My Partner Always Wants to Dig My Grave - Chapter 44

Faced with Nian Nian’s question, the villagers exchanged uneasy glances, and the surroundings grew noisy once again.

“What?” “That haunted place? How could any of us go down there?”

Seeing no one admit to it, Nian Nian felt somewhat troubled. After all, they didn’t know the people in this village well and couldn’t quickly identify who had secretly entered the tomb.

Sheng Zhen curled her lips disdainfully and whispered into Si Wan’s ear with a hint of displeasure: “He’s a very detestable person.”

Hearing this, Si Wan understood that Sheng Zhen must have encountered this person before. She immediately began mentally reviewing everyone they had met over the past few days.

Si Wan’s gaze turned icy as she swept it over the crowd, seemingly trying to identify the one who had earned Sheng Zhen’s intense dislike.

When the villagers met Si Wan’s penetrating stare, an inexplicable chill ran down their spines, and the clamor gradually subsided. Then, they heard Si Wan speak coldly: “Who brought you here?”

Ma Banxian, the instigator of all this, was still detained at the police station and couldn’t possibly be responsible. The one who had gathered these people must hold some authority among them.

“Exactly! Let’s see who it is, make them step forward,” Guan Yue said indignantly.

When asked this, the villagers were finally able to respond. Those at the front turned around and called out to someone: “Old Jin, Brother Jin…”

They called out several times, but the person they were referring to didn’t step forward, nor was Liu Jin’s figure anywhere in sight. Someone began to complain: “What’s going on? Where did that Liu Jin go?”

“So, he’s the one who called us out here in the middle of the night and then ran off first?”

Listening to the crowd’s renewed uproar, Si Wan and the others grew increasingly solemn.

“Who is Liu Jin?” Si Wan asked calmly.

At this point, they could only confirm that this so-called Liu Jin wasn’t present. Since someone had gone to great lengths to gather these people here in the middle of the night to divert the police’s attention, it was unlikely that person had fled at the last moment. In all likelihood, they were already inside the tomb.

Thinking of this, Liu Yaoyao’s expression darkened, and she answered Si Wan’s question: “It’s Uncle Jin, the one we met in the fields the night before he came to my house.”

Sheng Zhen snorted coldly, her blood-red eyes glancing toward the cave entrance with a flicker of deep-seated disgust. Leaning against Si Wan’s shoulder, as if recalling the events of that day, she sneered: “Someone like him deserves to be torn to pieces. I really despise your current laws, so timid and restrictive.”

As soon as Sheng Zhen finished speaking, an eerie wind swept through again, causing panic to ripple through the crowd. Fearing the ghost might reappear, they jostled against the police officers nearby, nearly knocking them over.

Si Wan sighed helplessly and looked at Sheng Zhen with a soothing expression, which finally eased some of Sheng Zhen’s anger.

Guan Yue frowned, cursed under her breath, and then said to Si Wan: “Si Wan, do you know this person?”

Si Wan pressed her lips together and replied coldly: “I’ve seen him. I don’t know him.”

Guan Yue wasn’t surprised by Si Wan’s response, merely feeling that the person in question truly deserved to die and that Si Wan’s tone was justified. She then turned her gaze to Liu Yaoyao.

Understanding the cue, Liu Yaoyao stepped closer to Guan Yue and reminded her in a low voice: “Professor Guan, you saw him that day too. Uncle Jin was the one who accused us of damaging the crops.”

After realizing who it was, Guan Yue let out a scoff and spoke irritably.

“Why is it that idiot again…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Liu Yaoyao and Song Yan swiftly covered her mouth.

“Professor Guan, watch your language and maintain some decorum,” Song Yan said with a resigned smile.

Only then did Guan Yue remember there were others present. She pulled their hands away, coughed awkwardly twice, and changed the subject.

“Since everything’s ready, let’s head down now and flush them out.”

As she spoke, Guan Yue glanced at the moon in the night sky and felt a wave of frustration, unable to resist venting.

“That guy’s name has ‘gold’ in it, and he’s truly obsessed with money, greedy enough to target cultural relics. He’s really risking his life and making us work overtime through the night.”

Si Wan offered no further opinion and instructed Song Yan and Liu Yaoyao, “The two of us will go down. You stay up here with the police, keep watch, and make sure they don’t cause any more trouble.”

She emphasized the last two sentences, her gaze drifting pointedly toward the villagers still gathered nearby. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, adding to the unease.

Guan Yue fiddled with her gear, not looking up as she addressed Nian Nian.

“Officer Nian, could you please clear the area and ensure no one else approaches? We really don’t want to work overtime again.”

Nian Nian observed the two standing before the cave entrance, thought for a moment, then politely asked Song Yan for a set of equipment before addressing them.

“Rest assured, professors. Everything’s been arranged, and there won’t be any more issues.”

Perhaps due to the late hour and lack of sleep, Guan Yue let out a small huff and complained, “Sounds good, but that’s what you said last time. Now people have gone down there, and we have to go in after them in the middle of the night.”

“Don’t worry, professors. This time, once we apprehend them, we’ll ensure they face the consequences as a deterrent to others,” Nian Nian replied, her voice soft yet authoritative, just loud enough for the previously disruptive villagers to hear.

As Guan Yue finished adjusting her gear, she looked up and noticed what Nian Nian was holding. “What are you doing with our equipment? Do you plan to go down too?”

Hearing this, Si Wan also glanced over, her brow slightly furrowed. “Officer Nian, we can handle it.”

Despite Si Wan’s clear refusal, Nian Nian maintained a gentle smile and explained her reasoning. “Since this isn’t an archaeological dig but an apprehension, it falls under my duties. I’m also concerned you might not be able to restrain the suspect, so it’s better if I accompany you.”

Though her argument was logical, Guan Yue immediately waved her hands dismissively. “No, no, Officer Nian, you might not know, but Si Wan wins the martial arts championship every year.”

The implication was that they could handle the situation themselves. Guan Yue was also mindful of the tomb’s owner accompanying Si Wan, too many people might notice something unusual, and the worst-case scenario would be Si Wan being labeled insane and sent to a psychiatric hospital.

Nian Nian chuckled in admiration. “I’ve heard about that. Professor Si is quite impressive.”

Just as Guan Yue thought Nian Nian had given up on joining them and was about to relax, Nian Nian spoke again.

“But I still hope to follow. The artifacts down here are national treasures. If that person damages anything, we’ll have evidence to prosecute him. And given how shameless he is, if he tries to frame you, the recording on me can prove your innocence.”

Hearing the word “recording,” Guan Yue became even more determined not to let Nian Nian follow. But before she could speak, Si Wan politely said:

“Then we’ll trouble Officer Nian.”

Guan Yue glanced at Si Wan in disbelief, but Si Wan gave her an almost imperceptible shake of the head.

Reluctantly, with Si Wan’s nod of agreement, Nian Nian ultimately followed them down the only entrance leading into the tomb.

When the group stood firm in the pitch-black depths of the tomb, Nian Nian was about to search for a flashlight when Guan Yue noticed the candles around them were about to be lit. The strange phenomenon sent a chill down her spine, but she quickly raised her hand to stop Nian Nian.

“No need for that.”

As Nian Nian was still puzzled, the first candle in the tomb corridor ignited, followed by others lighting up one by one. The warm, yellow glow illuminated the passage brightly.

The sudden light made Nian Nian’s eyes flash with vigilance. Frowning, she asked:

“What’s going on?”

Guan Yue chuckled, lying without batting an eye.

“We told you not to come, but you insisted. Don’t you get it? This is the wisdom of the ancients.”

Si Wan glanced at Sheng Zhen lighting the lamps ahead, then turned back without refuting Guan Yue’s words. She simply hummed in agreement.

Since both of them confirmed it, Nian Nian didn’t question further and smiled.

“The ancients truly are more remarkable than we imagined. Just being with you two professors for a short while, I’ve already witnessed so much.”

But Guan Yue, who believed she was one of the only two who knew the truth, leaned close to Si Wan’s ear and whispered with a sigh:

“She’s really good to you.”

Whenever Si Wan entered the tomb, the path she walked would never be dark. In contrast, when others descended, even several flashlights couldn’t fully illuminate the entire chamber. It seemed as if the tomb’s owner held a special favor for Si Wan.

Si Wan had long been aware of this, but even now, she couldn’t explain why Sheng Zhen, after waking from a thousand-year slumber, had treated her differently from the very first moment they met.

Just then, Nian Nian squinted into the distance and pointed at a faint shadow ahead, asking:

“What’s that? Are those terracotta warriors?”

“We’ve been here several times. There are no terracotta warriors here.”

As Guan Yue spoke, her gaze followed the direction Nian Nian pointed.

“This isn’t the corridor we found before,” Si Wan said gravely. After examining the nearly identical passage, she added, “Nor is it the one I first entered.”

Hearing Si Wan’s words, Guan Yue realized the severity of the situation and anxiously exclaimed:

“How did the path change? The tomb’s owner, ”

Guan Yue didn’t finish her sentence, catching herself and immediately falling silent.

Nian Nian, however, wasn’t nervous upon hearing their words. Instead, she showed keen interest, remarking:

“The wisdom of the ancients truly shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Then she picked up a yellow paper she had accidentally stepped on, studied it for a moment, and said to them:

“But at least we know the person who came down also took this path.”

Si Wan and Guan Yue looked tense, their eyes fixed on the human-like shadows cast by candlelight on the distant walls.

Just then, Sheng Zhen returned to Si Wan’s side. As the temperature around them dropped sharply, Nian Nian remarked on how cold it was deep inside the tomb. But Guan Yue knew that the tomb’s master, the one who had been following Si Wan, had returned. She instinctively pulled Nian Nian aside to avoid getting in the way of the human and the ghost.

Si Wan’s gaze followed Sheng Zhen as the latter drifted before her. Cold hands cupped Si Wan’s face, and in the flickering candlelight, her trembling lashes made it impossible to discern the emotions hidden deep in her eyes.

“Si Wan, this is a dead end. I never intended for you to come this way.”

Si Wan’s expression shifted briefly before returning to normal. Then, with a serious tone, she replied, “It’s our duty to excavate every part of the tomb, regardless of the danger.”

Hearing this, Guan Yue paused for a moment before realizing Si Wan was responding to the tomb’s master. To avoid arousing Nian Nian’s suspicion, she quickly chimed in, “Yes, yes, this is our job.”

Nian Nian didn’t overthink it and chuckled lightly. “You two professors are so dedicated. Let’s go take a closer look.”

While Guan Yue hesitated at Nian Nian’s suggestion, Si Wan had already taken the lead. The other two had no choice but to follow.

Si Wan’s hand was held by Sheng Zhen, who whispered soothingly in her ear, “It’s alright, Si Wan. There are no living beings here.”

For some reason, Si Wan couldn’t help but smile at Sheng Zhen’s words. It wasn’t until they drew closer to the objects ahead that her smile faded.

Guan Yue breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing what lay before them. “I almost thought the corpses had come back to life. Thankfully, it’s just a pile of bones.”

On either side of the corridor stood rows of skeletal remains, propped up by something unseen. Clad in armor, their broken surfaces stained with what appeared to be long-dried blood, they looked eerie and terrifying in the gloomy passage.

Guan Yue patted Nian Nian’s shoulder and feigned a stern expression to warn her, “Be careful. This place is clearly full of traps. It’s best not to touch anything.”

As she finished speaking and turned to urge Si Wan forward, she noticed Si Wan’s face had turned alarmingly pale.

Si Wan’s brow furrowed tightly as her eyes fell upon the armor-clad skeletons. Suddenly, the sounds of battle cries and clashing weapons echoed in her ears. In her dazed state, the smoke and flames of war seemed to loom before her, and the foul, pungent smell of blood clung persistently to her nostrils.

Her body weakened, she leaned half against the wall beside her. Through her blurred vision, she saw Sheng Zhen’s anxious and worried figure.

She reached out a hand, trying to grasp hold of the other, but in that moment, a sharp arrow and several blades pierced through her body. An endless agony spread through her limbs, and she heard Sheng Zhen’s voice, choked with regret and sobs.

“Si Wan, I’m sorry…”

…