“Did I hear you say just now that you spent a long time in the desert?” Olivia Parker took the initiative to ask. Henry Foster nodded and said, “Relatively long, about two or three months, and it was quite pure. We went through uninhabited areas, not the usual tourist routes, so it felt pretty worthwhile.”

She hesitated for a moment and said, “The Badain Jaran you mentioned is actually where I went for fieldwork. I stayed there for three weeks, so everything you said sounds very nostalgic to me. But, according to our guide, that’s only considered a small desert.”

Henry Foster chuckled quietly, recalling the panic when a group of their people got lost. Forty-seven thousand square kilometers, the third largest desert in our country—compared to the vast sea of sand in the Taklamakan, it really is too small, but for an individual, it’s already big enough.

She continued to ask, “When you were in the Badain Jaran, did you go to a place called Gutongjing?”

Henry Foster was slightly surprised, not expecting her to mention that name.

In the Badain Jaran, he had heard others mention that place several times. It was a place with a bit of a mystical reputation among the locals, located in the uninhabited area of the Badain Jaran. The only explanation the locals gave was that it’s best not to go there, that it’s different from other places. But as for why, no one knew.

This kind of secrecy wasn’t just for show; it was probably a habit passed down from ancient times. Generally, for people doing archaeology, this was a custom to be respected. So they didn’t go to Gutongjing—anyway, what they discovered on that expedition was already enough to support the next research project.

Henry Foster shook his head and said with a wry smile, “Honestly, that place wasn’t in our plan at the time. Although some of us wanted to check it out, our guide didn’t want to take us there. I don’t know why.”

“Your guide refused your request?”

“Yes. You know, we were traveling through uninhabited areas. The guide isn’t like a regular travel agency tour guide—he’s the leader of a local adventure club. During the trip, he has the final say. If he says we can’t go somewhere, we can’t argue.”

Olivia Parker took a breath, looked at Henry Foster, and said softly, “You were really lucky to have hired a good guide.”

He looked at her in surprise, catching the implication: “Wait, did you go to that place?”

She nodded, paused, and then stopped to look at Henry Foster: “Mr. Guan, I’ve heard many friends mention you. They say you’re steady, reliable, and very knowledgeable about photography. There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask someone, but I don’t want anyone else to know. This is very important to me. Can I trust you?”

Henry Foster was a bit puzzled and nodded blankly: “What happened?”

She hesitated for a moment before saying, “I encountered some strange things in Gutongjing.”

Sand Sea I: Shadows in the Desert

Chapter 10: Henry Foster’s Story (Part 2)

Henry Foster told Eric Bennett that his philosophy professor in college once told him, “Nothing in this world is eternal and unchanging. The only thing that never changes is ‘change’ itself.” At the time, Henry Foster didn’t understand the real meaning of this, but after entering society, he quickly realized how true it was amidst all the changes.

Everything is in flux, and most things you can only guess at, not predict—just like how Henry Foster met Olivia Parker. He always thought he and she would only have a normal working relationship, but he never expected such a surprising situation to arise.

Henry Foster started to be confused about what Olivia Parker really meant. They happened to meet because of a project. Although it wasn’t their first meeting, it was probably their first official one. After some conversation, the meeting ended, and she suddenly approached him, telling him she had also been to the desert he’d visited and had encountered some strange things.

It sounded a bit like the beginning of a suspense novel—was she testing whether her novel’s opening was attractive enough? Maybe with a friendly joke?

But as Henry Foster looked at her expression, he realized she was very serious.

People who have studied photography have a special intuition for people’s expressions, because when your photography skills reach a certain level, what the lens captures goes deep inside. The most enduring photographic works often capture the soul. So he could sense there was not a trace of jest in her eyes.

“What happened?” Henry Foster asked. “I’m just a photographer, not a desert expert. I’m not sure if I can help you.”

She kept walking: “That’s exactly why I came to you.”

“Oh?” He was taken aback. “Is it a photography problem?”

She forced a smile: “I wish it were just a photography problem… Do you have time to take a look for me now? Let’s find somewhere we can talk.”

Henry Foster checked his watch. Although he was quite tired, he was rather confident in his photography skills, and when someone asked for his help, he couldn’t help but want to show off a little.

So he smiled and nodded.

She smiled too: “Great, let’s go. I remember there’s a teahouse up ahead. I’ll tell you what happened.”