Chapter 150: Return to the Miao Territories

It was very likely that the sacrificial offerings he needed would appear within the ancient ruins. Of course, he had to take part in this.

Lu Ming immediately spoke up, "Very well, I will participate. You make the arrangements."

Upon hearing this, Yun Shengguo's face instantly lit up with joy. Being able to provide Lu Ming with some convenience was something he wished for eagerly. By helping him now, it would be much easier to ask for his assistance in the future if the need arose.

"Alright, I'll arrange it right away. They are setting off tomorrow, and I'll add your name to the roster," Yun Shengguo smiled.

Lu Ming nodded in agreement and then said, "Let's leave it at that. I'll head back now, as I still have some matters to attend to."

With that, Lu Ming stood up and left with Sikong Zhaixing.

Yun Shengguo escorted them all the way to the elevator and watched until the doors closed and Lu Ming disappeared from sight.

After leaving the Xijing Hotel, Lu Ming hailed a taxi and returned to the grocery store with Sikong Zhaixing.

As soon as he stepped inside, Lu Ming collapsed onto his designated lounge chair and let out a comfortable sigh of satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Sikong Zhaixing stood to the side, casting a bored glance around the sparse grocery store.

"Why is there practically nothing here?" Sikong Zhaixing asked with curiosity.

Lu Ming replied lazily, "If you're interested, feel free to add whatever you like. I don't mind."

Sikong Zhaixing raised an eyebrow and remained silent.

At that moment, Lu Ming asked again, "What are your plans for the future?"

Sikong Zhaixing spread his hands and said, "I have no idea. Since I've decided to follow you, you can arrange things for me. I don't really care."

Lu Ming glanced at him, then gazed up at the ceiling as if deep in thought.

After a brief moment, Lu Ming instructed, "Go find a job and settle down first. Remember, do not casually display your abilities. This world is far more complex than you imagine, and you must be careful not to bring disaster upon yourself."

"Alright, got it. If there's nothing else, I'll go look for a job now."

With those words, Sikong Zhaixing stood up and left cleanly and decisively.

Watching him depart, Lu Ming said nothing further. He had already planted a wisp of divine consciousness imprint on Sikong Zhaixing, meaning every move the man made was under his absolute control. He had no worries about Sikong Zhaixing trying any tricks.

Once Sikong Zhaixing left, Lu Ming fell into a deep sleep.

He slept all the way until the following morning, only waking up when a phone call rang out.

It turned out that Yun Shengguo had finalized the arrangements and instructed him to go to the entrance of the museum to join the expedition team.

Lu Ming got up, washed up, and headed straight to the museum.

Qin Lan had yet to return, which suggested she had developed a genuine interest in her job as a journalist.

***

At this moment, a luxury bus was parked outside the museum entrance.

Inside the bus were Xia Yuanfei, his granddaughter Xia Xuanxuan, two of his assistants, Shi Jidong accompanied by his own assistant, and a six-member special operations security squad.

Judging from the luggage piled near their feet, these squad members were armed, evidently tasked with ensuring the safety of the group and carrying equipment and supplies.

Seated beside Xia Yuanfei was a man in his fifties wearing casual clothes. His eyes flickered with sharp, piercing light whenever he opened and closed them, marking him instantly as a martial arts expert.

At that moment, Xia Yuanfei spoke up, "Brother Jidong, our personnel have all arrived. Why haven't we set off yet?"

"Well, Secretary Yun specially added someone to the roster last night. He should be here any minute now, so let's wait a little longer," Shi Jidong replied.

Hearing this, a trace of displeasure crossed Xia Yuanfei's face.

His trip to Xijing served two purposes: first, to attend the ceremony celebrating the return of the dragon head bronze sculpture, and second, to invite Shi Jidong to join him in exploring the ruins he had discovered.

He had spent years researching ancient texts to unearth this ruin, piecing together faint and chaotic clues before finally conducting a preliminary investigation to pinpoint its exact location.

He had invited Shi Jidong because the man possessed an irreplaceable expertise in this field, ranking among the top historians nationwide. Otherwise, he would never have been willing to share such a monumental discovery with anyone else.

To ensure the success of this expedition, not only had he invited Shi Jidong, but he had also brought along a martial arts master from Shangjing—the middle-aged man named Sheng Guo'an sitting beside him—to guarantee the safety of the entire party.

Securing the assistance of such an expert had required immense effort and left him owing a massive favor, as martial arts masters of that caliber were not easily persuaded.

Since the team was already complete and ready for departure, the sudden addition of an unannounced newcomer deeply annoyed him.

However, this was someone else's territory, and he still needed to show respect to Yun Shengguo, leaving him with no choice but to swallow his irritation and continue waiting with forced patience.

Right at that moment, Lu Ming stepped out of a taxi at the museum entrance, walked up to the bus, checked the license plate, and boarded directly.

"Sorry, I overslept," Lu Ming greeted them casually as he climbed aboard and found an empty seat to sit down.

Xia Yuanfei and his granddaughter stared at Lu Ming in utter disbelief, rendered speechless for a long moment.

After a while, Xia Yuanfei demanded, "Director Shi, our mission is to explore ancient ruins, and we require trained professionals. May I ask what kind of background this person has?"

"He was arranged by Secretary Yun. I don't know the specifics," Shi Jidong answered.

In truth, he was already well aware that Lu Ming possessed extraordinary capabilities and knew he was the person added at the last minute, which explained his calm demeanor.

Xia Yuanfei, however, reacted quite differently. In his eyes, Lu Ming looked nothing more than a freeloading vagrant. How could such a person be allowed to take part in an endeavor of such grave importance?

"Excuse me, sir, under what capacity are you joining this expedition?" Before Xia Yuanfei could speak, his granddaughter Xia Xuanxuan challenged Lu Ming directly.

Lu Ming glanced at Xia Xuanxuan and replied coolly, "No particular capacity. If you have any objections to this arrangement, you are free to take it up with Secretary Yun."

Lu Ming's retort instantly choked off Xia Xuanxuan's words, leaving her expression turning extremely unpleasant.

Questioning Yun Shengguo's arrangements was far beyond her authority.

At that point, Xia Yuanfei let out a cold snort and said, "Alright, let's move out. This is a scientific expedition, and I just hope certain individuals won't get in our way and ruin things."

Lu Ming turned his gaze toward the window and ignored them completely.

He knew this grandfather and granddaughter held a bias against him, and he couldn't be bothered to argue with them.

The engine slowly turned over, and the vehicle pulled out and headed toward the highway.

Once they merged onto the highway, Lu Ming closed his eyes to rest while mentally scanning every single person inside the bus with his divine consciousness.

Xia Yuanfei and the others were ordinary human beings. The six security squad members possessed strong, robust physiques, putting them a cut above the average person, while the man sitting beside Xia Yuanfei had already attained the Xiantian realm of martial arts.

Having gathered the information on everyone on board, Lu Ming drifted off into a deep sleep. After all, the journey from Xijing to the Miao territory spanned several thousand kilometers, leaving a very long road ahead of them.

Throughout the trip, Xia Yuanfei incessantly discussed every detail of the ruins with Shi Jidong, both of them vibrating with excitement.

They shared the firm belief that these ruins likely represented the dwelling place of some extraordinary figure from thousands of years ago, holding immense historical value alongside the strong possibility of harboring vast quantities of cultural artifacts.

If they truly made a breakthrough discovery, it would undoubtedly create a sensation worldwide.

The vehicle drove on at a steady pace, the two drivers taking turns at the wheel and stopping only for meals.

Thus, after two days and a night of travel, the bus finally came to a halt at a remote foot of a mountain deep within the Miao territory.

From this point onward, only a narrow, winding footpath led up the mountain, rendering the bus useless for further travel.

Xia Yuanfei stood up and announced, "The bus can go no further. The rest of the journey must be completed on foot. Everyone, pack your equipment and gear, and let's disembark."

The passengers immediately rose. The squad of security personnel strapped on various scientific instruments, armed themselves with weapons, and filed out of the bus in an orderly line.

Meanwhile, Xia Yuanfei and his companions traveled light, having changed into sturdy outdoor hiking jackets.

After stepping down from the bus, Xia Yuanfei cast a sidelong glance at Lu Ming and said rather ungraciously, "Let's move. I just hope no one holds us back."

Despite his advanced age, Xia Yuanfei exercised regularly and maintained excellent physical health, easily rivaling many younger people.

In his estimation, Lu Ming's somewhat slender frame would never withstand the rigors of such a grueling trek.

At the same time, Xia Xuanxuan chimed in with an arrogant tone, "Some people better not start crying for their mothers and begging to turn back halfway. No one is going to pamper you then."

As an archaeology graduate student who frequently exercised and prepared herself specifically for fieldwork in harsh environments, Xia Xuanxuan possessed absolute confidence in her own physical stamina.