Chapter 4

The cigarette pinched between her fingers was toyed with for quite some time, as she gazed into the distance, waiting for the cruiser to rush down from the last steep slope. She brushed off the fine sand from her body and moved forward.

She leaned against the front of the G-class vehicle, contemplating how to persuade Fu Xun to accompany her in searching for someone

Due to the significant drop from the highest point, a circular shadowy area has formed, concealed among the towering sand ridges of each peak. Like a valley, it is hidden and sunken, surrounded by rugged extensions on all sides.

She found the best spot for taking photos

These data are quite similar to those inferred by Fu Xun

This thought lasted only a moment, quickly dismissed by her

After calculating an approximate valuation, he crouched down and gently rubbed the grains of sand in the sandpit with his fingers

By then, the car will have truly been rendered unusable

Are they not engaged in reconnaissance or are they not part of the Marine Corps

Qu Yixian was waiting by the car when she saw Fu Xun emerge from underneath it. Before she could ask, "Is this car salvageable?" she noticed him throw the wrench back into the toolbox and look up at her.

One of the principles of desert rescue is that during the rescue process, the rescuers possess absolute command authority, and the stranded vehicle must cooperate fully to facilitate its prompt extrication

She did not know how deep the relationship between Fu Xun and Yuan Ye was, nor how much he understood about the rescue work, and for a moment she was uncertain whether to explain it to him in detail

As time passed second by second, just when Qu Yiqian felt that he would not respond

Qu Yixian and he exchanged glances, gradually finding it a bit difficult to hold back

Fu Xun had just parked the car at the windward side when he saw that Qu Yiqian was approaching with ill intent

If you want to open a large G-band line, how many mines do you need at home

Qu Yi Xian initially believed that Fu Xun was a retired Marine, but he later denied it, and she felt that Fu Xun was like someone traveling alongside her

Fu Xun intended to participate in the search for people and had scouted the surrounding area thoroughly. Unfortunately, the sand dunes were covered with windblown sand, and even if there were footprints, they would have long been obscured by the shifting sands after three to four hours.

This posture is something Fu Xun can understand; it is clearly a stance for discussing matters

From the way he plays a single string, it is evident that Fu Xun is not an ordinary person

Take a look at the past

Subsequently, it is certain that we will need to find someone to tow the vehicle for repairs. Otherwise, the road back to Dunhuang will be bumpy and sparse; if we drive back, the vehicle's frame will surely fall apart halfway. Whether the axle breaks or not depends on luck, but the tires will definitely be worn down by the washboard road.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the other party seemed to have finally had enough, slowly extending their tattooed left arm and succinctly stating: "Fu Xun"

A chill ran down her neck, and her peripheral vision instinctively glanced to the left—there was an inconspicuous sand pit in the sunken area on the shaded side of the sand ridge

Fu Xun nodded, indicating that he understood

He nodded, readily agreeing: "Then let's leave it here"

This road should be taken slowly rather than quickly. Fu Xun was cautious, selecting a downhill direction that was consistent with the way of playing the qin, both driving down along the deep grooves and large patterned tire tracks pressed into the sand dunes.

Fu Xun met her gaze, unflinchingly producing a shield: "Yuan Ye has already told me."

After following for a while, Qu Yixian saw that the most perilous stretch of road had already been crossed, and he felt a significant sense of relief.

She naturally tucked the cigarette behind her ear and asked him, "What are your plans for this trip?"

The color of the soil in the sandpit is deeper than that of the surrounding sand, resembling the outstretched limbs of a person. At first glance, it appears as though an adult is lying horizontally within the sandpit, exuding a chilling and eerie presence

Just as she was about to overtake, she decided to wait for him under the sand ridge. Suddenly, her eyelid twitched, and she felt as if someone was watching her

Casually, she took out a cigarette case and placed a cigarette between her lips. She slightly raised her eyebrows, the corners of her eyes lifting as if smiling, and glanced at him, asking: "Do you smoke?"

It is like a familiarity, one that carries a sense of estrangement and coldness, akin to an observer who has unknowingly penetrated her life at some point in time

Fu Xun gave her a very strange feeling

Upon reaching her position, she looked up at the sandpit.

She casually tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, leaning against the car, effortlessly blocking his path

It is also simple to repair; just replace a pair of shock absorbers

A few years ago, Qu Yiqian met Yuan Ye during her graduation trip. Later, due to Jiang Yuan's disappearance, her life trajectory also changed, and she thus remained in the northwest

The toolbox has just been unpacked and used, and has not yet been put away

He got off the bus on the provincial road that is being repaired leading to the Yumen Pass, in an attempt to evade the fare. He circumvented the scenic area and crossed on foot. Before losing contact, he got lost, ran out of water, and his battery was depleted

Fu Xun averted his gaze from her, his Adam's apple rolling slightly, and said in a low voice: "I came this time to seek treasure"

Qu Yi Xian felt a bit dazed, and the strange sensation in his heart intensified

After the cruiser ran aground, it restarted, with the engine roaring like a beast. The four-wheel drive, with its deep tread, surprisingly dug the sand out of the pit, and the raised dust was swept away by the wind, trailing for several meters.

Over here. Qu Yixian led him to the trunk.

It is said that once something is out in the open, it is not a taboo that cannot be mentioned. With a slight hint of defiance, one should face it head-on.

Qu Yixian calmly reached out and gently held his fingertip: "Qu Yixian."

Half of his face was hidden in the shadow cast by the brim of his hat, while the exposed facial features appeared cold and hard, giving him an exceptionally indifferent expression

He leisurely turned to look at her, unmoved by her presence

Fu Xun remained composed, waiting for her to take the photos, and then used the built-in measuring tool on her phone to measure the area of the sand pit

Fu Xun is accustomed to being serious and rarely smiles, with sharp and defined facial features

The car window was half lowered, and Fu Xun glanced at her while holding the steering wheel: "Where to?"

While taking photos, Qu Yixian was paying attention to Fu Xun, noticing that he was quite familiar with the business and did not hold back, generously sharing the information he knew

Qu Yi Xian looked at him curiously and, unable to hold back, blurted out: "You used to be a Marine, didn't you?"

This raised his gaze slightly from beneath the brim of the hat, and that profound gaze swept over, exuding a strong sense of oppression

Why does she feel that this man looks so familiar

Fu Xun did not know what she was thinking. Seeing her hesitating to speak, he pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you still want this car?"

As she held the cigarette in her mouth, she realized she had forgotten her lighter, and seeing him not smoke provided a perfect resolution to her embarrassing failure to show off

Although this time it is not a formally reported rescue, it does not prevent Qu Yixian from adhering to the principles of rescue

Fu Xun looked at her for a few seconds and said casually, "No."

Almost at the moment she decided to explore the sandpit alone, the cruiser got stuck at the corner of the dune and stopped

Suddenly, he turned his gaze, his eyes passing over the cruiser behind her, and asked: "Where is the toolbox?"

"Wait a moment..." Qu Yi Xian followed up: "What do you know... what do you know already?"

The wind is picking up, and the sand grains are causing the cruiser to creak.

However, she is perceptive and understands that this is not the time to dwell on such matters, so she naturally does not expose it

The missing tourist's surname is Xun, aged 25, and has just graduated with a master's degree. He is approximately 1.75 meters tall, wearing a blue standard-style windbreaker, and carrying a military green backpack. He was among the first batch of individual tourists to arrive at the Yumen Pass today

Fu Xun simply got out of the car

Fu Xun lowered the brim of his hat to shield himself from the wind

The residual warmth of the sand is cool, indicating that it has not been exposed to the sun for long. Observing the surrounding terrain, this place, apart from having several hours of direct sunlight at noon, is one of the few sheltered spots in the desert.

Perhaps it is due to having walked many night roads that I have grown bolder; at first, I felt a bit apprehensive when I heard the sound of a string being plucked. However, after realizing it was merely a sand pit, albeit with a somewhat strange shape, a flicker of anticipation unexpectedly arose within me

It must not be backlit, and it should not lack a beginning or an end; the screen must be able to focus perfectly and allow her to adjust the angle—this experience was accumulated over many years of guiding guests along the Northwest Ring Line, taking photos for female tourists.

Qu Yi Xian shot him a glance, not believing him

The cost of repairs is estimated to be comparable to purchasing another cruiser

Most of those who come to the ring road are tourists. Only a small portion are here for development, research, or public welfare

Apart from the sandpit, no other signs of activity were found

The meaning of "tune a string" is to first open the sand millet

His response was vague, and he displayed an attitude of aloofness that pushed others away. Qu Yiqian quietly rolled her eyes and wisely chose not to press further.

Seeing him approach, Qu Yixian pondered for a moment and explained: "This morning, a tourist got lost in the desert while trying to evade the ticket fee..."

Removing his sunglasses, his brows and eyes appeared clear and profound. At this moment, he showed no particular emotion, his gaze was restrained, inexplicably exuding a sense of familiarity that felt oddly reminiscent.

Fu Xunshun casually picked up the wrench that was resting on the toolbox, took a flashlight, and crawled under the car

If it were not for a stroke of luck, Qu Yiqian would not have noticed this place at all

Since Fu Xun has arrived, this car will not be driven by Qu Yixian

Qu Yi Xian glared: "... ... Nonsense!"

Someone like Yuan Ye, who cannot keep secrets and can boast wildly after drinking 200 milliliters of liquor, would not be able to meet such a formidable person and keep it to himself.

He bit down on the flashlight, rubbing his fingertip against the fresh scuff marks on the lower arm of the jacket. It could be inferred that the cruiser’s shock absorber experienced excessive pressure while traversing the sand ridge, leading to an instantaneous break, causing the body of the vehicle to sink under inertia and the chassis to scrape against the ground

Qu Yi Xian did not know how he discerned her intention to take a walk by the sand pit, but his gaze slipped over to glance at the sand pit, and he did not hide it: "There seems to be a situation over here"

Conducting an investigation

It is rare to have a breakthrough, and Qu Yiqian is even more reluctant to leave now

The sorghum here is layered one after another, and the position of this sand pit is perpendicular to the location where the cruiser’s shock absorber broke and ran aground, resembling the cliffs within the entire expanse of sorghum.

How strange...

Upon reaching the pit, Qu Yiqian had a more intuitive conjecture about this humanoid sand pit—its size was just enough to accommodate an adult lying down.

Qu Yixian naturally had no objections to this

However, the vehicle cannot just be left on the sand ridge. Although July is not the season for sandstorms, the wind and sand in the desert remain somewhat unstable

He slightly raised his chin, indicating for Qu Yixian to look at the footprints around the sandpit: "He has good physical strength, decent fitness, and moves quite quickly. If my deduction is correct, that call made before he went missing was made from here."

She has many friends, but Yuan Ye is particularly special to her. After so many years of being together day and night, their social relationships are naturally clear to each other. She has never heard Yuan Ye mention Fu Xun.

The right front shock absorber of the cruiser is not only broken but also exhibits slight oil leakage

The difficulty lies in this no man's land, where there are no villages in front and no shops behind, and apart from the wind and sand, there is only the Gobi Desert, with no shock absorbers to replace

Fu Xun interrupted her: "I know."

The result is similar to what Qu Yiqian had anticipated, and she has nothing to feel disappointed about. Compared to a permanent farewell, a brief separation is easier for people to accept