adminPanzi frowned and said, “How could I not know? Did Third Master come back? When did he give the orders?” The man looked at the two of us and thought Panzi was joking, shrugged, and laughed, “Don’t play dumb with me. The stuff is for you, how could you not know?” Panzi got angry and cursed, “Why would I lie to you? What did Third Master say, and when did he say it?”
Seeing our expressions, the man realized we genuinely didn’t know and found it strange. He said, “I don’t know the specifics either. I just heard Boss Chu from the money shop mention it. He’s right behind you; you can go ask him.” Panzi grunted in annoyance and led me through the narrow passage. At the end, there was an iron door that wasn’t locked. He pushed it open, revealing a simple office. On a guest sofa sat a bald, middle-aged man with a shiny face smoking a cigarette. When he saw us come in, he flicked the cigarette butt to the ground, stamped it out, and stood up.
Panzi greeted him, “Brother Chu.” His attitude suddenly became respectful, and I immediately realized this was the person who had come to deliver a message from my Third Uncle. He looked at Panzi and then at me, saying, “Why did you only just arrive? I’ve been waiting for you two for two days.”
Panzi told him about what happened on the way and, without waiting for a response, hurriedly asked, “Brother Chu, what exactly happened? Did we provoke someone from the organization?” Brother Chu replied leisurely, “Don’t panic; nothing serious happened. This is your Third Master’s intention. He asked me to release some information about the business he did a few years ago to stir things up for the organization. The department has already set up a special case team to investigate. I don’t know what his intention is, but it seems he is trying to create obstacles for another group.”
“Another group?”
“Yes. Because of this move, the entire antique market is now affected. Everyone who has business ties with your Third Uncle is under surveillance. As a result, those who weren’t prepared in advance are now finding it difficult to operate. Your Third Uncle is buying you time.”
I looked at Panzi, not fully understanding what the bald man was saying. “What time?”
The bald man shrugged, indicating he didn’t know either. “Your Third Uncle is an old hand; I can’t predict his tactics.”
Panzi asked him, “Then I just heard from outside that Jiu Si said the equipment is ready and that you arranged it. What’s going on with that?” Brother Chu replied, “That’s the reason your Third Uncle sent me to deliver the message.” He motioned for us to sit down. “Actually, your Third Uncle’s equipment initially didn’t account for you. In other words, he prepared five sets of equipment, one of which is for himself.”
He paused, then added, “However, when he called me, he also mentioned that what he’s doing isn’t just his own business; there’s someone else ‘competing’ with him. The other party isn’t easy to deal with, so if he doesn’t return, this equipment is for you to use. No matter what, you must continue his work and not let the other group get ahead.”
Another group? I suddenly thought of the company that An Ning belonged to. Could it be that Third Uncle set them up in Haidou for this reason? Panzi asked, “Did Third Master say who the other group is?”
The bald man shook his head and said, “No. But I think it’s possible that Third Master has already fallen into their hands. Otherwise, he should have appeared by now. Unfortunately, we don’t know anything right now. If we did, I believe that no matter how powerful the opponent is, we wouldn’t be at such a loss.”
I sighed inwardly, and the bald man continued, “The place you’re going to is the Hengshan Mountain range in the Changbai Mountains of Jilin. I can only provide coordinates for the exact location. However, I have already arranged for a local guide to take you there.”
When it comes to Changbai Mountain, the only memories we have related to it are about Wang Canghai’s Yunding Tiangong (Cloud-Top Palace). Undoubtedly, somewhere in the Hengshan Mountain range should be the location of Yunding Tiangong.
But why do I have to go to such a place? There’s no reason for me to go to this inexplicable location, especially in winter?
Seeing my face turn pale, the bald man suddenly sighed and said, “To be honest, I’m also quite confused. However, I’ve thought it over carefully. The only thing you can do now is to follow the plan prepared by your Third Master to find clues. Otherwise, I estimate your Third Uncle might not get through this.”
Panzi patted me on the shoulder and turned to ask, “So, what should we do next according to Third Master’s plan?”
The bald man replied, “There are five of you in total. First, you’ll take a train to Jilin. We will find a way to send your luggage there, and then there will be a car to take you to the next point. The people are all contacted by Third Master, and they are basically all there.”
Panzi and I exchanged glances. It seemed we really had to climb the snowy mountains in Jilin.
The bald man said he would be responsible for all the details throughout our journey, so we didn’t need to worry; we just needed to be careful not to attract the police’s attention on the road. The schedule was very tight; we would rest for one night in Changsha, and tomorrow we would be sent directly to the train station. The train tickets and toiletries had all been packed and prepared. All the details had been communicated to the other three, and we could just ask them if we had any questions tomorrow.
The bald man’s administrative abilities were surprisingly strong. Third Uncle had entrusted him with delivering the message, and this plan had probably been in the works for a long time. I didn’t know what his ultimate goal was.
We asked a few more questions, but the bald man only knew part of the story. However, judging by his tone, Third Uncle’s arrangements were indeed seamless. This time, the old hand had finally shown his prowess.
As we exited, I saw that many second-hand computer monitors were being delivered outside the shop. Panzi told me that the items were being transported inside. Generally, such packaging wouldn’t be detected during checkpoint inspections. The method of transporting our equipment to Jilin should be through this means.
Panzi was familiar with the local scene. In the evening, I went with him to eat dumplings in Changsha. I had been to Changsha more than once or twice, so it didn’t feel fresh to me. While we ate, we discussed the news the bald man had conveyed to us today. After thinking for a while, Panzi said to me, “Little Third Master, I’ve been thinking it over, and I still feel that the resource company you mentioned that was prepared for you in Xisha is suspicious. Damn it, do you think the group of people Third Master mentioned could be them?”
I said, “I’ve thought about this long ago. But I think the problem lies not with the company itself, but with the people behind it. Let’s not dwell on it; once we get there, they will come looking for us even if we don’t seek them out. The only question is, can that Chu guy be trusted?”
Panzi replied, “Xiao San Ye, don’t underestimate me just because I was a soldier; I can judge people accurately. You can definitely trust this person, but I’m worried about the other three he mentioned who are coming with us. What kind of people are they?”
I said, “Uncle San’s arrangements can’t be wrong.”
Panzi shook his head and said, “It’s hard to say. San Ye often says you need to observe a person for 365 days; missing even one day is not acceptable. People can change. If you haven’t seen someone for a week, they might already be plotting against you. Especially in our line of work, many of those uneducated folks have blood on their hands; to put it bluntly, they could bury you without a second thought. San Ye hasn’t been back for so long, and the people here are definitely becoming restless.”
I replied, “You can’t be too demanding either; let’s take it one step at a time.”
It got cold on the street in the evening. After dinner, we went back to the house where Panzi used to live without saying a word and went to sleep. In the morning, after having breakfast, the bald guy came to pick us up. I picked up my personal belongings from a distance and looked into the car, only to find someone already sitting in a seat.
Upon closer inspection, I realized it was an old man I recognized from somewhere, and it wasn’t long ago either.
I didn’t think much of it and joked with Panzi as we walked over. But when I got closer, I was suddenly stunned.
That old man, with his peculiar appearance and build, was none other than Chen Pi Ah Si, whom I had seen in Uncle Er’s tea house in Hangzhou!
I opened my mouth in shock, almost stiffening my neck, thinking, what is he doing sitting in the car? Could it be that this old man is one of the five people? That would be too ridiculous!
At that moment, Panzi also noticed him and murmured in surprise.
The bald guy urged us to hurry, and we got into the car, feeling confused. Panzi knew Chen Pi Ah Si and greeted him. The old man was resting with his eyes closed, only nodding slightly. Panzi immediately turned to the bald driver, grinning and silently asking him what was going on.
The bald guy smiled helplessly and mouthed back that he didn’t know either; it was just how San Ye arranged it.
No way, I thought. This old guy isn’t blind, right? Plus, he’s older than me and Panzi combined. What kind of game is San Shu playing?
We arrived at the train station, feeling anxious. I was calculating in my mind that if the first person San Shu arranged for us was a nearly 100-year-old man, then what kind of person would the second one be? It could very well be a pregnant woman with a big belly or a disabled person in a wheelchair.
Could it be that San Shu wants to test our compassion?
As it turned out, Chen Pi Ah Si was quite spry and got off the car with his hands behind his back. The bald guy showed him great respect and helped carry his luggage. To remain adaptable, we chose a poorer sleeping car; one room could accommodate six people, which was just enough to store our luggage.
When we got to our room, I peeked inside and first saw a fat guy eating instant noodles. Upon seeing me, he raised his eyebrows in surprise and exclaimed, “Damn it, it’s you again?”
I suddenly felt a headache coming on, my heart skipped a beat as I thought, why did my third uncle look for him? Could it be that same old team again? I immediately turned to the bunk above me, and sure enough, a pair of calm eyes, showing no signs of disturbance, were looking at me.
I breathed a sigh of relief. The dull oil bottle squinted at me, then turned over and went back to sleep.
