Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Treasure hunting?

Qu Yixian didn’t respond immediately.

To most people, the northwest was barren and underdeveloped. Over the years, if it weren’t for tourism and government support, it wouldn’t have developed so quickly.

That was true.

The large tourist circuits developed in the northwest and the government-backed “Belt and Road” initiatives had brought in significant revenue. But only those who had actually traveled through the northwest could truly understand the wealth and depth this land possessed.

Qu Yixian didn’t rashly ask Fu Xun what treasure he was seeking; that would be impolite.

She reasoned instead: “If you haven’t found it yet, would you mind accompanying me to find the person first?”

Fu Xun didn’t speak, only glanced at her briefly.

His expression was indifferent, as if it didn’t concern him.

Qu Yixian could understand. After all, he had originally only agreed to deliver supplies to the Land Cruiser. Now that the vehicle had broken down halfway, him coming to help was already going above and beyond.

She wouldn’t morally coerce anyone or take sentiment as a favor.

So if she wanted to ride in the same vehicle, she needed some negotiating leverage.

“I’ve guided geological survey teams and archaeological teams before. Across the entire northwest, there isn’t a place I can’t handle. If you let me ride with you, I’ll return the favor—whatever treasure you want to find, I can take you there.”

Originally, Qu Yixian had considered renting the G-Class for two days. Fuel, wear and tear—any expense incurred during these two days would be on her.

But as she approached Fu Xun, she dismissed that idea immediately.

Fu Xun clearly wasn’t short of money. If he charged her an exorbitant fee, would she pay?

Paying would ruin her kidneys, not paying… where would she save face?

After thinking it through, she decided to put herself on the table and rely on her own skills.

Whether this tactic suited Fu Xun, she didn’t know. He studied her for a few seconds, then confirmed: “Whatever treasure you want to find, you can take me there?”

Qu Yixian raised her eyes, glancing at the navy cap he wore.

She had recently seen a female client named Yan wearing one too. She had thought it looked cool and casually asked where she got it.

The woman had taken a puff of her cigarette and replied mischievously, “It’s ancestral.”

Although that answer wasn’t reliable, thinking of it reassured Qu Yixian. She had no worry that Fu Xun harbored ill intentions or was a criminal. She nodded firmly: “Any treasure.”

Fu Xun curled his lips slightly, his gaze dropping to meet hers briefly, showing interest: “And if you can’t find it?”

Qu Yixian let out a light laugh: “If even I can’t find it, then no one can.”

Though the sky was still bright, it was already getting late.

Qu Yixian went back to the car to pack.

There wasn’t much to pack. Her original plan for Yumen Pass was a day trip, and apart from a thermos, she hadn’t brought anything else.

With only these two days, if they couldn’t find the person… it would probably mean recovering a body.

She decided to bring only the satellite phone, her mobile phone, and a handheld GPS.

When she locked the car, she felt a pang of reluctance.

Over the years, whether in snow-capped mountains or deserts, crossing mountains or rivers, she had never abandoned her Land Cruiser.

Even when covered in sand or mud, she would clean it herself on the return trip.

She treated the car as life itself.

This was the first time the Land Cruiser had been stranded halfway, forcing her to leave it behind.

Qu Yixian lightly brushed the sand off the hood, stood there for a moment, then turned and got into the black G-Class waiting behind.

Once inside, she first called Yuan Ye. Besides reporting the Land Cruiser’s breakdown, she also mentioned her discovery on the Dachaidan sand ridge.

Qu Yixian and Yuan Ye communicated through a single line; for the latest updates, Yuan Ye still had to act as the intermediary, coordinating between the rescue team and her.

Hearing that she was riding with Fu Xun, Yuan Ye rubbed his palms, his voice barely audible: “Qu, there’s something I’ll tell you when you get back.”

Qu Yixian raised an eyebrow: “About who?”

Yuan Ye, afraid Fu Xun would hear, lowered his voice so only Qu Yixian could hear: “Fu Xun’s.”

Curiosity piqued, Qu Yixian restrained herself—it was obviously not the time to gossip in front of the person involved. She replied seriously: “Alright, I’ll wait until I get back.”

After hanging up, Qu Yixian turned to glance at the desert landscape beyond the sand ridge and asked: “Where are we heading?”

Fu Xun said: “First, we meet up with the support vehicle.”

Traveling at night in the desert was unwise. While it was still light, having an extra vehicle to find people meant greater efficiency.

Fu Xun drove, and Qu Yixian studied the map.

When they had discovered the sand pit on the ridge, Fu Xun had mentioned that the lost tourist had most likely made their last call there before disappearing.

Qu Yixian had tested it; the mobile signal was weak but still enough to access webpages.

The sand ridge stretched across the Gobi for hundreds of miles, and there was likely a nearby base station with coverage.

If it were her, that base station would be her first stop.

About ten minutes later, Fu Xun met up with the support vehicle.

Compared with the polished G-Class, the Patrol, bearing a local Qing A license plate, looked weary from the journey.

After receiving Fu Xun’s call, the support vehicle had raced toward the coordinates. Once within walkie-talkie range, the driver could no longer hold back: “Boss Fu, if you change the route now, tomorrow morning at the Shuishang Yadan, we won’t be able to get the supplies in time.”

Before entering the desert, Fu Xun had not only arranged for a support vehicle but had also coordinated backup routes with the local camp. At each stop or camp point, someone was ready to deliver supplies in advance.

Qu Yixian thought to herself: Clearly an experienced veteran of desert crossings… probably sneaked in for treasure hunting more than once.

Perhaps sensing her thoughts, Fu Xun glanced at her.

Feeling guilty, Qu Yixian immediately straightened up under his gaze.

Unable to explain everything over the walkie-talkie, Fu Xun pulled over to handle personal matters.

Through the car window, Qu Yixian saw the support vehicle’s driver glance inside, nod repeatedly, and shortly after, Fu Xun returned and the driver got back in.

Once back in the car, Fu Xun didn’t rush.

Finding someone meant there was no navigable route, no shortcut.

Rather than wandering aimlessly like a headless fly through the Gobi, it was better to stop first and plan the destination.

Qu Yixian had long thought Fu Xun was clear-headed, steady, and reliable. Seeing him like this, she couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.

Fu Xun seemed unaware, taking her GPS and reviewing the target points she had marked.

The base station wasn’t explicitly shown on the map. Drawing from her repeated trips between Yumen Pass and Dunhuang, Qu Yixian drew a line near the road closest to the Dachaidan sand ridge, designating it as the base station.

Additionally, she circled the sand ridge shaped like a reclining dragon, following the terrain.

Fu Xun looked up, silently asking for clarification.

Qu Yixian understood and explained: “The sand ridge covers hundreds of kilometers. It’s normal for him not to get out. If the base station doesn’t lead us to him, we’ll have to use this clumsy method.”

It made sense.

Fu Xun asked: “Sand dunes fluctuate and block vision. If it were you, after crossing the ridge and seeing flat sand ahead, would you go or stay?”

As he spoke, he reached over, held the back of Qu Yixian’s neck, and lightly turned her to face the horizon: “What do you see?”

A mirage…

The refraction of light could create a mirage at the desert’s edge.

From afar, it could look like a water body, a small town, or a dense forest. Those lost in the desert were most easily fooled by it.

It was like an optical illusion, capable of stirring the strongest survival instinct while also breeding boundless despair.

Anyone lost who takes it for a lifeline will keep walking until their strength runs out and still won’t escape the desert.

Qu Yixian understood Fu Xun’s meaning.

If the base station was even remotely reliable, wandering hundreds of kilometers around the sand ridge… it was truly ridiculously foolish.

Since the lost tourist with the surname Xun wouldn’t stay in one place, he certainly wouldn’t stay on the sand ridge to wait for death.

Calculating from the time of the lost contact and the angle of the sun, he should have… drifted off course and headed north.

Just as Qu Yixian figured this out, Fu Xun pointed north: “We go north, but the clumsy method can’t be abandoned. Contact Yuan Ye and have the main team search carefully around the Dachaidan sand ridge.”