The dirt road in the forest between Tuikano and Lunuk showed Zhang Lisheng how flat the roads in Lunuk City were.
It felt like he was sitting on a raft in turbulent waves, admiring the primitive jungle landscape by the road. The old bus that would not exceed 15 kilometers per hour and looked like it was going to fall apart anytime.
Zhang Lisheng spent over three hours to leave the armadillo lizard, high-crowned chameleon, monkey-tailed stonecrops resting by the road … Finally, he returned to the Paradise Hotel after a day of absence.
The bill was 1,300 dollars. It was even more expensive than taking a Greyhound bus around America.
After getting off the bus, Zhang Lisheng withdrew the money and paid the bill. The first thing he did was to run to the hotel's front desk to ask if there was a service to rent a global satellite locator. He planned to be self-reliant for all his trips in Tatetutu in the future.
"Of course, there's a satellite locator. It's divided into professional and travel levels. What would you need …" The Paradise Hotel's front desk staff was answering Zhang Lisheng's question while smiling. All of a sudden, a dissatisfied lady's voice came from far away, "Zhang Lisheng, you're finally back.
Do you remember coming to Tatetutu with your partner? It's only the third day today … "
"I'm sorry Tina, it's indeed my fault this time. However, I'm planning to make it up to you.
I'm asking the front desk lady if there's a global satellite locator … "
"That sort of thing was ready last night by Walter.
Eh, what's that on your palm? Are you hurt? " Tina asked immediately when she saw Zhang Lisheng's hand covered in gauze all of a sudden when she got close to him.
"No, this is something interesting that I bought in Lunuk.
The seller said it's from the supernatural realm. It can change its shape and stick on the human body … "Zhang Lisheng removed the jelly stone from his palm as he spoke. He played with it and pulled it out a little longer before wrapping it around his wrist.
"Are you still a kid?" Tina was not interested in the little toy in Zhang Lisheng's hand at all. She said softly, "We might leave for the jungle tomorrow …"
"It's much earlier than I thought. Seems like the powerful Captain Hatton's appearance backfired.
I thought we'd stay in the hotel for at least a week before we left. In the end, Trish couldn't take it anymore so she dragged you guys to die … "
"Since you're going with us no matter what, can you not be so sarcastic?"
"Sorry, sometimes the truth is unpleasant."
Tina glared at Zhang Lisheng. "In reality, the reason why we decided to depart so suddenly was not only because of Hatton, but also because of Mr. Tubalin who showed up yesterday afternoon.
It was hard to imagine that there was such a cultured and exceptionally knowledgeable old man among the indigenous people of the jungle.
In the early 1970s, it only took him three years to get his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Just as he was about to make a name for himself in the field of physics, Tatetutu was suddenly hit by a plague that killed tens of thousands of people.
This incident had a huge impact on him. When he saw that the suffering of his compatriots did not attract the attention of any of the top international biological laboratories, he actually changed his major to biomedicine and obtained his second doctorate. You know, in that era, scientists were not as' humanitarian 'as they are now.
Trish had a high fever yesterday, the hotel doctor recommended us to look for Professor Tubalin who just came back from the jungle expedition for help … "
Zhang Lisheng found out that Trish had a high fever after he left from Tina's long-winded description that was filled with respect.
Tina and Sheila listened to the Paradise Hotel doctor's suggestion and got help from an old indigenous man who had a double doctorate in two unrelated disciplines, basic physics and biomedicine.
The old man cured Trish's high fever very easily with a magical powder. He then accepted Trish's invitation to have dinner together.
His profound knowledge, noble sentiment, and gentlemanly manner convinced the young people when they were together.
He recommended a group of reliable guides to the young people reluctantly when he found out the reason why Trish came to Tatetutu.
"We'll have lunch with these guides at noon.
I heard from Mr. Tubalin that they're indigenous people of the jungle. They've been guides for more than ten years and they're well-connected around Tuikano.
They can easily find out who Henry and Henrick hired to lead them to the jungle expedition and analyze their route of action. Then … "
"Then they'll bring you guys to a few piles of animal feces …
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said this, but don't you think what you said sounds like a fantasy? "
Tina fell into silence for a moment. "So, do you have any other ideas?"
"No."
"Shut up then.
Come with me to meet Trish and Sheila now, they're waiting at the restaurant. "
Zhang Lisheng opened his arms and shut his mouth helplessly. He walked into the restaurant with Tina.
Not long after, Zhang Lisheng saw Tubalin who was eating a simple bacon omelet while chatting happily on a long table by the window of the restaurant.
Lunch was the simplest among the three meals for westerners. They would usually eat a few small tomatoes. It was clear that the old man had such a habit.
"Walter, although I'm a doctorate in science, I'd still advise you not to learn basic physics. It's hard for a normal person to master that kind of science that analyzes the entire universe's grand mystery.
As far as I know, only me and another guy who sits in a wheelchair and talks' hehehehe 'are normal among the outstanding basic physicists.
The others either became the ancestors of mailing bombs or became hippies after the age of sixty.
The reason why we're normal is because I love my country while he's only capable of thinking. "
"Oh. Mr. Tubalin, I didn't expect you to be so humorous.
But this joke, this joke isn't so polite to Professor Hawking, "Sheila said while laughing.
"Don't worry, Miss Sheila. Hawking won't mind what I said about him. Back in Cambridge, we squeezed into a small brick house and got along for four years. We've made all kinds of jokes."
"Oh my god, you, you and Professor Hawking are classmates!"
"Yes, in fact, the theory of 'the universe is a page of a book' is something we came up with randomly.
Later, God put him in charge of using simplified language to describe this theory to the world, and asked me to find a 'bookmark' that could freely move through the pages of the book … "
"The term 'bookmark' is very novel and vivid.
Doctor, are you referring to the 'string' that can penetrate space? "Walter, who had always been interested in cutting-edge physics, could not help but ask.
When Zhang Lisheng heard the word 'bookmark', he suddenly felt that it was a little familiar, so he blurted out, "Bookmark? I have a friend's brother who's a mathematician. He's also studying 'bookmark' …"
"Mathematics is the mother of all sciences, and only it can compete with fundamental physics …
Oh, it's too boring to talk about this in front of young people like you.
You must be Mr. Zhang Lisheng. Nice to meet you. "
"I'm Zhang Lisheng. It's my honor to meet you, Dr. Tubalin."
When Zhang Lisheng was shaking hands with the old man, Shittu, who was next to him, shrugged all of a sudden and said, "The topic that you talked about just now isn't boring at all. Traveling through time is one of the sci-fi themes that young people are most interested in …"
"That's not just traveling through time, it might be the overlapping of the entire dimension …" Tubalin said while smiling, "But this theory is too unreal. It might stay at the theory stage forever and can't be tested.
Even so, I'm still doing my research persistently when I'm free. "
Walter said respectfully after hearing what he said, "Dr. Tubalin, if you weren't burdened by your country, you'd definitely become a great scientist like Professor Hawking who would leave his name in history."
Tubalin was stunned, a faint strange expression appeared on his face. He smiled wordlessly and said nothing.
At that moment, the hotel waiter brought a few skinny, barefoot aborigines to the long table. "Dr. Tubalin, these few gentlemen said that they're your friends?"
"They're my friends, thank you for bringing them here.
Tuta, Duta, Wataruru, Pujita, my friends, it's great to see you again. "
Among the aborigines, there was a flame-like black pattern tattooed on his face. His skin was tanned and his head was bald, one could not tell his age. He smiled awkwardly and said in dry English, "Dr. Tubalin, I didn't expect to receive your call as soon as I heard that you're back from Green Swamp.
Aren't you going to rest for a while before you leave? "
"No, you've misunderstood Tuta. I didn't call you guys here today to hire you guys but these young people hope to hire you guys to look for their missing relatives in the jungle."
Tuta then turned his head to look at Trish and the rest who were next to Tubalin. "Our asking price is very high."
"I've heard about your price from Dr. Tubalin.
I'm willing to pay 20,000 dollars to hire you guys as guides. I'll add another 50,000 dollars if you guys find my brother. "
"20,000 dollars is Dr. Tubalin's hiring price, you guys are asking for 50,000 dollars."
"That's not fair. Dr. Tubalin would take at least three months to hire you guys into the jungle. We might not even need a month this time …"
"Dr. Tubalin is different from you guys. He can take care of himself in the jungle but you guys are burdens," Tuta said coldly without showing any mercy.
His arrogant attitude made Trish feel more at ease. "Alright then, I'll pay 50,000 dollars.
Tina my dear, I'm afraid I'll need your help. "
Tina gestured 'everything is ready' hearing that. "Mr. Tuta, do you guys want cash or a cheque or do you want me to transfer the money to your account directly?"
After adding a few more details, the deal was done in an unusually smooth manner. After receiving the deposit, Tuta led his underlings to reject Tina's lunch invitation coldly and left the hotel to prepare.
The young people had excitement, longing, fear and worry on their faces as they thought about the jungle adventure that they were going to start tomorrow.
Zhang Lisheng was the only one who took the jelly stone off his wrist. He was fiddling with it between his fingers, looking unusually calm.
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