After Xiang Tian left Hong Kong, he quickly found Zhao Chengyuan. He recounted his entire trip to Hong Kong, wanting to hear his friend's opinion.
To his surprise, Zhao Chengyuan also produced a human skin map, which was identical to the one Xiang Tian held.
Not only that, but Zhao Chengyuan and his team had already begun preparations to depart.
Xiang Tian inquired about the circumstances. Zhao Chengyuan explained, "A while ago, there was an overseas Chinese woman. She was quite friendly with our boss. She brought the human skin map and hoped we would help her find the Suihou Pearl."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Tian decided to join Zhao Chengyuan.
Finding the Suihou Pearl was not as simple as they thought. Although they quickly located the address on the human skin map, they discovered that the Suihou Pearl was not there. Moreover, they found that someone else was also searching for it.
Thus, the archaeological team began a race against those mysterious individuals, following clues for three years in their search for the Suihou Pearl.
Fortunately, the sponsor of the archaeological team was wealthy and unconcerned about the cost.
It was in the fourth year that the archaeological team finally determined the location of the Suihou Pearl.
Zhao Chengyuan paused at this point. He stood up and took a manila envelope from a homemade wooden cabinet.
He handed the envelope to me, saying, "Inside is the roster and photographs from our archaeological team back then. You can take a look."
I opened the envelope and took out the documents. Soon, I found my father's figure in the photos.
My father was very young then, his face full of smiles, radiating vitality.
"This was taken by me and him at Yan Jing train station, after we returned from Tibet," Zhao Chengyuan said, pointing to a photograph. "See the wolf's tooth hanging around his neck? That wolf was killed by you and your father. To commemorate it, we each took a wolf's tooth."
Zhao Chengyuan flipped through the photographs one by one, telling me the stories behind them.
From his expression, it seemed he deeply missed my father.
"I never thought your father would be alright... I thought that if I disappeared, they wouldn't target anyone else, but no one expected..." Zhao Chengyuan's eyes welled up, filled with regret and sadness.
"Uncle Zhao, what exactly happened between you and my father when you were searching for the Suihou Pearl?" I asked.
He wiped his eyes and lit a cigarette. "I haven't smoked for so many years; I thought I had quit. I didn't realize this addiction is impossible to break."
He took a puff, slowly exhaled the smoke, and watched the rising wisps before continuing his narration.
After discovering the Suihou Pearl in the Taohuai Kingdom, all the elite members of the expedition team prepared to set off. The woman who sponsored the search for the Suihou Pearl also accompanied them.
The woman's English name was Bonnie, and the archaeological team privately called her "Yang Niu" (foreign girl).
Despite the nickname, this woman was a pure-blooded Chinese, only her household registration was abroad.
The expedition team, numbering in the hundreds, headed to the Pamir Plateau. At that time, many roads were not yet paved, and they traveled almost entirely on foot.
I thought their route would be the same as ours, but according to Zhao Chengyuan, they never found that secret chamber when they went to the Taohuai Kingdom. Instead, they went directly to the White Desert.
Upon reaching the White Desert, they also did not find the lake. Instead, they directly found the entrance through Dragon-Seeking and Earth-Tomb techniques.
Their team had many capable individuals, and a considerable number were skilled in Feng Shui. Therefore, they encountered no danger.
Upon arriving at the underground ancient city, the archaeological team members were extremely excited. Once this ancient city was excavated, they would all be heroes.
It would shock the entire world!
During the exploration of the ancient city, the archaeological team was attacked by Death Worms, resulting in heavy casualties.
"People died every day... and we couldn't find an exit..." Zhao Chengyuan said, his eyes red. "Do you know? That feeling of waiting to die is tormenting."
"Actually, we've also been to that place," I said.
Zhao Chengyuan was taken aback by my words. "You've been to the underground ancient city?"
Fatty said proudly, "Of course, we even stayed there for a few days."
Zhao Chengyuan asked, "Then how did you find the exit?"
I briefly recounted our experience of going to the underground ancient city. After listening, he sighed, "It seems the bodyguard who went down with you was not simple... None of us, with so many people, thought of going through the plaza's water pool to reach the underground river."
"Then how did you get out?" Fatty asked.
Zhao Chengyuan gave a wry smile. "We naturally returned the way we came... It's just that the cost of returning was too great."
The successive deaths of the archaeological team members in the underground ancient city made everyone increasingly uneasy. The one who suggested returning the way they came was Zhao Chengyuan.
After paying a heavy price, they finally emerged from the underground ancient city.
"Uncle Zhao, did you find the Suihou Pearl then?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Of course, we found it."
"Where is the Suihou Pearl?"
"The 'Yang Niu' took it."
Speaking of this, Zhao Chengyuan sighed. "After emerging from the ancient city, there were still many members of the archaeological team. However, these people mysteriously disappeared one after another over three years... My father and I began investigating this matter, and we eventually discovered that a mysterious organization had been looking for us. Their objective was to find the Suihou Pearl."
"What mysterious organization?" I asked.
Zhao Chengyuan hesitated, his gaze looking at me with some hesitation. "Xiao Fei, I know you want revenge... You should listen to your father..."
"Uncle Zhao! My father had his choices, and I have mine. I've been investigating my father's affairs these past few years. Now that I've finally found you, can you really bear to tell me nothing?"
I suppressed my emotions and looked at him. "I want to know the truth!"
"Alright..." he sighed. "It wouldn't be fair to you if I didn't tell you about this. However, you need to think carefully. Once I tell you, you might be in danger. And your remaining life might..."
"I'm not afraid!" I stated directly.
When I was young, my grandfather once told me that a man must know what to do and what not to do. In life, one cannot abandon their original intentions and spirit due to fear or cowardice.
I still remember those words. The pain I felt when my father left feels as if it were yesterday.
I have been away from my hometown for so long precisely to uncover the truth about my father and to seek justice for him.
Now that the truth is finally before me, should I retreat because of fear?
I think not!