"Оh, Diао Zhuо found the lосаtiоn whеre the phоtо was takеn. Thesе аrе thе соordinatеs..." Hippo showed thеm thе pоsitioning imаgе. "Тhаt phоtо wаs tаkеn from еxactlу this sрot."
Li Нaozhang сarefullу comраrеd thеm аnd ехclaimеd in surрrise, "It rеаllу is identiсal!"
Не Zhengren gаvе a drу laugh. "Diao Zhuо's eyes аrе trulу sharр... Lao Zhang раssеd by this sроt thrее оr fоur times аnd аctuаlly nеver notiсed it."
Меntiоning Zhang Сhеnguаng, Li Нaozhang сouldn't help but ask, "What аbout Lao Zhаng's thermos..."
"Dоn't evеn mеntion it. Sоmeone on the mountain suddenly developed emphysema, and everyone was busy with the rescue and evacuation. Who cared about his thermos? Sigh! Just bad luck." Hippo looked annoyed. "After things calm down, I'll sneak back up there and see if I can get lucky."
"Better not to find it than to find it," Li Haozhang also sighed.
He Zhengren said angrily, "Can't those foreigners just settle down! They paid for it, carelessly lost it themselves, and now they're putting up lost item notices! Thankfully, no police have noticed..."
"Boss He, look at me now..." Hippo tentatively said, "I've lost my job, offended people, and there's no going back. How about... I stay by your side and work for you?"
"You..." He Zhengren looked at him, seeming troubled. "You can't go back to the sports car business. Stay here for now, and I'll think about what kind of work you can handle."
"Great, great." Hippo cheerfully saw them out. As soon as the door closed, he deliberately turned the TV volume up to the maximum, opened his suitcase for a glance, sighed in relief, and fell into thought.
The elevator door slowly closed. Li Haozhang pressed the button for the first floor. "Hippo did pretty well staying by Xiao Ba's side—he got all three photos and the coordinates. What should we assign him next? Hand over Lao Zhang's old responsibilities to him?"
He Zhengren glanced at him slightly displeased. "Are you making decisions for me?"
Li Haozhang's eyes dimmed, as if unwilling to back down. "I was just... making a suggestion."
"Unlike Lao Zhang, Hippo has no experience in transactions. Handing everything over to him all at once might be too much for him to handle, and it could cause trouble." He Zhengren sighed. The weather was gradually getting colder, and his leg was starting to ache faintly again. "In this line of work, if you do well, you can become rich overnight. If you don't, you either lose your life or end up being hunted down. Getting caught by the police, like Old Chuan, is actually the most dignified outcome."
"You think Hippo isn't reliable enough?"
"Who is reliable?" He Zhengren stared at him.
Li Haozhang averted his gaze.
After thinking for a moment, He Zhengren said, "Hippo... can stay and drive for me. That's better than him being out in the open."
Li Haozhang hesitated slightly. "Then what about me..."
The elevator had already reached the first floor. He Zhengren slowly walked out, deliberately lowering his voice. "The manganese mine project means Diao Zhuo can't go wherever he wants like Xiao Ba. He'll have to go to Xinjiang soon. Xiao Ba can't be left unsupervised. Starting tomorrow, you go to Yunnan and Tibet and keep a close eye on him for me."
Li Haozhang was puzzled. "Is it really appropriate for me to go?""I searched through Rao Qinghui's and his subordinates' work computers, only finding scattered materials pointing to the Xinjiang Koktokay region. Following the clues in the materials, I did locate an aquamarine mine, but I always felt it couldn't be that simple. I also went to see his close friend Professor Lu Yang, but their research fields are quite different. Lu Yang didn't provide much useful information, or perhaps he deliberately withheld it. Rao Qinghui had an encrypted folder that could never be opened—I suspect that's where the valuable information lies. Rao Qinghui used to joke with his assistants and students, testing them by having them determine latitude and longitude, rock layer composition, and vegetation from photos. Ba Xiye hiding three unrelated photos in her wallet wasn't accidental; she must have been inspired by Rao Qinghui's hints and came up with the idea in a moment of urgency. Although Hippo obtained the latitude and longitude of the scenes in the photos, we still haven't confirmed whether they are the password to Rao Qinghui's computer."
Li Haozhang asked, "Can we make a breakthrough through Xiao Ba?"
"Unlike the others, Ba Xiye's belongings are limited, all preserved by that old orphanage. Xiao Ba once mentioned to Hippo unintentionally that the only computer in the orphanage was for Ba Xiye's exclusive use. However, after the orphanage was taken over by the government for unified management, items were either moved or discarded. Hippo couldn't find out where Ba Xiye's computer ended up. Now, Xiao Ba also has the latitude and longitude of the three photos—she's bound to take some action."
"I've noted that."
Before getting into the car, He Zhengren specifically reminded Li Haozhang, "Don't treat Xiao Ba as an ordinary woman. Send a few more people to follow her discreetly, and make sure she doesn't notice."
"I'll be careful," he said solemnly.
Li Haozhang had always worked by He Zhengren's side, neither understanding Bayunye nor witnessing her capabilities. Even so, He Zhengren wasn't worried at all, seemingly unconcerned about whether Li Haozhang might be exposed, because from the moment he sent Li Haozhang out, this person became a disposable pawn. He Zhengren knew well that in terms of cunning, Li Haozhang couldn't compare to the newly arrived Hippo, yet he was ambitious—otherwise, he wouldn't have acted as a spy by He Zhengren's side.
He Zhengren had been feeling uneasy lately. If he ever had to leave, he would need to shake off Li Haozhang first.
"Eagle Club Sichuan-Tibet Line departing on the 20th. Independent groups of 4, combined groups, organized tours, carpooling, and private charters—experience something different."
"Life isn't just about handsome guys and beautiful girls in front of you; there are also unknown encounters and romances in the distance. Self-drive tours along the Yunnan-Tibet and Sichuan-Tibet lines are now recruiting."
"Eagle Club Tibet tours continue during the off-season. Second winter tour phase. Departing from Lijiang on December 8th for the stunning Yunnan-Tibet line romance tour, 8–9 days. Whether you come or not, I'll be waiting for you in Lijiang."
Life went on as usual. Bayunye took a newlywed couple along the Qinghai-Tibet line, and her social media feed was flooded with updates every night as usual.
"Can you block me when you post these ads?" Diao Zhuo asked her.
She replied quickly, "No, I must let you witness the hardships of the working class."
"You drive, I go down into the mines—who's at the bottom?"
"You have a mine, so you think you're something, huh," sighed the female driver burdened with 200,000 yuan in car loans.
As for the contents of Rao Qinghui's final words, he had contacted Officer Ran Jinxian, a member of the accident investigation team from back then, and handed over the clues. However, whether this final statement could become key evidence to reopen the accident investigation remained unknown.The manganese mining project in the West Kunlun Mountains of Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture is progressing smoothly, with three new ore target areas delineated. At the end of November, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck a township under Akto County. The epicenter was located in a high-altitude uninhabited area, resulting in no casualties but causing some houses to collapse and roads to be damaged. Their geological team dispatched three large pieces of engineering machinery to the quake zone for emergency road repairs. Among the volunteers who rushed to deliver disaster relief supplies, two came from Golmud.
They told Diao Zhuo that although Fu Yingtao was out of life-threatening danger, his bodily functions had suffered severe damage, and he would have to retire early upon returning. The incidents of him and Fu Xingyue encountering danger on the mountain one after another spread through the accounts of tourists, and many people became aware of it, closely following the progress of the case.
A few days ago, the investigation results were released. Fu Xingyue's ex-boyfriend, Han Mu, was identified as the mastermind behind the incident. He and Fu Xingyue harbored deep resentment toward Fu Yingtao and had been planning this for a long time. Fu Xingyue pretended to accept Jiang Aohang's pursuit, while Han Mu, using the alias "Han Rui," disguised himself as a gay man to approach Jiang Aohang. Leveraging his professional knowledge, he continuously incited and manipulated Jiang Aohang into killing his in-laws to monopolize the family assets.
Initially, Jiang Aohang trusted "Han Rui" completely and, in order to obtain the inheritance and property, decided to take the risk.
Fu Xingyue's adoptive mother was already terminally ill. Jiang Aohang believed he had used the medication provided by "Han Rui" to cause her death, undetected, and boldly began plotting to murder Fu Yingtao. By chance, Jiang Aohang discovered that Fu Xingyue's ex-boyfriend was "Han Rui." After inquiring about their past, he realized their scheme of using him as a tool for murder. Believing he was already burdened with one life, he decided to turn the tables and retaliate.
Jiang Aohang learned from Fu Xingyue's biological mother that she had a minor cardiopulmonary defect and subsequently planned this trip to Pearl Peak. He deliberately followed Fu Xingyue's scheme, displaying his malicious intentions toward Fu Yingtao. When leaving West Great Beach, he discarded the glibenclamide bottle to shift suspicion from himself to Fu Xingyue. As he intended, she eventually suffered from high-altitude pulmonary edema in the nearly 6,000-meter altitude environment. Amid the chaos, he used Fu Yingtao's allergen to plunge him into crisis, making everything appear accidental.
His actions enraged Han Mu, who was stationed in Golmud, leading him to decide on a desperate, mutually destructive move. Using his professional knowledge and familiarity with hospital operations, Han Mu infiltrated the ward and injected harmful substances into the IV bottle, nearly sending Fu Yingtao to meet the King of Hell.
Han Mu, Jiang Aohang, and Fu Xingyue now await legal punishment. Fu Yingtao's small family was completely shattered after this turmoil, and he became the subject of gossip and ridicule among his colleagues. To this day, he still cannot understand why, as Fu Xingyue's benefactor, he was subjected to such treatment.
Upon learning the investigation results, Bayunye sighed deeply.
"If it were me, even if the heavens opposed it, I'd still be with whoever I wanted. Whoever opposed me, I'd fight them. They dared to commit murder but didn't dare to be with the person they loved? They went through such convoluted schemes only to end up in prison. As far as I know, male and female prisons are separate—they still can't be together like a pair of lovebirds, can they?"
"Like a pair of lovebirds..." Diao Zhuo felt utterly embarrassed by her choice of words. "Any news about Hippo?"
She replied gloomily, "He's vanished into thin air."Hippo remained missing, and her partner from the club, the "top sister," became quite random. Somehow, she kept recalling Hippo's face as he scurried over with a sweet tea pot, looking both comical and sincere. Partnering with others never felt as fun or reliable as it did with Hippo.
Because Hippo had fled with what appeared to be Zhang Chenguang's thermos, Brother Long was furious. He spent over a month verifying the backgrounds of everyone in the club. Drivers resigning or transferring to other teams weren't unheard of, but aside from Bayunye, no one understood why Hippo's sudden resignation had angered Brother Long so much.
After finishing another trip along the Sichuan-Tibet route and returning to Lhasa, Bayunye went with Brother Long to have the items bought by their clients blessed at the Jokhang Temple. On the way, Brother Long, unusually serious, assured her—"I never expected Hippo to join the team with such deep ulterior motives. This is my responsibility, and I will definitely find the mastermind behind Hippo." He gripped the prayer beads so tightly that red marks were left on his wrist.
"People's hearts are unpredictable; it's impossible to guard against everything." The Beryllium-bearing mineral belt was a secret, and Bayunye kept it from Brother Long as well. For the Eagle Club, Hippo's departure might not be a bad thing. Confirming that the elder sister wasn't a homewrecker had put Bayunye in a good mood. As for finding the Beryllium-bearing mineral belt, that was Diao Zhuo's area of expertise, and she could only help by keeping his secret.
Brother Long crossed his arms and looked straight ahead. "You won't betray me, will you?"
"As long as you don't one day ask me to marry you as your wife, I won't run away."
He snorted disdainfully. "Wishful thinking. I'm more afraid you'd cling to me just to get your hands on my few inns."
Bayunye pointed at herself. "Hmph, if even I don't meet your standards, you deserve to stay single."
"Heh, you're still young, some things you just don't understand..." Brother Long smiled innocently and kindly. "As long as I'm not married, any woman in the world could become my wife."
She rolled her eyes and walked ahead. Barkhor Street was bustling with people, lined with shops selling butter, khata scarves, and Buddha statues. Below the yellow house of the influencer shop Majiami, crowds of tourists squeezed in to take photos and check in. They might not necessarily believe in Buddhism, but they could accurately recite the classic verses of Tsangyang Gyatso. Several Tibetans prostrated themselves in long kowtows, the rhythmic clapping of their hand guards echoing along the street, a sound of faith and devotion.
Brother Long knew Barkhor Street well, from shop rents to which stores had mirrors facing the back. Soon, he moved his plump body and caught up in a few steps, placing a hand on Bayunye's shoulder. He had never done this before.
Bayunye wasn't in a hurry, raising an eyebrow to look at him. "What, did my teasing actually make you decide to pursue me?"
"Someone is following us," Brother Long said with a smile, his tone as casual as if discussing dinner. Now he looked simple and plump, but you absolutely couldn't mistake him for a harmless fat person. As a former scout, he was more sensitive to being followed than Bayunye.
"Why would anyone follow us?" she asked calmly, neither turning around nor looking around.
"Maybe Diao Zhuo isn't at ease with you and asked his brothers to keep an eye on you?"
"So you deliberately put your arm around me, hoping they'd beat you up?"Brother Long chuckled, "It seems they don't intend to beat me up now."
Bayunye nodded, "Since they weren't sent by Diao Zhuo... Hmph, Hippo may be gone, but his 'business' might not be over yet. They probably think we still have some use."
Brother Long fiddled with his prayer beads, eyes closed, and said, "These newcomers don't seem friendly, dear."
She put on a high-pitched voice and said, "Our suggestion here is to not give a damn. We're just going to get a blessing anyway. If you're interested, come along—cleanse your soul a little."
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