Chapter 98: Strange Occurrences

“Xiao Gao, you’re a college student from the city and have never experienced rural life. This is a perfect chance for you to get a taste of it. When you go back, make sure to write a report focusing on the local customs and traditions, as well as the villagers’ affection for us—especially the old party secretary. Be sure to highlight him,” Black Sunglasses said, stuffing food into his mouth as he spoke.

I felt a bit awkward, tempted to kick him lightly, but held back. I glanced again at the old party secretary—quite advanced in years, his smile as warm and gentle as a withered flower—and my embarrassment deepened. I could only nod in agreement.

As the meal wound down, Black Sunglasses asked the old secretary if any outsiders had been here recently. The old man shook his head and said, “Our little village is so remote, hardly any outsiders ever come. Even the town leaders rarely visit because the roads are so bad. That’s just how it’s been over the years. Most of the young people have left; after all, working away from here earns far more than staying on these few acres. People like me, old and unable to move much, are the only ones left.”

He went on to ramble, telling us that there were very few households left in Lishui Village, especially among the young. Except for a few youngsters who disappointed their elders, most had gone off to work elsewhere. Though he kept talking, we only pretended to listen, but it became clear that no outsiders had been here recently. That meant the old ghosts hadn’t tracked us down to this place, which brought Black Sunglasses and me some relief. We decided to rest here for a couple of days before making any plans. If we went to the town tomorrow, we might run into those old ghosts, and in our current state, a confrontation would surely end badly for us.

Black Sunglasses then said, “Old party secretary, we’d like to do some research here for a few days and experience the local customs. When we get back to the capital, we’ll write a report—something that could even go on TV. How does that sound?”

The old secretary immediately brightened up. “Of course, of course! That’s wonderful. You must report well. Our mountains and waters are beautiful, just the roads are a bit rough. If the leaders know about this, maybe they’ll fix the roads next time. You must report well—this is a good thing, a very good thing! Come, eat more; there’s plenty in the pot.”

His words made me feel a deep shame. Here he was, full of hopes for the village’s prosperity, while we were deceiving him. I blushed, and the old secretary, happy, drank another cup of wine before retiring early to his room.

Black Sunglasses shamelessly said, “The old man’s already so old. Let him enjoy himself. This counts as a good deed for us, don’t you think? Stop overthinking and get some rest. This little kang stove is really comfortable.”

I glanced at him but said nothing, lying down as well. I casually asked, “What are your plans?”

I knew that once this matter was over, Black Sunglasses would leave alone. I had many things I needed to do on my own as well. Separation was only a matter of time. There was one thing I had to ask him about: the few items I carried. They weren’t originally mine alone; he had contributed as well. It wouldn’t be right for me to take everything with me.

Black Sunglasses was an odd man—he even wore his sunglasses while sleeping. I had asked him about it before. He told me he had an eye condition and needed to wear them to see clearly. At night, he claimed, the sunglasses made his vision even sharper. Whether that was true or not, I didn’t know. If it was, it was certainly a strange ailment.

He didn’t look at me but lay flat and said, “Once everything is safe, I’ll leave for a while. I’ll leave you a contact number. If anything happens, you can reach me. Perhaps… we’ll have chances to work together again.”

I stifled my curiosity and didn’t ask where he planned to go. I had my own secrets I couldn’t share either. Instead, I asked, “What about those things?”

“Keep them for now. It’s not safe to leave them with me. As for that pill, you have one identical—give me the other. Regarding the map, when the time is right, I’ll ask you for a copy. You can find a place to print it or just send me a fax or a photo.”

I thought for a moment. Giving him the pill was no problem; I had a duplicate. Besides, most of this endeavor was his doing—I couldn’t refuse him. As for the map, he didn’t seem eager to know its contents just yet, so I didn’t press. Leaving him a contact would suffice. I asked about the rest of the items.

Black Sunglasses answered calmly, “Those things are priceless treasures. Keep them or sell them—but not now. It’s too risky, and very few dare to take them on. You’d be in danger too. Wait for the right opportunity.”

He didn’t seem concerned about material wealth. To be honest, though I wasn’t rich, I had enough money, so selling or not didn’t matter much. He was right—selling those items would attract too much attention. It was safer to keep them hidden for now.

After a while, he added, “Those two little bronze lions aren’t ordinary. They look like keys to some mechanism. You’d better hide them carefully.”

At first, I hadn’t thought much of the two bronze lions. I assumed they were merely antiques, not seals or anything like that. Certainly not the kind of paperweights I initially guessed—after all, the nomadic people of the Loufan Kingdom wouldn’t have much interest in calligraphy. Now, hearing Black Sunglasses say they were keys to some ancient mechanism, I began to wonder where the lock might be.

He admitted it was only his guess, not certain. In any case, he urged me to keep them safe, and I nodded in agreement, also leaving him my contact information.