Chapter 142: The Skull Is Staring At Me!
Wu Xie glanced at the small bag in his hand and immediately recognized it as the braised food that Old Man Wang had given. Not bad, if grilled, the smell should be pretty good? No no no, his train of thought had been led astray by Lin Yan. Although it was indeed time to rest now, but
He looked at Master Liang’s subtle action of secretly swallowing saliva, then at the backpacks of Uncle Tai and the others which seemed to have nothing but equipment, and silently mourned for three seconds for the stored food in Lin Yan’s bag.
Lin Yan saw the look in Wu Xie’s eyes staring at his backpack and knew what he was thinking: rob the rich to help the poor. But seeing those two people both scalded and hungry, now drenched all over, they really were pitiful. No way to starve them right now, right? Otherwise, maybe those two would have performed a fish die net break tonight—oh no, wrong show, that meme doesn’t exist yet, at least another ten years.
Although those two bastards had really ugly faces when they threatened them with guns before.
But in the end, reason triumphed over emotion. Ten minutes fast-forward later, cans were set up over the bonfire. Master Liang already had a pancake on each side and a piece of meat in his right hand. He ate so savorily, under the firelight, his eyes glistened with a layer of shine, almost making tears flow out.
After eating, Master Liang let out a satisfied burp, now truly with tears welling up. He looked at Wu Xie and the others, and said very softly, “Thank you.” Uncle Tai glanced at him without speaking. Wu Xie and Lin Yan smiled at him. Lao Yang directly patted his shoulder, startling him into a full-body shudder: “No need to be polite, next we still, still need you to lead the way.”
Master Liang carefully smiled at Lao Yang, inconspicuously shifting himself away from Lao Yang to sit a bit closer to Uncle Tai.
Uncle Tai was silent for a moment, returning to the previous topic: “So now, do we take turns sleeping for one night first, or rest a bit and then go in?”
Actually, no need for him to say it, just looking at Master Liang’s state, Lin Yan also agreed to take turns on watch and sleep one night first. From coming down until now it was already one or two in the morning, everyone’s physical strength and energy were severely depleted. If they didn’t rest first, a moment of daze inside the tomb could be deadly.
After discussing, they decided Lin Yan and Uncle Tai on first watch, Wu Xie and Lao Yang on second watch.
Watching Master Liang and Wu Xie and the others each find a spot not far from the bonfire and fall deeply asleep, Lin Yan added wood to the bonfire, then sat facing Uncle Tai across the bonfire in silence.
He was still okay, having Xiao Bai Jiang in hand to pet. Uncle Tai could only stare at the bonfire in a daze.
Not knowing how much time passed, just as Lin Yan was nearly falling asleep to the occasional crackling from the bonfire, Uncle Tai spoke: “May I ask the three of you… from which mountain?”
Lin Yan knew as soon as he heard this that it was time for code phrases. But what did he know? If it was Wu Xie answering, he might have been able to respond, but he knew jack shit? But not answering felt like losing face again, though this line wasn’t exactly glamorous. How about making one up?
While he hesitated, perhaps his lack of response made Uncle Tai misunderstand something, he asked even more carefully: “May I ask this one—” His right palm up, very carefully gesturing in the air at Xiao Bai Jiang’s position, asking: “From North Pole Mountain?”
Done for, Lin Yan was already numb from not understanding, but he had to maintain the vibe on the surface. Though he didn’t know what he was saying, probably just nod or shake head? North Pole Mountain… northern? Xiao Bai Jiang came from the south, should have no relation to the north, right?
Lin Yan paused, then shook his head. Uncle Tai nodded, as if understanding something: “So a Celestial Master disciple, my disrespect.”
Celestial Master? Doesn’t that mean Taoist priest? In his previous life, the term Celestial Master was most associated with Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoist priests. No idea how Uncle Tai linked him to that. Could Xiao Bai Jiang’s origins have something he didn’t know, and Uncle Tai happened to know? How about bluffing him?
Lin Yan thought, looking at Uncle Tai who had started staring at the bonfire in a daze again, asked him: “How did you know?” What he really wanted to ask was, did Uncle Tai know what Xiao Bai Jiang was?
Uncle Tai smiled at him: “Young Celestial Master jests, though the one you have seems harmless, Er Mazi’s fate can still be guessed somewhat.”
“Oh? Er Mazi? That previous one—” Before Lin Yan finished, Uncle Tai suddenly stood and clasped fists in a strange salute: “Previously offended, here on behalf of Er Mazi, I apologize to you.”
Uncle Tai’s bow and courtesy stunned Lin Yan. Xiao Bai Jiang had such deterrence? He petted another handful of its great-feeling fur, thinking, looks like Xiao Bai Jiang has plenty of secrets too. He saw it bite Er Mazi, and from Uncle Tai’s attitude, very likely Er Mazi’s corpse underwent some strange changes, scaring them.
Xiao Bai Jiang is a zombie, does getting bitten by it turn one into a zombie too? Like in that show, turning into second-gen or third-gen zombies? So Xiao Bai Jiang at least a second-gen zombie, then this world wouldn’t have something like Jiangchen too, right?
Then since there are zombies and puppets, no ghosts too, right? No, if there were ghosts, the dead ship captain and others would’ve sought revenge on the killer long ago. From his vague memory of the original, it seemed mostly various weird zombies were supernatural, nothing else really?
So does this world have first-gen zombies like Jiangchen? Hope not, if it’s some hidden boss Third Uncle didn’t write, this instance might be tough… that’s combat ceiling, human nuke, who can withstand that! Even cheating Zhang Qiling couldn’t!
Speaking of Zhang Qiling, why didn’t he come with Wu Xie this time? This Uncle Tai definitely isn’t Zhang Qiling, that weak Master Liang even less so. If Zhang Qiling really followed behind, there’d be movement by now. So… really didn’t come? Busy with other things or… confirmed no danger here?
Hope it’s the latter.
Lin Yan thought this, on the surface only glancing at Uncle Tai, faintly nodding to him.
He didn’t notice, for some reason, the bronze tree branch in Lao Yang’s backpack lit up.
After smoothly switching shifts, the night passed just like that. When Wu Xie’s watch showed nine in the morning, everyone woke up and started packing backpacks.
The dried flare, unsure if usable, Lao Yang tried firing one at the cliff first. Seeing the red light flash over the cave, a hint of joy on his face: “Hey, didn’t expect it really works!”
Master Liang and Uncle Tai were also given some food. Unsure if everyone would get separated, each needed to carry some, at least to hold out until others found them.
Since last night’s watch, Wu Xie keenly noticed Uncle Tai’s attitude toward Lin Yan had changed somewhat, and by extension toward him and Lao Yang too.
Avoiding Uncle Tai and Master Liang, he asked Lin Yan: “Did you guys say something yesterday? Why do I feel his attitude toward you is like toward a senior? Wasn’t he threatening us, sneering, ignoring before?”
Lin Yan shrugged, patted Xiao Bai Bai in his hand, drawing Wu Xie to pet it too: “I don’t know, his attitude changed after seeing Xiao Bai Bai.” He recalled Uncle Tai’s slang yesterday, thought to ask Wu Xie: “Do you know what that… North Pole Mountain means? He said yesterday I’m some… Celestial Master? What does that mean? Did he recognize what Xiao Bai Bai is?”
Wu Xie paused: “North Pole Mountain wait, I think I’ve heard it, what does it mean… right, seems like the Taoist priest line? Yes, Taoist priests.” Seeing Lin Yan’s odd expression, thinking he meant fraudulent ones: “Not the scam Taoist priests, the real cultivated kind—not exactly cultivated, how to say, real skilled Taoist priests, not just fortune-tellers.”
He glanced at Xiao Bai Jiang in Lin Yan’s arms: “Probably recognized Xiao Bai Bai as a zombie, thought you’re from the Taoist priest line?” Seeing Lin Yan’s noncommittal face, Wu Xie mysteriously leaned to his ear: “You don’t think Taoist priests who control zombies exist, right? We haven’t met any, but this land has tons of strange people and events, it’s real! You know the Nine Gates? Nine Gates has the Qi family, experts in Feng Shui, heard they’re close to the Taoist line. If interested, next time we can go… exchange?”
As he spoke, Wu Xie grinned and winked at him. Lin Yan laughed too, thinking what was this, isn’t this a serious tomb raiding world? Pulling in supernatural? But thinking, he and Xiao Bai Jiang’s existence was supernatural enough, adding more weird stuff seemed fine too?
This really cracked him up, but no kidding, when free maybe really go exchange, get an identity. Wu Xie said there really are Taoist priests who control zombies, Xiao Bai Jiang counts as zombie… then he’s a bigshot too?
Yo, startled up from deathbed, turns out I’m the bigshot? Inflation time!
Inflating in his mind for a few seconds, Lin Yan regained calm mindset, telling himself to stay low-key. Haven’t seen anyone but protagonist high-profile end well? Look at A Ning, so fierce under Lu King’s Palace, still slinked away in the end? Fatty needless to say, more trash talk faster kneel; that Er Mazi with gun and piles of trash talk before, probably ashes cold now? So better stay low-key!
Luckily they brought rope when coming down, so descending the cliff was relatively easy, just the process a bit scary—imagine, coffins on both sides of the rope, what scene? One after another, layer upon layer. Near the bottom, coffins mixed with rotten wood and pale white bones into a pile.
The bottom oldest, wood mostly rotted away, bones inside unstable, so some fell from upper layer to lower, bones all mixed, even spots with several skulls collided together.
This scared Master Liang holding a flashlight half to death, legs went soft. Finally Lao Yang and Uncle Tai pulled him down. The instant his feet touched ground, Master Liang collapsed, whole body shaking, couldn’t be pulled up.
Now except Uncle Tai, everyone started disdaining him. Lao Yang blurted: “You, so cowardly, why come down?”
Master Liang wanted to cry: “I I don’t know either! Who knew it was so scary here! Looked fine from above, who thought it’d be like this? Look, there’s still skulls glaring at me!”
He pointed at nearby skulls, turning head away afraid to look, but except a small spot, all around such scenes, skulls like staring at him.
Lin Yan found it amusing, further ruling out Master Liang as Zhang Qiling. If Zhang Qiling acting, too dedicated. This cowardly look seemed genuine. Thinking this, he suddenly recalled the other person with Uncle Tai before: “Oh right, you had another person? Where’d he go?”
Uncle Tai smiled: “You mean that Guangdong guy? Dead.”
Lin Yan saw his flickering eyes avoiding, couldn’t help suspecting. Though that middle-aged man hadn’t appeared till now, high chance dead, but what if acting? After Uncle Tai and Master Liang bypassing from other side of cliff, Lin Yan no longer assumed, maybe really not dead?
Or… died and revived as zombie, possible too! Besides, Uncle Tai’s eye-avoiding attitude screamed problem. Thinking, Lin Yan kept a bit vigilant, fearing the missing guy seize opportunity for inside-outside collab with Uncle Tai to screw them.
Uncle Tai dodged too fast for Lin Yan to read his mind, else he’d see Uncle Tai guilty because that Guangdong guy he basically killed himself. If told truthfully to Lin Yan them, the three would fully guard him, even find way to ditch him taking Master Liang away, which he didn’t want.
He took Master Liang’s employment here also to grab some stuff, how could he let himself fail here? Unfortunately, he didn’t know, or rather except Lao Yang everyone didn’t know what place this was, their messy thoughts what consequences on here.
And the only knowing Lao Yang didn’t know what everyone thinking inside, naturally couldn’t stop. Now he busy scouting from his descent spot.
“Good, no, no danger, come down!”
Lao Yang roughly swept flashlight around seeing no danger, breathed a sigh of relief, calling everyone down one by one.
