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墨書 Inktalez
"Boom."
The stone door shattered, revealing a space that seemed as large as half a playground.
The ground was littered with scattered corpses, their clothing still intact, but their bodies had long since turned to bone.
It appeared that after the burial, those who had interred the dead had been subjected to a massacre, leaving them all trapped within the tomb.
We cautiously stepped around the bones and moved deeper inside.
The sheer number of corpses made the atmosphere heavy with Yin Qi, which left me feeling particularly uneasy.
As we walked, I suddenly felt someone grab my shoulder.
Behind me was a burly man; I had no idea why he suddenly patted me. I cursed, "Hey, don’t scare me like that! Grabbing me out of nowhere is just going to freak me out!"
"Yan Xi, what are you talking about?"
The man's voice came from my left. I didn’t even realize when he had moved over there.
What was it that I had felt? A chill ran down my spine as I slowly turned my head.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a skeletal hand resting on my shoulder, draped over my clothing.
When I looked up, there stood a skull directly behind me. It stared at me; although it had no face, I could swear that the bones were grinning at me.
Terrified, I stumbled back a step and screamed,
"Ah!"
I soon found myself in a gentle embrace, and in an instant, I calmed down, knowing that Mu Xuanche was by my side made me feel much better.
With a loud crash, the Sub-Skeleton was smashed to pieces by Mu Xuanche.
I asked him, "How did this thing suddenly come up and grab me?"
"These people died tragically in life, so there is still Resentment attached to their bones. Once Yang Qi appears, this Resentment will manifest to scare people."
After hearing his explanation, I felt even more at ease and quietly followed behind Mu Xuanche, not daring to stray too far. Who knows what else might appear?
As we continued forward, the path suddenly narrowed again, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
Lying on the ground were several desiccated corpses. Notably, one of them still wore a Watch on its wrist, indicating that these were modern individuals.
They must have died not long ago, perhaps just a few decades ago. Had someone already come in here before me?
Mu Xuanche noticed as well. He frowned and said, "I hope our trip here isn't in vain."
At the end of the path stood another stone door. The carvings above it were still intact and clearly visible, depicting a scene that seemed almost alive.
This couldn't have been created by the later Demon Chancellor; it was likely done by a previous Tomb Owner, illustrating an official on inspection.
Five horses pulled a carriage, suggesting that this official held a high rank.
In ancient times, the level of a carriage and horses could indicate an official's status. In modern times, people generally use License Plate numbers and car emblems to gauge someone's position. Friends who work as traffic police have told me that when they go on duty, they must first recognize all the local officials' License Plate numbers to avoid trouble.
The Dirt Expert was preparing explosives again, still intent on blowing open this door. He probably knew the risks involved and urged us to step back while he donned a protective suit resembling a raincoat.
Even the wisest of ancient people could not compete with the high technology of modern times. After all, we are the heirs of over two thousand years of civilization. The carvings on this wall are truly beautiful, captivating me completely.
My favorite is the Hui Style reliefs. When I visited Anhui, I went to a scenic area called Red Manor, where I was so enchanted by the architecture that I could hardly move my feet. Every carving inside mesmerized me; at that moment, I wished I could live there.
Seeing that Dirt Expert was about to take action, I quickly stopped him. "Let me give it a try."
He glanced at Mu Xuanche without replying, clearly aware of who held authority here. After Mu Xuanche nodded, he withdrew his hand and cautioned, "Be careful."
I nodded, knowing that behind these walls lay either kerosene or sulfuric acid. Regardless of which it was, one wrong move would mean death.
Dirt Expert initially intended to remove his protective suit for me, but I declined.
I gently pressed my hand against the stone door, tracing the reliefs with my fingers. A wave of warmth flowed into my palm; it seemed likely that kerosene was behind it.
With my hands bent, I lightly tapped on the stone door, producing a rhythmic thud. The mechanism must be hidden within this relief; the question was which button to press.
One wrong step could cost me my life; I couldn't afford to hesitate.
After much deliberation, I reached out and placed my hand on one of the five horses. For some reason, I felt that this particular horse was more spirited and majestic than the others.
With a creak, a mechanism inside the door clicked into place.
Hearing that sound, I couldn't help but smile. It seemed the door had opened, so I called over the burly man to help push it open.
"Sister Gu, let me go in front," he said suddenly, blocking my path.
It turned out he knew my surname was Gu. After all this time, it was the first time he addressed me by name. Perhaps my earlier skill in opening the door had earned his favor, making him realize I wasn't just an incompetent woman.
The tomb chamber inside was as vast as it appeared from outside, at least a hundred square meters.
There were hardly any burial goods left around; only a few broken bronze artifacts remained. I couldn't tell if they were taken by the emperor of the Western Han Dynasty or if someone else had come in later to remove them.
In the center stood two enormous coffins. One was particularly exquisite, adorned with intricate carvings similar to those on the door and coated in gold lacquer.
The coffin beside it looked rather eerie; it was made of black willow wood. Despite its size, it emanated a chilling aura.
Willow trees are notorious for being associated with spirits, and no one would use such wood to make a coffin unless they wished to prevent the deceased from reincarnating. It seemed this coffin belonged to the Demon Chancellor.
I asked Mu Xuanche if we had come here for that coffin. He pointed to the gilded coffin and told me we were here to retrieve the Tomb Owner's Heart.
Heart,
How could someone who has been dead for over two thousand years have a Heart? Surely, it must have turned to dust by now.
Yet, seeing the determination in his eyes, I couldn't help but wonder if there really was a Heart that could last for a millennium.
"What time is it?"
Mu Xuanche suddenly asked. I was taken aback for a moment before answering him.
"It's 11:59."
He frowned and said, "It's broken."
Before I could grasp what he meant, I heard a loud rushing sound nearby, like water cascading down from a waterfall.
Following the sound, I looked to my left and indeed saw a waterfall, with water surging down continuously.
It was my first time hearing about a waterfall inside a Tomb. Generally, water is avoided in Tombs to keep the corpses dry and prevent Corpse Transformation. Coffins are never placed in damp areas.
Even more bizarre was that the water from this waterfall was black. As I leaned closer to take a look, I realized that it wasn't just black water; there were many Black Fish swimming within it. They were small, but their sheer numbers were overwhelming.
Each one was about the size of a finger, and their vast quantity made the entire body of water appear black.
I reached out to catch one for a closer look when I suddenly heard a warning voice from behind me. I quickly withdrew my hand.
Behind me, Mu Xuanche explained, "This thing is called the Black Rakshasa. It is specifically bred in the Extreme Yin Land. When they are born, they are in a fish state, and within a few minutes, they can come out of the water and transform into something resembling a gecko. As soon as they come into contact with a person, they can burrow into their skin. In less than two minutes, all that will be left is skin and bones; this creature can consume all the flesh completely."
The thought of it burrowing into flesh and leaving only skin and bones was terrifying. After hearing Mu Xuanche's words, I immediately stepped back repeatedly, distancing myself from the area near the waterfall.
About three minutes later, the waterfall miraculously stopped, and no more water cascaded down.
As Mu Xuanche had predicted, the Black Fish began to leap out like frogs. The moment they touched the ground, they sprouted limbs. I was left dumbfounded by this bizarre sight; it was truly strange.
"Everyone, stay alert," Mu Xuanche commanded loudly, raising everyone's vigilance to its peak.
There were not many things that made him wary, so it was clear that these Black Fish were formidable.
With so many Black Fish around us and nowhere to retreat, we could only stand on top of the coffin lid.
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