As we neared the far side of Lop Nur, the sky was already darkening, and the road ahead became treacherous; steep Yadans (steep slopes in the Uyghur language) appeared before us, and our vehicles occasionally struggled up sandy inclines, the jutting rocks on the slopes scraping the undercarriage with a harsh grind.

Luckily, our fleet consisted entirely of imported Hummers; otherwise, we might have already damaged a couple of them.

When night finally fell, we set up camp behind a cluster of Yadans that offered shelter from the wind, arranging the eleven Hummers in a circle before pitching our tents.

I had expected the elderly scientists, after a full day of driving, to be exhausted, but they were remarkably energetic. Led by the towering lead scientist, they leaped out of their vehicles and bustled toward the massive Yadans, taking pictures, running their hands over the formations, and some even breaking off chunks of earth to taste on their tongues.

The dozen or so men brought by Boss Wu, however, were much more subdued. I watched them retrieve folding stools from their cars, assemble a few low tables, and sit down together.

Others unloaded bundles of vegetables and fresh meat from their vehicles and actually started preparing a meal.

Daxiong and I exchanged a glance. He looked over at Little Beard, then patted his own stomach and asked, "Hey, what are we eating tonight... I really don't want to gnaw on biscuits."

Just as I was about to say something, Boss Wu approached us from behind, offering a slight smile. "You three are my guests, and if you don't mind, please join us for hotpot." Upon hearing "hotpot," Daxiong grinned.

"That would be fantastic! I even brought my own chopsticks and bowl!"

I was initially hesitant to dine with Boss Wu, but Daxiong pulled me along, and it felt rude to refuse, so I ended up sitting down with Boss Wu.

Boss Wu’s subordinates were all busy, and his assistant, Xiao Wang, was nowhere in sight. The four of us sat awkwardly around one low table.

So, I broke the silence. "Boss Wu, where is your assistant?"

Boss Wu pointed toward the Yadan cluster and said, "He went off to take pictures."

Daxiong looked puzzled. "It’s already dark. What is there to photograph?" Boss Wu smiled faintly. "He’s shooting the moon."

Daxiong let out an "Oh," looked at me, his expression slightly odd.

I thought to myself, I never realized that quiet fellow who hadn't said much the whole trip had such a hobby. Could he possibly be that recluse we hear about?

Silence descended again. I glanced over at the scientists in the distance; they were still examining the Yadans. I couldn’t help asking, "Boss Wu, who exactly are these scientists you’ve brought along? They look like they've never seen anything before."

Boss Wu hummed in acknowledgment. "These are overseas Chinese scientists from Singapore, a research delegation from the Singapore Society of Naturalists. The old man leading them is surnamed Yuan; I hear he's a renowned scholar in Singapore. Since they rarely come to the mainland, they might just be unfamiliar with such a vast desert."

I mused that this explained the smooth passage we had entering; current policy strongly supports Sino-foreign exchange. But if that’s the case, these people will certainly attract a lot of attention from higher-ups. Wouldn't that invite unnecessary trouble for our tomb raiding?

I couldn't figure out Boss Wu's real agenda, so I held my tongue.

Daxiong chimed in with a laugh, "So they're fellow countrymen from Singapore! You know, everyone I've met from Singapore has this much energy."

After we sat for a while, Xiao Wang, Boss Wu's assistant, returned from the Yadan area, indeed sporting a DSLR camera slung around his neck.

Xiao Wang walked directly to the vehicle where we were sitting, retrieved a laptop bag, ejected the memory card from his camera, and then came over to sit by our small table.

He set up his laptop and inserted the card, beginning to scroll through the photos he had just taken.

We were curious too, and leaned in to look.

It was then that Xiao Wang spoke, his voice flat. "Boss, I’ve photographed the surrounding topography. Please take a look."

Boss Wu nodded, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and squinted at the pictures.

We saw images taken from high vantage points, capturing the desert from various angles—all directions were covered. Since the weather was clear that night, the moonlight was exceptionally bright, giving excellent visibility across the vast desert; under the moonlight, the light-gray dunes stretched endlessly.

Boss Wu scrutinized each photo carefully, seemingly searching for something specific.

I was somewhat bewildered, but Daxiong let out an "Aha!" sounding quite surprised. "Boss Wu, you’re a Feng Shui master!"

Boss Wu flicked some ash from his cigarette, shook his head, and replied, "I know a little Feng Shui, but Feng Shui requires wind and water. This desert only has wind and no water; naturally, no Feng Shui can be read here."

Daxiong rubbed the back of his neck and asked, "Then what are you looking at?"

Boss Wu didn't look up, stating calmly, "The topography."

Hearing this, Daxiong and I were both confused. We repeated in unison, "The topography?"

Boss Wu nodded. "Precisely. This is key to pinpointing the underground ruins."

That confused me somewhat. My own purpose for being in Lop Nur was rather vague; Boss Wu had never specified where we were going, only that it was related to the Wei Kingdom. Now it seemed we were headed toward the ruins of an ancient Western Regions kingdom.

So, I asked, "Boss Wu, the ancient kingdom ruins we are heading to—they should be connected to King Wei, right?"

Boss Wu nodded. "Correct. My ancestors once traveled this area of Xinjiang and entered an ancient imperial city. Judging by the murals, this city was initially formed by a meteorite impact, later converted into a subterranean palace dedicated to a deity. The appearance of that deity strongly resembled the Candle God in the Wei King's underground palace. However, that descent was extremely perilous; one of my uncles disappeared in the tomb. The weather was terrible, and my other relatives retreated. This time, I'm mostly here to search for my relative's remains, and also to investigate some... matters from that time."

As Boss Wu spoke, it seemed he was reliving old memories, while Daxiong muttered to the side, "I think it's to pick up the rare artifacts they didn't manage to grab last time..."

I nudged Daxiong with my elbow, signaling him to stop talking nonsense.

Boss Wu wasn't offended. He glanced at Daxiong and said calmly, "Actually, my Wu family is very interested in the Wei Kingdom as well. Many things I have experienced are tied to the Wei Kingdom. So, this is also my personal business, I’m just helping you out on the side."

Hearing him say that, I laughed. "Boss Wu, thank you, but the sand dunes here are constantly shifting due to the perpetual high winds. There can be no stable landmarks for any ancient ruins. Even if your predecessors left markers, the landscape there must be unrecognizable by now."

Boss Wu nodded, smiling. "I know that, of course. But the desert here is different from other places. Do you know how it differs?"

Daxiong snorted. "Boss Wu, we admit when we’re wrong. What’s so different about this desert? Isn't all desert just sand?"

Boss Wu remained unruffled, speaking with confidence. "There is a difference, certainly. This area used to be China's second-largest lake. Even though it dried up in the 1970s, a small amount of moisture still remains underground, perhaps even underground salt marshes."

Hearing this, I felt I grasped something, but the crucial point remained elusive.

Seeing my look of dawning comprehension, Boss Wu turned his gaze toward me. "The moisture in the salt marsh evaporates very slowly, but the sand directly above the marsh will inevitably have a higher moisture content than sand in other regions. When a strong wind blows, what do you suppose happens?"

I slapped my thigh. "I know! Because of the higher moisture content, the sand is heavier and less easily blown away. Therefore, sand accumulates more densely in one area than elsewhere, meaning the dunes will be higher!"

Boss Wu looked at me with a hint of surprise, then nodded. "Precisely. According to what Boss Wu’s maternal grandfather described, the entrance to the ancient ruins lies within a circle of particularly tall dunes."

"Wait, what’s going on? I didn't follow at all, explain it to me again!" Daxiong stared wide-eyed at both of us.

Boss Wu glanced at Daxiong, then smiled at me. I nodded back, reaching a silent agreement: we decided to ignore Daxiong.

Amidst Daxiong's grumbling, we continued to examine the photographs, but after staring for a long time, nothing particularly stood out.

I grew restless, stood up, and walked toward the Yadan cluster to light a cigarette and clear my head.

Daxiong trotted along after me, eager to ask about the things he didn't understand.