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墨書 Inktalez
"This is the Xianju Tadpole Script!" I was certain that the so-called Xianju Tadpole Script was first discovered on a steep cliff in Danzhu Township, Xianju County, Zhejiang, where symbols resembling sun patterns, insect patterns, and tadpole characters were carved. It is said to be a record left by King Da Yu. Along with the Cangjie Script, Xia Yu Script, Red Rock Book, Bashu Symbols, Dongba Script, Gaolao Stele, and Yelang Script, it is one of the eight unresolved scripts of ancient China.
Among these eight scripts, the Xianju Tadpole Script was discovered first. During the Yixi period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, a court official named Zhou attempted to create a flying ladder to make wax impressions of it but could not decipher its meaning. It can be inferred that this dates back at least to the Han Dynasty. Yang Shen, known as the most learned scholar of the Ming Dynasty and the author of the opening lines of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, once deciphered this script and gained recognition for it. Therefore, I could barely recognize some of the characters.
"These symbols say 'Peace for All Nations'!" I explained, confident in my translation. "What the hell! The country has fallen and our people are extinct; what peace are they talking about?" Big Mouth Lee exclaimed.
It seemed that the creator of this Corpse Tower did not believe he had made a mistake. He would rather abandon these people than allow peace to prevail. I couldn't imagine how such a so-called selflessness could be so terrifying. Many times, people use the name of justice to oppress and slaughter others, while the aggressors remain unscathed; this is a tragic aspect of history!
It appeared that the architect of this Corpse Tower harbored great malice towards these Lost Souls! No wonder what was offered here was so formidable. We pushed open the doors to the main hall and stepped inside anxiously. The doors swung open with a loud bang, revealing a hall several basketball courts in size, completely spotless inside. In the center stood a stone coffin, its corners rounded off; it was two meters high, three meters long, and one meter wide.
Looking around the hall, it was roughly two basketball courts in size with bronze chariots on either side for welcoming guests. Against the deep wall at the back were two black statues on either side, already covered in dust. Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the space; we searched around but found nothing unusual... In an instant, an eerie energy washed over me, sending chills down my spine. It felt as if a white mist was rising all around me; within that mist seemed to be countless eyes staring at us!
We felt a bit frightened and decided to pass through the entrance hall towards the Nine-Tiered Corpse Tower behind it. "Wait!" Bald Qiang gestured for us to stop. He scanned around with his miner's lamp until it landed on the top of the spirit hall; surprisingly, even the beams made of black stone were spotless. Upon closer inspection, there appeared to be a shadow swaying in the wind. My heart skipped a beat—"What on earth is that?"
We brought down that shadow from the beam; it turned out to be a corpse of a Foreigner. Judging by its time of death, it must have been only one or two days old! Had someone already entered? Before we arrived here, we had encountered several peculiar Foreigners; what kind of Birdman were they?
Now that we were at the foot of the tower, could we really back down because of this? Bald Qiang kicked at the Foreigner's corpse and cursed, "Damn you! How dare you come here to rob graves? Tired of living!" Startled, Big Mouth Lee quickly bowed and said, "If there's any blame to be had, it's all on Qiang!" "What the hell! Big Mouth Lee! What are you thinking? How dare you curse me?"
"You don't understand..." Big Mouth Lee muttered before bowing three times towards the corpse: "You dead ghost, may there be no taboos..."
Crossing over from the spirit hall into an inner courtyard brought us beneath the Nine-Tiered Corpse Tower. From afar, this Corpse Tower appeared dark and ominous; however, upon closer inspection, it shone brilliantly. The stone walls were polished like mirrors; even the iron door showed no signs of rust. Clearly, it had never been disturbed.
"Bald Qiang, it's up to you to open this door!" Big Mouth Lee suddenly said. Bald Qiang rolled up his sleeves without hesitation and stepped forward to pry open the door. The door was exceptionally sturdy; after waiting for half an hour, Big Mouth Lee asked impatiently, " Qiang, aren't you supposed to be tough? Why does it take so long just to open a door?"
"Bald Qiang" cursed violently, "What the hell do you know? It's just an old bastard! This 'Tomb Gate' is sealed tight from the inside, with molten iron poured into the cracks. It’s sealed up so well that my diamond saw will take at least ten minutes to break through!"
Ten minutes is ten minutes; I might as well take this opportunity to rest.
During this brief pause, we carefully observed the "Corpse Tower"!
In ancient times, towers were built not only to enshrine relics but also for feng shui purposes. They could ward off evil and disasters, altering the fortune of a place. Feng shui towers were typically constructed near water sources, serving as markers for towns and villages. Some towers were built to compensate for geographical flaws. The "Shan Hai Jing Tu Zan" states: "The earth is deficient in Xun, lacking in Qian," while the "Three Essentials of Yang House" mentions that in provinces, prefectures, and markets where scholars struggle to succeed, it is advisable to erect a literary peak using the characters Jia, Xun, Bing, and Ding—provided it is taller than surrounding mountains, success will follow. As I scrutinized the "Corpse Tower," an ominous feeling surged within me.
"This is bad; the top of the tower is broken. This is called a 'decapitation curse!' Such towers are indeed incredibly fierce..." The top of the "Nine-Tiered Corpse Tower" had a gaping crack, resembling a precious jewel missing its apex. This tower, built at the base of a cliff, was already a significant decapitation curse in itself. Coupled with the curse formed by its own structure, it exuded an exceptionally menacing aura!
"The tower door opens; a hundred ghosts come forth..." "Zhengyang" murmured. The opening of such a tower door signified that countless spirits would emerge.
Suddenly, with a loud crash, the tower door was flung open by "Bald Qiang"! A foul-smelling gust of wind rushed out. At the base of the tower lay a dark hole; we illuminated it with our mining lamps and found it filled with bones—thousands of them piled high. The condition of the skeletons was horrific; most had their skulls severed and hands bound behind their backs, stacked like firewood in a dense heap. On the opposite wall, skulls formed a terrifying wall.
So many dead bodies were crammed into this level of the tower.
"Damn your ancestors for generations! Killing so many people—what a bastard..." My anger was beyond words.
Rustling sounds echoed from all directions; claws scraped against surfaces in the pitch-black environment, accompanied by eerie cries and strange rustling noises!
Something flew out and landed on me with a thud. Without thinking, I slapped it off my body and stomped on it without hesitation. Only then did I take a closer look and nearly wet myself from fright.
It was a cockroach no bigger than the palm of my hand. We knew there were mainly two types: the Southern cockroach and the German cockroach. This one looked just like the larger variety, with a chestnut-colored shell and extremely long antennae. This was definitely a formidable opponent. I glanced around, and to my shock, I was taken aback. As the "Compendium of Materia Medica" states, "Cockroaches, crickets, and grasshoppers are all consumed by the southwestern tribes." What on earth!
In an instant, countless cockroaches surged up from the ground, creating a scene reminiscent of a vast ocean.
We all drew our daggers, not daring to hold back. With hands like iron claws, I crushed three or four cockroaches with a single grab. Zhengyang remained completely still, standing quietly on a raised platform, gazing down at the swarm of cockroaches as if he were an immortal observing mere ants.
Countless cockroaches swarmed toward him, surrounding him completely. At that moment, he drew his Shrimp Whisker Sword and unleashed a flurry of sword flowers. The light of the blade sliced through the air, sending severed limbs flying and leaving a pile of cockroach corpses in its wake.
"Ah! You're forcing me to go all out..." Zhengyang sighed lightly, waving his hands as countless beams of white light flickered forth. We all instinctively halted our daggers, staring in awe...
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