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墨書 Inktalez
"Each of you thinks I am special, an Awakener. But I know myself best; I haven't gained any special abilities, nor do I feel uncomfortable about it. Old Cao, I am clear that I am not an Awakener, not even an awakened one."
Cao Mingzhe frowned, looking a bit troubled. "Maybe your abilities are latent."
His words lacked conviction, and after a pause, he added, "It seems the Hakka People are quite afraid of you; they believe you possess greater powers."
Hearing this from Cao Mingzhe only made me angrier. "Don't listen to the nonsense from the Hakka People. Do you know what they think? They believe my ability is to destroy the Eternal Gate! At least A San has activated his hearing; that's something tangible that can be verified through experiments. Is destroying the Eternal Gate considered a superpower? Although the Eternal Gate of the Hakka People is sturdy, it is not indestructible. Modern weapons can destroy it without any doubt. For example, a Missile."
After I spoke, Cao Mingzhe furrowed his brow even tighter, giving me a deep look before saying, "Get some good rest," and turned to leave.
I really needed to rest well, and soon I had the chance. The noise in the yard didn't last long; it quieted down before I fell asleep. I drifted into a deep slumber.
Perhaps my firm refusal made Cao Mingzhe back off. The people who had occupied my yard vanished without a trace. When I woke up and looked around the yard, I only saw Huang Hai; everyone else was gone, including Fatty.
I called over Huang Hai to ask about Fatty. He seemed confused as well. All he knew was that they had gone to some hotel, which they had booked an entire floor of; it was also where the Task Force had their office.
I pondered for a moment. "What about Ouyang Jian?"
"He left with Gangzi."
Hey, no need to ask; I’m definitely the one being taken for a ride. It’s clear that Fatty has gone off to play the sponsor.
With my face bruised and swollen like a pig's head, I could only stay at home obediently. In the yard, it was just me and Huang Hai. He wasn’t worried about anyone eyeing his goods, so the shop door was left unlocked.
I wandered aimlessly into the shop and stood in front of the Sand Table Model, lost in thought.
I initially created this Sand Table Model because I lacked the ability to explore Lop Nur underground. The only thing I could do was study this piece of the Yadan Landform Group to understand that area better. Otherwise, I would have nothing to occupy myself with.
Moreover, I knew that this Yadan Landform Group had a corresponding relationship with the Underground Passage. While I couldn’t pinpoint exactly which part of the Yadan Landform Group corresponded to which part underground, I could roughly calculate where the underground reservoir aligned with it. This was because years ago, when I walked along the underground Water Inlet toward the reservoir, I measured the distance. And we knew exactly where we had fallen.
However, my perspective on this Yadan Landform Group changed after my experience with the Beipan River. In the valley inhabited by the Hakka People, there was a replica of a segment from the Lop Nur Yadan Geomorphological Group. When Fatty pointed this out to me, my shock was beyond words.
The underground project of the Hakka People aimed to reconstruct the Eternal Gate, and they succeeded. But what was the purpose of their surface project? Even if it was just a replica of a segment, such an endeavor comparable to moving mountains required immense effort. They must have had compelling reasons for doing this. What could that reason be?
Staring at the sand table, I fell into deep thought. However, my mind wasn’t fully focused; while I was puzzled by this question, something else seemed to tug at my attention, preventing me from concentrating on it completely.
I stood there for a moment before suddenly turning around and walking outside. Upon exiting, I saw Huang Hai standing outside like a thief, perhaps keeping watch against intruders. I really wanted to shout at him that I was the one in charge here. If anyone should be guarding against thieves, it should be me guarding against him, not the other way around.
However, what I said was, “What is Fatty doing there?”
Huang Hai squinted and immediately understood what I was asking. “He’s with that Task Force. And Sister Xiao is there too.”
“Damn!” I cursed, stamping my foot.
No wonder Cao Mingzhe didn’t care about my firm refusal; it turned out that old fox had already plotted against me. He rushed to the Beipan River to bring Xiao Ting back with ulterior motives, intending to pave the way for Xiao Ting’s work on the way back.
Fatty would definitely accompany Xiao Ting to Lop Nur. I was in a worse situation; whether for Xiao Ting or Fatty, knowing full well that a fire pit lay ahead, I still had to jump in.
I nervously grabbed at the air a few times with both hands, like a drowning person trying to catch hold of a straw. My image resembled that of someone in a panic.
For the next few moments, I listlessly fixed the remaining models on the sand table. This image wouldn’t get me anywhere. I was too lazy to call Fatty; I estimated he was also part of this scheme against me. When he was on the phone with Xiao Ting, he must have learned some inside information, even knowing that Liu Squad Leader was in the shop.
I even suspected that he and Liu Squad Leader had communicated over the phone; his enthusiasm towards Liu Squad Leader didn’t seem like something he was putting on temporarily—it felt like there was some kind of tacit understanding.
After more than ten hours, I completed the sand table, and the complete Lop Nur Yadan Geomorphological Group model lay before me.
From team investigations of this Yadan Landform Group, aerial photography, distance measurement, creating precise digital images of every raised mound of earth, then returning to make miniature models and construct the Yadan Landform Group sand table—I had been busy with this for several years, and now it was finally done. Yet there wasn’t an ounce of excitement in my heart; instead, I felt a sense of loss. Because I knew this Yadan Landform Group was important, but I didn’t know what its significance was.
When I first started making this sand table, I had explored and felt out the purpose of the Yadan Landform Group during my work. But now, facing this Yadan Landform Group, I remained completely ignorant of its function, still as unfamiliar as ever. I meant in terms of feeling; while I wasn’t unfamiliar with the appearance of the Sand Table Model and each model's position—indeed, even with my eyes closed, I could vividly present this Sand Table Model in my mind down to the finest detail.
I finally had some time to look in the mirror. When I was working, I was fully engaged and had no habit of wallowing in self-pity.
The wound had healed. I looked as handsome as before and was ready to go out.
I needed to find Fatty. Regardless of how things would ultimately unfold, whether I would personally join the Task Force or not, I had to first have a talk with Fatty. We needed to reach an agreement. I also wanted to confront him; it seemed he was hiding something. Ever since he left here, he hadn't met with me and was clearly avoiding me.
Before I saw Fatty, I didn't want to meet anyone from the Task Force, including Cao Mingzhe. From what I could tell, Cao Mingzhe held significant influence within the Task Force. He had managed to bring Fatty, Hakka, and even Vietnamese members into the Task Force, which indicated he had considerable power.
I sent Huang Hai on an errand to call Fatty back. However, Huang Hai returned alone and simply said to me, "Jin Ge has been hospitalized."
My heart sank at that moment, and I asked him, "What happened?" (To Be Continued...)
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