The driver looked at Liu Dashao with a very strange expression, as if regarding him as a lunatic who had escaped from a mental institution, and said, "Where are you trying to go?"

"The nearest town to here."

"Milin is thirty kilometers ahead. If you want to go, it's five yuan per person."

Milin? Liu Dashao jumped in shock. Milin was a small town in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Though small, the town was quite famous, especially for its notoriously bad security. The customs in Tibet were fierce; it was common for people to end up hacking at each other with Yak knives in the street over minor disputes. Yet, Liu Dashao was astonished that after crawling through a cave for only a few kilometers, they had somehow traveled from the depths of Xinjiang to Tibet. Everyone exchanged glances, seemingly voicing a collective "Good heavens."

Liu Dashao fumbled in his pocket, only to find he hadn't brought his wallet. Fan Debiao and Uncle Diao were also empty-handed. Fortunately, Wang Feifei had money. She pulled out a one-hundred-yuan banknote, handed it to the driver with a smile, and said, "Master, thank you so much. We'll go to Milin just ahead."

The driver took the money without ceremony, stuffing it into his jacket pocket, and waved his big hand: "Get in." The vehicle wasn't large, so those who came later had to sit on the luggage rack. Off they went in a grand procession.

Once Liu Dashao and the others found seats, the driver looked them over again and asked, "Where are you folks from? Your accents don't sound like local Tibetans."

Liu Dashao smiled faintly and replied, "We're tourists visiting Tibet. We got lost on the Gobi Desert and wandered around for two days before finding the way out."

The driver grunted an "Oh," and said, "It's fortunate you ran into me. This area is sparsely populated, and very few vehicles pass through here..."

Seeing the driver drone on endlessly, Liu Dashao impatiently interrupted him: "Master, we haven't slept in two days. We'd like to rest for a bit. Please wake us when we reach Milin."

The driver readily agreed. Having kept their nerves tightly strung for days in the Golden Ancient City, the weight finally lifted once they were on the car, leaving them feeling instantly drowsy and exhausted. The slight rocking motion on the road soon lulled them into a deep sleep.

The thirty-kilometer journey wasn't very long. It felt like they had only just dozed off when a sleepy voice called out, "We're here! You can get out now."

Liu Dashao blinked open his heavy eyes, glanced around, and then woke up Wang Feifei, Fan Debiao, Uncle Diao, and Clay Figure Zhang. After thanking the driver, they stepped out of the vehicle.

By this time, Clay Figure Zhang had already removed his bandages. His complexion looked somewhat ruddy, much better than before. It seemed those worms truly were effective. Seeing the marked improvement in his body, Clay Figure Zhang grinned happily. He cupped his hands towards them: "Thank you all. I suppose it’s time for us to part ways. I’ve decided to find some quiet place to live out the rest of my days. After all this, I've understood one thing: what is destined to be yours will come, and striving for what isn't destined will be in vain!"

Liu Dashao nodded. "Very well, take care on your journey."

"I appreciate the good wishes!" Clay Figure Zhang laughed heartily, clapping Liu Dashao on the shoulder: "Also, I have a piece of advice for you, Heavenly Master Liu. Since fate has found you and charged you with completing tasks others cannot, then as the protagonist, you absolutely cannot evade it!"

"What do you mean?"

"Heaven's secrets must not be revealed."

"Hmph, always playing mysterious!"

"You'll know in time." With that, Clay Figure Zhang turned and left.

After Clay Figure Zhang departed, Wang Feifei turned to Liu Dashao and said, "Let's find an inn first, rent a few rooms, and get a good night's rest. We should be saying our goodbyes tomorrow."

"Goodbyes?" Liu Dashao asked, puzzled.

"It's like this," Uncle Diao walked up to Liu Dashao. "Do you remember that Tiger-shaped Mask?"

"Of course!" Liu Dashao nodded.

"The moment I saw the Tiger-shaped Mask, all the memories I had lost came flooding back," Uncle Diao stated calmly.

"What?"

"I need to fulfill a wish I left undone decades ago, and I must take Miss Wang to find her parents."

"Do you need my help?" Liu Dashao asked.

"No need!" Uncle Diao waved his hand. "You all are too exhausted. Get some good rest! I'm granting you three months off."

"Then, you all take care!" Liu Dashao knew that once Uncle Diao made a decision, no one could change it, so he didn't press further.

The group rested for one night in Milin. The next day, they took a long-distance bus to Lhasa. In Lhasa, Wang Feifei took Liu Dashao’s mobile number and posed intimately with him for a photo, like a deeply attached young couple. After a brief farewell to everyone, she, Jackson, and Uncle Diao set off.

Truth be told, Wang Feifei was a beautiful woman, and the time they spent together felt genuinely pleasant, especially between her and Liu Dashao, where some inexplicable feelings had certainly developed. As discerning observers, Uncle Diao and the others had seen it long ago but simply hadn't mentioned it. At this moment, Liu Dashao stood watching Wang Feifei's figure descending the stairs, lost in thought over her parting words, completely silent.

With Wang Feifei gone, the unburdened Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao wasted no time heading toward Beijing. That scoundrel Fan Debiao had been cooped up too long; the moment he stepped off the train, he met his long-lost Cabbage Worm, and they immediately started acting like long-lost brothers, heading straight for a tavern to drink. Liu Dashao also poured Fan Debiao a few cups; he genuinely liked the chubby, endearing man, but let there be no misunderstanding—it wasn't that kind of liking; Liu Dashao's sexual orientation was perfectly normal. In reality, he was in no mood for drinking; a huge pile of treasures was still sitting in the hotel room! Seeing Liu Dashao drinking distractedly, Cabbage Worm quickly agreed to meet the next day, and the drinking session soon concluded.

Exiting the tavern, Fan Debiao enthusiastically regaled Cabbage Worm with details about which massage parlors on this street had the prettiest and most attentive girls. Cabbage Worm responded absently. Near the entrance to the hotel, Fan Debiao parted ways with them, heading towards a convenience store. Watching Fan Debiao’s light and cheerful stride, Liu Dashao smiled and returned to the hotel with Cabbage Worm.

Liu Dashao slept like the dead that night, waking past ten the next morning feeling like his entire body was falling apart. He ordered fried dough sticks and congee from outside. Halfway through eating, Fan Debiao burst in by pushing the door open. Seeing them already eating, he didn't stand on ceremony, grabbed two large fried dough sticks, and began wolfing them down, saying as he ate, "I thought I'd call you guys out for a meal; you're already eating."

Liu Dashao smiled, thinking Fan Debiao must have been exhausted from his exertions the night before and was starving.

"Old Fan..." Liu Dashao thought about how he was unfamiliar with the mainland and had no idea how to offload the stolen goods. Fan Debiao, being an old hand in the tomb-raiding trade, surely knew something. So he continued, "Have you sold those treasures you carried out yet?"

Fan Debiao paused at the question, then understood, replying, "Dashao, you don't know. I was raising medical funds for the boss this time..." Fan Debiao stopped, glancing around. There were no outsiders, so he pulled a few items from his pants pocket, spread them in his palm, and showed them to Liu Dashao: "But, hehe, but your Fatty has managed to pocket a little something for his hard work. How about selling these small trinkets along with yours?"

Liu Dashao looked at the three delicate and small jade rings in Fan Debiao's large palm, torn between laughter and tears. He told him, "Although I've dabbled in antiques, handling stolen goods is a first for me. I have absolutely no idea how to move this stuff!"

Fan Debiao suddenly realized, "Oh! So that's what you're worried about!" He tucked the rings back into his pocket and then said, "You're too dense! Just go sell them at Panjiayuan!"

Liu Dashao sheepishly rubbed his head. "Aren't these things illegal? If we sell them so openly, won't we get arrested?"

Fan Debiao burst out laughing. "Are you serious, man? You won't find a place to sell one piece first, and then find another shop to sell another? You have to sell them all to one person?"

Liu Dashao thought for a moment, then made his decision. He definitely had to go into the city—partly to liquidate the items at the antique market, and partly because he needed to check on Big Cricket. With the plan set, the three of them packed their luggage, taking only a small bronze bell. Liu Dashao placed the bell in his waist pouch, stuffed some newspaper on top, checked it left and right until he was finally assured, and then they left.

As soon as they were out, they hailed a taxi. "Master, where is the biggest antique market around here?"

The driver was very enthusiastic. "If you come to our Beijing for fun and don't check out the antique market at Panjiayuan, you've come for nothing! There are lots of good things there, and lots of people too. Go check it out there!"

The driver dropped them off near the corner of the Sanmenlou archway. Liu Dashao paid the fare and got out. The group plunged into the surging crowd. Stalls lined up densely, row after row. After walking around a few times, Liu Dashao stopped in front of an antique shop called Shufang Zhai.

The reason he chose this shop was that there were fewer people inside, which clearly betrayed his guilty conscience.

Mustering his courage, he strutted into the shop with a feigned swagger. A young man who looked like an assistant greeted them with a smile: "Oh! Gentlemen, please come in! What are you looking to see?"

The assistant looked to be in his early twenties, and his speech exuded a sharp cleverness.

Liu Dashao dared not speak. Fan Debiao smiled and said, "We inherited some items from our ancestors. Now we brothers need to do some business and are short on cash. I wonder if you guys purchase here?"

"We do! We do! Please have a seat inside, sirs. I'll go fetch our boss!" Saying that, he ushered the three of them into the inner room. Behind the shop front was a hall decorated in an antique style, with various objects displayed on curio shelves.

Not long after the young man went in, a middle-aged man who looked like the owner followed him out.

Liu Dashao took the small bronze bell out of his bag and placed it on the table. "Boss, please take a look and give me an appraisal!"

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up. He took out a magnifying glass and carefully examined the small bell from all angles, turning the bottom upwards. After a moment, he placed the small vessel down and smiled, beginning to speak: "Gentlemen, you must be craftsmen, yes?"

Liu Dashao was confused and looked at him questioningly. Seeing their lack of understanding, the boss continued, "This small bell is a treasure from the Eastern Han Dynasty. In terms of hand-carving, material quality, it’s top-tier, but..."

The boss drew out the word, observing their tense expressions, and continued, "But this is something just unearthed. Look at the patina; it's all harmless corrosion."

Liu Dashao didn't understand what 'harmless corrosion' meant. However, it seemed the boss had sensed their identity, and surely he wouldn't call the police? With this thought, he picked up the small vessel: "If you don't want to buy it, forget it. We'll leave!"

Seeing this, the boss quickly stopped him. "Don't rush, sit, sit. Gunzi! Bring tea. Close the shop door."

The young man named Gunzi acknowledged him with a sound and quickly went to attend to the task. The boss cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, since you don't want me to know too much, I won't ask. Just tell me, how much are you asking for this item?"

Liu Dashao glanced at Fan Debiao and then Cabbage Worm. Clearly, none of them knew what the item was worth. But in negotiation, one must never reveal their bottom line. Thus, Liu Dashao forced himself to maintain composure: "Since you seem like an honest man, you name the price!"

The boss smiled and held up one finger. Liu Dashao was completely bewildered. Did three fingers mean one thousand? Ten thousand? Or one hundred thousand? A million? So, he spoke as if he were seasoned: "No, no, that's too little."

"Then how much are you asking?" the boss smiled.

Liu Dashao thought for a moment and held up five fingers. The boss’s face showed utter astonishment. "Fifty thousand? Brother, you are completely out of line!"

OK, Liu Dashao now fully understood what one finger represented: fifty thousand!

The boss looked at their expressions. "I'll add another ten thousand. I really can't go higher. You can ask around Panjiayuan; no one here is more straightforward than me."

Fan Debiao kept tugging at Liu Dashao from behind, signaling that this was enough. Liu Dashao considered it. "Fine, we'll do as you say. We want cash."

"Alright! No problem!" Seeing Liu Dashao agree, the boss quickly replied, "Please wait a moment, Gunzi! Bring forty thousand!"

Gunzi agreed from the back room. The boss stood up, took a teacup from the small table, poured them tea, and asked with a chuckle, "Say, boys, is this the only item this time? Didn't you bring anything else? Don't worry, we'll become familiar friends after this, and you can trust us on the price."

Liu Dashao thought it over. Greed drives people; this boss must have his own channels for moving goods, which is why he dared to accept them. If he could get rid of everything at once, it would be much safer than risking going to other shops. He spoke up: "We actually have more goods. Can you take them all at once?"

The boss smiled and nodded. "Certainly, certainly. If there are a lot of goods, I can even offer a better price break." His eyes darted around, and he added, "But could you give me some hint as to what they are? So I can prepare the cash accordingly."

Liu Dashao thought about it. He hadn't brought many large items; there were only four or five bronze objects, and most were small agate and jade ornaments, which should be easy to move. It was the bronze pieces that drew too much attention. So he said, "There are about four or five other bronze items, two of which are even larger than this one. How much of a discount can you give me for those?"

The boss pondered for a moment, then wrote an address on a piece of paper: "How about this? Tomorrow night, bring the goods here. I'll bring the cash. We'll inspect the goods and pay cash on the spot, adjusting for any overpayment or shortfall. How does that sound? It's safer for you not to carry so many things during the day when there are too many eyes around, right?"

Liu Dashao figured this boss was no stranger to this kind of business; his arrangements were quite thorough. He must think they were seasoned tomb robbers and wanted to establish a long-term relationship, so he agreed. At that moment, Gunzi also brought out a briefcase from inside, containing bundles of RMB wrapped in newspaper. Liu Dashao took them out and counted them carefully. After counting for a long time, he rewrapped them and put them back in the briefcase. The boss and Gunzi escorted them to the door with beaming smiles.

On the way back to the hotel, Liu Dashao felt overwhelmingly insecure, constantly sensing that someone wanted to rob them. He eyed everyone suspiciously until they were back in the room, only then letting out a deep sigh of relief. Fan Debiao suggested they go out for a big meal, but Liu Dashao refused, insisting on guarding the room. Fan Debiao had no choice but to order wine and dishes from a nearby restaurant to eat in the room.

Liu Dashao always felt he possessed a certain 'sixth sense,' not in any mystical way, but his premonitions were uncannily accurate. Back in the Northeast countryside one spring, he had felt uneasy for a long time, and soon after, he received the devastating news of his grandfather's death. This time, for some reason, he felt something was off. The shop owner gave him the feeling of a smiling tiger, and his heart was in turmoil. He feared this bad premonition would come true, then tried to console himself, thinking perhaps his nervousness stemmed from doing something illicit for the first time. After struggling with it for a while, he could hold it in no longer and confided in Cabbage Worm and Fan Debiao.

Fan Debiao laughed heartily when he heard this. "Dashao, you are too timid! We'll take the goods over tomorrow night, take the money, and leave. He won't figure out who we are, so how could he find us?"

Cabbage Worm also patted his shoulder. "Brother, relax, it will be fine. We'll each bring something for self-defense tomorrow; nothing will happen."

Liu Dashao wanted to say more, but when he opened his mouth, the words wouldn't come out.

The next evening, as soon as dusk settled, Liu Dashao used the woven bag Fan Debiao had bought to pack the four larger bronze bells. He went out and flagged down a minivan, heading towards the address written on the slip of paper. It was a repair shop in a suburban area. The workshop was large and spacious, with quite a few scrapped cars parked inside. The big iron gate was slightly ajar. A light glowed in the window of an office-like structure built from aluminum alloy panels—that must be the place.