Chapter Five: The Airport

“No way.”

The Fatty was just getting started, but I shot him down immediately.

“Hey! You… at least let me finish! Damn it.”

I’m not exactly the most patient person, but at least I have some self-awareness. The Fatty’s business proposals always boil down to two things: first, grave robbing. And that’s something I am absolutely done with; hell, I haven’t enjoyed enough of this dazzling world yet—going back would be nothing short of a death wish.

Second, he probably wants to rope me into some business venture. The Fatty is shrewd—I’ve seen that firsthand. Maybe he’s banking on my curiosity, hoping to sell me something. I may not be as quick-witted as he is, but I’ve been to college and have my own share of wisdom. So, I refused him outright.

“Listen here, you conniving bastard. I’m not falling for your tricks. If I partner up with you, I’m afraid my luck won’t hold out.” I tried to make my words as harsh as possible, hoping he’d drop the idea.

But, as usual, he was unfazed. “You’re overthinking it. I wouldn’t bother dragging you into tomb raiding again—especially after that sorry show you put on in the King Yelang’s tomb. This time we’re not grave robbing, we’re doing archaeology.”

I burst out laughing so suddenly that the waiter and people around us jumped in surprise.

“What are you laughing at?”

I thought to myself, “Why am I laughing? Archaeology? With your background, don’t those two words sound awfully cold and out of place coming from your mouth?”

“I’m not going to argue with you. Just check the photos in your phone’s album and you’ll understand.” With that, the Fatty hung up.

What the hell was the Fatty up to this time? I hesitated, wondering if I should look, but then figured the decision was mine anyway—what was there to be afraid of? So I opened the album. There were plenty of photos, mostly of pretty girls from Chengdu taken on the road. I couldn’t help but glare at the guy in front of me.

But when I reached the last photo, my eyes lit up.

It was a shot of a muddy field, crowded with people all in matching short uniforms, holding various tools—as if excavating something. At the very front stood a skinny, spectacled old man, apparently directing the others. It dawned on me that this was likely a photo of an archaeological dig.

Why did the Fatty want me to see this? I was puzzled. The date on the photo was only two days ago, but after staring at it for a while, I still couldn’t see anything that would pique my interest.

Just then, the clueless kid standing in front of me said, “The third person from the left.”

“Huh?” I was startled.

“The boss said you’d understand if you looked at the third person from the left.”

“The third from the left, the third…” I looked where he indicated, and suddenly I shuddered.

I could hardly believe my eyes. I enlarged the photo and studied it carefully. After a good half minute, I was finally sure: the third person from the left, the young man with a cigarette hanging from his lips, smiling at a girl, was… Peanut.

While I was still in shock, the Fatty called back.

“So? Now do you see how well-connected your brother Fatty is?” he said, full of pride.

It had only been a few days, and Peanut was already at an archaeological site. That was fast. The more baffling thing was, how could a tomb raider like him be mingling with a bunch of archaeologists, grinning like a flower?

Could his real identity be an archaeologist? Had he been an undercover agent in the tomb raiding world all along?

“How did you get this photo?” I demanded immediately.

The Fatty ran an antique shop in Beijing, so naturally he was connected with all sorts of people in the field. Three years ago, he’d befriended the bespectacled old man in the photo: Professor Chen Gang. This old man was no ordinary figure—he was a senior official at the Beijing Museum, a revered authority in antique appraisal. The Fatty was on good terms with him; they’d done several deals, with the Fatty often reselling items to him at a low price. This photo had been sent to the Fatty by Professor Chen just two days ago.

“Why would he send you a photo from his work?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“Something happened over there,” the Fatty replied. “Professor Chen didn’t say much, but I could tell that a few people probably died, and now things are in chaos.”

“Even so, why would he turn to a shady dealer like you?”

“Hey, show your brother Fatty some respect! Anyway, Professor Chen probably knows what I really do, even if he hasn’t said it outright. He wants my help this time. I’m certain they’ve run into some kind of trap in that tomb, and these academic types aren’t equipped to handle it. With people dead, there’s a good chance the police will seal up the site. So, Professor Chen is desperate. I didn’t want to get involved at first, but first, I’m on good terms with him, and second, you saw that young man in the photo. He’s no ordinary guy. Remember how last time he mentioned to your father he was heading somewhere? I bet it’s the same tomb Professor Chen’s team is excavating now.”

I thought for a moment, then asked, “Why did you think of dragging me into this?”

The Fatty chuckled slyly on the other end of the line. “That’s the result of a whole night’s analysis. Think about it—before that young man set off, he encountered the venomous snake in the Yelang King’s tomb. The place he’s interested in must be related to that. That means you could be useful.”

“What’s that got to do with me?”

“Come on, you forgot? You’re the only one who came out of the Yelang King’s tomb unscathed. If your blood worked there, maybe it’ll work in this place he’s heading to. I figure, as long as you’re with them, everything will go smoothly.”

“Oh, so you want me to be a blood donor, is that it?” I was getting annoyed now.

“Heh, this is the first time your brother Fatty is doing legitimate business—I need a lucky charm.”

“Lucky charm, my ass!” I cursed. “I…”

I was about to refuse, but then I realized this could be a chance to get to the bottom of everything. My father had promised to tell me what was going on, but honestly, I wasn’t sure I believed him.

Still, I was really wary of going back into tombs, especially after promising my father…

“Hey, come on, this is a great opportunity to gain some experience. You’re a descendant of the Yuan family—if you’ve never seen the big leagues, how are you going to brag to your people?” The Fatty kept egging me on.

Truth be told, I was curious myself. My father had also told me to spend more time with the old pros. Professor Chen was a bona fide academic—if anyone was a true expert, it was someone like him. Most importantly, Peanut was there too. The thought of seeing him again made my curiosity impossible to suppress. With the Fatty whispering in my ear—well, more like bellowing in my ear—I was tempted.

“All right, damn it. I’ve already lost my innocence anyway. Just don’t let my family find out about this.” As soon as I said it, a woman in sunglasses nearby stared at me in astonishment.

“Now that’s the spirit! Don’t worry, your brother Fatty is absolutely trustworthy.” The Fatty started making all sorts of guarantees, and I found myself getting more and more excited.

People are strange creatures—my previous experiences had scared me out of my wits, but the thrill of the tombs was something I couldn’t help but look forward to.