Chapter 107: May You Be Reborn Soon

Just as we prepared to head back, we discovered that beneath the mountains of gold and silver lay a multitude of skeletons. We both reached the same conclusion: these were likely the craftsmen who had built the place, silenced to ensure the treasure remained a secret. Such practices were common in ancient times, so it did not particularly surprise us.

On our way back, however, we encountered the standing female corpse once more. Unlike the other funerary maidens, her body appeared free of decay, remarkably well-preserved. Her attire and appearance also set her apart from the others, and the way she stood there was profoundly eerie.

For some reason, although I had been bewitched by her before, I felt no malice from her now. Deep down, I felt a genuine sense of pity for these sacrificial victims, especially given the extreme cruelty they had endured in their final moments.

Dark Glasses intended to skirt around her quickly and ignore her, but for reasons I cannot explain, I stopped about twenty meters away and looked at her back in silence. Dark Glasses, fearing I had fallen under her spell again, tugged at me urgently. I shook my head to signal I was fine, then walked up to the corpse and whispered, "I know you suffered greatly in life, but since fate has brought us here, let go of your resentment. There is little I can do, but I promise to take you from this place and lay you to rest."

No sooner had I finished speaking than something happened that left me stunned: the corpse simply collapsed to the ground. Though I am no believer in spirits, I could not help but be shaken.

Dark Glasses and I devised a plan. We tore strips from our inner garments to wrap the body, then began to carry her out. Dark Glasses offered no complaints, though he remained unusually quiet.

The return journey was swift. After passing through the giant gate, we struggled to climb back up to the riverbed. Soaked by the river water, we were struck by the biting chill of the autumn wind.

At the edge of the riverbank, I found a depression in the ground. Using a makeshift tool—a sturdy branch and a few jagged stones—I dug a simple hole and placed the woman inside. I was about to bury her immediately, but Dark Glasses stopped me. "Her body is filled with mercury. According to tradition, she will never find peace if buried like this. We should cremate her first."

I pulled out my lighter. Fortunately, it still worked despite being submerged. However, the corpse’s flesh had a translucent quality; I knew that was the mercury, which made it difficult to ignite. After a moment of hesitation, I took Dark Glasses' advice, gathered some kindling, and successfully cremated her.

After filling the grave, I fashioned a simple headstone from wood. It remained blank, for I did not know her name. Dark Glasses used his knife to carve a few symbols into it. I could not read them; they looked like patterns. He explained they were Sanskrit—a passage from the Sutra of Rebirth, wishing her a swift transition to the next life.

Once that was finished, I felt a strange sense of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from my heart.

It was already dark when we returned to Lishui Village. The old village secretary was preparing a search party, and he was visibly relieved to see us. He had asked for our help, and he would have been devastated if anything had happened to us.

Back in the village, we learned that after we left the salvage site, the police and town officials had arrived. Under their persuasion, the villagers had finally ceased their efforts. The river was now netted off to intercept any artifacts swept downstream by the current. Given the significance of the national resources at stake, the relevant departments had acted with remarkable efficiency. Guards were now stationed there to prevent any villagers from sneaking back to loot the site.

The situation was now under control. Officials from the provincial and municipal levels were flooding the village with calls, promising to arrive soon. If a tomb alone could not command the highest attention, the presence of vast, partially looted treasure certainly would.

The village had become quite crowded with officials stationed there. Dark Glasses and I could easily deceive the local town leaders, but if we were to face county or municipal authorities, our identities would become difficult to justify. We decided then and there to leave the next day. With this chapter closed, there was no reason to remain.

I had much to attend to. Finding Wang Wenshan was the highest priority. My conflict with Old Ghost had prevented me from learning his whereabouts, but I had to keep searching. Wang Wenshan had been a benefactor to my parents and a great help to me; he had placed himself in danger for our sake, and I could not abandon him.

Furthermore, I needed to return to the Tomb Guard clan to seek answers and report the recent events to the elders. Before that, however, I had to secure the half-pill for Li Ling, who was returning to the country soon. After that, I would have to carefully consider my next steps—perhaps a journey to the Miao frontier or elsewhere to continue my search for the truth.

There was so much to do, and time was running out. I had to act with haste. Dark Glasses had his own urgent matters to attend to as well. We reached an agreement to head to the town tomorrow to find transportation and plan our next move.