Two cars first left Shazhen. Due to geological reasons, although the houses in Shazhen were not high, their foundations were built extremely deep.
Therefore, Shazhen itself was unlikely to be the site of that ancient kingdom.
The greatest possibility was that if any ruins existed, they would be buried within the surrounding desert.
Starting from the outskirts of Shazhen, the vehicles equipped with detectors began to probe.
The detectors were not fast, and the cars moved at only around 20 miles per hour. They circled Shazhen in this manner, gradually expanding their search area.
The midday sun was scorching. Qin He drank a bottle of water and then gave some to Gu Qichen.
Gradually, Shazhen could only be seen in the distance.
The two cars detected nothing, and the sky began to darken.
Qian Zimo's voice came through the walkie-talkie.
Qian Zimo was currently coordinating the overall situation in Duncheng. The drones flying overhead were being operated by Xiao Liyan's intelligence operatives in Shacheng, their purpose being to monitor their safety.
"Gu Qichen, it's six o'clock. You must turn back now. The desert at night is extremely dangerous. If a sandstorm kicks up, it could affect drone flight, and you could easily get lost."
Gu Qichen and Yu Jing began their return journey.
For the next few days, they would go out to search every morning and afternoon, returning to Shazhen for lunch.
The bedsheets and duvet covers in the hotel had all been replaced.
Xiao Liyan, as an intelligence operative, had not shown himself. This way, if any danger arose, their hidden personnel would not be discovered. However, everyone knew that Xiao Liyan was in Shazhen.
Qingcheng.
The top floor of a small live-streaming company.
Shen Yicong was looking at the surveillance materials handed to him by Houzi.
"Qin He hasn't gone out for a few days?"
Houzi nodded respectfully, "Yes, but recently, Qin family's private doctor has been frequently entering and exiting. We investigated, and he brought some medication for fever and colds. Qin He is likely ill."
Shen Yicong put the document aside and looked at the next page. "Liu Xinan has indeed increased his security."
"Yes. Our people observed from a considerable distance. There are at least four people on guard. That area is off-limits for now."
Shen Yicong nodded and continued to review the documents.
Qin Yun, the Xu family, the old Gu family residence, and Senyuan, where Gu Qichen lived, were all normal.
He finished reviewing all the materials related to Qin He. "Have you found Wan Fanglun yet?"
"No, after the auction, Wan Fanglun disappeared again. We are currently unsure if he is with the Gu family or the Qin family, or even the Xu family, the Ming family, or Qingyan Mansion."
"Continue the surveillance," Shen Yicong said, tapping his temple with his index finger as he watched the live stream on the computer screen.
He suddenly felt that something was amiss.
It had been too quiet recently.
The security in Qingcheng had been very tight before. He had gone through the normal procedures and opened this small company under a false identity, which allowed him to evade the repeated searches.
Shen Yicong looked at Houzi, who was about to leave. "Wait a moment."
He picked up the documents and reread them.
He specifically picked up Qin He's file. "Control the Qin family's private doctor and find out exactly what illness Qin He has. Also—"
"Gu Qichen's car," Shen Yicong narrowed his eyes as he looked at Gu Qichen's personal vehicle. "When did it get the anti-peeping film?"
Before, there had been film, but one could vaguely see the person inside.
But in today's photos, nothing could be seen.
Shen Yicong's heart skipped a beat. He looked up sharply, his gaze sharp and sinister. "Immediately investigate whether Gu Qichen is actually in Qingcheng! And Qin He!"
"Yes!" Houzi replied and was about to leave.
"Wait!" Shen Yicong stood up. "First, check everyone who has left Qingcheng recently. Find a way to find out!"
In those ten-odd seconds, he had already determined that Gu Qichen and Qin He must not be in Qingcheng!
Otherwise, Qingcheng would not be so quiet.
Qin He being ill, Gu Qichen not showing his face for days – all this indicated that they had left Qingcheng.
At this time, the only reason that could make Qin He leave Qingcheng, leaving behind her family, friends, and her master, was only one.
She had discovered the secret of Wan Fanglun.
Shen Yicong gave a cold laugh and stared at Qin He's photo on the desk.
"Unfortunately, you miscalculated."
Houzi had already gone to investigate matters concerning Qin He and Gu Qichen.
Shen Yicong picked up Qin He's photo and looked at her radiant smile in the picture. Her eyes seemed to be looking at him through the photo.
He pinched the neck of the person in the photo with his finger.
"That piece of 'Kai' is very important. Forty trillion. But now I have no one to share this achievement with."
When money reaches a certain amount, it is just a number.
His most important relative was gone, and it was because of Qin He.
So his goal had long shifted, but he hadn't told anyone.
"You caused me to lose the most important person, you have to compensate me with another one," Shen Yicong murmured.
Immediately, his gaze became a little colder.
He was not indecisive like Gu Qichen. Once an opportunity arose, he would definitely cripple her wings and limbs, and keep her permanently in one fell swoop.
...
Duncheng.
In Shazhen, Qin He was slumped in the car, her forehead covered in fine sweat.
After taking a sip of water, she handed it to Gu Qichen.
Gu Qichen took it, drank some, and tossed the empty bottle into the back seat.
After days of searching, the distance they searched each day was getting further and further away from Shazhen, to the point where their round trip now took two hours.
This distance was also making the search increasingly dangerous.
A few days ago, the car had almost sunk into quicksand. If they hadn't been fully prepared, the car would have been swallowed whole.
Both she and Gu Qichen would have been buried alive.
"I feel something is very wrong. There are too many quicksands around Shazhen," Qin He said hoarsely.
This also made her increasingly feel that the ruins of that ancient kingdom must be nearby.
Although the people of Shazhen lived on the edge of the desert, they were very afraid of this desert. Perhaps this was the reason.
Quicksand was generally more terrifying than swamps. If one sank into a swamp, they would only be submerged in place. But if one got stuck in quicksand, they could be swept several kilometers away, making rescue impossible.
By five in the afternoon, Gu Qichen and Yu Jing's cars began to drive back.
The journey had become longer now, and the search time each day had decreased.
When they drove back to Shazhen, the sky had already turned dark.
The weary group first went to the restaurant. After sitting down, all four were silent.
Firstly, they were tired. Secondly, the prospect of finding buried ruins in the vast, boundless desert was truly despairing.
Qin He had already searched online. This desert was enormous. If they continued with their current search method, it would take at least a month.
And later on, they might not be able to return daily and would have to spend nights in the desert.
The boss served the dishes. Qin He watched Gu Qichen peeling shrimp beside her, and a story she had heard on the first day they arrived suddenly flashed through her mind.
She looked up abruptly, her gaze falling on an empty table over there.
She hadn't seen that young master Bian since that day.
But his story, after witnessing the quicksand so many times, began to seem credible to Qin He.