Imperial Treasure

Chapter 566 - 365: Slice Scales

Chapter 365

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The sound of water was loud. The searchlight’s beam reached quite a distance, yet Sui Yi and the other two women were still behind.

"The water is getting deeper and deeper... who knows what’s down there~" The Fatty was always talkative. He hadn’t shut up the whole way, while Sui Yi and Yhan Qingwu were fine, both born with the innate ability to automatically block out noise, completely ignoring him. But the others didn’t have such a talent, and Xue the Skillful Hand and Third Lady Yin had not ceased scolding him. However, this banter relieved a lot of the tension, so neither Second Master Gong nor Sui Yi stopped them.

"These walls are very roughly hewn... Definitely seems like the escape route for the craftsmen rather than a proper tomb passage."

Since ancient times, rulers have never regarded human life as important, be they scholars or nobles. Commoners were as insignificant as weeds, with human lives as common as roadside grass, and Sui Yi could easily understand why, since these craftsmen who had effectively signed their lives away in contracts were considered as good as having one foot in Ghost Gate Pass already. Once the tomb was completed, their other foot would follow suit.

"I’ll bet a cucumber, this escape route was definitely not for those craftsmen... It’s too damn weirdly made..."

It was Skinny Waist who grumbled this time, asking Mount Mover, "Old man, in your past trips into the tombs, you must have often come across craftsmen killed inside, right?"

His words actually revealed information—the word ’also’ indicated that he often went down into tombs and regularly saw the remains of craftsmen, so naturally, he assumed that the craftsmen of this Warring States Ancient Tomb must have been ordered to be killed as well.

"Hmm... There are very few who escape~ But the Warring States Period was a very peculiar time. Back then, hundreds of schools of thought contended. The Confucian Family and the Taoists each fought for orthodoxy, not to mention the Mohists... all advocated benevolence and opposed unnecessary killing, so some tombs were created with complete merit and virtue, and craftsmen weren’t casually killed. Maybe the owner of this tomb didn’t follow the Legalist school, but was a believer of the Confucian Family, who perhaps left behind some kindness..."

Whether this was truly a Warring States Tomb hadn’t been completely confirmed, so Sui Yi and the others didn’t argue against this. Anyway, they hadn’t seen any remains of craftsmen just yet; perhaps they really had managed to escape...

Ouch!

Suddenly, with a shout, a man in the front slipped and fell into the water, splashing everyone and giving them a fright. The Fatty cursed and lifted his gun, about to help the man up, when he stumbled as well and suddenly plunged into the water.

With the Fatty’s hefty size, his plunge caused a big splash, soaking Sui Yi and the others as well.

"Oh my gosh, Fatty, can’t you watch where you’re going... What did you step on, falling face-first like a dog~"

Xue the Skillful Hand, struggling to make use of his movement technique in the water and dripping wet, angrily cursed while trying to pull the Fatty up, only to see that the Fatty had already straightened up, holding something in his hand.

"It’s this round, lumpy stick that tripped me... Have a look!"

Behind them, Sui Yi’s searchlight shone directly on the object.

Everyone fell silent, and Second Master Gong frowned, "Human bones..."

Bones... indeed, human bones.

"Human femur... Fatty, you’ve hit the jackpot," Mount Mover chuckled.

But there was something odd about the Fatty’s expression; he took a few steps, stomping around, then suddenly said, "You all could hit the jackpot too... because there’s more underneath."

What!

The group hurriedly paid attention to the riverbed beneath their feet...

Indeed, it was different from the previous smooth surface; moving their feet a little, they could touch something...

Naturally, there were many bones.

Both Second Master Gong and Mount Mover’s faces turned somber, with the former saying, "So many human bones nearby, this area must be a Land of Corpses... It will be very dangerous... Gentlemen, show what you’re really capable of, in case we encounter some wrapped corpses or other unclean things and end up laid out flat."

It was a warning, telling these crafty mercenaries not to play dumb.

Soon, one of them revealed their Black Donkey Hoof.

This item was an ironclad talisman in the field for warding off wrapped corpses, and while not everyone had one, at least people like Mount Mover did...

Sui Yi and Yhan Qingwu had them as well, previously given by Second Master Gong.

They had placed them in their waist pouches.

Now, exchanging glances, both of them took them out.

With their lives at stake, they dared not take chances...

Just as Sui Yi was about to unzip the waist pouch with her left hand, she suddenly said, "That man still hasn’t gotten up."

Right, that man... Everyone suddenly realized something was wrong, but at that moment, Skinny Waist rapidly rolled over and, drawing his pistol, began firing into the water!

"There’s something underneath!"

Under the crisscrossing beams of the searchlights, the churning waves revealed a swirl of blood-red color, mingling with the water spray.