there was a possibility he might want to confirm this with me and then act on his own; he had that kind of audacity. I needed to calm myself down. Initially, I wanted to talk to him alone to unify our thoughts and then persuade Xiao Ting to abandon her idea of delving deeper into the desert. But now Fatty had become obsessed with the idea of tomb raiding. This meant I would have to face two people trying to dissuade them, which was quite troublesome.
This situation was unexpected for me; if it weren't for Xiao Ting's appearance, Fatty pulling out the jade plate would have caught me off guard as well. It was impossible for me to immediately provide reasons for Fatty and Xiao Ting to abandon their goals. I needed to think carefully and convince them logically and reasonably. Just like earlier when Fatty had confused me; following his line of thought had yielded no results but instead seemed to solidify the idea that it was indeed a grand tomb. Both of them were prepared; I couldn't let them lead me around by the nose. I needed to hold off until I figured things out.
I wasn't too worried about Xiao Ting; she was a sheltered girl who hadn't faced much adversity and was currently holding her breath in anticipation. If she were thrown into the desert, she would likely break down within three to five days. I even considered taking her away if I couldn't persuade her—waiting until she was exhausted and disheartened so that she could come to terms with herself before bringing her back.
But Fatty was different. If he became convinced there was a Gold Ingot buried in the sand, he would definitely dig it out no matter what. Based on his experiences over the years, he should be familiar with desert environments and psychologically prepared for it as well. Moreover, I didn't believe he would easily give up just because I refused to participate; he could piece together information from my accounts and what he learned from Xiao Ting to locate the general area. At the very least, that Yadan Landform Group could help them pinpoint their location. If he dragged Xiao Ting into this mess, I couldn't even imagine the consequences; he wasn't one to show mercy. For the sake of Xiao Guolin's request, I'd have no choice but to go along with them despite my initial intentions. Just thinking about it sent chills down my spine—I needed to stop things from heading in that direction.
At this point, I started hating myself for bringing Fatty into this line of work; it felt like knowingly inviting trouble upon myself. Especially introducing him to Wen, the Shopkeeper—that was my biggest mistake. As far as I knew, just looking at his goods indicated that he had connections with tomb raiding groups; I even suspected he might be harboring some grave robbers beneath his establishment. Hearing Fatty's words today only confirmed my suspicions further. Those two together were truly a perfect match—one bold and one ruthless.
If Fatty was determined to go through with this matter and I didn't support him, he would likely involve Wen, the Shopkeeper. If that happened, things could easily spiral out of control. Going down there, entering that passage, was a nightmare I had lived with my whole life; I couldn't let Fatty step into this nightmare.
Having thought this through, I said to Fatty, "How about this? Let's discuss this matter further. No matter which direction it takes, we cannot let Xiao Ting get involved. I hope we can agree on this."
I saw Fatty nod and continue, "Alright, let's go out and extract all the information she knows. She wouldn't come to me just to deliver a message; there must be more important information. We need the information, not the person. We have to keep her calm, persuade her, and eliminate any thoughts of entering the desert. If that doesn't work, we can take her for a tour around the desert, wear her out, and send her back."
After hearing this, Fatty chuckled, "Qiangzi, you really have a way with things. I knew you were clever, but I didn't expect you to be so cunning."
Screw you, I cursed inwardly. If it weren't for your meddling, I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble.
Once we reached a consensus, things became easier. When we stepped out, Xiao Ting was still sitting in front of the sand table, examining the Sand Table Model with great seriousness. Upon seeing me come out, she said, "This sand table is made with great care."
"Indeed," I replied with a laugh as I walked over. "Not only is it made with care, but it also costs a fortune. Each model is custom-made; don’t be fooled by their small size and plastic material—each one has its own unique mold. The cost adds up."
Xiao Ting clearly had no concept of this; her face showed some confusion.
I didn't plan to explain further but instead asked, "Xiao Guolin asked you to find me…"
At this point, I suddenly hesitated and thought to myself: He wouldn't be planning to hand his daughter over to me, would he? She's already grown up; it's not just about taking care of her daily needs anymore.
"My dad left you a letter."
Her words pulled me back from my thoughts. My face flushed slightly as I coughed lightly to cover my embarrassment. What on earth was I thinking?
Xiao Ting took a USB drive out of her bag and handed it to me. "It has a password, and you know it."
I was taken aback for a moment. How could I possibly know the password? Xiao Guolin had never mentioned this to me. However, this way, I could bypass Xiao Ting. Since she didn't know the contents of the letter, it was clear that Xiao Guolin didn't intend for her to find out. I had no reason to tell her either. For now, I just needed to probe her a bit more to see what else she knew. If she didn't know much, I would find a way to keep her calm and persuade her to abandon any risky ideas. After all, Xiao Guolin had entrusted me with her care, and I couldn't let him down.
I took the USB drive and asked her, "Hasn't your dad been working in Yunnan these past few years? Why is he suddenly part of the Desert Archaeology Team?"
Xiao Ting shrugged slightly. "No, my dad has always been responsible for the Desert Archaeology section. He has gone into the desert several times over the past two years as part of organizing a large-scale archaeology project. With him being so busy, how could he possibly go to Yunnan?"
A hint of doubt crept into my mind. Turning around, I noticed Fatty was also looking at me, seemingly deep in thought.
It was getting cold; I should put on another layer. Without heating, sitting in front of the computer typing made me feel like I was freezing solid, but at least I was alert.
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