Chapter 26 (End of Chapter 26)
The person I was waiting for finally arrived.
A hint of triumph flashed in Lin Hai's eyes, which quickly turned into a look of amusement. His previous arrogance vanished, replaced by a smile.
"Mr. Xia, what are you saying? I'm just doing my job impartially. Why don't you take a look first?"
He waved the documents in his hand.
Xia Ming secretly surveyed the scene and saw that nothing major had happened.
Only then did he manage to focus on the task at hand.
He had heard about the incident, but seeing him arrive with so many people, he suspected that today's events were not simple.
However, remembering the instructions he had been given, he felt a sense of relief.
Soon someone handed him the documents.
Looking at the document with black lettering and a red seal, Xia Ming's eyes flashed with surprise.
As if he had been waiting for Lin Hai's reaction, Lin Hai couldn't help but burst into laughter when he saw Lin Hai's expression.
"Haha, how about it? The document wasn't forged, was it?"
The helper he brought stood beside him, looking at everyone with a smug expression.
"That's a document specially approved by our alliance. You've already seen it, so hurry up and pack your things. We need to take it back."
"That's right, that's right, don't delay our important business."
"Yeah, hurry up and get it ready. If it's not working, we'll do it ourselves."
They were about to roll up their sleeves and charge forward.
The young researchers next to Professor Xia quickly stepped forward.
"No, what do you want to do?"
"Stop! Don't come any closer! Don't make a move!"
"Yes, yes, stop them!"
The reporter, who had been waiting for a long time, had already taken out paper and pen and was jotting something down. His irritated expression clearly indicated he had discovered good news.
Although he came here with Director Lin, he had no intention of interfering; on the contrary, he hoped things would become more chaotic. If anything happened, his information would be invaluable.
Xia Mingjiang could tell from afar that the two groups of people in the crowd were not on good terms.
Judging from their posture, it looks like a fight is about to break out.
He ran until his forehead was covered in sweat and his throat was parched.
They had just stopped to rest for a while when they saw someone rushing towards Old Xia.
Then a huge crowd gathered around again.
Both sides were afraid of suffering losses, so they were wary and suspicious of each other.
"Hey, hey, stop touching me! Who pushed me?"
"Ouch, who stepped on me? Don't push in, someone fell down."
The atmosphere was getting increasingly chaotic, and the commotion was growing louder.
Those on the periphery desperately tried to squeeze in, which made Luo Yin, who was standing on the periphery, stand out.
Xia Mingjiang's eyes darted around, and he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Little Luo Yin, go up and help."
Luo Yin was watching the commotion from the sidelines, unaware that it would affect her.
"What does this have to do with me?"
Even when she jumped up, she couldn't see what was inside.
What were we doing in the past?
"Go inside and help."
Xia Mingjiang ran and shouted, determined to pull her over.
Luo Yin glanced at him, then looked at the huge crowd opposite her.
He shook his head and moved slightly closer.
"stop!"
Xia Ming was unusually taken aback, but because it was too chaotic, few people heard it.
Lin Hai, who was also squeezed and accidentally pulled to the ground, felt deeply bullied.
"Don't move forward, hey, someone stepped on me."
Lin Hai fell to the ground with a thud, his clothes and pants getting stepped on several times.
At this moment, he almost wanted to roar to the sky.
Before Xia Mingjiang could reach them, another person rushed over.
It was Hosen and his militia comrades running over from a distance.
Hosen exchanged glances with the others and quickly seized the lead, first controlling the few guys on the outside, and then pulling out the people inside layer by layer.
Until they discovered Xia Lao and Lin Hai, who were at the very center.
"Alright, what are you trying to do?"
"Everyone be honest with me. Let's talk things out. Anyone who misbehaves again will have to stay outside."
Pozter glared angrily at the crowd.
The words were indeed spoken by Hosen, who was standing next to him with a cold expression.
Upon hearing his words, his colleagues realized what he meant first.
Recalling what had just happened, she felt a little embarrassed and tidied herself up, standing obediently to the side.
Director Lin was also taken aback by his words.
Immediately, they cleverly began to direct their anger at him.
"No, who are you? Do you have any right to speak here?"
"Exactly, are you the one in charge?"
Lin Hai also frowned, feeling that this kid was disrespecting him and even dared to order him around in front of others.
Fortunately, it was in the middle of nowhere; if it were in the city, he would have to teach him properly.
He made a note of it, gave him a sharp look out of the corner of his eye, and then confronted Xia Ming.
Hosen noticed several fierce gazes.
He secretly scanned the group of people with his eyes, memorized their faces, and then ignored them.
"Old Xia, from the moment we arrived until now, you and your group of young people have not only failed to cooperate with our work, but have also made things difficult for us at every turn. Are you trying to oppose us?"
Xia Ming was clearly furious as well.
She abandoned her usual calm demeanor and stared at him for a long while with a somber expression.
"How could that be? Since Director Lin has repeatedly emphasized that we should do something for □□, let's take the cultural relics that we handled earlier back with us."
"Haha, that's more like it!"
"How could that be? Elder Xia, we still..."
Hearing him admit it himself, Lin Hai and his group burst into laughter.
Everyone looked at him with envy.
At the same time, he looked at the person opposite him with disdain.
Sure enough, their boss is amazing.
Much better than these people!
After Lin Hai finished laughing, he instructed his men to get to work, while also reminding the reporter Liu, whom he had specially invited, to take good photos and make sure to record their busy backs.
"Reporter Liu, I'll have to trouble you from now on."
Old Liu readily agreed on the surface, but inwardly he was filled with bitterness.
He would never have wanted to come if it weren't for the courtesy he was owed.
Regardless of what others think, Xia Ming has already instructed his assistant to take them there.
Soon there were only a few people left at the scene.
Luo Yin held onto Xia Mingjiang, preventing him from going over, and only let go of him after everyone had left.
As soon as he let go, Xia Mingjiang burst into a tirade of curses.
They were pointing and whispering about the backs of the people around them.
Luo Yin dared not approach, fearing she might offend her ears, but her curiosity still led her to follow behind.
All the researchers present turned their attention to Professor Xia.
Xia Ming seemed oblivious, simply waving them off to their own tasks and not to linger here.
Then they left as well.
"No, Elder Xia, why would you say that?"
Xia Mingjiang wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but looking into his eyes, which seemed to have aged more than ten years, he couldn't bring himself to ask any more questions.
"Alright, I need to go keep an eye on things first. We'll talk about the rest later."
After he finished speaking, he said a few more words to the elderly comrades next to him.
After most of the people had disappeared, Xia Mingjiang finally turned his attention to her.
"Cough cough!"
Luo Yin, who was planning to go back and rest for a while, was directly threatened by his gaze.
Xia Mingjiang called out to her, "Wait, wait, don't go yet."
"What are you doing? I'm not capable of anything. Don't come to me with your problems."
Luo Yin refused outright, making it clear that she didn't want to get involved.
"No, I really have something to tell you."
A few steps behind, Hossen saw them huddle together again, whispering something to each other.
The man stopped where he was, stood for a moment, then turned and left.
As a result, they missed the opportunity to conspire together.
Fang Wei never expected that they would find the right place so easily.
It turned out that during their journey, the group encountered a herdsman on horseback approaching them.
Tang Qiu had already given instructions, so he quickly bypassed the group and went up to the man to start a conversation.
The two chatted alone, quickly distancing themselves from the others.
It blocks the view of others.
Many people behind them were looking at the two of them.
Those who seemed to be on Fang Wei's side whispered among themselves with curiosity and caution.
"Who is that person? Will he ruin our plans?"
"I don't know, but seeing that he knows that person, could they be related?"
"Let's wait and see, the boss definitely knows."
Many people then turned their attention to Fang Wei.
But Fang Wei was also squinting and cautiously watching the backs of the two people.
Seeing his strange expression, his trusted henchman pondered and said...
"Brother, should I go and inquire about it?"
"How will you find out?"
His underling gave him a few winks, and Fang Wei nodded in understanding.
"Be careful, don't get caught."
"Don't worry about what I do, there won't be any problems."
The man quickly disappeared, leaving Fang Wei standing there deep in thought.
"No wonder this kid was so sure, turns out he has help here." He muttered to himself, feeling genuinely relieved.
This kid has the ability to get locals involved; it must be beneficial for them.
I'm afraid it might be detrimental to their group.
As Fang Wei thought this, a hint of ruthlessness crept into his eyes. Soon, Tang Qiu ran back from a distance.
"It's done!"
"Everyone get ready, pack your things and follow him."
At his command, everyone began to tidy up.
Fang Wei's team, however, did not move, and all of them kept their eyes on him.
"What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?"
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow at Fang Wei; he was indeed speaking to them.
"If you're not a brother, you need to tell me what's going on first. I'm completely clueless and none of the brothers know anything about this."
Actually, he wanted to ask who that person was.
But they weren't really courting death; instead, they changed the subject.
Tang Qiu could easily see through his plan, so instead of responding, she said, "That person said he knows a shortcut, so if we hurry, we can save a lot of time getting there."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"If you still don't believe me, why would I lie to you?"
"Alright, alright, of course I believe you, brother," Fang Wei quickly explained with a forced smile.
Fang Wei still gave the order, letting his men follow him.
They walked for seven or eight hours, and after dark they walked in the dark with lights on.
Traveling in the dark on the grassland is no different than walking with your eyes closed.
If it weren't for someone leading the way, this group of people really wouldn't have dared to do it.
Despite this, there were still countless discussions along the way.
Thanks to Tang Qiu and Fang Wei holding on, by the time they stopped to find a place to rest, it was already past midnight.
At this moment, the surroundings were pitch black, and the boundless night swept in.
A night wind suddenly blew up from somewhere, whistling and howling.
Some people started eating, some collapsed on the ground from exhaustion, and some tried to start a fire but were interrupted by a voice.
"Wait, we can't start a fire here!"
A voice speaking broken Mandarin rang out.
The others didn't find it so obvious, because what they said was pretty much the same.
"What's wrong? Not lighting a fire in the middle of the night? Are you looking to die?"
"You can't give birth here."
Fang Wei stepped forward and asked him what was going on.
The man explained in a low voice, and Fang Wei immediately yelled at him.
"If you can't have children, then don't. Why have you been searching all night and still not satisfied? Don't you want to rest?"
"no."
"Then you all better behave yourselves and get some rest and sleep."
Upon hearing that Fang Wei and Tang Qiu had both spoken, the group had no choice but to rest in the dark.
Once everyone had calmed down, Tang Qiu pulled Fang Wei over.
At this moment, the three of them huddled together, talking about something.
What was discussed that night, only the starlight in the sky probably knows.
Now, more than an hour has passed.
Lin Hai and his team successfully filled both cars, carefully wrapping the cultural relics inside.
Elder Xia and Elder Gu and the others stood still, looking at each other with complicated expressions.
Wei Jun desperately wanted to go up and take the things back, but to no avail.
This group is simply committing robbery!
Holding that document, they demanded that they hand over what they had unearthed.
The assistant, who was being led there, was already unhappy. Seeing those people handling the artifacts so roughly and recklessly, his anger flared up even more.
Repeated reminders and warnings were useless, as they saw that not only had they looted everything in tent number one, but they also wanted the things in tent number two.
The assistant angrily blocked the way for everyone, saying, "No, the things inside were just dug out, and the protective measures haven't been completed yet. You can't take them away."
"What are you? I can't just take you away whenever I want."
"That's right, you don't even respect Director Lin's words, are you looking for trouble?"
The assistant, despite his slender frame, showed no sign of backing down.
“I’ve already taken you all the way here. You really can’t touch these things. You don’t have the professional equipment and experience. These things can’t withstand the long journey and there will be an accident.”
He tried his best to explain patiently and make things clear to them.
But Lin Hai and the others thought he did it on purpose, that he just didn't want to give everything away.
"Stop babbling and quickly pull them away."
Lin Hai, impatient, had someone drag him away.
He slipped into the tent and his anger turned to joy as soon as he entered.
Rows of gleaming gold and silver objects stood there quietly.
Lin Hai's eyes lit up!
"Hahahaha, these are all treasures!"
He rubbed his hands together, looking back and forth.
"This is well done."
He pointed to a gold artifact in front of him that had just been partially restored, featuring a jade belt with a qilin pattern. It was inlaid with many brightly colored gemstones, and he was immediately attracted to this magnificent piece.
I picked it up instinctively with both hands.
It felt heavy in his hand, and he nodded to himself that it wasn't hollow.
Then a faint earthy smell wafted over.
He was overjoyed. "Beautiful! If I take all these things back, I'll be rich this time!"
As if he could already foresee what would happen next, he was so happy that he could hardly see his eyes.
As Lin Hai was lost in his daydream, several people burst in from outside.
"What are you doing? You're not welcome here!" Old Gu pointed at him angrily.
"Oh, I thought it was someone else. Isn't this Old Gu? What, is this your territory?" Lin Hai didn't take him seriously at all. This old guy thought he was someone important. Don't be ridiculous. Although he had the ability to take him back.
Old Gu's expression remained unchanged, and he immediately tried to snatch the item from his hand.
"You can't touch these, put them down right now."
His tone was anxious and heavy.
Lin Hai created some distance and deliberately twirled the object between his left and right hands.
"What do you mean by this? This green gem looks so beautiful. I wonder how much it's worth?" He poked at it with his finger, as if trying to take a look.
"Stop! Don't touch it!"
Several more people walked closer to the tent from outside.
One of them was reporter Liu, who quickly picked up his camera to take pictures.
"Crack! Crack!"
The photo happened to capture the moment that followed.
Two men were fighting over something. The younger man seemed to lose his balance and fell to the ground, dropping what he was holding.
"Bang!"
A crisp yet heavy sound rang out.
"What are you doing?" After a dozen seconds of silence, Old Gu pointed at him and shouted, his fingers trembling.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
Everyone walked over here, and when Elder Xia and the others arrived, they also noticed this.
It is a very serious matter if cultural relics are damaged by external forces during excavation and restoration.
After being professionally recounted, Lin Hai finally realized that he was in trouble.
He quickly grabbed his other belongings, called to the others, and left.
They called it a matter of tight deadlines and heavy workload.
He said he was relieved to leave the rest of the matter to Old Xia, and finally waited until everyone left.
The people left behind in the camp then began to clean up the mess.
Luo Yin learned the news from Xia Mingjiang.
Luo Yin was furious at what he said, and he kept saying bad things about those people. As someone who outwardly flattered him, she naturally echoed his words.
Xia was indeed satisfied, and her gaze towards her was even more pleased.
"Fortunately, they didn't come here, so we managed to save some of our resources."
Luo Yin looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar place, her gaze lingering deep inside.
"Hey, don't get any funny ideas. These are all registered. You can only look at them, not touch them. Even I can't touch them."
Fearing that she might touch it out of curiosity, Xia Mingjiang quickly explained.
"No, I'm just curious what you need me to keep watch here for in case we get caught."
This thing must be incredibly precious; even Elder Xia had to keep it hidden in the underground stone chamber.
Yes, Loin was indeed revisiting the place.
They were led down a winding path to a stone chamber, which was much more spacious than the previous one.
It seems the items are stored in that small compartment inside.
"Hehe, you don't know, do you? That's the most precious thing we've found on this trip." Otherwise, why would Old Xia have stopped the item from being handed over?
Old Xia is not so simple; he tricked them away with a series of lies and threats.
Once they've finished here, they'll notify us to take these items away and put them directly into the National Museum.
The abacus finally reached Luo Yin's ears, and Luo Yin looked at him with a cunning expression.
He couldn't help but shudder inwardly.
She thought to herself, "So she's the only naive one in this group."
No, I can't be that stupid again.
"Hehe, so that's how it is. I knew those people wouldn't get away with it. Brother Xia, how much longer until this is over?"
"Ah, it's almost done. The progress is nearly complete." He understood from her expression.
"Don't worry, you won't be shortchanged. But after all these days, I've come to understand that your family is facing some difficulties. Tell me about it and see if I can help."
"you..."
Luo Yin was puzzled and confused!
"Yeah, tell me about it!"
"Okay, it's nothing serious, it's just that someone in our family is sick and needs to have surgery in another city, so we need to save money."
"Surgery? Who is it? What's wrong?"
He looked at her curiously, his doubts deeply stirred by this topic.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you this the first time: how come you live here with your face like that?" He pointed to her cheek, looking at her with an expression that said, 'I'm just asking out of curiosity, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.'
Luo Yin was taken aback, then remained silent for a while.
"Hey, that's another topic altogether."
"Because of an accident, I was lucky enough to be adopted by my father's family and became a child of a herder family."
Xia Mingjiang thought about it a lot and even wondered if it was because of her family.
But the girl's bluntness made it difficult for him to speak.
"Ahem, I understand."
Just then, someone else came down.
The footsteps walked slowly and steadily on the ground, getting closer and closer with each step.
"It's nothing, but do you know about the surgery, Brother Xia?"
She looked at him with expectant eyes.
I thought I'd try to find out more from him first.
"Oh, surgery? I've never had it done, but I've heard of it."
"I suggest you find out about a good hospital in advance. A good surgeon makes a big difference to the patient."
"Yes, we know that," she encouraged herself silently.
"By the way, did I see you riding a horse out earlier?"
"Okay, I took Big White out for a stroll." We even roasted a rabbit along the way.
The two chatted idly, taking their time with a question-and-answer session.
Suddenly, the footsteps outside seemed to grow heavier.
"Someone's coming."
Soon, several militiamen came down and appeared behind Hossen.
It was at this time that Luo Yin was able to glimpse that so-called powerful thing.
It actually took five adults to carry it out.
It is a square stone about one meter long.
It was engraved with patterns she couldn't understand.
It looks really impressive!
She asked Brother Xia privately, and he said that this one item alone was worth more than everything they had dug up in the past few days.
Only then did Loin realize how powerful it was.
She didn't participate in what happened afterward; she simply didn't have the opportunity to get involved. She just watched the researchers working tirelessly in their tents from dawn till dusk.
Each time, I could only see a single figure, and had no idea what was happening inside.
She had no choice but to talk to other people, and sometimes take Big White out for a walk.
When Xia Mingjiang said he had to go back on the day of departure, Luo Yin finally realized that this adventure was over!
After packing up the night before, the team assembled early the next morning.
Luo Yin counted the days; just over a month had passed, and for most of that time, she hadn't bothered her much.
When she finally received the remaining half of the money from Brother Xia, she felt a little guilty.
She felt the money was too easy to earn, but once it was in her pocket, she felt at ease.
"Hey Xia, can you give me your address? I'll send you some local specialties when I get back as a thank you for taking care of me."
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