bit stealing game

Chapter 44 Mustafa
Going upstream along the Nile River, we walked for more than 20 minutes by water, got off the boat and took a car for more than half an hour to the village of Hassan.

The village is not very modernized and has maintained its traditional style well.

There are quite a few of these small villages in Egypt, and many of them are even intentional to attract foreign tourists.Many Westerners like to see primitive villages that are simple and out of touch with the world.

However, there is no trace of tourism development here in Hassan's house, but it is not obvious that there are ancient Egyptian priests hidden.Sure enough, heroes don't ask where they come from.

As soon as I entered the village, there were children watching from a distance.They all knew Hassan.When the brave ones came over first, seeing that Hassan didn't chase them away, the rest followed suit.They all came to me and Li Yuan, two foreigners, to take selfies.

Mobile phones are not as common here as they are in cities. Basically, a few people take turns taking pictures with their mobile phones.A small boy also wanted to take a selfie, but couldn't reach it, so Li Yuan knelt down and took a picture with him.

I become aware of a line of sight.Looking over, it was Lyra.

I didn't take a closer look yesterday, but now I see it, it is indeed a girl as beautiful as the night.

Lyra looked our way quietly, averting her eyes.Probably because he still cares about plotting against me with Hassan and the others in the Valley of the Kings.I'm not the narrow-minded person either, so I smiled at her.

As soon as I laughed, I heard Hassan say, "I brought Lee here to see Grandpa."

The smile just now was not for me, and it was not for participating in the kidnapping of me because of embarrassment, but because of embarrassment.

At this moment Li Yuan pulled himself out from the pile of children.Seeing me looking at him with a half-smile, I was taken aback for a moment.But Li Yuan quickly reacted, turned his head and nodded at Laila with a smile.Laila also returned a small smile, showing an unbearable shyness.

There is no uniform architectural style in this village, and each family builds houses according to their own preferences or financial resources.It's broad daylight now, and it's not time for lunch, but there are still many people wandering around in the village.Even some middle-aged people wanted to take a photo with us, which surprised Li Yuan.

Hassan led us through various houses and came to a solid brick house.

I didn't expect Hassan's grandfather to live in such an unattractive house, and it seemed strange that he was hidden in the city.

After entering the door, there is a room of unknown purpose, and a small yard with sheep is passed through.The sheep are not at home now, and some herbs are still drying in the baskets spread out in the yard, which smells like a farmhouse mixed with spices.

Li Yuan came to this kind of village for the first time, but he didn't have a trace of curiosity, he just followed Hassan into it with a polite smile.I caught a glimpse of his hypocrisy and reminded myself that we were here for business.

Hassan went into the backyard and shouted something in Arabic, a female voice came from the open door of the kitchen, and then a short, strong woman came out.

Hassan introduced that this was his aunt, and that it was her husband who went to the desert 12 years ago.Li Yuan and I greeted Hassan's aunt in Arabic.She forced a smile, pointed to the room on the other side and said a few words.She was accompanied by two little boys, both about ten years old.A hippie smiling face, and a timid one, but the eyes are a little defensive.

Hassan led us to the direction pointed by his aunt, opened the curtain and saw an old man sitting on the ground and picking incense.The lighting in the room is not very good, and with a few beams of light, you can see jumping dust and erratic smoke.

"Grandpa, a guest from afar has arrived." Hassan finished speaking with the old man, and then introduced to us: "This is my grandfather Mustafa."

We stood by the door, the sunlight was blocked out.

Mustafa was wearing a dull Arab robe, and the old god was fiddling with his incense, as if he didn't see anyone coming in.

If it weren't for the dust dancing under the subtle beam of light, the old man's robe, the old man's house and the old man himself would have withered in this space.

Being left hanging like this, Li Yuan was not in a hurry.He waited patiently with a smile on his face, without looking around.

I was more curious, so I looked around quietly.This room seems to have not changed for decades, and even the old man with him doesn't seem to belong to this era.And there are many elements in the room, including ancient Egyptian scarab ornaments and unique Arabian objects.

After a while, Hassan's face became less concerned.He opened his mouth and called "Grandpa" again, re-telling the reason for our visit.Judging from Hassan's attitude, he respects his grandfather very much, but the grandfather and grandson are not close.Hassan seemed to be quite resentful towards his grandfather.

Mustafa finally lifted his eyelids to glance at us.His eyes were sunken in deep wrinkles, and the ravines on his face silently showed the wind and frost he had experienced.

The old Arab took something from the altar behind him and let us pass in a low voice.When he walked up to him, the old and withered palm was spread out, and a blue scarab lay inside.

I recognized it as an ancient Egyptian amulet, but it's hard to say if it's an antique or not.

Li Yuan and I didn't know what this meant, we glanced at each other but didn't move.

Mustafa grinned sullenly.Hassan hurriedly asked what he meant, and then told us in English: "Grandpa asked you to put your hands on this thing."

When Hassan referred to the scarab, he used the word "thing," with no respect for the ancient Egyptian relic.

We did so separately.

When I came into contact with the scarab, it was like touching the liquid on the surface of the object, rather than touching the real thing.I pressed the beetle again with my fingertips in doubt.But it doesn't look wrong, as if touching the liquid is just my illusion.

Li Yuan gently stroked the scarab.From where he touched, it melted like a wave of water.But as Li Yuan withdrew his hand, the fluctuation soon disappeared.

Mustafa was silent for a while, and put the amulet back on the altar.I took a special look, and the place he touched also seemed to be liquid.

Next, Hassan acted as an interpreter for his grandfather, and asked us a few words such as "who came here and why" and so on.

Hasn't this old man been chatting with him for a long time? Why is he still chatting about homework?I couldn't help feeling a little anxious.We are here to ask about the descendants of the priests and what happened 60 years ago.It is a certainty that 279 will enter the desert. If you don't ask now, you don't know what moths will come out when you enter the desert.

Li Yuan acted as if he would settle down when he came, and had a good time chatting with Mustafa.

I couldn’t help it after chatting about some idle stories there, and asked Hassan to translate for me: “We saw the ancient Egyptian miracles last night, because work needs to go to the Eastern Sahara Desert. I heard that you once went to Yes, I want to ask for some experience."

Hassan edited my question and asked it to his grandfather.

Mustafa looked Hassan in the eye for the first time since we entered.He said something in a low voice, seeing that Hassan's expression turned strange.At this time, I hated myself for not learning Arabic well, and now I can’t understand it.I don't know if Hassan will tell us the exact words of his grandfather honestly.

"My grandpa asked, who of you received the guidance of the gods yesterday?"

Mustafa had just said a lot, but Hassan only translated this sentence.I quietly asked him: "What else did your grandfather say?"

Hassan blushed, "I'm being used by people because I don't listen to advice."

I laughed twice and said nothing.

Li Yuan replied honestly: "I don't know if it's the guidance of the gods, but I feel some pictures emerge. There are also some words that I don't understand."

This is different from what he told me.Li Yuan's tone sounded sincere, but he didn't expect to talk nonsense when he opened his mouth.I was afraid that Mustafa would spot it, so I didn't respond to his nonsense.

"What about you?" Mustafa asked.

I can still understand this sentence.

"Like the people present at the time, I just felt like I was watching a 5D movie." It would be wrong to say too much, so I refined it to a high degree.

Hassan translated it for his grandfather, and probably explained what a 5D movie is.

Mustafa gave me a look as if he could see that I wasn't telling the truth.Although I was guilty of being looked at by him, I still held back a smile.

"When you touched this amulet just now, you all responded. So you should have received a message from the gods last night." Hassan relayed his grandfather's words. "Especially that man. It's the first time I've seen someone who can awaken this amulet."

Hassan was quite surprised, as if he didn't expect Li Yuan to be so unlucky.I even think he secretly relieved.

Li Yuan was noncommittal: "I have always felt something, but it was the first time I encountered that kind of situation last night. It is said that this kind of situation happens once every 60 years, and you have experienced it in the last 60 years."

Mustafa nodded.Instead of continuing the conversation, he asked Hassan to boil water and make tea for us.

Hassan went there in a daze, and I was also a little confused by this operation.We have been here for a long time, and we have talked about this before showing tea to the guests?
Mustafa closed his eyes and meditated.

After a while, Li Yuan said, "If you have anything to say to us, please listen carefully."

I glanced at him and was about to say that people might not be able to understand English when I heard Mustafa say, "Sure enough, he's a smart guy."

The old man slowly opened his eyes.Although those eyes are cloudy, the wisdom belonging to Arabia still shines in this dim place.

Mustafa spoke English.The accent is heavy and slow, as if he hasn't used this language for a long time.

We waited quietly for him to finish.

"I'm afraid you are here to ask what happened 60 years ago, and what will happen this time."

Li Yuan nodded. "It would be much appreciated if you could tell us."

"No thanks, I'm not for you." Mustafa didn't look at us. "No one should go to that desert, but that doesn't stop someone from wanting to. Some are stupid, some are greedy. Which one are you?"

Li Yuan said, "I have to go."

Mustafa looked up at him, then at me.

I had no choice but to say: "Well, the reason why I went is more because of work needs."

Mustafa looked away directly.

I was a little embarrassed, but I still insisted on asking: "But what can I get in that desert? Since someone is greedy."

"I went there for the money. But there are more attractive things than money. As long as you know what you're looking for."

I looked at Li Yuan.He felt my gaze and smiled at me.But he clearly met my gaze, but he seemed to be staring at nothingness.

"Young man, why are you going?" Mustafa was not interested in me and continued to ask Li Yuan.

"I don't know what's in there, and I don't want to bring anything out. Maybe return the genetic disease if I can."

Li Yuan said frankly.

"It seems that you still know something about 'it'." Mustafa nodded with satisfaction, "If I knew it 60 years ago, I would never have followed it to that desert."

Hassan never came back.

"Then why did you go there?" Li Yuan asked.

"I said it was for the money," said Mustafa.

But Li Yuan's eyes did not budge.

The old man then said: "At that time I worked for the archaeological team and helped them dig up ancient Egyptian things. We don't care about those things, as long as we can earn money. I have never joined the army and I don't understand the history of archaeology. It's a great thing to exchange my family's life for my family. I have family members and I don't want to be trapped here. But the French are leaving soon. When I was leaving, someone found me and asked me to take them into the desert. "

Mustafa was lost in memory.

"It was a rich English gentleman, and he said that I should be useful. Because I can speak English, I am clever, and I know this place well. He asked me if I could take him to the desert, where Thutmose III guarded the border. ruins.

How did I know who Thutmose III was at the time, and I didn't care.I thought I was chosen because I 'knew English, was smart and knew Egypt'.Actually, it was because I hummed a song. "

Mustafa hummed in his hoarse and heavy voice:

"Go into the desert and find the bones of Seth for the gods.

It is our destiny to return the full moon that we borrowed for 60 years. "

Mustafa continued:

"I was only 17 years old at that time, and I wanted to change my life. The master said that he could take me away and give my family a good life.

I went back and told my family, but they wouldn't let me go.Said that our ancestors passed down from generation to generation, that desert is cursed.Anyone who tries to set foot there will be punished.

I don't believe their words at all.What a curse, if the gods really existed, would they make their people disappear.

At that time, I didn't realize that my own existence proved that those things in ancient Egypt were not groundless.

Anyway I took those 'people from afar' into the desert. "

Mustafa dialed the incense again, but stopped talking.

I wonder what happened to them when they went into the desert.When I could hardly bear to urge, Mustafa finally spoke again.

"We first came to a buried temple. Then, according to the French archaeologists, I took them deep into the desert. They arrived where they were looking. I didn't know what to do because they They didn't let me follow, just let me wait where I was. Then I came back, and those people didn't. I was terrified and hated. At that time, I only felt that I had killed such a good British master. I began to believe The family said it was a curse. I couldn’t let other people go there again, so I came back and destroyed the notes on the construction site.”

It turns out that the inscriptions in the Temple of Horus were erased by Mustafa.

Mustafa breathed a sigh of relief, and after he calmed down, he continued: "But that place has always stayed in my memory, and I still have the map that the master gave me. It was stolen by my second son, and I repeated the same mistakes. .

I figured it out after that, the English master was using me.He finally paid the price, but my price has not been paid yet. "

cost?

"After I came back from the desert, I got very sick on the first full moon and almost died. I never saw the full moon again."

"What about before that? Does anyone in your family have similar symptoms?" Although Li Yuan's tone was still calm, it was already considered urgent for him.

"Punishment," Mustafa corrected him. "There are so many problems among us people. It's because I brought outsiders into the cursed desert, and the gods punished me. And he also punished my children."

"What kind of punishment is that?" Li Yuan asked.

"Don't you know?" Mustafa laughed again.

It's a cruel smile.It was as if he was lingering himself, putting himself on the judgment pillar.

"At the full moon, bear the fire of hell [Le feu de l'enfer] that quenches the deepest pain."

　Genetic diseases across time, space and race
　　
　
(End of this chapter)