The Dragon Ridge Tombs by Tianxia Bachang

Author:Tianxia Bachang
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2018-11-12T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

With those words, Professor Qiu stood and started pushing us toward the door. I thought how weird this old coot was, all smiles when he welcomed us in, then suddenly turning on us. Somehow he’d realized who we really were and changed his tune. But this was important—maybe a matter of life or death. Not just mine and Kai’s, but Professor Chen and Julie might be in danger too.

“Professor Qiu, please,” I said. “Won’t you let me say one more thing? I don’t know how you sniffed out the scent of dirt on us, but I swear, my gold-toothed friend and I aren’t who you think we are. We’re not grave robbers. For a while, I was recruited to lead a team of archaeologists into the Taklimakan Desert. I worked for Chen Jiuren of Beijing, also known as Professor Chen. Perhaps you know him?”

The professor paused at Chen Jiuren’s name. “Old Chen? You’re telling me that you were on an expedition with him?”

I hastily nodded. “That’s right. I imagine you must be the twin pillars of the archaeological world. In these circles, whenever your names are mentioned, everyone looks up with respect.”

Professor Qiu’s face softened, and he waved me into silence. “No need to flatter me. I know very well who I am. All right, if you know Old Chen, you can stay. Send the other two away.”

Gold Tooth and Mr. Liu obediently left, and Professor Qiu shut the door tight behind them. He asked me a few questions about Professor Chen, and I quickly related the story of our expedition to Xinjiang, where we found the ruins of Jingjue City. Professor Qiu sighed. “I’ve known Old Chen for a long time. I’d heard he had a bit of trouble in the desert. He should count himself lucky he didn’t end up buried in the sand. I wanted to visit him in Beijing, but then I heard he’d gone to America for medical treatment. Who knows if I’ll ever see him again. He did me a great kindness once. Seeing as you know him well, I’ll share what I can with you.”

These were the words I’d been waiting for. “I suspect the mark on my back is the result of our having been to Jingjue City,” I blurted out. “The ghost-hole tribe there worshiped the eye, and I think we may have gotten cursed. Then I heard that this was no eyeball, but rather a word, and I wanted to ask you what it meant, if only so I can be psychologically prepared for what’s going to happen to me. I’ve escaped death countless times, so it’s not my personal safety I’m concerned about, but to see poor Professor Chen in such a state—I won’t lie to you, it’s the old man I’m worried for.”

Professor Qiu sat down in a chair. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you the truth. I simply can’t. Knowing these things won’t do you any good at all. But I

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