Wang Zhicai gave Liu Dashao a rough explanation, but Liu Dashao didn’t quite understand. However, he did catch that this expedition involved a foreign joint venture, with them taking the lead and him playing second fiddle.
This left Liu Dashao even more puzzled. Foreign capitalists usually didn’t act without value—so why would they suddenly decide to head for the Taklamakan Desert?
Wang Zhicai gave Liu Dashao a brief explanation, but Liu Dashao didn’t quite grasp it. However, he mentioned that a foreign joint venture was also involved in this expedition, with them being the lead and Wang being the second-in-command.
This made Liu Dashao even more puzzled. Foreign capitalists usually don’t engage in ventures without value, so why would they consider going to the Taklamakan Desert?
Liu Dashao asked Wang Zhicai, “Brother, you’re not exactly struggling to make ends meet, so why bother going to such a desolate place like the desert?”
Wang Zhicai smiled and replied, “Actually, I once organized a team to go to the Taklamakan Desert, but we encountered a sandstorm on the way. Some died, some were injured, and some went missing. I was lucky to escape unscathed. My biggest regret in life is not having reached that place. This time, I’m going to fulfill that dream.”
After hearing this, Liu Dashao nodded. He completely understood Wang Zhicai’s sentiment. If someone yearns for something and doesn’t achieve it, no matter how much power or wealth they have, they won’t be truly happy.
Wang Zhicai took Liu Dashao directly to the living room, saying that once the joint venture company arrived, they would hold a meeting and likely set off soon.
Upon entering the living room, Liu Dashao saw four people sitting there—three men and one woman, all young. Liu Dashao scratched the back of his head and walked over to introduce himself, thinking it would be good to build some rapport since they would be working together for a while.
The four also took turns introducing themselves. The woman was named Lin Miaoke, from the south, around twenty years old. She looked quite cute with her glasses, and Liu Dashao thought her petite frame would suffer in the desert.
The three men were slightly older, with two to three years of experience in archaeology. One tall man from the northeast, named Wu Bai, had graduated from the same school as Lin Miaoke. Having lived in the south for a long time, he seemed a bit effeminate. The other two, named Sun Li and Tiao Zai, had known each other since joining the expedition team.
After the introductions, they shared information about their schools and their experiences in the expedition team.
Liu Dashao, feeling a bit impatient, asked Wang Zhicai, “Brother Wang, why haven’t the French comrades arrived yet?”
Wang Zhicai replied, “I’m not entirely sure, but I’ve heard that the desert is unpredictable. Even with an accurate map, it’s not guaranteed we’ll find the exact location of the Golden Sand Ancient City. So, they’ve brought in a feng shui expert who can read the heavens and the earth to act as a consultant.”
Liu Dashao was a bit surprised. It was rare for foreigners to believe in Chinese feng shui, but having a consultant might be useful. After all, feng shui is rooted in the I Ching and has some scientific basis. It might prove invaluable in certain situations.
As Liu Dashao pondered this, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the living room: “Damn it, don’t even mention it. I’ve had a streak of bad luck these past few years.”
As soon as the voice fell, the door to the living room slowly opened, and three people walked in. Liu Dashao was stunned and exclaimed, “What the hell? It’s you?”
One of the three was none other than Fan Debiao, the team leader. Remember his catchphrase, “Damn it, life’s unbearable”? Yes, that’s the fat guy. Liu Dashao immediately recalled Fan Debiao mentioning a big deal he had taken on. Now it seemed Fan Debiao was the feng shui consultant hired by the French. Liu Dashao, caught off guard, blurted out in surprise.
Fan Debiao was equally surprised to see Liu Dashao: “Damn, Dashao, you’re going to Xinjiang too?”
Liu Dashao nodded, thinking to himself, “What kind of taste do these French people have? They’d even hire a third-rate guy like Fan Debiao.”
The other two were a man and a woman. The man was French, with a small mustache, while the woman was Chinese, with a great figure and a pure face.
The mustached Frenchman approached Liu Dashao with a smile and said in fluent Mandarin, “Master Liu, it’s been a long time.”
Liu Dashao was momentarily confused. When had he ever met this guy? Did the Frenchman just claim to know every Chinese person he met?
Liu Dashao awkwardly smiled and said, “Sir, have we met before?”
The Frenchman hesitated, about to speak, when Fan Debiao interjected, “Ah, this is Jackson.”
Liu Dashao was shocked. Upon closer inspection, if you shaved off the mustache, he did look like Jackson. Liu Dashao immediately stood up and hugged Jackson, tears welling up in his eyes.
Seeing this, Fan Debiao said, “Alright, don’t make it look like a life-and-death farewell. People might think you two are in a relationship.”
The woman walked over and said, “Jackson, is this someone you met during your expedition in China five years ago?”
Jackson replied, “Yes, yes. He’s even more impressive than Fan Debiao.”
Fan Debiao, hearing this, looked a bit displeased and started fidgeting.
Liu Dashao glanced at the woman, his heart racing, and whispered to Jackson, “Not bad, kid. After a few years, you’ve got yourself such a delicate girlfriend.”
Jackson mimicked Liu Dashao’s tone and said, “What girlfriend? She’s my boss.”
Liu Dashao almost exclaimed in surprise. This woman, who looked barely twenty, was actually Jackson’s boss. Liu Dashao couldn’t help but doubt Jackson’s capabilities.
The woman walked up to Liu Dashao, extended her right hand, and said, “Hello, Mr. Liu. My name is Wang Feifei, originally from Jiangsu, China. I’m Jackson’s boss and the leader of this expedition. Jackson often mentions your remarkable deeds.”
Liu Dashao, caught off guard, quickly extended his left hand and shook hers politely, saying with a smile, “Oh, you flatter me.”
As he let go of her hand, Liu Dashao thought to himself, “This woman looks charming and innocent, but from her tone, it’s clear she’s a strong-willed person. If Jackson told her about what happened in the Yin Mountain Ghost Tomb, she’d definitely know about my past. My image in her eyes has probably taken a hit.” He sighed at the thought.
Wang Zhicai, seeing that everyone seemed to know each other, was quite surprised and quickly asked Liu Dashao how they had met.
Liu Dashao didn’t know how to explain, so he brushed it off by saying, “It’s a long story.”
Since it was their first meeting, it was only natural for everyone to introduce themselves and get to know each other.
The men in the expedition team chatted enthusiastically with Wang Feifei, and even Wang Zhicai chimed in occasionally. It was clear how charismatic Wang Feifei was.
Meanwhile, Fan Debiao and Jackson were teasing Lin Miaoke, making the young girl laugh one moment and blush the next.
Liu Dashao, watching from the side, felt annoyed. “What the hell? This isn’t an experience exchange; it’s turned into a matchmaking session.”
Liu Dashao leaned over to Wang Zhicai and whispered, “Boss Wang, when are we starting the meeting?”
Wang Zhicai, reminded by Liu Dashao, turned to Wang Feifei and said, “Leader, let’s discuss the plans for the Taklamakan expedition.”
Wang Feifei nodded and said, “Alright.” She then gestured for everyone to return to their seats.
Wang Feifei stood at the podium and said, “This expedition to the Golden Sand Ancient City involves all of you here. The funding for this trip is entirely covered by our company, and the equipment is top-notch internationally, so there’s no need to worry.” She then pointed at Fan Debiao and said, “Given the unpredictable nature of the desert, we’ve also hired a feng shui expert for added security.”
As soon as Wang Feifei finished introducing him, Fan Debiao quickly stood up and bowed to everyone, looking quite pleased with himself.
Honestly, Fan Debiao wasn’t the most reliable person. Knowing a bit about feng shui was already a stretch for him. Liu Dashao couldn’t understand why Wang Feifei would call him a feng shui expert. He suspected Jackson had recommended him. If the map turned out to be useless, they couldn’t count on Fan Debiao.
Wang Feifei explained the departure time and the itinerary, then asked if anyone had any objections.
At this point, Liu Dashao thought of a question and asked her, “Miss Wang, as far as I know, the Golden Sand Ancient City doesn’t have much archaeological value. Why are you going through so much trouble to go there?”
Wang Feifei replied, “How could it not have archaeological value? A few years ago, our tour expedition team entered the Golden Sand Ancient City, but due to too many restrictions, we had to terminate the mission. In fact, there’s still a lot of unknown information there.”
Liu Dashao was a bit puzzled. Since the discovery of the Golden Sand Ancient City, countless groups had entered and exited. He couldn’t understand what unknown discoveries could still be made.
Seeing Liu Dashao’s confusion, Fan Debiao whispered to him, “Old Xuan, when we arrived, Liu Dashao heard the woman say that there’s a powerful queen in that sand city, and her tomb still hasn’t been found. Liu Dashao thinks these people are probably after that tomb. Maybe we can snag a couple of things while we’re there.”
Liu Dashao glared at Fan Debiao and said, “Damn it, are you treating this archaeological expedition like a tomb-raiding mission? Besides, with so many eyes on you, do you really think you can get away with it?”
Fan Debiao chuckled mischievously and said, “Well, I have my ways.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao couldn’t help but laugh. This guy couldn’t even steal an apple without getting caught, and now he’s claiming to have a plan. Liu Dashao figured it was probably just another case of self-deception.
Seeing that Liu Dashao had no further objections, Wang Feifei said, “The expedition is settled then. We’ll take the flight tonight and arrive at the border of the Taklamakan Desert tomorrow morning. Everyone, get ready.”
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone got up to leave, but Wang Feifei suddenly stopped them and said, “Oh, I forgot one thing.”
She then took out a piece of paper from her bag and unfolded it in front of everyone, saying, “This is the main target of our archaeological expedition.”
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the paper. It was a photocopy of a stone coffin.
This thing was incomplete and quite perplexing. Trying to find something in a vast ancient city with only a target and no direction would be extremely difficult.
Liu Dashao asked Wang Feifei, “Miss Wang, we’re here for an expedition. Why are we being assigned to find something specific? This doesn’t seem logical.”
Wang Feifei smiled and said, “Mr. Liu, you don’t understand. Our expedition team once organized a trip to the Golden Sand Ancient City, but before we even reached halfway, the team was almost completely wiped out. Three people went missing, and recently, another expedition team found the body of one of them in the desert. This drawing was found on that body, which is why our team is taking this expedition so seriously.”
Wang Zhicai chimed in, “Dashao, don’t be so skeptical. The situation is quite serious now, and finding this coffin is within our responsibility.”
Hearing this, Liu Dashao suddenly felt a bit ashamed. His earlier comments might have been influenced by his reluctance to go to the Golden Sand Ancient City. He realized he needed to reflect on his attitude.
Wang Feifei looked around, confirmed that no one had any objections, and then put away the paper, saying, “The meeting is adjourned. We’ll gather downstairs at eight tonight.”
Wang Zhicai smiled and replied, “Actually, I once joined a team heading to Taklamakan, but on the way we encountered a sandstorm. Some died, some were injured, and others just vanished. I was lucky enough to escape unharmed. My biggest regret in life has always been not making it there. This time, it’s like fulfilling a dream.”
After hearing Wang’s words, Liu Dashao nodded. He understood this feeling well—when there’s something you’ve always longed to do but never managed, no amount of power or money can truly bring satisfaction.
Wang Zhicai led Liu Dashao directly to the living room, saying that once the joint venture team arrived, they’d hold a meeting and then set off.
In the living room, four people were already seated—three men and one woman, all young. Liu Dashao scratched the back of his head and walked over to introduce himself. After all, they’d be working together for a while, so it was best to start building some rapport.
The four took turns introducing themselves. The girl was named Lin Miaoke, from the south. She was quite young, around twenty, maybe even younger since she started elementary school early. She wore glasses and looked pretty cute. Liu Dashao noticed how petite she was and thought she might have a rough time in the desert.
The three men were a bit older, with two or three years of archaeological experience. One tall guy was from Northeast China, named Wu Bai. He and Lin Miaoke were from the same school. He must have spent a long time in the south, because his mannerisms were a bit effeminate. The other two were classmates and had just met the expedition team before. Their names were Sun Li and Tiaozi.
After the introductions, everyone shared a bit about their schools and experiences in the expedition team.
Liu Dashao, growing impatient, asked Wang Zhicai, “Old brother Wang, where are those French guys? Why haven’t they shown up yet?”
Wang Zhicai replied, “Not sure exactly, but I heard they said the desert is unpredictable. Even with accurate maps, it’s hard to locate the exact position of the ancient city of Jinsha. So they brought in someone who reads feng shui and observes celestial signs as a consultant.”
Liu Dashao felt a bit down hearing this. Foreigners actually believed in Chinese feng shui? That was rare indeed. Still, having a consultant wasn’t a bad idea. Feng shui originated from the I Ching and the Eight Trigrams, and it did have some scientific basis. It might even prove useful when the time came.
As Liu Dashao was thinking this over, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the living room: “Damn it, don’t even mention it! These past few years have been nothing but bad luck for me!”
As the voice faded, the living room door slowly opened, and three people entered one after another. Liu Dashao’s eyes widened again as he shouted, “What the hell! It’s you?!”
Among the three newcomers was none other than Fan Debiao, the big team leader. Remember his catchphrase: “My goodness, life just can’t go on like this!” That’s the same fat guy. Liu Dashao now realized Fan Debiao had mentioned taking on a big job recently. It seemed he was the feng shui consultant hired by the French. Liu Dashao, forgetting decorum, blurted it out.
Fan Debiao was equally surprised to see Liu Dashao: “Cao! Big Master, you’re going to Xinjiang too?!”
Liu Dashao nodded, secretly thinking what kind of taste the French must have to hire a lowlife like Fan Debiao.
The other two were a man and a woman. The man was French, with a small mustache. The woman was Chinese, very attractive with a curvy figure and a fresh, innocent face.
The Frenchman with the mustache approached Liu Dashao with a smile and greeted him in fluent Mandarin: “Master Liu, long time no see.”
Liu Dashao was a bit confused. Since when had they met? This Frenchman was one of those foreigners who claimed to know you just because they’d seen you once?
Liu Dashao gave an awkward smile and asked, “Sir, have we met before?”
Just as Liu Dashao said this, the Frenchman hesitated slightly, about to speak, when Fan Debiao cut in: “Ah, this is Jackson.”
Upon hearing the name, Liu Dashao was shocked. Looking closer, he realized that if Jackson shaved off his mustache, he really did look like the famous Jackson. Liu Dashao immediately stood up and gave Jackson a warm hug, his eyes brimming with emotion.
Seeing the two like this, Fan Debiao said, “Alright, alright, don’t act like you’re reuniting after a lifetime apart. People might think you two are lovers.”
The woman stepped forward and asked Jackson, “Is this the person you met five years ago when you were exploring in China?”
Jackson nodded: “Yes, yes! And he’s better than Fan Debiao.”
Fan Debiao, hearing this, looked a bit annoyed and tense.
Liu Dashao stole a glance at the woman, his heart pounding. He quietly whispered to Jackson: “Not bad, kid! You’ve got yourself quite a delicate girlfriend after all these years.”
Jackson mimicked Liu Dashao’s tone and replied: “Girlfriend? No way. She’s my boss.”
Liu Dashao almost gasped. This young-looking woman, barely in her early twenties, was Jackson’s superior? Instantly, Liu Dashao began doubting Jackson’s capabilities.
The woman walked up to Liu Dashao, extended her right hand, and said: “Hello, Mr. Liu. I’m Wang Feifei, originally from Jiangsu, China. I’m Jackson’s boss and also the team leader for this expedition. Jackson often speaks highly of your past exploits.”
Caught off guard, Liu Dashao quickly extended his left hand to shake hers politely and smiled: “There’s no need for such praise.”
As Liu Dashao let go, he thought to himself: “This woman looks delicate and charming, but from her speech alone, I can tell she’s definitely a strong, capable person. If Jackson told her everything about our past adventures in the Yinshan Ghost Tombs, she’d know all about me. That might damage my image in her eyes.” He felt a slight sense of regret.
Seeing everyone getting acquainted, Wang Zhicai was quite surprised and quickly asked Liu Dashao how they had met.
Liu Dashao didn’t know how to explain it clearly, so he simply said, “It’s a long story—it can’t be explained in just a few words.”
Since everyone was meeting for the first time, they naturally needed to introduce themselves and start building some rapport.
The male members of the expedition team chatted enthusiastically with Wang Feifei, and even Wang Zhicai occasionally joined in. It was clear how charismatic she was.
Meanwhile, Fan Debiao and Jackson were teasing Lin Miaoke. One moment she was laughing heartily, the next she was blushing furiously.
Liu Dashao, watching from the side, was getting annoyed. “What the hell is this? This isn’t a professional exchange—it’s turning into a matchmaking event!”
He leaned over to whisper to Wang Zhicai: “Boss Wang, when are we going to start the meeting?”
Prompted by Liu Dashao, Wang Zhicai remembered the meeting and turned to Wang Feifei: “Leader, shall we discuss the details of our trip to Taklamakan now?”
Wang Feifei nodded: “Alright.” She gestured for everyone to return to their seats.
Standing at the front, Wang Feifei said: “This expedition to the ancient city of Jinsha includes everyone here. All expenses will be covered by our company, and the equipment will be top international standard—no need to worry about that.” She pointed at Fan Debiao and continued: “Given the unpredictable nature of the desert, we’ve also specially invited a feng shui expert for safety.”
As soon as Wang Feifei introduced him, Fan Debiao quickly stood up and bowed to the group, clearly delighted.
Truth be told, Fan Debiao wasn’t exactly reliable. Knowing even the basics of feng shui was already a stretch for him. Liu Dashao couldn’t help but wonder how Wang Feifei could consider him a feng shui expert. He suspected Jackson had recommended him. If the maps proved useless later, relying on Fan Debiao would be impossible.
Wang Feifei explained the departure time and the planned route, then asked if anyone had any objections.
Liu Dashao raised a question: “Miss Wang, from what I know, the ancient city of Jinsha doesn’t have much archaeological value. Why go to such great lengths to get there?”
Wang Feifei replied: “How can you say there’s no value? A few years ago, one of our tour expedition teams entered Jinsha, but had to stop due to various limitations. There’s still a lot left to discover inside.”
Liu Dashao was puzzled. Since the discovery of Jinsha, countless teams had gone in and out. He couldn’t understand what was left to explore.
Seeing Liu Dashao’s confusion, Fan Debiao whispered to him: “Old Xu, when I was coming here, I heard the girl mention that there’s a powerful queen in the sand city, and her tomb has never been found. Liu Dashao, these people are probably after that tomb. We can grab a couple of things when the time comes.”
Liu Dashao shot Fan Debiao a look and said: “Are you kidding me? You think this is a tomb raiding mission? Besides, with so many eyes watching, do you really think you can get away with it?”
Fan Debiao grinned slyly: “Don’t worry, I’ve got my own tricks.”
Liu Dashao couldn’t help but laugh. This guy couldn’t even check his surroundings when stealing an apple, yet now he claimed to have clever plans. Liu Dashao suspected it was just another case of “stealing a bell while covering your ears.”
Seeing Liu Dashao had no further objections, Wang Feifei said: “Then it’s decided. We’ll take a flight tonight and arrive at the edge of Taklamakan by tomorrow morning. Everyone, please prepare accordingly.”
As everyone stood to leave, Wang Feifei suddenly stopped them: “Oh, I almost forgot one thing.”
She took out a piece of paper from her bag and unfolded it in front of everyone: “This is our main archaeological target.”
All eyes turned to the paper. It was a photocopy showing only a stone coffin.
It was hard to make sense of such an isolated image. Searching for a specific object in a vast ancient city without any clear direction was going to be extremely difficult.
Liu Dashao asked Wang Feifei: “Miss Wang, we’re here for an expedition, so why are we specifically tasked with finding this one item? It doesn’t quite make sense.”
Wang Feifei smiled and explained: “Mr. Liu, you might not know this, but our expedition team previously organized a trip to Jinsha. We didn’t even make it halfway before the entire team was wiped out. Three members went missing. Recently, another expedition team found one of their bodies in the desert, and this drawing was discovered on the body. That’s why we’re taking this mission so seriously.”
Wang Zhicai added: “Big Master, don’t complain. The situation is serious. Finding this coffin falls within our responsibilities.”
Hearing Wang Zhicai’s words, Liu Dashao felt a bit ashamed. His earlier comments might have been influenced by his own reluctance to go to Jinsha. He realized he needed to reflect on his attitude.
Wang Feifei looked around and, seeing no objections, rolled up the paper and said: “That’s all for the meeting. Meet downstairs at eight tonight.”
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