Uncle Diao approached Young Master Liu, removing his gas mask, revealing a face that was both kind and cunning.

"Damn it, why the hell are you here, you brat?" Uncle Diao gripped Young Master Liu's shirt, speaking with evident resentment.

Young Master Liu had never seen Uncle Diao so angry, nor had he ever heard him speak to him in such a manner. It was clear the situation here was extremely perilous, and Uncle Diao's overreaction stemmed from worry that he was present too.

Slightly flustered, Young Master Liu waved a hand and retorted, "Hey, that’s my line. Why are you here?"

"For heaven's sake, if you're going to travel, go travel! Why did you run off to a place like this? This is not where you belong," Uncle Diao ground out, his gaze predatory enough to make Young Master Liu break out in a cold sweat. Suddenly, Uncle Diao leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Watch what you say. Not everyone behind me is loyal."

Fan Debiao, a man who would do anything for a friend, especially for Young Master Liu, didn't grasp the context. Assuming Uncle Diao was about to harm Young Master Liu, and disregarding the array of advanced modern weaponry aimed at them, he snatched a loose brick and charged towards Young Master Liu's side, ready to take Uncle Diao down.

What Young Master Liu hadn't anticipated was that Uncle Diao completely ignored Fan Debiao's move, focusing solely on conveying his displeasure through his eyes toward Young Master Liu. Just as Fan Debiao's brick was about to strike Uncle Diao's head, a figure burst from the crowd. With a swift movement, an arm shot out and immobilized the hand holding the brick in mid-air. Fan Debiao gritted his teeth, unable to force his arm down.

The newcomer wore a dark trench coat beneath a black jacket. A hat covered his head completely, and a cloth obscured his face, revealing only his eyes. His back was slightly hunched, and those eyes appeared profoundly empty, as if nothing in the world occupied their gaze.

Seeing that his brick attack had failed, Fan Debiao immediately shifted tactics to his feet, unleashing the move he was most skilled at: the "Foshan Shadowless Kick." The figure seemed utterly unconcerned by the assault. He simply let go of Fan Debiao's arm, spun, and swung his own arm, depositing Fan Debiao onto the ground in one smooth motion.

Fan Debiao had never suffered such an indignity and couldn't tolerate it. He scrambled up from the ground and lunged at the figure again. The figure’s eyes remained vacant and indifferent. He reached out, grasped Fan Debiao’s arm, causing him to cry out in pain. It was clear Fan Debiao had been subdued by this man.

"Stop, don't hit him!" Another person emerged from the group, pulling off their gas mask. It was Old Wu.

Old Wu walked over to Young Master Liu and Uncle Diao. "Seventh Master, don't be so impulsive. Let's figure out what's going on first. The Young Boss wouldn't run here for no reason. What's the point of you two acting like this?"

Hearing Old Wu declare that Young Master Liu and Uncle Diao were uncle and nephew, everyone present showed surprise. Even the indifferent eyes of the man holding Fan Debiao flickered.

Upon Old Wu's declaration, Uncle Diao immediately released Young Master Liu, and the other man simultaneously let Fan Debiao drop to the ground. Seeing that the man worked for Uncle Diao, Fan Debiao ceased his struggle; getting beaten up if he fought back was pointless, and Fan Debiao wasn't a fool.

"Damn it, if you weren't my nephew, I'd turn you into a hornet's nest! Now tell me, how did you end up here, you brat?" Uncle Diao lit a cigarette and addressed Young Master Liu.

Young Master Liu understood Uncle Diao’s nature—he loved to stubbornly cling to a point, just like himself. The current situation was no joke. Young Master Liu shrugged, took a cigarette offered by Old Wu and lit it, then recounted everything that had happened since they entered the desert, carefully omitting the incident involving the blood touching him.

After listening to Young Master Liu’s explanation, Uncle Diao nodded. "So that's how it is!"

"What about you? Why did you all end up here? Are you here tomb raiding?" Young Master Liu asked Uncle Diao.

Uncle Diao fell silent for a moment, then produced a piece of ancient sheepskin scroll—the very one Old Wu had shown him. He pulled Young Master Liu aside and said, "My purpose for being here is detailed on this."

Hearing this, Young Master Liu was astonished. "You couldn't figure this thing out before. Why would you come here for it?"

Uncle Diao pointed to the scroll. "When I first received this, I was completely baffled. I stayed up all night and finally deciphered what it is: it's a map."

"A map? Holy crap, if this is a map, who could possibly read it?" Young Master Liu exclaimed in surprise.

"This is a unique mapping method specific to the ancient Western Regions. When I was involved in archaeology, I spent time researching the culture of the Western Regions, so after some effort, I could understand this kind of thing," Uncle Diao explained to Young Master Liu.

At that moment, a flash of inspiration hit Young Master Liu. Wasn't there an identical map on the wall of that tomb chamber they were just in? Could there be a massive treasure here? But Uncle Diao wasn't the type to risk his life just for some treasure, so Young Master Liu voiced his thoughts to him.

Uncle Diao replied sternly, "Do I, Diao Deyi, look like a man who risks his life for mere treasure? I am here to clarify certain matters."

Hearing this, Young Master Liu grew intensely curious and pressed, "Uncle Diao, what is this confidential business? Why not tell me?"

Young Master Liu had meant it as a joke, but Diao Deyi answered with grave seriousness: "This is not something you should concern yourself with. This matter involves too much. It is better not to know than to know."

Hearing this, Young Master Liu felt a pang of frustration. Uncle Diao had piqued his curiosity but refused to give him the full picture. Damn it, what kind of treatment was that?

Young Master Liu's curiosity drove him to pester Uncle Diao relentlessly, but the older man refused to reveal anything. Finally, exasperated, Uncle Diao snapped, "If you ask again, I'll put you down, you little rascal."

Realizing that his questioning was unproductive, Young Master Liu knew that his best bet was to stay close to Uncle Diao, as his objective here was tied to whatever secret Uncle Diao was pursuing. He would surely uncover something by sticking around.

He dropped the inquiry. "Never mind then. We should focus on finding a way out first."

Uncle Diao quietly asked Young Master Liu, "What's the deal with that woman behind us?"

Following Uncle Diao's gaze, Young Master Liu turned back and saw Wang Feifei staring intensely at Uncle Diao. Young Master Liu wondered: Could Uncle Diao be that charming? Had Wang Feifei taken a liking to him? It made no sense; he was clearly much more handsome than Uncle Diao. Why wasn't she looking at him?

Young Master Liu told Uncle Diao, "That woman is Wang Feifei. She's the leader of our current expedition to the Golden Ancient City. Don't let her youth fool you; she's high up in the French Tour Expedition Team. Do you think something is wrong?"

"What? You said Expedition Team?" Uncle Diao asked Young Master Liu.

"The French Tour Expedition Team. Got a problem?" Young Master Liu teased Uncle Diao.

Uncle Diao nodded and said it was nothing, but Young Master Liu sensed that the question wasn't just idle chatter.

"Excuse me, are you Diao Deyi, Master Diao?" While Young Master Liu and Uncle Diao were talking, Wang Feifei had approached the group from behind and asked this question.

Hearing Wang Feifei, Young Master Liu turned back and stared at her, his face etched with confusion. How did this girl know the old man was named Diao Deyi? And why did she call him Master Diao? Was she Uncle Diao's student? That was impossible; Uncle Diao had never taught in an academic capacity.

Young Master Liu looked at Uncle Diao, whose reaction was significant. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his eyes were wide open as he stared fixedly at Wang Feifei, as if trying to see through her.

Wang Feifei’s expression was equally strange. Her usually pure and composed face was now filled with tension, a tension mixed with a flicker of expectation that left Young Master Liu completely bewildered.

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