Chapter Six Preparations

  This time, Da Zhuang called us over mainly to discuss the matter of going to the tomb. In my seat, Liu Gang and Ali didn't say a word, quietly listening to Da Zhuang say: "Liu Gang, Ali, I've roughly told you two already, Xiao Ke has a friend who is a grave robber, with many leads on tombs in his hands. This time, I spent some money buying a lead on a tomb from Xiao Ke's friend. I think we should cooperate and go take a look at this tomb together." After finishing speaking, he glanced at me briefly.

  Liu Gang and Ali already knew that Dawei was relatively wealthy, which could be seen from the details of his clothes, cigarettes, etc. Dawei seemed like a nouveau riche, and Liu Gang and Ali also knew a thing or two about why Dawei was so wealthy, so they didn't have any doubts about what he said.

  When I heard Da Zhuang's words, I knew he was hinting at me. He said that a friend of his had stolen the treasure and didn't say that I had these clues in my hands because he was afraid that Liu Gang and Ali would have ulterior motives towards me when they saw the money. Da Zhuang is indeed knowledgeable, although he hasn't been socializing like Liu Gang and Ali since high school graduation, but he still has some understanding of social rules and experiences.

  "I'm sure you two also know that Da Zhuang is relatively wealthy because he used to have an antique, the value of which was extremely high. Just one piece could make someone's fortune soar. This time, he invited everyone to cooperate and explore this ancient tomb together. I don't know if you two are interested." Da Zhuang glanced at me after finishing his words, and I knew he was giving me a signal to add fuel to the fire. We had done this kind of thing before, one person fanning the flames and the other igniting them, and it had always been effective.

  After hearing my words, Liu Gang and Ali didn't say anything. Instead, Liu Gang looked at me silently, as if trying to catch a glimpse of weakness on my face. Since they were 16 years old, Liu Gang and Ali had been wandering around, not doing honest work, until they made a name for themselves. I've heard some rumors about their reputation in society, which says that Ali is good at dealing with outsiders, while Liu Gang is good at handling internal affairs.

  Liu Gang and Ali have been very slippery since they were young, especially Liu Gang. I know that at this time, Liu Gang wants to find a weakness in my words, to see how much of what I said is nonsense. Before coming here, I knew that Liu Gang and Ali would not be easy to deal with, but Da Zhuang and I set up this trap because we were very confident.

  I calmly met Liu Gang's gaze, and after a brief moment, Liu Gang smiled and said, "We're all brothers, I'm not afraid you'll cheat me. You should also know that I'm in dire need of money. It's not easy for Ali and me to support this group of brothers, and the protection fees we collect are barely enough to cover our expenses. So, I really need the money."

  "I and Da Zhuang regard you as good brothers, that's why we came to find you. I think you should know how important a clue to an ancient tomb is, it's something that can't be bought with money. If my good brother wasn't giving me face, he wouldn't have given me a clue." He stirred the coffee in his cup with a metal spoon and said to Liu Gang and Ali.

  What I said is not false, the clue of an ancient tomb can't be estimated with money. Sometimes you won't know what's inside the tomb until you dig it up. I once heard my grandfather say that when he used to rob tombs, some were empty, while others had gold, silver, jewels and all sorts of funeral objects.

  After hearing my words, Liu Gang nodded slightly "I know that in Shenyang I can only be considered a small force. Those big forces all have a hand in this kind of activity and get quite objective income, but the risk is too great and the source of clues cannot be guaranteed to be very accurate, so I didn't participate in this activity."

  "Alright, since you're interested, let's open up and talk." Da Zhuang said, looking around at the surroundings. At this time, there was no one on the second floor, and they had booked a private room, so there were no seats nearby.

  Looking up at the second floor and seeing no one, Da Zhuang took out a map from his pocket. The markings on it were very clear. This map was bought by me and asked Da Zhuang to purchase, which is the latest printed map. The markings and proportions on it are the most accurate at that time.

  As I watched Da Zhuang take out the map and lay it flat on the table, I took a sip of my coffee. "I'm sure you two also know what this means - tomb raiding. This line of work is very dangerous, but the rewards are also substantial. Down there, I don't know what we'll find or what unexpected things will happen. Those are all unpredictable. Before we go, let me tell you both."

  For Liu Gang and Ali, we can say that we have been growing up together since childhood. Although the two of them had some disagreements with Da Zhuang in the past, this time before going to the final showdown, they still need to discuss the pros and cons with them, otherwise, they will definitely not be united at that time. Moreover, doing so would also ease their conscience.

  After hearing my words, Liu Gang and Ali showed a knowing look, indicating that I should continue to speak. Seeing the two men's appearance, I also felt at ease. "This time we are fighting for the first time, but my friend has taught me some skills, which will definitely be useful in the future." I said here, lowering my voice, as the saying goes, walls have ears, and no one is sure what others think. "According to the clues given by my friend, the location of this fight is roughly near Sima Mountain in Sichuan Province. I've been there once before, where it snows all year round and the temperature is very low."

  Then, I briefly told Liu Gang and Ali about the general location of the tomb and the preparations before going. After that, we chatted for a few more sentences and then dispersed. Liu Gang and Ali returned to their own places, while Da Zhuang and I went back home to prepare some necessary things.