Chapter 19: Empty

The man in the black jacket held the lid of the stone coffin, unmoving, his face etched with astonishment. His mouth was slightly open, both eyes fixed intently on the interior of the stone coffin. Seeing his expression, I immediately understood what lay inside.

“Is it empty?” I braced myself against the raging wind, my expression grave as I gazed at the man in the black jacket.

He turned his head toward me in a mechanical fashion, his expression complicated. “Yes, you guessed it.”

“Let’s go down and have a look!” I pushed forward against the wind, approaching him and gripping the lid of the stone coffin alongside him.

“The situation inside will likely be even more dangerous. Be careful,” he said, his gaze sincere and anxious.

I nodded, drawing a rope from my backpack, tying it securely to the lid, then climbed atop the stone coffin.

“You keep watch here. If anything happens, I’ll fire a signal flare to let you know.” My tone was resolute as I looked at him, preparing to descend along the rope. Just then, Ma Xu suddenly rushed over and grabbed my hand.

“Brother, let me go with you. It’s better to have someone watching your back.” Ma Xu, for once, seemed genuinely loyal. Warmth spread through my chest.

I considered for a moment, looking up at Zhao Zhiqiang, who was dozing off from his injuries, and the black-jacketed man still holding the coffin. Then I nodded, agreeing.

Better Ma Xu come with me than stay behind to guard the coffin.

Seeing my agreement, Ma Xu grinned, elated, and said mischievously, “Brother, trust me—once we’re down there, you’ll see it was the right choice to bring me. I bet there’ll be loads of traps below, and I know them all. With me, you’re safe…” He rambled on, but I paid him no mind.

I went first, Ma Xu following above, as we slid down the rope, inch by inch, toward the base of the stone coffin.

The deeper we went, the colder and more damp the air became, though the wind diminished.

“Brother, where do you think all this wind outside is coming from?” Ma Xu panted as he descended alongside me.

I frowned, a hint of contemplation in my eyes. “I believe it must be an uncommon mechanism.”

“A mechanism? I’ve studied all sorts of traps and mechanisms, and I’ve never seen one quite like this,” Ma Xu exclaimed, startled. He’d explored so many tombs, yet this was new to him.

“Rather than a mechanism, it’s a design. Below is a wide, open space, but as you go up, it narrows. This creates a wind tunnel at the coffin’s location. As soon as we touch the coffin, its lid flies open, and the gusts come roaring out.” I explained as I descended.

As I finished speaking, both feet hit the ground. We had landed successfully!

“We’re here.” I let go of the rope and moved aside for Ma Xu.

He joined me, releasing the rope, and dusted off his hands, glancing around. The darkness was so thick he cursed, “What the hell is this place? It’s pitch black down here.”

“Quiet! Don’t make a sound,” I barked, stopping him. Ma Xu obediently kept silent.

I slowly pulled a bone lantern from my chest pocket, first illuminating Ma Xu’s face. He instinctively shielded his eyes, and then I shifted the lantern’s glow away from him, casting it upon our surroundings.

“Damn…” I couldn’t help but curse as I took in the scene before me.

Hearing this, Ma Xu laughed, “Brother, honestly, it’s the first time I’ve seen you lose your composure.” He was still chuckling when he turned his head—and the sight before him abruptly silenced his laughter.

Wherever the bone lantern’s light touched, pale skeletons glimmered with a faint blue glow. Skulls were neatly arranged on the ground, each with two gaping dark sockets and rows of white teeth.

“Damn…” Ma Xu echoed my sentiment.

I quickly regained my composure, surveying the area calmly. “Looks like a burial pit.”

My words made Ma Xu’s scalp tingle. He hunched his shoulders, nervously glancing around. “Hell, what bad luck. I thought there’d be treasure down here, but all there is are dead bodies!” His voice trembled and tears welled up, like a wronged child.

“What are you afraid of? We’ve got the rope. If you’re scared, you can go back.” I shot him a glance. He had no backbone—he claimed he’d protect me, but he was clearly just after treasure, as he’d admitted earlier.

At my suggestion, Ma Xu’s eyes lit up.

“Brother, you said it! I’m going back then.” He wiped away tears and reached for the rope.

I ignored him and strode toward the pile of skeletons, bone lantern in hand, showing no fear—as if the skulls were just rocks. In truth, I was terrified; I’d never seen so many bones in my life. But I’d already put on a brave face, and even if I was scared, I had to endure it.

Ma Xu was about to climb back up the rope, but seeing me so fearless, he reconsidered and returned to my side.

“Why didn’t you go back?” I didn’t even look at him, focusing the lantern on the skulls.

Ma Xu mumbled, “If I go back now, Brother Pang will kill me. He might never let me join another tomb raid.”

“Good you know your place.” I sneered. I’d anticipated Ma Xu wouldn’t dare leave—the black-jacketed man guarding above was far scarier than these skeletons.

Even so, Ma Xu still looked frightened, clinging to my arm and whining, “With you here, I’m not scared. Brother, you have to protect me. If we find treasure, we split fifty-fifty!”

“Let’s worry about getting out alive first.” I replied indifferently, moving forward. Ma Xu followed close behind, afraid I’d ditch him.

“Brother, I’ve never seen skulls arranged so neatly. These people were twisted.” Ma Xu skirted around the skeletons, careful not to step on them.

I frowned, noticing a strange odor in the air. In a place so open, there shouldn’t be such a smell, but I dismissed the thought—it was a burial pit, after all, probably just the bones.

“This is a burial pit, an ancient funerary custom. That’s why the skeletons are so neatly arranged. They were likely the tomb owner’s concubines or servants.” I explained as we walked.

“Wow, that’s some grandeur. Not enough to die alone—they dragged others with them.” Ma Xu cursed as he stumbled along, regret etched on his face.

“If you were rich in ancient times, you could have people buried with you too,” I joked.

“Then I’d drag Zhao Zhiqiang along…” Ma Xu rolled his eyes, fantasizing about being wealthy. But just then, a sudden crack sounded beneath his foot, and he froze.

I stopped and turned. Ma Xu’s face had gone pale.

He trembled as he asked, “Brother, what did I step on?”

I frowned, my gaze falling to the shattered bones under his feet. “Just a skull, nothing serious.”

“Bad luck!” Ma Xu spat, quickly lifting his foot and shaking it off in disgust.

Soon he shook off the pile of bones and hurried to catch up. But the strange odor in the air was growing stronger.

“Ma Xu, do you smell anything?” I asked, puzzled.

Ma Xu sniffed along with me, then said mysteriously, “It smells good… I think it smells really good…”