Xixia dead book

Chapter 168 The KGB and the CIA (5)
[Section III Jiulibao]

1
Along the way, the three of them avoided highways and national highways and took narrow paths. After a lot of setbacks, three days later, they finally arrived at Ejina Banner in the Badain Jaran Desert, which was the last town before they entered the desert.

Han Jiang was sitting in the car watching, Tang Feng poked him, "Get out of the car! I'm almost suffocating."

Han Jiang didn't speak, and continued to observe the movement outside the car window. Suddenly, a white "Cherokee" drove past the other side of the road, and Han Jiang hurriedly leaned down. He didn't get out until the Cherokee was far away.

"What's wrong? Do you know that car?" Tang Feng asked suspiciously.

"No, I probably haven't seen it before." Han Jiang said.

"Haven't seen it? Haven't seen it. How did you become so cowardly?" Tang Feng was puzzled.

"It's better to be careful, Zhao Yong and the others often change the shape of the car, not to mention the general's people have already arrived before us." When Han Jiang spoke, he was still staring out the window.

"They arrived early? How did you see that?" Tang Feng and Liang Yuan also became nervous and looked out the window.

Han Jiang laughed, "What can you see, you have to use your brains, not to see it, but to analyze it. We have wasted more than half a month here, and the general will not wait for us. Ejina Banner is entering The last big town in the desert, they will definitely come here."

"You say that, I'm really a little nervous. This time we have few people, poor equipment, and no rear support, but we are going to carry out the most dangerous mission." Tang Feng began to worry.

"Yeah, if Yelena and Lao Ma are here, we can relieve some pressure." Han Jiangchang sighed.

"Now you think of Lao Ma and Yelena, I asked you to contact them, but you refused!" Tang Feng said dissatisfied.

"I don't contact them, both for our safety and for theirs!"

"How do you say that?" Liang Yuan asked.

"Contacting them may expose us; and getting them involved will also put them in danger. The old horse is already so old, and..." Han Jiang didn't go on, Tang Feng and Liang Yuan already understood Han Jiang's intentions. Jiang means.

"I wish I had a gun!" Liang Yuan said suddenly after a short silence.

"That's right! We don't even have a gun this time." Tang Feng also said worriedly.

Han Jiang frowned and said, "It's really inconvenient for me not to have a gun. However, I have undergone special training. As long as it can be used as a weapon, I can use it against the enemy."

With that said, Han Jiang pulled out a dagger, "This is the only weapon we have that looks like it."

"Just because of this?" Tang Feng shook his head helplessly.

"The general's people are all well-equipped desperadoes!" Liang Yuan also said.

"It's useless to talk about it now. You two go down and buy what you need here. You must bring enough water, tools for car repair, spare tire, gasoline... Tang Feng, you can figure it out yourself. If this broken The car broke down in the desert, and the job of repairing the car is yours." Han Jiang ordered.

"Why is it my job to repair cars?" Tang Feng shouted dissatisfied.

"Hehe, because you got this colorful donkey, you have to take good care of it!" Han Jiang waved his hand and said impatiently.

2
Tang Feng shook his head helplessly, got out of the car with Liang Yuan and prepared all the equipment and food in the store in Ejina Banner.Tang Feng and Liang Yuan returned to the car, and the three of them fought together, determined to find a remote hotel to stay first, recharge their batteries, and set off before dawn tomorrow.

So, the three of them came to live in a simple motel by the road outside the city of Ejina Banner. The weather was getting hotter and hotter. The boss is a big man in his 40s, with a beard and a Shaanxi dialect. When Tang Feng asked him why there were no tourists, the boss replied loudly: "The conditions here are not good. If you drive a little further, you will go to the hotel in Ejina Banner." .”

"Oh!" Tang Feng seemed to realize something.

The boss suddenly continued: "But yesterday, two men stayed with me for one night."

"Two men? What do they look like?"

"It's hard to say, one is in his forties and wears glasses, and the other is younger and very strong!"

"Are they gone?"

"Early this morning, I left before dawn."

The hotel owner's words made Tang Feng alert, and he immediately asked, "Where did they go?"

"They are just like you, driving an off-road vehicle. It seems to me that they have gone to the desert." The hotel owner said and pointed out the door. Tang Feng saw that there was a boundless desert across the road.

"Is this where they entered the desert?"

"No! Although it looks like you can go anywhere in the desert, it's not. If you don't want to encounter any accidents, you'd better follow a certain route. After all, these routes have been traveled by the predecessors." The boss said earnestly.

Tang Feng nodded, "It seems that you know where to enter the desert?"

"That's right, I've been here for more than ten years, so of course I know how to get there. You're going to go into the desert right now!"

Tang Feng looked at Han Jiang who was sitting in the corner, Han Jiang didn't say a word, and didn't give any hint to Tang Feng, at this moment, Liang Yuan couldn't wait to say: "Yes, we are going to the desert, you know how to go to Jiuli Is the castle any closer?"

Liang Yuan not only admitted that they were going into the desert, but also said where they were going. Tang Feng gave Liang Yuan a look, but Liang Yuan just pretended not to see her. The hotel owner looked at Liang Yuan, showing yellow teeth, and smiled. "Girl, I guessed that you were going to go to the desert. You wanted to go to Jiulibao. Come and see."

With that said, the hotel owner led Liang Yuan to the hotel door, followed by Tang Feng and Han Jiang. The owner raised his hand and pointed in the direction of the county town of Ejina Banner, and said, "One kilometer ahead from here is just before entering the county town. You will see a road marker next to the road. Get off the road from the road marker, and you will see a road that has been crushed by vehicles for many years on the Gobi Desert. Drive along the gravel road for about three kilometers. There will be an Obo, which is the place where all people who enter the desert must pass. The local Turghuts believe that this desert is protected by gods, so you'd better worship in front of Obo. I have white ones here. Hada, you'd better give one to Obo."

At this moment, the hotel owner pulled out three pure white khatas from behind the door. Liang Yuan probably saw khatas for the first time, and excitedly pulled the khatas, making a gesture of clasping her hands.

"Does this Hada need money?" Tang Feng asked.

"It's not expensive, 31 pieces." As he spoke, the boss stretched out three fingers in front of Tang Feng and shook them.

"A profiteer, a piece of white silk costs thirty!" Tang Feng cursed secretly.

Tang Feng had no choice but to pay for the three khatas when Liang Yuan took out a hundred-yuan bill and said generously, "You don't need to look for it."

Tang Fengxin said that those who come from rich families are different. At this time, Liang Yuan asked again: "Then what about after Obo?"

"After passing Obo, there will be two roads. One is in the southwest of Aobao, which leads to Populus euphratica forest, which is also the road most tourists take. The other is in the northwest of Aobao, which is the Jiulibao you are going to." Hotel The boss introduced.

"Northwest direction! This is exactly in line with the ancient map and Misha's route map." Tang Feng thought, with some confidence in his mind.He was eager to learn more about this mysterious route, but he was not at ease with the hotel owner in front of him.

3
Just when Tang Feng was hesitating, Liang Yuan continued to ask, "Boss, I see that you are quite familiar with this area. Have you ever been to Jiulibao?"

"Jiuli Fort... I went there once a few years ago, but there was nothing there and it was very desolate, so not many tourists went there." The hotel owner seemed to be remembering something.

"Nothing?" Liang Yuan asked in surprise.

"Then why is it called Jiulibao? From the name, there should be a castle!" Tang Feng was also surprised.

The hotel owner showed his yellow teeth again, "Castle? That's actually a beacon tower of the Han Dynasty. It has been deserted for many years, but the beacon tower still stands on the Gobi Desert, providing a landmark for passers-by, so people here have always Call it that way."

"Han beacon?!" Tang Feng was not without disappointment, but he still did not give up, and asked: "Is there water there?"

"Water?" The hotel owner snorted softly, "After entering the Gobi desert, do you still want water? Let me tell you, this is the last supply station before you enter the desert. If you need water, I can sell it to you. "

"No! We have already brought water." Tang Feng rejected the boss.

The hotel owner seemed very disappointed, and was about to go back to the room. Liang Yuan reacted quickly and grabbed the owner, "Boss, isn't it just water? I'll buy it. I still have questions to ask you?"

Liang Yuan finally bought two bottles of bottled mineral water from the hotel owner at the price of 25 yuan a bottle, which Tang Feng had never heard of. We are more than 100! He sees that Liang Yuan is a rich man, and he is going to kill him severely."

Liang Yuan didn't take it seriously, "Boss, do you know that there was water in Jiulibao before?"

"before?"

"Well, like decades ago, or ancient times."

"This... I don't know about this. Anyway, I have never heard of Jiulibao having water since I came here! When I went to Jiulibao, it was full of yellow sand, and I couldn't tell that there had ever been a water paozi or a well. look."

"Then have you ever heard of Wolf Hollow?"

"Wolf Hollow? This name seems to have been mentioned, but I have never been there, so I don't know the situation there."

"Where is Qianhu Town?"

"I've never even heard of this." The hotel owner shook his head blankly.

"What about Yue'erquan?" Liang Yuan didn't ask Han Jiang and Tang Feng for instructions, and reported all the place names she knew in one go, Tang Feng winked at her angrily.

"Yueerquan?" The hotel owner seemed to be trying to remember something, and suddenly, he seemed to remember something, "I think I heard about Yueerquan this time. Someone went there and said there is water there."

"Really! Is it spring water?" Liang Yuan became excited.

"I just heard that, I don't know whether there is water there or not."

Liang Yuan looked at Tang Feng. The hotel owner's words disrupted Tang Feng's thoughts. Does Yueerquan really have spring water?This is inconsistent with my previous judgment. If Yueerquan really has spring water, then Yueerquan could never be the place where the scientific expedition team had an accident that year. Maybe Misha really couldn’t remember Yueerquan. Down the line?Maybe the scientific expedition team passed Yueerquan once, and then went a long way down?
4
After a short silence, Tang Feng still didn't clear up his thoughts. At this moment, Han Jiang who had been silent all this time suddenly asked, "Boss, where did the two men who lived in your store go?"

The hotel owner's body shook slightly. He turned to look at Han Jiang. Han Jiang was wearing a baseball cap with the brim pressed down very low. The hotel owner seemed uneasy about the man who had been silent all this time. He was stunned for a while before finally Said: "He... how do I know where they are going, but they also asked me for the way."

"Have you inquired about Jiulibao?" Han Jiang raised his head and stared at the hotel owner.

"Well, but they didn't ask so many questions, they only asked Jiulibao."

"Oh! What did they say they were going to Jiulibao for?"

"No, they didn't say that."

"Recently, have you noticed someone coming from Ejina Banner?"

"Man, there are many people coming and going here every day."

"I mean the weirder ones?"

"Strange person?" The hotel owner shook his head, then showed his yellow teeth, and said with a smile: "If you want to talk about strange people, you guys are quite strange. After so many questions, few people take the road to the northwest. Not to mention going to Langwa, I have been here for more than ten years, people who go to the northwest, at most go to Jiulibao to see the Han Dynasty beacon, and then turn around, go northwest from Jiulibao Go, I'm afraid there will be no way at all."

"Why is no one going northwest?" Han Jiang asked.

"Because that road is very dangerous, there is no water source, and sandstorms often visit, and more importantly, there is only yellow sand on that road, and there is still yellow sand, and there is no end to it."

After hearing what the hotel owner said, Han Jiang lowered his head again, and kept silent, as if he was lost in thought.

The hotel owner was still talking, "So I advise you not to go there, it is really dangerous. According to the local old man, the deep part of the desert is a place where demons live. Going northwest from Jiulibao, it is Entering the demon's territory, from ancient times to the present, almost no one who walked in came out again."

"So scary?" Liang Yuan's voice trembled a little.

"Stop talking nonsense, then why did you say just now that someone has been to Langwa, or even Yueerquan, and knows that Yueerquan has spring water?" Tang Feng retorted.

"That's what I heard from the old man here. According to the old man, during the Cultural Revolution, a group of educated youths went into the desert, trying to find water in the desert and reclaim an oasis. As a result, more than 20 young people went in, and there was no one left. After coming out, about a month later, when everyone thought that all the educated youths had died, only one educated youth crawled back dying. The local herdsmen were very surprised and asked him how he got out without water. The educated youth hesitated. I said that everyone else died, and he found water in the desert before he came out."

"Is it Yueerquan?!"

"Well, yes, according to the educated youth, there is spring water in Yue'er Spring, but in the end, the educated youth was not rescued, so no one went in to look for that water source." The more the hotel owner said, the more fearful everyone was.Is this road really going to be more dangerous than good?

The hearts of the three were covered with a layer of haze. Han Jiang and Liang Yuan were about to go back to their room to rest. Suddenly, Tang Feng turned his head and asked the hotel owner, "I want to ask you another place name. Have you heard of Black Stone?"

"Black Stone?!" The hotel owner shook his head blankly.

Tang Feng had no choice but to give up and go back to the house to take the time to rest.

5
Before dawn the next day, the three of them set off in that colorful donkey. Following the instructions of the hotel owner, they walked along the road for one kilometer. Sure enough, there was a road marker on the side of the road. , The colorful donkey drove into the Gobi desert.

After walking for a while, a wide gravel road that has been crushed by ruts can be clearly seen on the vast Gobi. Tang Feng speeded up and ran all the way on the gravel road. Not long after, Tang Feng noticed that the terrain had changed, and the further he went Go, the higher the terrain, when the sky is bright, a tall obo appears in front of you.

Tang Feng drove the car under Aobao and stopped.The three jumped out of the car, Tang Feng walked up to Aobao, looked around, saw no one in the vast sand sea and Gobi, Tang Feng respectfully presented a khata to Aobao, and said: "It seems that what the hotel owner said yesterday is true."

"It's purely a guy who has an eye for money." Liang Yuan said angrily.

"Hey, why are you scolding now? I saw that you were very smart when you took out the money yesterday!" Tang Feng laughed.

"Nonsense, am I doing this for our mission?" After speaking, Liang Yuan turned to Han Jiang, "I'm still waiting for Captain Han to be rehabilitated and get reimbursed!"

Looking at Han Jiang again, after entering the desert, he regained his energy. He put the khata on the obo and smiled at Liang Yuan: "You can't repay the money, who told you that you would be slaughtered."

"Hmph, if you don't report it, don't report it. I still care about the money!" Liang Yuan said angrily.

"Yes, Miss Liang, you have a lot of money, so don't worry about this little money. I will remember your credit." Han Jiang said, and suddenly turned to Tang Feng and asked: "Tang Feng, the one you mentioned yesterday' What does 'black stone' mean?"

"'Black Stone' is one of the three place names that don't match up on the ancient Xixia map."

"Oh! Why didn't I hear you say it?" Han Jiang asked.

"I told you before that the three place names in Xixia script on the ancient map do not match the three names on the Misha sketch. I translated them according to the literal meaning of Xixia script, but two of them cannot be understood according to the meaning of Chinese characters at all. And the route from Misha seems to be a bit far away, only this 'Black Stone', literally translated from the Xixia script, although the name is very strange, but I can still guess that this place name may have something to do with the black stone."

"Then where is this 'Black Stone'?"

"Comparing the ancient map with Misha's sketch, this 'black stone' should be in the southeast of Yue'er Spring, and the distance seems not far away." Tang Feng took out the photo and compared it with Misha's sketch.

"It's Yueerquan again..." Han Jiang became puzzled.

"Why, what did you think of?"

"Tang Feng, yesterday the hotel owner said that the educated youth said that there is water in Yue'er Spring. If what he said is true, then the scientific expedition team should have water there too!"

(End of this chapter)