Li Jin’s rented van sped along t road creating dust clouds in its  ed  s. Li Jin raig,  to a bank in ty and bombarded teller ructions. It o to see er an absence of more t ion ransformed into concern he back.

    Li Jin  a to   understand en all t e sc? as rouble ies? Li Jin’s instructions er and to keep an eye on cer. If  off erized voice saying “Critical Condition”, o get in take o tal. All tuff about computers. t understand w o do.

    ever to, Lao Z. Yet, Li Jin rouble, Lao Z o omatically into  at ture Bank in Yulin city at ervals.  if ty?

    Li Jin ed a place to , some ted cave d still ricity and  Li Jin ed t  need electricity.  or retc t looked like medical supplies. Every fees, Lao Zurn around and look at t on earto? Li Jin looked over at tried to put  ease.

    “Don’t ’s a project related to tuff t I udying at tsinghua,” he explained.

    “If you say so. But understand it from my point of vieurn up in t after almost to do to be in t  understand it.”

    “I  to you after’s just a couple of weeks.”

    “OK, if you say so. Go off tructed reluctantly. Li Jin took a left turn and tiated terrain. It  impossible to see clearly in t and one urning could plunge to a steep ravine.

    t fifty kilometers outside ty of Yulin, a fortified garrison toy t ion of t all. teau met Inner Mongolia’s Mu Us Desert, a mountainous expanse of yello stretc all beacons scattered across ted landscape, tions long eroded by sand, er and tless passage of time.

    A feerprising villagers  all, using its pounded earto build d  ered fragments of a great ory t  disappeared. tural gas and oil nearby e villages acy ricity, communications neter but t . tion corporations  an arid forgotten eland.

    As Li Jin eep incline  several arcone dooro ttened cliff. t but till seemed to be o ted  tc. t out of t at one of the doors.

    Lao Zook ts of rotting tom as trougic e one side of ting er o a sunken courtyard surrounded by several rooms. Lao Zoc on. A single sixty t bulb o life.

    In one corner of ted platform, made of unbaked clay. ts and pans to one side of t looked like explosives sat in one corner. Despite ts creeping along t, tion.

    “Is t dynamite?” Li Jin asked pointing at the explosives.

    “Yes, I .  do you ted for years. to live o Xian. troyed by encroaching sand dunes in one single day.”

    “t, Lao Zhank you.”

    “OK I will hey came in.

    “thanks.”

    Li Jin follo place, safe from prying eyes. Yet, Li Jin ed. too mucion o keep to himself.

    “Lao Z tell anyone about t?”

    “ Li Jin? As far as I am concerned I  seen you for t  in trouble.”

    “I am not in trouble. I promise you,” Li Jin lied.

    “OK. t’s t then.”

    ty minutes later, t and to tor going and t errupted pos, a generic console, Professor Yao’s backdoor rig and a ctery for backup. Lao Zook in all t like a farmer from a remote province visiting a large city for t time. It ed stringing ts, drips and pumps to an aluminum arm next to t took on t worried look again.

    “ are ting at travenous drips.

    “to keep me fed  means you’ll only need to come once every feo see atus. t beat.” Li Jin placed one of t  and tor started counting up, ing grap rate.”

    “OK I  in tal before.  about wo poop or pee?” Lao Zching his head.

    “Yes, it is tals. If I am in any danger, tem comatically but long before t, you ified on your cell. ter is set up to call you if anyt o deal  afterwards.”

    “Computers can do t? Call my cell p rising in his head.

    “Yes, and mucting-edge stuff, t’s est it. Secretly.”

    “OK,” Lao Zhou said limply.

    tcing elements ioned beloor  the far corner of one room.

    “So you remember the procedure, Lao Zhou?”

    “Yes, I am to come back every to see  te do piece of paper. Next I am to co make sure t t red lig on. If t is green to add more fuel to tor, make sure it is full every time. If everyt po drive you to Dr. Yu’s clinic in Yulin City.”

    “Excellent. t’s over. Lao Zo you. I  t. I am placing it in your hands again.”

    “Don’t mention it. You are not a stranger.”

    “OK. I am going to go into ter no from  t er and removed ts plastic scapped at t belo tisfied ion of table on t o raced t disappeared from to tic box t Li Jin yrene to make it someerproof.

    “Goodbye Lao Zhou and see you soon.”

    “Goodbye.” Lao Zears o tled on to tcarted moving around making   sa  possible? ood ces. tor seemed fine.  of  and c ed moving to tside.  and ourned around and looked at tose on ting elements. to tyard, closing the wooden doors behind him.