Chapter 2: I Have Come to Investigate and Study

Early the next morning, Zhang Xiaolan boarded a car and set off for Lizhuang Village. It took more than ten hours to reach her destination, leaving her utterly exhausted. When she finally stepped out of the vehicle, her legs felt light and unsteady, but she quickly composed herself and sought out the village chief. She wanted to hire a guide and a porter, knowing full well she couldn't find the place alone.

"Chief, may I ask if you know where the ancient tomb site discovered here last time is located?" Zhang Xiaolan asked with innocent sincerity, hoping her affable demeanor would persuade the chief to tell her the truth. She understood well that such questions were taboo in rural areas, often arousing suspicion that tomb raiders might be seeking information.

"What brings you to ask about this, young lady?" The old chief sat in his courtyard, smoking a water pipe, sizing Zhang Xiaolan up and down. She felt certain he was wary.

"I'm a student of archaeology, and I'm very interested in the prince's tomb discovered here. I came to investigate and study it." She exaggerated her credentials a bit. Though she was indeed an archaeology student and enjoyed the subject, her experience was limited to assisting her professor on a few field trips.

"Oh? You're here alone?" The chief was skeptical, for it seemed odd that only a young woman would come for such research.

"Yes! I have more experience, so I came ahead. I just need a guide and a porter," Zhang Xiaolan replied casually. Surprisingly, things went smoothly—perhaps because she was a woman and rather cute. The chief helped her find suitable candidates, though she had to negotiate their fees herself.

"1,500 per person," said one guide after sizing her up.

"That's a bit steep. How about 500?" Zhang Xiaolan bargained, but the offer was obviously too low; the two men walked away. Realizing she'd gone too far, she hurried to stop them.

"Sorry, gentlemen. How about half, 700?" she tried again, smiling mischievously as she bumped up her offer.

"Half isn't 700. The lowest is 1,300 each, or we won't go," one guide retorted, exchanging glances with his partner.

"1,300 for two days is far too expensive," Zhang Xiaolan feigned shock, though she was already wavering.

"The path is long and the mountain roads are rough. For a girl like you, three days would be good if you make it," one guide replied, detailing the geography. He was half honest, half exaggerating; the route was difficult but didn't require three days.

"Alright, I'll compromise—1,000, or I'll have to find someone else." Zhang Xiaolan turned away as if to leave. The two guides exchanged glances and quickly agreed.

"Deal."

"Here's a deposit of 1,000. I'll pay the rest when we return," she said, happily counting out the money. The guides' eyes gleamed at her wallet, greed flickering across their faces as they pocketed the cash and whispered to each other.

That night, Zhang Xiaolan stayed in a village guesthouse, packing her supplies in preparation. The next day, the three set out together. After they left, the chief looked up at the sky, squinting in surprise as if he knew something, then shook his head and returned indoors.

Zhang Xiaolan, backpack slung over her shoulder, wore a neat ponytail, a windbreaker, and hiking boots. However, her tight jeans drew complaints from the porter, who remarked they were unsuitable for trekking. Zhang Xiaolan shrugged it off, saying she was used to them, and followed the porter with her hiking stick. It wasn’t long before her steps grew labored; the porter had been right—the jeans were indeed troublesome. Recent rain made the journey even more arduous.

"When will we get there?" Zhang Xiaolan asked as the group rested by a small river for lunch. The weather was muggy and humid, making August especially hard to bear.

"Once we cross this stream and climb that mountain ahead, we’ll be close," the guide explained.

"It’s not far then! You told me it’d take three days," Zhang Xiaolan voiced her doubts. She had been skeptical when they claimed it would take three days, wondering if the tomb was purposefully hidden in such a secretive spot—perhaps a place of special geomancy.

"We underestimated you, miss. Didn't expect you to keep up," the porter chimed in, genuinely surprised by her stamina.

"Of course! I trained for this. Last time, the archaeological site was even farther. In the whole team, I was the only girl who never fell behind," Zhang Xiaolan boasted. The two men were surprised she really was an archaeology student—for all her fair, delicate looks, she seemed anything but.

After lunch, they resumed their trek. The mountain path was even rougher than before, and Zhang Xiaolan struggled. Luckily, the route the previous archaeological team had taken was not yet fully overgrown, so progress was slow but steady, drawing them closer to their destination.

"Let’s set up camp here tonight," the guide decided, noticing that dusk was approaching.

"How much farther?" Zhang Xiaolan, visibly worn out, nonetheless kept asking about the journey ahead.

"See the mountain peak? The tomb is right on the cliff’s edge," the guide replied, pointing before heading off to gather firewood. The porter was already preparing dinner.

Zhang Xiaolan gazed at the summit and asked, "Can’t we just climb up and camp nearby?"

"I wouldn’t want to sleep too close. Who knows what restless spirits linger there? I have a protective charm, but it still gives me the creeps," the guide said, carrying his bundle of wood. The porter laughed in agreement.

Zhang Xiaolan could only shake her head and smile wryly. As a staunch atheist, she didn’t believe in ghosts. If she did, after encountering so many tombs and burial goods, she’d have to quit her job and spend her days warding off evil spirits.

But today was the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month—a fact none of them had considered. They’d forgotten to check the almanac, focused only on the money to be made. As they ate their simple instant meals, Zhang Xiaolan settled into her small portable tent, while the other two slept in a larger one.

"The moon is so bright and big tonight. Is it because we’re on the mountain that it looks so… special?" Zhang Xiaolan mused, watching the moon from her tent, struck by its unusual appearance.

Checking her watch, she saw it was past nine. She slipped on her shoes, stepped outside for a glimpse of the night, then returned for her camera, hoping to capture a few photos. She had just taken a few steps when something pressed against her waist.

"Miss Zhang, hand over all your money and cards," came the guide’s voice. Zhang Xiaolan was startled but tried to remain calm.

"What are you doing?"

"We’re both doing this. Give us all your money, or we’ll push you down the mountain," the porter threatened. Zhang Xiaolan turned to see both guides standing behind her, one brandishing the machete he’d used earlier to clear the path.