Chapter 211: Chapter 169: The Technical Author, A Professional Criminal! (5000-Word Chapter)
Anling Riverside.
The setting sun sank slowly between the distant mountains, its fragmented afterglow fluttering in the wind, sprinkling on the river's surface, making the waves glisten, like a meandering jade belt covered in golden dust.
A white midsize SUV was parked on the roadside.
Inside, Lin Chuan, sitting in the passenger seat, had one hand on the buckle of his seatbelt, his face filled with the fright of someone ready to bolt from the car at any moment, "Officer Shen, have you become a detective now?"
"Other people write about 'touching gold' and tomb robbing without much scrutiny, but when you write it, I can see one word written all over your face."
Shen Qianqian chuckled and teased with her lips pursed.
"What word?"
Lin Chuan asked, puzzled.
Shen Qianqian smiled and looked at Lin Chuan, "Punishment."
Lin Chuan immediately shook his head and waved his hands in denial, "Officer Shen, you have no evidence, you can't arrest me."
"Looks like you've earned yourself a new nickname," Shen Qianqian paused, "Outlaw."
"Slander, I'll sue you for slander!"
Lin Chuan used a catchphrase and laughed out loud.
Shen Qianqian also laughed, her face blooming like a flower, "Are you coming tonight? I've already signed you up for Xinxin's place."
"Then let's go,"
Lin Chuan agreed.
Soon after.
Shen Qianqian steered with one hand, turning the wheel half a circle to the right, gently stepped on the gas, and the white SUV sped along Jiangbin Road, piercing through the afterglow of the sunset, slowly entering the neon-lit Qingxiu District under the shroud of night.
'Spring River Moon,' a restaurant in Qingxiu District of Anling City with an ancient charm.
The sound of bubbling spring water rang in the ears, accompanied by music performances of the erhu, the bamboo flute, carrying a touch of ancient melody.
Qin Sisi had arranged to meet both Shen Qianqian and Lin Chuan here.
The trio sat by the window on the second floor.
From there, they could see pedestrians bustling below on the street, and catch a glimpse of the corner of Anling's luxury, neon lights, fancy cars, lavish attire, and exquisite food.
"Writer Lin, what would you like to eat?"
Qin Sisi was still in a white T-shirt and jeans, and like the sweet-faced Shen Qianqian, her calm and gentle face was brimming with youthfulness.
Both were around twenty-five years old, with faces full of collagen, fair as snow, fragile as if they could break with a blow, graceful as blooming flowers.
As a result, they attracted quite a few glances from around the restaurant.
Lin Chuan had grown accustomed to such attention, took the menu from Qin Sisi with a smile, and said, "Then I won't be polite."
"Don't be, tonight's meal is on the Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeological Research Institute," Qin Sisi was straightforward about the purpose of the dinner.
"Then I'll order a bit more," Lin Chuan said with a smile.
Today, having helped the Archaeological Research Institute with opening a Great Tomb made it quite reasonable for them to treat him to a good meal.
All was in order.
"Lin Chuan, I'm basking in your glory," Officer Shen said with a low chuckle from across Lin Chuan.
"You're welcome, Officer Shen."
Lin Chuan raised an eyebrow and laughed aloud.
Shen Qianqian and Qin Sisi laughed along, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
Qin Sisi poured a cup of tea for Lin Chuan and casually asked, "Writer Lin, I have a question for you, if you don't mind answering."
"Ask away," Lin Chuan took the tea and smiled.
"Today, when you determined the location of the Ancient Tomb, I found it amazing, so, I want to know, how did you learn all these skills?"
Qin Sisi's voice was gentle, and her face full of curiosity.
On the way here, she had searched through various channels but only found bits and pieces describing these techniques.
The only significant finding was that these tomb robbing skills were 'sect heritage.'
That is to say.
To learn these tomb-robbing techniques, one must be taught by someone.
"Well, about that..."
Lin Chuan lifted an eyebrow, hesitating for a moment.
"Sisi, I know how he learned it," Shen Qianqian interrupted with a grin, looking intrigued.
"How did he learn?" Qin Sisi was very curious.
"For his novels, he did research, self-taught," Shen Qianqian knew Lin Chuan very well, almost predicting Lin Chuan's response.
Qin Sisi turned to Lin Chuan, blinked, and inquired, "Writer Lin, is that so?"
"Ah, actually Qianqian is only half right,"
Lin Chuan began to exercise his professional skills, making up stories in his head, "I only know a smidgen, as for why I know these things, it's because when I was very young, in my hometown, there were always groups of strangers going into the mountains, and since my family was very poor, I had to go up the mountains to chop wood for cooking fires."
He paused for a moment, tactically taking a sip of water.
Qin Sisi was listening intently, and when Lin Chuan finished his tea, she promptly refilled his cup.
With a 'thank you,' Lin Chuan continued,
"One time, I went up the mountain alone to chop wood, I was about in sixth grade, around ten years old, and the weather turned foul with heavy rain. Confused and lost in the mountains, I happened upon a group of strangers, including an old man who I remember well—he was called Old Pang. He sheltered me from the rain, claiming we were fated to meet."
"I asked Old Pang what he was doing in the mountain. He said there were treasures in the mountain and asked if I was interested in learning. Afraid of being poor, I of course wanted to learn, and later I found out he was a tomb robber."
"After that day, he stayed in our village for over a month, and I learned some things from him behind my parents' backs. He even took me into the mountains from time to time to look at mountain ridges, and later..."
Lin Chuan narrated with vivid expression.
Qin Sisi, seemingly naive, was entranced and asked, "What happened next?"