Chapter 130: Setting Off, The Expedition Team

It was quite thorough of him to have you tag along with the expedition team to Xi'an, but you still cannot lower your guard. I have arranged for someone to protect your safety within the team. Furthermore, having just the map in your hands is useless. The person I have arranged is able to decode the map's information, is well-versed in the geomancy of ancient tombs and the mechanisms within them, and once you find the treasure, your mission will be complete.

Ultimately, Zhang Qinglin agreed to Bai Suishan's request. After leaving Bai Suishan's courtyard, Bai Weiwei did not accompany them.

Upon returning to the teahouse, Zhang Qinglin's mind was in turmoil. Seeing his furrowed brow, Wu Cheng'an knew that Bai Suishan must have said something weighty.

Zhang Qinglin recounted parts of what Bai Suishan had told him to Wu Cheng'an. Because this trip to Xi'an would undoubtedly entail trouble and danger, he hoped to involve as few people as possible.

Weighing the current circumstances, he decided it would be best for Wu Cheng'an to remain in Beijing. After all, the bronze goblet was still concealed within the quadrangle courtyard, which was not entirely secure, and both Jiang Xinyue and Uncle Jiang required protection.

He feared that Zhao Chu might act impulsively and resort to using Uncle Jiang and the others to threaten him, which would create endless trouble.

Wu Cheng'an replied that he would consider it.

During their conversation, Jiang Xinyue happened to overhear them from the top of the stairs. She quietly turned away, knowing that if she were to directly question Zhang Qinglin as to why he hadn't told her, he would surely say he was only trying to spare her from worry and that these matters were none of her concern.

Therefore, she kept silent, determined to look into the expedition as soon as possible. It would be best if she could participate directly, as that way she could accompany Zhang Qinglin to rescue Cheng Che.

That afternoon, Zhang Qinglin went to the hospital to visit Uncle Jiang. Seeing that Uncle Jiang's complexion was fairly good, though his leg was still bound in splints and bandages and unable to bear weight, being bedridden for days had driven Uncle Jiang to the brink of exasperation.

Uncle Jiang sighed, "I'm not even seventy or eighty yet, and my limbs are already failing me. A mere collision with a car cracked the bone, and now I have to lie in bed for another month or two. It's truly a torment."

Zhang Qinglin comforted him, saying, "Uncle Jiang, you've worked hard for the better part of your life; it's time you had a proper rest. Consider this an opportunity to recuperate. Once your health recovers, your leg will mend quickly as well."

Uncle Jiang offered a faint smile. In truth, at the hospital, there were doctors and nurses attending to him daily, and with an elderly gentleman in the neighboring bed who frequently chatted with him, it wasn't overly dull.

On the night before the day Zhao Chu was to send someone to pick up Zhang Qinglin, Zhang Qinglin sat at his desk, gathering and packing several essential items he needed to bring along.

Upon seeing the half-fragment of silk manuscript given to him by Uncle Jiang, he examined its contents once more with utmost concentration. Although a few characters were unfamiliar, he could still discern references to the Five Elements, the Eight Trigrams, celestial phenomena, and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

The Eight Trigrams, also known as the "primary trigrams," consist of Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui.

The sixty-four hexagrams of the Book of Changes are all formed by the pairing and overlapping of these eight trigrams. The trigrams originated from the divination practices of primitive religion, and legend has it that the Eight Trigrams diagram was created by the ancient sage Fuxi.

In ancient Chinese culture, the Eight Trigrams diagram embodies profound philosophical principles.

By utilizing the Eight Trigrams, one could calculate destiny, forecast fortune and misfortune, and even predict the future.

According to existing records in the "Five Classics" and the Classic of Changes, the Eight Trigrams evolved from the Taiji.

The Classic of Changes states: "The Changes have the Taiji, which generates the Two Modes. The Two Modes generate the Four Images, and the Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams. The Eight Trigrams determine fortune and misfortune, and from fortune and misfortune arise great undertakings."

Among these, the "Four Images" are interpreted by some as Greater Yin, Greater Yang, Lesser Yin, and Lesser Yang, while the Eight Trigrams primarily symbolize the eight natural phenomena: heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain, and marsh.

The "Qian" and "Kun" trigrams occupy an especially crucial position within the Eight Trigrams, serving as the primal source of all phenomena in both the natural world and human society.

Consequently, the view on the Eight Trigrams is that they reflect the "Three Ways"—namely, the way of heaven, the way of earth, and the way of man.

When Zhang Qinglin examined the torn edge of the silk manuscript, he discovered the characters "Luo River" hidden within. Although he had no idea what place "Luo River" referred to in ancient times,

all current target information pointed toward the Luo River. It seemed certain to be the Luo River.

Early the next morning, Zhang Qinglin slung his backpack over his shoulder, bade farewell to Jiang Xinyue, and stepped out of the quadrangle courtyard. He had agreed with Wu Cheng'an the previous day that he would contact him upon reaching Xi'an and keep him informed of any developments, while also urging him to exercise caution while inquiring about Fannie's whereabouts.

The car dispatched by Zhao Chu was waiting at the street corner near the quadrangle. After Zhang Qinglin departed in the vehicle, Jiang Xinyue also hailed a taxi and left.

The black sedan carrying Zhang Qinglin drove to an open patch of land in Mentougou. Upon alighting, Zhang Qinglin saw two large buses parked to the right of the car, with several groups of people standing nearby. Dressed in diverse attire and varying appearances, they were chattering animatedly.

Because the expedition carried inherent risks, many of those participating were drawn by the bounty, typically consisting of desperate outlaws.

Zhang Qinglin had previously learned that an expedition team primarily consisted of at least five expedition members and a team leader. The primary function of the team leader was to oversee wilderness survival guidance, safety assurance, logistical support, and rescue organization for the entire team.

The expedition equipment required firearms, crossbows, and other tools, and team members had to enter the survey area several days in advance, leaving predetermined markers along the route.

In special terrains, simple safety setups were required, such as rigging zip lines where passages were blocked or employing single-rope techniques where ascents were impossible.

One person would follow the main contingent a few days later, carrying a firearm, a crossbow, and specialized equipment to handle technical guidance and safety operations.

Another person would be responsible for organizing logistical supplies and managing rescue operations under extraordinary circumstances.

At the same time, all members would carry wireless communication devices to maintain necessary daily contact and exchange information when conditions permitted.

The equipment allocation included professional wilderness survival gear, mountaineering ropes, safety harnesses, primary locking carabiners, quickdraws, slinging cords, ascenders, descenders, tents, sleeping bags, moisture-proof pads, wilderness survival knives, storm jackets and trousers, outdoor footwear, headlamps, and camp lanterns.

Additional items comprised lighting equipment, twelve categories of wilderness medical supplies, field cooking utensils, topographic maps, compasses, binoculars, route markers, and personal daily necessities.

Security equipment included two semi-automatic rifles, two powerful crossbows, and infrared camp alarms.

Backup emergency supplies consisted of emergency rations, medicines, and waterproof matches.

As Zhang Qinglin walked toward the buses, he saw that a dozen people had already boarded the first bus. A placard in front of the vehicle read "Liaoning - Shenyang," indicating that this bus was bound for Shenyang, while the one behind it bore the sign "Shaanxi - Xi'an." Just as Zhang Qinglin walked past, the bus for Shenyang pulled away.

Scanning his surroundings, he did not spot Zhao Chu, though four men in black suits resembling bodyguards were stationed by the door of the bus, clearly personnel from the Zhao Group traveling with the convoy.

Following the departure of the first bus, seven or eight people remained on the ground, having yet to board—evidently, not all members had arrived.

Zhang Qinglin walked not far from the front of the remaining bus and glanced at the remaining individuals. To his front-left, three men clad in green heavy coats were huddled together smoking and chatting. A few paces away from them stood a young man and woman examining an object in their hands. Zhang Qinglin noticed the object featured leather cords and a frame resembling a slingshot, finding it rather bizarre that anyone would study a slingshot so intently.

Behind them stood another young man, suggesting they belonged to the same party.

Shifting his gaze to the side, Zhang Qinglin noticed a middle-aged man leaning against the doorway of the bus, appearing older than the others in the group. Clad in a tattered cotton-padded jacket with his hands tucked into its sleeves, he possessed a sharp-featured face, monkey-like cheeks, and a pair of thin mustaches above his lips, standing with his head tilted back and eyes closed.

"Little Linzi!" A familiar voice rang out from behind. Zhang Qinglin turned around to see Bai Weiwei running toward him, weighed down by a large backpack.

"Weiwei, why are you here? What is this..." Seeing her drenched in sweat, Zhang Qinglin pointed in astonishment at the oversized pack on her back and helped her take it off, placing it on the ground.

Bai Weiwei glanced sideways at the group of men, the corners of her lips curling up to reveal a row of pearly white teeth as she said, "How could you leave me behind for something as fun as an adventure?"

With that, Bai Weiwei turned her back to the group, stood beside Zhang Qinglin, and whispered that it was far too dangerous for him to go to Xi'an alone, adding that she had checked on the members heading to Xi'an before coming and discovered that many of them harbored ulterior motives regarding him.

Just as Bai Weiwei was speaking, the bus driver climbed into the driver's seat, and someone began calling out for passengers to board and prepare for departure.

"Let me carry this for you. You go ahead first."

Bai Weiwei blinked her bright eyes, murmured a word of thanks, and turned to walk toward the bus.

Zhang Qinglin hoisted the heavy pack and prepared to turn and follow when a dirty, calloused hand suddenly clapped down onto his shoulder. Startled, Zhang Qinglin stiffened, his brow knitting as he cast a sidelong glare at the grimy hand resting upon him.

The person who had stepped forward turned out to be the middle-aged man who had been leaning against the bus door. Speaking with a pronounced regional accent, the middle-aged man asked, "Are you little brother Zhang Qinglin?"

Zhang Qinglin's expression instantly grew tense. Could this man be here to snatch the items in his possession? The hand holding the large pack involuntarily tightened its grip.

"Relax, don't be so nervous. I'm not a bad guy; I'm here to protect you. Just as Second Master said, you look as frail as paper—let me carry that bag!" The middle-aged man hitched up his trousers, revealing a pair of large protruding yellow incisors, and reached out to seize the pack from Zhang Qinglin's grip.

Zhang Qinglin was taken aback, his eyes widening as he stared at him. "Wait, who is Second Master?"

"Dog Second Master, of course."

"I don't know any Dog Second Master. Please stay away from me."

The middle-aged man immediately matched his pace, casting a glance at the people boarding the bus before lowering his voice: "Dog Second Master is Bai Suishan. You punk look like you aren't too bright, yet you're quite cautious. From now on, I'm your errand runner. My name is Hu Geming."

Carrying the large pack, Hu Geming boarded the bus. Seeing another man helping Zhang Qinglin with his belongings, Bai Weiwei felt a surge of alertness, hurriedly stepping forward to take the pack from Hu Geming's hands while offering a polite expression of gratitude.

Hu Geming flashed a grin, sidestepped, and took a seat on the adjacent row. Zhang Qinglin walked behind him, exchanged a glance with Bai Weiwei, and moved further down the aisle.

Zhang Qinglin stepped up beside Bai Weiwei and had just finished stowing her bag when the engine roared to life.

At that moment, a figure wearing a hat hurried onto the bus and brushed past him, nearly sending him sprawling. Lurching forward, Zhang Qinglin steadied himself against a seat and caught sight of the hat-wearer, completely enveloped in a heavy black overcoat. From the profile, it appeared to be a woman, walking silently toward the rear-most seats without a word.

Bai Weiwei made a move to steady Zhang Qinglin, but before she could act, he had already regained his balance.

Once all the passengers had boarded, the bus pulled away. Zhang Qinglin and Bai Weiwei sat together, conversing freely throughout the journey.

During a midpoint rest stop, Hu Geming informed Zhang Qinglin that there were a total of three expedition groups: one bound for Hubei, one for Liaoning, and their own heading to Shaanxi. Within their specific group of fifteen individuals, well over half harbored designs upon Zhang Qinglin.

Based on his assessment, they would arrive in Xi'an by dusk and would require a night of rest before entering the exploration zone. Action would undoubtedly be taken by someone during that intervening night. Hu Geming could not ascertain the identities of all these individuals, which was why he insisted on sharing a room with Zhang Qinglin.

Knowing he lacked any alternative, Zhang Qinglin had no choice but to accede to Hu Geming's arrangement. Throughout the rest of the journey, Zhang Qinglin persistently felt as though countless pairs of eyes were fixed upon him.

On the evening of the third day, the bus arrived in Xi'an. The Zhao Group had arranged a three-story lodging for them in the suburbs—likely because the supplied equipment was rather specialized, precluding accommodations within the city center.

The designated location was quite remote, flanked by two large floodlights on either side of the dwelling. Amidst the gathering gloom of dusk, the party filed into the residence.