Xu Zhiwu was nearly frantic. “Xiao Luo, I’m saying someone is after the Golden Eye and Silver Bead. Do you… do you understand now?” he asked.

“After the Golden Eye and Silver Bead?” I paused, surprised. Besides the three of us present, and Laba and Nyima, who else knew about the Golden Eye and Silver Bead? If not, how could the Laba family have been repeatedly targeted by thieves?

“Yes,” Xu Zhiwu confirmed. “One hundred percent certain they are after the Golden Eye and Silver Bead. Laba is on edge every second, terrified a thief will pop up from who knows where.”

Truthfully, I felt a tiny bit of schadenfreude. If Laba’s Golden Eye and Silver Bead were stolen, Xu Zhiwu couldn't pressure me into helping him find the second one, and I would naturally be free and easy. If he forced me, I could always argue that I only agreed to search for the second one, and now the first one was gone—how could I possibly look for the second? Still, I had to maintain a show of concern: “Then—what about Laba?”

“What can be done? He’s staying home if he can, seeing no one if he can. Clutching the Golden Eye and Silver Bead every moment, never blinking.” Xu Zhiwu sighed helplessly. “So, Xiao Luo, and Li Zeng, I have a rather bold request: I need the two of you, whether for my sake or any other reason, to help Laba guard the Golden Eye and Silver Bead. Otherwise… well, I, Xu Zhiwu, can die, but the Golden Eye and Silver Bead absolutely cannot be lost.”

“Old Li is going too?” I asked, while Old Li spoke almost simultaneously with me: “Me too?”

Xu Zhiwu nodded firmly. “Yes, the two of you. You are the only suitable candidates.”

It felt rather inexplicable. I couldn't figure out what was going through Xu Zhiwu’s mind, first roping me in, and now drawing Old Li into this as well.

“I’m not suitable,” Old Li stated flatly, though his expression betrayed some hesitation.

How could Xu Zhiwu fail to notice Old Li’s hesitation? He quickly said, “Li Zeng, the reason I came today is to ask for your help… Moreover… in short, your help won’t be unrewarded; there will definitely be benefits…”

Hearing this, I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. “What benefits? Mountains of gold and silver? Or eternal life?”

Xu Zhiwu looked embarrassed. “That’s not what I meant… I, Xu Zhiwu, am not someone ungrateful. If you help me this time, there will surely be times you need my assistance in the future. Just name it, and I won't even frown.” He then shifted his tone. “You don’t need to doubt my ability. You all saw what happened with Xiao Luo and the Japanese matter.”

His meaning was crystal clear: a half-plea, half-threat. If we refused, he could find other ways to force our compliance. In other words, his politeness now was giving us face. If Old Li and I were ungrateful, then we couldn't blame him for offering the sweet wine only to serve the harsh liquor afterward.

I hated being threatened the most, especially when Xu Zhiwu’s threat was so blatant—it made a fool out of Luo Mouren! The moment this thought crossed my mind, any goodwill toward Xu Zhiwu vanished instantly. I sneered, “So you mean we have to agree whether we want to or not?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Old Li actually coughed, then shot me a look, signaling me to stop speaking rashly. He then turned back to Xu Zhiwu with an apologetic tone. “Xiao Luo is young and doesn’t speak very well; please don’t mind him.”

Xu Zhiwu laughed heartily. “I’ve spent time with Xiao Luo; I know his temperament. I’m a rough man, I like to speak plainly. I’m laying my cards on the table now; isn't that better than scheming to draw you in through subtle means? If I truly wanted to scheme, it wouldn't be impossible. I just don’t like doing it that way, just like with Xiao Luo and the Japanese situation. I had people suppress that matter, and in return, he had to agree to help me find the second Golden Eye and Silver Bead. My actions are all out in the open. Though perhaps a bit petty, at least it’s clear what I’m doing.”

Hearing this, I was immediately speechless, surprised by his logic. Though somewhat overbearing, it… didn't seem entirely without merit. A true villain is better than a hypocrite, and besides, his actions weren't so despicable as to be unmentionable. Thinking of this, my expression softened slightly, but I remained silent.

Xu Zhiwu pleaded again, “I don't mean anything else. I just want to ask the two of you to go to Nyima’s house to keep watch for a couple of days, so he can have some peace and quiet, without worrying about thieves showing up constantly.”

“Us going?” Old Li questioned. “Us going will deter thieves? You must be joking?”

Xu Zhiwu grew serious. “It’s not a joke. You two are famous now; who doesn’t know you escaped unharmed from the clutches of the demonic hands beneath Mount Qiangbake? If you go to Laba’s house, tell me, what thief would dare cause trouble right under your noses?”

I have to admit, Xu Zhiwu’s words—a mix of praise and flattery, with a high hat set perfectly on my head—immediately made me feel much better.

“Let us think about it and give you an answer later, how about that?” Old Li suggested.

Seeing that I hadn’t stated my position, Xu Zhiwu looked worried. “Then what does Xiao Luo think?”

Without raising my head, I replied, “What thoughts could I possibly have?” My tone still conveyed considerable dissatisfaction with him. Xu Zhiwu stammered, “Then I’ll step out for a moment. You two can discuss it and give me an answer.” With that, he glanced at me worriedly one last time before leaving the room.

As soon as Xu Zhiwu was gone, Old Li asked me, “Technician Luo, what do you think? Should we go or not?”

I scoffed. “Do we really have a choice? Even if we say no right here, Xu Zhiwu will find someone else to pull strings, and we’ll still have to go obediently.”

Old Li nodded. “That’s what I think too. So… since we can’t avoid it anyway, we might as well take this opportunity to agree, to avoid having higher-ups come looking for us to talk. What do you say?”

I nodded grimly, signaling my agreement. Old Li said no more. Even so, I felt quite displeased. Furthermore, Old Li seemed somewhat unusual; he wasn't someone who usually meddled in others' affairs. Even on Mount Qiangbake, he only went up the mountain and into the cave out of necessity. Why did everything feel a little strange, yet I couldn’t quite put my finger on it? It was the same feeling I got from Old Li and Xu Zhiwu as I did when I first saw Zhuoma Yangjin on the mountain.

Speaking of Zhuoma Yangjin, I recalled the desolate look on her face in the tomb chamber when she told me she loved me. Though I didn't know why she felt that way, I had never seen such deep affection and despair in anyone’s eyes. I would never forget that look for the rest of my life.

…

A while later, Xu Zhiwu returned, waiting eagerly for our answer. Old Li readily agreed, only stipulating that they couldn’t go to Laba’s house immediately; he would need to request leave first.

Xu Zhiwu rushed, “Who has time to request leave? Leave those matters to me. We’ll go to Laba’s house right now; he’s about to lose his mind.” With that, he grabbed us both and headed out the door.

We were heading toward Barkhor Street again.

As we neared Laba’s gold wholesale shop, we encountered a red light. Xu Zhiwu, without a second thought, prepared to drive through. Unexpectedly, a group of white-skinned, blue-eyed Europeans—men, women, old, and young—suddenly appeared in the middle of the road from somewhere. Barkhor Street was always crowded with tourists, so seeing visitors from all over the world was not unusual. Xu Zhiwu impatiently honked the horn, driving forward slowly. The group of Europeans, seeing our car running a red light, were clearly startled and hesitated left and right, unsure how to yield to the vehicle.

Xu Zhiwu impatiently rolled down the window and yelled at them in English to clear the way.

A tall, young man among them seemed terribly frightened, yet also ready to argue or explain, and approached the car, saying something—it wasn't English; I had no idea what language it was, I couldn’t understand a word.

Surprisingly, Xu Zhiwu replied to them in the same tongue, though his tone was entirely impatient. The young man spoke a few more sentences and then walked away. As he left, he cast a sharp glance toward Old Li and me inside the car. I just assumed he was angry about us running the red light and didn't pay it any mind.

After that annoying delay, the light turned green, and Xu Zhiwu impatiently accelerated toward Laba’s house.

The words "Gold Wholesale" still loomed grandly above the doorway, but only a small section of the rolling metal gate was open; the shop wasn't officially open for business. A Tibetan girl, perhaps eighteen or nineteen, sat there looking bored, staring blankly at a tapestry on the wall. The shop was cold and deserted. Laba wasn't at the entrance to greet us with his usual warmth and courtesy.

Xu Zhiwu locked the car and led us to duck under the small opening into the shop. Ignoring the young girl, he immediately turned back and locked the small door, then stood downstairs shouting, “Laba! Laba! Your saviors are here! Come out quickly!”

No one answered, only a muffled thump-thump of footsteps coming down the stairs, and then Laba appeared before us: in just a few days, he had become alarmingly thin, his eyes sunken deep into his sockets, and his lips covered in cracked, dry skin.

“Luo Lian, Li Zeng… Thank you, thank you both so much.” Laba bowed ninety degrees to us, his voice hoarse.

I had always liked the hearty and enthusiastic Laba, and seeing him like this now caused me genuine distress. I quickly helped support him and asked him what was wrong.

Laba glanced at the young girl sitting by the counter, as if he had something difficult to say, and gave a wry smile. “Let’s go upstairs to talk.”

The four of us went upstairs. Laba’s wife and the others didn't come out to offer us tea. According to Tibetan custom, when a guest arrives at a home, they must be offered a khata and served butter tea. But Laba led us upstairs, immediately collapsed onto something resembling a sofa without a word, and said, “Luo Lian, Li Zeng, now that you’re here, I can finally relax… I’m sorry. I need to sleep for a bit… Zhiwu, look after our guests.” With that, he truly closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Xu Zhiwu took a Tibetan robe from a hook on the wall and draped it over Laba. In those few seconds, Laba was already snoring.

Xu Zhiwu gave a wry smile. “He hasn't slept properly for two straight days. Please don't mind his rudeness.”

Old Li and I quickly said, “It’s nothing, nothing at all.”

“Xiao Luo, Li Zeng, seeing Laba like this, you should understand why I acted like a petty person. The situation is far more serious than ordinary. Laba has already sent his wife and children to hide somewhere else.” With Laba asleep, Xu Zhiwu acted as a partial host, pouring us water as he spoke. “Also, that German young man just now, the way he looked at me was very strange.”