Chapter 001: The Impossible Event

Attention Level: Special Grade

This is a small booklet similar to a driver's license, with two sheets of paper inside the cover that are simply laminated. Because of this, they have been preserved very well. The booklet is very clean, and the writing on it is extremely clear. I took a glance, and my head felt like it had grown a size.

I truly do not know how to express this, and Zhang Qiao is also unable to clarify it completely. I pondered for a long time, and then I turned to the second page of that plastic-covered notebook. The second page contained some handwriting, written in fountain pen, and the characters were beautiful. If my heart was filled with extreme surprise upon seeing the photograph on the first page, then my feelings upon seeing the handwriting on the second page can only be described as shock. What is hidden behind these simple characters? If my heart was filled with extreme surprise upon seeing the photograph on the first page, then my feelings upon seeing the handwriting on the second page can only be described as shock. What is hidden behind these simple characters?

As soon as my mind cleared, my thoughts returned to normal. In my mind, Zhang Qiao, who had disappeared for nearly twenty days, would surely be animatedly recounting a bizarre encounter, spitting out words with enthusiasm. He enjoys driving borrowed cars to nightclubs to flirt with slightly tipsy women, telling them that he is serious and is looking for marriage, absolutely not playing the fool. Then he immerses himself in a secluded life with these women, only to completely vanish from their sight. I have long been accustomed to this; I feel that his appearance is quite timely. My life is in a difficult situation, and I need this big spender to lend me some money for emergencies.

"A mummified corpse, a single mummified corpse." Zhang Qiao felt a lingering fear, and just mentioning this made him break out in a sweat on his forehead

When I saw this thing, my mind went completely chaotic, utterly disordered

Gender: Male

This matter may have a direct connection to my father, while I am of secondary importance

Blood type: Unknown

No. Zhang Qiao said that most of the items he found were essential for outdoor camping, and there was nothing to prove the identity of the corpse. In other words, this is an unidentified body, and it is unknown who he is

"Come a little closer." Zhang Qiao widened his eyes, staring without blinking: "Focus on my pupils."

Is this idea correct? I am not sure, as it may be somewhat hasty to draw conclusions based solely on a few characters. However, once this thought arises, I am eager to know the outcome

Just as I was about to hang up the phone, Zhang Qiao suddenly shouted nervously, "Don't hang up!"

No," Zhang Qiao shook his head in denial: "I don't know how to explain it either. You can take a look, and once you do, you'll understand.

What is the basis for this

I withdrew my gaze and focused again on the photograph, and countless words immediately sprang to mind

The handwriting on the second page is as follows

Before I could ask more questions, Zhang Qiao hung up the phone. This call completely confused me; he spoke as if it were a matter of life and death, yet in the end claimed that this matter was closely related to me. My mind immediately began to spiral and I couldn't make sense of what he was saying. I roughly calculated that I hadn't seen him for at least twenty days, and twenty days ago, he was still normal.

The item Zhang Qiao gave me has not changed at all; in other words, it is exactly as it was when I found it in its original place when it was handed to me

You do not understand, the ancient tomb is very old, but the time of death of that mummified corpse is definitely not too long ago

In other words, if something really happened to him, it must have occurred within these twenty days. I haven't even seen him, so how could it possibly relate to me

Well, even if you have your reasons, you need to clarify one issue for me. I said with great dissatisfaction: "You fell into this situation entirely by accident while trying to flirt; she kissed you, did she kiss me? What does this have to do with me?"

The hollow is a short passage that connects to another space buried beneath the sand. Zhang Qiao has a deep impression of this space; after the event, he discreetly inquired with someone, who, based on his description, estimated that there is about a fifty percent chance that it is an ancient tomb long buried under the sand.

I did not expect it, truly did not expect it. When I received this call, everything in my life was thrown into disarray. I could not foresee the enormous secret that lay behind this call, a shocking and top-secret revelation that would overturn everyone's way of thinking

"What is wrong with you, exactly?" I could tell that Zhang Qiao did not seem to be joking, but every word from this person, who was usually not very serious, had to be scrutinized for truth after being wrung out for meaning. Without thinking, I asked, "Did something happen? Did you bring something non-human home from the nightclub entrance?"

Identity: Only son of Zheng Lifu

Take off your sunglasses, otherwise I cannot see

Thank you for remembering that I am about to die Zhang Qiao picked up a cigarette again and lit one saying Can you say something auspicious? I say this only to indicate the seriousness of the matter

I noticed that his hands were trembling continuously, much like a Parkinson's patient, shaking involuntarily. This tremor made me feel that there was a deep-seated fear hidden within him. I became tense as well, sitting across from him and asking what was going on.

Specifically, this location is approximately twenty kilometers from the southern bank of the Peacock River.

Are you sure this is not your damn prank

In the common knowledge of the general public, places like Bermuda, Loch Ness, and sinkholes are considered unsolvable mysteries of this world, for which we cannot find answers. However, I can responsibly inform everyone that compared to this enormous secret, all other secrets are insignificant and trivial.

"I feel like I am going to die, I really will." Zhang Qiao sniffed and muttered a few words in a mysterious manner: "I must talk to you, it is essential to talk. Are you at home? Wait for me, I will come over right away."

Indeed, it is closely related to you, and it will be addressed shortly

My mind is heated, boiling. The hand holding the phone trembles gently and incessantly. When some unacceptable facts suddenly emerge in one's life, it is likely that everyone experiences moments of panic.

What does the level of attention in handwriting mean? I do not quite understand it for now, but I can discern something from the special level. Those five characters with emphasized strokes involuntarily remind me that the reason I received special attention is not due to my own merits, but simply because I am the son of Zheng Lifu

"Please, stop it, I'm really going crazy!" Zhang Qiao's tone changed, and with a sobbing voice, he said: "This matter is very serious; I have always felt that I would die because of this."

Zhang Qiao has several friends with rather complicated backgrounds, and these individuals are wealthy. The places they visit are a desolate desert, and I am not quite sure what these rich people are thinking; such a desert is a forbidden land for life. However, Zhang Qiao said that they wish to seek the truth of life in this lifeless expanse. I cannot believe this to be true; I can only say that they are simply bored after having their fill.

What is wrong with your eyes? Are they blind?

The phone on the other end rang with the prompt that the line was disconnected. I hung up, and my mind became a little clearer. My father works in geology and often travels for work, frequently going to desolate places where it is common for the phone to be unreachable. Reluctantly, I dialed the number once more before heading out again and sitting across from Zhangqiao.

"Wait a moment." I could hardly bear it, not even for a minute. I hurriedly said a word to Zhang Qiao and then ran back to my bedroom, closed the door, and called my dad.

I leaned in closer, gazing into Zhang Qiao's pupils. The distance between us was only a few centimeters, and I could even smell the smoke from Zhang Qiao's mouth

With the change in his tone, I completely abandoned my intention to joke, as I could also discern the seriousness of the situation from his tone; he might not have been joking. A person like Zhang Qiao is naturally thick-skinned; if it were not for something extremely serious, he would never have been reduced to this state.

"By the way, what were you just saying?" I came to my senses and recalled what Zhang Qiao had said: "Why are you about to die?"

"Did you confirm his identity after examining the items on the corpse?" I pondered for a long time before asking Zhang Qiao

Zhang Qiao shifted his body slightly and squatted down in front of me, slowly removing his sunglasses. In a daze, I had a fleeting illusion that after he took off the sunglasses, there would be two bloody holes where his eyes should be, but there were none; his eyes were perfectly normal.

I am quite confused; let me sort this out, otherwise you might not understand. Zhang Qiao took a deep drag from his cigarette and pressed his hand hard against his temple. After a long while, he finally lifted his head and said to me: "During this past half month, I went out once, with a friend, to Bayin Guoleng."

Zhang Qiao's basis is the clothing on the mummified body, as well as some personal belongings. He found a small bag inside, which contained miscellaneous items such as a lighter.

How serious is it? I looked at the sunglasses Zhang Qiao was wearing and suddenly realized that what he was doing was a bit unusual

If the call cannot be connected, I suppose we will have to wait a bit longer and discuss it after my father returns

The first page of the paper is blank, with only a two-inch photo affixed to it. The photo depicts a baby, no more than eight months or a year old. The location where the photo was taken appears to be a bedroom; the baby is chubby and very cute. However, upon seeing the baby in the photo, a layer of goosebumps rose on my skin, and I felt an overwhelming sense of panic and fear deep within my heart

In addition to the assorted clutter in that bag, there were also other items in the pockets of the clothing on the mummified body. Some of these had little value, but Zhang Qiao discovered a small object that left him extremely astonished

Eyes, my eyes

Come a little closer to me

There is no other way; I can only devote all my energy to this small notebook, hoping to uncover some hidden aspects. I read it very attentively, and I do not remember how many times I have gone through it, but a small detail in the notebook caught my attention. It was this detail that led to a breakthrough in my thinking.

Name: Zheng Tong

The legible handwriting is limited to this extent; there are two more lines of text, but for reasons unknown to the writer, they were crossed out with a pen after being written, rendering them unclear

About half an hour later, Zhang Qiao appeared before me. She seemed to have truly been affected by something, wearing a pair of sunglasses and standing at the door in a furtive manner like a thief.

Zhang Qiao's encounter with this matter was purely due to his impure motives. He secretly took a friend's younger sister to stroll around the camp, claiming it was to cultivate their relationship, but in reality, he intended to take advantage of her. I am not clear about the specific details of the process, and Zhang Qiao did not explicitly state them. However, he discovered a cavity similar to a sand prevention well, which was an unexpected find.

Zhang Qiao's home is near a hospital. He is relatively bold, so when he discovered the corpse, he did not panic completely. At that moment, he was not sure what he was thinking, but he surprisingly wanted to search the belongings of the deceased. According to him, he intended to verify the identity of the deceased before deciding whether to report it to the authorities, but the true thoughts were known only to him.

Zhang Qiao's understanding of these things was almost zero, with no experience whatsoever. He and the library were then contemplating how to climb back, to tell the girl who had blown him a kiss that he had bravely returned. However, in the space beneath the void, he discovered something.

What happened again

He encountered something that could lead to death, and it is related to me. Suddenly, I felt a chill all over my body, sensing that something was hiding in the empty room. I could hardly sit still and immediately picked up the phone to call Zhang Qiao, but he probably hung up the call I made because he was on his way.

However, this is merely a judgment, lacking solid evidence, as the clues were entirely derived from Zhang Qiao's oral account. Nevertheless, Zhang Qiao believed the other party's words and has maintained since his return that it must certainly be an ancient tomb

What Zhang Qiao did not expect was that this hollow was far less solid than he had imagined; it collapsed almost immediately upon being touched, burying Zhang Qiao within. Soon after, he discovered the secret behind the hollow.

Alright, we will discuss it when you arrive

This is fundamentally an event that should never have occurred, yet it still happened

To be honest, I do not believe in the authenticity of this matter. Could such a thing really happen? Yet, everything about Zhang Qiao's actions and expressions tells me that it is indeed true; he is not lying. Moreover, the evidence is right in front of me, word for word, so real that it cannot be more real.

I brought this, take a look." Zhang Qiao handed over a tightly wrapped object in plastic.

See the ghost, see the ghost, see the ghost, see the ghost, see the ghost, see the ghost

When the phone rang, I was still asleep, my mind a bit hazy. However, after pressing the answer button, I recognized that the call was from Zhang Qiao. As soon as I heard his voice, the drowsiness in my head vanished completely. Like encountering a savior, I jumped out of bed, holding the phone and shouting: "You finally showed up! Where are you? Hurry and bring 5,000 yuan over, I'm about to be driven to death."

When I focused all my attention and looked into his eyes, a sudden tingling sensation ran through my scalp, and I couldn't help but take a step back, nearly falling onto the sofa

No, no... I just wanted to mention something. Zhang Qiao took a few heavy breaths and said to me: "You need to be mentally prepared; you have a significant connection to this matter."

Current residence: Unknown

However, Zhang Qiao was somewhat unusual; at least this time, he did not tell me those nonsensical things, but instead remained silent on the other end of the phone. His abnormal behavior made me start to doubt, and suddenly I didn't know how to ask, so I followed suit and remained silent. We both sat in a foolish silence for at least three minutes before he slowly began to speak.

It is precisely because of this matter that Zhang Qiao firmly asserted that the issue is closely related to me

This hollow mark is very ancient; at first glance, it gives the impression of being something from a long, long time ago. The girl was very curious and quite cunning, encouraging Zhang Qiao to dig it open to take a look, and rewarded him with a kiss. This kiss short-circuited his brain, but he wasn't foolish; he merely symbolically scraped a few times with his hands.

After saying this, Zhang Qiao was at a loss for words, and I also closed my mouth. My mind was racing, repeatedly pondering why my childhood photos would appear in the distant Bayinbuluke, in a place that could possibly be an ancient tomb

You should understand now. Zhang Qiao adjusted his sunglasses and said, "Why do I say this matter is related to you"

The journey to the destination was quite normal. They had a significant purpose in going to Bayin Guoleng, which was to see the ruins of ancient Loulan. However, these individuals were all adventurers, and upon reaching the actual destination, they found it uninteresting. The guide then took them to linger in the vicinity for two days.

I find it somewhat baffling, yet my intense curiosity compels me to eagerly open this thing

What is that thing! I shouted, somewhat terrified. It is not that I am timid, but because there is something in Zhang Qiao's eyes that instills a sense of fear in me

Zhang Qiao may not be wrong; this matter is too bizarre, but it must be related to me. At first, I thought so too, but when I noticed this small detail, I suddenly felt that it might not be the case

I need to talk to you about something; I am almost driven to madness

The strong reaction to this photo is entirely normal, as I recognized it immediately upon seeing it; this is my photo, my first birthday portrait

This has already been confirmed, but I would like to verify it once more. I rushed to the bedroom and rummaged through the cabinet to find an album filled with photos of me from childhood to the present. I found that particular photo in the album; indeed, it is my photo. In the photo, I was only one year old at the time

My gaze began to dull. After a while, I turned my head to look at Zhang Qiao beside me. He could tell from my eyes that I was asking a question, and hurriedly extinguished the cigarette in his hand, covering his chest as he said: "I swear, what I said, and this notebook, are all true, not a bit of exaggeration. You have to believe me! I've already suffered to this extent, do I still have the heart to joke with you?"

Date of Birth: November 22, 1987

In all the writings, the five characters "Zheng Lifu's only son" have somewhat thicker strokes, which clearly indicates that the writer intentionally applied more pressure while writing.

"Zheng Tong, I must tell you, I estimate that I am about to die, and you are not in a much better situation either." Zhang Qiao sat down heavily on the sofa, trembling as he took out a pack of cigarettes, struggling greatly to open it.

Isn't that an ancient tomb? Although the way you fell in was quite ridiculous, it shouldn't be surprising that there are mummies inside the tomb

In fact, I have never been able to clearly articulate whether the occurrence of this phone call is merely a coincidence