Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia province, was cold. Antonius was bundled up in a jacket with a fluffy hood, and yet his ears were freezing. But, what else did he expect from Siberia?

“So, I was thinking,” Cesare said next to him as he played with his food. Antonius traced the broccoli that Cesare had been moving for the last five minutes and sighed.

“Stop that, the waiters might think you don’t like the food,” Antonius nodded to the plate and Cesare set his fork down. “But, do say what is on your mind.”

“I researched this Modu Chanyu during the flight,” Antonius had slept through it, thanks to the sleeping pills he had taken back in Mongolia. “And, it really looked like he was obsessed with China and silk.”

“Well, silk was a luxury good back then, just as it is now,” Antonius shrugged. That was common knowledge.

“Yes, well, the ancient Chinese liked to bury their dead in mountains. The first Chinese Emperor was buried under a man made one. You haven’t happened to have seen the inside of it?” Cesare sounded hopeful and Antonius chuckled.

“That one is more trouble than it is worth. If I try to rob it, I will be shot,” Cesare’s face wilted a bit, but he continued on.

“Well, if by great wolf Genghis Khan meant Modu Chanyu and the Chanyu was buried under a mountain, in the Chinese fashion, then…” Cesare trailed off. Antonius grinned.

“Are you suggesting that the tomb is under a mountain and that the Chanyu is roped into guarding it?” Genghis Khan snorted next to them.

“As if I will disturb Modu’s rest!” Both turned to look at him.

“But you do not deny that you are being guarded by the same spirit that is guarding the Chanyu’s tomb?” Antonius grinned when the khan wavered.

“How can you be certain that he won’t lie to us?” Cesare was looking at the spirit with suspicious. After all, every ruler lied.

“He can’t. An added benefit of the chains. He can always remain silent, true, but that is a way to tell the truth too,” the khan turned his back to them both and Antonius pulled out his phone.

“So, there are a couple of peeks in Buryatia. There is one overlooking this city, too. Its name means double mountain. Well, cat too,” Cesare looked at the spirit, who wasn’t giving anything away.

“That is a bit too obvious, don’t you think? If I was the Chanyu and the Khan, I would have wanted the terrain of my tomb to be so dangerous, only fools would go to it,” suggested Cesare, and he saw how Genghis Khan’s ear twitched.

“Well, then maybe the Khi-Gol Valley?” proposed Antonius, and he was quick to clarify. “It is a Volcanic Valley and all nine volcanoes are still active. But, they are spread around.”

The khan balled his fists and turned around.

“What honor is there in robbing a grave?” He snapped, eyes blazing red.

“None in particular, but it is quite fun. Besides, you robbed and pillaged your way through Asia and Europe,” Antonius reminded him mercilessly. “So, it is the Khi-Gol Valley?”

The khan grinned savagely.

“Why get buried under a volcano, when I can be buried in it?” Antonius and Cesare shared a look.

“You are bluffing,” Antonius’s eyes narrowed. He knew for a fact that the spirit couldn’t lie. But half-truths were permitted.

“You are welcome to jump in the first volcano you see, necromancer. Your servant too,” the khan showed his teeth at them and became silent again.

“Surely, they didn’t throw the treasure in the lava too?” Murmured Antonius to himself. The volcano would have erased all traces of the khan if they had, and now they wouldn’t have been in Buryatia.

“Do you think you made a mistake with the bones?” Cesare was looking thoughtful. What if Antonius had gotten the grave of a descendant of the khan instead of the khan himself?

“That is impossible,” Antonius ran a hand over his blonde hair and relaxed in his chair. Yes, there was something of the khan’s in Buryatia, or they wouldn’t be here. A buried treasure chest or something, anything.

“At least we narrowed it down,” Cesare brought a chicken breast piece to his lips and ate it. It helped him hide how uncomfortable he had gotten.

“The largest volcano of the nine is Jom-Bolok,” said Antonius with a sigh. “Considering how big of an egotist the Chanyu was and how much the Khan wanted to be buried with him, I think it is safe to say that we can find something there.”

Cesare nodded as he kept on eating. Antonius reached out and took a bread bun and resumed eating too. They finished in silence, and Antonius called for the waiter to bring them the check.

After they left the restaurant, Antonius turned around and pointed at the mountain peak that was overlooking the city.

“Do you want to go check it out while we are here? I mean, it won’t hurt,” Cesare nodded. Sure, it was cold, but they were both dressed for a hike. Antonius drove them to the base of the peak, and they took a tourist trail up.

The sun was halfway in the sky just as they reached the peak. Cesare stared at the panorama in front of him. The river, flowing majestic and unrestrained. Wild as the entire region. The city, looking like it was filled with busy ants that moved from one anthill to another. The lazy clouds that looked white as snow and too thin to promise rain.

Antonius sat on the rock and dangled his feet over it. Cesare, after a bit of an inner battle with himself, sat down next to him.

“You know, this part of the job is my favorite. Going places, seeing new things,” Cesare saw that Antonius had a faraway look in his eyes.

“It is beautiful. Wild, despite the best efforts of generations of Mongolians and Russians to tame this place,” Antonius chuckled at that.

“I should take you to the Brazilian rainforest one day, then. If you can admire the untamed side of the world,” Antonius laid down on the rock and stared up at the sky. Cesare couldn’t help but think that, despite Tony’s penchant for wearing suits, he was just as wild as the places he visited for his hunts.