Chapter 10: The Wooden Man

As soon as Zhao Zhiqiang heard what I said, he became instantly agitated. “Really? Brother, I truly don’t know how to thank you. You’re my greatest benefactor!”

“Don’t say such things just yet. I’m only willing to try helping you, but whether or not I actually can—well, I really don’t know.” My tone grew heavy. This was the first time I’d encountered something like this, so I wasn’t at all sure I’d be able to resolve it.

“Brother, you’re capable—I believe you can do it.” Gratitude colored Zhao Zhiqiang’s voice, and I could only promise to do my best. After thinking for a moment, I turned to Zhao Zhiqiang with a solemn expression.

“For now, our top priority is to find your physical body. Otherwise, nothing else we do will matter.” I stared gravely at Zhao Zhiqiang’s shadowy silhouette. He was so dark now that even his own mother wouldn’t recognize him, and I felt a twinge of worry.

Zhao Zhiqiang nodded and was about to move forward with me when we noticed two people ahead, walking slowly down the corridor. Their backs looked strangely familiar.

“Hey, isn’t that…” Zhao Zhiqiang recognized them too, and was about to call out when I stopped him.

I shot Zhao Zhiqiang a look, signaling him to look carefully. He immediately fell silent, staring with wide eyes.

“Don’t you think there’s something strange about those two?” I frowned, my eyes fixed intently on their backs. From the rear, they looked exactly like Black Jacket and Ma Xu, but their movements were stiff, mechanical—like two automatons trudging woodenly ahead. It was anything but normal.

With my reminder, Zhao Zhiangqiang noticed the oddity as well, whispering, “Yeah, how come their gait looks like they’re made of wood?”

“Come on, let’s follow them and see!” Tilting my head, I lowered my voice and instructed Zhao Zhiqiang. He nodded, floating behind me as we tailed the two figures. The pair didn’t exchange a word, just plodded forward like lifeless stumps.

As we drew closer, the two still seemed utterly unaware of our presence, continuing their slow march.

I gestured for Zhao Zhiqiang to come nearer. Once he had, I whispered, “Go up ahead and see what they look like. If I’m right, those two definitely aren’t Black Jacket and Ma Xu.”

“What? Why me?” Zhao Zhiqiang was startled, pointing at himself in confusion.

I gave him a look that brooked no argument and ordered, “Think about it: if they’re not Black Jacket and Ma Xu, they must be here for us. Their backs are just a trick to fool us. Now, you’re unrecognizable—they won’t know who you are even if you go up. So, if not you, then who?”

Seeing the sense in my words, Zhao Zhiqiang reluctantly agreed. “Alright… fine.”

With that, he floated out from behind me and drifted toward the two figures. What happened next took me by surprise: the two continued on as if they hadn’t seen Zhao Zhiqiang at all, walking right through his body!

Stunned by this, Zhao Zhiqiang stared at them, then turned back to me.

I waved him over, and he drifted obediently back, whispering anxiously, “You were right. They’re not Black Jacket and Ma Xu, but they look exactly like them.”

“What do you mean?” I was baffled by his statement.

“They’re just wooden dummies! They’ve only been carved to look like Black Jacket and Ma Xu, which is why their legs don’t bend when they walk!” The more Zhao Zhiqiang spoke, the more unnerved he seemed. Where did such monsters come from? This tomb was truly bizarre.

I furrowed my brow deeply, lost in thought—the tomb was growing ever more sinister.

Steeling myself, I spoke coldly to Zhao Zhiqiang. “Looks like I was right. Good thing I didn’t show myself just now—otherwise, they’d have targeted me. They were made to look like Black Jacket and Ma Xu to lure us in and kill us!”

“Then—where are the real Black Jacket and Ma Xu?” Zhao Zhiqiang grew panicked. He’d explored many tombs before, but never had he encountered something this strange. The thought sent chills down his spine.

I could only shake my head silently, unable to answer. I had no idea where Black Jacket and Ma Xu had gone, nor what secrets this tomb concealed. But I knew it was fraught with danger: from the moment we set foot inside, there hadn’t been a moment’s peace—one strange incident after another.

“For now, let’s focus on finding your body. After we deal with that handmaiden, we’ll take care of these wooden puppets. Once we’ve disposed of these threats, we’ll go search for Black Jacket and Ma Xu. In any case, we can’t just abandon them.” I gritted my teeth, steeling myself for a fight. It was us or them—no other outcome.

My words gave Zhao Zhiqiang a measure of courage. He nodded firmly in agreement.

“Don’t worry, brother. I’ll stand and fight by your side. Meeting you has been my good fortune!” His voice rang with conviction. Though I couldn’t see his face, his words filled me with reassurance.

I nodded, not wanting to prolong the compliments, and led him step by step, following behind the wooden figures.

These two had no ears, so as long as they didn’t turn around, they couldn’t possibly detect us. We could follow them as brazenly as we liked, to see what they were really up to. Surely they weren’t just wandering aimlessly through the tomb’s passageways? I thought, no, they must be searching for us—though they’d never guess we were right behind them.

I had no idea how long we trailed them, only that the passage seemed to grow wider. At that moment, the two wooden men suddenly stopped, and the entire corridor was plunged into darkness.

Zhao Zhiqiang panicked, whispering in my ear, “Brother, what’s going on? Why did the lights go out?”

I signaled for him to be quiet, then whispered back, “Something’s happening—let’s wait and see.”

Zhao Zhiqiang fell silent. Just then, I heard footsteps approaching, and suddenly, the lights flared back on. Standing before me was a person dressed in a long robe, like a handmaiden—except the face was Zhao Zhiqiang’s!

I was struck dumb. Wasn’t this the handmaiden? But why was she wearing Zhao Zhiqiang’s face?