Little Roller threw over his dagger. I inserted it into the gap between the edge of the seesaw trap and the ground, wedging it firmly in place. The gap was small, but just enough for the dagger to hold the trap securely. Shadow was the first to cross, moving gracefully as if the narrow bridge presented no challenge at all. Her natural agility made it look effortless. Little Roller followed, his skinny frame allowing him to step lightly.
When it came to Big Mouth Rong, however, he was visibly nervous. His heavy weight and the sight of the spiked pit below made him sweat bullets. By the time he crossed, his clothes were soaked with perspiration, and his face was pale with fear. He took a moment to catch his breath as we found ourselves at the entrance to the tomb chamber.
At this point, my small flashlight was our only source of light. Compared to Big Mouth Rong's larger torch, the beam felt weak and inadequate, barely cutting through the suffocating darkness of the tomb. But the prospect of seeing the legendary coffin of the Ghost King filled us with a mix of excitement and dread.
For me, however, there was an overriding concern: Was Xiao Xiang still alive?
As we cautiously stepped through the entrance to the chamber, an eerie chill enveloped us. It wasn't just the damp air—it felt like a tangible presence, as if we were intruding on something we shouldn't.
Suddenly, Dead Chick spoke up, her tone unusually solemn. "Something's wrong. This doesn't feel like the Ghost King's burial chamber."
I paused, confused. "But didn't the door inscription bear the Ghost King's name?"
"It might be a decoy tomb," she replied.
A decoy tomb? What was this, the mausoleum of Emperor Cao Cao? Before I could ask more, the weak beam of my flashlight illuminated an ancient oil lamp. Big Mouth Rong frowned. "A long-lasting lamp… but why is it extinguished?"
"Because the oil must have run out long ago," Shadow reasoned.
Big Mouth Rong shook his head. "Long-lasting lamps are designed to burn indefinitely. Some have been found in tombs, still lit after thousands of years. If this one is out, it means someone entered the tomb, extinguished the lamp, and looted its treasures."
Little Roller scratched his head. "Why extinguish the lamp? Couldn't they just take the stuff and leave?"
Big Mouth Rong sighed. "According to legend, these lamps aren't just for the dead; they're also meant to pacify spirits. Without the lamp, any corpse that has absorbed enough earth energy over the centuries could turn into a hopping corpse. And those aren't the kind of houseguests you want to meet."
The way he explained it made my skin crawl. Sure, I'd heard that the purpose of these lamps was to provide light for the deceased, so they could find peace in the afterlife. But this? Turning into zombie nightlights? That sounded like pure nonsense.
"Quit spinning tall tales," Little Roller retorted, rolling his eyes.
Just as Big Mouth Rong opened his mouth to argue, the unthinkable happened: the lamp spontaneously reignited.
We all froze, mouths agape. Ghosts blowing out lamps? Sure, I'd heard of that. But ghosts lighting them? That was a first.
"Quick, find the exit! We need to get out of here!" Little Roller exclaimed.
Big Mouth Rong, Shadow, and I turned to flee, but we only managed a step before a chilling voice echoed through the chamber. A woman's voice. "You're here? Please, have a seat."
I froze, my blood running cold. A voice in the tomb? A female ghost? Shadow clutched my hand tightly, her face pale with fear. Little Roller and Big Mouth Rong exchanged horrified glances, their eyes darting toward the source of the voice. The voice had come from behind us.
The lamp now burned brightly, casting light across the tomb chamber. It was empty except for a single coffin, exuding an overpowering aura of death. On the floor in front of the coffin were two strange symbols, like those on paper money offerings for the dead.
The left symbol pointed toward the coffin's corner, and my heart skipped a beat as I recalled the photo in Mo Xiang's camera—the same symbol had been captured. And where the symbol ended? That should be where Xiao Xiang had been lying.
But Xiao Xiang wasn't there. Where was she? I clenched my fists, my concern for her momentarily overpowering my fear of the ghost.
"She's in the coffin," Little Roller whispered nervously.
Big Mouth Rong, keeping his voice steady, replied, "The host seems quite welcoming. It would be rude not to say hello." He gripped his sack of glutinous rice as he cautiously approached the coffin.
Little Roller followed, his dagger hidden behind his back. "With such a lovely voice, I'm dying to see how our host looks," he said, flashing us a look that suggested he had a plan. He gestured subtly toward the chamber's side, signaling us to search for an escape.
Shadow tugged at my sleeve, but I couldn't move. My mind was consumed with thoughts of Xiao Xiang. If she was dead, where was her body?
"Since you're so curious, why not open the coffin?" the ghostly voice teased. "But I'll tell you something unfortunate—you shouldn't have entered through the main door. Breaking the sealing stones has caused every other exit to close."
Hearing this, my hope for escape plummeted. If there was no way out, there was no point in searching. I turned to follow Big Mouth Rong and Little Roller, determined to find Xiao Xiang.
"Such a generous host deserves a proper introduction," Big Mouth Rong said, winking at Little Roller. Together, they lifted the coffin lid, revealing a sleek black lacquered coffin inside.
Little Roller grinned. "I'll bet our host is a beauty," he said, giving the lid a firm push. To everyone's surprise, it wasn't sealed; it slid open easily.
Dead Chick murmured, "The ghost isn't in the coffin. I can't sense her exact location."
Her words sent a shiver down my spine. If even she couldn't locate the ghost, this wasn't an ordinary spirit. And with no weapons or tools, how were we supposed to deal with her?
Before I could think further, Big Mouth Rong suddenly tossed a handful of glutinous rice into the coffin, while Little Roller lunged with his dagger. But both immediately recoiled in shock, shouting in unison, "It's a living person!"
My heart leapt. A living person? Could it be—?
Shadow and I rushed forward. Peering inside, we gasped in disbelief. Lying in the coffin was a beautiful young woman in modern clothing. It was Xiao Xiang!
Her eyes were closed, her long lashes glistening as if tears lingered on them. Her face was pale, but her chest rose and fell gently with each breath. She was alive. Relief washed over me. As long as she lived, I would endure any danger to save her.
But then, Xiao Xiang's eyes suddenly opened. A strange, unsettling smile spread across her face. Her voice, cold and mocking, echoed through the chamber:
"I'm no zombie. Glutinous rice won't work on me."
In that moment, every hair on my body stood on end. She looked like Xiao Xiang—but the voice? That was the ghost!