"Right, it's here," Chi Wanqing said happily, as if she had done something very important helping Ye Mo.
Ye Mo put Chi Wanqing down and walked between the two evergreen plants. Indeed, there was a small mound of earth. He found a stick and carefully dug open the mound. Inside, a skeleton was surrounded by a few stones, along with a tightly wrapped plastic bag—though much of the plastic had begun to rot.
Ye Mo slowly lifted the plastic bag and carefully examined the skeleton's side. There was nothing else. This plastic bag must have been placed there by the lama before he died. Later, as the body decayed, the bag fell down—so Fang Nan hadn't found it at the time.
He carefully peeled open the rotting bag. Inside was only a piece of sheepskin parchment map, which had also started to decay. However, the map had been specially treated—although rotting, the details were still somewhat visible. Ye Mo stared carefully at the map. It appeared to depict a desert with some letters, but Ye Mo didn't recognize any of the characters.
While he was puzzling over the desert and the strange letters on the map, a faint, pleasant fragrance drifted into his nose. A few strands of hair brushed his neck, tickling slightly. Ye Mo immediately realized Chi Wanqing was behind him, looking at the map.
He moved aside a bit, saying somewhat troubled, "I don't recognize these letters. And this sheepskin map can't be moved now—if I move it, it might completely fall apart."
Because Ye Mo stepped back, Chi Wanqing felt their posture was a bit intimate and grew slightly embarrassed. Hearing Ye Mo's words, she quickly said, "Ye big brother, I recognize these characters—they're Tibetan. My grandfather lived in Tibet for a long time, and he taught me Tibetan."
"Wanqing, you really know these letters? Hurry and tell me!" Ye Mo was originally planning to memorize all these letters himself, but now that Wanqing recognized them, he was delighted.
"The letters aren't complete," Wanqing explained, "There's 'Kuhu', 'Taklamakan', 'Lop', 'Shengmen'—that's about it. But I think 'Taklamakan' refers to the largest desert in our country, the Taklamakan Desert. This desert is also called the Sea of Death, located in the Tarim Basin of southern Xinjiang. The map must point to this place, and the lines on the map definitely indicate the Tarim Basin."
Wanqing translated the letters on the map, though incompletely due to its damage, and added her own understanding.
After hearing Wanqing, Ye Mo muttered to himself, "So it really is there... judging by the map's direction, it is. I understand now, thank you, Wanqing."
Chi Wanqing smiled and said, "Actually, I'm glad I could help you a little. No need to thank me—I didn't even properly thank you earlier."
"That's true," Ye Mo chuckled, carefully putting the map and plastic bag back into the hole and reburying the skeleton.
When Ye Mo carried Chi Wanqing out, Guo Qi and the others had finished sorting the loot and were waiting.
Chi Wanqing suddenly noticed her teammates looked at her differently. She wanted to explain but didn't know how.
Ye Mo set Wanqing down and said, "I'm leaving now. Let's part here."
"Ah, Ye big brother, you're leaving?" Wanqing suddenly felt a bit lost.
Lu Lin glanced at Wanqing, then said to Ye Mo, "Ye Mo, if you leave, Wanqing will need me to carry her. But when I can't carry her anymore, Fang Wei and Guo Qi will have to carry her."
"What does that have to do with me?" Ye Mo started to say, but then caught Wanqing's pleading look. He thought about it—it made sense. She'd helped him a lot. Without her, he'd have to remember the letters himself and find someone who knows Tibetan to translate. He had nothing else to do now, so he might as well accompany them a while.
With that, Ye Mo said, "Alright then, I'll see you off. Wanqing, get on."
"Master, you're calling her so warmly," Fang Wei said, trotting over.
Ye Mo waved his hand, "Stop. I never said I wanted to take you as my disciple."
Hearing Ye Mo agreed to see them off, Wanqing happily hummed softly and immediately leaned onto Ye Mo's back without any hesitation.
"Hey, Wanqing, you should at least show some restraint! Look at you, just climbing right on. What am I supposed to say to you?" Lu Lin looked at her with mock sternness.
Ye Mo hurriedly said, "Captain Lu, don't say that. Wanqing and I haven't done anything. We just met like you all did."
Chi Wanqing blushed, too shy to speak, but she thought about herself. Ye Mo was the first male besides her father to earn her favor. In three years of military service, she had seen many talented people, but none left an impression. Yet Ye Mo, whom she met for the first time today, had left a mark on her heart.
Although she was cold to others, influenced by family, she wasn't a reserved person. She didn't like to disguise her expressions or feelings. If she liked someone, she liked them. If not, then not. If not for this personality, she wouldn't have quarreled with her family and run away to join the army.
So Ye Mo staying was a happiness to her. If Lu Lin hadn't insisted he stay, she would have asked him herself. Her grandmother told her in college not to regret missed encounters.
Ye Mo's eyes were clear, without any hidden motives she disliked. Most importantly, Ye Mo saved her, and he seemed very capable.
To Chi Wanqing, Ye Mo was a pearl hidden in the grass. Since she found him, she had no reason to refuse. Though he looked down on his luck now, one day he would surely soar.
But this wasn't the main reason she liked him. It was because Ye Mo embodied something she yearned for—tranquility, freedom, and an indescribable ethereal quality. She liked the carefree feeling and aura around him, the calm, ethereal sense she could not put into words.
Maybe Lu Lin knew Wanqing's cold personality because she said that. Guo Qi and Fang Wei didn't tease her. Guo Qi highly respected Ye Mo, seeing him as a true capable and hidden master.
The vast primeval forest along the border of Huaxia and Yueguo was enormous. Except for Captain Lu Lin, who was lighter carrying only Ye Mo's backpack, Guo Qi and Fang Wei struggled carrying dozens of guns, loot, and the ashes of two comrades. After walking for more than an hour, night fell, and they decided to camp for the night.
Because Lu Lin's group was ambushed and lost much equipment fleeing, only Ye Mo's backpack had a tent, which they gave to Lu Lin and Chi Wanqing. Ye Mo, Guo Qi, and Fang Wei had to sleep outside.
However, Guo Qi and Fang Wei were obviously survival experts and quickly cleared a large area and even built a wooden shelter.