Chapter 160: If I Don't Mess With You, My Surname Isn't Lin

The setting sun dipped below the mountain peak, thin mist rose with a cold sheen, and fine ice crystals condensed on the tips of the grass.

The evening wind blew down along the mountain, several sweet osmanthus trees swayed slightly, and shredded cloth strips slapped against the trunks.

The car window rolled down slowly, and Lin Sicheng waved his hand: "The three of you, farewell!"

"Right, take care, Boss!"

The woman's face was wreathed in smiles, while Pangzi and Fan Qiang nodded incessantly. Afterward, the car window closed, it drove out of the courtyard, and all three were still waving continuously.

The off-road vehicle turned onto the concrete road, its taillights flashed red, and it gradually drifted further away.

"Swish," just as if it had been agreed upon, the smiles on the three people's faces vanished without a trace.

The woman knitted her brows, staring at the Land Cruiser slowly disappearing into the night.

Was the game played this time a bit too big?

They only wanted to find a passing fox demon to shelter from the rain and block the wind, yet they had startled out a true immortal?

And a person like that, how could he be so easily deceived?

But the arrow was on the bowstring, it had to be fired. Everything felt coincidental to the extreme, muddled, and yet, by going with the flow, the bait had been cast out?

As for whether it was safe, or whether it would work, heaven only knows...

After thinking for a long time, the woman's voice sank: "Song Laosan (pickup truck)?"

A pickup truck was parked in the corner. Following the call, the door opened, and a lean man with a cigarette in his mouth stepped out.

The woman stared at him: "This person's background is so strange, how did you investigate him?"

"Boss, it's only been a day, I couldn't exactly charter a plane to Shaoxing, could I?"

He exhaled a puff of smoke, "Just tell me, is he a cop?"

The woman was choked up.

He certainly wasn't a cop; no cop would know the Yuanliang Seal, nor would they know how to set up a Dragon Gate Array.

The problem was: such a figure was definitely not to be trifled with. If you used him as bait, you had to be mentally prepared for him to discover it and fight you to the death.

"Don't worry, they're just a few out-of-towners. What does he have to fight us with? More guns, more people, or more connections than us? If he dares to cause trouble, I'll finish him in a minute."

"Besides, didn't you sell him the True Dragon Map, and didn't you give him the Han Dynasty king's brick? Those are authentic Western Han Dynasty grand tombs, two of them at that. On what grounds could he say we deceived him?"

Song Laosan took another puff of his cigarette, "Of course, you're the boss now. If you feel he's hard to deal with and we can't shoulder this burden, that's fine too. Then you arrange it; tell me how to look, who to look for, and I'll go look for them."

The woman was speechless.

In such a rush, where could she find someone more suitable than this?

Just like with Chen Yangyan, it took her a full half-year from making contact to establishing a connection.

Unfortunately, just as she started the setup, it inexplicably came unhooked?

"But it's too strange! He understands astrology, knows Feng Shui, knows geomancy, knows how to locate burial sites, knows how to open wells, and his appraisal skills are exceptionally high... has he become an all-rounder?"

The woman knitted her brows, "And, it's too coincidental?"

It felt as if she had just become sleepy, and a pillow had fallen from the sky?

Song Laosan flicked his cigarette ash: "Boss, just tell me, is his skill real or not?"

The woman paused, remaining silent.

The rest was hard to say, but his Feng Shui and geomancy were definitely extremely proficient: that Dragon Map she sold him, even an old expert who had been appraising (finding tombs) for decades would probably have to study it for several days.

But that man, after looking at it for only ten minutes or so, knew where the tomb was, the specific orientation, and the size of the tomb chamber.

And there was the appraisal: out of eight items brought out, he picked out the only genuine one with two glances. He could even explain clearly and plainly where the other seven were fake, how they were imitated, and how long they had been imitated.

Therefore, such a person was more than just capable; his ability was almost heaven-defying.

But the problem was, he was so young?

Then how powerful must the person who led him into the craft and taught him be?

That was what the woman feared...

"Boss, you're worrying needlessly. Precisely because he's powerful, his reputation is bright, and he can shoulder our burden. The so-called strong dragon cannot suppress the local snake; as an outsider, how many waves can he stir up?"

Song Laosan threw away the cigarette butt and stepped on it twice, "And I think, it has nothing to do with whether it's a coincidence... it's that our luck hasn't been smooth."

"We had just set the plate (Zhang Anshi Tomb) and opened the golden well (dug the hole) when our boss was reported... after a two-year lull, just as we were about to move the goods, Boss Yang (Yang Bin) fell into the water (was arrested)."

"After another two-year lull, we finally waited for the wind to pass, but that damn place started demolition, and we had to act quickly. But just as we started, the cops launched an operation..."

Pausing, Song Laosan grinned, "Boss, look, aren't we a bit unlucky? And it's been consistently unlucky..."

At first, the woman was listening seriously, but as she listened, her face darkened, and it grew darker and darker.

Did you think Song Laosan was talking about bad luck?

He was talking about a hen crowing at dawn—that all the bad luck was brought by her...

Seeing the woman gritting her teeth, ready to explode at any moment, Song Laosan gave a sheepish smile: "Don't be anxious, I was just saying it casually. You're the boss now, we'll definitely do whatever you arrange..."

"If you're afraid he's a cop, I'll have people keep an eye on him to see if he really goes to dig that tomb. If you're afraid he'll attract the cops, then we'll change locations tomorrow...

Besides, didn't you sell him the map and give him the brick just to make him attract the cops? So, the greater his ability and the stronger his background, the more weight he carries..."

The logic was indeed that logic, but the woman always felt something wasn't quite right.

She thought for a moment: "I'll call the boss!"

Saying this, she took her phone and walked to the side, talking for over ten minutes.

Afterward, she walked back.

The three of them gathered around: "What did the boss say?"

"The boss said he would ask around some more, but he probably isn't a cop, so try not to miss out. He said to let Laosan keep an eye on him and see if he digs first!"

Song Laosan nodded: "Good, I'll keep an eye on him!"

The stream, carrying crushed ice, flowed over the stone bridge, and the moss on the bridge piers curled into ink-colored patches.

Two old locust trees had their gnarled branches intertwined, their branches, stripped of all yellow leaves, reflecting the shimmering starlight.

Lin Sicheng quietly looked down at the river water; the off-road vehicle was parked on the side of the road, and two plainclothes officers waited to the side.

Zhang Feng held a cigarette, took a few sharp drags, and a joy that could not be suppressed flickered in his eyes.

Xu Gaolan stood motionless, staring at Lin Sicheng's back.

Because of this case, the Bureau Chief pressured the detachment, the detachment pressured the squadron, and the Municipal Public Security Bureau Branch pressured the local police station. Anyone with a star on their shoulder was losing hair day and night from worry.

As long as you wear this uniform, whether you are a sixty-year-old man or in the prime of your twenties, you can only keep spinning like a top.

Women are worked like men, men are worked like donkeys... especially those few supervisors, in just over a month, they seem to have aged several years?

But just when they were at their wits' end and had no leads, a turning point suddenly appeared?

The tomb map, ah... as long as the exact location of the tomb is known, is there any fear of not being able to catch the people or intercept the stolen goods?

The two of them felt that as long as Lin Sicheng put in a little more thought, this case would be solved immediately.

Compared to being in such a rush and busy right now, yet unable to find any leads, was this suddenly seeing the clouds part to reveal the sun?

Thinking back to the scene where Lin Sicheng fought that group of Grave Robbers earlier: calm and composed, handling weight as if it were light...

Both were in their thirties and had been Police for over ten years, so they were certainly reserved enough. But they felt that the aura and the style Lin Sicheng exuded at that moment were even more substantial and upright than Bureau Chief Chen.

Just as they were getting incredibly excited, the phone vibrated.

Seeing the number, Zhang Feng immediately answered: "Bureau Chief!"

Chen Peng's voice came through the phone, slightly hurried, and it even seemed a bit shaky: "Why haven't you returned yet?"

"Oh, at Hao River Bridge. Little Lin said to stop and take a look..."

Zhang Feng glanced over: "He seems to be thinking about a problem!"

"Good, then let him think first, and when he's done, you come straight back to the bureau. The Bureau Chief, the Political Commissar, and the Executive Vice Mayor are all here!"

The two plainclothes officers were startled: the leaders of the Municipal Bureau, all gathered together?

But thinking about it again, they felt it was normal: after being deadlocked for over a month, there was suddenly a breakthrough, and it was even hard to say if the case might be solved immediately, so it was not strange for the leaders to attach importance to it.

After giving a few instructions, Chen Peng hung up the phone. Another ten minutes passed before Lin Sicheng turned around and walked over.

The two plainclothes officers were stunned: why did his expression feel a bit heavy?

No, it wasn't just heavy, it was gloomy: his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eye sockets were slightly narrowed. It was as if he had suddenly encountered something unpleasant, his face dark and cold.

Moreover, vaguely, a few glimmers of sharpness shone in his eyes, and a murderous aura appeared on his face.

No... wasn't he fine just a moment ago?

Having followed him for these many days, no matter when, Lin Sicheng had always given people a feeling of being gentle, refined, and approachable. This was the first time they had seen him reveal such a sharp, cold, and perverse expression?

The two looked at each other and said nothing. Zhang Feng nimbly got into the driver's seat, and Xu Gaolan thoughtfully opened the car door.

Lin Sicheng paused: "Sister Xu, there's no need for this!"

Xu Gaolan joked: "Am I a secretary now!"

That was true too.

Lin Sicheng glanced in the direction they had come from, grabbed the handle, and got into the car.

The car started, and Lin Sicheng remained dark-faced, silent. Zhang Feng and Xu Gaolan exchanged a look.

"Little Lin, what's wrong? Is the item not right?"

"The item is right: a Tang Dynasty County Princess's Flower Hairpin Crown, a Tangsan-cai Shiruyong, and a Western Han Dynasty Changshi Tong Yin."

Lin Sicheng paused slightly, "But the map is wrong, and the bricks are wrong too!"

The two were suddenly stunned.

For those two pieces of junk in the back, Lin Sicheng had spent a full million.

And that woman had been adamant: if the tomb wasn't found, Lin Sicheng could come back for a refund at any time.

And at the time, Lin Sicheng had also said: it gathers the wind and collects Qi, a land that gestates spiritual treasures, concealing the aura of kings and marquises... there must be a large tomb.

But now, he suddenly said the map was wrong?

Just as they were suspicious, Lin Sicheng laughed softly: "The place is indeed very good, corresponding to the celestial phenomena above and bearing the terrain below. There is indeed a tomb, and the tomb is not small, and there are two of them. It is also nine times out of ten a Western Han Dynasty tomb, but it is not the Zhang Anshi Tomb..."

The two plainclothes officers were stunned again: no... then wasn't that just being happy for nothing?

If it wasn't the Zhang Anshi Tomb, what was the use even if the tomb was large?

They were Police, not Grave Robbers?

The key was that the four leaders were still waiting at the bureau...

Just a moment ago: not long after driving out of the farmhouse garden and just getting onto this bridge, Lin Sicheng said to stop and take a look. Then Lin Sicheng got out of the car, and they reported to Chen Peng right after.

The key was that before this, Lin Sicheng hadn't said anything, hadn't mentioned that the map was wrong.

But they couldn't blame anyone, because Bureau Chief Chen had given these instructions: as long as the call was confirmed safe, at any time and any place, report immediately if there was an opportunity. Don't worry about whether it was good news or bad news, or whether it could be used.

They could only blame Bureau Chief Chen for being too proactive, reporting it to the leaders as good news before there was even a shadow of a result.

But what to do now?

"It's fine, I'll explain it!" Lin Sicheng took out his phone, "Back to the hotel first!"

"Little Lin, are we going back to the hotel?"

Xu Gaolan was stunned, "But Bureau Chief Chen told us to return to the bureau?"

Lin Sicheng looked at the rearview mirror: "We have a tail!"

The two were terrified, looking at the rearview mirror: how could that be? If there were a tail, they couldn't have failed to notice.

And it was pitch black, there wasn't even a car.

Lin Sicheng let out a breath: "Not before, and not now, but right away!"

After replying, he dialed Chen Peng's number. The two plainclothes officers were half-doubting, staring tightly at the rearview mirror.

The road was a county road, and besides the mudflats on both sides of the river, there were only a few scattered villages.

Heading south, one only reaches Zhongnanshan; whether going to Ankang or Hanzhong, one does not take this road, so there are basically no cars on it.

Thus, for a very long stretch of the road, theirs was the only car. Occasionally one would come from behind, but since they were driving slowly, it wouldn't take long for them to be overtaken.

Lin Sicheng was on the phone with Chen Peng, and the two of them were observing from time to time. After driving forward for about another three kilometers, a beam of light appeared behind them.

Their hearts skipped a beat, and they were stunned into silence.

Ever since Lin Sicheng said there was a tail, they had been observing: all the way here, all the side roads had been pitch black, and they hadn't seen any headlights.

But suddenly, one just popped out?

Unless it had been parked in the dark for a long time, and only pulled onto the main road and followed them after their car had passed.

So, there really is a tail?

Zhang Feng narrowed his eyes and looked at the speedometer; it was at sixty now, and that car was about two or three hundred meters behind them.

Continuing forward for about three minutes, Zhang Feng eased off the accelerator. The car's speed slowly dropped, down to fifty.

And that car remained two or three hundred meters behind them.

Damn it: there really is a tail, and it really is "right on our heels"?

But how did Lin Sicheng know? It's like he has the gift of prophecy...

With no time to overthink, the two exchanged a look, and Zhang Feng slowly increased the speed. Xu Gaolan pulled out her gun and chambered a round.

Lin Sicheng hung up the phone and sighed.

These two are good at everything, except they are too cautious: I don't care what your goal is, anyway, as soon as I sense something is wrong, I'll be ready to start fighting...

"Sister Xu, it's just a tail!"

"I know, but what if!"

Xu Gaolan stared at the rearview mirror, holding the gun in one hand and pulling out her phone with the other to report: "Director Chen, someone is Tai Mausoleum us... We are returning to the hotel now, requesting technical support."

Chen Peng was stunned for a moment: "Have you been exposed?"

"Not exposed!" Lin Sicheng replied through the air, "They just want to see, to see if I can summon the Police!"

To see?

Chen Peng paused slightly, then pondered: "Lin Sicheng, why is what you said so strange? It feels... like they just want you to summon the Police?"

Lin Sicheng didn't speak; he smiled and glanced at the rearview mirror again.

It really is a twist of fate, a coincidence: originally looking for some clues, but ended up poking right into a thief's den.

But a counter-ambush, and it's turned on me?

If I don't deal with you, my surname isn't Lin...