The Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions

Fatty pretended to think for a moment after hearing this and said, "Alright, I'll reluctantly go with you guys."

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Hu Bayi rolled his eyes at him.

Hu Ming frowned and said, "If that's the case, then I hope when we go to the desert, we remember to equip everyone with a gas mask."

Yang Xueli looked confused and asked, "Gas mask?"

"Yes, if we're going to Jingjue Ancient City, it's best if everyone has a gas mask. Also, does everyone know that the Jingjue Queen was known for her snakes!"

Hu Ming nodded as he spoke, then took a drink of water.

Professor Chen and the others looked surprised, "The Jingjue Queen was known for her snakes?"

Seeing their surprise, Hu Ming frowned, "The Jingjue Queen could control snakes, you didn't know?"

Professor Chen and the others shook their heads and said to Hu Ming, "Comrade Xiao Ming, I know you're very knowledgeable about the history of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions. Could you tell us about the history of the Jingjue Kingdom?"

Hu Ming raised an eyebrow and said, "Let's leave it at that for today. I'll chat with you all when I have time. I remember I have a notebook, I'll show you then."

Hu Ming got up after speaking. It was getting late, so he took Hu Bayi and Fatty and left.

Professor Chen wanted to ask more, but Yang Xueli stopped him.

"Uncle Chen, there's no rush. Since Mr. Hu Ming said he'll tell us about the Jingjue Kingdom later."

Yang Xueli said, then stood up to see Hu Ming and the others off.

After seeing Hu Ming and the others off, Yang Xueli looked at Professor Chen and smiled slightly, "Uncle Chen, with their help, we'll definitely find Jingjue Ancient City. Don't worry. Especially Hu Ming, he's unfathomable. I suspect he knows all the clues to Jingjue Ancient City, he's just not telling us." Yang Xueli's guess was actually correct.

Professor Chen nodded in agreement. "According to the notes your father left behind, this journey is full of dangers. We are all skilled archaeologists, but we might not be able to handle the dangers we encounter. We need to get along with them as much as possible, seek their opinions, and also be wary of them."

After all, they had only known each other for less than two days, with no real friendship, and their partnership was based on mutual benefit, essentially a form of employment.

As the saying goes, one should not have the intention to harm others, but one must guard against others. Shirley Yang and Professor Chen thought along the same lines.

Hu Ming and the other two arrived at a breakfast stall. Smelling the delicious aroma, Hu Ming sat down to eat, as they were all hungry.

Hu Bayi had originally planned to have some tea and then go back to make his own noodles to save money.

But Fatty and Hu Ming, who were almost starving, strongly objected, so they had to spend money to eat breakfast here.

"Boss, two bowls of wontons. Plus three oil pancakes, and a bowl of soy milk."

"Coming right up, sirs. Please have a seat, we'll prepare it for you immediately."

Fatty moved his stool closer to Hu Ming and asked mysteriously, "Mingzi, how much do you think this jade pendant my dad left me is worth? Give me a number, and will this jade lose its value once we find Jingjue Ancient City?"

He pulled the jade pendant out from under his collar and held it out in front of Hu Ming.

Hu Ming didn't even look at the jade pendant. He picked up the soy milk, blew on it, and then took a small sip before taking a bite of the pancake. Mmm, it tasted good. Only then did he turn his head to look at Fatty. "Stop thinking about how much this thing your dad left you is worth. Take good care of it.

The value of your piece is somewhat linked to Jingjue Ancient City, but its worth doesn't depend on Jingjue Ancient City, but rather on whether a buyer likes it. As for me, I wouldn't want it even if you gave it to me."

Fatty smiled and put the jade away. "Alright, I guess I asked for nothing." He lowered his head and ate his wontons.

"Mingzi, in my opinion, those intellectuals are just going for a stroll, and they'll turn back when they can't stand the hardship. Forget about finding Jingjue Ancient City, the desert temperatures can reach fifty or sixty degrees Celsius."

As he said this, Hu Bayi scooped a spoonful of wontons into his mouth, his expression slightly solemn. "This is so fragrant! Hey, I love eating wontons in the Capital. This flavor is so much better than what I had at high altitudes."

"Old Hu, according to you, are we just going on a trip for a few tens of thousands of US dollars?"

Fatty chuckled a few times and looked at Hu Ming, saying, "If it's like Old Hu said, then the three of us brothers will have earned tens of thousands of US dollars from that American girl for free, traveling without doing anything. This kind of good deal can only be gotten from those silly Americans."

"Fatty, think about it. Professor Chen and that near-sighted Professor Hao are already so old, can their bodies handle the desert? And that young girl named Ye Yixin, she's frail and doesn't have much stamina. In my opinion, they'll be crying to come back in a few days."

Hu Bayi said gleefully, a smile all over his face, as if the fifty thousand US dollars were being given to him for free.

"That would be great! After we take the American girl's money, we'll find Jingjue Ancient City ourselves, dig out all the treasures inside, and sell them. The three of us will be rich!" Fatty said excitedly.

"You guys are dreaming too big. Those archaeologists are stubborn. Their perseverance in archaeology is even stronger than our perseverance in tomb raiding for treasures."

Hu Ming ate his second oil pancake, glancing at Hu Bayi and Fatty. The two of them were thinking too simply, too naively.

Shirley Yang was such a shrewd woman, how could her money be so easily earned?

"Hurry up and eat. I'll go get some gasoline, and you two go back and pack what you need."

Hu Ming got a barrel of gasoline, and also bought fifty catties of aged glutinous rice, as well as black dog blood, and so on, from Mikko.

He also bought a lot of food and drinks. He knew that this journey would be very dangerous, so he had to be prepared.

In fact, if it weren't for the fact that going to Jingjue Ancient City was too dangerous, and that he needed the help of local officials, as well as that "living map" of the desert, he would have already taken Hu Bayi and Fatty there.

This time, they might even have to go to the Kunlun Iceberg to resolve Hu Bayi's nightmare of over ten years, and perhaps even receive rewards from the system.