I dared not venture outside; each step was carefully placed. The sound behind me became increasingly distinct with every step, prompting Liangzi to slow down. He signaled with a "321" hand gesture while resting his left hand on the snake-shaped baton at his waist. The rattlesnake mechanism of this baton, brought by the mountain cat, had been modified. Crafted from reinforced alloy steel, the foremost section featured a sharp-edged conical tip that promised significant harm to anyone it encountered.
Taking a deep breath, I saw Liangzi's hand tracing number 1. We both abruptly turned around. Illuminating the passage with our flashlights, which was about thirty meters from the turn, we found nothing. Even if something was fast enough to escape during our swift turnaround, it wouldn't have covered the distance in that brief moment. Perplexed, I aimed my flashlight upward—nothing. We exchanged puzzled glances. Even if one of us misheard, it couldn't be both simultaneously. Liangzi, unable to discern the outcome, suggested, "Let's head back."
Nodding reluctantly, despite my inner discontent, there seemed to be no better alternative at the moment. Suddenly, cold sweat trickled down my back. On Liangzi's shoulders, unnoticed until then, rested a pair of hands covered in white fur. Delicate, akin to a woman's, these hands remained motionless, as if someone draped in a long robe were embracing him. Astonished, I pointed to my neck, signaling to Liangzi. Blinking, he responded swiftly, thrusting the conical tip of his baton towards the back of his neck. A pale figure darted away, revealing a ghastly white face on the tomb wall, covered in white fur, coldly watching us.
Liangzi approached, and the two of us confronted the creature with our flashlights. Liangzi whispered, "Something seems off." I, too, noticed the anomaly. The strange face had no body, and several appendages resembling tentacles emerged from the facial features. It was this entity that had clung to Liangzi moments ago. As I examined the creature, it struck me—it resembled the spiders I encountered in the cavern. Equally large as human heads, with markings resembling human faces on their backs, I examined the creature carefully, discovering two rows of eyes concealed beneath the white fur. Realizing it was a spider, Liangzi, still shocked, murmured, "Unbelievable, such a massive spider!"
Before I could warn him of its aggressive nature, the spider on the wall leaped towards us like a facehugger from Alien, targeting Liangzi's head. Reacting swiftly, Liangzi, seasoned by his experience with supernatural beings, swung the baton horizontally, and the creature emitted a thread of silk that adhered to the tomb wall. Using this, it changed direction and lunged directly at me.
Cursing inwardly, I found myself defenseless. Standing behind Liangzi, I was completely unprepared. Just as the creature approached, Liangzi turned around, blocking it, and with his free hand, he grabbed one of the spider's legs, flinging it away. The spider, propelled forcefully, landed on the wall, and its two rows of black eyes stared at us for a moment before gradually retreating into the dark tomb passage.
Relieved that the spider withdrew, Liangzi approached, and both of us faced the mysterious entity with our flashlights. Liangzi, leaning closer, whispered, "Something doesn't seem right." Puzzled, I observed the peculiar face, devoid of a body, with facial tentacles. The encounter felt familiar, and I suddenly exclaimed, recognizing it as the same type of spider I encountered in the cave—a creature resembling a human head with face-like patterns on its back.
Before I could share the fact that these spiders possessed strong aggressive tendencies, the spider on the wall launched itself like a facehugger. It targeted Liangzi's head, but his quick reflexes came to the fore. With a swift move, he deployed the baton, creating a barrier, while the creature expelled a stream of silk, sticking to the tomb wall. Leveraging this silk, it changed its trajectory, now heading directly towards me.
In a panic, I found myself at a disadvantage. Unprotected behind Liangzi, I watched helplessly as the creature approached. Just in the nick of time, Liangzi turned around, blocking its advance, and seized one of the spider's legs with his free hand, hurling it away. The white-furred spider, propelled forcefully, landed on the wall. Observing its retreating gaze, Liangzi sighed, "Close call. If a group of these came at us, we'd be reduced to bones. Let's get going; this tomb is filled with strange things not typical in a burial."
Liangzi inspected his neck for any bites, but my flashlight revealed no wounds. Reassured, I informed him that the spiders were not venomous, having encountered them before. He tapped his chest, relieved, "Good thing it was just one. If a group swarmed, we might have been in trouble. Let's move quickly; this tomb is filled with abnormalities."
While following him through a side passage, I noticed two symmetrical rhinoceros oil lamps on the wall. They immediately caught my attention. Taking a closer look, I discovered that the lamp's upper part resembled a flying phoenix, with three concentric rings adorning the lampshade, allowing adjustable light rotation. Another semicircular cover on top had a curved tube leading to the rhinoceros's head, connecting to serve as both a filter and a smoke exhaust, ingeniously designed for burning oil without emitting much smoke.
Such rhinoceros lamps were rare bronze treasures, even in ancient times. Beyond the means of ordinary wealthy individuals, I marveled at the intricate patterns on the lampshade—simple and ancient. The four moons surrounding the central sun symbolized the Han Dynasty.
Guiding Liangzi's attention to the lamps, I elucidated my findings. He nodded, acknowledging that Second Master had mentioned similar information before. According to him, the lower layer beneath us belonged to another era, distinct from the Han Dynasty burial. I marveled at this unprecedented tomb structure, contemplating its historical significance and questioning why someone would employ such an ominous feng shui arrangement in constructing this multi-layered burial.
Pointing to a side chamber, Liangzi suggested we investigate. As we approached, a bright light flooded our faces, causing me to shield my eyes. Liangzi muttered, "Our people," and the light vanished. Gradually, I discerned the surroundings—a medium-sized stone chamber, approximately ten meters in length and five to six meters in width. Standing at the entrance was a lean, tall figure holding an old-fashioned Type 79 submachine gun as a lookout. He had disrupted my vision with a flashlight moments ago. In the well-lit space lay a dozen people, gathered in small groups of three to three, including Liangzi, and three familiar faces—silent Xiao He, Zhao Gu, and the now gray-haired Second Master.
Haven't seen him for a long time; it was almost rare for me to visit the shop since graduating from college. Gazing at Second Master, I realized he had aged considerably. He was never one for unnecessary
words, always straightforward and stern with everyone, including me—the "legacy of an old friend." Every step in my life since his adoption seemed to be orchestrated by him.
Liangzi nudged me, gesturing towards Second Master. Reluctantly, I approached. Second Master turned his calm gaze towards me, then resumed studying the map before him, instructing, "Take a look."
Confused, I glanced at the bundle wrapped in a grass mat, obstructed from clear view due to lighting conditions. Small He hesitated, "Second Master, is it wise? Xiao Cao is still a youngster."
Second Master remained silent. His crew understood that this meant "no need to repeat," prompting Small He to sigh and cast a glance at me before unrolling the mat. The dimly lit object beneath triggered a foul odor, and as my eyes adjusted, I saw a black-red mass—a human body. The skin appeared scalded, as if drenched in boiling oil. Bizarrely, within the exposed muscles, black, watery tissue clung. If not for the intact head, recognizing it as a person would be challenging. The sight disgusted me.
Small He, reluctant to let me dwell on it, hastily wrapped up the grass mat. Frowning, I questioned, "What happened? Was he one of our own?"
Small He's face darkened, and I suddenly grasped the situation. Stammering, I muttered, "This...this is..."
Second Master, still focused on the map, calmly responded, "Mountain Cat, deceased. It seems you haven't taken the right path. This eliminates one possibility." As he spoke, he traced a line on the map.
My mind buzzed, and I covered my mouth as nausea churned my stomach. Oh God, it was Mountain Cat. Just hours ago, we were bantering and laughing. I still had the half-empty bottle of liquor he handed me—a lively person, now reduced to a lifeless body. I couldn't comprehend the sudden shift. Remembering what Lao He said earlier on the road, "Some people are destined to bear everything."
The crew, accustomed to the harsh realities of life, sighed, expressing regret but handling Mountain Cat's body with composure. I stared blankly at the grass mat, overwhelmed by remorse. If not for my hasty decisions, perhaps Mountain Cat would still be alive. The profound sense of guilt lingered as I pondered the consequences of my impulsiveness.
Suddenly, Small He tugged at my sleeve, and I looked around in a daze. The lean lookout at the entrance signaled with his hand, and I heard Second Master say, "Extinguish the lights."