Chapter 125: A Way Out

As I sat lost in thought, my phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number. After answering, I realized it was Jin Sanshou, who informed me that all my "mountain goods" had been sold. "Mountain goods" was their term—or code word—for unearthed antiquities.

Jin Sanshou told me over the phone that while the floor price he had guaranteed me yesterday was four million, the items had been split among three buyers, fetching 1.5 million more than expected. Even Jin Sanshou hadn't anticipated this, though it was a stroke of luck that someone happened to be looking for Han Dynasty artifacts, driving the price up significantly. According to the rules of the trade, Jin Sanshou was entitled to a service fee of 200,000, plus 20 percent of the surplus. These figures were verifiable, as the customs of the trade had been set in stone for years.

However, verifying them would take time, and besides, with Monk Wei involved, I knew he wouldn't try to cheat me. I sent my bank account number to his phone via text message, and half an hour later, Jin Sanshou replied: "Funds have arrived."

After deducting the 500,000 for Jin Sanshou, my account balance had grown by another five million. I hadn't opened this account long ago; it already held over two million left to me by my parents, so there should have been over six million in it now. I still had nearly 100,000 in cash on hand, but I went to a nearby bank to withdraw another 200,000. Because of the large amount, I had to wait for a while. When I returned to Monk Wei’s repair shop, Guo Fan and Liu Dong had already arrived.

Each of them was carrying a large travel bag filled with dry rations and expedition gear. It was all imported—I had insisted that we buy the best equipment possible.

After a meal and a short rest, at six o'clock in the evening, I signaled for Guo Fan and Liu Dong to prepare for departure. Guo Fan would drive, and Liu Dong would take over in the middle of the night.

Guo Fan was an excellent and fast driver. By seven o'clock, we had cleared Beijing and were on the highway. With winter approaching, the days were short, and it was already pitch black outside. I don't know how much time passed before I drifted into a hazy sleep.

I didn't wake up until midnight when the car stopped for gas and Liu Dong took over the wheel. I went to the restroom, and upon returning, I felt a bit more alert. After taking a few sips from a bottle of water, I began to think about my next steps. Anna was likely in Yunnan by now, but I didn't contact her. In my mind, she wouldn't be able to accomplish much; everything would depend on me.

The car sped along. By morning, I took over from Liu Dong for two hours to let the two of them sleep a bit longer. From Beijing, we had been heading south, and the weather began to turn warmer. To save time, we spent only ten minutes grabbing breakfast at a service area before getting back on the road.

During the day, we chatted in the car. Liu Dong’s personality was the exact opposite of Guo Fan’s; he was very talkative, and I struck up a conversation with him.

It turned out they were old acquaintances. Seven years ago, they had met in a team, and later, they had saved each other’s lives. That shared history forged a bond of trust, and for years, they had been joining various teams together.

They had earned a fair amount over the years, but Liu Dong was a big spender and also sent money home, so he hadn't saved much. Guo Fan had married after leaving the military and had a daughter, but a few years after she was born, she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. It required long-term treatment, and the cost of medication was exorbitant. With the job he had after leaving the service, he couldn't afford the medical expenses, especially since the imported drugs weren't covered by medical insurance. In desperation, his wife couldn't bear the pressure and divorced him, leaving him to raise their daughter alone. With nowhere else to turn, Guo Fan quit his job and entered this trade; only such a high-stakes profession could cover those medical bills. Over the years, Guo Fan had sent almost everything he earned home. Liu Dong spoke of this with deep emotion.

Although Guo Fan didn't say much in the car, a bitter smile played on his lips whenever Liu Dong spoke. It was clear he was a real man. Liu Dong was a loyal friend; whenever there was no work, he would lend whatever he had left to Guo Fan. I don't know how much he had lent him, but by Liu Dong’s account, Guo Fan would never be able to pay him back.

Only then did I understand why Guo Fan had been so emotional when I offered the deposit. With winter coming, work was scarce—that was the case every year—and his daughter’s condition had worsened. Guo Fan had been completely out of money. Even when they did find work, they usually didn't get paid until the job was done. My decision to pay such a large deposit upfront had made Guo Fan overjoyed, as it meant his daughter could continue her treatment in peace.

Through further conversation, I realized they had already chosen to trust me, sharing details about their backgrounds. It seemed my unintentional gesture had won over these two tough men. Guo Fan was from Huangdao, Shandong, a former military scout. Liu Dong was from Bingcheng, Heilongjiang, and had been a squad leader in the Armed Police before leaving the service. Liu Dong had a short temper; he had once held a police job but was fired for being too heavy-handed and injuring a suspect while making an arrest.

The time passed quickly as we chatted, and by afternoon, I checked the map and saw we were more than halfway there. It was nearing four o'clock, and after eating bread and ham all day, I was tired of it. I pulled into a service area and we ordered a few hot dishes at a restaurant.

While we were eating, I heard three people at a nearby table saying, "Hey, this is a good job. Five thousand a trip, and right around the end of the year, too. We can finish up and head home for the holidays."

The others nodded and laughed. One of them added, "You know, it’s not just our three trucks. I heard two loads already went out a while ago, and it’s all for the same boss. I don't know what they're hauling, but with the year ending, it’s a lot of stuff. I remember one crate broke while we were loading—it was full of machinery. I’m telling you, that boss in Beijing must be loaded."