This story was also told at a drinking table. The storyteller was a man named Zhao, an experienced driver who had worked for a geological exploration team in southern Xinjiang for his entire life. (He can't specify the exact location.) He retired when he was in his fifties. This incident occurred in 1992. The exploration team decided to conduct a comprehensive geological survey of the Lop Nur region. At that time, Lop Nur had completely dried up and had become a barren land with no signs of vegetation. The team sent out seven members with two Beijing Jeeps (there were no Land Rovers or cruisers at that time). Zhao was the driver of one of the Jeeps. The exploration process went smoothly, and the team spent three days deep into the heart of Lop Nur, gathering firsthand geological data. However, an accident happened on their way back. The Jeep driven by another driver overturned while traveling at high speed to avoid rocks on the Gobi Desert. Fortunately, the team members inside only suffered minor injuries, but the old Jeep was completely destroyed. Since Zhao's Jeep was already filled with equipment and passengers, there was no room for the three members from the wrecked Jeep. The team leader made a quick decision and decided to stay behind with the three members while Zhao and the other two members hurried to the county to find another vehicle. To reduce the weight of the car, Zhao unloaded some equipment. After providing enough water and food for the team members staying behind, Zhao and the other two members rushed toward the county. Because the wreckage was still deep within Lop Nur, it would take about a day to reach the county by car. Zhao drove as fast as he could, trying to reach their destination quickly. After driving for about two hours, Zhao suddenly saw a figure in the distance ahead. Zhao was startled, wondering how there could be someone in this barren land. The place where the person was located was also a must-pass area for their vehicle. Driven by strong curiosity, Zhao stepped on the gas and headed toward the figure.
老者这个故事也是酒桌上听来的。讲故事的人是一个姓赵老司机，他为南疆某地区的勘探队开了一辈子的车。（具体哪个地区不能说）50多岁就内退了。那件事发生在1992年。勘探队决定对罗布泊地区进行一次彻底的地质勘察。当时的罗布泊，已经彻底干涸，真正成为了寸草不生的不毛之地。勘探队派出了7名队员，两辆北京jeep(当时还没有陆虎，巡洋舰之类的）。老赵就是其中一辆车的司机。勘探过程很顺利，小队花了三天时间深入罗布泊腹地，取得了第一手的地质资料。但在回来的过程中，发生了意外。另一名司机开的车在高速行驶过程中为了躲避戈壁滩上的石块不幸翻车了，所幸里面的队员只是受了轻伤。但那辆老jeep却就此报废。由于老赵的车上已经放满了设备，人也坐满了，报废车上的三名队员是无论如何也挤不进来的。队长当机立断，自己与那三名队员一起留守在这里，由老赵和其他两名队员开车尽快到县里找一辆车接他们。为了减轻车的重量。老赵卸下了一些设备。在给留守队员留足了水与粮食后，老赵与其他两名队员赶紧朝县城开去。由于报废地点尚在罗布泊腹地，开车去县城也要一天左右。老赵以最快的速度，超目标赶去。走了有两个钟头，老赵忽然看见前方远远处有一个人影。老赵吃了一惊，这不毛之地怎么会有人呢？那人所在的地方也是车子的必经之地，强烈的好奇心驱使他加足马力，朝人影开去。
As they got closer, Zhao could see clearly that it was an elderly man! Even though they were in a hurry, encountering someone in such a place couldn't be ignored. Zhao got out of the car and called out to the old man, who appeared to be energetic and approached briskly. Zhao said, "Comrade, what are you doing here all alone?" The old man replied, "I'm from the survey team, I came out to find water, and I got lost." Zhao felt sympathy and decided to give the old man a ride. He said, "We're heading to the county, you can ride with us." The old man didn't seem excited or agitated. He calmly responded, "Alright." The people in the car made room for the old man, and he got in. The old man looked scholarly, wearing glasses.
During the drive, Zhao asked the old man where he was from. The old man said, "Shanghai." Zhao then inquired about the reason for his journey to this place. The old man seemed reserved, giving short answers like, "For a survey." Zhao thought the old man might be tired and didn't ask further questions. The team members in the car offered the old man some water, but he didn't show signs of thirst and only took a few symbolic sips. The people in the car found this strange; the old man didn't seem like someone stranded and in need of rescue, but rather like a tourist catching a ride casually.
The journey continued in silence for half a day. Zhao and the other two team members needed a restroom break, so they stopped the car.
走得近了，赵看清了，那竟然是一个老者！！虽然现在赶路要紧，但在这种地方遇见人不能不管。老赵下了车，对那老人喊了一下，老人看起来倒不劳累，轻快得走过来。老赵说：同志，你怎么一个人在这里啊？那老人说：我是考察队的，出来找水，迷路了。老赵心下怜悯，决定搭老人一程。老赵说：我们要去县城，你搭我们的车吧。老者看起来既不兴奋，也不激动。平静的说：好。车上的人给老者腾开一个位置。老者上了车。那老者看其来很书生气，戴个眼镜。开车过程中，老赵问那老者来自哪里。老者说：上海。老赵又问了一下他到这里来的原因，老者貌似话不多的样子，就简短地说来考察。老赵想老者可能是累坏了，也没再问。车上的队员给老者递了水，老者也没表现出饥渴的样子，也就象征性地喝了几口。车上的人觉得有些奇怪，那老头不像是困在这里获救，倒向是来旅游，随便搭个便车。路上老者一句话也没讲。车又赶了半天路。老赵与另两名队员要解手，于是就停了车。
The three of them got out of the car, leaving the old man inside. They filled plastic bottles they had with them with their urine for emergency use in this barren land. In such a place, even urine could be a lifesaver. After they finished, they prepared to get back in the car. Suddenly, one of the team members exclaimed, "The old man is gone!" Zhao was shocked and hurried over to see for himself. Indeed, the old man who had been sitting in the car just moments ago had vanished! Zhao urgently instructed the team members to search around, but strangely, the area was wide open, and yet the old man had disappeared as if he had evaporated. Zhao found it incredibly perplexing.
It was already late in the afternoon, and Zhao felt that the top priority was to return to the county and find a vehicle to rescue their four team members. He made the decision: "Let's not look for him; let's go!" In the early hours of the following morning, Zhao successfully returned to the county, found another Jeep, and rushed back to Lop Nur overnight. Around noon the next day, the rescue vehicles found the team members who had stayed behind. So, the two vehicles left Lop Nur smoothly, completing their survey mission.
In the car, Zhao reported to the team leader about the old man's appearance and sudden disappearance. The team leader was equally astonished and promised to report it to higher authorities. When they returned, Zhao couldn't forget this strange incident and repeatedly brought it up with higher-level leaders, but there was no response. The team leader also reported it, but with no significant outcome. Xinjiang was not very stable at the time, and there was no time to deal with such seemingly bizarre matters, so it gradually faded away.
Two years later, Zhao read about a case in a book involving a scientist who had gone missing in Lop Nur in the 1980s. He suddenly felt that the old man's face indeed bore some resemblance to that missing scientist. However, he quickly realized that the scientist had disappeared in the 1980s, while he had seen the old man in 1992, a difference of many years. But the more Zhao thought about it, the more convinced he became that the old man looked remarkably like that scientist. If it were indeed him, the scientist had been wandering in Lop Nur for nearly 10 years! Who was this old man? Why did he suddenly appear and then disappear? Zhao never found the answers.
He thought that in this lifetime, perhaps he would never find out...
三人下了车，就留那老者在车上。三个人把尿都灌在了随身的塑料瓶里备用。在这不毛之地，尿也能救人啊。三人灌完了尿，准备上车。有个队员忽然叫出声来：那老人，不见了！老赵大吃一惊，赶忙过来一看，果然，刚才还坐车里的老人，不见了！！老赵急忙吩咐队员四处找找，奇怪的是，方圆都是开阔地，但那老人就如同蒸发了一样，就是没了！！老赵觉得十分不可思议。这是已近下午，老赵觉得现在回县城找车救那四个队友最为要紧，于是决定：不找了，先走吧！在那天的凌晨，老赵顺利赶回县城，找了辆jeep，又连夜赶回了罗布泊。在第二天的将近中午，救援的车辆找到了留守的队员。于是两辆车顺利离开了罗布泊，完成了勘察任务。在车上，老赵就向队长回报了见到老头又消失的情况。队长也是惊奇万分。说回去一定向上级汇报。回去后，这件奇事老赵一直念念不忘，多次找上级领导反应情况，但却屡屡不见答复。队长也汇报了，同样没什么结果。当时新疆还不大稳定，哪有闲工夫管你这种似真似假的事情，也就慢慢压下去了。两年后，老赵在一本书上读到八十年代年一个科学家在罗布泊失踪的案件。他忽然觉得那老者的脸确实与这个失踪的科学家几分相似，但又一想，科学家是在八十年代失踪的，但看到老者是1992年，差了好多年呢。但老赵越想越觉得老者长得确实像这位科学家。要是真是他的话，那科学家已经在罗布泊里游荡了近10年！！那老者究竟是什么人？他为什么突然出现，又突消失呢？老赵始终也没有找到答案。
他想，这辈子，也许是找不出来了。。。。
