Chapter 13: The City of Sorrow

Our group was trapped in the car by the sudden storm. As someone with mild claustrophobia, I felt an inexplicable sense of anxiety. Uncle Li, noticing my discomfort, attempted to divert my attention by revealing the identity of the mysterious missing person.

"He disappeared during a scientific expedition here in 1980. Think carefully—have you never heard his name? Back then, a massive official search effort was launched, yet they found nothing."

His words immediately brought a name to my mind, but I quickly dismissed the thought—it seemed impossible.

"Uncle Li, you must be joking! How could it be him?"

However, judging by Uncle Li's serious expression, he wasn't kidding.

"Why not? The government organized four large-scale rescue operations, but they found nothing. Decades have passed, yet some people clearly haven't given up. I suspect this missing person must have held some crucial information, which is why we're here now."

Right—his bag supposedly contained some research materials. It must have recorded something of great importance. Unfortunately, in the fragmented memories I recalled, I hadn't seen that bag. Given the severity of this sandstorm, I deduced that he had likely died of thirst somewhere, his body buried beneath the shifting sands.

It's said that dunes in the desert are constantly moving. If his corpse was indeed covered by a sand dune, it's no wonder they couldn't find him back then—and even modern technology might not succeed. Now I understood why Uncle Li had brought me along. But what about Luo Hai and Liu Ziping? What were their roles in this mission?

Uncle Li smiled mysteriously. "They're grave robbers. Your job is to locate the body, and they'll handle the rest. The benefactor funding this expedition has repeatedly stressed the need for discretion. Zhao Qiang and his team must not know the true identity of the missing person."

I sighed in amazement—this missing person was far from ordinary.

After chatting for a while, I felt much less anxious. Meanwhile, the storm outside gradually subsided. I couldn't help but wonder—what kind of valuable information could be so important that people refused to give up after all these years?

When the wind finally died down, I eagerly opened the car door, only to find it wouldn't budge.

Just then, Zhao Qiang's voice crackled through the radio. "Uncle Li, don't rush to get out. Your car doors are likely buried in sand. I'll send Luo Hai to help you."

I leaned out of the car window and saw that the sand had piled up almost to the bottom of the glass—no wonder the door wouldn't open! Luo Hai soon arrived with a shovel and swiftly cleared the sand blocking the door. As expected of a grave robber—his efficiency was impressive.

I was the first to jump out of the car. Turning back, I was shocked to see that nearly half the vehicle was buried in sand. As Luo Hai and I started clearing more sand, Ye Zhiqiu suddenly screamed.

"Look! What is that?"

Her sudden outburst startled me. I turned my head and was stunned—less than 500 meters ahead, a black ancient city loomed in the desert.

I was dumbfounded. How was this possible? Wasn't this the mirage the missing person had seen? Could it be real?

Uncle Li noticed my strange expression and asked, "Jinbao, is there something wrong with this city?"

"I've seen it before… in his memories. But it was supposed to be a mirage! How can it be real?" I replied.

Uncle Li understood what I meant, but from this distance, the ancient city before us was undeniably real. Zhao Qiang and the others were visibly excited, eager to explore.

But I felt uneasy. If I remembered correctly, there had been nothing ahead before the sandstorm hit. Why had this eerie city suddenly appeared after the storm passed?

Before I could voice my doubts, Zhao Qiang and his group had already set off toward the city. Left with no choice, Uncle Li, Ding Yi, and I grabbed some water and food from the car and followed.

As we walked, I asked Uncle Li, "Is this Loulan Ancient City? I once read an article about it in a travel magazine."

Uncle Li stared at the city, deep in thought. "No. I've never been to Loulan, but after so many years of erosion by wind and sand, the real Loulan should be in ruins. But look at this place—the architecture is incredibly well-preserved, almost as if someone has been maintaining it."

That made sense. However, as I gazed at the city's dark walls, a wave of sadness unexpectedly washed over me. The closer we got, the stronger the sorrow became.

"You okay? Why are you crying?" Ding Yi suddenly asked.

I was startled. I wiped my face—my cheeks were wet with tears. What was happening? The closer I got, the more sorrowful I felt, yet no one else seemed affected.

Zhao Qiang and his group were ecstatic, as if they had discovered a lost civilization.

Uncle Li leaned close and whispered, "Something is wrong with this city. Stay close to Ding Yi."

I gave him a nervous glance and nodded.

The city gates were made of black wood—old, yet strangely damp to the touch. It was completely out of place in the arid desert.

Zhao Qiang gave the gate a push—it swung open effortlessly. A gust of wind rushed past, carrying the faint sounds of bustling crowds and even livestock.

Ye Zhiqiu's eyes widened. "There are people inside? That's impossible! Judging by the architecture, this place must be at least a thousand years old!"

I listened closely. At first, the sounds seemed natural, but upon closer inspection, they felt disturbingly artificial—like a looped recording playing over and over.

Zhao Qiang was the first to step inside, followed closely by Luo Hai and Liu Ziping.

Ye Zhiqiu hesitated and glanced at me. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

I chuckled. "Don't worry. Just stay close to me."

Ding Yi shot me a look that clearly said, You're the one who should stay close to me.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I shut my mouth and followed the group inside.

The entrance led to a short tunnel. The air inside was cool, with occasional breezes passing through. Emerging from the tunnel, we found ourselves in a wide-open area, possibly an ancient marketplace.

But as soon as we all stepped inside, the lively noises abruptly ceased. An eerie silence fell over the city, so absolute it was terrifying.

Everyone's expression changed. Even in broad daylight, this felt… ghostly.

I scanned my surroundings. The city's buildings were made of mud bricks, except for one tall structure at its center. Unlike the rest, it was built from an unknown black stone, exuding an overwhelming sense of authority.

Uncle Li whispered, "Jinbao, do you sense anything?"

I knew he meant whether I could detect any remains. If the missing person wasn't here, staying any longer would be pointless.

I closed my eyes, focusing my mind.

But… I felt nothing.

That was impossible. A city like this should have traces of death—there had to be bodies somewhere. And yet, it was as if no life had ever existed here.

Uncle Li asked, "Anything?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. But I'm sure the missing person saw this place before he died!"

Uncle Li's eyes lit up. "Then maybe he entered in search of water?"

I agreed. A dying man in the desert would definitely seek water in an ancient city. But why had his vision of this place been so surreal, like a mirage, while our view of it was so clear?

Just then, Luo Hai and Liu Ziping frowned in silence. Uncle Li noticed and quietly asked them what was wrong. After a brief exchange, his face paled.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Uncle Li hesitated before replying, "Luo Hai says there's a legend among grave robbers. It speaks of a 'Black City' hidden in the desert, filled with treasure. It only appears during massive sandstorms, but… no one who enters ever comes out alive."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "Are you saying this could be that Black City?"

Before Uncle Li could answer, Ding Yi suddenly shouted, "Who's there?!"

I turned just in time to see a gray-clad figure disappear into an alley…