Chapter 77: A Glimpse into the Unknown

Today there were two updates, with Chapter Seventy-Eight coming right after.

The stone door before them was nothing like the iron one they had encountered earlier; there were no fiery totem buttons here. This door was an ashen white, smooth and even, with nothing but a few lines of small characters and a seal in the upper left corner—no other markings, not even a handle.

“Another stone door? Why are there so many doors!?” Ye Dong sounded impatient. “At this rate, when are we ever getting inside!?”

Old Wei patted Ye Dong’s shoulder lightly. “Brother Tian, when it comes to tomb robbing, you must never be hasty. Haste leads to confusion, confusion leads to mistakes, mistakes lead to casualties, and when people start dying, things get truly troublesome.”

Ye Dong snorted inwardly, “When have you ever raided a tomb without losing a few people? Who are you trying to fool?”

What he didn’t know was that Old Wei’s idea of ‘death’ came in two flavors: those who were actively sacrificed, known as offerings or catalysts, and those who died passively, casualties of the struggle.

“All right, enough stalling. Who’s up next?” Ye Dong looked up at the three men.

Old Wei grinned. “Everyone stay right here. Let me go have a closer look.” He took a flute from inside his coat and, taking his time, approached the stone door, silently reading the inscription line by line.

“So it’s the ‘Tomb Offering Song.’” Old Wei understood immediately after reading the warning on the door. “But this won’t stop me.”

He lifted the flute to his lips, and a sorrowful melody drifted through the night. To Ye Dong’s surprise, this tune was nothing like the eerie, hypnotic music from before. Instead, it resembled a funeral dirge—sometimes pausing, sometimes lingering, filled with melancholy that tugged at the heart.

“What’s he doing?” Hui Yan asked in a whisper, confused, turning to Le Cheng.

Le Cheng shook his head. “I have no idea. This is Old Wei’s secret art—he’s far more skilled than any of us.”

Birds in the forest began to chirp, and the wind rustled the leaves, adding to the commotion.

Ye Dong narrowed his eyes, a guess forming in his mind. “This is funeral music, meant for the spirits inside the tomb. Is he hoping whatever is in there will open the door for him?”

The melody grew ever more mournful, and—almost unbelievably—the stone door began to stir.

Thud, thud, thud.

The sealed stone door began to tremble. Earth from above the frame showered down, gathering at the base until it formed a small mound shaped like a pyramid.

Old Wei seemed delighted by the sight, and played his flute with even greater vigor.

“What is that? Does it mean something special?” Hui Yan whispered again, anxiety in her voice. “Is something disgusting about to crawl out?”

Le Cheng chuckled. “That pile of earth may look ordinary, but there’s a lot of meaning hidden there. When the mound is pyramid-shaped, it’s called ‘layered earth’—the kind used for tomb offerings. If it’s squared off, it’s called ‘stacked earth,’ the kind used to bury coffins. There’s a world of difference between the two. Do you understand?”

After a moment’s thought, Ye Dong tried to sound impressive as he replied coolly, “Layered earth is better than stacked earth, because stacked earth is associated with coffins. You have to offer a sacrifice to open it, right?”

Le Cheng clapped in admiration. “You’re as clever as ever, Brother Tian. That’s exactly right—layered earth doesn’t require any offerings.”

With that, Le Cheng took out several small flags and whispered a few words to Old Wei. Then he planted three small yellow flags atop the mound and placed some yellow talismans neatly before them.

Old Wei grinned. “Now it’s your turn.”

Le Cheng nodded. “We’ve been through scenes like this a hundred times. That rich brat is a handful—go keep him busy for a bit. He’s getting on my nerves.”

“Just be patient, you and Li Xing. He’s our money tree,” Old Wei murmured before stepping back.

Le Cheng then lit incense and candles, placing them respectfully atop the mound. “We’re here for the wealth of the dead. Apologies for any disturbance.”

Jingle! As he shook the bronze bell, the talismans beneath the flags burst into flame. Le Cheng chanted, “The living seek fortune, the dead step aside. We take only money from this world, touch not the spirits of the past. Forgive our offense; we’ll repay it another day.”

Another jingle sounded as Le Cheng swiftly pulled out the three yellow flags and shouted, “Old Wei, now!”

The moment the flags were removed, the stone door rumbled with a thunderous sound.

Old Wei, understanding perfectly, played his flute again—but this time the music was nothing like before. The tempo was sharp and swift, brimming with a murderous energy that surged straight at the stone door.

From inside, the stone door slowly began to open. As for what was opening it, neither Ye Dong nor Hui Yan could tell. They held their breath, hiding behind Old Wei and Li Xing, eyes fixed on the darkness within.

Boom! A gust of wind, laced with faint wails, rushed through the gap in the door, colliding head-on with the murderous notes of Old Wei’s flute. The two forces of sound seemed visible to the naked eye, clashing in mid-air before them.

Shrieks erupted from the collision—sharp, bloodcurdling screams that tore through the air.

“What are those!? Are those the guardian spirits!?” Ye Dong was horrified, for several wild-haired women were locked in battle with the flute’s sonic waves, desperately resisting their advance.

Old Wei’s gaze turned icy. Unmoved by the wailing, he played with even greater force, unleashing wave after wave of sound that crashed against the guardian spirits.

The more fiercely Old Wei played, the more frantically the spirits screamed. The shrill cries made Ye Dong and Hui Yan’s skin crawl. Hui Yan clung to Ye Dong’s arm, while the diggers clamped hands over their ears, heads bowed, truly terrified.

“Stubborn things!” Le Cheng laughed, flicking a talisman to lend Old Wei a hand.

Just as Ye Dong thought Old Wei would finally subdue the spirits, the piercing screams vanished as abruptly as a television signal cut off. The chill wind from within the tomb ceased, leaving only the echoes of Old Wei’s flute and the group standing there unchanged.

“That’s it?” Ye Dong spread his hands in disbelief.

Old Wei put away his flute and sneered, “The guardian spirits are gone, scattered to the winds. Of course it’s over.” He cleared his throat and added, “Don’t worry, Brother Tian. The real challenge still lies ahead.”

Rumble! The stone door opened further, revealing a remarkably clean stone passage.

Old Wei was pleased, and with a flourish, called out to the still-shaken diggers, “Hey, you cowards, grab your tools!”

“Yes, yes!” The diggers picked up their shovels and other gear, trailing behind Old Wei and the others as they entered the tomb.

Ye Dong followed, shining a powerful flashlight and instinctively shielding Hui Yan. “So, we’ve actually made it into the tomb at last?”

Old Wei nodded. “Yes, we’re inside now. From this moment on, nobody moves without my say-so. Not a single step.”

Ye Dong smirked, “Don’t worry, I’m not an idiot. I know what to do and what not to.”

Old Wei snorted inwardly, “This fool thinks he’s clever. If he didn’t have money, I’d have offered him up as a sacrifice already and saved myself all this trouble.”

He began giving orders. “Li Xing, you lead the way. Le Cheng, bring up the rear. The rest, follow me in the middle! Keep your mouths shut, and don’t touch a thing unless I say so!”

Even as he finished speaking, a bloodcurdling scream echoed from deep within the passage...