Chapter 108: Departure

That night, the two of us went to see the old village party secretary to bid farewell. He was reluctant to let us go, repeatedly saying we should wait until the provincial experts arrived before leaving. He also mentioned that since we were all educated people, it would be easier to get along. However, we explained that we had urgent matters to attend to back home, so he didn’t insist. Still, he prepared a generous meal for us and shared some wine.

After returning to our lodging, the effects of the alcohol quickly lulled me into a deep sleep. I had a pleasant dream in which a woman dressed in white bowed to me in gratitude. Throughout the dream, I tried to get a clear look at her face, but no matter how hard I tried, her features remained obscured, as if a veil shielded her from my gaze.

Awakening, I sat on the kang bed with a deep sigh and wondered—could there truly be reincarnation in this world?

Early the next morning, Black Sunglasses and I prepared to leave the village. By chance, a vehicle from the town was headed back, and the old party secretary kindly arranged for us to ride along in the town government’s car. We traveled directly to Sanshui Town—a name derived from the three small rivers surrounding it, including the Lishui River. Each river corresponded to a village, hence the town’s name.

The town was small; one could see from one end of the street to the other. It truly matched Black Sunglasses’ words: such a tiny town, you could grab some sunflower seeds, and before finishing them, you’d already be at the other end.

Sanshui Town wasn’t particularly bustling, but it had basic amenities. The driver who had taken us told us some general information. We learned where the town’s passenger station was, but upon inquiry, we discovered that the first bus had already departed. This bus was the only one running from Sanshui to the county. The station itself was just a small booth with a ticket seller inside, who informed us that the next bus to the county wouldn’t depart until early the following morning.

Since this was the town’s sole bus to the county, waiting meant losing a day. Neither Black Sunglasses nor I wanted to waste time here. First, we both had pressing matters to handle; second, and most importantly, we were concerned about Old Ghost and his men. Judging by the timing, they had likely already set out. If they mobilized their forces, it wouldn’t take long for them to discover our whereabouts. This was the most urgent issue.

So, we first stopped at a small restaurant to eat and discreetly inquire about private vehicles in town. We learned that only three households owned private cars—Sanshui was not affluent, more precisely a poverty-stricken town. Those three cars belonged to the wealthiest families. We asked the restaurant owner for help, and he kindly assisted us in making contact.

After about half an hour, we received good news: one family was available to take us to the county that day, though the price was steep—essentially a private hire.

The cost didn’t matter to us; we could afford it. A van pulled up in front of the restaurant, and I handed the driver two hundred yuan—a significant sum, especially in this small town. The driver was visibly pleased. The restaurant owner had earlier mentioned that a hundred yuan would suffice, but I didn’t want to haggle and just handed over two hundred outright. The driver immediately started the engine and drove off swiftly.

The journey to the nearest county seat, Jinghe County, was long and arduous, with many rough, pothole-riddled roads. It took nearly five hours. Along the way, the driver enthusiastically shared details about Jinghe County—after all, with the fare paid, the service was excellent. Upon arrival, we first went to the local passenger station to inquire about buses to the city, but the next bus was also scheduled for the following day. The driver stayed with us and, after some inquiries, took us to the train station. Fortunately, there was a direct train to the provincial capital at eleven that night.

After purchasing the tickets, the driver left. Black Sunglasses and I found a modest inn to rest. It was quiet and secluded—a good place to lay low and avoid detection by Old Ghost’s men. If I were Old Ghost, I would certainly set up a blockade here, in the county seat. After all, anyone traveling outside of Sanshui Town would have to pass through the county, making it the safest place to intercept us. Even if a confrontation occurred, it would be easier to conceal.

Out of caution, I bought some food to take back to the inn, planning not to venture out before catching the train. Upon returning, I found Black Sunglasses already asleep. While eating, I pulled out my phone. There had been no signal back in the village, so I hadn’t checked messages until now. I discovered an unread message from Li Ling, but it was sent from an unfamiliar number, not the one she had used before.

The message read: “Reply immediately upon receipt!!!”

The three exclamation marks made it clear this was urgent. From this message, I inferred two things. First, Li Ling had already returned to the country and was undoubtedly in a state of emergency. Whatever was troubling her—and involving me—must be related to the ancient Li Kingdom, and time was pressing. Second, she used a new, unfamiliar number, suggesting many secrets were involved and her previous number was no longer safe. This raised many questions in my mind.

Glancing at Black Sunglasses, who was sound asleep, I quietly opened the door and stepped outside. I looked around but found no suitable place to make a call, so I turned and headed toward the public restroom some distance away. Taking out my phone, I first dialed Li Ling’s previous number—it was switched off. Then I tried the unknown number from the text, but it was also off. This made me anxious. What was going on? Li Ling wanted me to call back urgently, yet both numbers were off. Checking the message’s timestamp, I saw it was sent two nights ago, at 1 a.m.

Standing inside the restroom, I lit a cigarette and pondered deeply. No matter how much I speculated, I couldn’t determine what had happened. Since Li Ling demanded an immediate reply, she surely wouldn’t have turned off her phone willingly. Could she have been forced to?