Reflecting on that scene from years past, I can't help but blush with embarrassment. Indeed, times have changed; the days of burning incense and kowtowing to swear brotherhood are long gone.

But back then, I was beyond excited. Such is the transformation in a man's heart.

Three fearless men, we let our imaginations run wild and began plotting our scheme.

Yao Yumen's admonishments and King Leader's reservations were cast aside without a second thought.

Our ambition was to pull off a big heist. We were determined to pry open the Stone Gate and uncover its secrets.

Eventually, half of the Bronze Ware was sold by Eldest Elder Sun. The remaining treasures, including the Bronze Bean with the Mustard Seed Belt and Four-character Inscription, were collected by King Leader. On the day we divided the money, our group gathered together, oblivious to the secret plan the three of us had hatched.

It was the first time I had seen so much money, all packed in large plastic bags. Ten thousand yuan in neat stacks, still using the Fourth Series of Renminbi, those four Blue Hundred notes with the Human Head, bundled in white paper.

"Third Brother, this is yours."

"Boss, this is yours."

"Little Red, this is for you and your Little Brothers. You've all worked hard on this one."

A Mole caressed the plastic bag and grinned, "Thanks for the share, Boss."

King Leader nodded and pushed a bag toward me. "Cloud Peak, you're new to the game but you've put in a solid effort. This is yours, don't think it's too little."

My throat went dry at the sight of the bulging plastic bag. "B-Boss, how much is this..."

"One hundred and thirty thousand," he said calmly.

My hands trembled even more.

I had never seen so much money before, nor had I ever imagined I would.

"Boss, I still owe you fifty thousand," I said, preparing to open the bag to take out the money.

"No need," he waved me off. "The First Order in the Business, how can we give that away? It's bad luck. Keep it for now; we'll talk about the fifty thousand later."

I nodded, wordlessly accepting it.

This was my first pot of gold. The earnings from this single job could match my brother-in-law's farmstay business income for three to four years!

Cats have their paths, and rats have their ways.

I, Xiang Yunfeng, have made it!

As for Second Brother's share, King Leader said he'd hold onto it for a year. If he didn't return by then, it would go to Eldest Elder Sun.

Curious about who bought our goods, I later asked the Boss. He said the buyer was mysterious, a Hong Kong Runner.

In those days, the term "Hong Kong Runner" referred to individuals who acted as intermediaries, running errands on behalf of others. The true buyers were the ones behind them; these brokers did not deal with us directly, with the Hong Kong Runner handling all transactions single-handedly.

This was because, at that time, the laws in Hong Kong differed from those on the mainland. In Hong Kong, bronze ware could be directly auctioned at major auction houses, a practice that was legal. Consequently, the headquarters of Christie's and Sotheby's were both established in Hong Kong. That region became the largest dumping ground for domestically looted tomb artifacts, without parallel.

Stolen story; please report.

The pioneers of the antique fortune trade in China were all too familiar with the Hong Kong scene, including several faces you would often see on television, many of whom I knew personally. I don't mean to disparage these individuals, but it's a simple truth that none who made their fortune in this business had clean beginnings.

After the money was divided, King Leader was preparing to leave Shunde and inquired about our next destination.

We harbored our own ulterior motives and naturally did not disclose the truth.

Eldest Elder Sun spoke up, "Boss, Third Brother Yunfeng and I have discussed it. We plan to head to Dongguan for some leisure, perhaps for half a year in May, and await the Leader's next assignment."

"Oh? All three of you are going to Dongguan together?" the boss asked with a hint of surprise, glancing at the three of us.

"Yes, that's right, the three of us. Look, Boss, Cloud Peak is still green behind the ears, and we want to broaden his horizons."

Although the Boss's words were meant to deceive, there was truth in them. The sex industry was booming at that time.

In 1999, the Evergreen Thai Food and Beverage Group was established in Beijing. What many didn't know was that the female CEO's headquarters were in Dongguan. The Beijing Evergreen was later known as Heaven on Earth.

At that time, the highest service standards in the country were found in Dongguan and Beijing, which is why Eldest Elder Sun had deliberately mentioned Dongguan as a destination.

The boss believed us, and he returned to Beijing the following day. Before leaving, he told us to enjoy ourselves and that he would notify us when there was more work to be done.

As for us, we naturally stayed in Shunde, busy with our plans and not going anywhere. We moved to a different place to stay, keeping a low profile.

On Moth Mountain, close to the burial sites, there were over twenty acres of paddy fields. The Boss, posing as an outside investor, purchased them all in less than twenty days—having money certainly made things easier.

After acquiring the paddy fields nearby, we hired people to erect a fence wall around the area. Our new base was situated at the foot of Moth Mountain. Where there used to be several bungalows, now demolished, has turned into the green space of Shunfeng Park.

That evening, A Mole purchased three Charolais calves, a breed renowned for their rapid growth and considerable strength once they've reached maturity.

We had done the math; with premium feed, a Charolais calf could grow to adulthood in as little as five months. For our purpose of pulling the Door Sealing Stone, they would be ready in roughly four.

A Mole had brought over some cold-weather tents and an assortment of living supplies. That very night, we painstakingly lowered the Little Calf down with ropes. Despite their size, these creatures were still hefty, weighing over a hundred pounds each. Their lack of cooperation, kicking and butting, made the task arduous, leaving us drenched in sweat by the end of it.

The opening was just large enough to accommodate the cattle; any larger would have been unmanageable.

In the world of tomb raiding, while it might not be unprecedented, raising cattle in a Large Tomb was an absurd idea, and I still wonder at the thought process that led Third Brother to this course of action.

We set up the tent below, hammered a stake into the ground, and secured the cattle.

Over those months, we treated these three calves like our ancestors, almost begging them to eat their fill. If they could be fed eight times a day, we wouldn't settle for five, ensuring they were well-fed. The air outside the Underground Palace was damp and humid, and Third Elder Sun would crawl out of the tent every night to check on them.

I only went down occasionally, usually at night, to stealthily lower water, food, and cattle feed with ropes. After delivering the supplies, I would carefully conceal the Thief's Hole Entrance with sod.

During the day, I would generally sleep in the bungalow, occasionally surveying the surroundings with my small telescope to ensure our fence was intact. Sometimes A Mole would take over, allowing me to wander off and visit Li Jing.

Two months passed, and Li Jing was promoted to her third year of high school.

I had bought three pounds of egg cakes and, as usual, went to see her with the treats in hand. But upon arriving at her house, I found Li Jing sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, her complexion pallid.

"Little Jing... what's wrong? I brought you egg cakes."

Li Jing's pretty face was deathly pale as she bit her lip, staring at me intently.

Suddenly, she hurled a pillow at me.

"Xiang Yunfeng! Why did you have to deceive me!"

"Wang Qiang told me everything! You're not a student from No.1 Middle School at all! You're not even from Shunde!"

"You liar! Deceiver!" Her eyes, red with fury, screamed at me.

I stepped back, my hands trembling, and the egg cakes fell to the floor.

They scattered everywhere. (To be continued)

*******

I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/7b136c