Chapter 11: The Mysterious Missing Person

I groggily stepped out of the vehicle, only to be stunned by the sight before me. Was this a joke? Camping in the wild? Seeing my expression, Uncle Li chuckled, "What's wrong? First time sleeping outdoors? You better get used to it—there'll be plenty more chances in the future!" "Where exactly are we?" I asked, still bewildered. "This is Lop Nur. Our final destination is Kumukuduk." Hearing this, I instantly regretted taking this job and couldn't help but shiver. It seemed like the money wasn't going to be easy to earn after all. I glanced at my watch to check the temperature—it was barely 10°C! Luckily, the car's trunk was fully stocked with supplies, so at least food and warmth wouldn't be a problem. Surveying the desolate surroundings, unease crept into my heart. The person we were looking for had been missing for decades—how could we possibly find them so easily? If they had been buried under the shifting sands, we might have to dig deep to uncover anything. Among the four others in our group, one was a burly man with extensive survival experience. In no time, he had built a campfire and, together with the only woman in the team, started preparing dinner. During the meal, I took the initiative to introduce myself. Since we'd be working together, it only made sense to know each other's names. My gesture broke the ice, and the others soon followed suit. The woman was named Ye Zhiqiu, a doctor with a striking appearance. She mentioned that she often participated in outdoor hiking expeditions and had been invited on this trip as the team's medical support. The strong-built man was Zhao Qiang, a professional wilderness guide who had led numerous trekking groups across Lop Nur. Given his vast experience, we hadn't hired a local guide. The other two men remained reserved, only giving their names without explaining their roles. The tall, thin one was Luo Hai, while the slightly overweight guy was Liu Ziping. Since they weren't keen on sharing more, I didn't pry. After all, I hadn't mentioned my own profession as a corpse seeker either. As for Ding Yi, his introduction was even shorter—just four words: "My name is Ding Yi." Uncle Li was the leader of our expedition, and it was clear that everyone followed his instructions. I also noticed that Luo Hai and Liu Ziping spoke to him with a certain respect, which suggested they knew each other beforehand. I made a mental note to ask Uncle Li about them when I got the chance. For some reason, I kept feeling an eerie chill running down my spine, shivering over and over. "I hope we don't run into any wild animals out here," I muttered under my breath. Ding Yi glanced at me and calmly said, "Relax. As long as we don't encounter a pack of wolves, we'll be fine." "There are wolves here?!" I asked, startled. Zhao Qiang, who was adding firewood to the campfire, laughed, "Not as many as before. Wolves are afraid of humans. Unless they're starving or we happen to disturb them, they won't actively attack us." That made sense. As cities expanded, humans gradually encroached on the habitats of many wild animals. Eventually, they had no choice but to retreat to more remote areas. I stared at the flickering fire, lost in thought. Death seemed to linger in the air here. Not far from our campsite, beneath the sand, lay the skeletal remains of a mother camel and her calf. They had likely been caught in a fierce sandstorm and perished from thirst. Camels rarely get lost or fail to find water, but I could sense that by the time they reached this place, they had already been starving and dehydrated for days. The storm was merely the final blow. In such a harsh environment, all living beings seemed fragile and insignificant. I couldn't help but wonder—why had that biologist ventured here alone all those years ago? According to the scarce information available, he had been part of a scientific expedition. But the records said nothing about how he went missing… Uncle Li must have noticed my silence. He gave me a nudge and signaled with his eyes for me to follow him to the car. Sensing something was up, I quickly got up and followed him. What was this old man up to now? As soon as we reached the vehicle, he handed me his phone. "Take a look and remember this face." I took the phone and saw a black-and-white portrait of a middle-aged man wearing glasses. So, this was the missing person we were looking for. Though the photo had been taken with a phone, it was still quite clear. Judging by its slightly yellowed edges, the original picture was probably older than me. "This is him?" I asked in a hushed voice. Uncle Li nodded but didn't say anything else. "Is there anything else? A single photo isn't much to go on, and this one's just a phone copy," I pointed out. Uncle Li glanced toward the fire, checking that Zhao Qiang and the others were engaged in conversation and not watching us. Just as I was wondering what he was up to, I suddenly felt something cold in my hand—a very old metal pocket watch. The moment it touched my palm, a hazy vision flashed before my eyes. The scenery around me wavered between reality and illusion, shifting unpredictably. I saw a pair of cracked, dry hands holding a canteen, fumbling to open its lid. After shaking it a few times, the person realized there wasn't a single drop of water left inside. All around them stretched a barren, lifeless desert, with not a single green plant in sight… "Jinbao? Did you… see something?" Uncle Li asked quietly. I snapped back to reality and looked down at the pocket watch. I knew he had just handed it to me, but why the secrecy? "I'm fine. I did see something, but it was too brief to gather anything useful. Why did you have to sneak this to me?" I asked, puzzled. Uncle Li subtly glanced toward the others by the fire and murmured, "I don't fully trust those guys. Keep this watch safe. You're the only one here who can make use of it—otherwise, it's just a piece of metal." I nodded and carefully stowed it away. Then, I grabbed some sleeping bags and blankets from the car and returned to the camp. After distributing them to the others, I settled in for the night. Even though the air was cold, the sand beneath me had absorbed the sun's heat all day, making it pleasantly warm. Before long, I drifted into sleep…