A delicate hand passed me a piece of black fabric from behind. In this moment, were it not for the imminent danger, I would have thought she wanted to engage in an exhilarating late-night game with me.
The other person had just had her nails done, surprisingly resembling Athena Asamiya from "King of Fighters '97."
"Who are you?"
"Enough chatter, put this on."
She thrust the black fabric strip into my hand. Just as I was about to blindfold myself, a sharp pain shot through my fingers; they had just been grazed by a horse's bone.
As we proceeded, I diligently memorized the terrain we traversed—uphill, left turn, downhill, right turn. Such information might prove useful later; every additional detail retained was valuable.
"Hurry up, don't dawdle."
Passing by a steep curved slope, I heard a cacophony of noise, reminiscent of a construction site bustling with activity.
Chiseling, hammering, clattering—seemingly many people were engaged in something significant on-site.
"Oh, God, I feel like kicking your butt into oblivion. There are only three days left, for heaven's sake..."
At a critical moment, a series of dog barks erupted, drowning out crucial information, but the speaker sounded like a foreigner.
In those days, foreigners were rare, especially in rural areas. Spotting a golden retriever was already a feat; how could there be a foreigner?
Judging by the echoes, the place was vast. After the dog barks, it took me five counts before I heard the echoes.
After about fifteen minutes, the sound of an iron gate opening reached us.
"Get in."
I was pushed inside, the iron gate closed behind me. Removing the black fabric, I blinked a few times, adjusting to the light.
Through a barred gate, I saw a fair and beautiful girl, not particularly tall, slightly shorter than Zhang Ling, but undeniably a beauty.
If it were today, with a set of rainbow stockings, changing every day, dancing, and flaunting charm, she could definitely become a major internet celebrity.
The person before me was Bai Ruoxue, the granddaughter of Old Lady Bai, one of the two Bai sisters, the other being Bai Ruoshui.
"What exactly do you want?"
"Since you're so eager to know, I'll tell you. When we complete this big deal..."
Bai Ruoxue didn't continue, but looked at me with a smug smile.
"Speak up, what exactly do you intend?"
"Just a little something—we plan to kill all of you, then spread rumors, alleging collusion between Mr. Lin and foreign forces to plunder the Eternal Tomb, leading to a bloody confrontation resulting in heavy casualties."
She said casually, admiring her own nails, while I shuddered.
"Despicable."
"Blame it on Lin Canghai for being stubborn; this is your own doing. Await your fate."
With that, she swaggered away.
A few minutes later, Zhang Ling was also locked up.
"Sister Ling, I've made a significant discovery. These people intend to transport the terracotta warriors here out and then shift the blame onto us."
"Guangting, think about it. Even if they manage to move them, who would dare to buy? No one in the country could handle such a hot potato."
"What do you mean?"
"With my knowledge, not to mention the Bai Gang, currently, no one domestically could handle this mess."
"Oh right, Sister Ling, definitely someone from overseas has come. I just heard them talking."
"This matter is getting more and more complicated. Forget about it. Let's see if we can find a way out."
This is a bag-shaped passage, in essence, a dead end. It's over three meters wide and several meters deep. At the entrance stands an iron grille gate, while at the end, there are scattered broken terracotta warriors, which can be quite eerie at first glance.
There's only one exit, guarded by an iron general, making it impossible to leave.
Zhang Ling leaned against the wall and sat down, casting me a glance. She sighed, reminiscing about how over a decade ago, she was by Grandfather's side, and today, we stood shoulder to shoulder in battle. It truly was a special fate.
Recalling the day I asked Lin Canghai about my grandfather, he was always evasive, unwilling to openly discuss it with me. Perhaps I could find a breakthrough through Zhang Ling.
I sat down beside her. "Since we can't leave anyway, Sister Ling, tell me about the past."
Zhang Ling recounted some of her past.
In fact, members of our gang were either orphans or from poor families, and Grandfather, my grandfather, had always been helping them.
Take Zhang Ling, for example. Since primary school, Grandfather had been supporting her. She excelled academically, got into a prestigious normal university, and even became a student union cadre. She was supposed to become a teacher and have a bright future.
After graduating from university, Zhang Ling resolutely followed Grandfather. Despite his advice, she didn't listen, insisting that without Grandfather, she wouldn't be where she was today.
Grandfather accepted her; after all, it was her life, and she had to make her own decisions. Grandfather simply provided her with a choice.
It was evident that when talking about Grandfather, Zhang Ling's words were filled with respect.
"And what about Old Lady Bai? What's her relationship with my grandfather?"
Zhang Ling glanced at me, hesitating to speak. This made me even more convinced of my previous speculation—there must be some unknown secret between my grandfather and Old Lady Bai.
"Speak up, you're killing me with suspense."
"Guangting, it's not that I don't want to say. In my heart, I've always regarded Grandfather as my own father, and I respect him greatly. As a junior, it's hard to broach such matters."
This statement piqued my curiosity even more, giving me an impulse to get to the bottom of it. After some coaxing from me, Zhang Ling finally relented and revealed the truth.
The first sentence nearly knocked me off my feet.
"Old Lady Bai had feelings for Grandfather, and they had a relationship."
"What?!"
Zhang Ling wasn't surprised by my astonishment, nodding in affirmation.
Old Lady Bai and Grandfather were disciples of the same master.
In their youth, Grandfather was handsome and talented, while Old Lady Bai was beautiful and virtuous.
The two quickly rose to fame, hailed as the Yin and Yang Duo in the Guanzhong area, even gaining notoriety nationwide in the tomb-robbing industry. Their reputation preceded them.
As the saying goes, familiarity breeds affection. Over time, Old Lady Bai developed feelings for Grandfather, but he didn't reciprocate actively.
Undeterred, Old Lady Bai took drastic action. She drugged Grandfather at a gathering, then they shared an intimate encounter.
"No way, my grandfather was raped by Old Lady Bai?"
Zhang Ling gave me a stern look and continued.
Grandfather was an upright and responsible man. He accepted what he had done and took responsibility for his actions.
Later, when the truth came out, Old Lady Bai, being the villain, preemptively accused Grandfather, alleging that he had taken advantage of her while intoxicated.
Grandfather was furious and completely severed ties with Old Lady Bai. From then on, they were at odds, and Grandfather's final confrontation with her was likely also related to this incident.
"That damn old witch is truly despicable."