Chapter 23 Chapter 22 The Eye Traveled Through Time

Like lightning splitting a crack in the haze, this labyrinth, this maze full of twists and turns, is instantly illuminated by light.I was a little dizzy, I didn't know whether it was joy or sadness.The exploration of generations, the sacrifice of countless unknown lives, and the clues spanning China and even the Eurasian continent are clearly revealed at this moment. In an instant, I understood the true meaning of the Tochari language on the two life and death deeds.The birth contract is because of the demise of the Xiaohe-Gumugou cultural circle, people's promise of rebirth.The death contract is the last despair of the priests of the ancient Moshan Kingdom. They chose to exile and let go of their lives.I don't believe in rebirth, in a power over nature.But this sea of ​​death, the boat for crossing the underworld, is clearly presented in front of your eyes at this moment.I remembered what Zhou Qian once said - "She still has to rely on manpower to complete her mission" - what exactly does the priest of Moshan Kingdom want to do?I already know the history of this ethnic group, but I still can't figure out the real intention of the tomb owner in black.Even, can she really travel through time and be resurrected in the present to fulfill her mission?

Professor Tan suddenly realized: "A dead tree is a boat...the boat...the boat under the giant tree, my God, they used the boat to transport themselves here!" "Boat..." Uncle Yan raised his head, his eyes changed, "Everyone go to the boat under the big tree, let's leave here by boat!" The hope of life inspired us again.We supported each other, stumbled and ran towards the giant tree.The boat under the tree is still moored there quietly, as if destined, it is a boat in the desert, and it has brought countless people here to die.And now it has become our hope of survival.

"How many people can the boat hold?" Uncle Yan asked Gengzi. Regardless of the danger, Gengzi jumped into the boat with the help of the sixth child to check. "About a dozen people, it's okay for us to squeeze in, but we need to clear the bodies first." When the bodies of Pei Fengfeng and Meng Gang were carried out, I turned my head away.With just a fleeting glimpse, I've seen the bloody wounds.Gengzi and Lao Liu carefully placed the body in a better place under the tree. After a moment of silence, they turned to us and said, "The water has risen rapidly, and it has reached the edge of the cliff. Let's push the boat down."

All the men gathered around the boat, pushing the boat down the ramp.There was an unpleasant friction sound between the bottom of the boat and the rocks. After nearly ten minutes of hard work, the boat finally touched the water.Amidst the shouts of the crowd, with the last effort, the boat finally got into the water. Gengzi asked Lao Liu to get on the boat first and escorted us on board, while he guarded behind us with a gun.What he experienced these days kept Gengzi vigilant all the time.We squatted on the boat and finally breathed a sigh of relief.Chen Wei frowned when he saw the blood on the side of the boat.Of course, Li Dazui couldn't let go of this opportunity, and said sarcastically, "Just order it, this is not a luxury cruise ship."

After Gengzi helped Uncle Yan get on the boat, he was the last one to jump onto the boat stiffly.He stood beside the boat and pushed the rock wall hard with his hands, letting the boat slowly leave the edge of the cliff.The water flow didn't seem to be turbulent. When it reached the edge of the cliff, it stopped rising, and the water flow kept pouring in the direction where the shadow was flying.Passing by almost killed Old Wei—it was the place where he found the mural, so Uncle Yan turned on the emergency light to take a look.From the height we stand on the boat, we can just reach out and reach the murals.Everyone immediately understood how the ancestors of northern Xinjiang drew these patterns on these cliffs.But our height is not enough to climb to the top of the cliff on the other side, we can only look at the cliff and sigh.

After about an hour, the current got stronger and our boat got faster and faster.It is obvious that our boat is going deeper underground with the current.Uncle Yan was sitting on the bow of the boat, watching the movement of the cliff all the time.On one side of this big fissure is a cliff without a top, and on the other side is a passage that is parallel to when we came.As we went deeper and deeper into the ground, the cliff on the other side that could have reached the top gradually grew taller, and the top of the cliff was no longer visible.We seem to be squeezed in the middle of the cracks, drifting forward with the deep current.

"Why is there such a large amount of water coming out suddenly?" Professor Tan looked at the rushing water and looked at Dou Miao thoughtfully. Dou Miao pondered for a moment: "I can't find the water source, and I don't know. I think it may be related to geological changes, rock mass movement or magnetic field anomalies. Chen Wei, do you have any answers?" Chen Wei was observing the changes in the water surface, and when he heard Dou Miao asking himself a question, he was stunned for a moment, as if he was carefully recalling the relevant clues on the parchment.

"I don't know about this. But I remember that the 52-year cycle was mentioned on the parchment. As for the cycle, the original text is very cryptic. I have been deciphering it for a long time, but there is no result. It may be a code word used among priests." "Could it be that this water appears once in 52 years?" Old Wei touched his chin, and after thinking for a while, his tone became excited, "Once in 52 years, yes, it must be. Whether it is caused by magnetic field or geological problems, this is a The cycle is based on 52 years. Professor Tan, do you remember the Mayan solar calendar, which also has a cycle of 52 years. This cannot be a coincidence."

"The Mayans are in America. Could it be that the ancestors of Xiaohe have also been to America? Old Wei, are you kidding me this time?" Lao Li finally found an opportunity to attack Wei Datou academically, and he seized it without hesitation. Seize the opportunity and strike hard. "I..." Old Wei hesitated, a little guilty, "I'm speculating, there must be a reason why it's impossible for such a coincidence in 52 years." "Actually, there is something I haven't told you all this time." Professor Tan said, "Do you remember the American Indian's Great Horn Witchcraft Wheel I mentioned? The structure of the Great Horn Wheel is similar to that of the Gumugou cemetery. Wonderful. When I returned home, a friend sent me some pictures. One thing caught my attention, which was found in the tomb of an Indian believed to be the creator of the Great Horn Witchcraft Wheel."

"What is it?" We asked almost in unison, and even Gengzi and Lao Liu came over curiously. "Hand-woven straw baskets." Professor Tan said indifferently, "The photos show that the weaving method of the straw baskets is the same as that of the funerary straw baskets in the Xiaohe-Gumugou cemetery, with a Z-shaped pattern." We were dumbfounded and looked at each other speechlessly, and Lao Wei blushed even more, so he had to take off his glasses and wipe his face to calm down.The sixth child looked at us a little strangely, turned to Tudou and said, "Tudou, why did a straw basket make them so excited?"

Tudou shook his head and said casually: "In my opinion, there is no difference between an archaeologist and a dancer. I don't understand anyway." Old Wei rubbed his nose with his sleeve, and stammered: "You, you don't understand. This, this means that the ancestors of Xiaohe Cemetery may have really been to America." "In archaeology," I said excitedly, continuing what Old Wei said, "even if there are similarities in the forms of different regional cultures in different periods, the details must be different. But if they are completely consistent, there is only one explanation. They once had We communicated, and once overlapped at a certain point in time and space. Straw baskets are a must-have item in northern Xinjiang’s burial customs, and there are even burial straw baskets in ritualized ancient tomb ditch cemeteries. My God, they not only went to Crossed the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, and even reached America!" The sixth son snorted: "What am I supposed to be, it's a trivial matter. Even if they have been to Mars, what does it have to do with me?" The old Wei suddenly stood up, pointed at the old six and said, "Is this a trivial matter? Well, this is a major event that changed the history of human culture and change! Your ancestors may have participated in this vast history of cultural integration! Its The great thing is that it shows the footprints of human beings, our ancestors got rid of ignorance and had a clear understanding of this world, far earlier than we imagined!" The sixth child looked at Wei Datou in astonishment, not understanding why the old Wei was so excited.In fact, Lao Wei's words did represent our hearts, and people who are not archaeologists may not understand our excitement and awe at that time.We have glimpsed a corner of a great era, although it is very far away from us, but these sporadic fragments are enough to make our blood boil. Professor Tan pulled Old Wei over and pressed his shoulders to let him sit down. She sighed in a low voice: "I have always suspected that before the incident of the Tower of Babylon and the chaotic accent recorded in the Bible, there was a long period of migration and integration around the world. process. Judging from the changes in language, burial customs, and traces of cause and effect, our ancestors once left this continent far away, and participated in and created the mythical era in world history. From those vague and exaggerated myths From the perspective of China, although it is impossible for us to determine these facts with certainty, we can deduce the clues of them." The sixth child opened his mouth, as if he wanted to talk to Professor Tan, but Uncle Yan interrupted him. "Let's listen to what they have to say. Don't be impatient. They understand the meaning of all this better than we do." Uncle Yan's words warmed my heart.When I looked at Uncle Yan, I was surprised to find that his cheeks were flushed, and his fever had obviously developed from a low fever to a high fever.Gengzi put his coat on Uncle Yan and looked at Uncle Yan with concern.Although Uncle Yan had a fever, there was no sign of trembling on his body.Compared with Uncle Yan, what is more worrying is Gengzi, who couldn't stop his hands from shaking even when he reached out to Uncle Yan.Uncle Yan held his hand and said in a low voice, "Go to sleep." Gengzi shook his head and sat beside Uncle Yan in silence. I fell asleep on the boat, leaning on Professor Tan's shoulder.I didn't know it at the time, but in order to let me rest for a while, Professor Tan kept a still posture.I don't know how long I've been asleep, this chasm seems to be infinitely far away, taking us away from the ground.My hope of survival froze as I sank deeper into the darkness, and I returned to that lethargic state. It seems like a long time later, in fact, it was about 16 hours after we left the place where "a tree dies into a boat", I suddenly woke up from the messy dream, and saw the boy standing up abruptly. Gao Hong was also awakened. Seeing Gengzi's staring eyes, he said impatiently: "Brother Geng, calm down, don't mess with the boat..." As soon as he finished speaking, Geng Zi's trembling hand reached out to him, grabbed it and bit him hard on the neck.Gao Hong's voice was like a soprano provoked by a sharp blade. It was sharp and horrifying for two seconds before disappearing. "Gengzi, what are you doing? Are you..." Tudou stood up tremblingly, trying to pull Gengzi and Gao Hong away. When Gengzi bit Gao Hong, I could see the peeled off gauze on his hand, with traces of Zhu Liang biting on it.Gengzi sucked the blood from Gao Hong's throat, but stared straight at me.His expression was ferocious and sad, with a strange parallel of greed and self-loathing in his eyes.The smell of blood immediately diffused, and Gengzi's eyes became more frenzied, seemingly unstoppable.I sat stiffly on the spot, watching Gengzi shake off the hands of Tudou and Lao Liu, put down Gao Hong, who was already limp, and rushed towards me. It was only a split second, and I could even feel the wave of Gengzi's swift hand piercing the air, his hand was still trembling but full of brute force.Gengzi's face was blue and white, and he no longer looked popular.In a blink of an eye, Professor Tan threw himself in front of me and pushed me to the ground. The boat shook a few times, and the people on board screamed involuntarily. Gengzi didn't stop, and continued to reach out to grab Professor Tan.I was half back on the boat, my eyes could see the dark dome, I was terrified in my heart, and subconsciously hugged Professor Tan tightly. "Gengzi!" Old Wei yelled with all his might, his voice hoarse and out of tune.The roar made Gengzi regain his senses for a short while, and he turned to look at Old Wei.Li Dazui seized the opportunity, grabbed the emergency light and lit it, aiming at Rengzi. Gengzi seemed uncomfortable with the light, so he stretched out his hand to cover it.Almost at the same time, gunshots rang out. Professor Tan and I sat up slowly, still in shock.The gunpowder smoke in Uncle Yan's hand was still there, and he silently watched the blood on Gengzi's chest flow out from the bullet hole, staining his chest red for a moment.Gengzi's knees gave way, and he knelt down on the ground, and then fell down slowly. "Brother Geng!" Lao Liu and Tudou rushed to Gengzi almost crying.Gengzi panted heavily, looking at Uncle Yan. "I, I can't control myself," Gengzi whispered intermittently, his voice sounded like a dream, "the smell of blood...I..." Uncle Yan's turned up lips trembled a few times, that horrible and ugly face was so mournful, it was moving. "Gengzi, it's my fault, everything is my fault." Uncle Yan murmured. Gengzi's body twitched violently a few times, and he howled involuntarily, scaring Lao Liu and Tudou to let go, and Gengzi jumped up in an instant, the blood from the wound became more and more violent, but he couldn't stop it to the potatoes. Tudou and Lao Liu subconsciously approached the side of the boat to defend themselves, and the three of them fought together for a while, criss-crossing each other.The boat shook violently.Before we could react, the three of us happened to be on the right side of the boat together.The ancient ship stopped shaking and completely capsized. The moment the boat capsized, I heard Chen Wei's sharp and short cry, and was quickly swallowed by the cold and dark water.I only had time to see Wei's arm shaking on the surface of the water, and I heard some faint screams before sinking into the water. I choked on a few mouthfuls of water, and the water had a fishy-sweet taste that made me sick.The process of all this is so clear in my mind, it seems like yesterday.I knew it all, and I saw myself struggling for a moment, followed by the roar and pressure of falling underwater.My whole body was limp, and I sank in the water following gravity and inertia.After a while, the undercurrent in the water pulled me to the deep place. This process was so clear to a strange degree, I seemed to see myself sinking continuously, and my weakly stretched arms were swaying in the water waves.The water was too cold and it was dark all around.The strange thing is, I can see the scene more than ten meters ahead. There is no longer darkness, just the right lights, and people walking and chatting quietly.In front of the M15 tomb on display at the XJ Museum, Old Wei was looking affectionately at the mummy inside through the glass, wishing he could use the wall-penetrating technique to inspect it directly.Standing beside him were Li Dazui and Xiang Zhiyuan, they bickered endlessly, ridiculing each other's dilapidated buildings.Li Renxi looked around boredly.He saw Professor Tan and Curator Zhong talking, and pulled the girl beside him.The girl turned her head and looked over, and for a split second, I saw myself. My ten fingers stretched forward, powerlessly suspended in the water, staring at her. Is this the end of fate, or a rewind in time?Is it the door of a dream, or a journey of despair? Between me and her there is suffocating deep water.The girl's face was pale, and she looked at herself absent-mindedly.Just for a moment, I seem to have gone through my whole life, from green onion to gray hair, from birth to death, from the long and short journey, I saw the footprints, love and abandonment, joy and sorrow. Li Renxi said anxiously: "Professor Tan is in a bad mood recently, and I'm very anxious." He looked at me and said even more worriedly, "What's wrong with you? It seems like I saw a ghost." I gasped for breath a few times, and looked at my whole body hesitantly—the clothes were dry, and there was no water stain on my hair.I looked at the people around me in confusion, their smiles and voices were real, and they were close to me.Is this a rebirth opportunity given to us by God, or is it a faint awakening that makes us stop here? I closed my eyes and my mind went blank. When I opened my eyes again, the phantom that was more than ten meters away still did not disappear.The swaying body was suspended in the black water, like a corpse, but its fingers were still reaching out to me, as if silently wailing, which was heartbreaking. No, I shook my head and took a step back. "This is not the end. At least not the end I chose." Wei Datou, who was next to me, noticed my strangeness, walked over and said with concern: "Liang Ke, are you feeling unwell? Your face is very pale." Li Dazui brushed his hair, and smiled mysteriously: "It's normal. According to my observation and calculation, Liang Ke should have arrived at the time of my aunt's visit every month..." I reached out and punched Li Dazui on the cheek.False, all this is an illusion.No, I won't stop here. Li Dazui sneered: "Hey, hey, take it easy, you don't need to slap someone in the face!" Before he finished speaking, I suddenly suffocated, and the cold and deep water filled my body again.Everything was gone, the warmth, the friendliness and the clean and peaceful atmosphere disappeared in an instant, and the dark deep water enveloped me with the breath of death. "This is not the end." I gritted my teeth, held this thought persistently, and swam upwards in the water with all my strength. The hands of Lao Wei and Li Dazui finally grabbed my shoulders, and they led me awkwardly to the surface.I took a long breath and almost sank into the water again.The three of us tossed in the water in confusion for a while, and finally floated on the surface of the water, being rushed forward by the waves. There are still high cliffs on both sides of the crack.The longer I struggled in this water, I knew in my heart that the hope of surviving became more and more remote.I am no longer entangled in the illusion just now, and I am wholeheartedly floating in the water, struggling to continue my life.Real or unreal, no matter what I saw, I followed my inner choice.Even if I face death in the end, I will not stop.Old Wei tried his best to keep his big head afloat, turning to look at me from time to time, for fear that I would sink again. "Persist!" He seemed to see the despair in my heart, shouted loudly, and choked on the water by the way. As the water turned a sharp bend in the crevasse, Li Dazui suddenly called out: "There is light ahead...the real light!" Looking ahead, sure enough, not far away, on a vague piece of land, I saw the faint light cast by the sun.After staying in the dark for so long, I couldn't believe it when I saw the sun for the first time.I thought I would never see it again in this life. The sunshine, which I missed for a long time and was sentimental, bloomed brilliantly and willfully in front of me even though it was faint.I dare not blink, for fear that the sunlight will disappear the moment I close my eyes. The three of us frantically swam towards the light, and when we got closer, we realized that the land was not a real land, but a cliff peak before the water surface rose.It stands alone in the middle of the cliffs on both banks. It can be seen that the top of the cliff slightly above the water is round, which seems to have traces of artificial construction. When my body touched the hard rock wall, I had reached the limit of my physical strength.I remember that I was dragged up by the people on the shore, even the old Wei looked half dead. "This is not the end, I want to go on." This thought persisted in my mind repeatedly, and then I fainted briefly. "It must be meaningful for the priestesses in black to wear black dark clothes when they enter the coffin." I heard Chen Wei's voice speak quickly, "All the aspects involved in their beliefs are not random." "Black corresponds to water in the five elements," Wei Wei said weakly, "I think this may be its true meaning." "Yes, although the Xiaohe-Gumugou cultural circle is more influenced by Western culture, the influence of Central Plains culture on them cannot be ignored. Central Plains culture is their mother culture. I firmly believe that this is the Temple of Rebirth." Chen Wei's voice Full of excitement, "This is under the 100-meter round hole we saw in the desert, directly facing the light and the sun. We succeeded, and we found the Temple of Rebirth!" I sat up slowly, and Professor Tan was taking care of me by my side, and when he saw me wake up, he smiled at me. "Tired? But we are temporarily out of danger." She comforted me in a low voice. Looking around, here is a platform.The platform looks a bit rough at first glance, but it seems that the structure is built according to the terrain here.After careful inspection, it was found that it was a circular platform.Obviously, everyone who fell into the water was washed here with the current. The sun shines down warmly, but not harshly.When I looked up, I still felt dizzy. The original 100-meter abyss hole was just a small hole in front of me, far away from us.What is shocking is that behind the round platform, there is another abyss.The water flowed from both sides of the round table plateau and poured into the abyss, forming a waterfall.When the water flows down silently, I don't know how deep it is.Standing on the round platform and looking into the abyss, it is a bit scary.We heard Professor Tan tell us that the ancient ship has fallen into the abyss with the current. Those who survived reaching the platform include our Three Musketeers and Professor Tan, Uncle Yan, Yu Yanyan, Chen Wei, and Dou Miao.Everyone was lying or sitting on the ground to recover their strength, only Chen Wei kept chattering. Seeing me wake up, Lao Li's lips trembled, he touched his chest, and gasped, "Liang Ke, if I can go back alive, I must eat fast and pray to Buddha for two years. The surrounding area is more terrifying than the minefields of the Japanese devils back then. " While talking, Old Wei had already stood up on the edge of the platform to observe carefully, and he called out loudly: "Professor Tan, have you noticed that this platform is made of the same mold as the Gumugou cemetery! Its stepped outer circle Also seven rings!" Professor Tan nodded with emotion: "Yes, I found out." seven rings. This is like a long-lasting fable, running through our life-and-death adventures, spanning the road from four thousand years ago or even earlier to today, and erecting on the corpses who are willing to sacrifice their lives for their beliefs.In the age of mythology that we look up to the past today, the astronomy and calendar and the belief in gods are so harmoniously unified.The humbleness and greatness of life are engraved on the ring symbolizing the seven stars. Uncle Yan crouched tremblingly, stroking the seven-ring staircase with his hand.He is already alone, unlike the situation when he hijacked us and talked one after another, he lost all his comrades in arms.His face was pale, and his face became more and more ferocious. At this moment, he was squatting silently beside the circular steps, looking old and lonely. Professor Tan stood up slowly and walked to Uncle Yan.Even after going through hardships and obstacles, her eyes are still clear and bright.She sat beside Uncle Yan and talked with him in a low voice, as if to comfort Uncle Yan who had lost his companion.Uncle Yan didn't speak, just let out a long sigh. Chen Wei had already run to the center of the platform. After studying for a while, he lowered his head and said, "Professor Tan, what is this?" We surrounded the past, our eyes involuntarily looked towards the ground in the center of the platform. There is a depiction on the ground, which seems to have been gouged with a tool. It is so huge that it occupies almost one-third of the entire countertop.I glanced at it and found the characterization to be simple and unremarkable. This is a pattern consisting of two connected ellipses with a point in the middle of each ellipse.It is a bit like the deformation of the Bagua diagram, but it is fundamentally different from the Bagua diagram.Li Dazui did not pretend to think, and said: "This must be the style of the early Bagua map. Yi has Taiji, which produces two instruments, two instruments produce four images, and four images produce eight trigrams. It is said that the eight trigrams map was created by Fuxi in ancient times. The ancestors of northern Xinjiang existed earlier than we speculated earlier, and I think it matches the Fuxi era." Dou Miao put her hands in her trouser pockets and looked down at the pattern: "But the most basic concept of yin and yang is not in this picture." Lao Li thought for a while and replied, "A little imagination, okay? Don't be too demanding on the ancients." Hearing this sentence, I knew that Lao Li was fooling around again. "Dou Miao is right," Old Wei adjusted his glasses. "It's not like a Bagua map, and there are too many missing factors. It looks similar at first glance, but it is completely different from a Bagua map after careful study." Yu Yanyan looked at it carefully for a while, then raised her head and said to Professor Tan, "This is the eye, isn't it?" Professor Tan nodded approvingly, "I also think it's the eyes. I think the ancestors of the Combined Xiaohe cemetery were walking west, and returned to northern Xinjiang after several generations. During this long journey, the things that supported their beliefs It must be the gaze of heaven. They bring this experience into their faith, convinced that they are blessed by heaven." She stood up slowly, walked to the center of the platform, looked at Uncle Yan, and then at us. "They lived in this land with difficulty. The harsh environment made them yearn for the prosperity of their offspring. The paddle-shaped and column-shaped stakes in the Xiaohe cemetery are the symbols of male and female genitalia and reproduction. They firmly believe that they will not be abandoned by heaven. While exploring the earth, the sky and the stars, they are obsessed with and praise life. Eyes are the bridge connecting them to the sky. And hope is the power that supports them to live." Professor Tan's voice was like a dream, but the sad and moving words made our hearts deeply stirred.Difficult fate never ceases, but man's will and faith transcend it.Even Uncle Yan and Chen Wei were stunned, listening intently, as if reminiscing. "Professor Tan," Old Wei's voice sounded from the other side of the platform, full of joy and encouragement, "here is an inscription in Tocharian language." Li Dazui and I ran over with all our strength, and people gathered around.Sure enough, under the careful old Wei's feet, there was a line of tiny inscriptions carved on the rock in Tocharian.From the position, this line of inscriptions is just parallel to the eye pattern, but the eye pattern is the center of the entire platform, but this line of inscriptions is at the bottom. Everyone's eyes were focused on Chen Wei, who was the only one who could interpret the Tocharian language at the moment.Chen Wei frowned and looked at the inscription thoughtfully. This line of words took him a long time to read.Uncle Yan looked at him silently, with his last hope. Chen Wei finally raised his head.Different from his excitement and ecstasy when he discovered the true connection between the 52-year cycle of groundwater and the Black Pledge, he had a bewildered and sad look on his face.We all looked at him with anticipation in our eyes.After a while, he finally spoke and translated the Tocharian language. "When the universe collapses and time goes back, parting will meet again." I once thought that if this place is really the Temple of Rebirth, the most important spells or prophecies must be inscribed here.However, the sentimentality and poetry of this sentence are quite different from the meaning of the Temple of Rebirth. Li Dazui couldn't help but said: "Even if I don't understand Tocharian, I still feel something wrong after listening to your translation. How do you say that the word "universe" appeared later? Zhuangzi was the first to use this word, but we usually The universe is in the physical sense.” "The universe is a space-time continuum in which we exist," Dou Miao smiled with a crooked mouth. "It includes time, space, matter and energy." Lao Li slapped his thigh and said, "Exactly! Chen Wei, you must have mistranslated." Chen Wei murmured for a moment, then suddenly burst into a roar: "I did not make a mistake in the translation! I translated it truthfully, even if Qin Suo came to translate it. But, what does this mean? Do we have to wait for the universe to perish? On the day when time goes backwards, people will be reborn? What about those supernatural abilities? What about spells that can bring the dead back to life? What about the black priest? God damn it!" He grabbed his hair in pain, tightly entwined with disappointment and loss and couldn't extricate himself. Wei Datou pressed Chen Wei's shoulder and said in a low voice, "Calm down." Then he turned his head and faced Professor Tan and Uncle Yan and said: "'Yu' in "Shuowen" is interpreted as the side of the house, and in "Shiming" it is interpreted as "feather", like a bird's wings covering. 'Zhou' in "Shuowen" "Shuowen" is explained as "the boat and the extremely overturned", which means that the boat goes back and forth from one place to another. The universe and the universe refer to the infinite space and the infinite time respectively, and it is precisely the original meaning of these two words— —Feathers or boats are important symbols in the beliefs of the ancestors of northern Xinjiang. It is not surprising that this word appears here, I think the ancestors of northern Xinjiang had their philosophical understanding of this world for a long time. " Li Dazui sighed in a low voice: "I came here after a narrow escape, but I was dismissed with just one sentence." Chen Wei was driven even more mad by Li Dazui's words. He ran around on the platform, trying to find some signs that could remind him of rebirth and black-clothed priest's witchcraft.But he found nothing, he stayed on the side of the platform in frustration, raised his head and shouted in despair: "Come out! Come out! The messenger from the other side, the priest of the sun! Come out!" There was no movement around, and Chen Wei's cry sounded like a stone falling into the water, sinking in this huge space without any response. Dou Miao walked to the front of the inscription, and seemed to think to herself while staring at it: "This sentence is indeed memorable, but as far as I know, it just corresponds to the viewpoint of modern astrophysics. According to the observations of scientists, Through the spectral analysis of the stars by the spectroscopic system, they all appear in a state of redshift. Simply put, they are all moving away from the earth, because the universe is expanding, and the points are moving away from each other. When the universe expands to the limit , there will be a "shrinking" situation, which is the so-called collapse. At this time, all the far away points will move back. Like rewinding, let all the time flow again, of course backwards. Of course, the ancestors of northern Xinjiang I don't understand the theory of modern astrophysics, but they express it precisely and succinctly. I think this is either a random intuition coincidence, or a divine direction. But in any case, this sentence clearly shows that , It is impossible to be reborn by human spells." "No!" Chen Wei squatted on the ground with his arms in his arms, roaring in despair, "The spell of rebirth exists! How can you ignore Bian Que's healing of the dead, the black-clothed priest and the blood pact dug out by Tan Yundan himself, and those The dead tree becomes the bones of the boat! I don't accept my fate, never!" He stood up, stomped on the huge eyes carved on the ground, and cursed frantically: "Liar! Liar!" Uncle Yan walked towards Chen Wei slowly, stretched out his hand to pat Chen Wei's back, and sighed softly: "Chen Wei." Chen Wei's eyes were red, and his originally thin body looked violent and ferocious at this moment.He grabbed Uncle Yan's hand and said eagerly: "You want your wife to be resurrected, right? Then look for it with me, and find the black-clothed priest, alive or dead! The parchment said that the reborn saint Temple, there will be God’s guidance. Uncle Yan, you can’t give up, this is an opportunity, and it’s an opportunity we’ve worked so hard to get!” Uncle Yan stared at Chen Wei, as if to comfort him, but also as if sighing. "Let go, Chen Wei... I've been thinking all this way, after so many years of sacrifice, what I want to pursue is actually my dream. Chen Wei, I was wrong. It's up to now , I can no longer pray for the forgiveness of the dead. But you are still young, wake up from these unrealistic fantasies. This so-called temple of rebirth," Uncle Yan left Chen Wei and looked at us sadly, "This sentence Words full of deep meaning, I can’t really understand it with my ability. But I feel that all the power beyond common sense comes from common sense. Time may go back, people may be reborn, but not now, but infinitely far away The future. Some things, after all, are beyond the reach of human beings, and they are also unbearable with limited cognition." Uncle Yan's words silenced us.That kind of deep sorrow came from the deepest part of his life, but it was still restrained and surging under his trembling body. Lao Li took a step forward and stammered, "Uncle Yan, I am very touched by your words. But I have something to report... just now the water on my finger fell into the texture of this depiction, and as a result... the edge cracked opened." The binocular type depicts two ellipses connected. The longest point of each ellipse is about 6 meters, and the widest point is about 3 meters.When everyone gathered around in a panic, they found that the edge of the oval was soaked by water under Lao Li's feet.The places we thought were tight and tight were gradually peeled off, revealing narrow gaps. "This is the crystallization of rocks, formed after a long period of subsidence. I don't know what the ingredients are, how can it melt when it meets water?" Dou Miao looked at the ground thoughtfully, as if talking to herself. "What are you talking about, help me quickly open it and have a look." Li Dazui was impatient. At this moment, Chen Wei seemed to have rekindled hope, and stretched out his hand to try to help lift the rock.But the rock is too heavy, and the gap is too small, it is impossible to open it without tools. "Damn it, if Qin Sanyu hadn't pushed our equipment bags off the cliff, we wouldn't be in such a trouble now." Chen Wei said angrily. Busy for a long time, still to no avail.Lao Li turned to Lao Wei and said, "Hey, you, take off your clothes!" Old Wei was startled, quickly wrapped his hands around his coat tightly, and said vigilantly, "In broad daylight, what do you want to do?" Li Dazui stepped forward and took off Lao Wei's coat without any explanation.He spread Old Wei's coat on the ground, it was already torn, and a corner of the coat was torn off by Old Wei to bandage Uncle Yan's wound.Seeing Lao Li's actions, I probably understood what he meant, and walked over to him to tear Lao Wei's clothes into strips and connect them together. Li Dazui has always been flickering academically, but he is quite witty at critical moments.He slowly slipped the strip of cloth into one end of the oval gap, and did the same on the other side.A few extra strips of cloth were added to each end for fear of not being able to bear the weight of the stone slab. Wei Datou shrunk his body and muttered, "Why my clothes?" Old Li chuckled: "I'll treat you to mutton hot pot later... Come on, brothers, work!" 时至今日，或许我们都已明了，所谓的重生，或者永生，这些都不重要了。将生死置之度外后，人也会豁达起来。无论我们活着离开这里抑或死在这里，都已竭尽全力并无遗憾。在站在令人敬畏的历史面前，惊叹于那些曾经惊心动魄的往事，我们能从中窥见了自己的影子。人类就是这样一代代走下来的，生生不息，在这大地上。 但此刻面对活动的石板下面的乾坤，好奇心依然如旧。“多看个景点，却也不无小补。”窦淼幽幽道。 队伍中的男性分别站在石板的两侧，我和谭教授、于燕燕则蹲在中间准备接应。李大嘴喊了句“一、二、三、起！” 布条被撑得笔直，缓缓将石板翻出一条缝隙。我们赶紧伸手接住石板，李大嘴和窦淼立刻丢掉布条，伸手帮我们扶住，缓缓向上推起。 一声巨大的轰鸣后，石板被掀开了，翻了个倒在地面上。石板下方露了出来，或许这是千百年来，从这里被构建后第一次重见天日吧。 我们顾不上喘息，目光急切地向石板下方望去。与我想象中不同的是，这下面既没有通向另一个世界的通道，也没有巫术的法器和咒语。 石板下方是一个深不过一米的槽室。没有任何装饰，凿击出来的粗糙痕迹依稀可见。在槽室的中央，摆放的是一具我们熟悉的，让人五味陈杂的舟型棺。 舟型棺并没有牛皮覆盖，它直接袒露在阳光下，露出内侧的凹槽。 让我们深感惊讶和迷惑的是，这是一具空棺。 我再次想起了那句诡异而不得其解的话——“她终究还是要依靠人力完成使命。” 一句诗意而广袤不着边际的铭文，一具空荡的舟型棺，即便已经身在此处，我依然感觉到黑衣女祭司对这秘密的固守。或许有生之年我永无可能知道这谜底答案，抑或这一切都是我们的幻觉，质疑科学而相信巫术本身就是荒谬的幻觉。 陈伟失望地跌坐在地上，仿佛因为极度的疲倦和沮丧，他缓缓躺倒，四仰八叉地横在一侧，口中喃喃道：“完了，一切都完了，什么都是假的。” 李大嘴和魏大头跳进槽室内，对其中的情况仔细勘验。这种勾当他们轻车熟路，他们是墓地里战斗成长的一代。 “什么都没有，没有铭文，没有契誓，没有黑衣女祭司，一无所有！”老李查看过后，大声对我们喊道。 “可是，他们为什么在这里放置一具空棺呢？费尽心机在这个大洞下的岩峰上构造出七个圆形，刻上眼睛和铭文，却在石板下的槽室里只放了一具空棺？” 无人回答我的问话。我向谭教授望去，她向我微微一笑，也并无回答的意思。不知为何，这笑容让我心中隐隐动荡，仿佛在周谦脸上似曾相识。 窦淼耸了耸肩膀：“没准古人跟我们的想法不一样，又或许这里只是一个象征地，并没有实质内容。” 李大嘴走到窦淼面前，和他对眼片刻，伸手掐了掐窦淼的脸。 窦淼伸手拨开李大嘴的胳膊，向后退了一步：“你干吗？” 老李如实回答：“我是想看看你跟我们是不是同属脊索动物门哺乳纲灵长目人科的智人。” “为什么这样问？”老魏的好奇心被撩拨起来了。 李大嘴指着窦淼道：“你们看他，从来都是闲庭信步的样子。眼下我们被困在这个鸟不生蛋的鬼地方，甚至差点被人咬死，在沙漠里被水淹死，他怎么还能跟没事儿一样，吊儿郎当的？” 窦淼哈哈笑了出来，指了指于燕燕：“你们问她。” “什么？！”老魏和老李同时吼道。 “你和她有了私情？” “暴殄天物啊！” 我羞愧地躲在谭教授身后，假装不认识这两位神情激动的大神。 于燕燕冷冷道：“关我什么事？” 窦淼歪了歪嘴：“于小姐，你那么爱惜你的鞋子，是因为里面藏有GPS定位器吧？你苦思冥想出来的妙计，调走自己大部分手下，引蛇出洞，却没有料到进入地下，与你的手下失去联系，对吗？现在这个位置，卫星应该已经能接收到你的所在了，想必没多久，救援队就该来了。所以，我为什么要担心呢？” 于燕燕微笑了一下：“你怎么知道这些的？” 窦淼淡淡道：“观察，分析，和推理。我跟那两个书呆子不一样。”他的脸上带着似笑非笑的神情看了看老魏和老李，凑近于燕燕低声道，“顺便说下，我也未婚。” 李大嘴一把拉过窦淼，向他胸前来了一记轻拳，兴奋道：“好兄弟，这顿羊肉火锅我们吃定了！”他压低声音又补充了一句，“你敢泡于燕燕我把你揍成壁画。” 久违的欢乐似乎姗姗来迟，但终于还是来了。听到会有救援，大家的心情一下放松起来，七扭八歪地倒在地上。只有陈伟的神情沮丧，闷闷不乐地躲在一边。 我看到严叔孤独地站在一边，脸色绯红。我伸手想去扶他，手还没有碰到严叔他就踉跄了一下，软软地倒在了地上。 老魏始终记得严叔曾经救过他一命，此刻他坐在严叔身边，用打湿的布条时不时给严叔擦擦脸。 严叔的病势让我们的心情都很沉重。大家心知肚明，严叔的虚弱不仅仅是为救老魏时在崖壁上撞伤的，他也被双翼生物咬过。他还能支撑多久，他的“病”会不会发作，这些我们心里都没底，既关切他的安危，同时也隐隐的担心着。 谭教授从魏大头上接过布条，轻声道：“你去休息一会吧，我来照顾老严。” 老魏摇摇头，执意守在严叔身边。谭教授拍了拍他的肩膀，有些无奈道：“已经很晚了，你也早点休息吧。” 白天灿烂的阳光已经不见了。从我们头顶圆洞望出去，能看到隐约的星空。或许其实我并没有真的看到星空，我只是在意念里固执地怀念少年时躺在院子里，仰望星空睡去时的安详心情。尽管于燕燕事先的部署安排让我知道救援队一定会来，但是要多久才会赶到呢？我们已经没有食物了，支撑不了多久。况且，这里距离洞口至少1750米。这么漫长的距离，救援队又怎么施救呢？ 身边传来均匀的呼吸声，大家都累得很了，此刻听说有救援队会来，终于得以在这地下第一次睡个好觉。我却睁大眼睛，看着头顶小小的一方洞口，辗转难眠。 胡思乱想到了清晨微光透入洞口的时分，终于有了困意，我正准备合眼安睡的时候，却忽然看到严叔缓缓地坐了起来。 他脸色不再是绯红的，而成了一种让人心惊的铁青色。我眯着眼睛，假装发出鼾声观察着他。严叔动作极慢地站了起来，向四周看了看，见众人都在睡觉，便摇摇晃晃向平台中心走去。 我心里一惊，平台中心那里正是老魏和老李休息的地方。此刻严叔正背对着我，我微微抬起上身，心中琢磨着要不要叫醒两位师兄。还没等我做出决定，严叔已经走到了双目石板那里，他并没有接近老魏和老李，而是在石板前颤巍巍地跪下。 我赶紧伏地，侧着身子观察严叔，心中怦怦乱跳。在我眼中严叔一直是硬汉形象，即便他身负重伤、面临各种危险困境，从未见过他皱眉或软弱过。此刻他骤然跪下，正如一个孤独无助的老人低着头，口中低声祷告着。 “宽恕我，”他喃喃道，“如果真的有神，请宽恕我。” 此后的大部分时间，他是在和亡妻对话，诉说他的思念与不舍，他曾经的愤怒和不甘心。他恳求着再见她一面，又恳求着她的宽宥，恳求神灵和妻子宽恕自己的自私罪孽。他的声音低而悲伤，让人听着心碎。 “肉体死亡只是一瞬间的事情，我并不畏惧。可是夏池，当我诅天咒神，痛不欲生地度过这十九年后，在我连累了这么多生命逝去后，我能忏悔，却无法挽回。我爱你，你是我生命的意义。原谅我，原谅我对你无法忘记，无法等到时光倒流的那天。” 过了一会，严叔挣扎着站了起来。他环顾四周，选定了我的方向，走了过来。我的心再次狂跳起来，轻轻地吞了口口水，随时准备尖叫。严叔却没有在我身边停留，越过了我，走到于燕燕身边蹲下。他从怀里掏出了一件东西，轻轻地放在于燕燕的口袋里。他蹑手蹑脚，正准备站起身时，忽然于燕燕眼睛一睁，抓住了他的手腕。 “这是什么东西？”于燕燕轻声问道，紧紧地握住严叔的手腕。她从口袋里掏出了那样东西，我偷偷定睛看去，是一把钥匙，上面有一个标签坠饰。 “这是银行保险箱的钥匙。我希望……有朝一日，你可以打开这个保险箱看看。”严叔低声道。 于燕燕缓缓坐了起来，声音依然很低：“为什么你不亲自告诉我保险箱里是什么，你又为什么希望我看？” 严叔沉默不语。 于燕燕凝视了他片刻，替他做了回答：“因为你怕你的女儿以你为耻，对吗？因为在你女儿的心中，她的父亲母亲都是烈士，而现在这个父亲不仅没死，反而成了劫持者。你害怕她的轻视和厌弃，你怕失去她的爱和尊重，对吗？” 严叔又沉默了一会，终于开口道：“你什么时候知道的？” 于燕燕轻声道：“我开始仅仅是有所怀疑而已，直到刚才彻底确定。” 严叔伸手抚过于燕燕的发际，低声道：“我不是个好丈夫，好父亲。我没有保护好妻子，又让女儿成了孤儿。燕燕，这些都是我无法弥补你的。我曾想，如果真的可以让你母亲复活，我们一家三口又可以幸福地生活在一起了。可是这重生，终究是一场幻想罢了。这些年，我给你写了很多信，但都没有寄出。我思念你，我的女儿，每时每刻都想念你。这些信都在保险箱里。原谅我，女儿，我从没想到一个绝望而疯狂的念头，竟然会连累这么多生命。” 严叔苍老的声音有些颤抖。他再一次深深看了女儿，站起身来。 “你，你要干什么？”一向冷静的于燕燕终于沉不住气了，追了上去。 严叔向她微笑了一下，他的肌肉已经不听使唤，这个笑容是努力挤出的。 “孩子，到了真正的告别时刻了。如果我穷尽半生，也无法再见到你的母亲，甚至现在控制不了自己对血的噬欲，那么至少让我保留最后的尊严死去。” 于燕燕一把抱住了严叔的脖子，她的身体微微有些颤抖，紧紧抱着严叔不肯松手。 “无论你是什么样的人，你都是我的父亲。相信我，救援队就快来了，我带你去最好的医院，肯定有办法治疗你的病。不要离开我，这些年我很怕，也很孤单。爸爸……” 于燕燕恳求的声音急切而无助，带着哽咽。她的声音惊动了李大嘴，老李警觉地跳了起来，掏出手电却点不亮，急得一迭声道：“怎么回事，发生什么了？” 洞口透进的清晨微光里，我看到严叔的两只手轻轻安抚着于燕燕的肩膀，他的左眼缓缓流出一行眼泪。这眼泪让我心惊肉跳，并不是因为我曾经以为严叔这种人永远不会落泪，而是因为，这泪水是血红色的。 他的声音温柔而低回：“时光会倒流的，离别的会重逢的。燕儿，别悲伤。” 那行血红的泪水挂在左颊上，像是一个诡异的悲伤，让人惊悚而动容。 几秒钟后，严叔推开于燕燕，迅雷不及掩耳之势掏出手枪。一声枪响像是惊雷，让我身体不由自主的一颤。 他的身体在枪声过后并没有立刻倒下，而是像一尊雕塑一样肃立了片刻，迸满鲜血的头颅高昂向天空，像是一个永不屈服、永不停止的追问。片刻后，他缓缓向后倒去，一声轰鸣落在地上。 李大嘴的叫声和严叔的枪声惊醒了所有人。大家睡眼惺忪地从地上撑起身子，刚好看到严叔的身躯轰然落地的一幕。这猝不及防的变故让所有人都瞬间清醒了，李大嘴呆呆地看着严叔，僵硬地站在原地。 混乱中我听到陈伟尖叫的声音：“水！水又涨了！” 陈伟睡在最靠平台外围的地方，但距离外围也有几米的距离。 我这才意识到自己触地的手果然也湿了。在这个夜晚不知不觉间，我们前方的深渊已经被水填满。水开始聚集在这里，漫过了平台下的七环阶梯，向中心这里涌来。 水漫溢得很快，我们向中心靠拢，内心巨大的恐惧让呼吸困难起来。于燕燕对此变故似乎并不在意，她跪在父亲的尸体旁，紧紧地抱着他渐渐冷去的身体。他们的身体一起浸泡在水中，波荡的水流淹过严叔的头部，淡红色的痕迹在水中蔓延开来。 老魏弯腰试图扶起于燕燕，同时高声对我们叫道：“一旦这里被水淹没，大家想尽一切办法靠近岩壁，抓住岩壁上一切能稳住身体的地方。” 他的判断是对的，水势汹涌，水下或许还有暗流。只有破釜沉舟游到旁边的岩壁处，稳固身体，才有可能支撑到救援队前来的时刻。 平台的周围都是水，距离岩壁还有一定距离。想要靠近岩壁，必须在水淹没这里后游过去。想到一夜前在水中的幻觉，我内心绝望起来。 于燕燕不声不响地抱着父亲的尸体，既没有继续流泪，也没有要走的意思。 李大嘴此刻的嘴唇停止了颤抖，似乎终于从严叔让人震惊的死亡中回过神来，他一把拉起于燕燕喊道：“放开严叔，跟我们游到崖壁那边去！” 于燕燕低声道：“他是我的父亲，我不能让他孤单一个人在这里。” 李大嘴不由分说地推着于燕燕：“时间紧迫，不要再说了，赶紧准备游过去！” 于燕燕木讷地站在原地，对李大嘴的话不理不睬，又俯身向父亲靠去。 “于燕燕，”谭教授的手放在她的肩头，止住了她，“如果你父亲还活着，他一定希望你带我们离开这里。你是他生命的延续，不要辜负了他。” 于燕燕怔住了片刻，紧紧咬住嘴唇，咬得如此之深，甚至丝丝血迹可见。她向严叔的尸体望了一眼，伸手狠狠抹了一下脸庞上不知不觉间再次滑落的泪痕，声音中恢复了往日的冷静：“现在就游过去，游到崖壁边，防止水中有漩涡。” 李大嘴拉起我的手，放在老魏的手中：“师妹就交给你了，我照顾谭教授。” 老魏点点头：“收到。” 我们胆战心惊地在水里走了两步，平台上的水已经高至我的腰部以上。窦淼带头向崖壁处游去，陈伟神情沮丧地跟在后面。这一切还算顺利，除了水有点刺骨冰冷，我们都咬着牙游到了岩壁边，扶着岩壁浮游在水面上。 回头望去，水势越来越高，渐渐完全淹没了躺在那里的严叔的尸体。他孤独地躺在那里，衣服的一角卡在石板处，让他的尸体无法浮起来。于燕燕最后望了他一眼，收回目光，把头扭向我们。 她的声音不再是那个胆怯而孤单的小女孩，充满了求生的信念和决心：“大家扶好岩壁，既然我父亲带你们进来，我就一定会带你们出去。” 我们以这样一种奇怪的姿势浮在水面，跟着不断上涨的水往上攀高。饥饿和寒冷让我浑身发抖，每个人的情况都不容乐观，在水中奋力坚持着。 大约过了两个小时，头顶已经大了不少的洞口忽然传出扩音器的叫声。一开始我没听清楚，耳鸣和眩晕正折磨着我。直到老魏拼命地摇我，我才从恍惚中清醒过来，听到了呼唤“于队长”的扩音器的叫声。 一盏高能探照灯从上方照了下来，大家竭尽全力地大声叫喊，试图引起救援队的注意。我们的声音或许没有被听到，但探照灯发现了我们的身影。几分钟后，从上面垂吊下来几根绳子，全副武装的特种部队人员沿绳索降了下来。 他们到达绳索的最底端，距离我们仍有一百多米，但彼此已经能看清，喊话的声音也清晰了。 “于队长，绳子到头下不去了——下面一共多少人？” “8个……不，7个。”于燕燕的声音停顿了片刻，她深深呼吸了一口，“看水势，过一会我们就能到达绳索的位置了。” “收到。你们再坚持一会，我们在这里待命！有没有生命垂危的人？” “没有，”于燕燕答道，“叫上面准备好救助工作！” 大约四十分钟后，我们的水位终于接近了绳索底端，“谭教授，您第一个上去。”于燕燕说道。 谭教授摇摇头：“不，让梁珂先上去，我最后一个走。” 于燕燕的口气不容置疑：“别争了，听我安排。” 谭教授的眼眸亮晶晶的，微笑出来：“就这一次，听我的安排吧。” 于燕燕思忖了片刻，不再坚持，同意了她的要求。 救援人员向我伸出手，轻而易举地把我捞了上去。他叮嘱我双手拉住绳子，他则在我的腰间围上安全带，准备用快扣将我和绳子连在一起。就在这个时候，我向谭教授望了一眼。当时她的目光并不像其他人那样看着我被救援人员拉上去，而是看着身后已经消失不见、被水淹没的圆形平台。 我顺着谭教授的目光向原本是平台的水面处望去，在我被绳索拉着缓缓上升的时候，在听到救援人员轻声叮嘱的时候，我骤然明白了她坚持的深意。 我一直无法肯定当时所看到的是自己的幻觉还是真实的，比如在石门前看到黑衣女祭司的生死绽放，奇花初胎，比如在深水处与自己在博物馆中的重逢——时间在这里是一个模糊的概念，让人迷惘而茫然。 但我愿意相信，也坚持相信我看到的是真实的景象。 从我远眺的目光中，脚下的无边水域已经荡然不见。严叔静静躺在圆台的中心，温暖刺眼的光芒笼罩着这里。一位高挑美丽的女子缓步走向他，在他身边轻轻跪下，亲吻他的脸庞。我看见严叔的脸上洋溢着幸福，将她轻揽入怀。这种温暖和欢愉，像是经历冬眠后苏醒的万物，柔软而让人流连。 那个女子神情端庄高贵，她爱怜而轻柔地拥抱着严叔，时间静止在那里，仿佛世间再无什么可以将他们分开。然而仅仅一瞬间后这景象消失了，黑色水面覆盖了一切。我心头一紧，转头向已经离我越来越远的谭教授望去。她的脸庞与往日不同，有一种异样的光芒。她微笑出来，似乎知晓了我的心思，又仿佛在宽慰我不安的心灵。她默念着口型对我说了一句话，尽管没有声音，我却完全读懂了她的意思。 “当宇宙坍塌，时光倒流，离别的会重逢。” “那么，”我在心中默默想到，“你将完成你的使命吗？” “蒙住头，挡住她的眼睛！” 我听见身边嘈杂的声音，随后一双手伸过来，将一件外套蒙在我头上。我被一具简易担架抬到了车里。乍然回到地面，回到我曾经成长和奔跑过的大地上，浑身顿时酸软起来，仿佛疲惫到了极点，不知不觉睡了过去。 当我醒来时，我已经躺在沙漠车的后座上，车窗拉着窗帘，刺眼的光亮我依然觉得眩晕。适应了一会后，我看到了老魏那张忧心忡忡的多边形的脸。 “谭教授呢？”我的声音很古怪地嘶哑着，浑身疼痛。 老魏摇摇头，并不说话，只是给我盖好毛毯。 远远的，车窗外传来喧嚣声，我听见有人说道：“于队长，谭教授实在找不到了。水越长越高，已经到洞口了。我建议撤退。” 我颤巍巍地坐了起来，抑制不住的颤抖：“谭教授呢，她怎么样了？” 老魏沉默了片刻，低声道：“谭教授坚持最后一个上来，老李是倒数第二个。他上来后，只是救援人员一回头的功夫，谭教授不见了。怎么找都找不到。” 车窗外，救援队已经陆陆续续向沙漠车这边撤退了。老李戴了副墨镜，夹在人群中，神情悲伤。当所有人都向沙漠车这边走时，那个百米深渊的洞口依然踟蹰着一个身影，我认出来他，是在XJ博物馆见过的钟卫红馆长。 他久久地伫立在洞口，凝视着下面。 大家坐上车后，没人催促他，都在静静等待。我靠在老魏的肩头，安静地坐着，眼睛望着窗外钟馆长的身影。 老李上车后，摘掉墨镜，默不作声地坐在我们身边。片刻后他开口道：“梁珂，别难过。” 我没有回应他。他仿佛自言自语般：“救援人员都下水找过了，还是没找到谭教授。其实我早有感觉，谭教授这里来这里，就没想活着回去。梁珂，别难过了。谭教授……会心疼的。” 钟卫红在洞口边一直流连到水位漫过洞口，才缓缓向沙漠车走来。 他身后的水慢慢满溢出洞口，铺陈在沙砾上，形成一个小小的湖泊，像是沙漠里的一滴眼泪。 从新疆回到S市的一路上，我们大都是沉默的。这次经历已经远远超越了考古的意义，成为我生命里的一个刻度。我们习惯了谭教授在身边的日子，习惯了发问和探讨问题前的口头语：“谭