After the signals from Ox-Head and Horse-Face were sent out, the helicopter that was supposed to pick them up entered the mountain in the shortest possible time. Then, it dropped a rope with many clips on it, and our group was hoisted out like cargo.

I had hoped that after escaping, I could catch up with Ox-Head and Horse-Face, but they didn't even give me a chance to say goodbye. They simply abandoned us in a relatively safe place and left.

After all that trouble, we finally returned to camp just before dawn the next day.

While Xue Dong was arranging for the others to rest, I dialed Monkey's number. I thought he would be asleep by now, but to my surprise, he answered the phone as soon as the ringtone went off: "Young Master Duan?"

I was a little surprised: "Still up so late? Did you discover something?"

"The biggest discovery is that we found nothing. According to your blueprints, we just finished drilling the last test trench half an hour ago, but we still found nothing. I feel that someone has been watching us in the dark all day. Perhaps it is because we found nothing that those people have not made a move against us."

The monkey's voice sounded very tired: "Young Master Duan, since we entered this business, you have never made a mistake in locating the dragon. But this time you made a mistake in Qingyun Town. I suspect that there is no ancient tomb in this place at all. The information you received must be wrong."

Hearing what the monkey said, I also became a little hesitant.

I believe Miao Xiaoxian wouldn't lie to me, but when she told me that the Miao Jiang Immortal Palace was located underground in Qingyun Town, I doubted its authenticity. I felt it was like a smokescreen released by the clan leader.

The monkey's investigation has confirmed my suspicions. Seeing that he hasn't found anything, I continued, "I've successfully obtained the bull's head and arranged to go to the county town at 3 PM to trade with Black Robe. Since you haven't found anything, come with me! The road from the town to the county town is difficult to travel, so we should leave at 11:30 AM. Get some rest and wait for my call."

After chatting with the monkey, I didn't have time to rest. I started using the tools Xue Dong had prepared to demold and replicate the bull's head we had obtained.

Having learned from Su Jialiang's previous experience of having someone guide me, my process of replicating the bull's head went smoothly, and I was able to create the mold in one go.

The next step was left to Xue Dong to handle, and he was tasked with finding professionals to make the key.

By the time I finished everything, it was already nine o'clock in the morning. I had only slept for a little over an hour when I was woken up by the alarm. Feeling dizzy and disoriented, I got up and went back to Qingyun Town with Xue Dong and the others.

Because of the miasma incident, Qingyun Town, which already had a small population, became even more desolate. When I went to the town government to meet Monkey, the streets outside were deserted, without a single ghost in sight.

After Li Changyou led us into the mountains, Xue Dong, fearing he would leak the news, kept him detained. Seeing the deserted state of the town, he looked at Xue Dong with some fear: "Brother, I've done everything I promised you, and I even helped you rescue the people. Now, can you let me go?"

After thinking for a moment, I realized that Li Changyou was indeed no longer of any use. I walked into the town government compound and said, "You can leave now. I'll have someone bring you some money later. You know what this money is for, right?"

Li Changyou nodded sensibly: "I know, it's hush money!"

Previously, the monkeys had surveyed Qingyun Town and acquired a lot of large equipment. However, there weren't many places to park in the town, so all the equipment was parked in the government compound. Many people were gathered around, preparing to evacuate.

Seeing the equipment in the yard, Li Changyou couldn't help but marvel: "Wow, I didn't expect you guys were really here to prospect for minerals. But these devices probably can't be taken up the mountain, right? What's the point of setting them up?"

"Ask less of what you shouldn't ask."

I didn't answer Li Changyou's question, but said to Xue Dong, "Give him 20,000 yuan and let him go."

"Thank you, boss!"

When Li Changyou heard that he had made money, his face beamed with joy. After walking a few steps, he saw a deep pit dug by a drilling machine in the middle of the government compound and muttered, "These people are really stupid. Qingyun is all rocky ground. What kind of minerals can they dig out? If they want to dig, they should go to the old government area!"

I vaguely heard Li Changyou's words and turned to look at him: "What were you just saying?"

"I didn't say anything!"

Li Changyou was startled by me: "Boss, you don't allow me to talk nonsense outside, but you can't forbid me from talking to myself either, can you?"

I ignored his explanation and pressed him, "What did you mean by 'old government' just now?"

"Actually, Qingyun Town wasn't located here back then. It was moved here many years ago. I remember that the county invited a geological expert back then, who said that the soil at the old site of Qingyun Town was loose and there was a risk of mudslides."

Li Changyou sniffed: "The reason the town moved here is because the geological team determined that the underground here is a layer of rock, and the possibility of disasters is relatively small! I just saw you drilling holes in the yard, I guess it's for prospecting, but we might have mines in this kind of place."

When I heard Li Changyou's explanation, my eyes lit up immediately: "You're saying Qingyun Town was moved here later? Then where is its original site?"

Li Changyou seemed to sense my anxiety and started plotting something again: "Boss, you asked me to give you a reply, you can't work for nothing, right?"

I frowned: "This isn't a secret. Even if you don't tell me, I can find out from someone else. Do you still want the 20,000 yuan I just promised you?"

"Oh, let me tell you, to be precise, it wasn't the town that moved here, but the town government. It was originally in another village! The old site of Qingyun Town Government is to the east, about nine kilometers away. It's in a mountain valley. After the town moved, many buildings were left there. I used to rest there when I was collecting mountain goods."

Li Changyou licked his lips: "Speaking of which, the soil over there is really good, and there are wild watermelons all over the mountains and fields. They taste especially sweet and grow to be big! I heard that the people of Qingyun Town have been growing watermelons since the late Ming Dynasty. Because of the special soil, the watermelons they grow are sweet and delicious. It is said that they were even a tribute item!"

"A melon patch?"

Hearing Li Changyou say this, I suddenly thought of the legend of the Three Treasures that the forest ranger Lao Zhou had told me. I waved my hand and called the monkey over: "The plan has changed. You don't need to come with us today. Take the team and set off immediately to explore the old site of Qingyun Town, nine kilometers to the east."

"The old site of Qingyun Town?"

The monkey looked completely bewildered: "Isn't this the real Qingyun Town?"

I explained vaguely, "I just heard this news from Li Changyou, and I can't confirm the specifics yet. But I have to leave now to trade with the Black Robe. There's no time to survey the terrain. You take the team there first and test it out slowly. Once I redeem Jiang Man, I'll meet up with you immediately."