Chapter 222: Snake Swamp Ghost City (Part 2): The Verbal Message

Dingzhu Zhuoma wants to see me?

I looked at Zhaxi, a bit baffled, because I had never spoken to that old woman before, nor had any interaction with her—I didn't even see her often. Why would she suddenly want to see me?

But Zhaxi's expression was very serious, with an air that brooked no argument, as if refusing his grandmother's summons was a capital offense. Seeing my confusion, he said softly again, "Please come with me—it's something very important."

I was taken aback. Looking at his face, I felt I couldn't refuse, so I nodded and got up. He immediately turned and motioned for me to follow.

Dingzhu Zhuoma's resting spot was far from ours, separated by the parked vehicles—probably because she found us too noisy. I walked about two hundred meters before I reached their campfire. I saw Dingzhu Zhuoma and her daughter-in-law still awake, sitting by the fire on thick felt rugs; the flames were burning brightly. Besides the two of them, there was another person sitting on the felt by the fire. As I got closer, I was even more startled—that person was none other than Poker-face.

Poker-face had his back to me, so I couldn't see his expression, but in the flickering firelight I noticed Dingzhu Zhuoma's face looked somewhat sinister. Baffled, I walked over to the campfire, wondering what could be so strange—what did this old woman want with us in the dead of night?

Zhaxi gestured for me to sit down. The old woman's daughter-in-law handed me some butter tea. I thanked her and took it, glancing at Poker-face beside me. I saw him look back at me, and his eyes seemed to hold a hint of surprise as well.

Then Zhaxi looked toward the direction of our camp behind us and said something softly in Tibetan to Dingzhu Zhuoma. The old woman nodded and suddenly spoke to us in heavily accented Mandarin: "I have a verbal message for you two."

Neither Poker-face nor I said anything. Actually, I was a bit puzzled, wondering who could have sent the message. But Poker-face showed no expression as he lowered his head to drink tea. I felt it was awkward to ask, so I just listened.

Dingzhu Zhuoma glanced at us and said, "The person who asked me to deliver this message is called Chen Wenjin. I believe you both know her. She told me to pass on a sentence to you."

I was stunned. At first I thought I'd misheard. Just as I was about to ask, Dingzhu Zhuoma continued: "When Chen Wenjin asked me to send the video, she already anticipated this situation. If you followed the notes and came to look for Tamutuo, then… so she told me to tell you that she will wait for you at the destination for a while. But," Zhaxi moved his watch in front of Dingzhu Zhuoma. She glanced at it, "your time is limited. From now on, if she doesn't see you within ten days, she will go in on her own. You'd better hurry."

I was dumbfounded. What was going on? Destination? Wenjin is waiting for us at Tamutuo? This… my mind went blank, and I looked at Poker-face. And then I saw it—Poker-face also had a look of utter surprise.

But in just a few seconds, he regained his composure. He raised his head to look at Dingzhu Zhuoma and asked, "When did she tell you all this?"

Dingzhu Zhuoma said coldly, "I only pass on the message. I know nothing else. Don't ask either—there are many ears here." As she said this, all of us instinctively looked toward the camp.

Poker-face frowned slightly and asked again, "Is she all right?"

Dingzhu Zhuoma gave a strange laugh. "If you make it in time, you'll find out." With that, she waved her hand. Her daughter-in-law helped her stand up and walk toward her tent, as if she was about to retire.

I stood up to stop her, but Zhaxi blocked me. He shook his head, indicating it was useless.

But at that moment, Dingzhu Zhuoma turned around herself and said to us, "Oh, there's one more thing I forgot to pass on."

We both looked up at her. She said, "She also told me to tell you: It is among you. Be careful."

With that, she turned again and went into her tent, leaving me and Poker-face sitting foolishly by the campfire.

I looked at Poker-face, but he was staring at the fire, lost in thought. I asked him, "What is this all about? Why would this message be given to the two of us?"

He didn't answer. He closed his eyes and was about to stand up.

Seeing his attitude, countless questions rushed into my mind, and I lost control a little. I grabbed him and said, "Don't leave!"

He turned and glanced at me indifferently, and then he really didn't leave. He sat back down and looked at me.

His behavior was very unusual. I had expected him to just walk away, so I was stunned myself and didn't know what to say. He looked at me and asked, "What's your problem?"

I was furious and said, "I have things to ask you. You can't keep avoiding it—you have to tell me."

He turned his face back, looked at the fire, and said, "I won't answer."

I exploded, yelling, "Damn it! Why? What can't you say? You've led us around by the nose, without even giving us a reason. What do you take us for?" He suddenly turned his face to me, his expression turning icy: "Don't you think you're being strange? They're my own affairs—why should I tell you?"

I was left speechless. I stammered, and then thought: Yeah, it really is his business. He has no obligation to tell me.

The atmosphere grew very awkward. I didn't know what to say.

After a long silence, Poker-face took a sip of the now-cold butter tea and suddenly said to me, "Wu Xie, why did you come along? You really shouldn't have gotten involved. Your third uncle has already done a lot for you. The water here is too deep for you to wade into."

I was stunned again. Subconsciously I counted—34 characters. He actually said such a long sentence! That was extremely rare. I looked at his expression, but couldn't read anything.

"I don't want this either. Actually, my request is very simple. I just want to know what this is all about, then I'll be satisfied. But no matter what, no one lets me know. It's impossible not to wade through muddy water," I said to him.

Poker-face looked at me and said, "Have you ever thought about why they don't want you to know the truth?"

I looked into Poker-face's eyes and suddenly realized he was speaking to me very seriously. I was surprised, thinking: This guy must have taken the wrong medicine.

But if so, maybe this time he would tell me something. I immediately composed myself and shook my head: "I haven't thought about it, and I don't know what direction to think in."

He said calmly, "Actually, sometimes lying to a person is to protect him. Some truths might be more than he can bear."

"Whether he can bear it should be judged by himself," I said. "Maybe others don't want your protection. Maybe they just want a quick death. Do you understand the pain of not knowing anything?"

Poker-face fell silent. We stayed quiet for a while, then he said to me, "I understand." He looked at me: "And I understand it better than you. For me, the things I want to know are far more than what you want. But I don't have anyone like you that I can grab and ask."

I suddenly remembered that he had lost his memory, and I wanted to slap myself. What was I thinking, comparing myself with him on that?

He continued: "I am a person without a past or a future. Everything I do is just trying to find my connection to this world? Where do I come from, why am I here?" He looked at his own hands and said faintly: "Can you imagine someone like me, who if they disappeared from this world, no one would notice, as if I never existed in it at all, leaving not a single trace? Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I doubt whether I truly exist, or if I'm just a phantom."

I couldn't speak. After thinking for a while, I said: "It's not as exaggerated as you say. If you disappear, at least I will notice."

He shook his head, I didn't know what it meant. Then he stood up and said to me: "As for my matters, maybe the day I know the answer, I will tell you. But as for your own matters, holding onto me won't get you answers. Now, all of this is still a mystery to me too. I think you already have enough mysteries, you don't need more." With that, he turned back and started walking.

"Can you at least tell me one thing?" I called out.

He stopped, turned around, and looked at me.

"Why did you sneak into that bronze door?" I asked him.

He paused, thought for a moment, and said: "I was just doing what Wang Zanghai did back then."

"Then what did you see inside?" I asked. "What place is behind that huge door?"

He turned around, patted the sand off his clothes, and said to me: "Inside, I saw the ultimate, the ultimate of all things."

"The ultimate?" I was baffled and wanted to ask more, but he gave me a faint smile, waved his hand for me to stop asking, and said to me: "Besides, I am on your side." With that, he walked off slowly, leaving me alone. I collapsed onto the sandy ground, feeling a splitting headache.