Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Danger

“What’s wrong? Did you freeze up? Need me to restart you?” Hu Yifei waved her hand in front of Chen Yuze, who had gone completely still. Chen Yuze hadn’t even noticed until he heard her voice and snapped back to reality.

He shook his head at her. “It’s nothing. I might have some clues about the owner of this tomb.” He was hesitant to voice his suspicions, partly because he wasn’t entirely sure, and partly because the identity he was considering was too shocking. He’d need more evidence to confirm it.

Turning back to Hu Yifei, who was holding a small box, he asked, “Didn’t you open it to see what’s inside? Check if you like it. If not, we can keep looking.”

“You’re right.” After a moment’s thought, Hu Yifei decided to open the box. After all, they’d gone through the trouble of coming down here, it’d be a shame not to take something good as a souvenir.

She carried the box to an open area and slowly lifted the lid. The box was so old that its mere survival was a miracle. As she opened it, the hinges creaked like a long-neglected wooden door.

Chen Yuze crouched beside her, curious. This was the first gift he’d ever given her, so he wanted to know whether it was good or not. Both of them leaned in as the small box gradually revealed its contents.

“Oh… it’s a mechanical vanity case. After all these years, it’s still functional. This thing must be special.” Chen Yuze watched as layers of compartments popped up. The design had a modern aesthetic but was far more intricate.

The inside of the lid held a smooth bronze mirror for the user to check their reflection. The first layer held hairpins and jeweled flowers, all exquisitely crafted, except for a single wooden hairpin that stood out like a sore thumb, dragging down the overall elegance.

The second layer contained rings, bracelets, and other accessories, seemingly meant to match the hair ornaments. There was quite a variety. Then came the third layer, which held cosmetics. Time had not been kind to them, many had spoiled, turning into something unpleasantly unrecognizable. Strangely, it seemed the woman who owned this box hadn’t been fond of makeup, as most of the cosmetics were untouched, some even still full.

“Wow, this family must’ve been loaded. I knew this box was unusual, it’s made of agarwood!” Chen Yuze finally recognized the material. Agarwood was worth its weight in gold.

“Is it really that valuable? It’s just a piece of wood.” Hu Yifei ignored his remark and focused on the fourth layer, the very bottom of the box, which slid out like a drawer.

The final layer contained necklaces and other jewelry, but the most surprising item was something that didn’t belong among accessories at all. The wooden hairpin could at least pass as an ornament, but this? Definitely not.

Hu Yifei picked up the strange object and examined it. “What is this? A human-face mask? Feels way too stiff, even Zeng Xiaoxian’s skin isn’t this thick.”

“Overthinking it. It’s just an ordinary mask. But it must’ve been very important to her if she kept it at the very bottom.” Chen Yuze had a growing suspicion, one he was starting to feel more confident about.

“Alright, at least we got something out of this.” Satisfied, Hu Yifei packed up the box, leaving the mask aside. Chen Yuze picked it up, if his guess was right, this thing might be the real deal.

But as he tucked the mask into his backpack, something about her words struck him. “At least we got something out of this”?

He shot her a look. “If you don’t like it, give it back. I’m not even sure I want to part with it.”

“Dream on. It’s mine now. You can’t take back a gift, are you trying to mess with me?” Hu Yifei clutched the box with one hand and rested the other on Chen Yuze’s shoulder, applying just enough pressure to make him feel like his bones were about to crack. He quickly shook his head.

“Didn’t think you’d dare, ”

“Brother Chen, bad news!”

Before she could finish, the panicked shouts of Fatty cut her off. The urgency in his voice suggested something had gone wrong.

Hu Yifei and Chen Yuze immediately sprinted toward the main burial chamber, where Fatty and Old Hu had been opening the coffin. If they were calling out like this, something must’ve happened.

Swords in hand, they rushed into the chamber. The first thing Chen Yuze noticed was the extinguished candle in the southeast corner. Old Hu and Fatty stood tense, shovels raised toward the central coffin. They had already opened the outer layers, leaving only the innermost coffin, but the candle had gone out, and a strange, unsettling sound filled the air.

The two hurried over. Old Hu and Fatty were fixated on the coffin, but Hu Yifei just smirked. “What’s going on? You two look like you’re preparing for battle, enemies arriving in thirty seconds?”

“Brother Chen, the candle went out.”

“Then light it again. Are you scared of the dark or something?” Hu Yifei didn’t understand the rules of their profession.

Seeing their unease, she walked to the southeast corner and tossed a few glow sticks on the ground. “There. Better? Two grown men afraid of the dark, how embarrassing.”

“Look out!” Chen Yuze suddenly shouted, darting forward like an arrow.

Before Hu Yifei could react, he was already in front of her, arms crossed defensively. A shadow, thick as a bowl, lashed out like a whip at terrifying speed. She hadn’t even noticed it until Chen Yuze intercepted the blow.

BAM!

THUD!

The impact sent Chen Yuze flying like a ragdoll, slamming him into the wall.

Cough! He lay on the ground, feeling as if every bone in his body had shattered. His arms were numb, useless. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself onto one knee and spat out a mouthful of blood. The moment it left his lips, the pressure in his chest eased slightly.