"Sure, why not?" I was twenty years old back then, still curious and eager to explore new places.
After all, what could go wrong with a stroll around a small town?
We went for lunch and had Bebek Goreng (Fried Duck Rice).
It was the best meal I had ever had.
After the sumptuous meal, we decided to look for a snooker parlor.
We booked a table for a few hours, and the boss gave us a nice discount seeing that we were tourists.
The snooker parlor was filled with cigarette smoke, and an Indonesian DJ mix was playing in the background.
We were minding our own business and enjoying our game when Bobby's snooker cue accidentally hit one of the guys at the table next to us.
The fellow came up to Bobby and started shouting at him.
Bobby wanted to rage back, but I pulled him aside.
I apologized profusely and offered the guy a cigarette.
The parlor owner also came over and said something to the guy.
The man took my cigarette, mumbled to himself, and stared at Bobby.
I ushered Bobby out of the place, taking a careful look at the guy.
He had a Dayak tattoo on his arm, and I figured he might be Dayak and someone of importance.
The Dayak are one of the native groups on Borneo Island.
They are excellent jungle trackers and are most notorious for their headhunting practices.
"Why did you stop me?" Bobby asked.
"We're not here on holiday. Better to stay out of trouble. Come, let's go back to the hotel."
Bobby and I made our way back to the hotel, but somehow, I felt we were being followed.
I dismissed it as anxiety in a foreign place.
...
The next day, Amy Lee instructed us to get some supplies like water and compressed biscuits.
After loading up the supplies, the team moved on to Mandor.
Mandor, the capital of the LanFang Republic, isn't too far from Pontianak; we reached it within the same day.
This time, however, we didn't check into any hotel.
Our jeep stopped at an area on the edge of Mandor, near the jungle but still close to a village.
"All right, everyone, let's wait for nightfall," Amy instructed us.
"Why are we here?" Bobby asked.
"Well, maybe Sam can let you know why."
I thought for a while and looked around.
There were two mountains ahead, and the clearing we were at was like a bowl.
In terms of burial sites, this would be a perfect spot to catch nature's chi and nurture the deceased.
The clearing was void of tall grass, indicating there was a tomb below.
The different layers of soil and materials used to prevent break-ins cause a lack of nutrients, hence crops wouldn't grow well.
"There is a tomb beneath us," I said, explaining what I saw.
"Bingo! I knew Groundhog Liu's disciple wouldn't disappoint.
"This is where my last lead points to. The tomb beneath us most likely belongs to the wife of Lin Ah Sin, the last president of the LanFang Republic. One of the burial treasures should give us the location of the gold," Amy Lee explained.
"What are we waiting for? The faster we get the location, the faster we get the gold," Bobby said impatiently.
"You want to rot in an unknown Indonesian prison? The village is not too far. It's safer to wait for nightfall," Amy replied.
So, we had to keep a low profile and stayed in some bushes nearby, waiting for nightfall.
Finally, it was time to act.
Kurnawan would keep a lookout and warn us if anyone approached.
Bobby and I would be digging, while Amy Lee and Firecracker Tan would transport all the soil out of the hole.
Sea Snake Fang would coordinate everything and be ready for any emergencies.
With everyone in place, we started digging.
But there's an art to it.
First, you dig out soil from the four corners of the site.
Check the layers of soil and try to identify any white-colored soil.
This would be the first layer used to prevent break-ins.
If there aren't any, you can then slowly decrease the size of the four corners.
This process is done until you pinpoint the actual site of the tomb.
"Sam, have a look—is this what you meant?"
Bobby showed me the soil he had just dug up.
I shone my torchlight, and bingo—we'd hit the jackpot.
After an hour of digging, we finally pinpointed the tomb.
We continued to dig down from that spot.
After reaching three meters down, Bobby hit something hard.
"Look, I hit some bricks."
I took a look, and it was dark green-colored bricks, used for the cover dome of the tomb.
"Pry open the bricks, and we can get into the tomb."
We switched to using picks instead of spades.
Very quickly, the bricks were cleared, and all of us, except Kurnawan, entered the tomb.
"Bobby, let them go first," I whispered to him.
"Why?"
"Never leave your back to others. You never know when they might want to keep the spoils for themselves."
He nodded, and we were the last among the team.
After walking about ten meters, we reached a more open area.
On the ground were some porcelain vases lying around.
"Sam, are these valuable? Maybe we should keep some," Bobby asked, his eyes lighting up at the thought of making money.
"No, they would be if they were at least from the Song Dynasty or earlier. What's inside is usually daily items prepared for the deceased to use in the afterlife.
"There might be jewelry in the main chamber. Let's wait for that."
Just as I finished speaking, Amy Lee halted everyone.
In front of us was a wall.
It was made from a whole slab of rock.
Bobby tried hitting the wall with a hammer, but it didn't do much.
Amy Lee frowned, and after some back and forth with Sea Snake Fang, she used the walkie-talkie and said, "Kurnawan, is the coast clear? We might need to get loud, over."
"Coast is clear. Over."
Amy Lee then looked at Firecracker Tan and said, "Time to do your job."