Chapter 169 Tomb Robber
[We found a big guy injured!]
The black serval braked, its amber eyes filled with anxiety. [A camel with two humps on its back had injured its front leg and was ramming into the fence near the hospital construction area!]
Wild Bactrian camels?
Xu Ying's heart tightened.
The Bactrian wild camel in Xizhou is a critically endangered species that is even rarer than the giant panda. How could it appear alone near the rescue station?
She got on the back of the motorcycle and said, "Let's go back and take a look!"
The black serval jumped into the car swiftly.
The motorcycle bumped along the rough gravel road.
Ten minutes later, Xu Ying saw the huge monster——
An adult male Bactrian camel, over two meters tall at the shoulder, with dark brown fur covered in sand.
It was violently slamming its body against the iron fence outside the hospital construction area, making a terrifying muffled sound.
A hideous wound on the Bactrian camel's left front leg continued to ooze blood as it moved.
[It has been crashing like this for ten minutes.]
The little sand cat nestled on the side, watching the camel, was circling worriedly. [We didn't dare approach, fearing it would get stressed.]
Xu Ying nodded, slowly walked towards Luotuo, and said in a soothing voice: "What trouble have you encountered?"
[I am an animal rescuer who specializes in rescuing animals. I can understand what animals say. Can you tell me about your difficulties?]
[I will do my best to help you.]
When the Bactrian camel heard these words, it looked at Xu Ying with its big black eyes, looking pitiful and helpless.
[The masked man…dug a hole…took something away…and asked me to carry it.]
[I ran away, and my companions were kidnapped by them!]
“Someone’s digging in the desert?”
Xu Ying guessed, "Is it a tomb robber?"
The Bactrian camel gave a low grunt, as if to ascertain the answer.
Xu Ying's heart beat faster. In this vast desert with a long history, there are many ancient city ruins, some discovered and some undiscovered.
The theft of cultural relics has always been a stubborn problem.
Camels have excellent memories, particularly in the desert. They can remember water sources and routes dozens of kilometers away and still find them years later. They can also recognize companions and keepers, and even be wary of those who have harmed them. They also remember where predators are and dangerous areas, actively avoiding them.
Camels have an intelligent brain with a structure that supports long-term memory, helping them survive in harsh environments.
If Bactrian camels really went to the tomb-robbing scene, it would not be difficult to find the group of bad tomb robbers!
Xu Ying first disinfected and bandaged the camel's wound.
The setting sun dyed the desert golden red, and the hot wind blew fine sand across Xu Ying's cheek.
She squatted beside the injured camel and gently stroked its trembling front legs.
"Don't be afraid, it will be fine soon."
She said softly, taking out iodine from the medical bag.
The camel hummed softly, his wet eyes reflecting her figure. Perhaps he felt Xu Ying's reliability, and surprisingly, he did not struggle.
As the cotton ball soaked in the liquid rubbed across the wound, the camel's muscles tensed suddenly, and its breathing became heavier. Xu Ying used her free hand to steady its leg. "Bear with it." Her movements were quick and gentle, and the iodine foam formed a fine foam on the wound, washing away the sand and blood.
While wrapping the bandage, the camel suddenly lowered its head and rubbed her shoulder, its rough hair brushing across her neck, as if to say thank you.
After tightening the last circle of gauze, Xu Ying patted its strong neck and said, "Thank you for your hard work. You've held on for so long."
The camel rubbed her palm actively.
"Can you take me to where the gang is digging the hole?"
Xu Ying asked.
The Bactrian camel used its nose to indicate its wound:
[Yes, but I have to wait until my leg injury heals.]
Xu Ying thought for a moment and said, "It's okay. You can recover at the aid station. Just point me in the general direction."
After communicating with the Bactrian camel, Xu Ying gave it a name, Shanfeng.
On the third day, Xu Ying got up early to prepare the expedition equipment: plenty of water, GPS, camera, satellite phone and a sturdy old compass.
When she walked into the enclosure, she was surprised to find that Shanfeng was able to stand and walk, and his wounds were healing at an astonishing speed.
Shanfeng saw her and nodded to her: [Stationmaster Xu, I'm ready!]
"Do you want to go today?" she asked Camel.
Shanfeng bent his long neck and gently pushed her backpack with his head, clearly expressing his agreement.
[I was in a hurry to get my companions back.]
Camels are highly social group animals. Their companions are like comrades to them, and they will show obvious separation anxiety when they are separated from their companions.
Xu Ying rode his motorcycle and slowly headed towards the desert, holding the mountain with a long rope.
At first the camel walked very slowly, but as it went deeper into the desert, it seemed to become more and more energetic, occasionally raising its head to sniff the air to guide the direction.
Two hours later, they arrived at an area that Xu Ying had never set foot on.
The sand dunes here have strange shapes, with wavy patterns as if they were sculpted by invisible hands.
The mountain suddenly stopped and made an uneasy humming sound.
"Here. The smell of danger."
Xu Ying turned off the engine, got out of the car, and took out a telescope from his backpack.
Glancing around, she noticed something unusual on the side of a mountain about 500 meters away—the sand was noticeably darker than the surrounding area, as if it had been disturbed by someone.
She approached cautiously, but the mountain bit the corner of her clothes and prevented her from moving forward.
"It's okay, I'll go check it out." She soothed him, but the camel's eyes were full of vigilance.
As the distance shortened, Xu Ying's heartbeat became faster and faster.
It was indeed a man-made hole, about one meter square, with footprints and cigarette butts scattered around it.
The entrance to the cave was crudely covered with boards and canvas, but one corner had collapsed, revealing a dark entrance.
"Oh my God." She covered her mouth in surprise. This was definitely a tomb-robbing scene!
Xu Ying pulled out his camera and began taking photos for evidence, while also observing the surroundings for any signs of thieves. The desert was eerily silent, with only the gentle sound of the hot wind whipping through the sand.
She hesitated to investigate closer to the cave entrance, but the mountain suddenly gave a sharp warning cry, its ears tucked back against its head.
Xu Ying immediately lowered her body - she had learned to trust her animal instincts.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, the roar of an engine was heard in the distance.
Xu Ying quickly pulled Shanfeng to hide behind a sand dune and peeked through the gap.
An off-road vehicle without license plates drove up and stopped near the cave entrance.
Three men got out of the car, two of them carrying bulging backpacks.
"Hurry up, go down one more time before the wind picks up."
A man in a baseball cap is speaking.
His voice was hoarse. "The boss said there's something on the east wall."
"This damn place is really weird," another thin man complained. "Lao Ma said yesterday he heard someone crying downstairs and was so scared that he threw away his tools."
"Shut up! This deal will keep you entertained for half a year." The man in the baseball cap shouted harshly.
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