Chapter 18
As soon as Jin Zhaoxuan said "Find the box," Liu Jianjun's side immediately went into "veteran assembly" mode, as if they had received a battle order.
One phone call summoned three old buddies. All in their fifties or sixties, they were all sons of former workers from various branches of Anshan Iron and Steel Group. Now, they were either honorably retired or had taken early retirement, but they were all in good spirits. When they heard that they were going to "find the treasures that Old Liu (Liu Fusheng) hid back then, and not let those bastards who wanted to destroy our roots get away with it," they put down their chess sets, fishing rods, and pancake stalls and gathered at Liu Jianjun's house as quickly as possible.
Jin Zhaoxuan also brought his equipment bag and even brought his "family" to participate in the meeting remotely. Through Liu Jianjun's old-fashioned CRT television, which was connected to the high-definition converter that Jin Zhaoxuan brought, a clear and stable virtual image of Yin Shaoqing with beautiful features appeared on the screen.
"Wow! Is this Mr. Yin, who talks about history on TV every day? He's really handsome!" A guy with a full beard, a burly build, and nicknamed "Big Hammer" stared at the TV with shining eyes, clicking his tongue in amazement as if he were looking at some rare object.
"Hello, Uncle Hammer." Yin Shaoqing bowed slightly on the screen, his manners impeccable, his voice clear and melodious.
"Oh my god! That's such a nice way to call me 'Uncle'! It's even sweeter than my brat's!" Big Hammer was so happy that his beard stood on end, and he rubbed his hands together, looking a little embarrassed.
Another tall, thin man, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and nicknamed "Scholar," pushed up his glasses, leaned closer to the screen to examine it carefully, and exuded an academic air: "The image modeling is extremely accurate, the micro-expressions are natural, and the audio synthesis is almost indistinguishable from mechanical sounds. Mr. Jin, your technology is remarkable."
Jin Zhaoxuan waved his hand modestly: "Technical skills are just the surface; the key is the real knowledge that you uncles have inside and in your minds."
The last one was a short, stocky, and taciturn man named Lao Nian. He usually worked quietly selling jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes) at the morning market. But according to Liu Jianjun's private revelation, this guy was a well-known "living GPS" in the factory when he was young. He could walk around the huge factory area with his eyes closed without getting lost. He was a veritable human navigator.
Once everyone was present, Liu Jianjun briefly explained the situation, emphasizing the covetousness of Zhao Xinguo of "Xin'an Industry" and the possible "Japanese Takeda family" for the box.
"Damn Japanese devils! Didn't you cause enough harm back then? Now you're still up to no good and have your eyes on our stuff?!" Big Hammer had the most explosive temper. He slammed his fist on the table and stood up as soon as he heard this, making the enamel mug on the table jump three times.
The scholar remained relatively calm, adjusting his glasses: "Scolding won't solve the problem. The most urgent thing is to find the box first. Jianjun, besides the word 'well,' did your grandfather mention any other clues back then? Even the slightest vague impression or location?"
Liu Jianjun shook his head and sighed: "My father couldn't speak clearly when he passed away, so it's even more uncertain for me. However, I've remembered a new clue regarding Teacher Yin."
Whoosh! All eyes turned to the bulky CRT television, their gazes as eager as if they were looking at a treasure map.
Yin Shaoqing's virtual avatar switched to a simple drawing interface. As he recalled, he used a virtual finger to trace on the screen: "I remember when my adoptive father entrusted the box to Technician Liu, it was near the spare parts warehouse behind the primary rolling mill. It was evening, just before dark. There seemed to be an abandoned concrete block next to the warehouse, half-buried in the ground. It was irregularly shaped, a bit like a gasoline drum that had been cut in half, with a bumpy surface. After handing the box to Technician Liu, my adoptive father specifically pointed in the direction of that block and whispered, 'Remember this mark.'"
As they spoke, a crooked, abstract-style outline of a sturdy mound appeared on the screen.
"Behind the spare parts warehouse... the half-buried pier..." Old Nian, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, his voice low but clear, "Is it near the ventilation shaft of the old air-raid shelter that collapsed halfway? Back then, there were a lot of scrapped cement components piled up in that area. There seems to be a pier that looks quite strange, like it was hit by explosives. When we were kids, we often climbed up to play on it and even drew turtles on it with chalk."
"Yes, yes, yes! There seems to be such a place!" Big Hammer slapped his forehead and remembered. "Later, the factory was renovated, and a lot of that area was leveled. I wonder if that 'turtle mound' is still there."
The scholar immediately pulled out his old cell phone, its screen worn smooth, and skillfully pulled up various versions of old factory area maps he had collected and organized over the years (from the 1950s to the 1990s, practically a mobile archive): "If the location is there, considering the planning drawings for the later partial renovations... the underground pipe network in that area is quite complex, close to a long-abandoned, aging septic tank and a main storm drain. If Grandpa Liu Fusheng wanted to hide things safely and reliably, then he would have chosen..."
The group of old friends immediately huddled together, staring at the phone screen and Yin Shaoqing's abstract drawing of a small mound, analyzing it with great enthusiasm and spittle flying everywhere. They talked about everything from their old work routes to the routes of underground pipelines, from climate change to the properties of building materials, their level of expertise comparable to a geological exploration team meeting.
Jin Zhaoxuan listened from the side, occasionally interjecting with a technical detail, such as the diameter of a certain pipe or the grade of concrete. Yin Shaoqing, on the other hand, quietly "listened in," occasionally supplementing or correcting the environmental details in his fragmented memory based on their heated discussion, such as "there seemed to be a half-dead locust tree next to the pier at that time," or "the ground was paved with broken coal ash."
The atmosphere was so enthusiastic that it felt like they were working on some major national scientific research project; all that was missing was a whiteboard for writing and drawing.
Finally, after a brainstorming session comparable to that of a detective novel, they identified three most likely hiding places on the map, all of which were highly related to the "turtle mound" marker, the abandoned pipeline node, and the activity route that Mr. Liu Fusheng was most familiar with during his lifetime.
"Let's split up and scout things out first!" Liu Jianjun made the final decision. "Da Chui, you and Xiucai are in a group, go to point A. It's close to the workshops that are still in production, and you know a lot of people there, so it'll be easy for you to gather information and observe the situation. Lao Nian, you come with me to point B. It's out of the way there, and the terrain is complicated, but you know it well. Point C..." He turned his gaze to Jin Zhaoxuan.
“I’ll take over point C.” Jin Zhaoxuan said without hesitation. “It’s near the edge of the factory area, relatively isolated and hidden. I’ll take the equipment and go explore it tonight.”
"Alright! Be careful, everyone, bring your weapons for self-defense! Just in case we run into Zhao Xinguo's gang of thugs!" Big Hammer said, pulling out an old-fashioned, shiny, and obviously heavy-looking wrench from his belt at the back of his waist! He weighed it in his hand, its cold light gleaming.
Jin Zhaoxuan's lips twitched slightly: "...Thank you, Uncle Hammer, I appreciate the thought. I brought a high-powered flashlight and a high-decibel personal alarm." A society governed by law, conduct civilized investigations.
“That thing is useless! It’s all fancy stuff! When it really matters, this iron lump is the real deal!” Big Hammer said with a “you don’t understand” look, insisting on shoving the wrench into Jin Zhaoxuan’s hands.
In the end, Liu Jianjun, both amused and exasperated, tried to smooth things over: "Alright, Lao Chui, now we need to be strategic. Let's focus on reconnaissance and try to avoid conflict. Mr. Jin has his professional equipment."
Yin Shaoqing watched this heartwarming scene quietly on the television screen. A faint smile graced his virtual face, but his gaze remained subtly fixed on Jin Zhaoxuan, containing an almost imperceptible concern and... a hint of worry.
After the meeting, Jin Zhaoxuan returned to his old house and began preparing for the nighttime raid.
He carefully inspected the equipment in his backpack: a high-powered flashlight, a headlamp, a portable metal detector (borrowed from a friend, supposedly capable of detecting up to three meters underground), a small crowbar, cut-resistant gloves, a walkie-talkie, a first-aid kit, and a specially made ruggedized tablet computer that could maintain a stable connection with Yin Shaoqing.
"I've generated a 3D model of point C using the latest satellite imagery and old maps, along with a detailed topographical map and possible routes," Yin Shaoqing's voice came from the tablet, displaying a clear and three-dimensional terrain rendering on the screen. "There's a historically damaged gap in the southeast corner of the wall, but it's been covered by thorns and vines for years, making it difficult to pass through and easy to leave marks. I suggest detouring from the northeast corner; although it's a bit longer, it's more concealed and safer. However, it requires crossing a section of abandoned railway tracks, and the sleepers may be rotten and loose, so please watch your step."
"Got it, housekeeper." Jin Zhaoxuan complained, but carefully secured the tablet to the special pocket on the side of his backpack to ensure he could access it at any time. "You'd better stay home tonight and use this remote support. Don't try to 'manifest' yourself like last time, understand?" He was referring to the time Yin Shaoqing forcibly materialized and opened the door in front of the water tower gas chamber, almost breaking himself apart.
“Yes, not this time,” Yin Shaoqing replied, pausing before softening his voice further, “Mr. Jin, please, please be careful. If you sense anything amiss, do not hesitate, retreat immediately. We can find the items again, safety comes first.”
"Nonsense." Jin Zhaoxuan turned his face away, stuffed the last roll of rope into his backpack, but the corner of his mouth curled up almost imperceptibly. This feeling of being cared for and given detailed instructions... wasn't bad.
It was 10 p.m., the moon was out and the wind was high, with dark clouds obscuring the moon. It was the perfect time to do some sneaky (crossed out) investigations.
Jin Zhaoxuan drove to the most desolate edge of the old factory area in Tiexi District, hid his car behind an abandoned shed at the end of a dead-end road, carried heavy equipment on his back, and followed the "stealth route" planned by Yin Shaoqing, like a nocturnal animal, silently sneaking into the ruins.
Point C is located deep within a long-abandoned material storage area, overgrown with weeds taller than a person, and littered with rusted and deformed large steel frames and cracked cement slabs, resembling a steel jungle. Analysis suggests that there is likely a small, long-abandoned pump station maintenance well underground here, in a tricky location that would be extremely difficult to discover.
Jin Zhaoxuan turned on his headlamp and metal detector, switched them to silent vibration mode, and began to carefully scan and check the area, like he was sweeping through mines. Yin Shaoqing, on the other hand, used the camera and sensors on his tablet to analyze the terrain data in real time, acting like a highly sophisticated navigation AI.
"Move about three meters to the left... Stop! The detector is showing continuous vibration feedback and metallic echo signals. The estimated depth is between one and a half to two meters."
Jin Zhaoxuan's spirits lifted, and he carefully used his feet to clear away the thick layer of weeds and loose soil. Sure enough, a heavy iron plate with irregular edges and rusted to the point of being almost the same color as the soil was faintly revealed, with the words "Maintenance Well" still remaining on it in a blurry way.
"We've found the entrance!" he said in a low voice into the tablet microphone, unable to hide his excitement.
"Be careful when opening. Enclosed spaces may accumulate methane gas or have unstable structures," Yin Shaoqing calmly warned.
Jin Zhaoxuan immediately pulled out a makeshift gas mask and put it on (looking somewhat comical), then picked up a crowbar, inserted it into the gap at the edge of the iron plate, and began to carefully apply force. The iron plate was extremely heavy, with severely rusted edges, and the metal was tightly clamped together. He exerted all his strength, his face turning red from holding his breath, before finally hearing a teeth-grinding "crunch," prying open a gap just large enough for a person to squeeze through sideways.
A musty, stale "historical scent," a mixture of rust, silt, and a faint musty smell, wafted over you, and you could smell it even through the mask.
He shone his flashlight downwards. Below was a vertical shaft about one meter in diameter and more than two meters deep, the bottom filled with dark silt and unidentified garbage. On one side of the shaft, the flashlight beam vaguely illuminated a horizontal opening, partially blocked by broken bricks and cement blocks!
"There's a horizontal opening! It's very likely a hiding place!" Jin Zhaoxuan's heart suddenly raced, and his voice trembled slightly.
He quickly secured the descent rope and was about to fasten the safety buckle and slide down when Liu Jianjun's extremely low but urgent voice suddenly came through the walkie-talkie clipped to his waist:
"Mr. Jin! Attention! Lao Nian spotted two unfamiliar faces near point B, acting suspiciously and looking around. Judging from their attire and demeanor, they are likely sent by Zhao Xinguo to keep watch or to make a preemptive strike! They may have caught wind of this too! What's the situation on your end?"
Jin Zhaoxuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately replied, "I've found a possible entrance and I'm about to go down to check it out."
"Don't panic! Don't make any rash moves! We're coming to your aid right away! Da Chui and Xiu Cai are taking a shortcut to your side! Five minutes at most!" Liu Jianjun's voice was anxious, and the sound of fast running footsteps and heavy breathing could be faintly heard in the background.
As if things weren't going to go wrong, Jin Zhaoxuan had just hung up the walkie-talkie when he heard a series of hurried footsteps and deliberately hushed conversations coming from not far away, not from Liu Jianjun's direction. And there was more than one person! They were rapidly approaching him!
"They've spotted me!" Jin Zhaoxuan said quickly into the tablet. Without hesitation, he turned off his headlamp and detector, put away the rope, and, relying on his memory and the faint light, quickly hid behind a pile of tall and complex scrap steel frames. He curled up, held his breath, and his heart pounded wildly in his chest.
The tablet's screen automatically dimmed to its lowest brightness, almost blending into the darkness. Yin Shaoqing's voice came through in an extremely low volume, barely audible unless you were very close: "Don't panic, they may not have pinpointed your exact location. Uncle Da Chui and the others are less than 500 meters away as the crow flies. If you travel at full speed, they should be there within two minutes."
However, the footsteps grew closer, and two beams of flashlight, clearly not meant to be friendly, swung and swept haphazardly through the ruins.
"Damn it, where did that kid go? I clearly saw a flash of light over here just now!"
"It's definitely hiding around here! Search it thoroughly! Boss Zhao said whoever finds it first will be richly rewarded! Enough to live a life of luxury for half a year!"
"What kind of gold could be hidden in this godforsaken place? It's just a waste of time..."
It was the voice of two men, their tone fierce, carrying the menacing air of desperados.
Jin Zhaoxuan gripped the crowbar tightly (at this moment, he realized that Uncle Hammer's suggestion of a wrench might have made sense), his palms sweating. It wasn't that he was afraid of a direct confrontation with these two, but he didn't want any unnecessary complications at this crucial moment. If the other party discovered the box first and snatched it, or if a conflict broke out and attracted more people, the entire plan would be ruined…
Just as the two men were cursing and their flashlight beams were about to reach the gap in the steel frame where Jin Zhaoxuan was hiding—
"Clang! Crash ...
Suddenly, a deafening crash of collapsing metal echoed from the darkness not far away! The loud noise reverberated through the silent ruins and night sky, making everyone's eardrums tingle!
"Holy crap! What's that noise?! Over there!" The two men were immediately drawn by the sudden loud noise, their flashlights flashing towards the source of the sound as they rushed towards it.
Jin Zhaoxuan was also stunned, and then he heard Yin Shaoqing's slightly panting but clearly relieved voice coming from the tablet: "I... I just tried to temporarily take over the partial circuit of a nearby abandoned tower crane wreckage that hadn't completely failed yet, and made a section of the broken iron arm hanging there... about five meters long, 'loosen' and fall down. The noise... was loud enough, right? It should attract their attention for a while."
Jin Zhaoxuan: "..." (Speechless)
No way, isn't this a bit too sci-fi?! Remotely controlling an abandoned tower crane? This isn't hacking, it's magic! And the noise you made while "slightly loosening" it was terrifying!
"Quick! Go down and check now! They'll realize something's wrong soon!" Yin Shaoqing urged urgently, his voice revealing a barely perceptible weakness.
Jin Zhaoxuan snapped back to reality, realizing this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Without hesitation, he rushed back to the wellhead, secured the rope, and nimbly slid down. The icy mud at the bottom of the well instantly reached his ankles, but he didn't care. He shone his flashlight on the horizontal opening, grabbed a crowbar, and began frantically but carefully clearing away the broken bricks and cement blocks blocking it.
The entrance wasn't large, but after clearing it, there seemed to be an even smaller, dark chamber inside. He squeezed in sideways with difficulty. The space inside was less than two square meters, and the height was barely enough to stand up bent over. The beam of his flashlight urgently swept across every corner—
In the corner against the wall, lying quietly and peacefully, was a rusty, grimy metal box, but its overall structure still looked quite intact!
The style and size were almost identical to the one Shinsuke Takahashi had prepared, which he had seen in the water tower's air chamber before! The only difference was that on the side of this box, a clear "Liu" character was crookedly painted in faded but still legible red paint!
Found it! Really found it!
Jin Zhaoxuan's heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out of his throat. Blood rushed to his head, and overwhelming joy and excitement made his hands tremble. He was about to step forward—
"Mr. Jin! They're back! The footsteps are rapidly approaching the well! They're right above!" Yin Shaoqing's urgent warning and the chaotic footsteps and curses that clearly belonged to the two men from before, coming from above the well, rang out almost simultaneously!
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