The bald guy appeared extremely anxious, primarily due to the scarcity of food. Currently, each person has only about two to three days' worth of provisions left. If we continue resting, we may all starve to death here.
Old He, at that moment, was exhausted from the journey, and after a half-day of rest, he had basically recovered. I thought Er Ye would be ready to set off, but surprisingly, he only replied with a single word, "Wait."
No one knew what Er Ye was waiting for. He instructed everyone to rest well, but the bald guy was displeased, expressing that the food supply was insufficient. Er Ye, however, firmly stated that this tomb was peculiar and required patience. He instructed them to ration the food, consuming less each meal, assuring that once they exited this mountain, they would eat to their satisfaction. The bald guy was unwilling but had no choice but to continue waiting.
During this period, I asked Zhao Gu and the others about what happened at the camp. Zhao Gu sighed, saying he couldn't explain it clearly.
They divided into two groups, one responsible for guarding supplies at the camp, and the other went out to survey the terrain. Er Ye discovered an issue with the local Feng Shui on a hill, suspecting foul play. He selected a few spots for excavation, and after Er Ye tasted the soil brought up, his expression changed. He concluded that there must be a tomb below.
After a rough outline, they were surprised to find that the tomb was unexpectedly enormous. They rushed back to the camp, intending to relocate it. However, upon reaching the camp's vicinity, they discovered the entire camp was deserted. Although peculiar, it wasn't the reason for their hurried retreat. They sent two groups to search, but with no results. However, the real anomaly occurred that night.
At this point, Zhao Gu's face turned very unpleasant, indicating that the memories from that time were undoubtedly haunting. On the second night, during the shift change, the replacements were astonished to find several people had died in their sleep. Their bodies were entwined with vines. What was more horrifying was that these vines seemed to grow from within the deceased. The remaining individuals fared no better; many had greenish buds growing on their arms and backs. When pulled, new tender shoots would emerge from beneath the skin.
Ignoring their firsthand experience, the descriptions sent shivers down my spine. Immediately, I remembered the piles of burnt remains found in the camp, likely confirming Xiao He's speculation that it was human flesh. Zhao Gu's subsequent words validated my conjecture.
After discovering this phenomenon, they had no choice but to use alcohol-soaked knives to cut off the skin along with the roots, burning the entangled flesh. Er Ye mentioned it was a parasitic carnivorous plant. Although it didn't reappear, a more dreadful situation unfolded. The victims of parasitism, after half a day, would develop high fevers. They clawed at themselves, leaving bloody trails. Some went insane, claiming the thing was inside them, and they could feel it.
Initially, others thought they were delirious due to the fever, preparing to administer sedatives. Unexpectedly, when they saw protrusions resembling fingertip-sized bulges beneath the victims' skin, like small insects wriggling, it became apparent that these supernatural entities had taken residence within their bodies. Removing the skin and flesh proved futile.
I glanced at Zhao Gu and asked in a hushed tone, "Those people..."
Zhao Gu remained silent, gesturing with an "eight" sign.
Before I could say anything more, a loud "thud" echoed from the outside of our stone room, coming from the tomb passage. As everyone collectively held their breath and turned to look, another "thud" resounded. It sounded like something repeatedly hitting the ground, and with each thud, it approached closer.
Our stone room was not large, separated from the outside only by a wall. The sound was particularly clear, and as we listened intently, suddenly, the noise ceased. Zhao Gu, beside me, tensed visibly.
After what seemed like a cigarette's worth of time, as if something suddenly struck the wall outside, a distinctly clear "thud" resonated. This sound sent a chill down my spine. I looked towards Er Ye, and even he stared at the door with a pale face.
The silence in the stone room was eerie. My heartbeat reverberated like a drum. Another thud, and the sound finally moved away from the door. Everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Er Ye glanced at his watch, called me, Liángzi, and the bald guy over, wearing a serious expression. "The time is almost up. Mílè, get your people ready. The way back is the only way forward now. That thing has already emerged, and this tomb has become 'alive.' Be cautious on the road; once we enter the affiliated burial chamber within five hours, we can safely ascend. However, the opportunity to leave is fleeting. We must enter the affiliated burial chamber within five hours, or else we'll remain here as lonely spirits."
After Liángzi went back, Er Ye, while we packed our bags, squatted down and whispered, "This Eastern Han tomb is problematic. When I entered the coffin, I found that the corpses inside had been replaced. Han tombs usually have stone carvings depicting gatekeepers armed with weapons to defend against evil spirits. Surprisingly, I haven't seen any along the way. Instead, I found signs of ghost summoning on the giant door outside the Triple Hall. Those buried here won't ascend to the afterlife but remain trapped. The thing that just passed is probably the general's corpse, transformed into that appearance."
A chill ran down my spine upon hearing this. Why did I encounter such a situation on my first venture underground? Suppressing the saliva that almost choked me, I asked Er Ye, "Wait, why was this place arranged like this? Who tampered with it? What lies beneath the Cháoxiān tomb?"
Er Ye glanced at me indifferently, "This Cháoxiān tomb is part of a scheme spanning six hundred years. As for what lies beneath, I also want to know."
"A scheme?" I was a bit puzzled and wanted to ask him more, but he had already stood up, saying, "It's better not to know."
After leaving the stone room, with Er Ye and Xiao He leading the way, I followed behind, also armed with a gun. Just before setting off, Xiao He pulled me aside and warned me to be careful of the bald guy's group, especially two ruthless characters among them. One of them might even have official backing and a penchant for taking lives when it served his interests. Whether on a large scale or small, he was prone to killing for greed.
Although not accustomed to handling guns regularly, I had visited the Changping Northern International Shooting Range with friends during leisure time. Handguns were tricky, but rifles felt manageable. I took the gun from Xiao He, clicked it a few times, and slung it across my back before commencing the march.
Er Ye and Xiao He led the way, and as we followed, we were each assigned a gun. Just before we set off, Xiao He pulled me aside to share a piece of advice. I had to be cautious of the bald guy's group, especially two individuals among
them. One of them might even have influential backing and a history of blood on his hands. It was essential to be on guard against the potential of crimes for personal gain, ranging from murder to silence.
While I wasn't a frequent gun handler, my occasional visits to the Changping Northern International Shooting Range meant I had some experience. Handguns were challenging, but I found rifles more manageable. I took the gun from Xiao He, clicked it a few times to familiarize myself, and slung it across my back before we started marching.
Er Ye and Xiao He led the way, and as we followed them, we entered narrower tombs. The path could barely accommodate two or three people walking side by side. Along the way, I noticed several indentations in the tomb walls connected to mechanisms. These likely linked to the crossbows triggered by the group more than twenty years ago.
Suddenly, a conclusion formed in my mind, connecting fragmented pieces of information. Over two decades ago, a group of people had come here, possibly taking a different route than ours. The leaders, presumably Er Ye and the bald guy's mysterious "man," had discovered something beneath the Cháoxiān tomb, and "that person" took something away during their visit.
This journey seemed to be a cooperative effort between Er Ye and the bald guy's party. Judging from their conversation, Er Ye was familiar with the bald guy's background, and his conduct throughout the journey indicated a familiarity with this tomb. It seemed likely that this wasn't Er Ye's first time here, or at least he had prior knowledge about the details of this tomb.
Most importantly, in the elderly man known as Er Ye, who had earned the nickname "Er Ye" due to his unwavering sense of justice, I observed a determination that hinted at a special significance attached to this tomb.
I shook my head, hoping my intuition was wrong.
Er Ye led the way with us following through several tomb passages. The maze-like structure reminded me of the caverns I traversed on the upper level. Countless twists and turns later, and I noticed the tomb walls transitioned from bricks to irregular stone blocks, gradually replacing the uniformity of bricks. This entire mountain range below seemed to be a network of natural caverns, likely exploited by the craftsmen to construct this underground palace.
After walking for more than ten minutes, the tomb passage widened, revealing exposed limestone, affirming my earlier suspicions.
Observing Er Ye guiding us in front, my confusion deepened. What was his purpose for this journey?
Judging by his actions along the way, he seemed well-acquainted with the tomb's details, yet it didn't seem like prior knowledge. Otherwise, they could have avoided many pitfalls. I pondered for a while, and the only explanation for this situation was that he obtained information after entering the tomb.
If this speculation was accurate, then the previous group had left some clues or items inside the tomb, directing Er Ye to follow them.
Consequently, all the mysteries seemed to converge on the group from over two decades ago, especially "that person." What did he see down there?
As I delved into deep contemplation, the tomb passage reached its end. Darkness lay ahead, and my flashlight revealed no reflections.
Taking a cue from Xiao He, who noticed something outside the beam of the flashlight, I aimed my gun at the area where the flare had descended. A signal flare illuminated the cavern like a comet. After ascending to its zenith, it burst open, casting light and revealing a massive cavern within the mountain.
The illuminating agent of this flare could burn for about 30 seconds. It descended at a speed of 5 to 6 meters per second, suggesting a height of at least 60 meters above us. The bottom was at least 40 to 50 meters deep. Evidently, this opening was at the edge of a cliff, with the immense space belonging to the system of natural caves beneath the mountain. Achieving such a colossal construction through human effort was implausible.
As the illumination of the flare approached its end, the bald guy, with sharp eyes, pointed at the position where it had descended, exclaiming in horror, "Look!"