At the break of dawn following the failed tomb raid, Jian Yumei stood on the hillside, astounded to find all traces vanished, as if the bloody affair had never occurred.
Infinite sorrow and grief engulfed him once more, prompting another bout of choked sobs.
At that moment, a figure approached him, and Jian Yumei recognized him as the person who had saved him the previous night.
Now, he could clearly see the man before him, around forty years of age, clad in traditional Chinese attire, exuding an aura of benevolence.
"Why such impulsive actions, venturing into the tomb?" the gentleman spoke.
"That was my father; could I just stand by and not attempt a rescue?" Jian Yumei replied.
"But by doing so, you risk not only failing to save him but also forfeiting your own life. Do you realize the peril?" the gentleman cautioned.
"My life was given by my father; if it returns to him, so be it. All I desire is to see him alive!" Jian Yumei affirmed.
"Yet, he can no longer return. Once the self-destruct mechanism of a tomb is activated, unless one is at the entrance at that moment and ascends swiftly, there is no escape!" the gentleman explained.
"What should I do then? Could you offer me guidance?" Jian Yumei asked.
"Your father can no longer return. Whatever he encountered in the ancient tomb remains unknown. Perhaps, at this moment, he finds peace, or perhaps not," the gentleman remarked.
"No, he wouldn't, he couldn't abandon me and my mother!" Jian Yumei protested.
"Alas, indeed, he cherished you greatly, or else he might not have met such a fate so swiftly!" the gentleman acknowledged.
"How do you know, sir?" Jian Yumei inquired.
"I have been following him, observing his thoughts," the gentleman disclosed.
"Ah, sir, you've been with my father all along?" Jian Yumei exclaimed.
"Yes, indeed. I found the situation quite peculiar from the start. Everything about this tomb seemed eerie. It's strange that despite being unvisited by tomb raiders, the Feng Shui of this tomb is quite apparent. Moreover, the remnants of the sealed earth mound are conspicuous, yet it has never been plundered. This can only mean one thing!" the gentleman elucidated.
"What might that be?" Jian Yumei felt a shiver run down her spine, sensing the grim truth of her father's demise looming closer. Yet, everything remained enigmatic, surrounded by the eerie mist of the morning, with the mysterious and terrifying tomb where her father lay buried below, juxtaposed against the rising smoke of the nearby village.
"It indicates the presence of someone in the tomb, or rather, a spirit unwilling to be disturbed. Hence, if someone approaches, she will surely scare them away!" the gentleman explained.
"But she didn't scare us away; everything seemed to go smoothly!" Jian Yumei noted.
"Yes, precisely. Her aim was to lure your father into the depths of the tomb!" the gentleman concluded.
"Why? What could be her purpose?" Jian Yumei murmured.
"I sense there's something peculiar about this ancient tomb, something I've been observing. When you arrived, I was already nearby, intending to assist if needed. Little did I expect this outcome! As soon as your father descended, I followed his path," the gentleman revealed.
"But I didn't see you, sir!" Jian Yumei exclaimed.
"I moved swiftly; you merely blinked, and I had already reached the bottom!" the gentleman explained.
"Just a blink, and you reached the bottom? Sir, your skills are truly remarkable!" Jian Yumei praised.
"Unfortunately, I still couldn't save your father! Everything is too bizarre!" the gentleman lamented.
"Sir, everything happened so quickly for me. Could you please elaborate? Who are you? Why are you here? What do you know about us, and what do you know about this tomb? What should I do now? Could you enlighten me on all these matters?" Jian Yumei implored.
The gentleman was secretly amazed; despite his young age, Jian Yumei displayed remarkable thoughtfulness, organizing his thoughts amidst the uncertainties.
"This matter is rather complex. My name is Chu Yunfeng, and I believe we are colleagues in this field. However, I rarely intervene; I simply enjoy tracing the outcomes of events that interest me.
For instance, I have been observing this tomb for quite some time, periodically returning to observe. This time, when I came, I found you. I felt concerned for your safety but couldn't intervene because I had a sense that your father was embarking on some sort of rendezvous, as if all his actions were leading up to this meeting. Thus, he ultimately fulfilled his own desire," Mr. Chu explained.
"Mr. Chu, you must be our senior colleague. Please continue," Jian Yumei urged.
"Alas, I noticed many anomalies, including the frequent roaming of the female ghost. Such behavior is not typical! After your father descended, he encountered that princess, who was extraordinarily beautiful, yet unmistakably not human. Hence, your father wished to depart. However, the princess sighed, and then I felt a tremor. She had ensnared your father, and I was unable to free him. I exerted all my strength to escape! As soon as I fled, I saw you and pulled you out!" Mr. Chu recounted.
"Oh, there's this as well!" Jian Yumei exclaimed.
"Yes, I reckon that the princess and your father were entwined. They loved each other but couldn't be together. Perhaps, the princess died for him, so she orchestrates these events in hopes of finding him. Your father's presence here was likely orchestrated step by step by her," Mr. Chu surmised.
"Orchestrated step by step?" Jian Yumei recalled numerous occurrences.
Indeed, she and her father initially had no intention of embarking on this venture. Why did they agree to this particular deal? Jian Yumei suddenly remembered the house her father adored, yet she had never visited. However, at this moment, she recalled her father mentioning the address of that house to her. Yet, her hometown had always been desolate, why would there suddenly be a splendid mansion? Only because her father was often absent from their hometown and easily deceived.
Could that house be fake too, part of the princess's scheme to lure her father here?
The more Jian Yumei pondered, the more unsettling it became. Despite the dawn, her mind remained entrenched in the darkness of the previous night.
Her mother's death was related to this princess as well! In that case, the necklace must also be part of the princess's ploy, either dispatched by her or worn by herself.
No wonder her father said that he felt familiar with the colleague who gave him the necklace, yet couldn't recall where he had seen him before, and hadn't seen him since!
Despite the master's warning to her father to stay away from artifacts of the Han Dynasty, she and her father had dismissed it!
Jian Yumei's tears welled up again!
Everything was predestined.
"Alas, this princess truly is something. Despite over a millennium passing, she lingers here, orchestrating these events. Does she not fear divine retribution?" Mr.
Chu remarked.
Jian Yumei glanced up at Mr. Chu, noticing a slight change in his tone as he uttered the last sentence.
Looking up, she was astounded to find Mr. Chu's face had transformed into that of a woman's—an ancient woman's.