Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Li Du grew more and more serious. However, Maung Kyaw Zin started to laugh. Hearing Li Du’s words, he became more and more amused.
“What are you laughing at?” Li Du asked.
Maung Kyaw Zin laughed harder and said, “You are getting ahead of yourself. You are a smart alec.”
Li Du also laughed, but it was a cold chortle. “Ha, you are just trying to cover things up. My guess is right. You know that there is a jade mine on the mountain. So did your father and grandfather. This is your family secret, isn’t it?”
Seeing that he was serious, Maung Kyaw Zin finally stopped laughing. He said, “Your imagination is too vivid. That’s not true.”
Li Du said, “After I manage to dig out the jade, we’ll see.”
Hearing that, Maung Kyaw Zin suddenly became angry. He said furiously, “You are still trying to bluff. And you said that you are not here in Wooku Town for the jade mine!”
Li Du said, “I’m not here for the jade mine, that’s true. However, I know the position of the jade mine. I can confirm that there must be a jade mine on Dena Mountain!”
Maung Kyaw Zin said in shock, “How can that be, how can there be a jade mine on Dena Mountain? Why are you so sure?”
Li Du replied, “I have evidence. I came across a piece of map coincidentally. This…”
“God!” Maung Kyaw Zin stood up in shock. “You, you… you got a map? Not a map! You got a very valuable jade sculpture! The Mystical Jade of Dena Mountain is in your hands?!”
The reaction of Maung Kyaw Zin shocked Li Du. He was incredulous.
He was troubled because he had spilled the beans. Although Maung Kyaw Zin looked innocent, he was actually very cunning. He had managed to draw that piece of the secret out from Li Du’s mouth.
Besides, Maung Kyaw Zin had already known about the existence of the jade sculpture that Tang Chaoyang gave Li Du. He also knew that there was a jade mine hidden on the Dena Mountain!
In fact, there was nothing shocking about that. It was obvious that the jade sculpture was a treasure. Perhaps it had never appeared before the public, but there had to be people who knew about its existence. The stories about the jade circulated all over the place.
However, Li Du had no idea what the piece of jade represented. He did not know what emotions it inspired in people or what had happened in the past relating to it. Hence, he could not acknowledge that.
Instead, he said, “What’s the Mystical Jade of Dena Mountain? Is it a jade sculpture depicting the mountain?”
Agitated, Maung Kyaw Zin nodded, “Yes, yes, yes. Do you have it? Let me look at it.”
Li Du shook his head. “No, it’s not with me. I’ve only seen it and taken a few photos.”
Saying that, he lifted up the phone in his hand again.
Maung Kyaw Zin reached out to take the phone. “Let me look at it. Let me look at the photo. Where’s the sculpture? Tell me, where’s the sculpture?”
He moved very swiftly. However, if he wanted to take something from Li Du’s hands, it was only his wishful thinking.
Li Du took a step back and pocketed the phone. He said, “Don’t be anxious. Looks like we have bumped into many mysteries. I have some questions and so do you. Let’s help each other to answer them.”
Maung Kyaw Zin thought for some time. Then he took a deep breath and said, “Alright, I…”
“Let me ask first,” Li Du said. “What’s with these big ants?”
Maung Kyaw Zin replied, “I don’t know either. There is a legend about them in my family. There are also some legends regarding the Dena Mountain in the Wooku Town. However, my family thinks that these ants are the Gods of Dena Mountain!”
Li Du asked, “Why? Do they have some special power?”
Maung Kyaw Zin replied, “This is another question. It’s my turn to ask. Where did you see the sculpture?”
Li Du said, “I have a friend, he is an explorer. Once, I got a treasure map of a gold mine in Egypt. He borrowed it but lost it accidentally. Later, as a compensation for my loss, he brought me to his study to choose an item. I saw the jade sculpture there, in his study.”
Maung Kyaw Zin said anxiously, “Bring me to see him, that jade is my family’s treasure.”
“Not so quick. Question, answer,” Li Du laughed, “Come on, tell me more. What’s with the ants? Why are they known as Mountain Gods?”
Maung Kyaw Zin said, “The name was just passed down like that. I’m not sure about the details. Perhaps they are invincible, have strong venom…”
Li Du said, “That’s right, they have really strong venom. A bite from an ant on someone’s leg can cause the person’s legs to go numb. Those people who came to Dena Mountain to look for the jade mine, they were all poisoned by the ant venom, right?”
“That’s another question,” Maung Kyaw Zin said cautiously.
Li Du shook his head. “No, that’s not a question. That’s a rebuttal. I’m sure they were killed by the ants. I can also be sure that you drew out the ants. That means it was you who killed those people!”
Maung Kyaw Zin waved his hands angrily. “No, I did not kill them. I told them after dinner, they should not stay on the mountain, they should leave. There’s a danger. The mountain gods will punish those who want to steal their treasures. But those people did not believe me! They were the ones courting death!”
Li Du caught a clue from his words. “After dinner? There was some issue with the dinner you made?”
Maung Kyaw Zin was stunned. He kept quiet.
Li Du looked at him and said, “Even if you stay silent, it’s useless. I know what happened. It’s not the dinner you provided that had a problem. It’s that pot and grill of yours. They can attract the ants.”
Maung Kyaw Zin looked at him in shock. “How did you know all that?”
Li Du said, “That explorer friend of mine told me that as well.”
Frowning, Maung Kyaw Zin bit on his nails and started to consider. It seemed as though there was something he could not understand.
“What are you thinking about?” Li Du asked. “I’m not done asking.”
The man ignored him. After some thought, Maung Kyaw Zin looked up and said, “That explorer friend of yours, is his surname Tang? Is he an old man who is quite fit?”
Li Du shook his head. “Nope, he is a young man, even younger than me.”
Maung Kyaw Zin tutted, “That’s not right.”
Li Du said, “What’s not right?”
Maung Kyaw Zin said, “Nothing. Since you practically know everything, I won’t keep you in the dark. I can only hope that what you said is the truth and that you’re really not here for the jade mine.”
Li Du got impatient. “Why would I lie to you? I’m in Wooku Town not to develop a mine.”
Maung Kyaw Zin said, “That’s good. There really is a jade mine on Dena Mountain, but I don’t know its exact location. In the past, the deaths of those people who came in search of it, are related to me. However, I did not do it to keep the mine for myself to develop. It’s not like that. I just wanted to protect the town because I’m the chief!”
“You came from Hpakant, you’ve seen what it’s like. Before the jade mine was discovered, Hpakant had been one of the top towns in the area. It was almost going to become a city.”
“In the end, after the jade was discovered, the town was ruined. You see that there are many people now in Hpakant. However, most of them are not locals. The villages of Hpakant have all been destroyed for the jade mines. The Hpakant people had all died from reasons related to the mines. I can’t let Wooku Town become the next Hpakant!”
