Li Xin saw that eerie figure in the mirror and immediately fainted. I was not much better; my legs went weak. Supporting Li Xin, I asked Han Sheng, "Is there something unclean in this stone chamber?"
Han Sheng stared fixedly at the bronze mirror. I braved it and looked again. The figure seemed blurry, with a pale face devoid of features, appearing as if it would pounce on us. I swallowed hard. If what the mirror reflected was real, then, without a doubt, this ghostly thing was already behind us.
Perhaps it was a psychological effect, but I even felt an itch on the back of my neck, as if hair was brushing against it. None of us dared to turn around, not even the seasoned Laowan, who nervously swallowed saliva. As we watched, I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise as I noticed something peculiar.
Perhaps due to my extensive experience in antique appraisal, especially in Qin Han Tang where there was no room for sloppiness, I found the ghostly figure somewhat disjointed. It seemed to be performing repetitive movements.
I suddenly had a bold conjecture and said to Han Sheng, "Extinguish the torch on the right."
Han Sheng went and put out the torch, plunging the stone chamber into darkness. I took out a flashlight and directed it towards the bronze mirror. The mirror reflected a beam of light, but the ghostly figure inside disappeared. I moved the flashlight left and right, and suddenly, the disheveled ghostly figure reappeared. I shifted it again, and the figure disappeared. I sighed with relief. It was just a trick.
Han Sheng relit the torch, and I pointed to the bronze mirrors, saying, "These mirrors are indeed not ordinary. As you all saw, only when light is cast from a specific angle can it reveal the ghostly figure inside. This technique was undoubtedly groundbreaking at that time. The person who crafted these mirrors must have reached the pinnacle of extraordinary and clever artistry."
Laowan also breathed a sigh of relief, patting my shoulder. "You're truly something. Seeing this stuff underground is truly dreadful."
I touched my forehead. "Fortunately, thanks to Han Sheng. If not for him, we would have panicked and fled long ago. For those unaware, these mirrors would indeed create immense psychological pressure."
Choosing the next path became a dilemma. A wrong choice might lead us further away from Zhao Jun and the others. Zhao Min walked back, shaking her head. "No markings left behind."
Li Xin, just awakened, explained the principle of the mirrors to him, making him less frightened. He suggested, "Shall we split into three groups and explore?"
I refused, "This mine is too mysterious; we can't afford to split up."
Laowan said, "Let's try one path at a time, leaving markings along the way."
Seemingly the only viable option, after a brief rest, we proceeded towards the left passage.
This passage was noticeably different from the inclined well we entered before; it was wider, about three meters. As we walked, we reached a turning point and found a carving resembling a road sign. Looking at its content, we were all stunned—it was Manchu script.
We exchanged glances. Laowan mumbled to himself, "What's going on? How could there be Manchu script in a mine from the time of the Fox Barbarian King?"
I was also puzzled. Although I noticed issues with the support techniques when we entered, I never expected it to leap directly to the Qing Dynasty. I asked Li Xin, "Do you recognize this?"
After careful examination, Li Xin shook his head, saying he could only identify one or two words, with (shēng) being one of them.
As we walked and analyzed, I said, "Let's consider two scenarios. Either this mine was genuinely a valuable deposit discovered by the local government during the Qing Dynasty, prompting organized mining, coincidentally falling into this valley. The second scenario is that they indeed found the tomb of the Fox Barbarian King, using the mining as a cover-up while secretly excavating the tomb below."
Li Xin said, "Comparing the two, the answer is undoubtedly the second one. Mining and transporting from here would be too costly."
Several people agreed with our speculation. I continued, "As long as we follow these passages, we will undoubtedly find the tomb of the Fox Barbarian King. The one who orchestrated this project must have been highly skilled. In fact, they might not even be aware of whose tomb lies beneath; they were merely led here by an expert who detected a large tomb underground."
Laowan added, "The person managing this project must also be a skilled tomb robber. Suppose he was assigned to oversee the excavation of the Fox Barbarian King's tomb. In that case, he would have been accustomed to the methods employed in such tombs. If that's the case, this wall has completely sealed off our entrance."
Han Sheng suddenly suggested, "It could also be to prevent something inside from coming out."
This statement silenced us. Perhaps they had unearthed something unclean, but without substantial evidence, all our assumptions remained speculative.
As we reached the end of the passage, under the light of the mining lamp, Han Sheng reminded, "We should be in mid-air. Any flares?"
Zhao Min took out a signal gun and fired it towards the slanted direction. The illumination flare, trailing a long tail, arced over, lighting up a large area below. We were all amazed at the scene before us.
It was an abandoned mining pit, incredibly vast. Currently, we were indeed in mid-air. From the passage, a wooden bridge, tied with hemp rope, connected to a bamboo platform about ten meters high. Extending from this bamboo platform was a suspension bridge linking to another bamboo platform. In the enormous mining pit, we counted fifteen to twenty of these gigantic bamboo platforms. Chains connected the pit's top and walls, holding some large, indistinct objects.
Beneath the massive mining pit were stacked layers of broken wooden boards.
The enormous mining pit resembled a spherical object; our passage exit was just one of many connecting to the mining pit.
After the illumination flare descended, Li Xin, still catching his breath, asked, "What did they dig up here in the first place?"
Observing the abandoned mining pit, I rubbed my temples, sensing an ominous foreboding. It seemed like those people encountered something back then, and it appeared that the Fox Barbarian King did not welcome them.
"Should we go take a look?" I asked. "Honestly, I have a bad feeling about this."
Zhao Min glanced at Laowan, and he pondered for a moment before gritting his teeth, "Let's go. We can't afford to come here for nothing."
We adjusted our equipment. Seeing that the front suspension bridge was challenging to traverse, we extinguished the mining lamps and switched to shoulder lights. Han Sheng approached the suspension bridge, testing it with his foot. I thought the wood should be brittle by now, but as he stepped on it, nothing happened. He also tested the hemp rope on the suspension bridge; it was solid. He rubbed his hands and sniffed. "No problem, come up. The hemp rope on this bridge is soaked in tung oil, very sturdy."
For the first time in thousands of years, we stepped into the pitch-black mine,
and the wooden boards echoed with creaking sounds, sending shivers down my spine.
The suspension bridge was difficult to navigate, swaying from side to side. It took considerable effort to reach the opposite bamboo platform. The platform was not large, resembling an observation tower covered in dust.
Li Xin, still catching his breath, sat on a jar. "Let's take a break."
I unscrewed the mining lamp, illuminating the surroundings. The small bamboo platform was littered with discarded items—standard issue knives with rusted blades, blackened and sticky clothing scraps that seemed to be a kind of attire. There were pots and pans all over, and in the corner, some preserved meat and wine barrels. Although heavily deteriorated, we could still identify these items. Unfortunately, many others had decomposed beyond recognition.
Laowan surveyed the scene. "It looks like they hastily withdrew."
I frowned. "Our guess was correct; something seems to have happened here."
At the same time, curiosity gripped me. They had invested so much; what were they digging for?
According to our initial assumption, if they had only discovered an underground tomb, the scale of this project would seem too extravagant. Furthermore, this scale hinted at possible official involvement, indicating that the government or military commanders with power over troops maintained a team of tomb robbers.
Li Xin, having regained his composure, examined the still recognizable abandoned items. He stated that valuable items during the Qing Dynasty were scarce, and these broken bronze and iron pieces were practically worthless. However, the wine barrels might be more precious, but unfortunately, we couldn't take them.
He pried open a sealed jar, and a foul odor filled the air, making me dry-heave. I urged him to cover it quickly.
Embarrassed, he said, "Is it spoiled?"
Han Sheng reached into the jar, dipped his fingers slightly, and examined the thick, black substance. He shook his head. "It's not wine; it should be dog's blood."
Suddenly, Laowan, who had been silent for a while, sucked in a breath and exclaimed, "Listen, there's movement below."