Free Web NovelChapter 2117: Chapter 1980: Old Li (Part 4)
AD 630 was the Third Year of Zhenguan of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong listened to Zhang Gongjin’s suggestion and dispatched troops to conquer the Turks. Li Jing, Zhang Gongjin, and Li Ji led a hundred thousand soldiers, attacking them from different paths. Li Ji defeated the Turks at the White Road, and Li Jing broke the forces of Xieli Khan at the Yin Mountains.
The Eastern Turks were defeated and destroyed, and all the nomadic tribes submitted to the Tang Dynasty, honoring Emperor Taizong as the Heavenly Khan. The Turks completely lost their control south of the desert.
Song Xiaodong began to quickly recall the documents he had examined in the Dragon Gate Secret Vault, knowing that the situation was absolutely more complex than recorded in historical documents.
The war between the two countries was a competition of strength at various levels, not only in military might but also including strategies, culture, history, and esotericism.
Perhaps the desolation of the Ancient City of Loulan was related to the magical battles between the magicians of the two countries.
Monk Xuanzang’s "Record of the Western Regions of the Great Tang" notes the Lop Nur region: "The paths are perilous, the cold winds cruel, filled with violent dragons, storms raging, flying sand and rain of stones."
Before this, Lop Nur and Loulan were clearly oases of life amidst the desert.
The mention of ghosts and gods in "Record of the Western Regions of the Great Tang" regarding Lop Nur and desert regions is definitely not accidental. Although Monk Xuanzang was a great scholar of Buddhism, he was also a rigorous academic researcher, and this style of writing must have its purpose.
After reading documents all morning, Song Xiaodong felt dizzy and walked out of the tent to look around.
There were more than ten tents in the camp, positioned in the wind-protected area amidst sand dunes on three sides, with many license-plate-less military jeeps parked outside and many unmarked boxes inside.
The tents bore no markings, only the tent where Song Xiaodong had been reading documents had a sign on top, saying "National Hydrogeology Research Institute."
Song Xiaodong glanced at this sign, then at the boxes around the camp, clearly containing guns, and sneered inwardly, thinking: "How interesting, when did the Hydrogeology Research Institute start needing guns for work?"
The midday sun scorched down, and the yellow sand on the ground radiated heat upwards as well, with no wind in the desert, everything trying to wring out every drop of moisture from Song Xiaodong’s body.
The ground was covered in soft sand; looking far and wide, this area had no shrubs, no shadows, and distant air expanded with heat, making the far-off horizon in the air waver like reflections on water.
The entire camp wasn’t very populated.
Song Xiaodong circled the camp slowly, leaving footprints in the sandy soil with each step, the sand covering the tops of his shoes, staggering with each step.
A young warrior saw Song Xiaodong and walked over asking: "What are you doing here?"
"I was invited by General Zhao, I’m looking for General Zhao." Song Xiaodong responded.
"General Zhao isn’t here." The young warrior replied.
"Then I’m looking for Old Li." Song Xiaodong said.
"Follow me."
The young warrior led the way, taking Song Xiaodong to a tent in the middle of the camp. Song Xiaodong opened the tent door and walked in, seeing Old Li sitting in a chair behind a desk, looking at the documents in his hand with a heavy expression.
"Oh! You’re here!" Old Li put down the documents and said to Song Xiaodong.
"Yes." Song Xiaodong nodded repeatedly.
"Sit."
"Alright."
Song Xiaodong obediently took a chair and sat down.
"How did it go?" Old Li asked.
"Finished reading." Song Xiaodong replied.
"Hmm, very good." Old Li nodded.
"Where is General Zhao?" Song Xiaodong asked.
"General Zhao has gone to the frontline." Song Xiaodong answered. frёeωebɳovel.com
"Frontline?" Song Xiaodong was surprised upon hearing this.
"Hmm. Take a look." Old Li pulled out the documents he was reading and wanted to hand them to Song Xiaodong.
Song Xiaodong quickly stood up and took them.
There were many photographs.
In the photos was the Loulan Ancient City. Warriors had already surrounded the Ancient City of Loulan, constructing solid defenses, cautiously facing the Empty City of Loulan, as if confronting a formidable enemy.
"Is this the Loulan Ancient City Ruins?" Song Xiaodong asked.
Old Li nodded.
"This is the frontline?" Song Xiaodong asked again.
Old Li nodded once more, sighed, and said to Song Xiaodong: "Three nights ago, 5 warriors were lost, and last night, 6 more were lost."
"What?"
Chapter 1983: Scout
"Who is the enemy?" Song Xiaodong asked.
"We don’t know."
"How can you not know?"
"We can’t see clearly." freewebnoveℓ.com
"Those who saw clearly, have been lost."
"Three days ago, several staff from the Loulan Cultural Relics Protection Station reported to the police, saying there were suspicious people moving around the Loulan Ancient City at night. Two police officers were sent to investigate in the middle of the night, and upon returning, both had some mental disturbances. One of the officers committed suicide by jumping from a building that night, and the other hasn’t eaten, drunk, slept, or spoken and has been sent to a mental hospital." Old Li began explaining the situation to Song Xiaodong.
"Yesterday afternoon, Xiao Zhao and I arrived here, and we sent a squad of five warriors to investigate; none returned. Yesterday, ten more were sent, and four returned, their condition similar to the silent police officer, and they’ve already been sent to the military zone for investigation."
"General Zhao is already on the outskirts of the Ancient City Ruins. If you feel ready, you can go now; we hope you can help us figure out what’s happening inside." Old Li said to Song Xiaodong.
"Alright." Song Xiaodong solemnly nodded.
"Go ahead."
Song Xiaodong walked out of the tent and asked the young warrior to take him to find Sun Yiyi and Chu Xianling.
The two were squeezed together, sleeping soundly.
As Song Xiaodong entered, Chu Xianling woke up.
"Did you sleep all morning?" Song Xiaodong asked softly.
