To my surprise, Zhou Sihai was still outside the cave, keeping watch in a state of nervous apprehension. He looked no different from before.
I didn't see any extra yin energy on him, nor did I see any wounds.
There was another noise from below the cave.
The monk was gripping the rope hanging from the cave entrance and climbing up.
The other three were all calling to him.
"Master, what do you mean? We haven't finished the job..." the burly man said.
"I've finished my part. Don't touch the other Buddha statues. Take the Buddha head and come out. Transfer my share of the money from selling it to my card, as we agreed." As he answered the man, the monk continued climbing with both hands and feet.
He wasn't especially agile, but his movements were clearly practiced.
The man below sounded irritated. "Master, what are you doing? We've been working together just fine..."
"There wasn't anything worthwhile before, so I was just helping you kill time. I have something to do now. Get on with it yourselves. There's nothing more I can help with anyway." The monk explained patiently. His words were dismissive, but his tone was calm, and he even wore a faint smile.
By then, he had climbed out of the cave.
He paid no attention to the curses coming from the three men below.
When Zhou Sihai saw him, he backed away several steps without saying a word.
The monk looked at him, smiled, pressed his palms together, and said, "Goodbye."
Naturally, I followed the monk.
He didn't seem any different. The golden light had disappeared as soon as it entered his body.
I couldn't tell what was going on with him.
But his leaving early, and what he'd said before, probably had something to