Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's question, Nakagawa looked completely bewildered. Although Jin Yong's books had been published in Japanese, it was clear that Mr. Nakagawa had not read them.
Zhuang Rui was very dissatisfied with Ren Chunqiang's reaction, and slapped his thigh, saying, "Hey, senior brother, that book doesn't have any archaeological plots, but it does have a story about treasure..."
"Treasure? What treasure? Is there treasure in the book? Didn't the protagonist kill all the enemies?"
Ren Chunqiang looked confused. He had read the book "A Deadly Secret" in the early 1990s, almost twenty years ago, and had long forgotten most of the plot.
In Dr. Ren's memory, aren't all martial arts novels about a protagonist who is initially bullied but eventually learns divine skills and becomes invincible? Whether it's Jin Yong, Gu Long, or Liang Yusheng, it seems to follow this formula, right?
"Ahem, Brother Ren, this treasure is the main plot of 'A Deadly Secret'. You didn't even remember that?"
Zhuang Rui said irritably, "Who reads books like that?"
Dr. Ren said matter-of-factly, "Uh, Zhuang Rui, I was still in high school back then. My studies were so demanding. I only read Jin Yong novels because I was afraid people would say I was out of touch. How could I possibly remember so many of them..."
Since the mid-1980s, when the TV series adapted from Jin Yong's novel "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was broadcast in mainland China, reading Jin Yong's martial arts novels has become a trend. If someone hasn't read them, they're sure to be looked down upon by their classmates.
"Alright, then I'll tell you. The book ends by saying that a treasure was hidden inside the belly of a Buddha statue, and that the statue was also made of gold, which eventually led to a frenzy of fighting over it..."
When Zhuang Rui finished speaking, he paused for a moment and glanced at Zhongchuan, who was urging Yan Xiaowei to translate for him. Sure enough, when he heard about the Buddha's belly, Zhongchuan's expression changed drastically, and he looked at Zhuang Rui in disbelief.
"Zhuang Rui, you're not suggesting that there are also priceless treasures inside these Buddha statues, are you?"
Dr. Ren burst into laughter, "You actually believe martial arts novels? I think you should just give up archaeology and start writing novels. There's all this fantasy and supernatural stuff going around online lately, I think you'd be perfect for that..."
Zhuang Rui didn't take Dr. Ren's joke to heart at all, and laughed and said, "Hehe, senior brother, science needs innovation, and innovation requires bold imagination. Hundreds of years ago, the ancients dared to imagine that one day they could fly to the moon. I guess it's not a big deal that these Buddha statues have something inside them, is it?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Dr. Ren's expression finally turned serious. He stood up and walked around the three tall Buddha statues, occasionally breaking off small pieces of clay that were about to fall off to examine them.
Judging from the mud blocks, these three Buddha statues were probably built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. Although they are not as old as the Dunhuang stone carvings, they are still over a hundred years old. If we listen to Zhuang Rui and rashly destroy them, it would be considered a violation of cultural relics.
"Zhuang Rui, you're not serious, are you? Archaeology and science fiction are different. We need solid evidence. Although these Buddha statues are made of clay and most of the painted decorations have fallen off, the overall structure is intact and they still have some research value. We don't need to destroy them, do we?"
In Dr. Ren's view, if this area were developed into a tourist area, these large Buddha statues would undoubtedly be a major attraction for tourists, and it would be a great pity if they were to be destroyed.
"Heh, just because we don't cause damage doesn't mean others won't..."
Zhuang Rui smiled meaningfully, glanced at the pale-faced Zhongchuan, and continued, "How about this, Brother Ren, this clay sculpture should have a structure built with bamboo strips inside, and it's hollow. Let's make a hole in the back, and if there's nothing there, we can just fill it back in..."
"No...no, you...you're committing a crime! This Buddha statue is so precious, I won't allow you to damage it..."
Before Dr. Ren could answer, Nakagawa, whose face was alternating between red and white, jumped out and spoke so fast that even Yan Xiaowei couldn't translate it all.
Zhuang Rui sneered, pushed Nakagawa aside, and said, "You won't let us damage it? Mr. Nakagawa, do you dare swear in the name of the Japanese Emperor that you yourself will not damage these Buddha statues?"
"Huh? Zhuang Rui, what's going on?"
Dr. Ren and the others also realized something was wrong. Things were completely reversed. Zhuang Rui, who was supposed to be protecting cultural relics, was now determined to destroy the Buddha statue, while Zhongchuan, who had no connection to them at all, had become a staunch protector of cultural relics. This situation was rather sinister.
"Nothing much. I just felt that this ancient temple was dirt poor, and I wanted to find some treasures inside the Buddha statue. This doesn't seem to have anything to do with Mr. Nakagawa, does it?"
Zhuang Rui shrugged and continued, "Mr. Nakagawa is probably an entrepreneur in Japan, not a cultural relics preservationist. You're being a bit too nosy..."
After hearing Yan Xiaowei's translation, Nakagawa's face turned red with frustration, but he couldn't utter a single word. However, the resentment on his face was palpable.
"Brother Ren, don't you feel like there's something off about this Japanese guy?"
Seeing that Nakagawa had fallen silent, Zhuang Rui turned to Dr. Ren and said, "At the place where his father was swallowed by quicksand, Nakagawa only kowtowed a few times, but seeing these three Buddha statues, he's more affectionate than seeing his own father..."
Zhuang Rui hadn't paid much attention to Zhongchuan's worship of Buddha, but Zhongchuan's earlier decision to prevent them from setting up tents in the main hall aroused Zhuang Rui's suspicion.
Zhuang Rui had already suspected that Nakagawa had ulterior motives for coming to the desert, but after searching the entire ancient temple, he found no particularly strong spiritual energy. He had already dispelled his suspicions about Nakagawa, but this unreasonable behavior of the other party made Zhuang Rui's mind suddenly light up.
After using his spiritual energy to sense the three Buddha statues inside the main hall, Zhuang Rui almost slapped himself. You see, this was the first hall he entered, but the only one he missed was also the main hall, just like the saying "the darkest place is under the lamp".
Just as Zhuang Rui is saying, the three Buddha statues are all hollow inside, and filled with various ancient and rare paper books. The rich spiritual energy nourishes Zhuang Rui's eyes, making him feel so comfortable that he almost stretched.
However, Zhuang Rui still has many questions, such as why Zhongchuan knew that there were cultural relics inside these three Buddha statues, and what period these cultural relics belong to. To solve this mystery, the Buddha statues must be opened to find out.
"Zhuang Rui, are you saying that the Japanese knew all along that there was something inside the Buddha statue?"
Dr. Ren wasn't stupid either. After Zhuang Rui's reminder, he immediately realized what was going on, and his gaze towards Nakagawa became somewhat unfriendly.
"Brother Ren, I don't know if it's true or not, but I know that the Japanese are paying so much attention, there must be something fishy going on..."
Zhuang Rui didn't finish his sentence, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to explain how he knew about the object hidden inside the Buddha statue.
Chapter 1116 Something in the Belly (Part 2)
"Alright, let's break a Buddha statue and see. I'll take charge of this. I'll write a report when I get back..."
Although Zhuang Rui led the field expedition, Dr. Ren was the oldest member of the team and had extensive experience in field archaeology. In fact, many decisions were made by Ren Chunqiang.
As Zhuang Rui's senior, Dr. Ren's words demonstrate a great sense of responsibility. These Buddha statues are considered cultural relics, and it would be difficult to explain to the local cultural relics and archaeology departments if they were destroyed and not discovered.
"Brother Ren, okay, we'll do it your way..."
Zhuang Rui smiled. He could feel his senior's care for him. As an archaeologist, if he caused damage to cultural relics due to his own fault, it would leave a stain on his resume that would be difficult to erase.
"You little brat, you're not exactly polite..."
Dr. Ren jokingly scolded Zhuang Rui, but didn't take it to heart. As the senior, he naturally had to take care of his junior, which was also the advice his mentor gave him before they set off.
Ren Chunqiang was unaware that Zhuang Rui had actually given him a tremendous credit.
Once the artifacts inside these Buddha statues are revealed to the public, Ren Chunqiang, as the first discoverer, will enjoy unimaginable benefits, both in terms of reputation within the industry and in terms of professional title evaluation at the university.
“You can’t do this, it’s blasphemy against the artwork and Buddha…”
Upon hearing Yan Xiaowei's simultaneous interpretation, Nakagawa couldn't hold back any longer. He stood up, stretched out his hands, and blocked Dr. Ren's path, his face full of determination.
In fact, Nakagawa knew that he could not stop Zhuang Rui and the others from dismantling the Buddha statues, but the thought of how he had worked so hard to come to the desert and find the cultural relics that Wang Daoshi had hidden a century ago was about to be taken advantage of by Zhuang Rui and the others made Nakagawa's heart bleed.
Nakagawa didn't seem to realize that these things belonged to China, and his actions were those of a true robber. Of course, Nakagawa, with the photocopy of the treasure map in his pocket, wouldn't think that way.
"Hey, why is this Japanese guy trying to imitate the Americans? Wanting to be the international police?"
Dr. Ren was amused by Nakagawa's actions. The whole hall was full of his own people, and this guy came out alone to stop him. It took some courage.
Zhuang Rui squinted at Zhongchuan for a while, then said, "Brother Ren, let's call it a day. It's getting late, let's get some rest and talk about it tomorrow..."
"Huh? You were in such a hurry just now, but you're not in a hurry anymore?"
Dr. Ren looked at Zhuang Rui in astonishment, then waved his hand and said, "Whatever, tomorrow it is. Anyway, these Buddha statues don't have legs; they can't run away even if they wanted to..."
"Go to sleep, Mr. Nakagawa. You can go and rest now..."
Zhuang Rui greeted Zhongchuan with a smile, then turned around and set up his own tent. After the tent was set up, Zhuang Rui gave Peng Fei a wink, and the two quietly went out.
"Brother Zhuang, what's up?"
Peng Fei looked at Zhuang Rui in confusion. Why couldn't they talk in the main hall? Why did they have to come to the courtyard? The wind in the desert carries sand, and they'll have to rinse their mouths after talking for a while.
"I always felt something was off about Nakagawa, especially the way he looked at the Buddha statue. It was like he was looking at a naked woman. That kid's got something to hide..."
After the argument, Zhuang Rui was almost certain that Zhongchuan must know there was more to the Buddha statue than meets the eye.
However, Zhuang Rui did not believe that Nakagawa also had these eyes. The only explanation was that Nakagawa must have some kind of notebook or map in his possession.
"Brother Zhuang, he's definitely hiding something. I can tell. This is easy to handle. I'll use some tricks on him later, and I guarantee I'll make him confess all about his fantasies about the Japanese princess..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Peng Fei's eyes lit up. He had been following the archaeological team all this way, but Peng Fei knew nothing about archaeology, which made him feel very invisible. Now that he had a chance to make a difference, Peng Fei became excited.
"Get out of here! What are you thinking? Trying to cause an international dispute?"
Zhuang Rui glared at Peng Fei with annoyance. This kid is so reckless. How did he survive the hail of bullets back then?
"Hehe, Brother Zhuang, you seem to get more timid as you get older in the underworld..."
Peng Fei laughed upon hearing this, "What's there to be afraid of? We'll still have to pass through the quicksand area on our way back, won't we? Just throw that old bastard in there, and we'll make sure there's not even a trace of his bones left..."
For Peng Fei, who experienced war during peacetime, apart from the Chinese, these Japanese devils and Vietnamese devils were no different from pigs and dogs in his eyes.
"Hmm, that's true..."
Zhuang Rui was somewhat tempted. During World War II, Japan plundered countless precious cultural relics from China. Among antique collectors in China, there were very few who had a good impression of Japan, and Zhuang Rui was no exception.
After thinking it over for a moment, Zhuang Rui shook his head and said, "No way, do you think these people are blind?"
Zhuang Rui learned about Nakagawa's identity through Yan Xiaowei and knew that he was a famous business leader in Japan. If this information were to leak out, things would get really messy.
Peng Fei was getting impatient. "Hey, Brother Zhuang, this won't work, that won't work, why did you call me out here? I don't know hypnosis, I can't make those Japanese spill the beans..."
In Peng Fei's view, after everyone has fallen asleep in the middle of the night, he could knock Zhongchuan unconscious without anyone noticing, then take him to a secluded place in the back, interrogate him, break his neck, and stuff him into the stupa that Zhuang Rui had just mentioned so that he could become a Buddha. Wouldn't that solve everything? He wouldn't even need to bother throwing him into the quicksand.
"Alright, stop talking nonsense, you're just spouting unreliable things..."
Zhuang Rui interrupted Peng Fei, and after thinking for a moment, said, "I reckon that Nakagawa must have some reason for daring to come to this desert alone. After he falls asleep, check his person or his bag for notebooks or maps or similar items..."
"Damn, Brother Zhuang, are you trying to make me a thief?"
When Peng Fei heard Zhuang Rui call him out, realizing that Zhuang Rui had this in mind, he immediately started yelling in annoyance.
Zhuang Rui glared at him and said, "What's all the noise about? Or... should I do it myself?"
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was serious, Peng Fei shrank back and said sheepishly, "Alright, your health is precious, I'll handle this..."
If there's anyone in the world who can keep Peng Fei in check right now, besides his wife and sister, it's Zhuang Rui. Ever since Peng Fei became Ouyang Wan's godmother, he's treated Zhuang Rui like an older brother. Now that his elder brother is in trouble, it's natural for the younger brother to step in. ...
Seeing that Zhuang Rui and the others did not intend to forcibly dismantle the Buddha statues, Nakagawa's tense heart relaxed a little. However, after returning to the tent, he still listened carefully to the sounds outside, fearing that Zhuang Rui might take some action against those priceless Buddha statues.
Today, in order to bypass the quicksand area, most of the journey was on foot, having dismounted from the camels. After walking in the desert all day, Nakagawa was exhausted. After struggling for a while, he drifted off to sleep.
In his dream, Nakagawa dreamt that Zhuang Rui ultimately listened to his advice and did not take any action against the Buddha statues. After leaving the desert, he immediately used some channels to hire a group of antique dealers at great expense to transport all 20,000 rare ancient books from the Buddha statues to Japan.
Upon returning to Japan, Nakagawa immediately announced a major breakthrough in his research on Dunhuang culture, which caused quite a stir in the academic circles of Japan and even the world. This made Nakagawa very proud, as if he had transformed from a businessman into an expert and scholar in the study of Dunhuang culture.
After conquering the world, a man's next goal is to conquer women. The successful Nakagawa seems to have returned to his twenties, and without using the blue pill, he makes his newly recruited female secretary suffer a fatal accident.
"Hey, huh? Why is it so cold..."
Just as Nakagawa was immersed in his fantasy world, he suddenly felt the warm and soft body in his arms turn cold and stiff. He opened his eyes groggily and saw that the beauty in his arms had turned into a wall.
No… to be precise, it should be that Nakagawa was hugging the Buddha statue in the middle of the main hall, kneeling down, and stretching his waist vigorously.
"ah?"
After a minute or so of stunned silence, Nakagawa let out a wail as if he had been violated in the anus. His first reaction was to touch his little penis, which was already red from being rubbed. After feeling that it seemed to be okay, he was relieved.
However, it was clear that Mr. Nakagawa's ordeal was not over. When he turned around, he found a whole row of people standing in front of him, from Zhuang Rui to Erdan, none of them had been missing from the desert.
Although Nakagawa is thick-skinned, he was still ashamed to the point of wanting to disappear after making such a lewd gesture in public.
Let alone the men, even the only woman in the room, Xiao Lei, looked at Nakagawa with such a gaze that Nakagawa wished he could summon a strong wind to blow down the hall and bury himself inside.