Chang Dong slept until nearly 11 o'clock and felt as though all the fatigue from the past few days had been fully replenished—though not exactly late, considering the time difference; this location is two hours behind Beijing time. He decided to skip breakfast, freshen up, and then linger a bit before having lunch together. After washing his face, he heard someone knocking at the door—Ye Liuxi’s voice. “Housekeeping,” he said. Higher-end hotels use the phrase “house keeping,” but smaller, less-stellar inns don’t send someone to tidy up until you’ve actually left—this hotel, just about adequate. Chang Dong opened the door to find Ye Liuxi standing against the guest room cleaning station, holding the handle of the broom tucked into the side pocket of his car, radiating such enthusiasm that Chang Dong almost thought he was leaning against a luxury vehicle. Making a room isn't as simple as just sweeping the floor. Many hotels even have long lists outlining specific standards—such as what should be placed on the right and left sides of the sink, how the power cord of the kettle should be neatly coiled, and never left dangling at random. A vendor who wants to learn the job will need at least one or two days of training. Changdong asked, "Are you good at making rooms?" "I've just been guided by an experienced housekeeper to complete two rooms, and it wasn't difficult at all. I've done several on my own, and before leaving each room, I ask the guest if they're satisfied. Everyone is very satisfied. Some guests even ask for my room number, saying they feel stuck as a housekeeper and want to find a job for me." She remarked, "True talent never goes unnoticed, no matter where you are." Changdong pushed the door fully open. "Then, let the talent in." "Changdong, some guests with good manners will say, when they open the door, 'Do you need me to have the room cleaned?' and they'll respond, 'No, thank you.'" Changdong said, "My own standards are average—I always say the room She was still efficient, neither sluggish nor disengaged. She quickly made the bed, fluffed the pillows, and when she arranged the table, noticed the scattered chisels and various head pieces scattered haphazardly—she knew immediately that he had been carving again. She glanced at the open portfolio, which depicted the scene at Bailongdui: the winding stretch of the Sima Road, symmetrical earthen platforms, and most strikingly, the eyes spilling sand—so lifelike that they made her feel a bit uneasy. Turning the pages further, she found sketches and handwritten notes, resembling a simple journal, neither elaborate nor ornate, with a firm, crisp tone. The route maps were meticulously detailed, including daily distances traveled, sketches of overnight stops, key observations, and several entries marked with question marks, still under consideration. That explained why he always seemed to grasp issues so clearly, never dragging or hesitating. Changdong returned the chisels and the half-finished head pieces to the trunk. Ye Liuxi asked him, "When shall we return to Bailongdui?" "Chang Dong said, 'Go back to Baidongdui—just follow the Hala Road further down, but the key question is: if we keep encountering the same earthen platforms, shadow coffins, and tire tracks, how do we keep moving forward? Do we keep sending your blood in and out, over and over again?' He felt the need for a new breakthrough. Ye Liuxi asked, 'Then what do you propose?' 'Let's walk the ground and gather physical clues, but at the same time, we should also reach out and inquire about the Jade Gate Pass—there will surely be someone who knows something.' If the tradition of carrying chains into the pass began in the Han Dynasty, that's over two thousand years ago, then the Jade Gate Pass must have caused its share of troubles—there must be some stories left behind by now. —— It was about time. Ye Liuxi returned the work vehicle to the linen storage area and went out to dinner with Chang Dong. As they passed the parking area, Chang Dong noticed that Fei Tang's car had not yet returned. He found a restaurant near the hotel specializing in large portions of chicken with potatoes and green peppers. It wasn't quite lunchtime yet, so the place was quiet. The two of them sat at a corner window seat and ordered a medium portion of chicken with potatoes and green peppers, two servings of meat and noodle salad, and a side of sour and spicy bean strips with vinegar-soaked okra. He had intended to order more, but Ye Liuxi stopped him, saying, "That's enough—more than I usually eat." The meal wasn't particularly rich, yet she looked completely satisfied. As the dishes were served, the two began to eat. The sunlight was excellent, streaming through the glass canopy and gilding her hair. Not long after starting, Fei Tang called. Chang Dong answered casually, "Hello?" But it wasn't Fei Tang on the other end—the voice was rough, deep, and sounded notably older, though it carried strong presence. "Is this Chang Dong?" Chang Dong slowly set down his chopsticks. "Who is this?" Ye Liuxi also paused, her chopsticks still holding a strand of noodles. "Li? Li Qi?" "What relation do you have with "Li Qi smiled: 'You're truly a bright person. Hui Ba is my hometown buddy—by coincidence, we're even related through family ties. If I can help him, he'll surely bring me some good fortune too.' Chang Dong nodded: 'Then what brings you to me specifically?' Li Qi spoke with steady confidence: 'Brother, don't worry—my purpose is simply to chat with you, to ask a few questions. Hui Ba's team has a lot of underperformers. When people die, their bodies aren't even brought back; instead, they come up with all sorts of made-up stories. I find that quite frustrating. I'd like to speak with someone more clear-minded.' 'Did you inconvenience my friend at all?' 'Not at all. We've been polite and respectful in inviting him. He was just a bit excited—perhaps even bumped into a few minor issues, but nothing on our part.' 'Where exactly?' 'At the Dà Dōng Guān, directly across from the auto repair shop. There's a card game and board game room called Tian Gang Di Hu. Once you ask, you'll know. I've been there all afternoon today.' Chang Dong glanced at Ye Liuxi: "See you later." Chang Dong hung up the phone and indicated to Ye Liuxi, "Let's have dinner first." Only then did Ye Liuxi suck the now-cooled noodles into his mouth. "FATang must have suffered." "We called on the head chef's hometown contacts—didn't take many calls, and suddenly they showed up, and remarkably, they're from around here. It should have been obvious that such a coincidence wouldn't happen." "Is it tough?" "The other party is steady, and so are we." —— Da Dong Guan. Today, the auto repair shop is closed on a regular weekday, quiet both inside and outside. Yet, as soon as the heavy glass doors of Tian Gang Di Hu open, the scene suddenly becomes bustling. The sound of bone tiles being shuffled never ceases. Servers carry fruit platters through the crowd, and at many tables, women dressed in vibrant, colorful attire are cracking peanuts—this is known as "Xigū," accompanying guests, chatting, and occasionally engaging in subtle exchanges. Winners often receive a small gift of money; if a connection is made, they may be invited to a more intimate setting to deepen their relationship. Someone leads the two through the main hall into Opening the door, they found the card table just being cleared, a white jute cloth laid out on it, with only a teacup placed upon it. The water in the cup had just been poured and was now gently steaming. Sitting by the table was a man in his fifties, slumped in his chair, his legs folded over the seat, dressed in a dark woolen coat. He gestured for them to sit. From his voice, he seemed much younger than one might expect—indeed, he was not old at all. Chang Dong took his seat and glanced around. Aside from Liu Qi, only a couple of his subordinates were present. "Where's my friend?" "He's just arrived." A moment later, a slow, hesitant footstep came from outside. Chang Dong turned to see Fei Tang entering. His nose was swollen, his mouth split open with a fresh gash, and he walked with a limp. The injuries clearly weren't from a fall or bump. Before Chang Dong could speak, Ye Liuxi had already pushed back her chair and stepped forward. Fei Tang's eyes glistened with emotion, and he stammered, "Miss Xi..." Ye Liuxi said, "You "When it comes to being chased by wild dogs, first assess the situation. If you can handle them, fight them fiercely. If not, act like a humble subordinate—smile, bow, wait until they relax, then strike with a single brick, and fight even harder. Do you understand?" Fei Tang couldn't smile; his facial muscles twitched, unintentionally drawing attention to the wound at the corner of his mouth, which made him gasp in pain. Ye Liuxi sat back in her chair and scolded, "Pathetic! I'm embarrassed." Then, lifting her face, she smiled gently at Liu Qi. "Sorry, I hope you don't mind." Liu Qi studied her for a moment. "Yes, you must be Ms. Ye. I haven't been on the track for years—there were names listed in the records, but I didn't really pay much attention." "I've been researching your background lately. I heard you used to operate a Dongfeng truck, and you've been ambushed three times, losing three fingers each time. You even made a bold promise: if anyone else targeted your truck, you'd take their heads. That's quite decisive." Ye Liuxi paused, startled. Liu Qi "Out in the wilderness, you're a woman with just one car—when people target you, it's clear they had some ulterior motive. Even if they took your fingers, you wouldn't feel cheated. But here, in the city, we have to act with decorum." Ye Liuxi wasn't listening. Were they taking her fingers? Back then, she had been far harsher—she didn't lack legal awareness; she simply hadn't had any at all. Suddenly, Changdong called her, "Liu Xi?" She turned to look at Changdong. "Help Fei Tangqing with his injuries—when we go out, those who know will understand it was his own fall, while those who don't will think it was someone from here who attacked him... Master Liu, would you mind if we borrow a medical cart for a while?" Liu Qi smiled and signaled for someone to fetch it. Changdong cut straight to the point: "Gray Eight's team, plus Fei Tangqing—so many mouths to feed, the details should already be clear. What's the point of coming to me then?" Liu Qi set her teacup back on the table. "Say they To be honest, Ms. Ye could simply lift the lid and be fine—why did it have to be Mr. Hui who died after lifting it? Chang Dong smiled bitterly, knowing the situation sounded truly absurd. "Even more strange comes next: when we asked why the body wasn't brought back, they said it was gone—vanished. I've been to Baidi before. Back in the day, when I was working with snakes, in Luo Bu Po, there were vipers. I'd visited several times, and they'd always refer to me as 'Mr. Liu Qi.' That's when it finally struck me—back then, in the opera houses, courtesan houses, and tomb-digging circles, there were five immortals, each revered as a 'Master.' For instance, the ferret was known as 'Mr. Huang,' the fox as 'Mr. Hu San,' and the snake—always referred to as 'Mr. Liu Qi.' In that place, not only were there no snakes, but even birds in the sky were scarce. The tracks from last year's vehicles could still be found this year. Yet the body, once laid out there, would dry out and vanish within a single night—how can that "Liu Qi smoothed the cotton coat on his body: 'In my opinion, something valuable must have been unearthed. I've seen this kind of thing many times—when people grow greedy, things tend to go wrong.' Chang Dong wanted to say something, but Liu Qi gently pressed his hand down, indicating he had more to say. 'But that doesn't quite make sense. If Huaya eliminated Gui Ba, why didn't he simply flee? Why come back to report to me? With his intelligence, he could have concocted a much more plausible story. As for your friend—there's no connection between them at all, so it's hard to imagine they'd have coordinated. Now, both of you have been summoned, and you're saying the same thing...' 'Therefore, I conclude this matter is genuine.' Chang Dong remained composed. 'If it's genuine, may we now proceed?' The medicine box was brought in. Liu Qi said, 'We don't need to rush. Miss Ye still needs to administer medicine to this rather plump young man. Allow me to share a story with you.' This story dates back more than ten years. At that time, I was still collecting snakes in Luo Bu Po. One day, I met a man looking worn out, carrying a bundle on his back. The bundle wasn't filled with food or drink—it was full of notebooks and sheets of paper. This man said he enjoyed going to remote, unusual places, documenting strange occurrences.