I awoke to find myself in the mountain village. According to Xiao He, I had regained consciousness several times during the journey, but soon drifted back into a state of unconsciousness. Desiring to sit up, I discovered my entire body in excruciating pain. Xiao He advised me to rest and reassured me that although I had numerous abrasions, there were no fractures. A few days of recovery would allow me to stand once again.
Curious about how I arrived there, I questioned Xiao He. He explained that they encountered a significant setback on their journey, encountering a figure referred to as the "General." The team sustained severe damage, prompting them to stay and repair their camp at the previous location before descending the mountain. Due to the rain at that time, they relocated their camp into a cave, where they coincidentally found me adrift in a lake within the mountain. According to Xiao He, I appeared lifeless and unconscious.
"My father mentioned that the lake is likely a drainage outlet with numerous sieve-like drainage holes connecting to an underground river. The accumulated water from the tomb would flow into the lake through a meticulously dug drainage channel, then seep into the underground river. You were probably swept out through the drainage channel," Xiao He explained.
I nodded and inquired, "Who led us down the mountain?"
At this point, Xiao He's expression turned peculiar. He responded, "It was the old hunter, and moreover... he conveyed a message for you: 'Regardless of what occurs, you must bring it back.'"
This statement startled me. Did he literally mean he knew what I brought out from the tomb, or was 'it' just a general term? If the former, how did he know? If the latter, what mysterious entity did the hunter believe escaped during our descent? It couldn't be the first possibility, unless he accompanied us into the tomb. Contemplating the second option, a chill ran down my spine.
Could it be that the old hunter clandestinely followed us after we descended?
Shaking my head, I dismissed the thought. Despite the old man's eccentric appearance, in the circumstances at that time, with Er Ye's abilities, he wouldn't have gone unnoticed if someone had followed us.
Could it really be the second possibility? Did he believe that something escaped from the tomb during our descent, and if so, why me? Perplexed by these thoughts, I questioned Xiao He about the old hunter's whereabouts. He informed me that the hunter, along with some young men from the village, had gone up the mountain for hunting, and they might not return for a short while.
As we discussed this, Xiao He's expression darkened, and he whispered, "Er Ye, he..."
Speaking of Er Ye, I lost interest in the conversation. In hindsight, during the final moments, it seemed Er Ye had prepared himself not to return with us. He harbored a particularly strong purpose regarding the third layer of the Tomb of the Immortals. I repeatedly questioned myself if I could have been more astute at that time, perhaps bringing him back.
I briefly recounted the last events to Xiao He, who then asked, "Er Ye went down? I mean, was he okay when he went down?"
I nodded, whispering, "In that situation, I don't believe he had a chance of survival. Even if he could handle those vines, the terrifying third layer awaited him. Perhaps he wouldn't have made it to the end."
Before departing, Xiao He informed me that he left some medicine and provisions in the mountain hollow. This served as a survival strategy they used when venturing into tombs. If companions got separated, they would leave some rations at a certain location, along with markings only they could understand. Whether they made it out depended on fate. Xiao He expressed his hope that Er Ye would return.
After a few more days, my body had mostly recovered. I visited Lao He, whose injuries were also minor. On Er Ye's side, only Lao He and his son, Zhao Gu, remained. The losses were severe on Tu Zi's side, with only seven people emerging out of over a dozen. Additionally, everyone was wounded, and Tu Zi himself had lost half of his arm.
Lao He lit a cigarette, telling me, "Pack your belongings; I'll contact some associates here. We'll leave tonight."
Surprised, I exclaimed, "Why the hurry, and isn't it too dangerous to travel through mountain paths at night?"
Lao He explained, "You don't understand Tu Zi's group. They haven't recovered, and we managed to escape. Initially, they restrained themselves because of Er Ye, but now it's uncertain. Moreover..."
Speaking of this, Lao He's expression took on a touch of melancholy. He fell silent for a moment and then continued, "Er Ye is no longer with us; we need to quickly return to sort things out."
"It's going to change."
That night, two Range Rovers entered from outside. Taking advantage of the night, we drove out of this unforgettable Wumong Mountain area. After a series of turns, we finally returned to Beijing. Lao He left me at Er Ye's residence, informing me to stay there with Zhao Gu for the time being, as there might be some turbulence outside. I understood that the situation could be more serious than he let on, or else he wouldn't have entrusted Zhao Gu with my protection.
Er Ye resided on the side of Jishuitan, in an old-style courtyard built in the 80s. The courtyard was not large, with a main building comprising two rooms and an auxiliary building. Zhao Gu seemed to be a frequent visitor, opting to stay in the auxiliary building.
Pushing open the door to Er Ye's room, I had never been here before. The simplicity of the furnishings surprised me. A few tables and chairs, some basic necessities of life essentially constituted the entire belongings of this northern scoundrel leader.
After a brief scan, a hint of sadness filled my heart. Surprisingly, the item I saw the most in his room was instant noodles. Seated on a scholar's chair, I marveled at the simple wooden table in front of me. The wood seemed average, possibly discarded from some school office.
I fell into a daze, my mind empty. I found it challenging to piece together what kind of person Er Ye was. Originally, in my impression, he was obstinate, rigid, fond of deciding others' life paths. However, at this moment, he became blurry in my mind. I couldn't confirm what kind of person he truly was. Unconsciously, my eyes became slightly moist. I ridiculed myself a bit, feeling somewhat feminine.
Picking up the only iron tea caddy on the table, I poured a cup of water and fell asleep on the scholar's chair.
That night, I slept poorly, plagued by numerous chaotic dreams. At times, I woke up shouting, unable to believe I had actually made it out alive. It was only upon seeing the modern furnishings in the room and the smartphone with app notifications that I truly believed I had returned.
In the following days, Zhao Gu and I led rather languid lives. Our meals were mostly delivered, and occasionally, we indulged in a drink or two. After finishing his drink, Zhao Gu would immerse himself in chatting with friends and siblings on his phone. It was evident that, apart from Er Ye's affairs, this trip into the mountains had no particularly profound impact on him. It seemed like this was his way of life. In contrast, I couldn't shake off the experiences in the tomb, flashing like movie scenes in my mind every time I closed my eyes.
Besides these, many mysteries troubled me. What was on the third level of the Tomb of the Immortals? What did my father discover, as mentioned by Er Ye? What was the "Thread Group" in the shadows of the Cao family, and what was the erased history about? These questions had no leads, and no one could provide answers, leaving me quite frustrated.
One day, as I opened my eyes, Er Ye's words suddenly flashed in my mind. He had mentioned that my father sent him a letter before setting off for the final ancient tomb. Er Ye claimed it was inside his desk drawer. Thinking about this, I immediately got up to search. I went through all the drawers in Er Ye's house, but there was no sign of that letter.
I suspected whether Er Ye was mistaken, but later, I found it unlikely. He wouldn't have misremembered such a crucial matter. Sitting there, pondering, I recalled Er Ye's words: "In my study's drawer." I looked around in confusion; this was no study, and there were hardly any books. Suddenly, I slapped my thigh. I understood. There must be a secret compartment in Er Ye's room; otherwise, he wouldn't have emphasized the study. Given the simplicity of his room, saying drawer alone would have sufficed.
Just as I was excitedly about to start searching for the hidden compartment, a knocking sound came from outside. Zhao Gu and I both arrived in the courtyard. Zhao Gu grabbed a dagger and glanced at me before asking outside, "Who is it?"
"Han Sheng, Uncle He told me Cao Nong is here."
Putting away the dagger, Zhao Gu had previously informed me that Lao He told him someone would come looking for me, but he didn't specify the identity.
I was puzzled, and in a bit of a daze, I opened the door. The visitor was a young man, roughly my age, and for some reason, he reminded me of a phrase:
"A certain family's ordinary mountain, Zhao Zilong."
(End of Volume One, Wumong Tomb of the Immortals)