Chapter 59: Tibetan Characters

Translator: Tim Editor: Tehrn

"Right, it's here," Chi Wanqing exclaimed happily, as if she'd helped Ye Mo accomplish something remarkable.

Ye Mo set Chi Wanqing down and walked between two evergreen trees. There, he found a lump in the ground. Using a stick, he carefully unearthed a skeleton surrounded by rocks. Beside it lay a tightly sealed plastic bag, though significantly corroded in places.

He cautiously probed the bag with the stick, finding nothing else. The lama must have kept the bag inside his clothing, near his chest; it likely fell off after the body decomposed, hence Fang Nan's failure to see it earlier.

He carefully opened the bag. Inside was a decaying goatskin map. Despite the rot, the content remained legible. Ye Mo studied it closely. A desert, seemingly a depiction of one, was drawn, along with unfamiliar characters.

Just as Ye Mo puzzled over the desert and the strange script, a faint scent reached his nose, and a few strands of hair brushed his neck, causing a slight itch. He immediately realized Chi Wanqing was behind him, examining the map.

Ye Mo stepped aside, saying with a troubled expression, "I don't recognize these characters, and moving the map might shatter it."

Chi Wanqing, realizing her proximity, felt awkward. "Brother Ye," she said quickly, "I know these characters! They're Tibetan. My grandfather lived in Tibet; he taught me."

"Wanqing, you understand them? Tell me quickly!" Ye Mo had planned to memorize the characters, but Chi Wanqing's knowledge delighted him.

"The characters are incomplete, but I can read some: Ku Lake, Taklimakan, Luo bu, and Holy door. Taklimakan likely refers to the Taklimakan Desert, also known as the Sea of Death, in southern Xinjiang's Tarim Basin. The map seems to indicate a route leading there," Chi Wanqing explained, adding her interpretation based on the fragmented map.

Ye Mo muttered, "So that's where it leads! The map's direction points there Got it, thank you, Wanqing."

Chi Wanqing smiled sweetly. "I'm glad I could help. You don't need to thank me; I haven't thanked you properly either."

"Oh, that's true," Ye Mo laughed, replacing the map and plastic bag, and reburied the bones.

By the time Ye Mo carried Chi Wanqing back, Guo Qi and the others had organized the spoils. Chi Wanqing sensed a change in her teammates' gazes and felt a need to explain, but didn't know how.

Ye Mo set Chi Wanqing down. "I need to go; let's part ways here."

"Huh? Brother Ye, you're leaving?" Chi Wanqing was visibly disappointed.

Lu Lin, observing Chi Wanqing, said to Ye Mo, "Once you leave, I'll carry Wanqing, then Fang Wei and Guo Qi will have to take turns."

"What's that got to do with me?" Ye Mo trailed off. Seeing Chi Wanqing's pleading look, he recalled her assistance. Without her, even if he could decipher the characters, finding a translator would have been a challenge. With little else to do, he decided to stay a while longer.

"Fine," he said, "I'll accompany you for a bit. Wanqing, let's go."

Fang Wei cheekily approached. "Master, you call her so intimately!"

Ye Mo waved his hand dismissively. "Stop. I never said I'd take you on as a disciple."

Delighted, Chi Wanqing immediately hopped onto Ye Mo's back.

Lu Lin scolded, "Wanqing, be more reserved! What can I say?"

Ye Mo quickly interjected, "Captain Lu, don't say anything, there's nothing between us. I just met her, same as you."

Chi Wanqing blushed, speechless. She questioned her actions but admitted Ye Mo was the first man besides her father who gave her a good feeling. Three years in the military exposed her to many elites, yet none left an impression until Ye Mo.

Despite her coldness, she wasn't reserved, thanks to her family background. She wasn't good at hiding her emotions; she simply didn't want to. This candid nature led to a major disagreement with her family, resulting in her military enlistment.

Therefore, she was happy Ye Mo stayed; if Lu Lin hadn't stopped him, she would have found a way to persuade him. Her grandmother's words echoed in her mind from university: "Don't miss opportunities, only to regret them later."

Ye Mo's clear eyes lacked the unsavory intentions she disliked. Plus, he'd saved her and seemed incredibly strong. To Chi Wanqing, he was a hidden gem, and she saw no reason to reject the idea of pursuing him; she believed in his potential for greatness.

However, this wasn't the primary reason for her affection. It was his serenity, freedom, and inexplicable spiritual purity—something she couldn't articulate.

Knowing Chi Wanqing's cold personality, Guo Qi, unlike Lu Lin, didn't tease her. He respected Ye Mo, viewing him as a capable, unassuming man.

The China-Yue border forest was vast. Only Lu Lin, carrying Ye Mo's light bag, felt comfortable; Guo Qi and Fang Wei, burdened with dozens of guns and the ashes of their fallen comrades, struggled. An hour before dusk, they camped for the night.

Due to the ambush and escape, they'd lost many belongings, leaving Ye Mo with the only tent. It went to Lu Lin and Chi Wanqing, leaving Ye Mo and the others to sleep outside.

However, Guo Qi and Fang Nan's outdoor survival skills proved useful; they quickly cleared a space and even built a makeshift wooden shelter.