Chapter 4: Joining the Business

"Hehe, young man, what's bothering you at such a young age?"

Wiping away my tears, I turned around in surprise. It was the old man from yesterday who had given me directions at Panjiayuan! He was the one who told me that the stalls at Baoguosi didn't cost any fees.

"Young man, I noticed you yesterday when you came to Panjiayuan to sell your goods. If I'm not wrong, did someone steal your money?"

The old man was dressed casually, with a few streaks of white hair at his temples, yet he looked quite energetic.

At that moment, I didn't think much about it. With red eyes, I nodded and told him my money had been stolen, and that I didn't want to live anymore.

He shook his head with a light chuckle. "How much did you lose?"

I told him I had lost over 4,000 yuan.

"Hehe," he laughed, holding up a finger. "4,000 yuan? Is that money? You could've made 20,000 yuan by now."

Staring at his finger in disbelief, I asked, "How long? A year?"

The old man shook his head.

"One month?"

He shook his head again.

"One week?"

"Haha, I'm not joking with you. One minute! If you're quick, a few thousand yuan could be earned in no time!"

I found it hard to believe. I thought this guy might be a human trafficker, trying to make me sell my kidney.

Selling kidneys? No way. If I die, fine. But if I live after selling my kidney, I've heard that I'd never have children, and my wife would probably cheat on me.

He left me with one last sentence before turning away.

"Young man, if you want to make a name for yourself and drive a luxury car back home, come with me. But if you want to die over that little bit of chicken feed money, then don't bother coming. That would mean I've made a mistake in judging you."

Yes, for my family, 4,000 yuan was a huge amount, but for him, it was just pocket change.

This man became my mentor and brought me into the business.

His path to wealth was tomb raiding.

"To find the dragon, one must search through the mountain, each layer of winding paths an obstacle. If the gate is locked by a thousand locks, it means a king or noble is buried here."

From the moment I followed him off the overpass, I entered the profession.

Not long after, I realized he wasn't kidding. A few thousand yuan was indeed pocket change, and you could make it in minutes.

Have you ever heard of the four major tomb-raiding factions?

Mojin Xiaowei, Ban Mountain Daoists, Xie Ling Lishi, and Fa Qiu Generals.

But the truth is, these factions have long disappeared in the course of history. Now, tomb raiders are generally divided into two factions: the Northern and Southern schools.

Some also call them the "brave" and the "cautious" factions.

The Northern faction is bold and wild, using tools like the Luoyang spade to dig anything. However, they aren't good at water tombs, especially in southern regions like Hunan, Guizhou, and Zhejiang, where water-filled tombs can remain wet for centuries. To dig these, you'd need specialized diving equipment.

In contrast, the Southern faction is more family-oriented, with fathers teaching sons and grandfathers teaching grandsons. They are cautious about working with strangers, to avoid "black eating black" (backstabbing). That's why people joke that they're the "cautious" faction.

The profession is full of mixed characters—some are incredibly skilled, capable of reciting ancient tomb scriptures and identifying burial spots with a glance. Others are amateurs, wielding spades and digging tombs, often the first to get caught and the quickest to die.

People from well-established factions rarely get caught.

Let me give you a general idea.

In a six-person tomb-raiding team, the one who earns the most is the "Yan Ba Tou" (Tomb Seer), whose job is to locate the tomb. This is a skill. Skilled Yan Ba Tous are in high demand wherever they go.

Next is the "Mai Mi Lang" (Money Seller), a term used in the trade. "Mi" refers to money, and their job is to turn the loot into cash. They need great connections, since they must ensure the items sold cannot be traced back.

Then, there are the "Tu Gong" (Ground Workers), whose experience is essential. Using the Luoyang spade, they analyze the soil to determine the tomb's age.

Below the ground workers are the "Fang Feng Ren" (Lookouts), whose job is to keep an eye out. Their vigilance is crucial, and some even spend up to a year before the job, befriending locals to gain their trust.

Lastly, there are the logistics staff, responsible for procuring and transporting the tools—everything from protective gear to excavation equipment.

The final job is called "San Tu" (Scattering Dirt). This job has the lowest pay, but even so, it still pays more than working a regular job.

The people doing this work need to blend in, and I was chosen because I looked like a typical kid—no one would think twice about me. If you're too handsome or too ugly, you're not suitable, as you might attract attention before you can even scatter the dirt.

I was assigned to scatter dirt. The work involves discreetly dumping the dirt down your pants while walking casually, leaving no trace behind.

The money isn't much, but it's more than what I could make working a regular job.

The old man who brought me into this line of work was Wang Xiansheng, known as Wang Ba Tou (Wang the Head). He had dug through over a thousand tombs in his life, spanning from the Han Dynasty to the Ming and Qing periods.

The two most sought-after tombs in the profession are Han tombs and Western Zhou tombs. The reason is simple—bronze ware and ancient jade are incredibly valuable. They say "nine out of ten Han tombs are empty," and that's not an exaggeration.

The Western Zhou tombs are even more impressive. During that era, nobles were abundant, and lavish burials were common. If you're lucky enough to find a noble's tomb filled with bronze artifacts, congratulations—you and your descendants are set for life.

After Wang Ba Tou brought me out of Beijing, he told me not to contact anyone for now. Our first job was in Shunde.

The task was to excavate a Western Zhou tomb. Due to a shortage of manpower, I was chosen to scatter dirt. I was the youngest member of the team at the time.

When we arrived in Shunde, Wang Ba Tou handed me 1,000 yuan, saying it was the "red envelope" for joining the profession. He told me I could spend it however I wanted, even on girls.

I was young at the time, so I didn't dare to hire any girls. I just ate local dishes like water snake soup, chicken stew, and fried fish cakes.

After a couple of days in Shunde, Wang Ba Tou called me over. He said, "Yunfeng, tonight's the night. Are you ready? Remember what I taught you?"

I nodded and repeated the key points: "Don't scatter dirt at night, don't scatter dirt near cars, parks, or crowded places."

Wang Ba Tou smiled in approval, then asked, "Where do you plan to scatter the dirt?"

I thought for a moment and said, "By the overpass, near demolition sites, in the woods, or in gardens."

"Haha, not bad. You've got some talent. You're clever. Stick with us, and in two years, you'll be the richest person in your village. Got it?"

My face lit up, and I nodded enthusiastically.