The Sweetness of the Seventies-Chapter 1238 - 1206: The Lagging Archeology Department

That’s a Tomb Robber.

Armed, and perhaps even equipped with explosives used in mining!

Among them, a rich overseas Chinese returnee, two old heroes—actually not two, there was one more from Qijia Village originally, making it three—they absolutely must not come to harm.

If something were to happen, it wouldn’t just be a case of disciplinary action, all prospects of a bright future would be gone.

From this day on, security requirements must be raised to the top level, prepared for any eventuality.

Cui Heng first sought out his former colleague from the cultural bureau, Hou Daliang.

"Old Cui, what brings you here?" Hou Daliang recognized this young professor who had worked with them for two years, with far better professional capabilities than others in their bureau.

Taking the cup of water handed to him, Cui Heng smiled and said, "I’ve been here for some time, currently practicing at the Divine Dragon Temple behind Qijia Village. Recently, while walking in the mountains, I discovered some interesting places. After a thorough investigation, I suspect there might be a large tomb underneath."

"Cough cough!" Hou Daliang, who was drinking tea, choked in surprise when he heard Cui Heng’s words. "Professor Cui, one mustn’t speak carelessly about such matters!"

"You folks from governmental units really should get out more often. Sitting in your offices all day, what cultural relics can you find? Sometimes when ancient tombs are discovered, it’s by the peasant brothers, and by the time you get there, the place has been visited by Tomb Robbers countless times."

Hearing Cui Heng speak like this, Hou Daliang gave a wry smile, "Ah, actually we don’t want it to be so either, but there is no help for it. There are only seven or eight of us responsible for archaeology in our unit, and everyone has tasks on their plates; there’s simply no time for field surveys."

"That’s fine," laughed Cui Heng, "I’ve done my part delivering the message. Whether or not you want to send someone is your prerogative. But in my experience, it’s definitely a major tomb of Princely Level."

"Really?" Hou Daliang was startled. Previously, two large tombs had been discovered on the mountains behind Qijia Village, which had brought great fame to their unit. Now, the museum was filled with relics unearthed from there.

As a result, his old leader had been promoted, and he himself, originally just a director, was now the head of the bureau.

"It’s underground, whether you believe it or not is up to you," said Cui Heng. "I can’t guarantee it, as I am just going off my judgment. It’s all on you now."

After listening, Hou Daliang pondered for a moment and then nodded, "I trust Professor Cui’s professional skills. It’s just that we’re short-staffed; I need to arrange people to come over, it will take some time."

"Heh heh, as you wish," retorted Cui Heng with a smile. "Anyway, I’ve already noticed some people in Qijia Village’s non-tourist areas who don’t seem like tourists, more like they’re surveying for something. It’s possibly Tomb Robbers. Better act before they dig holes everywhere."

Cui Heng’s words were not intended to scare Hou Daliang, but were stated as plain truth.

Thinking of this, Hou Daliang hastily wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered, "This... this..."

"I’m saying, now that you’ve been promoted, if a large tomb is discovered, you won’t be short of cash," Cui Heng continued, "If you make the salary attractive, I could help you out for a while."

"Are you serious?" Hou Daliang asked with excitement, knowing that Cui Heng’s involvement would indeed be a great help.

"Of course," replied Cui Heng. "I also have a niece who knows a bit and can assist. Get your people together quickly, so we can start on that big tomb. If we don’t take the initiative now and the Tomb Robbers get there first, it’ll be a waste of our efforts."

"Okay, okay, I’ll bring people in tomorrow," Hou Daliang said. "Once we’ve confirmed the presence of a significant tomb, I’ll apply for armed protection from above. With that, those Tomb Robbers wouldn’t dare to act."

"It’s not about daring, but whether it’s worth it," Cui Heng stated. "We’ve requested armed protection before, but those Tomb Robbers still managed to dig right under our noses and walked away with so many good items."

Hearing this, Hou Daliang was somewhat embarrassed and sheepishly said, "It’s hard to ward off those determined. You can’t blame us for everything."

"Alright, I’ve said what I needed, so I’ll be on my way. Get moving quickly," Cui Heng spoke, "I’ve already pinpointed an approximate location based on my experience. I believe it won’t be long before we ascertain its size; we can’t let everyone’s efforts go to waste."

"That’s good," Hou Daliang smiled. "It’s getting late. How about dinner together, Professor Cui? We can have a good chat."

Considering future interactions with Hou Daliang, Cui Heng nodded and agreed to dine with him.

After a satisfying meal and drinks, Cui Heng quietly headed to Wen Bao Zhai in the evening.

"Big brother, today as I passed by that impressive house in Qijia Village, I saw a lot of soldiers inside, cradling real guns," one young man whispered. "Is some big shot visiting?"

"There is a big shot, but those big shots are here for friendly and family visits, not targeting us, so you don’t need to worry," the shopkeeper said. "You all better behave and not go out. Focus on digging that tunnel!"

The young man smiled and said, "In five or six more days, we’ll be able to reach our target. Second Uncle, you’re so capable; it must be a big tomb inside, right?"

Second Uncle always struck it big with his endeavors, taking more precautions this time than before, so everyone speculated that it was an even grander tomb than previous ones.

"It should be a Princely Level tomb," said the shopkeeper confidently. "After this job, you boys will have enough to live a life of luxury."

Now was the time to encourage these lads; otherwise, they wouldn’t be willing to work.

He would handle things on the outside, but digging tunnels still needed these young people.

At his age, he was no longer fit for such labor.

Time spares no one, unwilling as one might be.

Cui Heng overhead the conversation inside the shop from the rooftop, confirming his suspicions that they were indeed Tomb Robbers. Whether they were the same group as before, he was still uncertain.

As Cui Heng pondered, the conversation inside resumed.

"Second Uncle, my dad disappeared here; could you help look for him?" a woman’s voice asked. "Even if my dad is dead, I want to know how he died. If possible, I’d like to avenge him and bring his bones back to rest in the Lu Family Ancestral Tomb, so he doesn’t remain a wandering spirit for eternity."

"Don’t worry, Jiajia," the shopkeeper reassured. "Second Uncle has been investigating ever since he arrived, and we’ll definitely find out what happened to Big Brother. But this is a tourist area with many prying eyes, so we must act with extreme caution. After all, for this operation, we engaged over a dozen people from our clan. If something goes awry, it affects not just thirteen individuals but numerous families."

The girl called Jiajia nodded and replied, "I understand, Second Uncle, thank you for the trouble."

Lu Jiajia insisted on coming here against her mother’s objections, determined to uncover her father’s cause of death and recover his remains. If possible, she also wanted to seek revenge.

"He was my big brother too," the shopkeeper said. "I came looking for Big Brother last time and barely made it out. If it weren’t for a few brothers covering for me, well..."

Atop the roof, Cui Heng was certain these were the same Tomb Robbers as before.