Chapter 36: Have you been reading too many clickbait articles?

"You must be thinking that I’m just making all of this up, right?"

Cheng Ziqiu saw right through Cheng Ziyan’s thoughts.

"Then explain this: why were there so many strange grooves and protrusions in the tomb chamber? Those were definitely not ordinary decorations!"

Cheng Ziyan opened her mouth, but no words came out.

She truly could not explain those bizarre structures. In all the archaeological knowledge she had mastered, there were no such records.

"Those grooves and protrusions were actually meant to work with the eyes of the beast heads to set up light traps!" Cheng Ziqiu grew more excited as he spoke. "As soon as light hits a specific spot, it triggers the mechanism, and then—"

He made an explosive gesture. "Boom!"

Cheng Ziyan listened, dumbfounded. She felt as though her worldview had just been shattered. Could everything in the textbooks be wrong?

"Stop reading those clickbait articles!" Cheng Ziyan tried to remain composed. "These are just stories you’ve fabricated; there’s absolutely no scientific basis for them!"

"Scientific basis?" Cheng Ziqiu laughed heartily. "Little girl, you’re too naive! There are many things in this world that science cannot explain. Everything I’m telling you is based on my own personal experience. Do you even know what experience means?"

"Let me tell you, there are many rules and secret jargons in this trade that you don't know about. For instance, when grave robbers say 'touching gold,' they aren't talking about literally touching gold, but rather..."

Cheng Ziqiu intentionally lowered his voice, leaned in close to Cheng Ziyan’s ear, and whispered in a tone only the two of them could hear:

"The Gold-Touching Captains, get it? They specialize in stealing treasures from ancient tombs! And then there’s 'setting the pot,' 'lighting the lamp,' and 'shedding the ridge'—all of these are..."

Cheng Ziyan was left stunned. She had only ever seen these terms in grave-robbing novels; she never imagined they actually existed in reality.

"Enough, stop talking!" Cheng Ziyan felt like her head was about to explode. "I don't believe a single word of what you're saying!"

Cheng Ziqiu shrugged, wearing an annoying "believe it or not" expression. "Believe what you want, but I’m telling you the truth. If you really want to learn, just follow your brother from now on; I guarantee you’ll have your eyes opened!"

Cheng Ziyan shot him a cold glare. "You? Open my eyes? I think you’re just trying to lead me into a ditch!"

"Hey, you girl, what kind of attitude is that?"

Cheng Ziqiu pretended to be displeased and pouted. "I’m your brother, would I ever harm you? Back in the day, I—"

He was about to brag about his "glorious achievements" from his past life, but he suddenly remembered that this girl didn't know he had been reborn, so he quickly changed his tone.

"Back in the day, I... ahem, I read quite a few grave-robbing novels. My theoretical knowledge is extremely rich!"

Cheng Ziyan didn't buy it for a second and immediately punctured his lie. "Grave-robbing novels? I think you’ve just watched too many grave-robbing movies! 'Theoretical knowledge'? I bet you’re treating *Ghost Blows Out the Light* like a textbook, aren't you?"

Cheng Ziqiu choked for a moment and awkwardly rubbed his nose. This girl was truly hard to fool!

"Ahem, well, you know, combining theory with practice! Look, didn't I discover the secret of that obsidian beast head today? That’s knowledge you won't find in those textbooks of yours!"

Cheng Ziyan rolled her eyes at him. If it weren't for the fact that his face looked seventy percent like her own, she would have taken him down with a shoulder throw long ago.

"I have things to do, I'm leaving."

After dropping that line, Cheng Ziyan turned and walked away. Cheng Ziqiu watched her receding figure, pouted, and muttered under his breath:

"Quite the temper she has; wonder who she takes after..."

Then, he grinned and said to himself, "Still, this little firecracker is actually quite interesting."

Cheng Ziqiu had been all alone in his previous life, but now he had a younger sister. Although she didn't seem easy to get along with, blood is thicker than water, and he felt quite happy about it deep down.

"Don't forget to head home early tonight! There are a lot of creeps out on the streets!"

Cheng Ziyan paused, turned her head, and glared at him.

"What? You don't appreciate my concern? I'm your brother, after all; it's only normal to remind you that it's dangerous at night, right?" Cheng Ziqiu spread his hands, looking innocent.

Cheng Ziyan snorted, ignored him, and walked away quickly.

Watching her go, Cheng Ziqiu rubbed his chin. This girl was quite a tsundere. But he had survived through fire and blade in his past life—was he really going to be afraid of a little girl?

Thinking of this, Cheng Ziqiu felt great and whistled as he lay back down on the sofa. "Life is good!"

...

The next day, as soon as Cheng Ziqiu wandered into the office, he was swarmed by a group of employees.

"Congratulations, Brother Cheng! We’ve all heard about yesterday’s feat. You are truly amazing!"

"Brother Cheng, please take care of us from now on! You’re the big celebrity in our company now!"

"Brother Cheng, let’s go out for lunch? My treat!"

Cheng Ziqiu was left somewhat dazed by this sudden warmth. He instinctively touched his face. Did he forget to wash his face this morning? Or was he so excessively handsome that he attracted the attention of so many male colleagues?

Cheng Ziqiu gave a dry cough, struggling to put on a "calm down, this is just basic procedure" expression, though he was panicking on the inside. What the hell was going on?

"Brothers and sisters, calm down! Let's talk things through, stop pushing and shoving!"

As he spoke, he tried to retreat subtly, attempting to break out of the crowd. But these people were as enthusiastic as starving wolves, and he couldn't find a single gap to escape.

"Brother Cheng, that 'public appraisal' move of yours yesterday was truly brilliant!"

"Exactly! Brother Cheng, you’re practically a god!"

"Brother Cheng, teach me! I want to try it next time..."

Cheng Ziqiu struggled to put on an awkward yet polite smile, trying to interrupt their endless praise.

"That... everyone, could you tell me what happened first? I’m a bit confused..."

Usually, these people acted like their parents had just died, looking completely listless. How were they so hyperactive today, as if they’d been injected with adrenaline?

But no one answered him; they just kept talking over one another.

Just then, a crisp voice came from outside the crowd.

"What are you all gathering here for? Do you not have work to do?"

The crowd dispersed instantly. Cheng Ziqiu looked up and saw his beautiful boss, Chen Churan. She was wearing a sharp professional suit today, which perfectly outlined her figure.

"Did the company hire you to chat? You can't even hit your performance targets, yet you have the energy to chase celebrities here? Get back to work, all of you!"

The group scattered like birds, vanishing in an instant. Cheng Ziqiu looked at Chen Churan and sighed internally. This woman really had the aura of an ice queen!

Chen Churan walked up to Cheng Ziqiu and smiled sweetly.

"Congratulations, Cheng Ziqiu. You’re quite the star in our company now!"

Cheng Ziqiu was completely bewildered and instinctively scratched his head.

"A star? How did I become a star? Boss Chen, please don't tease me. I have a weak heart; I can't handle this kind of excitement."