The Wei River.
This river, located in the northwestern region of the Dragon Country, was long past its former glory.
Due to soil erosion and environmental damage, it often threatened to run dry.
Local authorities were powerless to repair the riverbed, and had merely established a protected area around it to prevent further deterioration.
And now, on the edge of this protected area, a group of people were searching for something.
The leader was none other than Professor Li!
Professor Li held a Luoyang shovel in his hand, expertly driving it into the soil and then pulling it up.
He pinched a bit of the soil, brought it to his nose, and with a gentle sniff, could immediately determine if there was a large tomb beneath the earth.
This unique skill earned nods of approval even from seasoned tomb robbers.
Liang Yu followed beside Professor Li, excitement in his voice: "Teacher, it's fortunate you didn't become a tomb robber. Otherwise, how many great tombs of the Dragon Country would be in peril!"
Professor Li waved it off with a smile: "Even if I wanted to, few groups would have me! After all, I am so pedantic and stubborn, I wouldn't be of any use, and would only hinder their grand plans for wealth."
The master and disciple chatted along.
"Found it!"
Suddenly, Professor Li's hand holding the Luoyang shovel stopped.
He excitedly sniffed the soil on his fingertips again and again.
"That's right, it's here!"
"This scent, this soil color – there must be a tomb chamber below!"
"Come, come, my brothers, let's get to work!"
Professor Li waved to a group of workers waiting nearby.
The initial simple excavation still required the workers' help.
However, the detailed excavation later on could not be done by them.
A slight tremor of the hand could doom a tomb, so at such times, only professionals could proceed.
Rumble...
The machines started, and the workers, guided by Professor Li, began their bustling excavation.
Halfway through the excavation, two off-road vehicles suddenly drove up.
The car doors opened, and two furious individuals jumped out.
Professor Li turned his head and saw none other than Old Master Dong's disciple who had led the attack against him at the meeting!
Old Master Dong's disciple's face was grim, and his voice was icy: "Who gave you permission to start digging?"
Without waiting for Professor Li's reply, he strode directly towards the construction crew.
"Stop! Everyone stop!"
"Can't you see this is a protected area? Anyone who doesn't stop will be arrested for damaging the protected area!"
It had to be said, this charge carried considerable weight.
Immediately, the entire site fell silent, and all the workers halted their excavation.
Seeing this, Professor Li became agitated: "What are you doing? Who says this is a protected area? Can't you see we are still ten meters away from the protected area?"
"Everyone, don't listen to him, continue digging!"
Old Master Dong's disciple sneered: "Whether it's a protected area or not, you don't get to decide! The leader of the protected area decides!"
With that, Old Master Dong's disciple looked at the person who had arrived with him.
The portly man slowly glanced at Professor Li and said: "This is indeed within the protected area. We just adjusted the boundaries of the protected area yesterday, planning to expand it by one-third from the original area."
"Therefore, your actions have strictly speaking violated the law. However, considering your original intentions were not to cause damage, you will be exempt from punishment."
"Pack up and leave immediately! If you cause any more damage, you will all be arrested and sent to prison!"
Professor Li was enraged.
He pulled out a document: "This is our excavation permit. We are excavating legally! Today, unless you step over my dead body, you will not make me leave this place!"
After Professor Li contacted the Ma family as instructed by Ying Chen, the Ma family had quickly helped him obtain this excavation permit.
Professor Li had thought that everything was ready and no one could stop him from excavating Bai Qi's tomb. He never expected that Old Master Dong's group would still emerge and halt his excavation plan through other means!
"Let me see..." The protected area leader pretended to reach out and take the permit.
However, after reading only one word, he tore it to shreds with a snap: "Fake! Forging national documents, you are truly audacious!"
"..."
Professor Li felt a surge of anger rush to his head, his body trembled violently, and his eyes turned bloodshot.
He never imagined that his opponents would be so shameless!
Not only did they obstruct his excavation plan with a trumped-up charge, but they also tore up a formal document in black and white and refused to acknowledge it!
"Elitist! Bandit! Thug!"
Professor Li was consumed by rage, but being unskilled in insults, these were the only words he could muster.
Old Master Dong's disciple revealed a mocking smile: "Since you know we are elitists, why are you still going against us? Don't think you can rest easy just because you found some low-life connections. Let me tell you: it's useless!"
"You will never recover in this lifetime! Nor will you be able to conduct any meaningful academic research! The moment you decided to oppose my teacher, a large 'death' mark was written on your forehead!"
Hearing this, Professor Li's body trembled even more violently.
He pointed at Old Master Dong's disciple and stammered, "You... you..."
Suddenly, his body swayed and he fell backward!
He had fainted from anger!
"Teacher!" Liang Yu rushed forward and caught Professor Li.
It took quite some time to revive Professor Li.
Upon waking, Professor Li looked utterly despairing.
He didn't understand why the ivory tower, which should have been pure, was actually the darkest place?
"Hahahaha, Li, just accept your fate!" Old Master Dong's disciple laughed triumphantly.
However, his laughter lasted less than a second before a sound of neat footsteps suddenly echoed from behind him.
Then, a stern voice rang out: "Arrest these two people who are obstructing our city's key cultural relic excavation plan! Especially this individual, who is also suspected of accepting bribes and abusing power! After investigating the criminal facts, hand him over to the relevant departments for processing!"
Old Master Dong's disciple and the protected area leader were shocked.
They both turned to look behind them.
Then they saw a group of uniformed police officers, and a powerful official of high standing in Wei River City!
"It's over..." The protected area leader's face turned ashen, as if he had lost his parents.
"How could this happen?" Old Master Dong's disciple stared blankly, murmuring to himself.
When did Professor Li's excavation plan become a key cultural relic plan for Wei River City?
When did Professor Li latch onto such a powerful local figure?
"No, I cannot give up... I cannot let down my teacher's trust!"
Old Master Dong's disciple shouted in unwillingness.
The next second, he approached the powerful official: "My teacher is Old Master Dong from Yanjing, and my senior disciple brother is..."
However, before he could finish his sentence, the powerful official let out a cold laugh: "I don't care about your Old Master Dong or Old Master Xie, I don't care about Yanjing or Huijing. This is Wei River City! Here, no one can dictate to me!"
"Take them away!"