Tashi Damba locked Basang's left hand under his arms, entangling Basang's leg with his own, and fell to the ground back-to-back with him. Laba rushed in, shouting, "What are you doing, Basang?"
Basang released Zhang Li and struggled twice, but he couldn't shake off the weight of Tashi Damba pressing on his back. Meanwhile, Zhang Li regained control and secured Basang's other hand. Chaxi entered last, surveyed the scene, and asked, "Do you need backup?"
Tashi Damba, sensing Basang had ceased resisting, smiled slightly and said, "No need, thank you." He got up but kept a watchful eye on Basang. "We just want to have a proper conversation with Mr. Basang. The room just feels a little crowded."
Chaxi nodded and, before leaving, reminded them, "Be careful—he's dangerous." Stepping outside, he exhaled deeply, still marveling at Tashi Damba's strength and skill.
Basang gave a few final, powerful attempts to break free but ultimately yielded. "You win," he admitted.
Tashi Damba released him and asked, "It seems you had no malicious intent. Why did you suddenly attack Officer Zhang?"
Basang flexed his arms, then gestured toward Zhang Li. "Your grappling technique—Special Guard Regiment, isn't it? It would've been harder to deal with you if I hadn't caught you off guard." Turning to Tashi Damba, he added, "Your wrestling skills are top-notch. You must have won the Kubai competition. If I had focused solely on fighting you, the outcome would be uncertain." Zhang Li, hearing this, felt his face heat up, realizing he wasn't a match for Tashi Damba.
Laba interjected, "Basang, don't be rude. This is Young Master Damba, whom I've often mentioned to you."
Basang regarded Tashi Damba with newfound respect, studying him from head to toe. "So, this is Young Master Damba. Your strength is truly extraordinary. Thank you for all your family has done for my brother." Basang suddenly dropped to his knees and kowtowed several times, leaving Tashi Damba startled. Hastily, he helped Basang to his feet, while the latter continued expressing his gratitude.
Zhang Li, still curious about Basang's martial skills, asked, "Which unit were you with? I've never seen techniques like yours."
Basang smiled. "Oh, you've heard of us. Every soldier stationed in Tibet gets briefed about us on their first day." He pulled down his sleeve to reveal his left shoulder. There, on his muscular arm, was a tattoo of a small blue spider. Zhang Li gasped. "The Blue Spiders!"
Tashi Damba, puzzled, asked, "Blue Spiders? What kind of unit is that?"
Reciting as if from memory, Zhang Li explained, "The Blue Spider Special Task Force of Nepal, considered a top elite unit on par with Germany's Red Scorpion Task Force and the U.S. Navy SEALs. While the Red Scorpions disbanded after World War II, the Navy SEALs are known for their speed, efficiency, and unparalleled ability to complete impossible missions. The Blue Spiders were Nepal's answer to the Red Scorpions, established in 1977 with guidance from some of the world's leading military training experts. Their rigorous training regimen became a model for international standards. When we're stationed here, we're briefed to monitor potential border threats from this group, though their large-scale actions are unlikely. Their covert missions, however, could compromise national security."
Tashi Damba commented, "I doubt the Nepalese government would sanction such actions."
Zhang Li replied, "Even with strong Sino-Nepalese relations, it's better to stay vigilant. Preventive measures are always wise. So why are you here, Basang? Why did you engage in poaching Tibetan antelope?"
Basang's eyes turned vacant, and both Tashi Damba and Zhang Li tensed, their muscles involuntarily contracting in anticipation of an attack. Laba stepped back, wary of the escalating tension. Basang clenched his teeth, his body trembling as he fought an internal struggle. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his hands shook slightly. Finally, his body relaxed, and he slumped into his chair, saying calmly, "Yes, why did I do it? I must face it eventually. There's no escaping it. It's terrifying, like a nightmare."
Tashi Damba probed cautiously, "What exactly happened to you? Was it related to a dog?"
Basang jolted as if struck by lightning, shivering visibly. After a long pause, he buried his head in his hands. "No—it wasn't a dog. What was it? Why can't I remember?"
Tashi Damba, perplexed, said nothing. Laba comforted him, "Take your time. Start from the beginning and tell Young Master Damba everything."
Basang, deep in thought, began, "From the beginning? The Blue Spiders never served their intended purpose. Despite their elite training, they became a financial burden to both the military and the royal family. As Officer Zhang mentioned, their existence posed political risks for Nepal. Within three years, this so-called 'most elite military unit' in Nepal's history was disbanded."
He paused, closing his eyes. Tashi Damba frowned, wondering how long it would take for Basang to get to the point. Zhang Li nodded silently, piecing together the Blue Spiders' troubled history, realizing their mysterious disappearance had not been due to secrecy but obsolescence.
Continuing, Basang said, "Since we were only tasked with royal security and never engaged in actual combat, we weren't eliminated or surveilled. We were simply discarded like trash. Each member went their own way, taking up various professions. I, however, achieved nothing. Then, one day, an old comrade found me. He said he had a lucrative opportunity."
Zhang Li stood abruptly. "That opportunity was poaching Tibetan antelope, wasn't it?"
Basang let out a self-deprecating laugh and said, "Yes, that's right. Who would have thought that the once-renowned Blue Spider unit would fall to such disgrace, resorting to poaching? We chose the most dangerous yet safest route for our operations. Starting from Tongze, we headed north, crossed the western Xixiabangma Peak, traversed the Yarlung Tsangpo River, and moved toward the lower reaches of the Changtang Nature Reserve. From there, we either turned west or looped northward. Summer was our hunting season.
"We avoided Kekexili because the patrol teams there were too skilled, the checkpoints had increased, and the journey was too far with harsh conditions. Instead, we positioned ourselves along the migration routes of the Tibetan antelope, managing to catch around ten each time. We made four or five trips in total, but the harvest was mediocre. The most we ever caught was about sixty. Then… we decided to change our route."
Basang's mouth twitched as he repeated, "We changed our route!"
Clenching his fists, he took deep breaths, seemingly trying to calm himself, though his growing tension was palpable. In a hurried, trembling voice, he continued, "It was purely coincidence—or perhaps it was karma—that led us there. It felt like the devil himself was guiding us. We got lost in the Westerlies, wandering through endless snowstorms for fifteen days. None of us knew where we were, only that we were somewhere in the vast Himalayas. It seemed like we would never escape.
"Three people froze to death. Two suffered from snow blindness. Those of us still alive were at the brink of exhaustion. As we climbed an unknown peak, one member slipped and slid down a snow slope. After what seemed like ages, he radioed us, saying he had found paradise and that we should join him."
Basang paused, gasping for air. Laba handed him a prepared glass of water, which he gulped down like a man escaping a desert. Even after four glasses, his face contorted into a grimace—not a smile but a grotesque stretching of his facial muscles, his eyes filled with cruel terror. Outside, Chaxi observed the scene, ready to call a doctor at any moment, knowing Basang's limits were being pushed to the edge.
"Paradise!" Basang croaked, his voice hoarse, his gaze wild as it darted around the room. "That cursed place… I don't know how it formed. The peak suddenly dipped into a massive depression. The drop in elevation was over two thousand meters—an unimaginable scale.
"The descent was treacherous. Half of our team went missing during the first attempt. But when we reached the bottom… it was no longer just endless snow. There were towering trees, lush grass, and an infinite forest. At first glance, it truly was paradise! Yet, all sixteen of my teammates—elite among elites—died in that so-called paradise."
The color drained from Zhang Li's face, and Tashi Damba looked equally shaken. A dozen members of the Blue Spider unit were the equivalent of an entire special operations regiment. For all of them to perish in a place that seemed idyllic was beyond comprehension. What kind of place could this possibly be?
"Descending the snowy peaks was easy. Climbing back out was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. The paradise looked beautiful from the outside, but once inside, it was hell—true hell." Basang's eyes scanned Tashi Damba and Zhang Li like a predator assessing prey. "Have you ever seen mosquitoes as large as hornets, where one bite swells your entire arm? Have you seen man-eating flowers with palm-sized spiders hiding beneath their leaves, ready to join the feast once their prey is caught? Have you seen roots that strangle people in their sleep and hang them in mid-air? Or leeches lurking in swamps, clinging to you like sausages when you're pulled out?"
Basang's words sent chills down their spines. He raised his voice again, "Terrifying, isn't it? No! Those weren't the worst. None of it deterred us. We survived. We passed through the forest and found vast grasslands stretching endlessly, merging with the snowy peaks. And there we saw countless Tibetan antelopes—an entire lost world. They weren't afraid of humans, almost as if they'd never encountered us before.
"We were overjoyed, as if gold had fallen from the sky. Even when we skinned one of their own in front of them, they showed no fear. We killed and skinned until our hands were numb, and our tools were full. Still unsatisfied, we decided to transport the pelts out and return for more."
Basang's face twisted into a cold sneer, as if reliving the bountiful scene. "We decided to wait for the next season when the antelopes would grow their finest wool. We wouldn't sell the first batch of pelts right away. Instead, we entrusted them to a secure location within China—the batch I later disclosed to the authorities.
"The second time, we entered from the north, heading south. Starting from Zongga, we crossed the snowy peaks again. That paradise filled with death traps was still there, lying silently like a sleeping golden maiden, waiting for us."
His voice dropped as he hung his head. "This time, we encountered someone else—a man dressed strangely, speaking the local dialect, warning us. But we didn't listen. We were blinded by the thought of Tibetan antelopes, by gold. Tibetan antelopes were gold! To keep our tracks hidden, we killed him. We killed him—a royal protection unit, killing an unarmed Tibetan villager!"
Basang's eyes grew vacant, his body stiffening as if struck by lightning. He stared blankly at the empty space, his pupils darting, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, his expression one of unbearable pain. Suddenly, he clutched his head and howled like a wolf.
Tashi Damba and Zhang Li, on high alert, immediately flanked him, prepared for any sudden outburst. Laba patted Basang's back, soothing him as he screamed, "Why! The doctors said I was cured! Why can't I remember? Why?"