Regarding my scheme, Zhang Ling ardently consented, articulating the swifter, the better, then scrutinized my lower half with a peculiar gaze.
"Guangting, commence your exhibition."
"You, avert your gaze, no peeping."
"Alright, alright, I won't look."
A robust and vigorous stream of water gushed forth, causing froth to rise from the ground. I felt a bit irritated, then picked up a fragmented pottery piece and, with determination, crouched down to commence shaping the urine-soaked mud.
Zhang Ling pinched her nose nearby, remarking, "This won't suffice, it's entirely composed of soil particles. Even a slight deviation is unacceptable. Precision is imperative; otherwise, why refer to it as the Iron General?"
I retorted with a touch of annoyance, "Then why don't you take over?"
Zhang Ling grinned and replied, "No, it's better if you proceed."
After a moment, she continued her incessant chattering and fussing.
However, she was correct; this time, success was imperative. There could be no room for error; the details determined triumph or failure. The task required meticulous attention, and lacking appropriate tools, we dove straight into the task.
Zhang Ling exclaimed urgently, "Wait, you have an injury on your hand."
I reiterated, "Then why don't you handle it?"
Zhang Ling waved her hand dismissively and retreated a step, saying, "I can't, continue."
I manipulated the urine-soaked mud vigorously until a faintly gleaming slurry emerged. Zhang Ling, nearby, observed with pursed lips, making "tsk tsk" sounds. Irritated, I dispatched her to inspect the lock core of the Iron General.
After several metallic clinks, Zhang Ling informed me it was a cross-lock.
For a typical lock core, a single mud cake would suffice, but for a cross-lock, two mud cakes had to be melded together to replicate the key's mold.
I cut two mud cakes with a broken pottery shard, each the size of a pendant, then carefully set them aside.
"The key has always been hanging around Bai Ruoxue's neck. If it goes missing, it will undoubtedly raise suspicions. Furthermore, she no longer trusts us; her vigilance is high. How should we approach her?"
Zhang Ling smirked mysteriously. "I've devised a plan; this is how we'll proceed."
I leaned in to hear the plan, but she pushed me away.
"Keep your distance."
After recounting the plan, I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
"Jie Ling, will this work?"
After a restless night and enduring the persistent pain in my finger, I discovered it had swollen like an eggplant. Strangely, it seemed to have improved, no longer as painful.
Upon careful consideration, it was likely because I was still a virgin.
According to the records in "The Enigma of the Ten Thousand Tombs," buried objects, whether for a century or a millennium, harbored chilling elements, potentially laden with numerous viruses and bacteria. If injured by such an object, washing the wound with virgin urine could have miraculous effects.
Though this method lacked scientific basis and was once deemed absurd, it unexpectedly yielded results.
Removing the pendant, I gestured a few times on my hand, then, gritting my teeth, I ruthlessly scraped open the root of my nail, smearing the black blood between Zhang Ling's legs.
She wore a garment akin to those frequently donned by rural women of that era, a sandy-brown fitness pant, akin to today's leggings. The bloodstains stood out prominently, chilling to the eye.
After waiting for about an hour, Bai Ruoxue's figure gradually transitioned from a blur to clarity.
Zhang Ling remained silent, clutching her stomach as she squatted on the ground, uttering "ouch" repeatedly. Her expression was rich, her emotions genuine, mirroring reality perfectly, successfully capturing Bai Ruoxue's attention.
"Hey, what's going on? I advise you, give up on your schemes. This young lady will not believe you."
Neither of us spoke. Zhang Ling, without further ado, continued her entrancing performance.
After a moment, Bai Ruoxue asked me, "Hey, what's wrong with her?"
I shrugged and said, "I don't know. She woke up complaining of stomach pain, with blood on her legs."
As a woman, Bai Ruoxue immediately understood and said to me, "She might be experiencing menstruation. Here's what we'll do: tie her hands, and I'll take her to freshen up and change clothes."
"Oh, what's menstruation?"
"Menstruation is none of your business, quit asking so much."
Seeing that Bai Ruoxue took the bait, I quickly followed her instructions and bound Zhang Ling's hands behind her back.
Bai Ruoxue pointed at me and said, "Stay back."
With a clang, the iron door opened, and Zhang Ling, doubled over in pain, followed Bai Ruoxue.
Anxiously waiting for half an hour, Zhang Ling finally returned and handed me two mud cakes, instructing me to secretly replicate the key while Bai Ruoxue wasn't paying attention.
"Jie Ling, give me all your jewelry; I need it."
Reluctantly, Zhang Ling said, "These are all pure gold."
At that time, diamond rings and such were not yet in vogue, and gold jewelry was the norm.
"Money or life, which is more important? Hurry up."
Zhang Ling gritted her teeth and removed all her gold jewelry, then found two stones to pound the gold into nails and proceeded to make the key using the mold.
Gold is relatively soft, so it wasn't too difficult to work with. Soon, we successfully crafted a golden key. Though not perfect, after several refinements using the mold, it was remarkably close.
With a pounding heart, I approached the iron door and tried a few times. With a crisp click, the lock opened.
Zhang Ling excitedly kissed my cheek.
"Guangting, you're amazing."
"Ah, that sounds awkward. Jie Ling, let's go."
Suddenly, Zhang Ling grabbed my hand. "We can't leave yet."
"Why? We finally managed to escape. Why stop now?"
Zhang Ling explained that if we left now, Bai Ruoxue would discover it when she brought our meal, leaving us little time to use our escape window.
It was wiser to wait, eat lunch, and leave afterward. This way, from 3 p.m. until the next morning at 9 a.m., Bai Ruoxue wouldn't suspect our escape.
Zhang Ling's attention to detail paid off, and her reasoning was sound. So, I locked the Iron General back up.
With patience, we waited until after lunch, then successfully made our escape.
"I remember there's a curved slope ahead. Follow me."
I led the way, with Zhang Ling following closely behind.
After a while, she patted my buttocks and asked, "Have we arrived? Where are we?"
"Just up ahead, almost there."
After a bit more time, she patted my buttocks again and asked, "Have we arrived? Where are we?"
"Almost there, just a little farther ahead."
After even more time passed, she patted my buttocks once more, panting, and asked, "Are we there yet? Where are we?"
"Where are we? Where are we? This is my buttocks! Do you find this amusing?"
Unable to resist, I also patted my own buttocks.
At that moment, I had to accept a harsh reality: we had lost our way.