Chapter 58: The Dark Figure

After sorting through all these thoughts, I felt utterly exhausted. It seemed that when idle, one must keep the mind active, or it truly will rust away. Smiling wryly at myself, I was about to light a cigarette when suddenly, I heard faint footsteps. Though barely audible, my hearing and vision had always been unusually keen.

Yes, footsteps—moving toward the study. Someone was there! Instantly, I became alert. However, this time, I hadn’t brought along my ever-present black-gold dagger, as today’s purpose had simply been to see Li Ling off. I hadn’t expected to uncover all these matters. Grabbing a steel pen from the table, I clenched its tip tightly in my hand and slowly stood, edging toward the door.

Just as I sensed the footsteps drawing near the study, I spun around and charged out the door, back toward the entrance. Sure enough, a shadowy figure stood there—caught off guard by my sudden attack. My elbow struck, sending them stumbling several steps back. Clearly, this was someone trained; a regular person would have been knocked flat.

The figure moved with surprising speed and agility, their body almost fluid. As I closed in, they slipped past me like an eel, darting toward the study. I hurried after them, jabbing the pen’s tip into their back, then slashing hard—opening a wound across their back. Yet the person seemed intent on their goal, refusing to turn and engage with me. It quickly became clear why: their target was the map lying on the table. Seizing it, they raced toward the window. Their speed was astonishing, their body remarkably nimble—I failed to catch them several times.

The study’s window was old-fashioned and already worn; a strong push would easily force it open. They moved so quickly that, by the time I reacted, they had burst through the window. My heart raced—the map seemed crucial, and this was the second time someone had sneaked in and escaped right before my eyes. Frustrated, I didn’t hesitate; I leaped through the window after them. Below was a small platform, built as an annex to the house. Landing there, I saw the shadow already fifty meters ahead. I hurried in pursuit—he was fast, but I was no slower. This time, I was determined not to let him go.

I chased him for a while, gradually closing the distance. With the wound in his back, his stamina surely wouldn’t match mine. Just as I felt a leap would bring him down, he darted into a construction site. There was no ongoing work, and the place was a chaotic mess of steel rods and pipes—easy to lose track of him.

He deliberately chose the most tangled paths, and even my stamina was beginning to wane. At one corner, I grabbed a piece of steel and hurled it at his back, striking him squarely and knocking him to the ground.

I lunged forward, landing a punch on his back as he tried to rise, smashing him back down. Moving closer, I caught my breath and said, “Run, go on, run! Damn you!”

His stamina was impressive; just as he tried to stand, I kicked him down again. Snatching the map from his hand, I saw he was already nearly limp from my blows. I was about to remove his mask when I sensed danger approaching. Dodging quickly, I discovered another figure behind me—dressed the same, attacking silently. I slipped aside, prepared to rush him, but suddenly he produced a handgun, aiming it at me without a word.

At that moment, the one I’d nearly beaten to death stood up as if nothing had happened. I couldn’t understand why the newcomer hadn’t simply fired, so I made no rash moves. At this range, I wouldn’t stand a chance against a bullet.

“Hand over the map!” he demanded.

I gripped the map tightly, considering my options. Even if I gave it to him, there was no guarantee he’d let me live. Pretending to toss the paper ball over, I suddenly rolled into a nearby cement pipe. He fired two shots, then moved to pursue me. The construction materials were piled everywhere—utterly chaotic. I ducked behind a heap of steel, grabbing a steel plate for cover.

Strangely, neither of them came after me; instead, they left. The gunshots rang sharp and clear in the night, then silence returned. Peeking out, I saw them speeding away on a motorcycle. I tucked the map into my jacket, exhaling deeply. That was close—they probably didn’t dare chase me further. If I managed to get close, even a handgun might not save them.

I waited a while, making sure no one else was around before leaving the site. It was the dead of night, with only the occasional rumble of trucks in the distance. The gunfire would surely attract attention, so I hurried away to avoid trouble.

I walked for a long time without encountering a single vehicle, carefully scanning my surroundings to ensure I wasn’t being followed. It seemed I truly had to be cautious now. Not only had Wang Wenshan been tracked and possibly abducted, but I myself was being followed. Though I had my skills, the enemy had guns and numbers—better to be careful.

Thinking this, I became even more vigilant, smoking as I walked. After a while, a passing truck appeared, and the driver kindly gave me a lift. With my youthful looks, he likely assumed I was a recent graduate and didn’t give it much thought. He drove me all the way into the city.

I didn’t go home immediately; given the danger, perhaps Li Ling was right—I really ought to lay low. It wasn’t a matter of fear, but of prudence. There was no need to take unnecessary risks; I still had much to accomplish.

I found a small inn and slept until midday. Then I took a cab downtown, bought a cell phone—those were just starting to enter common use—and chose a flip model. After purchasing a SIM card and activating international service, I quickly called Li Ling.

When she left, Li Ling had given me several ways to contact her: her mobile, home landline, and her school’s office number. I soon reached her. Li Ling told me her research was progressing but needed a few more days; she was working hard. After hearing my analysis and situation, she asked if I wanted to join her. I thought it over and decided against it for now, preferring to wait for her results before making other plans. Before hanging up, she urged me to be careful and promised to notify me immediately if there were any breakthroughs.

Sitting in a small diner, I began to ponder Wang Wenshan’s assistant. Using my newly purchased phone, I called the dormitory at the Archaeology Institute and soon reached Liang Qiu. I asked him to meet me at a designated spot. Though puzzled, he agreed to come.

We met at a café. The capital’s cafés were expensive, rarely frequented by ordinary folk. It was quiet, with few patrons—perfect for conversation. Liang Qiu greeted me and asked what had happened. I didn’t tell him the details, only inquired about Wang Wenshan’s assistant.

Unexpectedly, Liang Qiu pushed up his glasses and exclaimed excitedly, “Brother Yun, you thought of it too? I came to the same conclusion. This time, Professor Wang didn’t bring his assistant—why? As far as I know, his assistant had nothing pressing at the time. And now that Professor Wang’s disappearance is well known, surely his assistant is aware. Yet, when I saw him a few days ago, he looked calm, chatting and smiling as usual. That’s just not right.”

I hadn’t expected Liang Qiu to reach this point as well. We discussed it briefly. Liang Qiu wanted to report it to the authorities. I thought to myself—he’s still too young, not seeing the full picture. Given my suspicions, even the police might not be trustworthy. If they were, there wouldn’t be such silence in Kashgar; clearly, someone wanted to suppress the matter.

I advised Liang Qiu to keep quiet for now. Some things, even if explained, he might not grasp—and could even jeopardize matters. From him, I obtained the assistant’s details: his surname was Sun, full name Sun Tao, around forty, known for being amiable and always smiling, well-liked, highly skilled, and soon to be promoted to mentor status.

After bidding Liang Qiu farewell, I followed his directions to the Archaeology Institute. Where Sun Tao lived, Liang Qiu didn’t know, so I waited at the campus gate. Based on Liang Qiu’s description and my own inquiries, I soon spotted Sun Tao during the afternoon break. Many people were leaving the campus at that hour; he didn’t notice me, riding a bicycle at a leisurely pace.

He wasn’t in a hurry, so I followed him easily. He didn’t go far—just one stop away before entering a residential complex. After parking and locking his bike, he carried a shopping bag to buy groceries. I followed him to the market. Along the way, I found nothing suspicious about him; he seemed utterly ordinary.